suit not its Reason at all 1 Cor. 1. 18. 2. The Law speaks nothing to a sinner but what his Conscience assures him to be true There is a constant concurrence in the Testimony of the Law and conscience When the Law sayes this or that is a sin worthy of death conscience sayes it is even so Rom. 1. 42. And where the Law of it self as being a general Rule rests Conscience helps it on and sayes This and that sin so worthy of death is the soul guilty of then dye saith the Law as thou hast deserved Now this must needs have a mighty efficacy to prevail with the soul to give credit to the report and Testimony of the Law it speaks not one word but what he hath a witness within himself to the truth of it These witnesses alwayes agree and so it seems to be established for a truth that there is no forgiveness 3. The Law though it speak against the souls interest yet it speaks nothing but what is so just righteous and equal that it even forceth the souls consent So Paul tells us that men know this voyce of the Law to be the Judgement of God Rom. 1. 32. They know it and cannot but consent unto it that it is the Judgement of God that is good righteous equal not to be controlled And indeed what can be more righteous than its sentence It commands Obedience to the God of life and death promiseth a Reward and declares that for non-performance of duty death will be inflicted On these terms the sinner cometh into the world they are good righteous holy the soul accepts of them and knows not what it can desire better or more equal This the Apostle insists upon Rom. 7. 12 13. Wherefore the Law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good was then that which was good made death unto me Godforbid but sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful Whereever the blame falls the soul cannot but acquit the Law and confess that what it says is righteous and uncontrollably equal And it is meet things should be so Now though the Authority and credit of a Witness may go very far in a doubtful matter when there is a concurrence of more witnesses it strengthens the Testimony but nothing is so prevalent to beget belief as when the things themselves that are spoken are just and good not liable to any reasonable exception And so is it in this case unto the Authority of the Law and concurrence of conscience this also is added the Reasonableness and equity of the thing it self proposed even in the Judgement of the sinner namely that every sin shall be punished and every transgression receive a meet recompence of reward 4. But yet further What the Law sayes it speaks in the name and authority of God What it sayes then must be believed or we make God a Lyar. It comes not in its own name but in the name of him who appointed it you will say then is it so indeed Is there no forgiveness with God for this is the constant voyce of the Law which you say speaks in the name and Authority of God and is therefore to be believed I answer briefly with the Apostle What the Law speaks it speaks to them that are under the Law It doth not speak to them that are in Christ whom the Law of the Spirit of life hath set free from the Law of sin and death but to them that are under the Law it speaks and it speaks the very Truth and it speaks in the name of God and its Testimony is to be received It sayes there is no forgiveness in God namely to them that are under the Law and they that shall flatter themselves with a contrary perswasion will find themselves wofully mistaken at the great day On these and the like considerations I say there seems to be a great deal of Reason why a soul should conclude that it will be according to the testimony of the Law and that he shall not find forgiveness Law and Conscience close together and insinuate themselves into the thoughts mind and judgement of a sinner They strengthen the Testimony of one another and greatly prevail If any are otherwise minded I leave them to the tryal If ever God awaken their Consciences to a through performance of their duty if ever he open their souls and let in the light and power of the Law upon them they will find it no small work to grapple with them I am sure that eventually they prevail so far that in the preaching of the Gospel we have great cause to say Lord who hath believed our report We come with our Report of forgiveness but who believes it by whom is it received neither doth the light nor conscience nor conversation of the most allow us to suppose it is embraced Thirdly The ingrafted notions that are in the minds of men concerning the Nature and Justice of God lye against this discovery also There are in all men by nature indelible characters of the Holiness and purity of God of his Justice and hatred of sin of his invariable Righteousness in the Government of the world that they can neither depose nor lay aside For notions of God whatever they are will bear sway and rule in the heart when things are put to the tryal They were in the Heathens of old they abode with them in all their darkness as might be manifested by innumerable instances But so it is in all men by nature their inward thought is that God is an Avenger of sin that it belongs to his Rule and Government of the world his Holiness and Righteousness to take care that every sin be punished This is his Judgement which all men know as was observed before Rom. 1. 32. They know that it is a Righteous thing with God to render tribulation unto sinners From thence is that dread and fear which surprizeth men at an apprehension of the Presence of God or of any thing under him above them that may seem to come on his errand This notion of Gods avenging all sin exerts it self secretly but effectually So Adam trembled and hid himself And it was the saying of old I have seen God and shall dye When men are under any dreadful Providence thundrings lightnings tempests in darkness they tremble not so much at what they see or hear or feel as from their secret thoughts that God is nigh and that he is a consuming fire Now these inbred notions lye universally against all Apprehensions of forgiveness which must be brought into the soul from without doors having no Principle of nature to promote them It is true Men by nature have presumptions and common ingrafted notions of other properties of God besides his Holiness and Justice as of his Goodness Benignity Love of his Creatures and the like But all these have this supposition inlaid with
fearful expectation of judgement and fiery indignation as to the prevailing apprehension of their minds And Sixthly God secretly sends his Arrows into the soul that wound and gall it adding pain trouble and disquietness to its disconsolation Psalm 38. 2. Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore Ever and anon in his walking God shot a sharp piercing arrow fixing it on his soul that galled wounded and perplexed him filling him with pain and grievous vexation These arrows are Gods rebukes Psal. 39. 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity God speaks in his Word and by his Spirit in the Conscience things sharp and bitter to the soul fastning them so as it cannot shake them out These Job so mournfully complains of Chap. 6. 4. The Lord speaks words with that efficacy that they piecce the heart quite through and what the issue then is David declares Psal. 38 3. There is no soundness saith he in my flesh because of thine anger nor is there any rest in my bones because of my sin The whole person is brought under the power of them and all health and rest is taken away and Seventhly Unspiritedness and disability unto Duty in doing or suffering attend such a condition Psal. 40. 12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up His spiritual strength was worn away by sin so that he was not able to address himself unto any communion with God The soul now cannot pray with life and power cannot hear with joy and profit cannot do good and communicate with cheerfulness and freedom cannot meditate with delight and heavenly mindedness cannot act for God with zeal and liberty cannot think of suffering with boldness and resolution but is sick weak feeble and bowed down Now I say a gracious soul after much communion with God may on the account of sin by a sense of the guilt of it be brought into a state and condition wherein some more or all of these with other the like perplexities may be its portion And these make up the Depths whereof the Pfalmist here complains What are the sins or of what sorts that ordinarily cast the souls of Believers into these depths shall be afterwards declared I shall now shew both whence it is that Believers may fall into such a condition as also whence it is that oftentimes they actually do so Whence it is that Believers may be brought into depths on the account of sin Nature of the supplies of Grace given in the Covenant How far they extend Principles of the power of sin First The Nature of the Covenant wherein all Believers now walk with God and wherein all their whole provision for obedience is enwrapped leaves it possible for them to fall into these depths that have been mentioned Under the first Covenant there was no mercy or forgiveness provided for any sin It was necessary then that it should exhibit a sufficiency of Grace to preserve from every sin or it could have been of no use at all This the Rigteousness of God required and so it was To have made a Covenant wherein there was no provision at all of pardon and not a sufficiency of Grace to keep the Covenanters from need of pardon was not answerable to the Goodness and Righteousness of God But he made man upright who of his own accord sought out many inventions It is not so in the Covenant of Grace There is in it pardon provided in the blood of Christ It is not therefore of indispensible necessity that there should be administred in it Grace effectually preserving from every sin Yet is it on all accounts to be preferred before the other For besides the relief by pardon which the other knew nothing of there is in it also much provision against sin which was not in the other First There is provision made in it against all and every sin that would disannull the Covenant and make a final separation between God and a soul that hath been once taken into the bond thereof This provision is absolute God hath taken upon himself the making of this good and the establishing this Law of the Covenant that it shall not by any sin be disannulled Jor. 32. 40. I will saith God make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me The security hereof depends not on any thing in our selves All that is in us is to be used as a means of the accomplishment of this Promise but the event or issue depends absolutely on the faithfulness of God And the whole certainty and stability of the Covenant depends on the efficacy of the Grace administred in it to preserve men from all such sins as would disanull it Secondly There is in this Covenant provision made for constant peace and consolation notwithstanding and against the guilt of such sins as through their infirmities and temptations believers are daily exposed unto Though they fall into sins every day yet they do not fall into depths every day In the tenour of this Covenant there is a consistency between a sense of sin unto humiliation and peace with strong consolation After the Apostle had described the whole conflict that Believers have with sin and the frequent wounds which they receive thereby which makes them cry out for deliverance Rom. 7. 24. He yet concludes Chap. 8. 1. that there is no condemnation unto them which is a sufficient and stable foundation of Peace So 1 John 2. 1. These things have I written unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Our great business and care ought to be that we sin not but yet when we have done our utmost if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves Chap. 1. 8. What then shall poor sinful guilty creatures do why let them go to the Father by their Advocate and they shall not fail of pardon and peace And saith Paul Heb 6. 17 18. God is abundantly willing that we might have strong consolation who fly for resuge to lay hold on the hope set before us What was his condition who fled of old to the City of refuge for safety from whence this expression is taken He was guilty of blood though shed at unawares and so as that he was to dye for it if he escaped not to the City of Refuge Though we may have the guilt of sins upon us that the Law pronounceth death unto yet flying to Christ for refuge God hath provided not only safety but strong consolation for us also Forgiveness in the blood of Christ doth not only take guilt from the soul but trouble also from the conscience And in this respect doth the Apostle at large set forth the Excellency of his Sacrifice Heb. 10. The Sacrifices of the Old Law he
the thoughts expressed in this third Verse and fixes the conclusion in his mind discoursed of before He finds now that he hath the Law afresh to deal withal Thence ariseth that sense and acknowledgement of sin that self-condemnation in the Justification of God whereof we now speak He grows not sullen stubborn displeased and so runs away from God he doth not utterly saint despond and give over he pleads not any thing in his own Justification or for the extenuation of his sin and guilt he quarrelleth not with he repineth not against the Holiness Severity and Righteousness of the Law of God but reflects wholly on himself his own unworthiness guilt and desert and in a sence of them lyes down at the foot of God in expectation of his word and sentence Three things in this condition we ascribe unto such a soul. First A sincere sense of sin There is a twofold sense of sin The one is general and notional whereby a man knows what sin is that himself is a sinner that he is guilty of this or that these or those sins only his heart is not affected proportionably to that discovery and knowledge which he hath of these things The other is active and efficacious The soul being acquainted with the nature of sin with its own guilt in reference unto sin in general as also to this or that sin is universally influenced by that apprehension unto suitable Affections and Operations Of both these we have an instance in the same person David before Nathans coming to him had the former afterwards he had the latter also It cannot be imagined but that before the coming of the Prophet he had a general knowledge and sense not only absolutely of the nature of sin but also that himself was a sinner and guilty of those very sins which afterwards he was reproved for To think otherwise is to suppose not only that he was un-sainted but un-manned also and turned into a Beast But yet this wrought not in him any one Affection suitable to his condition And the like may be said of most sinners in the world But now when Nathan comes to him and gives him the latter efficacious sense whereof we speak we know what effects it did produce It is the latter only that is under consideration and that also is twofold 1. Legal or Antecedaneous unto conversion 2 Evangelical and previous to the recovery from depths whereof we treat How these two differ and how they may be discerned one from the other being both of them in their kind sincere is not my business to declare Now this tast which we assign as the first duty work or acting of a returning soul is a deep and practical apprehension wrought in the mind and heart of a believing sinner by the Holy Ghost of sin and its evils in reference unto the Law and Love of God the Cross and blood of Christ the communion and consolation of the Spirit and all the fruits of Love Mercy or Grace that it hath been made partaker of or on Gospel grounds hoped for First The principal efficient cause of it is the Holy Ghost He it is who convinceth of sin John 16. 8. He works indeed by means He wrought it in David by the Ministry of Nathan and he wrought it in Peter by the look of Christ. But his work it is No man can work it upon his own soul. It will not spring out of mens rational considerations Though men may exercise their thoughts about such things as one would think were enough to break the hearts of stones yet if the Holy Ghost put not forth a peculiar efficacy of his own this sense of sin will not be wrought or produced As the waters at the Pool of Bethesda were not troubled but when an Angel descended and moved them no more will the Heart for sin without a saving elapse of the Holy Ghost Secondly It is a deep Apprehension of sin and the evils of it Sleight transient thoughts about them amount not to the sense of which we speak My sorrow saith David is continually before me Psal. 38. 17. It pressed him alwayes and greatly Hence he compares this sense of sin wrought by the Holy Ghost to arrows that stick in the flesh v. 2. They pain sorely and are alwayes perplexing Sin in this sense of it layes hold on the soul so that the sinner cannot look up Psal. 40. 12. And it abides with him making his sore run in the night without ceasing Psal. 77. 2. and depriveth the soul of rest my soul saith he refused to be comforted This Apprehension of sin lyes down and rises with him in whom it is Transient thoughts attended with infrequent sighs and ejaculations little become a returning soul. And Thirdly It is Practical It is not seated only in the speculative part of the mind hovering in general notions but it dwel's in the practical understanding which effectually influenceth the Will and Affections Such an Apprehension as from which sorrow and humiliation are inseparable The acts of the practical understanding do so necessarily produce together with them suitable acts of the Will and Affections that some have concluded that those are indeed proper acts of the Will which are usually ascribed to the Understanding It is so in the mind as that the whole soul is cast into the mould and likeness of it humiliation sorrow self-abhorrency do live and dye with it Fourthly It hath in the first place respect unto the Law of God There can be no due consideration of sin wherein the Law hath not its place The Law calls for the sinner and he willingly gives up his sin to be judged by it There he sees it to be exceeding sinful Rom. 7. 17. Though a Believer be less under the power of the Law than others yet he knows more of the Authority and nature of it than others He sees more of its spirituality and holiness And the more a man sees of the excellency of the Law the more he sees of the vileness of sin This is done by a soul in its first endeavour for a recovery from the entanglements of sin He labours throughly to know his disease that he may be cured It will do him no good he knows to be ignorant of his distemper or his danger He knows that if his wounds be not searched to the bottom they will stink and be corrupt To the Law then he brings himself and his sin By that he sees the vileness of the one and the danger of the other Most men lye still in their depths because they would willingly escape the first step of their rising From the bottom of their misery they would fain at once be at the top of their felicity The soul managed in this work by the Holy Ghost doth not so He converseth with the Law brings his sin unto it and fully hears the sentence of it When the sin is throughly condemned then he farther takes care of the sinner
him nor any direction how to deal with him in any of his concernments Great and signal then was the condescension in God to take his poor Creature into Covenant with himself And especially will this be manifest if we consider the Ends of it and why it is that God thus deals with man Now these are no other than that man might serve him aright be blessed by him and be brought unto the everlasting enjoyment of him all unto his Glory These are the Ends of every Covenant that God takes us into with himself And these are the whole of man No more is required of us in a way of duty no more can be required by us to make us blessed and happy but what is contained in them That we might live to God be accepted with him and come to the eternal fruition of him is the whole of man All that we were made for or are capable of and these are the Ends of every Covenant that God makes with men being all comprized in that solemn word that he will be their God and they shall be his people Secondly This being the Nature this the End of a Covenant there must be some great and important cause to change alter and abrogate a Covenant once made and established to lay aside one Covenant and to enter into another And yet this the Apostle sayes expresly that God had done Heb. 8. 13. and proves it because himself calls that which he promised a New Covenant which undeniably confirms two things First That the other was become old and Secondly That being become so it was changed altered and removed I know the Apostle speaks immediately of the old Administration of the Covenant under the Old Testament or Mosaical Institutions but he doth so with reference unto that revival which in it was given to the first Covenant made with Adam For in the giving of the Law and the Curse wherewith it was accompanied which were immixed with that Administration of the Covenant there was a solemn revival and Representation of the first Covenant and its Sanction whereby it had life and power given it to keep the people in bondage all their dayes And the end of the Abolition or taking way of the Legal Administration of the Covenant was meerly to take out of Gods dealing with his people all use and Remembrance of the first Covenant As was said therefore to take away disannul and change a Covenant so made ratified and established betwixt God and man is a matter that must be resolved into some cogent important and indispensable cause And this will the more evidently appear if we consider First In general that the first Covenant was Good Holy Righteous and Equal It was such as became God to make and was every way the happiness of the Creature to accept of We need no other Argument to prove it holy and good than this that God made it It was the Effect of infinite Holiness Wisdome Righteousness Goodness and Grace And therefore in it self was it every way perfect for so are all the works of God Besides it was such as man when through his own sault he cannot obtain any good by it and must perish everlastingly by vertue of the Curse of it yet cannot but subscribe unto its Righteousness and Holiness The Law was the Rule of it therein is the tenor of it contained Now saith the Apostle whatever becomes of the sin and the sinner the Law is holy and the commandment is holy and just and good Rom. 7. 12. Holy in it self and its own Nature as being the Order and Constitution of the most holy God Just and equal with reference unto us such as we have no reason to complain of or repine against the Authority of it and the terms of it are most righteous And not only so but it is good also that which notwithstanding the appearance of Rigor and severity which it is accompanied withal had in it an exceeding mixture of Goodness and Grace both in the Obedience constituted in it and the Reward annexed unto it as might be more fully manifested were that our present work Secondly In particular it was Good Holy and Righteous in all the Commands of it in the Obedience which it required And two things there were that rendred it exceeding Righteous in reference unto its Precepts or Commands First That they were all suited unto the Principles of the nature of man created by God and in the regular acting whereof consisted his perfection God in the first Covenant required nothing of man prescribed nothing unto him but what there was a Principle for the doing and accomplishing of it ingrafted and implanted on his nature which rendred all those commands equal holy and good For what need any man complain of that which requires nothing of him but what he is from his own frame and Principles inclined unto Secondly all the Commands of it were proportionate unto the strength and ability of them to whom they were given God in that Covenant required nothing of any man but what he had before enabled him to perform nothing above his strength or beyond his power and thence was it also righteous Secondly It was exceeding Good Holy and Righteous upon the account of its Promises and rewards Do this saith the Covenant this which thou art able to do which the Principles of thy nature are fitted for and enclined unto Well what shall be the issue thereof Why do this and live Life is promised unto Obedience and that such a Life as both for the present and future condition of the creature was accompanied with every thing that was needful to make it blessed and happy Yea this Life having in it the eternal enjoyment of God God himself as a Reward was exceedingly above whatever the Obedience of man could require as due or have any Reason on any other account but meerly of the Goodness of God to expect Thirdly There was provision in that Covenant for the Preservation and manifestation of the Glory of God whatever was the Event on the part of man This was provided for in the Wisdom and Righteousness of God Did man continue in his Obedience and fulfill the terms of the Covenant all things were laid in subserviency to the Eternal Glory of God in his Reward Herein would he for ever have manifested and exalted the Glory of his Holiness Power Faithfulness Righteousness and Goodness As an Almighty Creator and Preserver as a faithful God and Righteous Rewarder would he have been glorified On supposition on the other side that man by sin and Rebellion should trangress the terms and tenor of this Covenant yet God had made provision that no detriment unto his Glory should ensue thereon For by the constitution of a punishment proportionable in his Justice unto that sin and demerit he had provided that the glory of his Holiness Righteousness and Veracity in his Threatnings should be exalted and that to all Eternity God would have
nature of this conviction of sin which you say you have Is it not made up of these two ingredients 1. A general notion that you are sinners as all men also are 2. Particular troublesome reflections upon your selves when on any eruption of sin Conscience accuses rebukes condemns You will say yes what would you require more This is not the Conviction we are enquiring after That is a work of the Spirit by the Word this you speak of a meer Natural work which you can no more be without than you can cease to be men This will give no Assistance unto the receiving of forgiveness But it may be you will say you have proceeded farther than so and these things have had an improvement in you Let us then a little try whether your process have been according to the mind of God And so whether this invincible barr in your way be removed or no. For although every convinced person do not believe forgiveness yet no one who is not convinced doth so Have you then been made sensible of your condition by Nature what it is to be alienated from the life of God and to be obnoxious to his wrath Have you been convinced of the Universal Enmity that is in your hearts to the mind of God and what it is to be at Enmity against God Hath the unspeakable multitude of the sins of your lives been set in order by the Law before you And have you considered what it is for sinners such sinners as you are to have to deal with a Righteous and a holy God Hath the Holy Ghost wrought a serious Recognition in your hearts of all these things and caused them to abide with you and upon you If you will answer truly you must say many of you that indeed you have not been so exercised You have heard of these things many times but to say that you have gone through with this work and have had Experience of them that you cannot do Then I say you are strangers to forgiveness because you are strangers unto sin But and if you shall say that you have had thoughts to this purpose and are perswaded that you have been throughly convinced of sin I shall yet ask you one Question more what Effects hath your Conviction produced in your hearts and lives Have you been filled with perplexities and consternation of Spirit thereupon Have you had fears dreads or terrors to wrestle withall It may be you will say No Nor will I insist upon that enquiry but this I deal with you in Hath it filled you with self-loathing and Abhorrency with self-condemnation and abasement If it will do any thing this it will do If you come short here it is justly to be feared that all your other pretences are of no value Now where there is no work of conviction there is no faith of forgiveness whatever is pretended And how many vain boasters this sword will cut off is evident 7. We have yet a greater evidence than all these Men live in sin and therefore they do not believe forgiveness of sin Faith in general purifies the heart Acts 15. 19. Our souls are purified in obeying the Truth 1 Pet. 1. 22. and the life is made fruitful by it James 2. 22. Faith worketh by works and makes it self perfect by them And the Doctrine concerning forgiveness hath a special influence into all Holiness Tit. 2. 11 12. The Grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us to deny all unrighteousness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And that is the Grace whereof we speak No man can then believe forgiveness of sin without a detestation and relinquishment of it The ground of this might be farther manifested and the way of the Efficacy of faith of forgiveness unto a forsaking of sin if need were But all that own the Gospel must acknowledge this principle The real belief of the Pardon of sin is prevalent with men not to live longer in sin But now what are the greatest number of those who pretend to receive this Truth Are their hearts purified by it Are their consciences purged Are their lives changed Do they deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts Doth forgiveness teach them so to do Have they found it effectual to these purposes Whence is it then that there is such a bleating and bellowing to the contrary amongst them Some of you are Drunkards some of you Swearers some of you unclean persons some of you lyars some of you worldly some of you haters of all the wayes of Christ and all his concernments upon the Earth proud covetous boasters self-seekers envious wrathful backbiters malitious praters slanderers and the like And shall we think that such as these believe forgiveness of sin God forbid Again Some of you are dark ignorant blind utterly unacquainted with the mysterie of the Gospel nor do at all make it your business to enquire into it Either you hear it not at all or negligently slothfully customarily to no purpose Let not such persons deceive their own souls to live in sin and yet to believe the forgiveness of sin is utterly impossible Christ will not be a Minister of sin nor give his Gospel to be a Doctrine of licentiousness for your sakes Nor shall you be forgiven that you may be delivered to do more Abominations God forbid If any shall say that they thank God they are no such Publicans as those mentioned they are no drunkards no swearers no unclean persons nor the like so that they are not concerned in this consideration Their lives and their duties give another account of them then yet consider further That the Pharisees were all that you say of your selves and yet the greatest despisers of forgiveness that ever were in the world and that because they hated the light on this account that their deeds were evil And for your duties you mention what I pray is the root and spring of them are they influenced from this Faith of forgiveness you boast of or no May it not be feared that it is utterly otherwise you do not perform them because you love the Gospel but because you fear the Law If the truth were known I doubt it would appear that you get nothing by your believing of pardon but an encouragement unto sin Your Goodness such as it is springs from another root It may be also that you ward your selves by it against the strokes of Conscience or the guilt of particular sins this is as bad as the other It is as good be encouraged unto sin to commit it as be encouraged under sin so as to be kept from humiliation for it None under Heaven are more remote from the belief of Grace and Pardon than such persons are All their Righteousness is from the Law and their Sin in a great measure from the Gospel 8. They that believe forgiveness in a due manner believe it for the Ends and Purposes for which it is revealed of God
is spoken relates to the sense of sinners in their own souls and not to the nature of the thing it self There is in the Gospel consolation provided against the greatest as well as the least sins The difference ariseth from Gods Soveraign communication of it according to that tenor of the Covenants Administration which we have laid down Hence because under Moses's Law there was an exception made of some sins for which there was no Sacrifice appointed so that those who were guilty of them could no way be justified from them that is carnally as to their interest in the Judaical Church and Polity Paul tells the Jews Acts 13. 38 39. That through Jesus Christ was preached unto them the forgiveness of sins and that by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses There is now no exception of any particular sins as to pardon and peace but what we have spoken relates unto the manner and way wherein God is pleased to administer consolation to the souls of sinning Believers And this is the Evidence which I shall offer to prove that the souls of Believers after much Gracious Communion with God may yet fall into inextricable depths on the account of sin whence it is that actually they oftentimes do so shall be farther declared The Principles of this Assertion are known I shall therefore only touch upon them First The nature of Indwelling-sin as it remains in the best of the Saints in this life being a little considered will evidence unto us from whence it is that they are sometimes surprized and plunged into the depths mentioned For First Though the strength of every sin be weakned by Grace yet the root of no sin is in this life wholly taken away Lust is like the stubborn Canaanites who after the general conquest of the Land would yet dwell in it still Judg. 17. 12. Indeed when Israel grew strong they brought them under tribute but they could not utterly expell them The Kingdom and Rule belongs to Grace and when it grows strong it brings sin much under but it will not wholly be driven out The Body of Death is not utterly to be done away but in and by the Death of the Body In the flesh of the best Saints there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 8. but the contrary is there that is the root of all evil The flesh lusteth against the Spirit as the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. As then there is an Universality in the actings of the Spirit in its opposing all evil so also there is an Universality in the actings of the flesh for the furtherance of it Secondly Some Lusts or branches of original corruption do obtain in some persons such advantages either from Nature Custom Employment Society or the like Circumstances that they become like the Canaanites that had iron Chariots it is a very difficult thing to subdue them Well it is if War be maintained constantly against them for they will almost alwayes be in actual Rebellion Thirdly Indwelling-Sin though weakned retaineth all its properties the properties of a thing follow its nature Where the nature of any thing is there are all its natural properties What are these properties of Indwelling Sin I should here declare but that I have handled the whole power and efficacy the nature and properties of it in a Treatise to that only purpose In brief they are such as it is no wonder that some Believers are by them cast into depths but it is indeed that any do escape them But hereof the Reader may see at large my Discourse on this particular subject Secondly Add hereunto the power and prevalency of temptation which because also I have already in a special Discourse to that purpose insisted on I shall not here farther lay open Thirdly The Soveraign pleasure of God in dealing with sinning Saints must also be considered Divine Love and Wisdom work not towards all in the same manner God is pleased to continue Peace unto some with a non-obstante for great provocations Love shall humble them and rebukes of kindness shall recover them from their wandrings Others he is pleased to bring into the depths we have been speaking of But yet I may say generally signal provocations meet with one of these two events from God First Those in whom they are are left unto some signal barrenness and fruitlesness in their Generations they shall wither grow barren worldly sapless and be much cast out of the hearts of the people of God Or Secondly They shall be exercised in these depths from whence their way of deliverance is laid down in this Psalm Thus I say God deals with his Saints in great variety Some shall have all their bones broken when others shall have only the gentle strokes of the rod. We are in the hand of Mercy and he may deal with us as seems good unto him but for our parts great sins ought to be attended with expectations of great depths and preplexities And this is the state of the soul proposed in this Psalm and by us unto consideration These are the depths wherein it is entangled these the wayes and means whereby it is brought into these depths It s deportment in and under this state and condition lyes next in our way But before I proceed thereunto I shall annex some few things unto what hath been delivered tending to the farther opening of the whole Case before us And they are 1. What are or of what sort those sins are which usually cast the souls of Believers into these depths and then 2. Insist on some Aggravations of them What sins usually bring Believers into great spiritual distresses Aggravations of those sins First Sins in their own nature wasting Conscience are of this sort Sins that rise in opposition unto all of God that is in us that is the light of Grace and Nature also Such are the sins that cast David into his depths Such are the sins enumerated 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived saith the Apostle neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankind Nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Certain it is that Believers may fall into some of the sins here mentioned Some have done so as is left on record The Apostle says not those who have committed any of these sins but such sinners shall not inherit the Kingdom of God that is who live in these or any of these sins or any like unto them There is no provision of mercy made for such sinners These and the like are sins which in their own nature without the consideration of aggravating circumstances which yet indeed really in Believers they can never be without are able to plunge a soul into depths These sins cut the locks of mens spiritual strength and it is in vain for them to say
the Application it self may be observed First The Anthropopathy of the Expression He prayes that God would cause his ears to be attentive after the manner of men who seriously attend to what is spoken to them when they turn aside from that which they regard not Secondly The Earnestness of the soul in the work it hath in hand which is evident both from the Reduplication of his request Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to my voyce and the Emphaticalness of the words he maketh use of Let thine ears saith he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diligently Attentive The word signifies the most diligent heedfulness and close attention let thine ears be very attentive and unto what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the voice of my supplications deprecationum mearum generally say Interpreters of my Deprecations or earnest prayers for the averting of evil or punishment But the word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratiosus suit to be gracious or merciful so that it signifies properly supplications for grace Be attentive saith he O Lord unto my supplications for grace and mercy which according to my extream necessity I now address my self to make unto thee And in these words doth the Psalmist set forth in general the frame and working of a gracious soul being cast into depths and darkness by sin The foundation of what I shall farther thence pursue lyes in these two Propositions First The only attempt of a sinful entangled soul for relief lyes in an application to God alone To thee Jehovah have I cryed Lord hear Secondly Depths of sin intanglements will put a gracious soul on intense and earnest application unto God Lord hear Lord attend Dying men do not use to cry out slothfully for relief What may be thought necessary in general for the direction of a soul in the state and condition described shall briefly be spoken unto from these two Propositions First Trouble danger disquietment arguing not only things evil but a sense in the mind and soul of them will of themselves put those in whom they are upon seeking relief Every thing would naturally be at rest A drowning man needs no Exhortation to endeavour his own deliverance and safety And spiritual troubles will in like manner put men on attempts for relief To seek for no remedy is to be senslesly obdurate or wretchedly desperate as Cain and Judas We may suppose then that the principal business of every soul in depths is to endeavour deliverance They cannot rest in that condition wherein they have no rest In this endeavour what course a gracious soul steers is laid down in the first Proposition negatively and positively He applyes himself not to any thing but God he applyes himself unto God An eminent instance we have of it in both parts or both to the one side and the other Hos. 14. 3. Ashur say those poor distressed returning sinners shall not save us we will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our Gods for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy Their application unto God is attended with a renunciation of every other way of relief Several things there are that sinners are apt to apply themselves unto for relief in their perplexities which prove unto them as waters that fail How many things have the Romanists invented to deceive souls withal Saints and Angels the Blessed Virgin Wood of the Cross Confissions Rennances Masses Pilgrimages Dirges Purgatories Papal Pardons Works of Compensation and the like are made entrances for innumerable souls into everlasting ruine Did they know the terror of the Lord the nature of Sin and of the mediation of Christ they would be ashamed and confounded in themselves for these abominations they would not say unto these their Idols ye are our Gods come and save us How short do all their contrivances come of his that would fain be offering Rivers of Oyl yea the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul his first born for his transgression Mich. 6. 7. Who yet gains nothing but an Aggravation of his sin and misery thereby Yea the Heathen went beyond them in devotion and expence It is no new enquiry what course sin perplexed souls should take for relief From the foundation of the world the minds of far the greatest part of mankind have been exercised in it As was there light or darkness such was the course they took Among those who were ignorant of God this Enquiry brought forth all that Diabolical Superstition which spread it self over the face of the whole world Gentilism being destroyed by the power and Efficacy of the Gospel the same enquiry working in the minds of darkned men in conjunction with other lusts brought forth the Papacy When men had lost a spiritual acquaintance with the Covenant of Grace and Mysterie of the Gospel the design of eternal love the efficacy of the blood of Christ they betook themselves in part or in whole for relief under their entanglements unto the broken Cisterns mentioned They are of two sorts Self and other things For those other things which belong unto their false Worship being abominated by all the Saints of God I shall not need to make any farther mention of them That which relates unto self is not confined unto Popery but extends it self to the limits of Humane Nature and is predominate in all that are under the Law that is to seek for relief in sin distresses by self-endeavours self-righteousness Hence many poor souls in straights apply themselves to themselves They expect their cure from the same hand that wounded them This was the life of Judaism as the Apostle informs us Rom. 10. 3. And all men under the Law are still animated by the same principle They return but not unto the Lord. Finding themselves in depths in distresses about sin what course do they take This they will do that they will do no more this shall be their ordinary course and that they will do in an extraordinary manner as they have offended whence their trouble ariseth so they will amend and look that their peace should spring from thence as if God and they stood on equal terms In this way some spend all their dayes sinning and amending amending and sinning without once coming to repentance and peace This the souls of believers watch against They look on themselves as fatherless in thee the fatherless findeth mercy that is helpless without the least ground of hopes in themselves or expectation from themselves They know their repentance their amendment their supplications their humiliations their fastings their mortifications will not relieve them Repent they will and amend they will and pray and fast and humble their souls for they know these things to be their duty but they know that their goodness extends not to him with whom they have to do nor is he profited by their righteousness They will be in the performance of all duties but
another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him There is not saith Job between us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that might argue the case in pleading for me and so make up the matter laying his hand upon us both Job 9. 33. We now consider a sinner purely under the Administration of the Law which knows nothing of a Mediator In that case who shall take upon him to intercede for the sinner Besides that all creatures in Heaven and Earth are engaged in the quarrel of God against sinners and besides the greatness and terror of his Majesty that will certainly deterr all or any of them from undertaking any such work what is the request that in this case must be put up unto God Is it not that he would cease to be Holy leave off from being Righteous relinquish his Throne deny himself and his Soveraignty that a Rebell a Traytor his cursed enemy may live and escape his Justice Is this request reasonable Is he fit to intercede for sinners that shall make it Would he not by so doing prove himself to be the greatest of them The sinner cannot then expect any door of escape to be opened unto him All the world is against him and the case must be tryed out nakedly between God and him but Thirdly It may be the Rule of the Law whereby the sinner is to be tryed is not so strict but that in the case of such sins as he is guilty of it may admit of a favourable Interpretation or that the good that he hath done may be laid in the ballance against his Evil and so some relief be obtained that way But the matter is quite otherwise There is no good Action of a sinner though it were perfectly good that can lye in the ballance with or compensate the evil of the least sin committed For all good is due on another account though no guilt were incurred And the payment of money that a man owes that he hath borrowed makes no satisfaction for what he hath stole no more will our duties compensate for our sins Nor is there any good Action of a sinner but it hath evil and guilt enough attending it to render it self unacceptable so that men may well cease from thoughts of their supererrogation Besides where there is any one sin if all the good in the world might be supposed to be in the same person yet in the indispensible order of our dependance on God nothing of that good could come into consideration until the guilt of that sin were answered for unto the utmost Now the penalty of every sin being the eternal ruine of the sinner all his supposed good can stand him in little stead And for the Law it self it is an issue of the Holiness Righteousness and Wisdom of God so that there is not any evil so great or small but is forb dden in it and condemned by it Hereupon David so states this whole matter Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into Judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified That is if things are to be tryed out and determined by the Law no sinner can obtain acquitment as Paul declares the sense of that place to be Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 2. 16. but yet Fourthly It may be the sentence of the Law is not so fierce and dreadful but that though guilt be found there may be yet a way of escape But the Law speaks not one word on this side death to an offendor There is a greatness and an Eternity of wrath in the sentence of it and it is God himself who hath undertaken to see the vengeance of it executed So that on all these accounts the conclusion mentioned must needs be fixed in the soul of a sinner that entertains thoughts of drawing nigh to God Though what hath been spoken may be of general use unto sinners of all sorts whether called home to God or yet strangers to him yet I shall not insist upon any general improvement of it because it is intended only for one special end or purpose That which is aimed at is to shew what are the first thoughts that arise in the heart of a poor intangled soul when first he begins to endeavour a recovery in a returnal unto God The Law immediately puts in its claim unto him and against him God is represented unto him as angry displeased provoked and his terror more or less besets him round about This fills him with fear shame and confusion of face so that he knows not what to do These troubles are greater or lesser according as God seeth it best for the poor creatures present humiliation and future safety What then doth the sinner What are his thoughts hereupon doth he think to fly from God and to give over all endeavours of recovery Doth he say this God is an holy and terrible God I cannot serve him it is to no purpose for me to look for any thing but fury and destruction from hira and therefore I had as good give over as persist in my desing of drawing nigh to him It cannot be denyed but that in this case thoughts of this nature will be suggested by unbelief and that sometimes great perplexities arise to the soul by them But this is not the issue and final product of this exercise of the soul it produceth another effect it calls for that which is the first particular working of a gracious soul arising out of its sin intanglements This is as was declared a sincere sense of sin and acknowledgement of it with self condemnation in the justification of God This is the first thing that a soul endeavouring a recovery from its depths is brought and wrought unto His general resolution to make serious and through work with what he hath in hand was before unfolded That which in the next place we are directed unto in these words is the Reflection on its self upon the consideration of Gods marking iniquity now mentioned This is Faiths great and proper use of the Law The nature whereof shall be farther opened in the next discourse The first particular actings of a soul towards a recovery out of the depths of sin Sense of sin wherein it consists How it is wrought Acknowledgement of sin its nature and properties Self-condemnation What is the frame of the soul in general that is excited by grace and resolves in the strength thereof to attempt a recovery out of the depths of sin entanglements hath been declared We have also shewed what entertainment in general such a soul had need to expect yea ordinarily shall be sure to meet withall It may be he goes forth at first like Sampson with his locks cut and thinks he will do as at other times but he quickly finds his peace lost his wounds painful his Conscience restless God displeased and his whole condition as to the utmost of his own Apprehension hazardous This fills him with
this silence did My bones waxed old nor yet was it a sullen stubborn and contumacious frame that was upon him but he notes saith Calvin and he sayes well affectum qui medius est inter tolerantiam contumaciam vitio vertuti affinis An affection between patience and stubborness bordering on the one and other That is he had a deep sense of sin this disquieted and perplexed him all the day long which he calls his roaring It weakned and wearied him making his bones wax old or his strength decay yet was he not able to bring his heart to that ingenious gracious acknowledgement which like the launcing of a festered wound would have given at least some ease to his soul. Gods children are oft-times in this matter like ours Though they are convinced of a fault and are really troubled at it yet they will hardly acknowledge it So do they They will go up and down sigh and mourn roar all the day long but an evil and untoward frame of spirit under the power of unbelief and fear keeps them from this duty Now that this acknowledgement may be acceptable unto God it is required First that it be free then that it be full First It must be free and spiritually ingenious Cain Pharaoh Ahab Judas came all to an acknowledgement of sin but it was whether they would or no. It was pressed out of them it did not flow from them The confession of a person under the convincing terrors of the Law or dread of imminent Judgements is like that of Malefactors on the rack who speak out that for which themselves and friends must dye What they say though it be the truth is a fruit of force and torture not of any ingenuity of mind So is it with meerly convinced persons They come not to the acknowledgment of sin with any more freedom And the Reason is because all sin hath shame and for men to be free unto shame is naturally impossible shame being natures shrinking from it self and the posture it would appear in But now the returning soul hath never more freedom liberty and amplitude of spirit than when he is in the acknowledgement of those things whereof he is most ashamed And this is no small evidence that it proceeds from that spirit which is attended with liberty for where the Spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. When David was delivered from his silence he expresseth this frame in the performance of this Duty Psal. 32. 5. I acknowledged my sin and mine iniquities I have not hid I said I will confess my transgression His mouth is now open and his heart inlarged And he multiplies one expression upon another to manifest his enlargement So doth a soul rising out of its depths in this beginning of his address unto God Having the sense of sin before described wrought in him by the Holy Ghost his heart is made free and inlarged unto an ingenious acknowledgement of his sin before the Lord. Herein he pours out his soul unto God and hath not more freedom in any thing than in dealing about that whereof he is most ashamed Secondly Full also it must be Reserves ruine confession If the soul have any secret thought of rolling a sweet morsel under its tongue of a bow in the house of Rimmon it is like part of the price kept back which makes the whole robbery instead of an offering If there be remaining a bitter root of favouring any one lust or sin of any occasion of or temptation unto sin let a man be as open free and earnest as can be imagined in the acknowledgement of all other sins and evils the whole duty is rendered abominable Some persons when they are brought into depths and anguish about any sin and are thereon forced to the acknowledgement of it at the same time they are little concerned with their other follies and iniquities that it may be are no less provoking unto God than that is from whence their present trouble doth arise Let not as James speaks in another case such a man think that he shall receive any thing from God It must be full and comprehensive as well as free and ingenious And of such importance is the right performance of this duty that the promise of pardon is oft-times peculiarly annexed unto it as that which certainly carries along with it the other duties which make up a full returnal unto God Prov. 28. 13. 1 John 1. 9. and that place in Job is remarkable Chap. 33. 27 28. He looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not He will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light He shall not only be made partaker of pardon but of consolation also and joy in the light of Gods countenance Thirdly There yet remains self-condemnation with the Justification of God which lyes expresly in the words of the Verse under consideration and hereof are two parts First Self-abhorrency or dislike The soul is now wholly displeased with it self and reflects upon it self with all affections of regret and trouble So the Apostle declares it to have been with the Corinthians when their godly sorrow was working in them 2 Cor. 7. 11. among other things it wrought in them indignation and revenge or a reflection on themselves with all manner of dislike and abhorrency In the winding up of the Controversie between God and Job this is the point he rests in As he had come in general to a free full ingenious acknowledgement of sin Chap. 40. 4 5. So in particular he gives up his whole contest in this abhorrency of himself Chap. 42. 6. I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes What a vile wretched creature have I been saith the soul I blush and am ashamed to think of my folly baseness and ingratitude is it possible that I should deal thus with the Lord I abhorr I loath my self I would fly any where from my self I am so vile and loathsome a thing to be despised of God Angels and Men and Secondly There is self-judging in it also This the Apostle invites the Corinthians unto 1 Ep. Chap. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged This is a persons pronouncing sentence on himself according to the tenor of the Law The soul brings not only its sin but it self also to the Law It puts it self as to merit and desert under the stroke and severity of it Hence ariseth a full justification of God in what sentence soever he shall be pleased to pronounce in the case before him And these three things which we have passed through compose the frame and first actings of a gracious soul rising from its depths They are all of them signally expressed in that place where we have a signal recovery exemplified Hos. 14. 1 2 3 4. And this makes way for the exaltation of grace the great thing
them in the souls of men namely that all things stand between God and his Creatures as they did at their first Creation and as they have no natural notion of forgiveness so the interposition of sin weakens disturbs darkens them as to any improvement of those Apprehensions of Goodness and Benignity which they have If they have any notion of forgiveness it is from some corrupt Tradition and not at all from any universal Principle that is inbred in nature such as are those which they have of Gods Holiness and Vindictive Justice And this is the first ground from whence it appears that a real solid discovery of forgiveness is indeed a great work many difficulties and hinderances lye in the way of its accomplishment False Presumptions of Forgiveness discovered Differences between them and Faith Evangelical Before I proceed to produce and manage the remaining Evidences of this Truth because what hath been spoken lyes obnoxious and open to an Objection which must needs rise in the minds of many that it may not thereby be rendered useless unto them I shall remove it out of the way that we may pass on to what remains It will then be said doth not all this lye directly contrary to our daily experience Do we not find all men full enough most too full of Apprehensions of Forgiveness with God What so common as God is merciful Are not the Consciences and Convictions of the most stifled by this Apprehension Can you find a man that is otherwise minded Is it not a common complaint that men presume on it unto their eternal ruine Certainly then that which all men do which every man can so easily do and which you cannot keep men off from doing though it be to their hurt hath no such difficulty in it as is pretended And on this very account hath this weak endeavour to demonstrate this Truth been by some laughed to scorn men who have taken upon them the teaching of others but as it seems had need be taught themselves the very first Principles of the Oracles of God Answ. All this then I say is so and much more to this purpose may be spoken The solly and presumption of poor souls herein can never be enough lamented But it is one thing to embrace a cloud a shadow another to have the truth in reality I shall hereafter shew the true nature of forgiveness and wherein it doth consist whereby the vanity of this self-deceiving will be discovered and laid open It will appear in the issue that notwithstanding all their pretensions that the most of men know nothing at all or not any thing to the purpose of that which is under consideration I shall therefore for the present in some few Observations shew how far this delusion of many differs from a true Gospel discovery of forgiveness such as that we are enquiring after First The common notion of forgiveness that men have in the world is twofold 1. An Atheistical Presumption on God that he is not so Just and Holy or not Just and Holy in such a way and manner as he is by some represented is the ground of their perswasion of forgiveness Men think that some Declarations of God are fitted only to make them mad That he takes little notice of these things and that what he doth he will easily pass by as they suppose better becomes him Come Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye This is their inward thought the Lord will not do good nor will he do evil which sayes the Psalmist is mens thinking that God is such a one as themselves Psal. 50. 21. They have no deep nor serious thoughts of his Greatness Holiness Purity Severity but think that he is like themselves so far as not to be much moved with what they do What thoughts they have of sin the same they think God hath If with them a slight ejaculation be enough to expiate sin that their consciences be no more troubled they think it is enough with God that it be not punished The generality of men make light work of sin and yet in nothing doth it more appear what thoughts they have of God He that hath slight thoughts of sin had never great thoughts of God Indeed mens-undervaluing of sin ariseth meerly from their contempt of God All sins concernments flow from its Relation unto God And as mens apprehensions are of God so will they be of sin which is an Opposition to him This is the frame of the most of men they know little of God and are little troubled about any thing that relates unto him God is not reverenced sin is but a trifle forgiveness a matter of nothing who so will may have it for asking But shall this Atheistical wickedness of the heart of man be called a discovery of forgiveness Is not this to make God an Idol He who is not acquainted with Gods Holiness and Purity who knows not sins desert and sinfulness knows nothing of forgiveness Secondly From the doctrine of the Gospel commonly preached and made known there is a general notion begotten in the minds of men that God is ready to forgive Men I say from hence have a doctrinal Apprehension of this truth without any real satisfactory foundation of that Apprehension as to themselves This they have heard this they have been often told so they think and so they are resolved to do A general perswasion hereof spreads it self over all to whom the sound of the Gospel doth come It is not fiducially resolved into the Gospel but is an Opinion growing out of the Report of it Some relief men find by it in the common course of their Conversation in the duties of Worship which they do perform as also in their troables and distresses whether internal and of conscience or external and of Providence so that they resolve to retain it And this is that which I shall briefly speak unto and therein manifest the differences between this common prevailing Apprehension of forgiveness and Faiths discovery of it to the soul in its power First That which we reject is loose and general not fixed ingrafted or planted on the mind So is it alwayes where the minds of men receive things only in their notion and not in their power It wants fixedness and foundation which defects accompany all notions of the mind that are only retained in the memory not implanted in the Judgement They have general thoughts of it which they use as occasion serves They hear that God is a merciful God and as such they intend to deal with him For the true bottom rise and foundation of it whence or on what account the pure and holy God who will do no iniquity the Righteous God whose judgement it is that they that commit sin are worthy of death should yet pardon iniquity transgression and sin they weigh it not they consider it not or if they do it is in a slight and notional way as they consider
the thing it self They take it for granted that so it is and are never put seriously upon the enquiry how it comes to be so and that because indeed they have no real concernment in it How many thousands may we meet withall who take it for granted that forgiveness is to be had with God that never yet had any serious exercise in their souls about the grounds of it and its consistency with his holiness and justice But those that know it by faith have a sense of it fixed particularly and distinctly on their minds They have been put upon an enquiry into the rise and grounds of it in Christ so that on a good and unquestionable foundation they can go to God and say there is forgiveness with thee They see how and by what means more glory comes unto God by forgiveness then by punishing of sin which is a matter that the other sort of men are not at all solicitous about If they may escape punishment whether God have any glory or no for the most part they are indifferent Secondly The first Apprehension ariseth without any tryal upon enquiry in the Consciences of them in whom it is They have not by the power of their convictions and distresses of Conscience been put to make enquiry whether this thing be so or no. It is not a perswasion that they have arrived unto in a way of seeking satisfaction to their own souls It is not the result of a deep enquiry after peace and rest It is antecedent unto Tryal and Experience and so is not Faith but Opinion For although Faith be not Experience yet it is inseparable from it as is every practical habit Distresses in their consciences have been prevented by this Opinion not removed The reason why the most of men are not troubled about their sins to any purpose is from a persuasion that God is merciful and will pardon when indeed none can really on a Gospel account ordinarily have that perswasion but those who have been troubled for sin and that to the purpose So is it with them that make this discovery by faith They have had conflicts in their own spirits and being deprived of peace have accomplished a diligent search whether forgiveness were to be obtained or no. The perswasion they have of it be it more or less is the issue of a tryal they have had in their own souls of an enquiry how things stood between God and them as to peace and acceptation of their Persons This is a vast difference the one sort might possibly have had trouble in their consciences about sin had it not been for their Opinion of forgiveness this hath prevented or stifled their convictions not healed their wounds which is the work of the Gospel but kept them from being wounded which is the work of security Yea here lyes the ruine of the most of them who perish under the preaching of the Gospel They have received the general notion of pardon it floats in their minds and presently presents it self to their relief on all occasions Doth God at any time in the dispensation of the Word under an Affliction upon some great sin against their ruling light begin to deal with their consciences before their conviction can ripen or come to any perfection before it draw nigh to its perfect work they choak it and heal their consciences with this notion of pardon Many a man between the Assembly and his dwelling house is thus cured You may see them go away shaking their heads and striking on their breasts and before they come home be as whole as ever Well! God is merciful there is pardon hath wrought the cure The other sort have obtained their perswasion as a result of the discovery of Christ in the Gospel upon a full conviction Tryals they have had and this is the issue Thirdly The one which we reject worketh no Love to God no Delight in him no Reverence of him but rather a contempt and commonness of Spirit in dealing with him There are none in the world that deal worse with God than those who have an ungrounded perswasion of forgiveness And if they do fear him or love him or obey him in any thing more or less it is on other motives and considerations which will not render any thing they do acceptable and not at all on this As he is good to the Creation they may love as he is great and powerful they may fear him but sense of pardon as to any such ends or purposes hath no power upon them Carnal boldness formality and despising of God are the common issues of such a notion and perswasion Indeed this is the generation of great sinners in the world men who have a general apprehension but not a sense of the special power of pardon openly or secretly in fleshly or spiritual sins are the great sinners among men Where faith makes a discovery of forgiveness all things are otherwise Great Love Fear and Reverence of God are its attendants Mary Magdalen loved much because much was forgiven Great Love will spring out of great forgiveness There is forgiveness with thee saith the Psalmist that thou maist be feared No unbeliever doth truly and experimentally know the truth of this inference But so it is when men fear the Lord and his Goodness Hos. 3. 5. 1 say then where pardoning mercy is truly apprehended where faith makes a discovery of it to the soul it is endeared unto God and possessed of the great springs of Love Delight Fear and Reverence Psal. 116. 1 5 6 7. Fourthly This notional apprehension of the pardon of sin begets no serious through hatred and detestation of sin nor is prevalent to a relinquishment of it nay it rather secretly insinuates into the soul encouragements unto a continuance in it It is the nature of it to lessen and extenuate sin and to support the soul against its convictions So Jude tells us that some turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness v. 4. and sayes he they are ungodly men let them profess what they will they are ungodly men But how can they turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness Is Grace capable of a conversion into Lust or Sin Will what was once Grace ever become Wantonness It is Objective not Subjective Grace the Doctrine not the real substance of Grace that is intended The Doctrine of forgiveness is this Grace of God which may be thus abused From hence do men who have only a general notion of it habitually draw secret encouragements to sin and folly Paul also lets us know that carnal men coming to a doctrinal acquaintance with Gospel Grace are very apt to make such conclusions Rom. 6. 1. And it will appear at the last day how unspeakably this glorious Grace hath been perverted in the world It would be well for many if they had never heard the name of forgiveness It is otherwise where this Revelation is received indeed in the soul by believing Rom. 6.
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
are a generation of philosophiâ—â—â— disputers amongst them by whom their tottering cause is supported that there should have been Sacrisices in Paradice if man had not sinned But as in all their opinions our first enquiry ought to be what do they get by this or that their whole Religion being pointed unto their carnal interest so we may in particular do it upon this uncouth Assertion which is perfectly contradictious to the very Nature and End of most Sacrifices namely that they should be offered where there is no sin Why they hope to establish hence a general rule that there can be no true Worship of God in any state or condition without a Sacrifice What then I pray Why then it is evident that the continual Sacrifice of the Mass is necessary in the Church and that without it there is no true Worship of God and so they are quickly come home to their advantage and profit the Mass being that inexhaustible Spring of Revenue which feeds their pride and lust throughout the world But there is in the Church of Christ an Altar still and a Sacrifice still which they have rejected for the a bominable figment of their Mass namely Christ himself as the Apostle informs us Heb. 13. 10. But as the Sacrifices of Beasts could not have been before the entrance of sin so it may be evidenced that they were instituted from the foundation of the world that is presently after the entrance of sin Christ is called the Lamb of God John 1. 29. which he was in reference unto the Sacrifices of old as 1 Pet. 2. 18 19. whence he is represented in the Church as a Lamb slain Rev. 5. 6. or giving out the efficacy of all Sacrifices to his Church Now he is said to be a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13. 8. which could not be unless some Sacrifice prefiguring his being slain had been then offered For it denotes not only the efficacy of his Mediation but the way Besides the Apostle tells us that without shedding of blood there was no remission Heb. 9. 22. That is God to demonstrate that all pardon and forgiveness related to the blood of Christ from the foundation of the world gave out no word of pardon but by and with blood Now I have shewed before that he revealed pardon in the first promise and therefore there ensued thereon the shedding of blood and Sacrifices and thereby that Testament or Covenant was dedicated with blood also ver 18. Some think that the Beasts of whose skins God made garments for Adam were offered in Sacrifices Nor is their conjecture vain Yea it seems not to want a shaddow of a Gospel Mysterie that their nakedness which became their shame upon their sin whence the pollution and shame of sin is frequently so termed should be covered with the skins of their Sacrifices For in the true Sacrifice there is somewhat answerable thereunto And the Righteousness of him whose Sacrifice takes away the guilt of our sin is called our cloathing that hides our pollution and shame 3. That after the giving of the Law the greatest most noble and solemn part of the Worship of God consisted in Sacrifices And this kind of Worship continued with the approbation of God in the world about four thousand years that is from the entrance of sin until the death of the Messiah the true Sacrifice which put an end unto all that was typical These things being premised we may consider what was the mind and aim of God in the Institution of this Worship One instance and that of the most solemn of the whole kind will resolve us in this enquiry Lev. 16. 5. Two Kids of the Goats are taken for an offering for sin Consider only that we do not enlarge on particulars how one of them was dealt withal ver 20 21 22. He shall bring the live Goat and Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live Goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgression in all their sins putting them upon the head of the Goat and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the Wilderness and the Goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a Land not inhabited Let us see to what end is all this Solemnity and what is declared thereby Wherefore should God appoint poor sinful men to come together to take a Goat or Lamb and to confess over his head all their sins and transgressions and to devote him to destruction under that confession Had men invented this themselves it had been a matter of no moment But it was an Institution of God which he bound his Church to the observation of upon the penalty of his highest displeasure Certainly this was a solemn declaration that there is forgiveness with him Would that God who is infinitely Good and so will not who is infinitely True holy and faithful and so cannot deceive call men out whom he loved to a solemn Representation of a thing wherein their chiefest their eternal concernment did lye and suffer them to feed upon Ashes Let men take heed that they mock not God for of a Truth God mocketh not man until he be finally rejected by him For four thousand years together then did God declare by Sacrifices that there is forgiveness with him and lead his people by them to make a publick Representation of it in the face of the world This is a second uncontrolable Evidence of the Truth asserted which may possibly be of use to souls that come indeed deeply and seriously to deal with God for though the Practice be ceased yet the Instruction intended in thern continues III. Gods appointment of Repentance unto sinners doth reveal that there is forgiveness in himself I say the prescription of Repentance is a Revelation of forgiveness After the Angels had sinned God never once called them to Repentance He would not deceive them but let them know what they were to look for at his hands he hath no forgiveness for them and therefore would require no Repentance of them It is not nor ever was a duty incumbent on them to repent Nor is it so unto the damned in Hell God requires it not of them nor is it their duty There being no forgiveness for them what should move them to repent Why should it be their duty so to do Their eternal anguish about sin committed hath nothing of Repentance in it Assignation then of Repentance is a Revelation of forgiveness God would not call upon a sinful creature to humble it self and bewail its sin if there were no way of recovery or relief And the only way of recovery from the guilt of sin is pardon so Job 33. 27 28. He looketh on men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not he will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light
needful for us And for the plainness of this Truth it is well if it be so unto us This I know nothing but the Spirit of God can make it so Men may please themselves and others sometimes with curious notions and make them seem to be things of great search and attainment which when they are well examined it may be they are not true or if they are are yet of a very little consequence or importance It is these fundamental Truths that have the mysteries of the Wisdom and Grace of God in wrapped in them which who so can unfold aright will shew himself a workman that needs not be ashamed These still waters are deep and the farther we dive into them the greater discovery shall we make of their depths And many other Sacred Truths there are whose mention is common but whose depths are little searched and whose efficacy is little known 3. We multiply these Evidences because they are multitudes that are concerned in them All that do believe and all that do not believe are so Those that do believe that they may be established and those that do not believe that they may be encouraged so to do Among both these sorts some evidences may be more profitable and useful one to one some to another It may be amongst all all will be gathered up that no fragments be lost They are all I hope instruments provided by the Holy Ghost for this end and by this Ordinance do we endeavour to put them into his hand to be made effectual as he will One may reach one soul another another according to his pleasure One may be of use to establishment another to consolation a third of encouragement according as the necessities of poor souls do require However God who hath provided them knows them all to be needful 4. They are so also upon the account of the various conditions wherein the Spirits of Believers themselves may be One may give help to the same soul at one season another at another one may secure the soul against a temptation another stir it up to Thankfulness and Obedience These things have I spoken that you may not think we dwell too long on this consideration And I pray God that your Consolation and Establishment may abound in the reading of these Meditations as I hope they have not been altogether without their fruit in their preparation Further Evidences of Forgiveness with God Testimonies that God was well pleased with some that were sinners The Patience of God towards the world an evidence of Forgiveness Experience of the Saints of God to the same purpose IV. Let us then in the fourth place as a fourth Evidence of this truth consider those both under the Old Testament and the New concerning whom we have the greatest Assurance that God was well pleased with them and that they are now in the enjoyment of him And this Argument unto this purpose the Apostle insists upon and presseth from sundry instances Heb. 11. How many doth he there reckon up who of old obtained a good report and this Testimony that they pleased God ver 2. 5. All these inherited the Promises through believing that is obtained the forgiveness of sin For whereas by nature they were children of wrath and under the Curse as well as others obtaining an infallible interest in the favour of God and this Testimony that they pleased him it could no otherwise be For without this on a just account every one of them would have continued in the state wherein Adam was when he heard the voyce of God and was afraid Wherefore it being evident that some persons in all Generations have enjoyed the friendship love and favour of God in this world and at their departure out of it have entred into Glory it makes it evident that there is forgiveness of sin with him without which these things could not be Let us after the example of the Apostle mention some particular instances in this matter Look unto Abraham He was the friend of God and walked with God God made a solemn Covenant with him and takes it for his memorial throughout all generations that he is the God of Abraham And he is doubtless now at rest with God Our Saviour calls the place or condition whereinto blessed souls are gathered Abrahams Bosom He is at rest with whom others are at rest The condition was the same with Isaac and Jacob. They also are Heaven being alive unto and with God Our Saviour proves it from the tenour of the Covenant I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22. 32. They are yet alive alive unto God and with him by vertue of the Covenant or after their death God would not be said to be their God This is the force of our Saviours Argument in that place that after their death God was still their God Then death had not reached their whole persons They were still alive with God in Heaven and their bodies by vertue of the same Covenant were to be recovered out of the dust The same is the state with David He was a man after Gods own heart that did all his Will and fulfilled all his pleasure And although he dyed and his body saw corruption yet he is not lost he is with God in Heaven Hence he ended his dayes triumphantly in a full apprehension of Eternal Rest beyond what could in this world be attained and that by vertue of the Covenant For these are the last words of David Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ascertaining unto him sure and eternal mercies 2 Sam. 23. 5 Peter also is in Heaven Christ prayed for him that his faith should not fail and in his death he glorified God John 21. 19. So is Paul He also is in Heaven he knew that when he wis dissolved he should be with Christ. Here then we are encompassed about with a cloud of witnesses For 1. It is most certain that they were all sinners They were all so by nature for therein there is no difference between any of the Children of men And personally they were sinners also They confessed so of themselves and some of the sins of all of them stand upon record Yea some of them were great sinners or guilty of great and signal miscarriages Some before their Conversion as Abraham who was an Idolater Josh. 24. 2 3. and Paul who was a Persecutor and a Blasphemer Some after their Conversion Some in sins of the flesh against their Obedience as David and some in sins of Profession against saith as Peter Nothing then is more evident than that no one of them came to rest with God but by forgiveness Had they never been guilty of any one sin but only what is left upon Record concerning them in Holy Writ yet they could be saved no other way For he that
Son in this manner to testifie it And he did it because it could no other way be brought about as hath been declared Do we doubt whether there be forgiveness with God or no or whether we shall obtain it if we address our selves unto him for to be made partakers of it Consider the Condition of his Son in the world review his Afflictions Poverty Temptation Sorrows Sufferings Then ask our souls To what end was all this And if we can find any other design in it any other Reason Cause or Necessity of it but only and meerly to testifie and declare that there is forgiveness with God and to purchase and procure the Communication of it unto us let us abide in and perish under our fears But if this be so we have sufficient warranty to assure our souls in the expectation of it 4. Besides all this there ensues upon what went before that great and wonderfull Issue in the death of the Son of God This thing was great and marvellous and we may a little enquire into what it was that was designed therein And hereof the Scripture gives us a full account As 1. That he dyed to make Attonement for Sin or Reconciliation for Iniquity Dan. 9. 24. He gave his life a ransom for the sins of many Matth. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. He was in it made sin that others might become the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 20. Rom. 8. 3. Therein he bare our sins in his body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. This was the state of this matter Notwithstanding all the Love Grace and condescention before mentioned yet our sins were of that nature and so directly opposite unto the Justice and Holiness of God that unless Attonement were made and a Price of Redemption paid there could be no Pardon no forgiveness obtained This therefore he undertook to do and that by the Sacrifice of himself answering all that was prefigured by and represented in the Sacrifices of old as the Apostle largely declares Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. And herein is the forgiveness that is in God copied out and exemplified so clearly and evidently that he that cannot read it will be cursed unto Eternity Yea and let him be accursed for what can be more required to justifie God in his eternal destruction He that will not believe his Grace as testified and exemplified in the Blood of his Son let him perish without remedy Yea but 2. The Curse and Sentence of the Law lyes on record against sinners It puts in its Demands against our acquittance and layes an obligation upon us unto punishment And God will not reject nor destroy his Law unless it be answered there is no acceptance for sinners This therefore in the next place his death was designed unto As he satisfied and made Attonement by it unto Justice that was the fountain spring and cause of the Law so he fulfilled and answered the demands of the Law as it was an Effect of the Justice of God So Rom. 8. 13. He suffered in the likeness of sinful flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled and answered He answered the Curse of the Law when he was made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. And so became as to the Obedience of the Law the end of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe Rom. 10. 3 4. And as to the penalty that it threatned he bore it removed it and took it out of the way So hath he made way for forgiveness through the very heart of the Law it hath not one word to speak against the pardon of them that do believe But 3. Sinners are under the power of Satan he layes a claim unto them and by what means shall they be rescued from his interest and dominion This also his death was designed to accomplish For as he was manifest to destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. So by death he destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. That is to despoil him of his Power to destroy his Dominion to take away his plea unto sinners that believe as we have at large elsewhere declared And by all these things with many other concernments of his death that might be instanced in we are abundantly secured of the forgiveness that is with God And of his willingness that we should be made partakers thereof 5. Is this all Did his Work cease in his death Did he no more for the securing of the forgiveness of sins unto us but only that he dyed for them Yes he lives also after death for the same end and purpose This Son of God in that nature which he assumed to expiate sin by death lives again after death to secure unto us and to compleat the forgiveness of sins And this he doth two wayes 1. Being raised from that death which he underwent to make Attonement for sin by the Power and Good Will of God he evidenceth and testifieth unto us that he hath fully performed the work he undertook and that in our behalf and for us he hath received a discharge Had he not answered the guilt of sin by his death he had never been raised from it 2. He lives after death a Mediatory Life to make intercession for us that we may receive the forgiveness of sin as also himself to give it out unto us which things are frequently made use of to encourage the souls of men to believe and therefore shall not at present be further insisted on Thus then stands this matter that Mercy might have a way to exercise it self in forgiveness with a consistency unto the Honour of the Righteousness and Law of God was the Son of God so sent for the ends and purposes mentioned Now herein consisteth the greatest Work that God did ever perform or ever will It was the most eminent product of Infinite Wisdom Goodness Grace and Power And herein do all the Excellencies of God shine forth more gloriously than in all the works of his hands Let us then wisely ponder and consider this matter let us bring our own souls with their Objections unto this Evidence and see what exception we have to lay against it I know nothing will satisfie unbelief the design of it is to make the soul find that to be Iso hereafter which it would perswade it of here namely that there is no forgiveness in God And Satan who makes use of this Engine knows full well that there is none for them who believe there is none or rather will not believe that there is any For it will at the last day be unto men according unto their faith or unbelief He that believeth aright and he that believeth not that forgiveness is with God as to their own particulars shall neither of them be deceived But what is it that can be reasonably excepted against this evidence this foundation of our faith in this matter God hath not sent his Son in vain which
their Lusts and sins that they will yield them as much satisfaction and contentment as they shall need to desire Alas they will ruine them and bring forth nothing but death Is it in the World it will deceive them the figure of it passeth away Is it in their Duties and Righteousness they will not relieve them for did they follow the Law of Righteousness they could not obtain the Righteousness of the Law Is it in the continuance of their lives Alas it is but a shadow a vapour that appeareth for a little while Is it in a future Amendment and Repentance Hell is full of souls perishing under such Resolutions Only this way of pardon remains and yet of all others is most despised But yet I have one consideration more to adde before I further enforce the Exhortation 6. Consider that this is the only Way and means to enable you unto obedience and to render what you do therein acceptable unto God It may be that some of you are under the power of Convictions and have made Engagements unto God to live unto him to keep your selves from fin and to follow after holiness It may be you have done so in Afflictions dangers sicknesses or upon the receipt of mercies but yet you find that you cannot come unto stability or constancy in your course you break with God and your own Souls which fills you with new disquietments or else hardens you and makes you secure and negligent so that you return unto your purposes no oftner than your Convictions or Afflictions befall you anew This condition is ruinous and pernitious which nothing can deliver you from but this closing with forgiveness For 1. All that you do without this however it may please your minds or ease your Consciences is not at all accepted with God Unless this foundation be laid all that you do is lost All your Prayers all your Duties all your amendments are an abomination unto the Lord. Untill peace is made with him they are but the Acts of Enemies which he despiseth and abhorreth You run it may be earnestly but you run out of the way you strive but not lawfully and shall never receive the Crown True Gospel-obedience is the fruit of the Faith of Forgiveness Whatever you do without it is but a building without a foundation a Castle in the ayre You may see the order of Gospel Obedience Eph. 2. 7 8 9 10. The foundation must be laid in Grace Riches of Grace by Christ in the free pardon and forgiveness of sin From hence must the works of obedience proceed if you would have them to be of Gods appointment or finde acceptance with him Without this God will say of all your Services Worship Obedience as he did to the Israelites of old Amos 5. 21 22 23 24 25. I despise all reject it all it is not to him nor to his Glory Now if you are under convictions of any sort there is nothing you more value nothing you more place your confidence in than your Duties your Repentance your Amendment what you do and what in good time you will be Is it nothing unto you to lose all your hopes and all your Expectations which you have from hence To have no other Reception with God than if all this while you had been wallowing in your sins and lusts Yet thus it is with you if you have not begun with God on his own Terms if you have not received the Atonement in the Blood of his Son if you are not made partakers of Forgiveness if your persons are not pardoned all your Duties are accursed 2. This alone will give you such Motives and Encouragements unto Obedience as will give you Life Alacrity and Delight in it You perform Duties abstain from sins but with heaviness fear and in bondage Could you do as well without them as with them would Conscience be quiet and hope of Eternity hold out you would omit them for ever This makes all your Obedience burdensome and you cry out in your thoughts with him in the Prophet behold what a weariness it is the service of God is the only drudgery of your lives which you dare not omit and delight not to perform From this wretched and cursed frame there is nothing can deliver you but this closing with forgiveness This will give you such motives such encouragements as will greatly influence your hearts and souls It will give you freedom liberty delight and chearfulness in all duties of Gospel Obedience You will finde a constraining power in the love of Christ therein a freedom from bondage when the Son truely hath made you free Faith and love will work genuinely and naturally in your spirits and that which was your greatest burden will become your chiefest joy 2 Cor. 7. 1. Thoughts of the Love of God of the Blood of Christ or the Covenant of Grace and sence of pardon in them will enlarge your hearts and sweeten all your duties You will find a new life a new pleasure a new satisfaction in all that you doe Have you yet ever understood that of the Wiseman Prov. 3. 17. The wayes of Wisdom are pleasantness and her paths are peace Have the wayes of Holyness of Obedience of Duties been so unto you Whatever you pretend they are not they cannot be so whilst you are strangers unto that which alone can render them so unto you I speak unto them that are under the Law Would you be free from that bondage that galling yoke in dutyes of Obedience Would you have all that you do towards God a delight and pleasantness unto you this and this alone will effect it for you 3. This will place all your Obedience upon a sure foot of account in your own Souls and Consciences even the same that is fixed on in the Gospell For the present all that you do is indeed but to compound with God for your sin you hope by what you do for him and to him to buy off what you have done against him that you may not fall into the hands of his Wrath and Vengeance This makes all you doe to be irksom As a man that labours all his dayes to pay an old debt and brings in nothing to lay up for himself how tedious and wearisome is his work and labour to him It is odds but that at one time or other he will give over and run away from his Creditor So it is in this case men who have secret reserves of recompensing God by their Obedience every day find their debt growing upon them and have every day less hopes of making a satisfactory payment This makes them weary and for the most part they faint under their discouragements and at length they fly wholly from God This way alone will state things otherwise in your Consciences It will give you to see that all your debts are paid by Christ and freely forgiven unto you by God So that what you doe is of Gratitude or thankfulness hath an influence
will undoubtedly flourish 3. A deep sense of the indwelling power of sin is consistent with Gospel Assurance Sense of indwelling sin will cause manifold perplexities in the Soul Trouble disquietments sorrow and anguish of heart expressing themselves in sighs mourning groaning for deliverance alwayes attend it To what purpose do you speak to a Soul highly sensible of the restless power of indwelling sin concerning Assurance Alas saith he I am ready to perish every moment my lusts are strong active restless yea outragious they give me no rest no liberty and but little success do I obtain Assurance is for Conquerours for them that live at rest and peace I lie groveling on the ground all my dayes and must needs be uncertain what will be the issue But when such an one hath done all he can he will not be able to make more wofull complaints of this matter than Paul hath done before him Rom. 7. and yet he closeth the discourse of it with as high an expression of assurance as any person needs to seek after v. last and chap. 8. 1. It is not Assurance but Enjoyment that excludes this sense and trouble But if men will think they can have no Assurance because they have that without which it is impossible they should have any it is hard to give them relief A little Cruse of Salt of the Gospel cast into these bitter waters will make them sweet and wholsom Sense of the guilt of sin may consist with faith of its pardon and forgiveness in the blood of Christ. Godly sorrow may dwell in the same heart at the same time with Joy in the Holy Ghost and groaning after deliverance from the power of sin with a Gracious perswasion that sin shall not have dominion over us because we are not under the Law but Grace 4. Doubtings Fears Temptations if not ordinarily prevailing are consistent with Gospel Assurance Though the Devils power he limited in reference unto the Saints yet his hands are not tyed Though he cannot prevail against them yet he can assault them And although there be not an evil heart of unbelief in Believers yet there will still be unbelief in their hearts Such an evidence conviction and perswasion of Acceptance with God as are exclusive of all contrary reasonings that suffer the Soul to hear nothing of Objections that free and quiet it from all assaults are neither mentioned in the Scripture nor consistent with that state wherein we walk before God nor possible on the account of Sathans will and ability to tempt or of our own remaining unbelief Assurance encourageth us in our Combate it delivereth us not from it We may have peace with God when we have none from the assaults of Sathan Now unless a man do duly consider the tenor of the Covenant wherein we walk with God and the nature of that Gospel Obedience which he requires at our hands with the state and Condition which is our Lot and portion whilest we live in this World the dayly sense of these things with the trouble that must be undergone on their account may keep him in the dark unto himself and hinder him from that establishment in believing which otherwise he might attain unto On this account some as holy persons as any in this World being wholly taken up with the consideration of these home bred perplexities and not clearly acquainted with the way and tenor of assuring their Souls before God according to the Rule of the Covenant of Grace have passed away their dayes in a bondage frame of spirit and unacquaintance with that strong consolation which God is abundantly willing that all the Heirs of promise should receive 5. Evangelical Assurance is not a thing that consisteth in any point and so incapable of variation It may be higher or lower greater or less obscure or attended with more Evidence It is not quite lost when it is not quite at its highest God sometimes marvellously raiseth the Souls of his Saints with some close and neer approaches unto them gives them a sense of his Eternal Love a taste of the embraces of his Son and the inhabitation of the Spirit without the least intervening disturbance then this is their Assurance But this life is not a season to be alwayes taking wages in our work is not yet done we are not alwayes to abide in this Mount we must down again into the battle fight again cry again complain again Shall the Soul be thought now to have lost its assurance Not at all it had before assurance with Joy Triumph and Exultation it hath it now or may have with wrestling cryes tears and supplications And a mans Assurance may be as Good as true when he lyes on the earth with a sense of sin as when he is carryed up to the third Heaven with a sense of Love and foretaste of Glory In brief this Assurance of Salvation is such a Gracious Evangelical perswasion of Acceptance with God in Christ and of an interest in the promises of preservation unto the End wrought in Believers by the Holy Ghost in and through the exercise of Faith as for the most part produceth these effects following 1. It gives delight in obedience and draws out Love in the duties that unto God we do perform So much Assurance of a Comfortable Issue of their Obedience of a blessed End of their labours and duties of their purifying their hearts and pressing after universal Renovation of mind and life as may make them Chearfull in them as may give Love and Delight in the pursuit of what they are engaged in is needfull for the Saints and they they do not often go without it and where this is there is Gospel Assurance To run as men uncertain to fight as those that beat the Air to travel as not any way perswaded of a comfortable entertainment or refreshment at the Journeys End is a state and condition that God doth not frequently leave his people unto And when he doth it is a season wherein he receives very little of Glory from them and they very little increase of grace in themselves Many things as hath been shewed do interpose many doubts arise and intangling perplexities but still there is a Comfortable perswasion kept alive that there is a Rest provided which makes them willing unto and chearfull in their most difficult duties This prevaileth in them that their labour in the Lord their watchings praying suffering alms mortification fighting against temptation crucifying the flesh with the lusts thereof shall not be in vain This gives them such a delight in their most difficult duties as men have in a hard Journey towards a desirable home or a place of Rest. 2. It casts out fear tormenting fear such as fills the soul with perplexing uncertainties hard thoughts of God and dreadfull apprehensions of wrath to come There are three things spoken concerning that fear which is inconsistent with the Assurance of forgiveness First With respect unto
considerable objections to lye against either of them and yet be far enough from that sweet consolation joy and assurance which is the product of the conclusion when God is not pleased to give it in yea a man may sometimes gather up consolation to himself upon such terms but it will not abide So did David Psal. 30 6 7. He thus argues with himself He whose mountain is made strong to whom God is a defence he shall never be moved nor be shaken but I am thus settled of God therefore I shall not be moved and therein he rejoyceth It is an expression of exultation that he useth but what is the Issue of it In the midst of these pleasing thoughts of his God hides his face and he is troubled he cannot any longer draw out the sweetness of the conclusion mentioned It was in him before from the shines of Gods Countenance and not from any arguings of his own No disappointment then no tediousness or weariness should make the soul leave waiting on God if it intend to attain Consolation and Establishment So dealeth the Church Lam. 3. 21. This I recall to mind therefore have I hope What is it that she calls to mind this that it is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not vers 22. I will yet hope I will yet continue in my Expectation upon the account of never failing-compassion of endless mercies in him whatever my present condition be And thence she makes a blessed conclusion vers 26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. And this is our third Rule It is good to hope and wait whatever our present condition be and not to give over if we would not be sure to fail whereunto I speak no more because the close of this Psalm insists wholly on this duty which must be further spoken unto RULE IV. Seeing in the course of our believing and obedience that which is chiefly incumbent on us for our coming up to establishment and consolation is spiritual diligence in the removal of the hinderances thereof Let the soul that would attain thereunto make through work in the search of sin even to the sins of youth that all scores on that account may clearly be wiped out If there be much rubbish left in the foundation of the building no wonder if it alwaies shake and totter Mens leaving of any sin unsearched to the bottom will poison all their consolation David knew this when in dealing with God in his distresses he prayes that he would not remember the sins and transgressions of his youth Psal. 5. 7. Youth is oftentimes a time of great vanity and unmindfulness of God many stains and spots are therein usually brought upon the consciences of men Childhood and youth are vanity Eccles. 11. 10. Not because they soon pass away but because they are usually spent in vanity as the following advice of chap. 12. 1. to remember God in those daies doth manifest The way of many is to wear such things out of mind and not to walk in a sense of their folly and madness never to make through work with God about them I speak of the Saints themselves for with others that live under the Means of Grace whom God intends any way to make usefull and industrious in their Generation this is the usual course by convictions restraining Grace Afflictions Love of Employment and Repute God gives them another heart than they had for a season Another heart but not a new heart Hence another course of life another profession other actions than formerly doe flow with this change they do content themselves they look on what is past perhaps with delight or as things fit enough for those daies but not for those they have attained unto here they rest and therefore never come to rest But I speak of the Saints themselves who make not such through full close work in this kind as they ought An after-reckoning may come in on this hand to their own disturbance and an inconquerable hinderance of their peace and settlement be brought in on this account So was it with Job chap. 13. 26 He makes me possess the sins of my youth God filled his heart his thoughts his mind with these sins made them abide with him so that he possessed them they were alwaies present with him He made the sins of his youth the sufferings of his age And it is a sad thing as one speaks when young sins and old bones meet together as Zophar chap. 20. 11. His bones are filled with the sins of his youth The joyous frame of some mens Youth makes way for sad work in their Age. Take heed young ones you are doing that which will abide with you to Age if not to Eternity This possessing of the sins of youth Job calls the writing of bitter things against him As indeed it is impossible but that sin should be bitter one time or other God calls it a root that beareth Gall and Wormwood Deut. 29. 18. A root of bitterness springing up into defilement Heb. 12. 15. This then is to be searched out to the bottom Israel will not have success nor peace whilst there is an Achan in the Camp Neither success in Temptation nor consolation in believing is to be expected whilst any Achan any sin unreckoned for lyes in the conscience Now for them who would seriously accomplish a diligent search in this matter which is of such importance unto them let them take these two Directions 1. Let them go over the consideration of those sins and others of the like nature which may be reduced unto the same General heads with them which we laid down before as the sins which generally cast men into depths and intanglements And if they find they have contracted the guilt of any of them let them not think strange that they are yet bewildred in their condition and do come short of a refreshing sense of peace with God or an interest in forgiveness Rather let them admire the riches of Patience Grace and forbearance that they are not cast utterly out of all hopes of a recovery This will speed an end unto their trouble according to the direction given 2. Let them cast the course of their times under such heads and seasons as may give them the more clear and distinct view and apprehension of the passages in them between God and their souls which may have been provoking unto him As First For the state of their inward man let them consider First The unregenerate part of their lives that which was confessedly so before they had any real work of God upon their hearts and therein enquire after two things 1. If there were then any great and signal eruptions of sins against God for of such God requires that a deep sense be kept on our souls all our daies How often do we find Paul calling over the sins of his
watch any part of the day or in any occasion of the day Is this giving all diligence Is this working out our Salvation with fear and trembling And may we not see Professors even indulging to themselves in wayes of Vanity folly wrath envy sloth and the like and yet complain at what a loss they are how unquiet how uncertain God forbid it should be otherwise with you or that we should endeavour to speak peace unto you in any such a frame To hear of a person that he walks slothfully carelesly or indulgeth his corruptions and to find him complaining that he is at loss whether he have any interest in Pardon or noe to give or tender Comfort to such mourners without a due Admonition of their duty to use diligence in the use of means for to help on their delivery out of the condition wherein they are is to tender poison unto them To this then the soul must come that is in depths if it intend to be delivered Heartless complaints with excuses to keep it from vigorous spiritual diligence must be laid aside if not ordinarily Peace Rest and stability will not be obtained A great Example hereof we have in the Spouse Cant. 5. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. She is drousie and indisposed unto communion with Christ whereunto she is invited v. 2. this puts her upon making excuses from the unfitness of the time and her present indisposition and unpreparedness as to the duty whereunto she was called v. 3. Hereupon Christ withdraws his presence from her and leaves her at a loss as to her former comforts v. 6. what course doth she now take doth she now lye down again in her former Slumber doth she make use of her former excuses and pretences why she could not engage into the duties she was called unto no such thing but now with all Earnestness Diligence Sedulity and Importunity She engageth in all manner of duties whereby she may recover her former Comforts as you may see in the Text. And this must be the course of others who would obtain the same success Spiritual peace and sloth will never dwell together in the same soul and Conscience RULE IX The ninth Rule Take heed of undue expressions concerning God and his wayes in distress Take heed in doubts distresses and perplexities of hard thoughts of God hasty unweighed expressions concerning him or his wayes with or of secret resolves that it were as good give over waiting as continue in the state wherein you are seeing your Condition is remediless On three occasions are such thoughts and resolves apt to befall the minds of men which sometimes break forth into unwarrantable Expressions concerning God himself and his wayes 1. In deep perplexities of mind by reason of some pressing terrour from the Lord. 2. On the long wearisome continuance of some tempting distress and hereof we have many examples some whereof shall be mentioned 3. In spiritual disappointments through the strength of Lust or Temptation When a person hath it may be recovered himself through Grace from a perplexing sense of the guilt of some sin or it may be from a course shorter or longer lesser or greater of back sliding and negligent walking with God and therein goes on cheerfully for a season in the course of his Obedience if this person through the power of Temptation Subtilty of Lusts neglect of watchfulness by one means or other is surprised in the sins or wayes that he had relinquished or is turned aside from the vigour of that course wherein he was engaged he may be exposed not only to great despondencies but also be overtaken with secret resolves to give over contending seeing it is to no more purpose nay to no purpose and that God regards him not at all Take an Instance or two in each kind The first we have in Job in the Extremity of his tryals and terrours from the Lord. See among other places chap. 10. v. 3. Is it saith he to God Good for thee that shouldst oppress that thou shouldst despise the work of thy hands Ah poor worms with whom have we to do who shall say unto a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly and will ye speak so to him who respecteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth them more than the poorest in the Earth And see what conclusions from such thoughts as these he doth inferr Chap. 14. 15 16 17. Thou numbrest my steps dost thou not watch over my sin my transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sowest up my Iniquity He chargeth God to be his Enemy one that watched for all opportunities and advantages against him that seemed to be glad at his halting and take care that none of his sins should be missing when he intended to deal with him Had this indeed been the Case with him he had perished unto Eternity as elsewhere he acknowledged Of the other we have an Instance in the Church Lament 3. 18. I said my strength aad my hope is perished from the Lord. Present Grace in spiritual strength and future expectation of mercy are all gone And what is got by this secret hard thoughts of God himself are hereby ingenerated as v. 8. When I cry and shout he shutteth out my Prayers v. 44. thou hast covered thy self with a Cloud that our Prayers should not pass through These things are grievous unto God to bear and no way useful to the soul in its Condition Yea they more and more unfitâ—â— for every duty that may lye in a tendency to its relief deliverance So was it with Jonah Chap. 2. 4. I said I am cast out of thy sight all is lost and gone with me as good give over as Contend I do but labour in vain perish I must as one cast out of the sight of God The like complaints fell also from Heman in his distress Psal. 88. The General who heard one of his Souldiers cry out upon a fresh onset of the Enemy Now we are undone Now we are ruined call'd him Traytor and told him it was not so whilest he could weild his Sword It is not for every private Souldier on every danger to make a Judgement of the battel That is the work of the General Jesus Christ is the Captain of our Salvation he hath undertaken the leading and conduct of our souls through all our difficulties Our Duty is to fight and contend his Work is to take care of the Event and to him it is to be committed That then you make a due use of this Rule keep alwaies in your minds these two Considerations 1. That it is not for you to take the Judgement of Christ out of his hand and to be passing sentence upon your own souls Judgement as to the state and condition of men is committed unto Christ and to him it is to be left This we were directed unto into our first Rule and it is of special use in the case under consideration Self-judging
the soul. 1. Because they are unexpected The soul looks not for them upon the first great conquest made of sin and universal engagement of the heart unto God When it first sayes I have sworn and amstedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous Judgements commonly there is peace at least for a season from the disturbing vigorous actings of sin There are many Reasons why so it should be Old things are then passed away all things are become new and the soul under the power of that universal change is utterly turned away from those things that should foment stir up provoke or cherish any lust or temptation Now when some of these Advantages are past and sin begins to stir and act again the soul is surprized and thinks the work that he hath passed through was not true and effectual but temporary only Yea he thinks perhaps that sin hath more strength than it had before because he is more sensible than he was before As one that hath a dead arm or limb whilst it is mortified endures deep cuts and launcings and feels them not when spirits and sense are brought into the place again he feels the least cut and may think the instruments sharper than they were before when all the difference is that he hath got a quickness of sense which before he had not It may be so with a person in this case he may think lust more powerfull than it was before because he is more sensible than he was before Yea sin in the heart is like a Snake or Serpent you may pull out the sting of it and cut it into many pieces though it can sting mortally no more nor move his whole body at once yet it will move in all its parts and make an appearance of a greater motion than formerly So it is with lust when it hath received its deaths wound and is cut in pieces yet it moves in so many parts as it were in the soul that it amazes him that hath to do with it and thus coming unexpectedly fills the spirit oftentimes with disconsolation 2. It hath also in its actings an Universality This also surprizeth there is an universality in the actings of sin even in Believers There is no evil that it will not move to there is no good that it will not attempt to hinder no duty that it will not defile And the reason of this is because we are sanctified but in part not in any part wholly though savingly and truly in every part There is sin remaining in every faculty in all the Affections and so may be acting in and towards any sin that the nature of man is liable unto Degrees of sin there are that all Regenerate persons are exempted from but unto solicitations to all kinds of sin they are exposed and this helps on the Temptation 3. It is endless and restless never quiet conquering nor conquered it gives not over but rebels being overcome or assaults afresh having prevailed Oft-times after a victory obtained and an opposition subdued the soul is in expectation of Rest and Peace from its enemies But this holds not It works and rebels again and again and will do so whilst we live in this world so that no issue will be put to our conflict but by death This is at large handled elsewhere in a Treatise lately published on this peculiar subject These and the like Considerations attending the actings of indwelling sin do oftentimes intangle the soul in making a Judgement of it self and leave it in the dark as to its state and condition A few things shall be offered unto this Objection also 1. The sensible powerfull actings of indwelling sin are not inconsistent with a state of Grace Gal. 5. 17. There are in the same person contrary principles the flesh and the spirit these are contrary And there are contrary actings from these principles The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these actings are described to be great vigorous in other places Lust wars against our souls Jam. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 1 l. Now to war is not to make faint or gentle Opposition to be flighted and contemned but it is to go out with great strength to use craft subtlety and force so as to put the whole issue to a hazard So these lusts war such are their actings in and against the soul. And therefore saith the Apostle You cannot do the things that you would see Rom. 7. 14 15 16 17. In this conflict indeed the understanding is left unconquered it condemns and disapproves of the evil led unto and the will is not subdued it would not do the evil that is pressed upon it and there is an hatred or aversation remaining in the Affections unto sin but yet notwithstanding sin rebels fights tumultuates and leads captive This Objection then may receive this speedy Answer Powerfull actings and workings universal endless struglings of ind welling sin seducing to all that is evil putting it self forth to the disturbance and dissettlement of all that is good is no sufficient ground to conclude a state of Alienation from God see for this the other Treatise before mentioned at large 2. Your state is not at all to be measured by the opposition that sin makes to you but by the opposition you make to it be that never so great if this be good be that never so restless and powerfull if this be sincere you may be disquieted you can have no reason to despond I have mentioned these things only to give a specimen of the Objections which men usually raise up against an actual closing with the Truth insisted on to their consolation And we have also given in upon them some Rules of Truth for their relief not intending in them absolute satisfaction as to the whole of the cases mentioned but only to remove the darkness raised by them so out of the way as that it might not hinder any from mixing the Word with Faith that hath been dispensed from this blessed testimony that there is forgiveness with God that he may be feared Verse 5 6. PRoceed we now to the second part of this Psalm which contains the deportment of a sin-perplexed soul when by Faith it hath discovered where its Rest doth lye and from whom its relief is to be expected even from the forgiveness which is with God whereof we have spoken There are two things in general as was before mentioned that the soul in that condition applies it self unto whereof the first respects its self and the other the whole Israel of God That which respects its self is the description of that frame of heart and spirit that he was brought into upon faiths discovery of forgiveness in God with the duties that he applied himself unto the grounds of it and the manner of its performance v. 5 6. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his Word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that
promise and learn to measure things not according to the present state and apprehensions of their mind but according unto what God hath declared concerning them And there are sundry Excellencies in the promises when hoped in or trusted in that tend unto the establishment of the soul in this great duty of waiting As 1. That Grace in them that is the Good Will of God in Christ for help relief satisfaction pardon and salvation is suited unto all particular conditions and wants of the soul. As Light ariseth from the Sun and is diffused in the beams thereof to the especial use of all creatures enabled by a visive faculty to make use of it so cometh Grace forth from the Eternal Good Will of God in Christ and is diffused by the promises with a blessed contemporation unto the conditions and wants of all Believers There can nothing fall out between God and any soul but there is grace suited unto it in one promise or another as clearly and evidently as if it were given unto him particularly and immediately And this they find by experience who at any time are enabled to mix effectually a promise with faith 2. The Word of promise hath a wonderfull mysterious especial impression of God upon it He doth by it secretly and ineffably communicate himself unto Believers When God appeared in a dream unto Jacob he awaked and said God is in this place and I knew it not He knew God was every where but an intimation of his especial presence surprized him So is a soul surprized when God opens himself and his Grace in a promise unto him It cryes out God is here and I knew it not Such a near approach of God in his Grace it finds as is accompanied with a refreshing surprizal 3. There is an especial Engagement of the Veracity and Truth of God in every promise Grace and Truth are the two ingredients of an Evangelical promise the matter and form whereof they do consist I cannot now stay to shew where in this especial engagement of Truth in the promise doth consist Besides it is a thing known and confessed But it hath an especial influence to support the soul when hoped in in its duty of waiting For that hope can never make ashamed or leave the soul unto disappointments which stayes its self on Divine Veracity under a special engagement And this is that duty which the Psalmist engageth himself in and unto the performance of as the only way to obtain a comfortable interest in that forgiveness which is with God and all the gracious effects thereof And in the handling hereof as we have declared its nature and necessity so we have the Psalmists directions for its practice unto persons in the like condition with him for the attaining of the end by him aimed at so that it needs no further Application That which remains of the Psalm is the Address which he makes unto others with the encouragement which he gives them to steer the same course with himself and this he doth in the two last verses which to compleat the Exposition of the whole Psalm I shall briefly explain and pass through as having already dispatched what I principally aimed at Verse 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities I shall proceed in the opening of these words according unto the method already insisted on First the meaning of the principal words shall be declared then the sense and importance of the whole Thirdly the Relation that they have unto the condition of the soul expressed in the Psalm must be manifested from all which Observations will arise for our Instruction and Directions in the like cases wherein we are or may be concerned Let Israel hope in the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hope Israel in Jehovah Trust or expect the same word with that vers 5. In his word do I hope properly to expect to look for which includes hope and adds some further degree of the souls acting towards God it is an earnest looking after the thing hoped for expecta ad Dominum hope in him and look up to him For with the Lord quia or quoniam because seeing that with the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy the verb substantive as usual is omitted which we supply there is Mercy Grace Bounty Goodness Good-will This word is often joyned with another discovering its importance and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goodness or Mercy and Truth These are as it were constituent parts of Gods Promises It is of Goodness Grace Bounty to promise any undue mercy And it is of Truth or Faithfulness to make good what is so promised The LXX commonly render this word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pardoning mercy as it is every where used in the New Testament And with him is plenteous Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him as before speaking unto God v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thee there is the meaning of which expression hath been opened at large Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to redeem the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redemption This word is often used for a proper Redemption such as is made by the intervention of a price and not a meer Assertion unto liberty by power which is sometimes also called Redemption Thus it is said of the money that the first born of the children of Israel which were above the number of the Levites were redeemed with that Moses took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Redemption that is the Redemption money the price of their Redemption Numb 3. 49. And Psal. 49. 8. The Redemption of mens souls is precious it cost a great price The Redemption then that is with God relates unto a Price Goodness or mercy with respect unto a price becomes Redemption that is actively the cause or means of it What that price is see Matth. 20. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Plenteous Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multa copi sa much abundant plenteous It is used both for Quantity and Quality much in quantity or plenteous abundant and in Quality that is precious excellent And it is applied in a good and bad sense so it is said of our sins Ezek. 9. 6. our sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are increased or multiplied or are great many in number and hainous in their nature or quality And in the other sense it is applied unto the mercy of God whereby they are removed it is great or plenteous it is excellent or precious V. 8. And he that is the Lord Jehovah he with whom is plenteous Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall redeem or make them partakers of that Redemption that is with him He shall redeem Israel that is those who hope and trust in him From all his iniquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his