And sinners are invited to a participation of this Ordinance for that End that they may receive the pardon of their sins that is an infallible pledge and Assurance of it Acts 2. 38. And the very nature of it declareth this to be its End as was before intimated This is another engagement of the Truth and Faithfulness and Holiness of God so that we cannot be deceived in this matter There is saith God forgiveness with me saith the soul how Lord shall I know how shall I come to be assured of it for by reason of the perpetual Accusations of Conscience and the Curse of the Law upon the guilt of my sin I find it a very hard matter for me to believe Like Gideon I would have a Token of it why behold saith God I will give thee a pledge and a token of it which cannot deceive thee When the world of old had been overwhelmed with a deluge of waters by reason of their sins and those who remained though they had just cause to fear that the same Judgement would again befall them or their posterity because they saw there was like to be the same cause of it the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of men being evil still and that continually to secure them against these fears I told them that I would destroy the earth no more with water and I gave them a token of my faithfulness therein by placing my bow in the cloud And have I failed them though the sin and wickedness of the world hath been since that day unspeakably great yet mankind is not drowned again nor ever shall be I will not deceive their expectation from the token I have given them Wherever then there is a word of promise confirmed with a token never fear a disappointment But so is this matter I have declared that there is forgiveness with me and to give you assurance thereof I have ordained this pledge and sign as a seal of my word to take away all doubts and suspicion of your being deceived As the world shall be drowned no more so neither shall they who believe come short of forgiveness And this is the Use which we ought to make of this Ordinance It is Gods security of the pardon of our sins which we may safely rest in 2. The same is the End of that other Great Ordinance of the Church the Supper of the Lord. The same thing is therein confirmed unto us by another Sign Pledge Token or Seal We have shewed before what respect Gospel forgiveness hath unto the death or blood of Jesus Christ. That is the Means whereby for us it is procured the Way whereby it comes forth from God unto the Glory of his Righteousness and Grace which afterwards must be more distinctly insisted on This Ordinance therefore designed and appointed on purpose for the Representation and calling to Remembrance of the death of Christ with the communication of the benefits thereof unto them that believe doth principally intend our faith and comfort in the Truth under consideration And therefore in the very Institution of it besides the General End before mentioned which had been sufficient for our security there is moreover added an especial mention of the forgiveness of sin for so speaks our Saviour in the Institution of it for the use of the Church unto the end of the world Matth. 26. 28. This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of sins As if he had said The end for which I have appointed the Observance of this Duty and Service unto you is that I may testifie thereby unto you that by my Blood the Sacrifice of my self and the Attonement made thereby I have purchased for you the Remission of your sins which you shall assuredly be made partakers of And more I shall not add unto this consideration because the death of Christ respected in this Ordinance will again occurr unto us 3. What is the end of all Church Order Assemblies and Worship What is a Church Is it not a company of sinners gathered together according unto Gods appointment to give glory and praise to him for pardoning Grace for the forgiveness of sins and to yield him that obedience which he requires from us on the account of his having so dealt with us This is the nature this is the end of a Church He that understandeth it not he that useth it not unto that End doth but abuse that great Institution And such abuse the world is full of Some endeavour to make their own secular Advantages by the pretence of the Church Some discharge the duty required in it with some secret hopes that it shall be their Righteousness before God Some answer only their Light and Convictions in an empty profession This alone is the true end the true Use of it We assemble our selves to learn that there is forgiveness with God through Christ to pray that we may be made partakers of it To bless and praise God for our Interest in it to engage our selves unto that Obedience which he requires upon the account of it And were this constantly upon our minds and in our designs we might be more established in the faith of it than it may be the most of us are 4. One particular instance more of this nature shall conclude this Evidence God hath commanded us the Lord Christ hath taught us to pray for the pardon of sin which gives us unquestionable security that it may be attained that it is to be found in God for the clearing whereof observe 1. That the Lord Christ in the Revelation of the Will of God unto us as unto the duty that he required at our hands hath taught and instructed us to pray for the forgiveness of sin It is one of the Petitions which he hath left on record for our use and imitation in that summary of all prayer which he hath given us Matth. 6. 12. Forgive us our debts our trespasses our sins Some contend that this is a form of prayer to be used in the prescript limited words of it All grant that it is a Rule for prayer comprizing the heads of all necessary things that we are to pray for and obliging us to make supplications for them So then upon the Authority of God revealed unto us by Jesus Christ we are bound in duty to pray for pardon of sins or forgiveness 2. On this supposition it is the highest Blasphemy and reproach of God imaginable to conceive that there is not forgiveness with him for us Indeed if we should go upon our own heads without his Warranty and Authority to ask any thing at his hand we might well expect to meet with disappointment For what should encourage us unto any such boldness But now when God himself shall command us to come and ask any thing from him so making it thereby our Duty and that the neglect thereof should be our great sin and Rebellion against him to
Reconciliation proposed unto them nor ever shall be unto Eternity There is no way of escape provided for them Having once sinned as you have done a thousand times God spared them not but cast them down to Hell and delivered them unto Chains of darkness to be reserved unto Judgement 2 Pet. 2. 4. It is not so with them that are dead in their sins if but one moment past Ah how would many souls who are departed it may be not an hour since out of this world rejoyce for an interest in this priviledge the hearing of Terms of Peace once more between God and them But their time is past their house is left unto them desolate As the tree falleth so it must lye It is appointed unto all men once to dye and after that is the Judgement Heb 9. 27. After death there are no terms of Peace nothing but Judgement The Living the living he alone is capable of this Advantage It is not so with them to whom the Gospel is not preached God suffers them to walk in their own wayes and calls them not thus to repentance The Terms of Reconciliation which some fancy to be offered in the shining of the Sun and falling of the rain never brought souls to peace with God Life and Immortality are brought to light only by the Gospel This is your priviledge who yet live and yet have the Word sounding in your Ears It is not thus with them who have sinned against the Holy Ghost though yet alive and living where the word of forgiveness is preached God proposeth unto them no terms of Reconciliation Blasphemy against him saith Christ shall not be forgiven Matth. 12. 31. There is no forgiveness for such sinners And we if we knew them ought not to pray for them 1 John 5. 16. Their sin is unto death And what numbers may be in this Condition God knows This Word then is unto you These terms of peace are proposed unto you This is that which in an especial manner you are to apply your selves unto And wo unto you if you should be found to have neglected it at the last day Wherefore consider 2. By whom these terms are proposed unto you and by whom they were procured for you By whom are they proposed Who shall undertake to umpire the business the controversie between God and Sinners No creature doubtless is either meet or worthy to interpose in this matter I mean originally on his own account For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counsellor Wherefore it is God himself who proposeth these terms and not only proposeth them but invites exhorts and perswades you to accept of them This the whole Scriptures testifie unto It is fully expressed 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. He hath provided them he hath proposed them and makes use only of men of Ministers to act in his Name And excuse us if we are a little earnest with you in this matter Alas our utmost that we can by zeal for his glory or compassion unto your souls raise our thoughts minds spirits words unto comes infinitly short of his own pressing earnestness herein See Isa. 55. 1 2 3 4. Oh infinite condescention O blessed Grace Who is this that thus bespeaks you He against whom you have sinned of whom you are justly afraid He whose Laws you have broken and whose name you have dishonoured He who needs not you nor your Love nor your Friendship nor your Salvation It is He who proposeth unto you these terms of Reconciliation and Peace Consider the Exhortation of the Apostle upon this consideration Heb. 12. 25. See that you refuse not him that speaketh from Heaven It is God that speaks unto you in this matter And he speaks unto you from Heaven And he doth therein forego all the Advantage that he hath against you for your destruction Wo would be unto your souls and that for ever if you should refuse him 3. By whom were these Terms procured for you and by what means Do not think that this matter was brought about by chance or by an ordinary undertaking Remember that the proposal made unto you this day cost no less than the price of the blood of the Son of God It is the fruit of the travail of his soul. For this he prayed he wept he suffered he dyed And shall it now be neglected or despised by you Will you yet account the blood of the Covenant to be a common thing Will you exclude your selves from all benefit of the purchase of these terms and only leave your souls to answer for the Contempt of the price whereby they were purchased 4. Consider that you are sinners great sinners cursed sinners Some of you it may be worse than innumerable of your fellow sinners were who are now in Hell God might long since have cast you off everlastingly from all expectation of mercy and have caused all your hopes to perish Or he might have lest you alive and yet have refused to deal with you any more He could have caused your Son to go down at noon day and have given you darkness instead of vision He could respite your lives for a season and yet swear in his wrath that you should never enter into his rest It is now otherwise How long it may be so nor you nor I know any thing at all God only knows what will be your time what your continuance We are to speak whilst it is called to day And this is that for the present which I have to offer unto you God declares that there is forgiveness with him that your condition is not desperate nor helpless There are yet terms of Peace proposed unto you Methinks it cannot but seem strange that poor sinners should not at the least stir up themselves to enquire after them When a poor man had sold himself of old and his Children to be servants and parted with the land of his inheritance unto another because of his poverty with what heart do you think did he hear the sound of the Trumpet when it began to proclaim the year of Jubilee wherein he and all his were to go out at liberty and to return unto his possession and Inheritance And shall not poor servants of sin slaves unto Satan that have forfeited all their Inheritance in this world and that which is to come attend unto any Proclamation of the year of Rest of the acceptable year of the Lord And this is done in the tender of terms of Peace with God in this matter Do not put it off this thing belongs unto you The great concernment of your souls lyes in it And it is a great matter for consider 5. That when the Angels came to bring the news of the Birth of our Lord Jesus they say we bring tydings of great joy to the whole people Luke 2. 10. What are these joyful tydings What was the matter of this report Why this day is born a Saviour Christ the Lord v. 11.
from your sloth and despondency of spirit you will not gird up the loyns of your minds in dealing with God to put them to a speedy issue in the blood of Christ. You go on and off begin and cease try and give over and for the most part though your case be extraordinary content your selves with ordinary and customary Applications unto God This makes you wither become useless and pine away in and under your perplexities David did not so but after many and many a breach made by sin yet through quick vigorous restless actings of Faith all was repaired so that he lived peaceably and dyed triumphantly Up then and be doing let not your wounds corrupt because of your folly make through work of that which lyes before you be it long or difficult it is all one it must be done and is attended with safety What you are like to meet withal in the first place shall nextly be declared Verse 3. The words of the Verse explained and their meaning opened THE general frame of a gracious soul in its perplexities about sin hath been declared It s particular actings what it doth what it meets withal are nextly represented unto us First Then in particular it cryes out If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand There is in the words a Supposition and an Inference on that Supposition In the Supposition there is first the Name of God that is fixed on as suited unto it And Secondly The thing it self supposed In the Inference there is expressed the matter of it to stand and the manner of its proposal Wherein two things occur 1. That it is expressed by way of Interrogation 2. The Indefiniteness of that Interrogation Who shall stand If thou Lord He here fixes on another name of God which is Jah A name though from the same root with the former yet seldom used but to intimate and express the terrible Majesty of God He rideth on the Heavens and is extolled by his name Jah Psal. 68. 4. He is to deal now with God about the guilt of sin and God is represented to the soul as great and terrible that he may know what to expect and look for if the matter must be tryed out according to the demerit of sin What then saith he to J A H 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou shouldst mark iniquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to observe and keep as in safe custody To keep preserve and watch diligently So to remark and observe as to retain that which is observed to ponder it and lay it up in the heart Gen. 37. 11. Jacob observed Josephs dream that is he retained the memory of it and pondered it in his heart The marking of Iniquities then here intended is Gods so far considering and observing of them as to reserve them for punishment and vengeance In opposition unto this marking he is said not to see sin to overlook it to cover it to forget it or remember it no more that is to forgive it as the next Verse declares I need not shew that God so far marks all sins in all persons as to see them know them disallow them and to be displeased with them This cannot be denyed without taking away of all grounds of his fear and Worship To deny it is all one as to deny the very Being of God deny his Holiness and Righteousness and you deny his Existence But there is a day appointed wherein all the men of the world shall know that God knew and took notice of all and every one of their most secret sins There is then a double marking of sin in God neither of which can be denyed in reference unto any sins in any persons The first is Physical consisting in his omniscience whereunto all things are open and naked Thus no sin is hid from him the secretest are before the light of his countenance All are marked by him Secondly Moral in a displicency with or displeasure against every sin which is inseparable from the nature of God upon the account of his Holiness And this is declared in the sentence of the Law and that equally to all men in the world But the marking here intended is that which is in a tendency to Animadversion and punishment according to the tenor of the Law Not only the sentence of the Law but a Will of punishing according to it is included in it If saith the Psalmist thou the great and dreadful God who art extolled by thy glorious name Jah shouldst take notice of iniquities so as to recompence them unto sinners that come unto thee according to the severity and exigence of thy holy Law What then It is answered by the matter of the Proposal who can stand That is none can so do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Chrysostom This WHO is NONE No man not one in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quis stabit or consistet who can stand or abide and endure the tryal Every one on this supposition must perish and that eternally This the desert of sin and the Curse of the Law which is the Rule of this marking of their iniquity doth require And there is a notable emphasis in the interragation which contains the manner of the Inference Who can stand is more than if he had said none can abide the tryal and escape without everlasting ruine For the Interrogation is indefinite not how can I but who can stand When the Holy Ghost would set out the certainty and dreadfulness of the perishing of ungodly men he doth it by such a kind of expression wherein there is a deeper sense intimated into the minds of men than any words can well cloath or declare 1 Pet. 4. 17. What shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel and v. 18. Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear So here Who can stand there is a deep insinuation of a dreadful ruine as unto all with whom God shall so deal as to mark their iniquities See Psal. 1. 5. The Psalmist then addressing himself to deal with God about sin layes down in the first place in the general how things must go not with himself only but with all the world upon the supposition he had fixed This is not my case only but it is so with all mankind every one who is partaker of flesh and blood whether their guilt answer that which I am oppressed withal or no all is one guilty they are all and all must perish How much more must that needs be my condition who have contracted so great a guilt as I have done Here then he layes a great Argument against himself on the supposition before laid down If none the Holiest the humblest the most believing soul can abide the tryal can endure how much less can I who am the chiefest of sinners the least of Saints who come unspeakably behind them in holiness and have equally gone beyond them in sin This is the sense and importance
propitious and is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word composed of the same letters varied which is common in that Language signifying to cut off and destroy Now it is constantly applyed unto Sin and expresseth every thing that concurrs to its pardon or forgiveness As First It expresseth the Mind or Will of pardoning or Gods gracious readiness to forgive Psal. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ready to forgive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benign and meek or sparing propitious Of a gracious merciful heart and nature So Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art O God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiationum of propitiations or pardons or as we have rendered it ready to forgive a God of forgivenesses or all plenty of them is in thy gracious heart Isa. 55. 8. So that thou art alwayes ready to make out pardons to sinners The word is used again Dan. 9. 9. to the same purpose Secondly It regards the act of pardoning or actual forgiveness it self Psal. 103. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who forgiveth all thine iniquities actually dischargeth thee of them which place the Apostle respecting renders the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3. 13. Having freely forgiven you for so much the word imports all your trespasses And this is the word that God useth in the Covenant in that great Promise of Grace and Pardon Jer. 31. 34. It is warrantable for us yea necessary to take the word in the utmost extent of its signification and use It is a word of favour and requires an interpretation tending towards the enlargement of it We see it may be rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or propitiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Grace and venia or pardon and may denote these three things First The gracious tender merciful Heart and Will of God who is the God of pardons and forgiveness or one ready to forgive to give out mercy to add to pardor Secondly A respect unto Jesus Christ the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or propitiation for sin as he is expresly called Rom. 3. 25. 1 John 2. 2. And this is that which interposeth between the gracious heart of God and the actual pardon of sinners All forgiveness is founded on propitiation Thirdly It denotes condonation or actual forgiveness it self as we are made partakers of it comprizing it both actively as it is an Act of Grace in God and passively as terminated in our souls with the deliverance that attends it In this sense as it looks downwards and in its effects respects us it is of meer Grace as it looks upwards to its causes and respects the Lord Christ it is from propitiation or attonement And this is that pardon which is administred in the Covenant of Grace Now as to the place which these words enjoy in this Psalm and their Relation to the state and condition of the soul here mentioned this seems to be their importance O Lord although this must be granted that if thou shouldst mark iniquities according to the tenor of the Law every man living must perish and that for ever yet there is hope for my soul that even I who am in the depths of sin-entanglements may find acceptance with thee for whilst I am putting my mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope I find that there is an Attonement a propitiation made for sin on the account whereof thou sayest thou hast found a Ransome and wilt not deal with them that come unto thee according to the severity and exigence of thy Justice but art gracious loving tender ready to forgive and pardon and dost so accordingly THERE IS FORGIVENESSE WITH THEE The following words therefore thou shalt be feared or that thou maist be feared though in the Original free from all Ambiguity yet are so signally varyed by Interpreters that it may not be amiss to take notice of it in our passage The Targum hath it that thou mayst be seen This answers not the word but it doth the sense of the place well enough God in his displeasure is said to hide himself or his face Isaiah 8. 17. The Lord hideth his face from the house of Jacob. By forgiveness we obtain again the light of his countenance This dispels the darkness and clouds that are about him and gives us a comfortable prospect of his face and favour There is forgiveness with him that he may be seen Besides there is but one letter different in the Original words and that which is usually changed for the other The LXX render them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy names sake or thy own sake that is freely without any respect unto any thing in us This also would admit of a fair and sound construction but that there is more than ordinary evidence of the places being corrupted For the Vulgar Latin which as to the Psalms was translated out of the LXX renders these words propter legem tuam for thy Laws sake which makes it evident that that Translator reads the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as now we read Now though this hath in its self no proper sense for forgiveness is not bestowed for the Laws sake yet it discovers the original of the whole mistake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law differs but in one letter from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou maist be feared by a mistake whereof this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy Law sake crept into the Text. Nor doth this any thing countenance the corrupt figment of the novelty of the Hebrew Vowels and Accents as though this difference might arise from the LXX using a copy that had none that is before their invention which might occasion mistakes and differences for this difference is in a Letter as well as the Vowels and therefore there can be no colour for this conceit unless we say also that they had Copies of old with other Consonants than those we now enjoy Bellarmine in his Exposition of this place endeavours to give countenance unto the reading of the Vulgar Latin for thy Laws sake affirming that by the Law here not the Law of our Obedience is intended but the Law or Order of Gods dealing with us that is his Mercy and Faithfulness which is a meer new Invention to countenance an old error which any tolerable ingenuity would have confessed rather than have justified by so sorry a pretence For neither is that expression or that word eyer used in the sense here by him faigned nor can it have any such signification Hierom renders these words utsis terribilis that thou maist be dreadful or terrible doubtless not according to the intendment of the place It is for the relieving of the soul and not for the increasing of its dread and terror that this observation is made there is forgiveness with thee But the words are clear and their sense is obvious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore thou shalt be feared or that thou maist be feared
condition in the Scripture denotes every thing of disconsolation and trouble To be then in darkness where yet there is some light some relief though darkness be predominant is sad and disconsolate but now not only to be but also to walk that is to continue a course in darkness and that with no light no discovery of help or relief this seems an overwhelming condition yet sinners in this estate are called to trust in the name of the Lord. I have shewed before that nothing but forgiveness or that which influenceth it and encourageth to an Expectation of it is of any use unto a sinner much more one in so great distress upon the account of sin yet is such an one here sent only to the NAME of the Lord wherein his gracious heart and nature is revealed That then is the very Fountain and Spring of forgiveness And this is that which John would work a sense of upon our souls where he tells us that God is Love 1 Ep. Chap. 4. 8. or one of an infinitely Gracious Tender Good Compassionate Loving Nature Infinite Goodness and Grace is the soyl wherein forgiveness grows It is impossible this flower should spring from any other root Unless this be revealed to the soul forgiveness is not revealed To consider pardon meerly as it is terminated on our selves not as it flows from God will bring neither profit to us nor Glory to God And this also which is our design in hand will make it appear That this discovery of forgiveness whereof we speak is indeed no common thing is a great discovery Let men come with a sense of the guilt of sin to have deep and serious thoughts of God they will find it no such easie and light matter to have their hearts truly and throughly apprehensive of this loving and gracious nature of God in reference unto pardon It is an easie matter to say so in common but the soul will not find it so easie to believe it for it self What hath been spoken before concerning the ingrafted notions that are in the minds of men about the Justice Holiness and severity of God will here take place Though men profess that God is Gracious yet that Aversation which they have unto him and communion with him doth abundantly manifest that they do not believe what they say and profess if they did they could not but delight and trust in him which they do not for they that know his name will put their trust in him So said the slothful servant in the Gospel I knew that thou wast austere and not for me to deal withal it may be he professed otherwise before but that lay in his heart when it came to the tryal But this I say is necessary to them unto whom this discovery is to be made even a spiritual apprehension of the gracious loving heart and nature of God This is the spring of all that follows And the fountain must needs be infinitely sweet from whence such streams do flow He that considers the glorious fabrick of Heaven and Earth with the things in them contained must needs conclude that they were the product of infinite Wisdom and Power nothing less or under them could have brought forth such an effect And he that really considereth forgiveness and looks on it with a spiritual eye must conclude that it comes from infinite Goodness and Grace And this is that which the Hearts of sinners are exercised about when they come to deal for pardon Psal. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgive Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness And Micah 7. 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity because he delighteth in Mercy And God encourageth them hereunto whereever he says that he forgives sins and blots out iniquities for his own sake or his names sake that is he will deal with sinners according to the Goodness of his own Gracious Nature So Hos. 11. 9. I will not execute the fierceness of mine Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not Man Were there no more Mercy Grace Compassion to be shewed in this case than it is possible should be treasured up in the heart of a man it would be impossible that Ephraim should be spared But saith he I am God and not Man Consider the infinite largeness bounty and goodness of the heart of God and there is yet hope When a sinner is in good earnest seeking after forgiveness there is nothing he is more solicitous about than the heart of God towards him nothing that he more labours to have a discovery of There is nothing that Sin and Satan labour more to hide from him This he rolls in his mind and exercises his thoughts about and if ever that voyce of God Isa. 27. 4. Fury is not in me sound in his heart he is relieved from his great distresses And the fear of our hearts in this matter our Saviour seems to intend the prevention or a removal of John 16. 26 27. I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you They had good thoughts of the tender heart and care of Christ himself the Mediator towards them but what is the heart of the Father what acceptance shall they find with him Will Christ pray that they may find favour with him Why saith he as to the Love of his heart there is no need of it for the Father himself loveth you If this then belongeth to forgiveness as who ever hath sought for it knoweth that it doth it is certainly no common discovery to have it revealed unto us To have all the clouds and darkness that are raised by sin between us and the Throne of God dispelled to have the fire and storms and tempests that are kindled and stirred up about him by the Law removed to have his glorious face unvailed and his holy heart laid open and a view given of those infinite treasures and stores of Goodness Mercy Love and Kindness which have had an unchangeable habitation therein from all Eternity to have a discovery of these eternal springs of sorbearance and forgiveness is that which none but Christ can accomplish and bring about John 17. 6. Secondly This is not all This eternal Ocean that is infinitely satisfied with its own fulness and perfection doth not naturally yield forth streams for our refreshment Mercy and pardon do not come forth from God as Light doth from the Sun or Water from the Sea by a necessary consequence of their natures whether they will or no. It doth not necessarily follow that any one must be made partaker of forgiveness because God is infinitely Gracious For may he not do what he will with his own Who hath given first unto him that it should be recompenced unto him again Rom. 11. 35. All the fruits of Gods Goodness and Grace are in the sole keeping of
are spoken of his mercifulness and faithfulness to encourage us to expect forgiveness from him This also adds to the mysterious depths of forgiveness and makes its discovery a great matter The soul that looks after it in earnest must consider what it cost How light do most men make of pardon What an easie thing is it to be acquainted with it and no very hard matter to obtain it But to hold Communion with God in the blood of his Son is a thing of another nature than is once dreamed of by many who think they know well enough what it is to be pardoned God be merciful is a common saying and as common to desire he would be so for Christs sake Poor Creatures are cast into the mould of such expressions who know neither God nor Mercy nor Christ nor any thing of the mysterie of the Gospel Others look on the outside of the Cross to see into the mysterie of the Love of the Father working in the blood of the Mediator to consider by faith the great transaction of Divine Wisdom Justice and Mercy therein how few attain unto it To come unto God by Christ for forgiveness and therein to behold the Law issuing all its threats and curses in his blood and loosing its sting putting an end to its obligation unto punishment in the Cross to see all sins gathered up in the hand of Gods Justice and made to meet on the Mediator and eternal love springing forth triumphantly from his blood flourishing into Pardon Grace Mercy Forgiveness this the heart of a sinner can be enlarged unto only by the Spirit of God Thirdly There is in forgiveness free condonation discharge or pardon according to the tenor of the Gospel and this may be considered two wayes First As it lyes in the Promise it self and so it is Gods gracious declaration of pardon to sinners in and by the blood of Christ his Covenant to that end and purpose which is variously proposed according as he knew needful for all the ends and purposes of ingenerating faith and communicating that consolation which he intends therein This is the Law of his Grace the declaration of the mysterie of his love before insisted on Secondly There is the bringing home and Application of all this mercy to the soul of a sinner by the Holy Ghost wherein we are freely forgiven all our Trespasses Col. 2. 13. Gospel Forgiveness I say respects all these things these Principles they have all an influence into it And that which makes this more evident wherewith I shall close this consideration of the nature of it is that Faith in its Application of it self unto God about and for Forgiveness doth distinctly apply it self unto and close with sometimes one of these severally and singly sometimes another and sometimes jointly takes in the consideration of them all expresly Not that at any time it fixes on any or either of them exclusively to the others but that eminently it finds some special encouragement at some season and some peculiar attractive from some one of them more than from the rest and then that proves an inlet a door of entrance unto the treasures that are laid up in the rest of them Let us go over the severalls by Instances First Sometimes faith fixes upon the Name and infinite Goodness of the nature of God and draws out forgiveness from thence So doth the Psalmist Psal. 86. 6. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgive He rolls himself in the pursuit and expectation of pardon on the infinite goodness of the nature of God So Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art a God of pardons or ready to forgive of an infinite gracious loving nature not severe and wrathful And this is that which we are encouraged unto Isa. 50. 10. to stay on the name of God as in innumerable other places And thus Faith oftentimes finds a peculiar sweetness and encouragement in and from the consideration of Gods gracious nature Sometimes this is the first thing that it fixes on and sometimes the last that it rests in and oft-times it makes a stay here when it is driven from all other holds It can say however it be yet God is gracious and at least make that conclusion which we have from it Joel 2. 13 14. God is gracious and merciful who knoweth but he will return And when faith hath well laid hold on this consideration it will not easily be driven from its expectation of relief and forgiveness even from hence Secondly Sometimes the soul by saith addresseth it self in a peculiar manner to the Soveraignty of Gods Will whereby he is gracious to whom he will be gracious and merciful to whom he will be merciful which as was shewed is another considerable Spring or Principle of forgiveness This way Davids faith steared him in his great streight and perplexity 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again but if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do unto me as seemeth good unto him That which he hath in consideration is whether God have any delight in him or no that is whether God would graciously remit and pardon the great sin against which at that time he manifested his indignation Here he layes himself down before the Soveraign Grace of God and awaits patiently the discovery of the free Act of his Will concerning him and at this door as it were enters into the consideration of those other springs of pardon which Faith enquires after and closeth withal This sometimes is all the cloud that appears to a distressed soul which after a while fills the Heavens by the addition of the other considerations mentioned and yields plentifully refreshing showers And this condition is a sin entangled soul oft-times reduced unto in looking out for relief It can discover nothing but this that God is able and can if he graciously please relieve and acquit him All other supportments all springs of relief are shut up or hid from him The springs indeed may be nigh as that was to Hagar but their eyes are withheld that they cannot see them Wherefore they cast themselves on Gods Soveraign pleasure and say with Job though he slay us we will put our trust in him we will not let him go In our selves we are lost that is unquestionable how the Lord will deal with us we know not we see not our signs and tokens any more evidences of Gods Grace in us or of his Love and favour unto us are all out of sight To a present special interest in Christ we are strangers and we lye every moment at the door of Eternity what course shall we take what way shall we proceed If we abide at a distance from God we shall assuredly perish who ever hardned himself against him and prospered Nor is there the least relief to be had but from and by him for who can forgive sins but God
as to a sense and participation of the choice fruits of the death of Christ procured for those who are justified by their acceptance of the Attonement It flourisheth not without his sealing witnessing establishing and shedding abroad the Love of God in our hearts See Rom. 5. 2 3 4 5. And what Believer ought not to long for and press after the enjoyment of these things Nay to read of these things in the Gospel not experiencing them in our own hearts and yet to sit down quietly on this side of them without continual pressing after them is to despise the blood of Christ the Spirit of Grace and the whole work of Gods Love If there are no such things the Gospel is not true if there are and we press not after them we are despisers of the Gospel Surely he hath not the Spirit who would not have more of him all of him that is promised by Christ. These things are the hundred fold that Christ hath left us in this world to counterpoise our sorrows troubles and losses And shall we be so foolish as to neglect our only abiding riches and treasures In particular it is the product of an exercised vigorous active faith That our faith should be such alwayes in every state and condition I suppose it our duty to endeavour Not only our comforts but our Obedience also depends upon it The more faith that is true and of the right kind the more obedience For all our obedience is the obedience of faith 2. For its own fruit and what it produceth they are the choicest actings of our souls towards God as Love delight rejoycing in the Lord Peace Joy and Consolation in our selves readiness to do or suffer chearfulness in so doing If they grow not from this root yet their flourishing wholly depends upon it So that surely it is the duty of every Believer to break through all difficulties in pressing after this particular Assurance The Objections that persons raise against themselves in this case may afterwards be considered 2. In ordinary dispensations of God towards us and dealings with us it is mostly our own negligence and sloth that we come short of this Assurance It is true it depends in a peculiar manner on the Soveraignty of God He is as absolute in giving Peace to believers as in giving Grace to sinners This takes place and may be proposed as a relief in times of tryals and distress He createth light and causeth darkness as he pleaseth But yet considering what Promises are made unto us What encouragements are given us what love and tenderness there is in God to receive us I cannot but conclude that ordinarily the cause of our coming short of this Assurance is where I have fixed it And this is the first thing that is supposed in the foregoing Assertion Secondly It is supposed that there is or may be a saving perswasion or discovery of forgiveness in God Where there is no Assurance of any particular interest therein or that our own sins in particular are pardoned This is that which hath a Promise of gracious Acceptance with God and is therefore saving Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Here is the fear of the Lord and Obedience with a blessed encouragement to rest in God and his Alsufficiency yet no Assurance nor light but darkness and that walked in or continued in for a long season For he cannot walk in darkness meet with nothing but darkness without any beam or ray of Light as the words signifie who is perswaded of the Love of God in the pardon of his sins And yet the faith of such an one and his Obedience springing from it have this Gracious Promise of Acceptance with God And innumerable testimonies to this purpose might be produced and instances in great plenty I shall only tender a little Evidence unto it in one Observation concerning the nature of faith and one more about the proposal of the thing to be believed or forgiveness And 1. Faith is called and is a cleaving unto the Lord Deut. 4. 4. Ye that did cleave or adhere unto the Lord that is who did believe Josh. 23. 8. cleave or adhere unto the Lord your God The same word is used also in the New Testament Acts 11. 23. He exhorted them that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord or continue stedfast in believing It is also often expressed by trusting in the Lord rolling our burden or casting our care upon him by committing our selves or our wayes unto him Now all this goes no further than the souls Resignation of it self unto God to be dealt withall by him according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace ratified in the blood of Christ. This a soul cannot do without a discovery of forgiveness in God But this a soul may do without a special Assurance of his own interest therein This faith that thus adheres to God that cleaves to him will carry men to conclude that it is their Duty and their Wisdom to give up the disposal of their souls unto God and to cleave and adhere unto him as revealed in Christ waiting the pleasure of his Will It enables them to make Christ their choice and will carry men to Heaven safely though it may be at some seasons not very comfortably 2. The Revelation and discovery of forgiveness that is made in the Gospel evidenceth the same truth The first proposal of it or concerning it is not to any man that his sins are forgiven No but it is only that there is Redemption and forgiveness of sins in Christ. So the Apostle layes it down Acts 13. 38 39. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses All this may be believed without a mans Assurance of his own personal interest in the things mentioned Now where they are believed with the faith the Gospel requires that faith is saving and the root of Gospel acceptable Obedience The Ransome I say the Attonement by Christ the fulness of the Redemption that is in him and so Forgiveness in his blood for Believers from the Good Will Grace and Love of the Father is the first Gospel discovery that a sinner in a saving manner closeth withal Particular Assurance ariseth or may arise afterwards and this also is supposed in the Assertion 2. That which is affirmed in it is That a discovery of forgiveness in God without any particular Assurance of personal interest therein is a great supportment to a sin entangled soul. And let no man despise the day of this small thing small in the eyes of some and those good men also as
unto a Resolution of waiting in the condition wherein the soul is This the Church comes unto Lam. 3. 26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. I will not give over my expectation I will not make haste nor limit God but I will lye at his foot until his own appointed time of mercy shall come Expectation and Quietness make up waiting These the soul attains unto with this supportment It looks upwards as a servant that looks to the hands of his Master still fixed on God to see what he will do to hear what he will speak concerning him missing no season no opportunity wherein any discovery of the Will of God may be made to him And this he doth in quietness without repining or murmuring turning all his complaints against himself and his own vileness that hath cut him short from a participation of that fulness of Love and Grace which is with God That this Effect also attends this Faith will fully appear in the close of the Psalm 3. It supports unto waiting in the use of all means for the attainment of a sense of forgiveness and so hath its Effect in the whole course of our obedience There is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared To fear the Lord is an expression comprehensive of his whole Worship and all our duty This I am encouraged saith the Psalmist unto in my depths because there is forgiveness with thee I will abide in all duties in all the wayes of thy Worship wherein thou maist be found And however it be for a while the latter end of that soul who thus abideth with God will be peace Let us then nextly see by what wayes and means it yields this supportment 1. It begets a liking of God in the soul and consequently some love unto him The soul apprehends God as one infinitely to be desired and delighted in by those who have a share in forgiveness It cannot but consider him as good and gracious however its own estate be hazardous Psal. 73. 1 2. Yet God is good to Israel to such as are of a clean heart as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt However the state stands with me yet I know that God is good good to Israel and therewith shall I support my self When once this ground is got upon the soul that it considers God in Christ as one to be delighted in and loved great and blessed effects will ensue 1. Self-abhorrency and Condemnation with Resignation of all to God and permanency therein do certainly attend it 2. Still somewhat or other in God will be brought to mind to relieve it under faintings some new springs of hope will be every day opened 3. And the soul will be insensibly wrought upon to delight it self in dealing with God Though in its own particular it meets with frowns chidings and repulses yet this still relieves him that God is so as hath been declared so that he sayes however it be yet God is good and it is good for me to wait upon him Without this discovery the soul likes not God and whatever it doth with respect unto him it is because it dares do no otherwise being overawed with his terror and greatness And such Obedience God may have from Devils 2. It removes sundry overwhelming difficulties that lye in the souls way before it close with this discovery of forgiveness As 1. It takes away all those Hinderances that were formerly insisted on from the Greatness Holiness and severity of God the inexorableness and strictness of the Law and the natural actings of conscience rising up against all hopes of forgiveness All these are by this faith removed and taken out of the way Where this faith is it discovers not only forgiveness as hath been shewed but also the true nature of Gospel forgiveness It reveals it as flowing from the Gracious Heart of the Father through the blood of the Son Now this Propitiation in the blood of the Son removeth all these difficulties even antecedently unto our special sense of an interest therein It shews how all the properties of God may be exalted and the Law fulfilled and yet forgiveness given out to sinners And herein lyes no small advantage unto a soul in its approaches unto God All those dreadful Apprehensions of God which were wont to beset him in the first thoughts of coming to him are now taken out of the way so that he can quietly apply himself unto his own particular concernments before him 2. In particular it removes the overwhelming consideration of the unspeakable greatness of sin This presseth the soul to death when once the heart is possessed with it Were not their sins so great such as no heart can imagine or tongue declare it might possibly be well with them say distressed sinners They are not so troubled that they are sinners as that they are great sinners Not that these and those sins they are guilty of but that they are great sins attended with fearful aggravations Otherwise they could deal well enough with them Now though this discovery free men not from the entanglement of their sins as theirs yet it doth from the whole entanglement of their sins as great and many This consideration may be abstracted The soul sees enough in God to forgive great sins though it doth not as yet to forgive his sins That great sins shall be pardoned this discovery puts out of Question Whether his sin shall be pardoned is now all the enquiry Whatever any faith can do that this faith will do unless it be the making of particular Application of the things believed unto it self The soul then can no longer justly be troubled about the greatness of sin the infiniteness of forgiveness that he sees in God will relieve him against it All that remains is that it is his own sin about which he hath to deal whereof afterwards These and the like difficulties are removed by it 3. It gives some Life in and Encouragement unto duty And that First Unto duty as duty Eying God by faith in such a fulness of Grace the soul cannot but be encouraged to meet him in every way of duty and to lay hold upon him thereby Every way leading to him as leading to him must be well liked and approved of and Secondly To all duties and herein lyes no small advantage God is oftentimes found in duties but in what or of what kind he will be found of any one in particular is uncertain This faith puts the soul on all So it did the Spouse in the parallel to that in hand Cant. 3. 2 3 4. Now what supportment may be hence obtained is easily apprehended supportment not from them or by them but in them as the means of entercourse between God and the soul. From these Effects of this discovery of forgiveness in God there things will ensue which are sufficient to maintain the spiritual life
of the soul. 1. A Resolution to abide with God and to commit all unto him This the word as was observed teaches us There is forgiveness with thee and therefore thou shalt be feared Because this I found this I am perswaded of therefore I will abide with him in the way of his Fear and Worship This our Saviour calls unto John 15. 4. Abide in me except you do so ye can hear no fruit So the Lord representing his taking of the Church unto himself under the Type of the Prophets taking an Adulteress in vision doth it on these terms Hos. 3. 3. Thou shalt abide for me many dayes Thou shalt not play the Harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee Now this abiding with God intimates two things 1. Oppositions Solicitations and Temptations unto the contrary 2. Forbearing to make any other choice as unto that end for which we abide with God 1. It argues Oppositions To abide to be stable and permanent is to be so against Oppositions Many discouragements are ready to rise up in the soul against it In Fears especially that it shall not hold out that it shall be rejected at last that all is nought and â—ypocritical with it that it shall not be forgiven that God indeed regards it not and therefore it may well enough give over its hopes which seem often as the giving up of the Ghost will assault it Again Oppositions arise from corruptions and temptations unto sin contrary to the Life of faith And these often proceed to an high degree of prevalency so that the guilt contracted upon them is ready to cast the soul quite out of all expectation of mercy I shall one day perish by these means saith the soul if I am not already lost But now where faith hath made this discovery of forgiveness the soul will abide with God against all these discouragements and Oppositions It will not leave him it will not give over waiting for him So David expresseth the matter in the instance of himself Psal. 73. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt and v. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain but yet after all his conflicts this at last he comes unto v. 26. Though my flesh and my heart faileth yet v. 28. It is good for me to draw near unto God I will yet abide with God I will not let go his fear nor my profession Although I walk weakly lamely unevenly yet I will still follow after him As it was with the Disciples when many upon a strong temptation went back from Christ and walked no more with him Jesus said unto them will ye go away also to which Peter replyes in the name of the rest of them Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of Eternal Life John 6. 66 67 68. It is thus and thus with me saith the soul I am tossed and afflicted and not comforted little life little strength real guilt many sins and much disconsolation What then faith God by his word Wilt thou go away also no saith the soul there is forgiveness with thee thou hast the words of Eternal Life and therefore I will abide with thee 2. This abiding with God argues a forbearance of any other choice Whilst the soul is in this condition having not attained any evidences of its own special interest in forgiveness Many Lovers will be soliciting of it to play the harlot by taking them into its embraces Both self-righteousness and sin will be very importunate in this matter The former tenders it self as exceeding useful to give the soul some Help Assistance and supportment in its condition Samuel doth not come saith Saul and the Philistins invade me I will venture and offer Sacrifice my self contrary to the Law The Promise doth not come to the soul for its particular relief it hath no evidence as to an especial interest in forgiveness Temptation invades the mind try thy self sayes it to take relief in somewhat of thine own providing And this is to play the harlot from God To this purpose self-righteousness variously disguises it self like the Wise of Jeroboam when she went to the Prophet Sometimes it appears as duty sometimes as signs and tokens but its end is to get somewhat of the faith and trust of the soul to be fixed upon it But when the soul hath indeed a discovery of forgiveness it will not give ear to these solicitations No saith it I see such a Beauty such an Excellency such a desireableness and suitableness unto my wants and condition in that forgiveness that is with God that I am resolved to abide in the Gospel desire and expectation of it all the dayes of my life here my choice is fixed and I will not alter And this Resolution gives glory to the Grace of God When the soul without an evidence of an interest in it yet prefers it above that which with many reasonings and pretences offers it self as a present relief unto it Hereby is God glorified and Christ exalted and the spiritual life of the soul secured 2. This discovery of forgiveness in God with the effects of it before mentioned will produce a Resolution of waiting on God for peace and consolation in his own time and way He that believeth will not make haste Isa. 28. 16. not make haste to what not to the enjoyment of the thing believed Haste argues precipitation and impatience this the soul that hath this discovery is freed from resolving to wait the time of Gods appointment for peace and consolation God speaking of his accomplishment of his Promises sayes I the Lord will hasten it Isa. 60. 22. Well then if God will hasten it may not we hasten to it nay saith he I will hasten it but in its time All oppositions and impediments considered it shall be hastned but in its time its due time its appointed time And this the soul is to wait for and so it will As when Jacob had seen the beauty of Rachel and loved her he was contented to wait seven years for the enjoyment of her to be his wife and thought no time long no toyle too hard that he might obtain her so the soul having discovered the beauty and excellency of forgiveness as it is with God as it is in his gracious Heart in his eternal purpose in the Blood of Christ in the Promise of the Gospel is resolved to wait quietly and patiently for the time wherein God will clear up unto it it s own personal interest therein Even one experimental embracement of it even at the hour of death doth well deserve the waiting and obedience of the whole course of a mans life And this the Psalmist manifests to have been the Effect produced in his heart and spirit For upon this discovery of forgiveness in God he resolveth both to wait upon him himself and encourageth others so to do 3. This prepares
whom I am chief Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shâ—w forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting A great sinner saith he the chiefest of sinners I was which he manifests by some notable instances of his sin I was saith he a blasphemer the highest sin against God a Persecutor the highest sin against the Saints Injurious the highest wickednes towards mankind But saith he I obtained mercy I am pardoned and that with a blessed effect First That he should after all this be so accounted faithful as to be put into the Ministry And then that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in him and towards him was exceeding abundant And what was the Reason what was the cause that he was thus dealt withal Why it was that he might be a pattern an Evidence an Argument that there was Grace Mercy Forgiveness to be had for all sorts of sinners that would believe to life Everlasting To conclude then this Evidence Every one who is now in Heaven hath his pardon sealed in the blood of Christ. All these pardons are as it were hanged up in the Gospel they are all enrolled in the Promises thereof for the encouragement of them that stand in need of forgiveness to come and sue out theirs also Fear not then the Guilt of sin but the Love of it and the power of it If we love and like sin better than forgiveness we shall assuredly go without it If we had but rather be pardoned in Gods way than perish our condition is secure V. The same is evident from the Patience of God towards the world and the end of it For the clearing hereof we may observe 1. That upon the first entrance of sin and breach of that Covenant which God had made with mankind in Adam he might immediately have executed the Threatned Curse and have brought eternal death upon them that sinned Justice required that it should be so and there was nothing in the whole creation to interpose so much as for a reprieve or a respite of vengeance And had God then sent sinning man with the Apostate Angels that induced him into sin immediately into eternal destruction he would have been glorified in his Righteousness and Severity by and among the Angels that sinned not or he could have created a new race of innocent creatures to have worshipped him and glorified him for his Righteous Judgement even as all the Elect at the last day shall do for the destruction of ungodly men 2. God hath not taken this course He hath continued the race of mankind for a long season on the earth he hath watched over them with his Providence and exercised exceeding Patience forbearance and longsuffering towards them This the Apostle Paul at large discourseth on Acts 14. 15 16 17. Chap. 17. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. as also Rom. 2. 4. And it is open and manifest in their event The whole world is every day filled with tokens of the power and patience of God Every Nation every City every Family is filled with them 3. That there is a common Abuse of this patience of God visible in the world in all Generations So it was of old God saw it to be so and complained of it Gen. 6. 5 6. All the evil sin wickedness that hath been in the world which no heart can conceive no tongue can express hath been all an abuse of this patience of God This with the most is the consequent of Gods patience and forbearance Men count it a season to fulfill all the abominations that their evil hearts can suggest unto them or Satan draw them into a combination with himself in This the state of things in the world proclaims and every ones experience confirms 4. Let us therefore consider what is the true and proper end of this patience of God towards the world enduring it in sin and wickedness for so long a season and suffering one Generation to be multiplyed after another Shall we think that God hath no other design in all this Patience towards mankind in all Generations but meerly to suffer them all and every one without Exception to sin against him dishonour him provoke him that so he may at length everlastingly destroy them all It is confessed that this is the Consequent the event of it with the most through their perverse wickedness with their love of sin and pleasure But is this the design of God his only design hath he no other purpose but meerly to forbear them a while in their folly and then to avenge himself upon them Is this his intendment not only towards those who are obstinate in their Darkness Ignorance and Rebellion against him whose damnation is just and sleepeth not but also towards those whom he stirs up by his Grace to seek after a Remedy and Deliverance from the state of sin and death God forbid yea such an apprehension would be contrary to all those notions of the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God which are ingrafted upon our hearts by nature and which all his works manifest and declare Whatever therefore it be this cannot be the design of God in his patience towards the world It cannot be but that he must long since have cut off the whole race of mankind if he had no other thoughts and purposes towards them 5. If this Patience of God hath any other Intention towards any any other effect upon some upon any that is to be reckoned the principal End of it and for the sake whereof it is evidently extended unto some others consiquentially unto all For those concerning whom God hath an especial design in his patience being to be brought forth in the world after the ordinary way of mankind and that in all Ages during the continuance of the world from the beginning unto the end thereof the patience which is extended unto them must also of necessity reach unto all in that variety wherein God is pleased to exercise it The whole world therefore is continued under the patience of God and the fruits of it for the sake of some that are in it 6. Let us therefore see what is the End of this Patience and what it teacheth us Now it can have no end possible but only that before rejected unless there be forgiveness of sins with God Unless God be ready and willing to forgive the sins of them that come to him according unto his appointment his patience is meerly subservient unto a design of wrath anger severity and a Resolution to destroy Now this is an abomination once to suppose and would reflect unspeakable dishonour upon the Holy God Let a Man but deal thus and it is a token of as evil an habit of mind and perverse as any can befall him Let him bear with these that are in his power in their faults for no other end or with no other design but that he
prayer Hence he teacheth and enjoyns us to pray or plead for the forgiveness of our debts to God that is our sins or trespasses against him which make us debtors to his Law and Justice even as we forgive them that so trespass or offend against us as to stand in need of our forgiveness Matth. 6. 12. Many are ready to devour such as are not satisfied that the Words of that Rule of Prayer which he hath prescribed unto us are to be precisely read or repeated every day I wish they would as heedfully mind that prescription which is given us herein for that frame of heart and spirit which ought to be in all our supplications It might possibly abate of their wrath in that and other things But here is a Rule for all prayer as all acknowledge as also of the things that are requisite to make it acceptable This in particular is required that before the searcher of all hearts and in our addresses unto him in our greatest concernments we profess our sincerity in the discharge of this duty and do put our obtaining of what we desire upon that issue This a great Crown that is put upon the head of this duty that which makes it very eminent and evidenceth the great concern of the Glory of God and our own souls therein 2. We may observe that no other duty whatever is expresly placed in the same series order or rank with it which makes it evident that it is singled out to be professed as a token and pledge of our sincerity in all other parts of our Obedience unto God It is by Christ himself made the instance for the tryal of our sincerity in our Universal Obedience which gives no small honour unto it The Apostle puts great weight on the Fifth Commandment Honour thy Father and Mother because it is the first Commandment with promise Ephes. 6. 2. All the Commandments indeed had a promise Do this and live life was promised to the observance of them all But this is the first that had a peculiar promise annexed unto it and accompanying of it And it was such a Promise as had a peculiar foundation through Gods Ordinance in the thing it self It is that the Parents should prolong the lives of their Children that were obedient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 20. 11. They shall prolong thy dayes that is by praying for their prosperity blessing them in the name of God and directing them in those wayes of Obedience whereby they might live and possess the Land And this Promise is now translated from the Covenant of Canaan into the Covenant of Grace The blessing of Parents going far towards the interesting their Children in the Promise thereof and so prolonging their dayes unto eternity though their dayes in this world should be of little continuance So it is said of our Saviour that he should see his seed and prolong his dayes Isa. 53. 10. Which hath carried over that Word and that which is signified by it unto eternal things But this by the way As the singular Promise made to that Command renders it singular so doth this especial instancing in this duty in our prayer render it also For though as all the Commandments had a Promise so we are to carry a Testimony with us of our sincerity in Universal Obedience in our addresses unto God yet the singling out of this instance renders it exceeding remarkable and shewes what a value God puts upon it and how well he is pleased with it 3. That God requires this forgiveness in us upon the account of the forgiveness we receive from him which is to put the greatest obligation upon us unto it that we are capable of and to give the strongest and most powerful motive possible unto its performance See Ephes. 4. 32. 4. That this duty is more directly and expresly required in the New Testament than in the Old Required then it was but not so openly so plainly so expresly as now Hence we find a different frame of Spirit between them under that dispensation and those under that of the New Testament There are found amongst them some such Reflections upon their enemies their Oppressors Persecutors and the like as although they were warranted by some actings of the Spirit of God in them yet being suited unto the Dispensation they were under do no way become us now who by Jesus Christ receive grace for grace So Zechariah when he dyed cryed the Lord look on and require but Stephen dying in the same cause and manner said Lord lay not this sin to their charge Elijah called for fire from Heaven But our Saviour reproves the least inclination in his Disciples to imitate him therein And the reason of this difference is because forgiveness in God is under the New Testament far more clearly especially in the nature and cause of it discovered in the Gospel which hath brought life and immortality to light than it was under the Law For all our Obedience both in matter and manner is to be suited unto the discoveries and Revelation of God unto us 5. This Forgiveness of others is made an express Condition of our obtaining Pardon and Forgiveness from God Mat 6. 14 15. And the nature hereof is expresly declared Chap. 18. 24. Such Evangelical Conditions we have not many I confess they have no causal influence into the accomplishment of the Promise but the non-performance of them is a sufficient barr against our pretending to the Promise a sufficient evidence that we have no pleadable interest in it Our forgiving of others will not procure forgiveness for our selves But our not forgiving of others proves that we our selves are not forgiven And all these things do shew what weight God himself layes on this duty Secondly Observe that this Duty is such as that there is nothing more comely useful or honourable unto or praise worthy in any than a due performance of it To be morose implacable inexorable revengeful is one of the greatest degeneracies of humane nature And no men are commonly even in this world more branded with real infamy and dishonour amongst Wise and Good men than those who are of such a frame and do act accordingly To remember Injuries to retain a sense of Wrongs to watch for Opportunities of Revenge to hate and be malitiously perverse is to represent the Image of the Devil unto the world in its proper colours He is the great Enemy and self avenger On the other side no Grace no Vertue no Duty no Ornament of the mind or Conversation of man is in it self so lovely so comely so praise worthy or so useful unto mankind as are Meekness Readiness to forgive and pardon This is that principally which renders a man a good man for whom one would even dare to dye And I am sorry to add that this Grace or duty is recommended by its raritie It is little found amongst the Children of men The consideration of the defect of men herein as
want of power or pity in me but of faith in thee My power is such as renders all things possible so that they be believed So it is with many who would desirously be made partakers of forgiveness If it be possible they would be pardoned but they do not see it possible Why where is the defect God hath no pardon for them or such as they are and so it may be they come finally short of pardon What because God cannot pardon them it is not possible with him Not at all but because they cannot they will not believe that the forgiveness that is with him is such as that it would answer all the wants of their souls because it answers the infinite largeness of his heart And if this doth not wholly deprive them of Pardon yet it greatly retards their Peace and Comfort God doth not take it well to be limited by us in any thing least of all in his Grace This he calls a Tempting of him a provoking Temptation Psal. 78. 41. They turned back and tempted God they limited the Holy One of Israel This he could not hear with If there be any pardon with God it is such as becomes him to give When he pardons he will abundantly pardon Go with your half forgiveness limited conditional Pardons with reserves and limitations unto the Sons of men it may be it may become them it is like themselves That of God is absolute and perfect before which our sins are as a Cloud before the East Wind and the rising Sun Hence he is said to do this work with his whole heart and his whole soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely bountifully largely to indulge and forgive unto us our sins And to cast them into the bottom of the Sea Mic. 7. 19. into a bottomless Ocean an Emblem of infinite mercy Remember this poor souls when you are to deal with God in this matter all things are possible unto them that do believe Secondly This forgiveness is in or with God not only so as that we may apply our selves unto it if we will for which he will not be offended with us but so also as that he hath placed his great Glory in the Declaration and communication of it nor can we honour him more than by coming to him to be made partakers of it and so to receive it from him For the most part we are as it were ready rather to steal forgiveness from God than to receive from him as one that gives it freely and largely We take it up and lay it down as though we would be glad to have it so God did not as it were see us take it for we are afraid he is not willing we should have it indeed We would steal this fire from Heaven and have a share in Gods Treasures and Riches almost without his consent At least we think that we have it from him aegre with much difficulty that it is rarely given and scarcely obtained That he gives it out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a kind of unwilling willingness as we sometimes give Alms without Chearfulness And that he loseth so much by us as he giveth out in Pardon We are apt to think that we are very willing to have forgiveness but that God is unwilling to bestow it and that because he seems to be a loser by it and to forego the glory of inflicting punishment for our sins which of all things we suppose he is most loth to part withal And this is the very nature of unbelief But indeed things are quite otherwise He hath in this matter through the Lord Christ ordered all things in his dealings with sinners to the praise of the glory of his Grace Eph. 1. 6. His design in the whole mysterie of the Gospel is to make his Grace glorious or to exalt pardoning mercy The great fruit and product of his Grace is forgiveness The forgiveness of sinners This God will render himself Glorious in and by All the Praise Glory and Worship that he designs from any in this world is to redound unto him by the way of this Grace as we have proved at large before For this cause spared he the world when sin first entred into it for this cause did he provide a New Covenant when the old was become unprofitable For this cause did he send his Son into the world This hath he testified by all the Evidences insisted on Would he have lost the praise of his Grace nothing hereof would have been done or brought about We can then no way so eminently bring or ascribe glory unto God as by our receiving forgiveness from him he being willing thereunto upon the account of its tendency unto his own Glory in that way which he hath peculiarly fixed on for its manifestation Hence the Apostle exhorts us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. That is with the Confidence of faith as he expounds boldness Chap. 10. 19 20. We come about a business wherewith he is well pleased such as he delights in the doing of as he expresseth himself Zeph. 3. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy He will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing This is the way of Gods Pardoning he doth it in a rejoycing triumphant manner satisfying abundantly his own holy soul therein and resting in his love We have then abundant encouragement to draw nigh to the Throne of Grace to be made partakers of what God is so willing to give out unto us And to this end serves also the Oath of God before insisted on namely to root out all the secret reserves of unbelief concerning Gods Unwillingness to give Mercy Grace and Pardon unto sinners See Heb. 6. 17 18. where it is expressed Therefore the tendency of our former Arguments is not meerly to prove that there is forgiveness with God which we may believe and not be mistaken but which we ought to believe It is our duty so to do We think it our duty to pray to hear the Word to give alms to love the Brethren and to abstain from sin and if we fail in any of these we find the guilt of them reflected upon our Conscience unto our disquietment But we scarce think it our duty to believe the forgiveness of our sins It is well it may be we think with them that can do it but we think it not their fault who do not Such persons may be pityed but as we suppose not justly blamed no not by God himself Whose Conscience almost is burdened with this as a sin that he doth not as he ought believe the forgiveness of his sins And this is meerly because men judge it not their duty so to do For a non-performance of a duty apprehended to be such will reflect on the Conscience a sense of the guilt of sin But now what can be required to make any thing a duty
which I made with their Fathers in which Administration of the Covenant as far as it had respect unto Typical mercies much depended on their personal obedience But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws c. and I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more Let then this way stand and the way of mans Wisdom and self Righteousness perish for ever 2. This is the way that above all others atends directly and immediately to the Glory of God God hath managed and ordered all things in this way of forgiveness so as no flesh should glory in his presence but that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 29. 31. Where then is Boasting it is excluded by what Law by the Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith Rom. 3. 27. It might be easily manifested that God hath so laid the design of saving Sinners by Forgiveness according to the Law of Faith that it is utterly impossible that any Soul should on any account whatever have the least Ground of Glorying or boasting in its self either absolutely or in comparison with them that perish If Abraham saith the same Apostle were justified by works he had whereof to glory but not before God Chap. 4. 2. The Obedience of works would have been so infinitely disproportionate to the Reward which was God himself that there had been no glorying before God but therein his Goodness and Grace must be acknowledged yet in comparison with others who yielded not the Obedience required he would have had wherein to glory But now this also is cast off by the way of forgiveness and no pretence is left for any to claim the least share in the Glory of it but God alone and herein lyes the excellency of Faith that it gives glory unto God Rom. 4. 20. the denyal whereof under various pretences is the issue of proud unbelief And this is that which God will bring all unto or they shall perish Namely that shame be ours and the whole Glory of our salvation be his alone So he expresseth his design Isa. 45. 22 23 24 25. v. 22. he proposeth himself as the only relief for Sinners Look unto me saith he and be saved all ye ends of the Earth But what if men take some other course and look well to themselves and so decline this way of meer Mercy and Grace whâ— saith he v. 23. I have sworn by my self the Word is gone out of my mouth in Righteousness and shall not return that unto me every Knee shall bow and every Tongue shall swear Look you unto that but I have sworn that you shall either do so or answer your disobedience at the day of Judgement whereunto Paul applyes those words Rom. 14. 11. what do the Saints hereupon v. 24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I Righteousness and strength In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory They bring their hearts to accept of all Righteousness from him and to give all Glory unto him God at first placed Man in a blessed state and condition in such a dependance on himself as that he might have wrought out his Eternal happiness with a great Reputation of Glory unto himself Man being in this honour saith the Psalmist abode not God now fixes on another way as I said wherein all the Glory shall be his own as the Apostle at large sets it forth Rom. 3. 23 24 25 26. Now neither the way from which Adam fell nor that wherein some of the Angels continued which for the substance were the same is to be compared with this of Forgiveness as to the bringing Glory unto God I hate curiosities and conjectures in the things of God Yet upon the account of the interposition of the blood of Christ I think I may boldly say there comes more glory to God by saving one sinner in this way of Forgiveness than in giving the reward of blessedness to all the Angels in Heaven So seems it to appear from that solemn Representation we have of the Ascription of Glory to God by the whole Creation Revel 5. 9. 10 11 12 13. All centers in the bringing forth Forgiveness by the blood of the Lamb. I insist the more on this because it lyes so directly against that cursed Principle of Unbelief which reigns in the hearts of the most and often disquiets the best That a poor ungodly sinner going to God with the guilt of all his sins upon him to receive Forgiveness at his hand doth bring more Glory unto him than the obedience of an Angel men are not over-ready to think nor can be prepared for it but by it self And the formal nature of that unbelief which worketh in Convinced Sinners lyes in a refusal to give unto God the whole glory of Salvation There are many hurtfull Controversies in Religion that are managed in the World with great noyse and clamour but this is the greatest and most pernicious of them all and it is for the most part silently transacted in the souls of men although under various forms and pretences It hath also broken forth in writings and disputations that is Whether God or man shall have the Glory of Salvation or whether it shall wholly be ascribed unto God or that man also on one account or other may come in for a share Now if this be the state and condition with any of you that you will rather perish than God should have his Glory what shall we say but Go ye cursed souls perish for ever without the least compassion from God or any that love him Angels or Men. If you shall say for your parts you are contented with this course let God have the glory so you may be forgiven and saved There is yet just cause to suspect lest this be a selfish contempt of God It is a great thing to give Glory unto God by believing in a due manner Such slight returns seem not to have the least relation unto it Take heed that instead of believing you be not found mockers and so your bands be made strong But a poor Convinced Sinner may here finde encouragement Thou wouldst willingly come to Acceptance with God and so attain Salvation Oh my soul longeth for it wouldst thou willingly take that course for the obtaining those ends which will bring most Glory unto God Surely it is meet and most equal that I should do so What now if one should come and tell thee from the Lord of a way whereby thou poor sinfull self condemned creature mightst bring as much Glory unto God as any Angel in Heaven is able to doe Oh if I might bring the least glory unto God I should rejoyce in it Behold then the way which himself hath fixed on for the exaltation of his Glory Even that thou shouldst come to him meerly upon the account of Grace in
wrath of the Great God who will prevail at last upon you and there shall be none to deliver If you shall say Nay This is not our state we rely on Mercy and Forgiveness then let me in the fear of the Great God entreat a few things yet further of you 1. That you would seriously consider whether the forgiveness you rest on and hope in be that Gospel Forgiveness which we have before described or is it only a General Apprehension of Impunity though you are Sinners That God is mercifull and you hope in him that you shall escape the Vengeance of Hell-fire If it be thus with you forgiveness it self will not relieve you This is that of the presumptuous man Deut. 29. 19. Gospel-pardon is a thing of another nature It hath its spring in the Gracious heart of the Father is made out by a Soveraign Act of his Will rendred consistent with the Glory of his Justice and Holyness by the blood of Christ by which it is purchased in a Covenant of Grace as hath been shewed If you shall say yea this is the forgiveness we rely upon it is that which you have described Then I desire further that you would 1. Examine your own hearts how you came to have an interest in this Forgiveness to close with it and to have a right unto it A man may deceive himself as effectually by supposing that True Riches are his when they are not as by supposing his false and counterfeit ware to be good and currant how then come you to be interested in this Gospel-forgiveness If it hath befallen you you know not how if a lifeless barren inoperative perswasion of it hath crept upon your minds be not mistaken God will come and require his forgiveness at your hands and it shall appear that you have had no part nor portion in it If you shall say Nay but we were convinced of sin and rendred exceeding unquiet in our Consciences and on that account looked out after Forgiveness which hath given us Rest. Then I desire 2. That you would diligently consider to what ends and purposes you have received and do make use of this Gospel-forgiveness Hath it been to make up what was wanting and to piece up a peace in your own Consciences that whereas you could not answer your Convictions with your dutyes you would seek for relief from Forgiveness This and innumerable other wayes there are whereby men may lose their souls when they think all is well with them even on the account of Pardon and Mercy Whence is that caution of the Apostle Looking diligently lest any one should seem to fail or come short of the Grace of God Heb. 12. 15. men miss it and come short of it when they pretend themselves to be in the pursuit of it yea to have overtaken and possessed it Now if any of these should prove to be your Condition I desire 3. That you would consider seriously whether it be not high time for you to look out for a way of deliverance and escape that you may save your selves from this evil World and fly from the wrath to come The Judge stands at the door Before he deal with you as a Judge he knocks with a tender of mercy Who knows but that this may be the last time of his dealing thus with you Be you old or young you have but your season but your day it may perhaps be night with you when it is day with the rest of the World Your Sun may go down at Noon And God may swear that you shall not enter into his Rest. If you are then resolved to continue in your present condition I have no more to say unto you I am pure from your blood in that I have declared unto you the counsel of God in this thing and so I must leave you to a naked Tryal between the Great God and your Souls at the last day poor Creatures I even tremble to think how he will tear you in pieces when there shall be none to deliver Me thinks I see your poor destitute forlorn souls forsaken of lusts sins world friends Angels Men Trembling before the Throne of God full of horror and fearfull expectation of the dreadfull sentence Oh that I could mourn over you whilest you are joyned to all the living whilest there is yet hope oh that in this your day you knew the things of your peace But now of you shall say Nay but we will seek the Lord whilest he may be found we will draw nigh unto him before he cause darkness then consider I pray 4. What Joshua told the children of Israel when they put themselves upon such a Resolution and cryed out We will serve the Lord our God chap. 24. v. 19. Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins Go to him upon your own Account and in your own strength with your own best endeavours and dutyes you will finde him too great and too holy for you to deal withall You will obtain neither Acceptance of your persons nor Pardon of your sins But you will say this is heavy tidings If you sit still you perish and if you rise to be doing it will not be better is there no hope left for our Souls must we pine away under our sins and the wrath of God for ever God forbid There are yet other directions remaining to guide you out of these entanglements Wherefore 5. Ponder seriously on what hath been spoken of this way of approaching unto God Consider it in its own nature as to all the ends and purposes for which it is proposed of God Consider whether you Approve of it or no do you judge it a way suited and fitted to bring glory unto God doth it answer all the wants and distresses of your souls Do you think it excellent safe and Glorious unto them who are entred unto it or have you any thing to object against it Return your Answer to him in whose Name and by whose Appointment these words are spoken unto you If you shall say we are convinced that this way of forgiveness is the only way for the relief and deliverance of our Souls Then 6. Abhorr your selves for all your blindness and obstinacy whereby you have hither to despised the love of God the blood of Christ and the Tenders of Pardon in the Gospel Be abased and humbled to the dust in a sense of your vileness Pollutions and Abominations which things are every day spoken unto and need not here be repeated And 7. Labour to exercise your hearts greatly with thoughts of that abundant Grace that is manifested in this way of sinners comeing unto God as also of the Excellency of the Gospel wherein it is unfolded Consider the Eternal Love of the Father which is the Fountain and Spring of this whole dispensation the inexpressible Love of the Son in establishing and confirming it in removing all hindrances
Hell of punishment And these must needs produce very divers yea contrary effects and operations in the Soul And he who knows not how to assign them their proper duties and seasons must needs be perplexed The work of self-condemnation then which men in these depths cannot but abound with is in the disposition of the Covenant of Grace no way inconsistent with nor unsuited unto Justification and the enjoyment of Peace in the sence of it There may be a deep sence of sin on other considerations besides Hell David was never more humbled for sin than when Nathan told him it was forgiven And there may be a view of Hell as deserved which yet the Soul may know it self freed from as to the issue To evidence our intendment in this discourse I shall briefly consider what we intend by Gospel Assurance of Forgiveness that the Soul may not be solicitous and perplexed about the utter want of that which perhaps it is already in some enjoyment of Some men seem to place Gospel Assurance in an high unassaulted Confidence of Acceptance with God They think it is in none but such as if a man should go to them and ask them are you certain you shall be saved have boldness and confidence and ostentation to answer presently yea they are certain they shall be saved But as the blessed Truth of Assurance hath been reproached in the World under such a notion of it so such expressions become not them who know what it is to have to do with the Holy God who is a consuming fire Hence some conclude that there are very few Believers who have any Assurance because they have not this confidence or are more free to mention the oppasition they meet with than the supportment they enjoy And thus is it rendred a matter not greatly to be desired because it is so rarely to be obtained most of the Saints serving God and going to Heaven well enough without it But the matter is otherwise The importance of it not only as it is our life of comfort and joy but also as it is the principal means of the flourishing of our Life of Holiness hath been declared before and might be further manifested were that our present business Yea and in times of tryall which are the proper seasons for the Effectual working and manifestation of Assurance it will and doth appear that many yea that most of the Saints of God are made partakers of this Grace and Priviledge I shall then in the pursuit of the Rule laid down do these two things 1. Shew what things they are which are not only consistent with Assurance but are even necessary concomitants of it which yet if not duely weighed and considered may seem so far to impeach a mans comfortable perswasion of his condition before God as to leave him beneath the Assurance sought after And 2. I shall speak somewhat of its nature Especially as manifesting its self by its Effects 1. A deep sense of the evil of sin of the guilt of mans own sin is no way inconsistent with Gospel assurance of Acceptance with God through Christ and of Forgiveness in him By a sense of the guilt of sin I understand two things 1. A clear conviction of sin by the Holy Ghost saying unto the Soul Thou art the man and 2. A sense of the displeasure of God or the wrath due to sin according to the sentence of the Law Both these David expresseth in that complaint Psal. 31. 10. My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my strength faileth because of mine Iniquity and my bones are consumed His Iniquity was before him and a sense of it pressed him sore But yet notwithstanding all this he had a comfortable perswasion that God was his God in Covenant v. 14. I trusted in thee O Lord I said thou art my God And the tenor of the Covenant wherein alone God is the God of any person is that he will be mercifull unto their sin and iniquity To whom he is a God he is so according to the Tenor of that Covenant so that here these two are conjoyned Saith he Lord I am pressed with the sense of the guilt of mine Iniquities and thou act my God who forgivest them And the ground hereof is that God by the Gospel hath divided the work of the Law and taken part of it out of its hand It s whole work and duty is to condemn the sin and the sinner The sinner is freed by the Gospel but its right lyes against the sin still that it condemns and that justly Now though the sinner himself be freed yet finding his sin layd hold of and condemned it fills him with a deep sense of its guilt and of the displeasure of God against it which yet hinders not but that at the same time he may have such an insight as faith gives into his personal interest in a Gospel acquitment A man then may have a deep sense of sin all his dayes walk under the sense of it continually abhorr himself for his ingratitude unbelief and rebellion against God without any impeachment of his Assurance 2. Deep sorrow for sin is consistent with Assurance of forgiveness Yea it is a great means of preservation of it Godly sorrow mourning humiliation contriteness of Spirit are no less Gospel Graces and fruits of the Holy Ghost than Faith it self and so are consistent with the highest flourishings of faith whatever It is the work of Heaven it self and not of the Assurance of it to wipe all tears from our eyes Yea these Graces have the most eminent Promises annexed to them as Isa. 57. 15. chap. 66. 2. with blessedness it self Math. 5. 4. yea they are themselves the matter of many Gracious Gospel Promises Zech. 12. 10. so that they are assuredly consistent with any other Grace or Priviledge that we may be made partakers of or are promised unto us Some finding the weight and burden of their sins and being called to mourning and bumiliation on that account are so taken up with it as to lose the sense of Forgiveness which rightly improved would promote their sorrow as their sorrow seems directly to sweeten their sense of forgiveness Sorrow absolutely exclusive of the faith of forgiveness is legall and tendeth unto death Assurance absolutely exclusive of Godly sorrow is presumption and not a perswasion from him that calleth us But Gospel Sorrow and Gospel Assurance may well dwell in the same breast at the same time Indeed as in all worldly Joyes there is a secret wound So in all Godly sorrow and mourning considered in its self there is a secret Joy and refreshment Hence it doth not wither and dry up but rather enlarge open and sweeten the heart I am perswaded that generally they mourn most who have most Assurance And all True Gospel mourners will be found to have the root of Assurance so grafted in them that in its proper season a time of trouble it
build upon it unto any comfort to themselves or usefulness unto others And the Reason is because they will be mixing with the foundation stones that are fit only for the following building They will be bringing their Obedience duties mortification of sin and the like unto the foundation These are precious stones to build with but unmeet to be first laid to bear upon them the whole weight of the building The foundation is to be laid as was said in meer Grace Mercy Pardon in the blood of Christ. This the soul is to accept of and to rest in meerly as it is Grace without the consideration of any thing in its self but that it is sinfull and obnoxious unto ruine This it finds a difficulty in and would gladly have something of its own to mix with it It cannot tell how to fix these foundation stones without some cement of its own endeavours and duty And because these things will not mix they spend a fruitless labour about it all their daies But if the foundation be of Grace it is not at all of works for otherwise grace is no more grace If any thing of our own be mixed with Grace in this matter it utterly destroys the nature of Grace which if it be not alone it is not at all But doth not this tend to licenciousness doth not this render Obedience Holiness Duties Mortification of sin and good works needless God forbid yea this is the only way to order them aright unto the glory of God Have we nothing to do but to lay the foundation yes all our daies we are to build upon it when it is surely and firmly laid And these are the means and waies of our Edification This then is the soul to do who would come to peace and settlement Let it let go all former endeavours if it have been engaged unto any of that kind And let it alone receive admit of and adhere to meer Grace mercy and pardon with a full sense that in its self it hath nothing for which it should have an interest in them but that all is of meer Grace through Jesus Christ. Other foundation can no man lay Depart not hence until this work be well over Surcease not an earnest endeavour with your own hearts to acquiesce in this Righteousness of God and to bring your souls unto a comfortable perswasion that God for Christ his sake hath freely forgiven you all your sins Stir not hence untill this be effected If you have been engaged in another way that is to seek for an interest in the pardon of sin by some endeavours of your own it is not unlikely but that you are filled with the fruit of your own doings that is that you go on with all kind of uncertainties and without any kind of constant peace Return then again hither bring this foundation work to a blessed issue in the blood of Christ and when that is done up and be doing You know how fatal and ruinous it is for souls to abuse the Grace of God and the Apprehension of the pardon of sins in the course of their obedience to countenance themselves in sin or the negligence of any duty this is to turn the Grace of God into wantonness as we have else where at large declared And it is no less pernicious to bring the duties of our obedience any reserves for them any hopes about them into the matter of pardon and forgiveness as we are to receive them from God But these things as they are distinct in themselves so they must be distinctly managed in the soul and the confounding of them is that which disturbs the Peace and weakens the Obedience of many In a confused manner they labour to keep up a life of Grace and Duty which will be in their places conjoyned but not mixed or compounded First To take up Mercy Pardon and Forgiveness absolutely on the account of Christ and then to yield all obedience in the strength of Christ and for the Love of Christ is the life of a Believer Ephes. 2. 8 9 10. RULE VIII Take heed of spending time in complaints when vigorous actings of Grace are your Duty Fruitless and heartless complaints bemoanings of themselves and their condition is the substance of the profession that some make If they can object against themselves and form Complaints out of their conditions they suppose they have done their duty I have known some who have spent a good part of their time in going up and down from one to another with their objections and complaints These things are contrary to the life of Faith It is good indeed in our spiritual distresses to apply our selves unto them who are furnished with the tongue of the learned to know how to speak a word in season unto him that is weary But for persons to fill their minds and imaginations with their own Objections and Complaints not endeavouring to mix the words that are spoken for their relief and direction with faith but going on still in their own way this is of no use or advantage And yet some I fear may please themselves in such a course as if it had somewhat of Eminency in Religion in it Others it may be drive the same trade in their Thoughts although they make not outwardly such Complaints They are conversant for the most part with heartless despondings And in some they are multiplied by their natural Constitutions or Distempers Examples of this kind occur unto us every day Now what is the Advantage of these things what did Sion get when she cried The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me or Jacob when he said My way is hid from the Lord and my Judgement is passed over from my God Doubtless they did but prejudice themselves How doth David rouse up himself when he found his mind inclinable unto such a frame For having said Why dost thou cast me off O God why go I mourning because of the oppression of mine enemy He quickly rebukes and recollects himself saying Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God Psal. 4. 2 5. We must say then unto such heartless Complainers as God did to Joshuah Get you up why lye you thus upon your faces Do you think to mend your condition by wishing it better or complaining it is so bad are your complaints of want of an Interest in forgiveness a sanctified means to obtain it not at all you will not deal so with your selves in things natural or civil In such things you will take an industrious course for a remedy or for relief In things of the smallest importance in this world and unto this life you will not content your selves with wishing and complaining As though industry in the use of natural means for the attaining of natural Ends were the Ordinance of God and diligence in the use of spiritual means for the obtaining of spiritual Ends were not Do not consult your
our abiding with God Both these are weakned by a conquering prevailing sense of sin without some relief from the discovery of forgiveness though at a distance And therefore our perplexed soul stayes not here but presseth on towards that discovery Secondly There is a resting on this frame that is noxious and hurtful also Some finding this sense of sin with those other things that attend it wrought in them in some measure begin to think that now all is well this is all that is of them required They will endeavour to make a life from such arguments of comfort as they can take from their trouble They think this a ground of peace that they have not peace Here some take up before conversion and it proves their ruine Because they are convinced of sin and troubled about it and burdened with it they think it shall be well with them But were not Cain Esau Saul Ahab Judas convinced of sin and burdened with it Did this profit them Did it interest them in the promises Did not the wrath of God overtake them notwithstanding So is it with many daily they think their conviction is conversion and that their sins are pardoned because they have been troubled This then is that which we reject which the soul in this condition doth carefully avoid so to satisfie it self with its humiliation as to make that a ground of supportment and consolation being thereby kept off from exercising faith for forgiveness For this is First A fruit of self-righteousness For a soul to place the spring of its peace or comfort in any thing of its own is to fall short of Christ and to take up in self We must not only be justified but glory in him also Isa. 45. 25. Men may make use of the evidence of their graces but only as mediums to a farther end not as the rest of the soul in the least And this deprives mens very humiliations of all Gospel humility True humility consists more in believing than in being sensible of sin That 's the souls great self-emptying and abasing this may consist with an obstinate resolution to scamble for something upon the account of self endeavours Secondly Though Evangelical sense of sin be a Grace yet it is not the uniting Grace it is not that which interests us in Christ not that which peculiarly and in its own nature exalts him There is in this sense of sin that which is natural and that which is spiritual or the matter of it and its spirituality The former consists in sorrow trouble self-abasement dejection and anxiety of mind with the like passions Of these I may say as the Apostle of Afflictions they are not joyous but grievous They are such as are accompanied with the aversation of the object which they are conversant about In their own nature they are no more but the souls retreat into it self with an abhorrency of the objects of its sorrow and grief When these Affections are spiritualized their nature is not changed The soul in and by them acts according to their nature and doth by them as such but retreat into it self with a dislike of that they are exercised about To take up here then must needs be to sit down short of Christ whether it be for life or consolation Let there be no mistake There can be no Evangelical sense of sin and humiliation where there is not Union with Christ Zech. 12. 10. Only in its self and in its own nature it is not availing Now Christ is the only rest of our souls in any thing for any end or purpose to take up short of him is to lose it It is not enough that we be prisoners of hope but we must turn to our strong hold Zech. 9. 12. not enough that we are weary and laden but we must come to him Matth. 11. 27 28. It will not suffice that we are weak and know we are weak but we must take hold on the strength of God Isa. 27. 4 5. Thirdly Indeed pressing after forgiveness is the very life and power of Evangelical humiliation How shall a man know that his humiliation is Evangelical that his sorrow is according to God Is it not from hence he may be resolved that he doth not in it as Cain did who cryed his sin was greater than he could bear and so departed from the presence of God nor as Judas did who repented and hanged himself nor as Felix did tremble for a while and then return to his lusts nor as the Jews did in the Prophet pine away under his iniquities because of vexation of heart nor doth he divert his thoughts to other things thereby to relieve his soul in his trouble nor fix upon a Righteousness of his own nor slothfully lye down under his perplexity but in the midst of it he plyes himself to God in Christ for pardon and mercy And it is the souls Application unto God for forgiveness and not its sense of sin that gives unto God the glory of his Grace Thus far then have we accompanied the soul in its depths it is now looking out for forgiveness which what it is and how we come to have an interest in it the principal matter in this discourse intended is nextly to be considered Verse 4. The Words explained and the design or scope of the Psalmist in them discovered THe state and condition of the soul making Application unto God in this Psalm is recounted v. 1. It was in the depths not only Providential depths of Trouble Affliction and perplexities thereon but also depths of conscience distress on the account of sin as in the opening of those words hath been declared The Application of this soul unto God with restless fervency and earnestness in that state and condition its consideration in the first place of the Law and the severity of Gods Justice in a proceedure thereon with the inevitable ruine of all sinners if God insist on that way of dealing with them have also been opened and manifested from the foregoing Verses Being in this estate perplexed in its self lost in and under the consideration of Gods marking iniquity according to the tenor of the Law that which it fixes on from whence any relief stay or supportment might be expected in such a condition is laid down in this Verse Ver. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared I shall first open the words as to their signisication and importance then shew the design of the Psalmist in them with reference to the soul whose condition is here represented and lastly propose the general Truths contained in them wherein all our concernments do lye There is forgiveness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXX and Hierom accordingly Propitiatio propitiation which is somewhat more than venia or pardon as by some it is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condonatio ipsa forgiveness its self It is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to spare to pardon to forgive to be