of God who being almost if not altogether silent concerning mens following after Faith have thereby I greatly fear been a means to freeze up the desires of men and wholly to stop their endeavours after Faith which if so I could wish that henceforth they would hearken unto the Apostle who puts men upon following after Faith equally observe it as he puts them to follow after Meekness or Patience c. Which considered may be a means to thaw them out of that benummed and frozen estate even unto due considerations and serious stirrings on their parts in order unto the growth and encrease of Faith And withal be sure that your Prayers and Supplications be not wanting to the Lord that he would be pleased to encrease your Faith and so shall you in due time come to experience the being of Faith in you after special degrees wrought there by the operation of Gods Spirit according to Pauls words to the Galatians Chap. 6.22 while you diligently sought and carefully followed after Faith according to his words to Timothy Chap. 6.11 Together with these things let it not be thought a needless work or besides the business in hand to consider whether Saints are not now in these latter dayes wherein 't is evil as appears by the Apostle to depart from the Faith professed in former Apostolical dayes 1 Tim. 4.1 whether Saints I say are not now to seek for and in Faith to wait whereby to receive the Spirit with the same particular gifts and operations which Saints formerly enjoyed in order to their carrying on the great Work of the Gospel both among themselves and others Since God in his making Promise of pouring out the Spirit upon his People which Promise we in these latter dayes flye unto as the ground of our Faith makes mention also of several gifts of the same Spirit John 2.28,29 And withal considering that the Apostles exhorted the Churches earnestly to covet and follow after the several gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.28,29,30,31 14.1,39 Which exhortations if they reach us and speak to us 〈◊〉 much as any other Scripture-exhortations which for any to deny is hard then Oh then great need have all to pray Lord 〈…〉 Faith But in reference to the fore-mentioned drawing nigh unto God by Faith I suppose that which is a very general hinderance thereof is the great unworthiness that persons find in themselves by reason of sin by means whereof they are as it were afraid to draw near unto God or however if they do 't is very coldly having little or no hopes of acceptance with the Lord and so being not in a justified estate from sin are without Faith in reference to the special Graces of Gods Spirit but among these there are some much more worthy than others who by reason of the strength and subtilty of temptations sometimes as well as others transgress the Laws of God but not as such who overtake sin but rather are overtaken with sin Gal. 6.1 Not allowing themselves therein as their great trouble and Soul-heaviness with daily complaints because thereof plainly declares and yet these for want of a right understanding Gods Way to justifie sinners and his readiness to justifie them alas even these go mourning all the day long rather decaying than flourishing in the Way of God You even you in particular the beloved of my Soul do I hereby exhort First That ye alwayes abide watchful and abundantly careful that ye sin not But Secondly If any man sin that you remember there is an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is a propitiation for our sins by whom way is made for you boldly to come to the Throne of Grace that you may find mercy that is to say for all you that having sinned feels the stroke of sin and forgets it not as Sluggards do and so in the sence and godly sorrow for sin in particular attended with holy Resolutions with humble and hearty Confession of the same with fervent desires leading unto earnest Prayer to God for the Remission of the same you forgiving them that have trespassed against you and not onely this for one thing is yet lacking even that you in Faith also commit your selves to his Grace Believing that as he hath in mercy promised so in faithfulness he will perform what he hath promised even the Remission of sins for what things soever ye desire when ye pray saith Christ believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 And who then can lay any thing to your charge It is God that justifieth such Who or what is there then that condemneth It is Christ that hath died yea rather that he is risen again who also maketh intercession for you through Faith in his blood Rom 3.25 Thus you being very serious and diligent in your Applications to God laying hold on his Promises of Pardon and Remission of sin by Faith and so standing alwayes justified by Faith quitted and freed from all your sins through Grace have so considered no ground or plea because of your unworthiness being now made worthy in the Beloved the Lord Jesus any longer to mistrust or question the good Will and Pleasure of God in reference to your receiving from him the more special Discoveries and Operations of his Spirit but may now boldly go to the Throne of Grace for the same being such whom God waiteth to be gracious unto you having that Faith which his pleasure is to account unto you for Righteousness This being considered how speedily should every Soul not as a thing by the by but as their greatest work when at any time overtaken with sin to draw nigh unto God and that in the sence of every known sin with godly sorrow for the same not daring to delay heaping up sin like the wantons there being every way as much cause of Repentance and Faith for the latter sins as there was for the many former sins committed in ignorance which though persons are ready to acknowledge yet are I fear too apt to neglect the same upon the account that they have renounced their former wayes and their now being in the Way of God and that Christ is now a Mediator for them and the like not considering that the Soul-satisfying benefit of Christs Media orship is enjoyed according to mens Applications unto the Father by him But O what comfort can a Soul have in any thing or with what boldness shall he walk talk or commit himself to his Bed that having sinned against his God hath not as yee been with him and so by Faith received a Pardon from him True it is that such while they neglect the great Soul-searching work and are tossed up and down with the cumbrances of this life may have an imagined Peace and supposed Comfort and so may go on somewhat cheerfully in their thoughts and thinkings as if all were theirs but alas these though they may talk of Gods Love and Mercy are not able to
thereof though then lawful yet I say is not now lawful for the posterity of Adam because God hath now commanded as in very reason 't was meet that mankind having lost by sin the glory of present enjoyments once enjoyable in Paradise and Christ having freely purchased a more excellent even a Heavenly and Eternal glory I say God hath now commanded that mankind should deny themselves and take up a Cross that is to say that men should not now follow their own natural lusts which so greatly inclines to this present world but should deny and cross them and settle their affections and delights upon the more excellent estate of glory purchased by the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 5.15 Col. 3.2 And therefore the sons of men now following the natural lusts of the flesh become by nature the children of wrath led by the Prince of the power of the Air who also stirs up them to follow their own lusts and hearts desires with endeavours by deceit to enlarge the same and thus all men go out of the way there is none Righteous no not one But such and so great was the Fathers love to the world considered thus miserable lying under the burthen of their own personal transgressions as that he willed and accordingly commanded by the Lord Jesus that the Gospel should be preached to every Creature thereof Mark 16.15 that is The Glad-tydings of the Pardon and Remission of their sins so as that whosoever of the world thus miserable by reason of sin now repenteth of the same believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Ver. 16. But this purpose of God concerning Election that is in English choosing out all such as believe to life Everlasting was not in the least arising from or begotten in God by or because of any fore-seen Faith in or works of Righteousness done by the Creature but meerly and alone from the purpose of his own gracious Will nothing in man first or last moving him thereunto for the purpose of God according to Election is not of works but of him that calleth I with the Apostle bear Witness Rom. 9.11 And whereas the glory and excellency of Gods presence is such as cannot admit of any unholy or unclean thing for that Cause his Decree of Election or Predestination reaches the holy Ones or the number of Believers onely and not because God saw any worth or excellency in mens Faith or Holiness whereby to provoke him thus graciously to decree but according to the good pleasure of his Will saith the Apostle hath he Predestinated us that is in English fore-appointed us unto the Adoption of Children Ephes 1.5 Now whosoever of you that bear the name of Saints hearing this so gracious Gospel of Jesus Christ did in your hearts acknowledge the truth thereof verily believing that there was remission of sins to be had in Christ And that Christ therefore being the Justifier and so the most amiablest Object in the World was most worthy your affections and Soul-desires and thereupon resolved with godly sorrow for the sins past for the time to come to serve him with all affections and faithfulness and no longer your selves and so committed your selves to his grace confidently depending upon him for that which you verily believed was to be had in him even the remission of your sins and eternal life whosoever of you have So believed in Christ publickly professing the same by being Baptized that is in English Dipped in his Name by Faith you were justified from all your sins past and being thus reconciled the gift of eternal life freely purchased by Christ Jesus for you without any respect of Faith fore-seen in you or any condition required of you in order thereunto I say the gift of eternal life remained your portion This Faith being professed by you next thereunto O Friends you may remember that you with others and others with you and for you made application to the gracious God by Prayer and Supplication with the Laying on their Hands according to the Scriptures speaking in that case Heb. 6.12 Acts 8.15,17 That you might receive the holy Spirit by the gracious supplies of which you might be both furnished to continue the Faith professed and also to bear much fruit therein to the honour of him who had called you out of darkness into his marvellous light But since 't is the receiving of the holy Spirit and not the bare asking of him nor the much talk of him that makes men thus happy and the more and more receiving of him that makes men men indeed even strong in the Faith it remains a work none of the least for all such who have so believed and so practised well to consider what they have received from God and how they may come to receive more from him for it were a lamentable weakness even greatly tending to the provoking of God for men practising as aforesaid to rest and lye still secure as if all were well barely because they have called upon the Lord for his holy Spirit when for a long time they know him not received nothing of this work upon their own heatts whereby they can declare to others what the Lord hath done for their Souls David that heavenly pattern being in the profession of the Law of God rested not in that but followed hard after the Lord therein Psal 63.8 to whom having diligently sought and Prayed often he abode waiting upon him till the Lord gave him ground to say to his Soul Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116.7 and as elsewhere he saith Psal 63.8 Thy right hand upholdeth me How good a thing were it for Professors in this day to take pattern hereby so as henceforth not to content themselves in that formerly they have prayed with subjection to the Laying on of Hands for the gift of Gods Spirit nor in that they continue sometimes yet to pray for the same for most surely 't is the known hand of God upon the Soul that onely can give real cause of satisfaction the certain experience of Gods bountifulness renders poor Souls otherwise restless to be at rest and true peace And then how boldly may such speak of Gods goodness to others having themselves sweet experience of his goodness to their own Souls And how boldly may such stand up and exhort others to keep under and mortifie the deeds of the body they in the mean while knowing the deeds of the Body mortified in themselves through the operation of Gods Spirit upon their Souls Yea and how boldly also may such reprove them that shall notwithstanding live after the flesh whereas otherwise the reproof of the reprover reflects and sticks fast on himself and not onely so but there is this mischief also attending even that thereby the fleshly part in the reproved hath occasion given it to follow its lusts and so how great are the retortings and reflections of such upon the reprover Sure I am
say upon sure experience with the Prophet that the Lord hath crowned them with loving kindness and tender mercies Psal 103.4 O let him then that readeth understand that every Soul that comes by Faith to be justified from their old sins have a great work to do requiring much watchfulness care and circumspection in order to their maintaining and keeping themselves in a justified estate But moreover let men consider whether they do not while wanting in their Applications to God for the Pardon of sin ignorantly go on in a way very dangerous while the true Fountain of Grace is neglected 't is greatly to be feared that they have hewed to themselves broken Cisterns that will not yea cannot answer their expectations that is to say persons being made sensible that they have sinned against God have thereupon resolved for the time to come to be more watchful and to walk more wisely before God and then having a little while in measure reformed themselves have thereby spoken peace to themselves thinking all is well And why Because they are reformed And thus do they as it were make their own works of Reformation the ground of their peace and satisfaction True it is that works of Reformation in such that have sinned is good for the Lord calls for it yet sure I am and I pray you to consider it that 't is not that no nor any work of Righteousness that they can do yea though they should for ever afterwards so exactly walk both in words thoughts and actions as not again to sin yet I say and confidently conclude that 't is not in the least that which can justifie or cleanse them from the sin already committed And therefore it remains a work none of the least for persons that have sinned against God speedily to draw nigh unto him that by humiliation attended with holy resolutions and Faith they may reach his promised Grace and Mercy the onely sure ground of peace and satisfaction which whosoever attains may understandingly with the Prophet say Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee And so then as persons justified and quitted from sin are to endeavour with calling upon God for his Grace to help them some real and thorow Reformation answering to their former resolutions far exceeding what is or can be in such who neglect the true means of Justification in which Reformation of theirs they may rejoyce but not as imagining peace from thence but rather upon the account that God is thereby more honoured even God who hath justified them from all their sins Now forasmuch as 't is Saints great work to keep themselves in the way of Gods Grace and Mercy that they may alwayes stand quitted and justified from sin without which they cannot go to the Throne of Grace with confidence to receive the special presence of Gods Spirit I would pray all such who are in the godly sorrow because of their sin to weigh these following considerations that henceforth there may be a more apt and ready closing in with Gods Promises in reference to Pardon and Forgiveness of sins Namely that the Lord the Lord God against whom ye have sinned is a gracious God abundant in goodness keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin plenteous in mercy rich in mercy abundant in mercy that will abundantly pardon all which the Scriptures witnesseth Consider also That God delighteth in mercy Mic. 7.18 and taketh pleasure in such as hope in his mercy Psal 147.11 and is full of compassion ready to forgive Nehem. 7.19 but slow to anger Psal 145.8 Consider also That Gods mercies endureth for ever and is from Everlasting to Everlasting to such as keep his Covenant reaching over all his Works as the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his mercy even also as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 103.11,13,17 Psal 145.9 Consider also That God who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all will with him freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more shall we be saved and justified from sin by his being alive for evermore making intercession for us Rom. 5.10 Consider also That notwithstanding the great backslidings of Israel even playing the harlot with many lovers upon every high Mountain and under every green Tree and that after God had drawn near unto them in much mercy and love yet even to them after they had done all these abominations saith the Lord the gracious God turn thou unto me Jerem. 3.1,6,7 And that in a day when they called not for mercy even then said the Lord return O backsliding Israel for I will be merciful and not keep anger for ever v. 12. Much more therefore will God extend his mercies unto such who mourn in the sence of their sins and call upon him for mercy whereby to be healed Consider also That to believe the Record of God touching the forgiveness of sins is a setting to our seals that God is true John 3.33 But contrariwise not to believe is as much as in us lyes a making God a lyar 1 John 5.10,11 Consider also That if we confess our sins God is just and faithful to forgive us our sins 1 John 1.9 Shewing that we may as well question the justness and faithfulness of God as question his readiness to forgive the sins of such as confess the same but let none question the necessity of Faith in order to the forgiveness of sins because the Apostle here assures it to such as confess their sins without the least word concerning Faith let none I say question it upon that account for by the same reason they may question the necessity of Prayer for that neither is mentioned in this place To this therefore I say as in many other cases must be concluded that it is such that shall find mercy that are qualified not only as saith one Scripture but as saith the Scriptures compared together Consider also That we have an High Priest passed into the Heavens sitting at the right hand of God for that very end to shew mercy even to save to the uttermost by making intercession with his blood Heb. 7.25 That speaketh far better things than that of Abel not for vengeance but for mercy for all such as have Faith in his blood and therefore saith the Apostle Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy Consider also That we have not such an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like we Heb. 4.15 and being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted for he is a merciful High Priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the People Heb. 2.17,18 God knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust Psal 103.14 Consider also That in thy
desiring of God the blessing of Remission of sins thou desirest not more of him than what he did freely for thee before thou desiredst it of him yea when thou wast an enemy to him And with these Considerations consider That if you shall distrust his mercy it renders you altogether uncapable to please God For without Faith 't is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him From these and such like considerations how may you be encouraged to throw your selves upon Gods Grace rejecting all fleshly staggerings at the Promises of God through unbelief that you may receive what is promised by Faith in the Promises even the sure and certain Pardon of all your sins that the hands which have hung down by reason of sin laying upon the Soul may be lift up with praises to God and the feeble knees now made strong and lively in the true sence of the Fathers love shining to the Soul and then Oh! then with what boldness courage and confidence may you go to God for the manifold Operations and Discoveries of his Holy Spirit your sins being pardoned and your iniquities washed away by Faith in Christ What state or condition is there that possibly you can fall into through the utmost rage either of the world or Satan or both wherein there is not a Promise of God either to be delivered out of it or wonderfully to be supported and comforted in it All which Promises lyes before as tendred to such that by Faith are justified from sin whereon they by Faith may take hold and so therein rejoyce for evermore in all conditions If at any time the believing man fall into calamity and great tribulation he presently considers where his Refuge is and believes in God who hath said that he will be with his People in all their troubles and so during his continuance in the tribulation he experiences the truth of that within himself which he hath read was in others even tribulation working patience in him and patience experience in him and experience hope in him which makes him bold and not ashamed before all those that trouble him Rom. 5. and at length possibly is delivered from all his troubles and so made able to say with the Prophet I trusted in the Lord and he hath delivered me If at any time the believing man through the unexpected events of things come to be clouded with many piercing cares and Soul-vexations he considers that 't is written we should cast all our care upon God for he careth for us 1 Pet. 5.7 And through Faith he receives this word and so it becomes to him an engrafted word planted in his understanding concluding that he having on his side a word from God to care for him hath more on his side to free him from those piercing cares than if all the world were joyned together for his freedom so mightily doth he magnifie Gods Word in his heart Thus he believingly commits all and casts all his cares upon God and while others onely talk and read of being careful for nothing this believing man experiences the condition being supported in his serious consideration that God who hath declared himself willing to care for his People is every way more able to care for them than they for themselves And also how unsafe it is for them to trust to or lean upon their own understandings as former experiences sufficiently declare therefore this man believing in God is delivered and cared for by God and so made able to say what the Lord hath done for his Soul If at any time by reason of Wars and rumours of Wars or the great frowns of great men many fears shall assault the believing man he well remembers that these things must first be before the possession of the Kingdom and he while others that are not in Davids integrity and so not in his Faith yet talks much of his words but out of his life I say he even the believing man truly in both Davids Integrity and Faith in Davids words boldly saith The Lord is my Light my Strength and my Salvation of whom shall I be afraid though an Host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear though War should rise against me in this will I be confident Psal 27.1,2,3 If the believing man at any time fall into reproaches persecution for Christs sake by Faith he takes hold of the good and powerful hand of God to support him and in the greatest of afflictions to comfort him Faith so acquaints the Soul with the unspeakable riches and glory of Christ in the time of his suffering for him as that Moses-like he esteems the reproaches of him greater riches than the pleasure of sin for a season so he endures the persecution by Faith seeing him and his glory which he hath promised even him who is invisible If the believing man fall into temptation he remembers how 't is written 1 Cor. 10.13 that God is faithful and so will not suffer his People to be tempted above what they are able to bear Which word while among others onely talked of this man embraces often considers upon it leans and in it is comforted not suffering the violence of the temptation nor any unlikeliness of deliverance by other means to take the least place in his heart which is not an evil heart in departing from the living God Heb. 3.12 but a true heart drawing nigh unto God Heb. 10.22 whereby that should make the word of Promise of no effect but rather considers that God knows how to deliver the godly and that he is every way able to deliver them out of temptations If at any time Trading fail or loss of Goods come or Lands and Livings be taken away and he that is the believing man thereby come to be indebted yet he considers that Gods Promises fail not though all these things somewhat frown upon him and therefore he shelters himself in Gods most holy Word and waites patiently by Faith yea though he may see little or nothing in sight yea and no wayes able to conceive how he shall be in a capacity to live for the future which more than a little will trouble flesh and blood which would live by sight all which makes not him stagger or if stagger he do yet he falls not but keeps close to Gods Word magnifies it greatly in his heart knowing no reason why he should more esteem Gods Commandements than his Promises he therefore prises them above Gold yea fine Gold concluding that they are a more surer maintenance than the possessing of Kingdoms and so speaks peace and much satisfaction to himself through believing taking joyfully the loss or spoiling of goods rejoycing that he hath a merciful God on his side that knows all his wants yea and that is able to make that little Pot of Oyl which yet onely remains so wonderfully to encrease