wrath and hatred A man may be poor and yet precious in the eyes of God he may be greatly abhorred by the World and yet highly honoured by God he may be debased by men and yet exalted by God But now sin is so great an evil that it subjects the sinners Soul to the wrath and hatred of God all other evils do but strike at a mans present well-being but sin strikes at a mans eternal well-being all other evils can never hinder a mans communion with God a man may have communion with God in poverty in sickness in Prison in Banishment but sin is so great an evil that it interrupts communion with God it cuts off communion with God All outward evils are Gods creatures Is there any evil in the City that the Lord hath not done But sin is the Devils creature 't is a brat of his own begetting yea 't is worse than the Devil 't is that which has turn'd glorious Angels into infernal Devils All other evils do not fight against the greatest good but sin is that grand evil that fights against the greatest good it fights against the being of God the essence of God the glory of God Peccatum est Dei-cidium sin is a killing of God 't is a murthering of God Sin is a universal evil 't is all evil 't is nothing but evil there is not one drop one spark of good to be found in any sin but now in all outward evils there is some good there is some good in poverty in sickness in war in death but there is not the least good in sin sin is the sole object of Gods hatred he hates nothing but sin he is angry with nothing but sin he has forbid nothing but sin he has revealed his wrath from heaven against nothing but sin so great an evil is sin Sin is that grand evil that has Midwiv'd all other evils into the world 'T was sin that drown'd the old world with water 't was sin that destroyed Sodom with fire and Brimstone Judges 5.8 Psal 107.34 Deut. 28.21 't was sin that laid Jerusalem on heaps 't was sin that has Midwiv'd Sword Famine and Pestilence into the World 't was sin that laid the Foundation of Hell that laid the corner-stone in that land of darkness for before sin there was no Hell 'T was sin that Crucified the Lord of glory Now O how great must that evil be that has ushered in all these great evils into the World Rom. 8.7 Sin is enmity against God God hath no enemy in the World but sin and those whom sin hath made him Sin hath set all the World against the Lord of glory 't is sin that has turn'd men into incarnate Devils and that has drawn them out to fight against God and Christ and their own Souls and the things of their everlasting peace Now when a man looks upon sin as the greatest evil in the world and his heart rises and is enraged against it because of the vile filthy odious and hainous nature of it 't is a clear evidence that such a man has the Divine nature in him take that one instance for all Psal 19.12 13. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins But why does David pray thus So sayes he shall I be innocent from the great transgression Mark he does not pray thus Lord keep me from presumptuous sins that so I may be free from troubles without and from terrors within or from Hell beneath but Lord keep me from presumptuous sins that so I may be innocent from the great transgression He does not say so shall I be free from the great correction but so shall I be free from the great transgression That 's a heart worth gold that is more sensible and more affected with the evil that is in sin than with the evil that comes by sin Aug. Epist 144. 'T was a weighty saying of Austin That man sayes he which fears Hell he doth not fear to sin but fears to burn but that man fears to sin that fears sin as he would fear Hell Common Grace never works a man thus to fear sin but renewing grace doth Common convictions carry the Soul out to look more on the evil that comes by sin than on the evil that is in sin and hence it comes to pass that Souls under common convictions are more affected and afflicted at the fear of Hell and dread of wrath and damnation than they are affected or afflicted at the vileness odiousness and hainous nature of sin When an unsanctified person is angry with sin and chides sin and falls out with sin and makes some head against sin 't is either because it hath crackt his credit or clouded his honour or hindered his profit or imbittered his pleasure or provoked his friends or incensed the Magistrate or enraged his Conscience or exposed him to shame disgrace or contempt here and Hell hereafter Bâ—t never because a holy God is dishonoured a righteous Law transgressed a blessed Saviour frequently Crucified or the blessed Spirit greatly grieved The child will not touch the Coal because it will burn him and the prudent man will not touch the Coal because it will sâ—â—t him A gracious heart rises against sin because of its defiling and polluting nature but an unsanctified heart rises against sin because of its burning and damning nature A sanctified person hates sin because it pollutes his soul but an unsanctified person hates it because it destroyes his soul A sanctified person loaths sin and abhors sin because it fights against Gods holiness but an unsanctified person loaths it and abhors it because it provokes and stirs up Gods Justice A sanctified person detests sin because of the Hell that is in sin but an unsanctified person detests sin because of the Hell that follows sin c. But Seventhly Where there is an irreconcileable opposition in the Soul against sin there is a saving work of God upon that mans heart Where there is such a detestation of sin and such an enmity raised in the soul against sin as that the Soul cannot The contrariety to sin which is in a real Christian arises from an inward gracious nature which is opposite to the whole species or kind of sin as contrarieties of nature are to the whole kind As light is contrary to all darkness and fire to all water So that this contrariety to sin arising from the inward man is universal to all sin c. nor will not upon no terms in the World admit of any Truce or Reconcilliation with sin there is Christ and Grace formed in the heart The War between a gracious heart and sin is like the War between Rehoboam and Jeroboam 1 Kings 14.30 There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their dayes The Oracle said to the Cirrheans Noctes diesque belli gerendum they could not be happy unless they waged war night and day no more can we except we perpetually fight against our lusts O friends
delivered from sin 6. Concomitant of godly sorrow Sixthly Yea what zeal Zeal is an extream heat of all the affections set against sin and working strongly towards God David's zeal did eat up his sin as well as himself And Paul was as zealous in propagating the Gospel as he had been furious in persecuting of it Many mens zeal is hot and burning when scorns and reproaches are cast upon them but the penitent man's zeal is most hot and burning when Religion is scorned Saints persecuted truth endangered and the great and dreadful name of God blasphemed c. The zeal of a true penitent will carry him on in a course of godliness and in a course of mortification in spight of all the diversions and oppositions that the world the flesh and the devil can make Holy zeal is a fire that will make its way through all things that stands between God and the soul The true penitent is unchangably resolved to be hid of his sins what ever it cost him who ever escapes who ever lives he is fully determined his lusts shall die for it only remember this though zeal should eat up our sins yet it must not eat up our wisdom no more than policy should eat up our zeal Seventhly Yea what revenge The true penitent revenges himself upon himself for his sins 7. Concomitant of godly sorrow not by whips and scourges as the Papists do 1 Cor. 9.27 A penitent sinner loaths the very scars of his sins after they are healed Nazian but by buffetting the flesh and bringing it into subjection by fasting and prayer and by crossing of his lusts and loading of them with chains and by diâ—â—ding the sword of mortification against them and by with-holding from them that fuel that might feed them and by the use of all other holy exercises whereby the old man the body of sin and death may be subdued to the obedience and discipline of the Spirit of God Holy revenge will shew it self by contradicting of corrupt self and by a severe chastising and punishing of all those instruments that have been servants to the flesh as you may see by the daughters of Israel in dedicating their looking-glasses by which they had offended Exod. 38.8 to the service of the Sanctuary Acts 19.19 and as you may see by the Ephesians burning of their costly and curious books before all men Luke 7. and by Mâ—ry Magdalens wiping of Christ's feet with her hair wherewith formerly her fond and foolish lovers were inticed and intangled And the same spirit you may see working in Zacheus Luke 19.8 9. and in the Jailor Acts 16.23 24 29 30 31 33 34. And so blessed Cranmer thrust his right hand first into the fire that being the hand by which he subscribed the Popish Articles revengfully crying out This unworthy right hand this unworthy right hand as long as he could speak The common language of holy revenge is this Lord pour out all thy wrath and all thy fierce anger and all thy fiery indignation upon this lust and that lust Lord bend thy bow and shoot all the arrows of thy displeasure into the very heart of my strong corruptions Lord when wilt thou rain hell out of heaven upon this proud heart this unbelieving heart this unclean heart this worldly heart this froward heart this treacherous heart of mine c. I have read of Hannibal that when he saw a pit full of the bloud of his enemies he cryed out with much content and delight O beautiful sight So when a penitent Christian sees his spiritual enemies his strong corruptions all in a goar bloud O! how delightfully and rejoycingly does he cry out O beautiful sight O blessed sight that ever I have seen Exod. 15. When the children of Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the Sea-shore then they sang a song of praise the Application is easie O Sirs let no man deceive his own immortal soul for 't is most certain that repentance to life hath all these lively companions attending of it Sound repentance and the companions of it are born together and will live and continue together till the penitent soul changes earth for heaven grace for glory And let thus much suffice for the first part of true repentance c. The second part of true repentance lyes in confession of sin which flows out of a contrite heart I mean not a bare formal empty confession such as is common amongst the worst of sinners as that we are all sinners and stand in need of a Saviour God help us God be merciful unto us c. but of such a confession of sin as ariseth from a true sight and full sense of sin and from the due apprehensions of a righteous Law that is transgressed and a holy God that is provoked c. When tongue and heart goes together when the tongue speaks out of the abundance of the heart when the tongue is the faithful interpreter of the heart freely ingenuously and humbly acknowledging iniquity transgression and sin and the penitent judging himself worthy of death of wrath of hell and unworthy of the least mercy and favour from God c. Now such a confession as this is you shall find in repenting sinners and if you look again you shall find those persons so confessing to be under the capacity of the promise of the forgiveness of their sins c. First You shall find repenting sinners confessing their sins Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens Repenting sinners confess their sins c. Ver. 10. And now O our God what shall we say after this for we have forsaken thy commandements c. Psal 51.3 I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Ver. 4. Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Dan. 9.4 5. I prayed unto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord the great and dreadful God c. We have sinned and committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments c. Ver. 8. O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day Luke 15.18 I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Ver. 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son c. 1 Cor. 15.9 For I am the least of all the Apostles that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God 1 Tim. 1.13 Who was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and injurious c. Isa 53.6 All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all I might easily
won the man So when sin hath lost the will it hath lost the man The will is the heart My Son give me thy heart is My Son give me thy will the will is the Fort-Royal of the Soul t is that strong hold that stands out stoutest and longest against all the Assaults of Heaven when the will is won all is won the Castle is won the heart is won the man is won when the will is won A mans judgment and reason may say I ought tâ—â—â—rn from sin and his Conscience may say I must turn from sin or it will be bitterness in the end and yet the work not done nor the Soul won but when the heart sayes the will sayes I will turn from sin then the work is done and the man is won Where reason saith these lusts ought to be subdued and the Conscience saith these lusts must be subdued and the Will saith these lusts shall be subdued Psal 65.3 As for our transgressions thou shaâ—t purge them away there is a saving work upon the Soul When the will ceases to sin as Ephraim said to his Idols Get you hence what have I any more to do with you then the work of God is begun in power upon the Soul A universal willingness to be rid of all sin speaks the heart to be sound and sincere with God the enmity that Grace works in the heart against sin is against the whole kind t is against all sin as well profitable and pleasurable sins as disparaging and disgracing sins and as well against small sins as agâ—inst great sins true Grace strikes at root and branch at head and members at father and son A true Israelite would not have one Canaanite left in the Holy Land he would have every Egyptian drowned in the Red Sea of Christs bloud Psal 119.104 I hate every false way Psal 139. ult Search me O Lord and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Saving Grace makes a man as willing to leave his lusts as a Slave is willing to leave his Gally or a Prisoner his Dungeon or a Thief his Bolts or a Beggar his rags But now take a man that is in his natural condition and he is as unwilling to part with his sins as Abraham was to turn Hagar and Ishmael out of doors Ambrose reports of one Theotimus that having a disease upon his body the Physician told him That except he did abstain from intemperance drunkenness uncleanness c. he was like to lose his eyes his heart was so desperately set upon his lusts that he answered Vale lumen amicum Farewel sweet Light then he had rather lose his eyes than leave his sins So they in Micha 6.6 7. do make very large offers for a dispensation to live in their sins They offer Calves of a year old they offer thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl yea they offer their first born for theiâ—â—â—ansgressions the fruit of their bodies for the sin of their souls Sinners hearts are so glued to their lusts that they will rather part with their nearest dearest and choicest enjoyments than part with their sins yea when they are put hard to it they will rather part with God Christ and all the glory of another world than they will part with some base bosom lust witness that young man in the Gospel who went away sorrowful because he had great possessions Matth. 19.21 22. Look as a man leaves his Wife and Children Gen. 21.11 Matth. 19 21 22. 2 Sam. 3.15 16. Augustin in his youth before his Conversion prayed thus I said indeed with my lips Lord give and yet in my heart I was too willing to give longer day and could have said Lord pray not yet I was even afraid lest thou shouldst hear me too soon and too soon heal and subdue my corruption for me Aug. Con. his Countrey Estate and Trade with tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart so does an unregenerate man leave his lusts with tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart Very observable is the story of Phaltiel David had Married Michol Saul injuriously gave her to another when David came to the Crown and was able to speak a word of command he sends for his wife Michol her Husband dares not but obey he brings her on her journey and then not without great reluctancy of spirit takes his leave of her But what was Phaltiel weary of his Wife that he now forsakes her O no he was forced to it and though she was gone yet he cast many a sad thought after her and never leaves looking till he sees her as far as Bahurim weeping and bemoaning her absence And just thus t is with carnal and unregenerate men who though for fear or some other reasons they shake hands with their sins yet they have many a longing heart after them they part but t is upon a force they part and yet they are very loath to part asunder Look as the Merchant throws away his goods in a storm because he cannot keep them so carnal â—en in times of sickness and distress or in times of horror and terror of Conscience or when death the King of terrors knocks at their doors or when they see Hell gaping to devour them and God as a terrible Judg standing ready to pass an eternal doom upon them then they are willing to cast overboard their usury their drunkenness their Swearing their Cursing their Lying their Flesh-pleasing c. but not out of any hatred to their lusts but out of love to themselves and out of fear of being damned c. for could they but enjoy their sins and Heaven too sin and they would never part But now were there no danger no wrath no hell no damnation no seperation from God attending sin yet a gracious Soul would be heartily willing to part with all sin and to be rid of all sin upon the account of the vile nature of sin upon the account of the defiling and polluting nature of sin of all things in the World sin is the most defiling thing it makes us red with guilt and black with filth t is compared to a menstruous cloath Isa 30.22 which of all unclean things in the Law was the most unclean as some observe and upon this very account a gracious soul would be willingly rid of it Secondly A constant habitual willingness to be rid of all sin is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace in the Soul 't is not a transient willingness to be rid of sin when a man is either under some outward trouble or some inward distress that speaks out the truth of saving grace but a permanent lasting and abiding willingness to be rid of sin does Pharaoh in a fit in a fright when Thunder and Hail and Frogs and Flies were upon him was then willing to let Israel go but when his fright was over and the Judgments removed he grew prouder
sin commonly disposes the heart to another sin a small sin many times draws the heart to a greater â—nd one great sin draws the heart to another great sin and that to a greater till at last the soul comes to be drowned in all excess Augustine relates this story of Manicheus who being tormented with Flies Exposit in Evang S. John Tract cap. 1. tom was of opinion that the Devil made them and not God why then said one that stood by â—f the Devil made Flies then the Devil made Worms and not God for they are living creatures as well as Flies true said he the Devil did make Worms But said the other if the Devil did make Worms then he did make Birds Beasts and Man he granted all And thus saith that old Father by denying God in the Fly he came to deny God in Man and so consequently the whole Creation And thus yielding to lesser sins draws the soul to the comm ssion of greater yea often to the greatest of all I have both heard and read a story of a young man who being often tempted by the Devil and his own wicked heart to commit three sins viz. to kill his father to lye with his mother and to be drunk the two former his heart would not yield to as being things abhorrent to the light and law of nature and therefore to free himself from the temptation he yielded to the last and least but when he was drunk he killed his father and ravished his mother Thus these two abominable sins Murder and Incest were ushered in by one that was not of so deep a dye There is something in sin like the radical vertue that is in the seed of Herbs and Plants the seed is but a small inconsiderable thing in it self yet let it be but cast into the ground and there rest quietly a time and it will take root and grow up to a great stock and bring forth many flourishing branches like the grain of mustard-seed Mat. 13.31 32. which though it be the least of seeds yet being cast into the ground grows up to be the greatest among herbs and becometh a Tree so that the birds of the Air come and lodge in the branches thereof Satan will be sure to nest himself to lodge himself in the least sins as birdsnest and lodge themselves in the smallest branches of a Tree and there he will hatch all manner of wickedness A sinful motion if it be not rejected will procure consent and consent will break forth into act and one act will procure another act until the multiplying of acts have begot a habit and that habit hath choakt and stifled conscience and when once conscience is stifled and benummed it will be ready upon all occasions to lay the soul open and to prostrate it to the basest and worst of sins O! there is a prodigious evil in the least of sins it will quickly multiply it self into all manner of evils unless sin be cut off in the first motion it will proceed to action and from action to delectation and from delight to custom and from custom to a habit and so the soul will be in eminent danger of being undone for ever A little thief put in at the window may open the doors for stronger and greater to come in that may take away both life and treasure at once A little wedge makes way for a greater and so do little sins make way for greater Satan and our own hearts will be modest at first and therefore they are often in a combination first to draw us to lesser sins and then to greater and so from sins less obnoxious to sins more scandalous till we come to be â—bominable to God hateful to others and a terror to our selves Such as live in one sin God will in justice give over to other sins The Gentiles gave up themselves to idolatry Rom. 1.23 And God gave them up to uncleanness ver 24. 'T is impossible for any man to take one sin into his bosom and to shut all others out he that lives but in the allowance of himself in one sin will find that sin at last to shut the door of heaven against him and therefore the true penitent turns from sin universally Fourthly The reasons of turning from sin are universally binding to a penitent soul There are the same reasons and grounds for a penitent man's turning from every sin as there is for his turning from any one sin Do you turn from this or that sin because the Lord has forbid it why upon the same ground you must turn from every sin As in a Harp to make the musick good and harmonious it is not enough that all the strings be right tuned except one one string that jars will spoyl the sweetest musick The application is easie c. for God has forbid every sin as well as this or that particular sin there is the same authority forbidding or commanding in all and if the authority of God awes a man from one sin it will awe him from all There is one and the same Law-giver in respect of all the commandements he that gave one commandement gave also another therefore he that observes one commandement gave in obedience unto God whose commandement it is will observe all because all are his commandements and he that slights one commandement is guilty of all because he doth contemn the authority and will of him that gave them all even in those commands which he doth observe he hath no respect to the will and authority of him that gave them Therefore there is no obedience towards God where there is not an uniform endeavour to please God as well in one thing as in another The same God that hath inhibited one sinful act hath inhibited every sinful act and therefore he that out of conscience and respect to God's will and word and authority turns from any one sin or abhors any one sin he will out of conscience of the same will and word and authority turn from every sin and abhor every sin because the same God in his word hath alike forbidden all O Siâ—s how is it possible for a man truly to repent of this or that sin because 't is contrary to the Law will and authority of God but he must needs repent of whatsoever he knows to be contrary to the Law will and authority of God He that turns from any one sin because it is a transgression of the holy and righteous Law of God he will turn from every sin upon the same account he that turns from any one sin because 't is a dishonour to God a reproach to Christ a grief to the Spirit a wound to Religion c. will upon the same grounds turn from every sin he that turns from any one sin because of the curse the threatnings the judgments the wrath the hell that hangs as it were over the head of that sin he will turn from every sin because the curse
that have not the image of God the image of grace and holiness stampt upon them I pray God saith Mr. Marshal that many of God's people do not want these evidences If our souls saith another shall like of Christ for a Suiâ—or when we find no other jointure but the Cross Mr. Dod on the commandments page 313 314. we may be sure we are Christians A man may want the feeling of his faith and cry and call again and again for it and feel nothing all this while and yet nevertheless have true and sound faith For the feeling of and mourning for the want of faith and the earnest and constant desire of it is an infallible sign of faith For this is a sure Rule that so long as one feeleth himself sick he is not dead and the high estimation of faith joined with a vehement desire of it is a singular evidence that there is a sound and lively root of faith in our hearts 1. Pet. 1.2 Mr. Love his zealous Christian pag. 29. last part All the elect of God shall have the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ upon their hearts sooner or later I do not press the having of these things gradually but sincerely an elect person may want many a degree of grace but if he have them in sincerity Dr. Sibbs his commentary on the first Chapter of the second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians ver 22. pag. 491 492. though in the least measure it is a sufficient evidence of his election An earnest is little in regard of the whole perhaps we have but a shilling to secure us of many pounds so then the point is this That howsoever we may be assured of our estate in grace and likewise that we shall hold out yet the ground of this assurance is not from any great measure of grace but though t be little in quantity it may be great in assurance and security As we value an earnest not for the worth that is in it self but because it assures us of a great bargain we have an eye more to the consummation of the bargain than to the quantity of the earnest so it is here grace is but an earnest yet notwithstanding though it be little as an earnest is yet it is great in assurance and validity answerable to the relation of that it hath to assure us Though grace be little yet as little as it is seeing it is an earnest and the first fruits as the Apostle saith which were but little in regard of the whole harvest yet it is of the nature of the whole and thereupon it comes to secure A spark of fire is but little yet it is fire as well as the whole element of fire and a drop of water is but little yet it is water as well as the whole Ocean When a man is in a dark place put the case it be in a dungeon if he have but a â—ittle light shining into him from a little crevice that little light discovers that the day is broke that the Sun is risen Put the case there be but one grape on a Vine it shews that it is a Vine and that the Vine is not dead So put the case that there be but the appearance of a little grace in a Christian perhaps the Spirit of God appears but in one grace in him at that time yet that one grace sheweth that we are Vines and not thistles or thorns or base plants and it shews that there is life in the root Thus you see how fully this Reverend Doctor speaks to the case That friend that writes the life and death of Mr. John Marcol once Preacher of the Gospel at Dublin saith See his Treatise published by Mr. Winter Mr. Chambers Mr. Eaton Mr. Carryl and Mr. Mantou pag. 36 37. That in preparation for the Supper-Ordinance he would bring himself unto the Test and to say the truth was very clear in the discovering and making out his own condition being well acquainted with the way of Gods dealing with the soul and with the way of the souls closing with Christ Instance April 3. 1653. Upon search I find 1. My self an undone creature 2. That the Lord Jesus sufficiently satisfied as Mediator the Law for sin 3. That he is freely offered in the Gospel 4. So far as I know my own heart I do through mercy heartily consent that he only shall be my Saviour not my works or duties which I do only in obedience to him 5. If I know my heart I would be ruled by his Word and Spirit Behold in a few words saith he that writes his life and death the sum and substance of the Gospel By these Instances we may see that some of the precious servants of God have found a great deal of comfort support rest content and some measure of assurance from a lower rank of evidences than those that many strong Christians do reach unto c. But The seventh Maxim or Consideration SEventhly consider That all men and women that are desirous to know how it will go with them in another world they must peremptorily resolve to be determined by Scripture in the great matters of their interest in Christ the blessed Scripture is the great uncontroverted Rule This we believe when we first begin to believe that we ought not to believe any thing beyond Scripture Tertullian and therefore if a person can prove from Scripture that his graces are true or that he is in a gracious estate or that he has an interest in Christ or that he has sayingly graciously stricken Covenant with God then he must resolutely and peremptorily resolve to grant so much as unchangably to acquiesce in it to stick fast to it and to hear nothing against it from the world the flesh or the devil God hath plainly told us in his blessed Word who shall be saved and who shall be damned though not by name yet by the qualifications by which they are described in the Bible there are the Statute-Laws of heaven and the standing Rule by which all must be tryed every man must stand or fall be eternally blessed or eternally miserable as his condition is consonant to or various from the infallible characters of saving grace contained in the holy Scripture witness that Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light or no morning in them So John 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day Mat. 5.18 For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass on jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled So John 10.35 And the Scripture cannot be broken or violated or made void but though this be an indispensable duty yet certainly there is especially in
fear O to what a height of holy boldness and familiarity with God had this man of God arrived to But Ninethly a godly man may argue thus To such who are poor in spirit the Kingdom of heaven belongs Mat. 5.3 By poor in spirit is not meant poor in substance that not being a thing praise worthy in it self Chrysost in loc but the broken and humble in heart who hath no high thoughts or conceits of himself but is lowly in his own eyes as a young child Blessed are the poor in spirit that is non habentes inflantem spiritum who hath no lofty or puffed up spirit Augustin Hilar. Tertullian The poor in spirit are those that are lowly being truly conscious of their own unworthiness Nulli pauperes spiritu nisi humiles none are poor in spirit but the humble Blessed are the poor in spirit that is blessed are they whose spirits are brought into such an humble gracious frame as willingly quietly and contentedly to lye down in a poor low condition when it is the pleasure of the Lord to bring them into such a condition Blessed are the poor in spirit that is blessed are they who are truly and kindly apprehensive and sensible of their spiritual wants poverty and misery There are some that are poor in estate and others that are poor in spirit and there are some that are poor spirited in the cause of God Christ the Gospel and their own souls and there are others that are poor in spirit there are some that are spiritually poor as all are that are destitute of grace and others that are poor in spirit there are some that are Evangelically poor and others that are superstitiously poor as those Papists who renounce their estates and vow a voluntary poverty The poverty that hath blessedness annexed to it is only an Evangelical poverty that see their need of God's free grace to pardon them that see their need of Christs righteousness to cloath them that see their need of the Spirit of Christ to purge change and sanctifie them that see their need of more heavenly wisdom to counsel them that see their need of more of the power of God to support them and of the goodness of God to supply them and of the mercy of God to comfort them and of the presence of God to refresh them and of the patience of God to bear with them c. that see their need of greater measures of faith to conquer their fears and of greater measures of wisdom to walk holily harmlesly blâ—mlesly and exemplarily in the midst of temptations snares and dangers and that see their need of greater measures of patience to bear their burdens without fretting or fainting and that see their need of greater measures of zeal and courage to bear up bravely against all sorts of opposition both from within and from without and that see their need of greater measures of love to cleave to the Lamb and to follow the Lamb whither ever he goes and that see their need of living in a continual dependance upon God and Christ for fresh influences in-comes and supplies of grace of comfort of strength whereby they may be inabled to act for God and walk with God and glorifie God and bring forth fruit to God and withstand all temptations that tend to lead the heart from God and that see nothing in themselves upon which they dare venture their everlasting estates and therefore flie to the free rich sovereign and glorious grace of God in Christ as to their sure and only sanctuary Luke 18.13 Phil. 3.9 Blessed are the poor in spirit that is blessed are they that are truly apprehensive and sensible of their spiritual poverty that see themselves fallen in the first Adam from all their primitive purity excellency and glory There are five things we lost in our fall 1. Our holy Image and became vile 2. Our Sonship and became slaves 3. Our Friendship and became enemies 4. Our Communion and became strangers 5. Our Glory and became miserable And that see an utter inability and insufficiency in themselves and in all other creatures to deliver them out of their fallen estate But I am poor in spirit therefore the Kingdom of heaven belongs to me Tenthly a godly man may argue thus Such as are true mourners are blessed shall be comforted Mat. 5.3 That is such as mourn for sin with an exceeding great mourning that mourn for sin with a funeral sorrow as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that mourn for sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beati lugentes Blessed are they that mourn The way to Paradise is through the valley of tears Some report of Mary Magdalen that she spent thirty years in Galba weeping forâ—er sins as a man mourneth for the loss of his only Son Zech. 12.10 or as Jacob mourned for Joseph or as David mourned for Absalom or as the people mourned for the loss of good Josiah 2 Chron. 35.24 25. That mourn for secret sins as well as open for sins against grace as well as for sins against the Law that mourn for sin as the greatest evil in the world that mourns for his own sins Ezek. 7.16 as David did Psal 51. or as Ephraim did Jer. 31.18 19. or as Peter did Mat. 26.75 or as Mary Magdalen did Luke 7.38 And that mourns for the sins of others as well as for his own as David did Psa 119.136 158. and as Jeremiah did Jer. 13.17 or as Lot did 2 Pet. 2.7 8. or as they did in that Ezek. 9.4 That mourns under the sense of his spiritual wants that mourns under the sense of his spiritual losses as loss of communion with God loss of the favour of God loss of the presence of God loss of the exercise of grace loss of the joyes of the Spirit loss of inward peace c. or that mourn not only for their own afflictions and miseries but also for the afflictions and miseries of Joseph as Nehemiah did Neh. 1.2 3 4 or as Ieremiah did Ier. 9.1.2 or as Christ did when he wept over Ierusalem Luke 19.41 42. or that mourns because he cannot mourn for these things or that mourns because he can mourn no more or that mourns because God has so little honour in his heart in his house in his life in the world in the Churches But I am a true mourner therefore I am blessed and shall be comforted Eleventhly a godly man may argue thus They which truly hunger and thirst after righteousness are blessed and shall be filled Mat. 5.6 They are not therefore blessed because they hunger and thirst but because they shall be filled blessedness will be in fulness not in hunger but hunger must go before filling that we may not loath the loaves Aug. de verbis Domini Serm. 5. Or they that are hungring and thirsting as the Greek runs being the participle of the present tense intimating that where ever this is the present disposition of
earth Rom. 7.22 23. do carry about with them a body of sin and death they have in them a fountain of original corruption and from this fountain sin will still be arising bubling and a boyling up as the scum in a pot over the fire but mark as in wine or honey or water though scum and filth may arise yet the wine the honey the water will be still a purging and purifying it self and a working and casting it out so though sin though corruption though spiritual filth may and too often doth arise in a gracious heart yet there is a spring of grace a spring of living water in him John 4.14 All resistance of sin in a Scripture phrase is called conquest for in the resistance of it there is as much love shew'd to God as in the conquest of it though there be not so much power seen there is a holy cleansing and purifying disposition in a regenerate person that will still be a working and casting it out But now mark in men of impure hearts and lives the scum doth not only arise but it seeths and boyls in Ezek. 24.12 She wearied her self with lyes and her great scum went nâ—t f râ—h out of her notwithstanding all the threatnings of God and all the judgments of God upon her yet her scum and filthiness boyled in though God boyled Jerusâ—lem in the pot of his judgments yet her scum and filth stuck to every side of her wicked mens scum and filth doth not only arise but it also seeths and boyls in and mingles together with their spirits but so doth not the scum and filth that rises in a gracious heart a Sheep may fall into the mire but a Swine delights to wallow in the mire But Fourteenthly A godly man may argue thus Such as sin hath not a dominion over are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 But sin hath not a domiâ—ion over me therefore I am not under the Law but under grace Sin may rebel in a Saint but it shall never reign in a Saint Look as those beasts in that Dan. 7.12 had their dominion taken away though their lives were spared and prolonged for a season and a time so when Christ and grace enters into the soul they take away the dominion of sin though they do for a time spare the life of sin To prevent mistakes premise with me briefly these few things First Rom. 7. that in every regenerate man there are two men an old man and a new man or if you please flesh and spirit Secondly The old man the fleshly part will incline the soul and byass the soul as well to sins against the Gospel as to sins against the Law and to great sins as well as to small sins witness Noah's drunkenness Lot's incest Assur's oppression David's murder and adultery Solomon's idolatry and Peters blasphemy Thirdly The old man the fleshly part is as much in the will as in any other part of the regenerate man and therefore when he falls into hainous sins he may fall into them with consent delight and willingness so far as his will is unrenewed 1 Thes 5 22. Though a real Christian be chang'd in every part yet 't is but in part and imperfect Fourthly The old man the fleshly part is in a regenerate mans members as well as in his will and therefore they may be exercised and imployed in and about those sins they have consented unto Fifthly High sinnings do waste and wound the conscience of a regenerate man and lay him open to the sore rebukes of God and call for great repentance and fresh and frequent applications of the bloud of Christ These things being premised a Question may be propounded viz. Quest What does the dominion of sin import and wherein does it consist Now to this considerable question I shall give these eight following Answers First Sin is in dominion when it hath the absolute and soveraign commaâ—â— of the soul when it hath an uncontradicted power when it hath such an authority in the soul to command it as a King doth his subjects or as the Centurion did his servants Mat. 8.9 For I am a man under authority having soldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it Now when sin has such a universal and easie authority and command over the whole man body and soul as that it can use them in the service of sin when and where and how it pleaseth then sin is in dominion where there is a peaceable Eph. 2.2 3. uncontrouled willing universal subjection of the whole man unto the commands of sin there sin reigns But Secondly Sin is in dominion when in a course when ordinarily there is a quiet free willing and total yielding of subjection to the authority Law and command of sin Mark 't is a full possession a plenary delight and a constant content in sin Rom. 6.13 14 15 16. that speaks out the reign and dominion of sin Dominion of sin imports a compleat and universal resignation of the whole will and man to the obedience of it That man that is wholly addicted and devoted to the wayes of sin that man is under the reign of sin that man whose whole heart is universally married to his lusts that man is under the dominion of his lusts when a man does as freely cheerfully universally and readily obey his lusts Eph. 2.3 1 King 21.25 Micah 7.3 A man may be subjects as a captive in this or that particular tyranny of sin who is not obedient as a servant to all the government of sin for that takes iâ— the whole will and an adequate submission thereof to the peaceable and uncontrouled power of sin Rom. 7.15 19 23 as a child does his father or a wife her husband or a servant his Master or a subject his Prince then sin is in dominion when a man sins with greediness when with Ahab he sells himself to work wickedness when he commits wickedness with both hands when he gives himself up or over to all uncleanness and filthiness when he freely and voluntarily resigns and surrenders up his body and soul to the obedience of sin then sin reigns then it keeps the throne where the dominion of sin is erected there it sits in the heart as a King in his Throne and gives forth its Laws and commands to the soul and body and those commands are listned and consented to approved and delighted in c. A subject can't in a course more freely willingly universally and cheerfully obey the commands of his Prince than a sinner doth in a course freely willingly universally and cheerfully obey the commands of his lasts and where ever this sad temper of spirit is there is sin in dominion But now mark The Apostle as Chrysostom and Theodoret observe on Rom. 6.12 doth not say Let not sin tyrannize for
and harder than before So many men when they are a little Sermon-sick or under some smart pangs of Conscience or under some startling or amazing Judgments O then they will be willing to let Israel go then they will be willing to let drunkenness go and pride go and uncleanness go and worldliness go c. but when their sickness is over and the pangs of Conscience abated and Judgments removed O then they return with the Dog to his vomit 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. and with the Sow to the wallowing in the Mire again There was a man well known to a Minister in this City who in the time of his sickness was so terrified in his Conscience for his sins that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay and cryed out all night long I am damn'd I am damn'd I am damn'd and this man in the dayes of his outward and inward distresses made many and great protestations of amendment of life if God would be pleased to recover him in a little while he did recover and being recovered he was as bad and as wicked if not worse than he was before So in the time of the great sweat in King Edwards dayes as long as the heat of the Plague lasted all sorts and ranks of people were still a crying out Peccavi Mercy good Lord Mercy Mercy Mercy Then Lords and Ladies and other persons of quality cryed out to the Ministers For Gods sake tell us what we shall do to avoid the Wrath of God take these bags pay so much to such a one whom I have deceived and so much restore unto another whom in bargaining I over-reached O give so much to the Poor and give so much to such and such Pious uses But after the sickness was over they were just the same men that they were before Men in time of trouble are very ready to cry out Arise and save us Jer. 2.27 And with them Deliver us this time Judges 10.15 And with the Samaritans who when God had sent Lyons among them enquired after the manner of his Worship 2 King 's 17.25 26. And yet after all this to remain as vile and wicked as they did Jer. 2.20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bands and thou saidest I will not transgress when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wandredst playing the Harlot A wicked mans willingness to be rid of his sins is transient not constant 't is like the morning Cloud and the early dew that passeth away Hos 6.4 Hos 11.7 Psal 78.34 37 57. Hosea 7.16 The Jews were a very unstable people a people bent to backsliding a people that would often start aside like a deceitful Bow Sometimes when the Judgments of God were heavy upon them or when they were under the reign of some good Kings then down went their Groves their Altars their Idols and their High places but soon after you shall have them as much set upon Idolatry as before sometimes they were willing to be rid of their Idols and at other times they were mad to go a whoring after their Idols But now a godly man when he is himself he is never unwilling to be rid of his sins yea to be rid of all his sins the fixed standing and abiding disposition and bent of a godly mans Soul of a godly mans will is to be rid of every sin and thrice happy is that man that is habitually under such a choice and blessed frame Thirdly A transcendent willingness a superlative willingness an overtopping willingness to be rid of sin is an infallible evidence of the truth of Grace in the Soul When a mans willingness to be rid of his sins overtops his unwillingness when a man is more willing to be rid of his sins than he is to continue in sin then his spiritual state is certainly good A gracious heart had much rather if it were put to his choice live without all sin than to have allowance to wallow in any sin he had rather live without the least sin than to have liberty to live in the greatest or the most flesh-pleasing sin 'T is certain that sin is more afflictive to a gracious Soul than all the losses crosses troubles and tryals that he meets with in the World 2 Sam. 24.10 David cryes not perii but peccavi not I am undone but I have done foolishly He does not cry Take away the pestilence but take away the iniquity of thy servant Dan. 9.5 Nor Daniel cries not out O we are sadly reproached we are greatly distressed we are wofully oppressed Hos 14.2 but We have rebelled And the Church cryes not out Take away our Captivity but take away all iniquity 't is not take away our chains but take away our sins 't is not take away our afflictions but take away our pollutions 't is not take away all our enemies lives but take away the lives of all our lusts 2 Cor. 11.16 ult And so Paul cryes not out of his reproaches or persecutors or bonds or chains or stripes or perils Rom. 7.23 or prisons he rather glories in these But he cryes out of a Law in his Members rebelling against the Law of his mind and bringing of him into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in his Members Paul does not cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from all my sorrows and sufferings Verse 24. But O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death A sincere heart when he is himself had much rather be rid of his sins than of his sufferings yea of the least sins than of the greatest sufferings 'T was a sweet saying of Bernard I had rather saith he that God should better my heart than remove his hand I had rather that God should continue my strokes than my sins And the same noble spirit was working bravely in Job when he was under the heavy hand of God See Job 7.20 21. Job 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more But now graceless men are much more willing to be rid of their afflâ—ctions See Exod. 10.17 than to be rid of their sins witness Pharaoh who cries out take away the Frogs Exod. 8.8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do Sacrifice unto the Lord. 'T is not intreat the Lord that he would take away this proud heart or this hard heart or this besotted heart or this blind mind or this perverse will or this benummed Conscience that is in me and my people but intreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and my people
A graceless heart is more abundantly willing to be freed from punishment the effect of sin than 't is willing to be freed from sin the cause of punishment A gracious heart sees more filthiness in sin than in Frogs and had rather be rid of his sins than of all the Frogs or Toads that be in the World See what a sad spirit was upon the children of Israel in that Numb 21.6 7. Heb. Burning Serpents thus they are called from the effect of their biting which caused a mortal burning and consequently such an excessive thirst as killed them And the Lord sent Fiery Serpents among the people and they bite the people and much people of Israel dyed Therefore the people came to Moses and said We have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee pray unto the Lord that he take away the Serpents from us Now mark in the fifth verse you have them murmuring against God and Moses and divine dispensations and nauseating of the Wheat of Heaven as light meat because they came lightly by it they distrust the Providence of God they let fly at God their spirit swels against the holy one of Israel and they scorn deride revile and contumeliously and despitefully speak against Moses and though they had often smarted for these sins yet they are at them again upon this God sends an Army of Fiery Serpents among them and they bite and devour many of them And now they run to Moses who but a little before they had despised and are very importunate with him to pray to the Lord to take away the Serpents from them They do not desire Moses to improve his interest in Heaven that God would take away their proud hearts their distrustful hearts their murmuring hearts c. but that God would take away the Serpents they were much more desirous to be rid of their Serpents than they were to be rid of their sins So those in Jer. 30.15 Why cryest thou for thine affliction thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity because thy sins were encreased I have done these things unto thee They do not cry out of their sins but they cry out of their afflictions Why cryest thou for thine affliction unsound hearts are more ready and willing to be rid of their afflictions than they are willing to have their Souls bettered or their lives mended or their lusts subdued by them Pilate was unwilling to condemn Jesus witness his seeking to release him and his washing his hands and his pleading his innocency c. Matth. 27.17 18 22 23 24. but yet the prevailing part of his will carryed him forth to deliver up Jesus to be scourged and Crucified v. 26. So Herod was unwilling to behead John Baptist witness that word The King was exceeding sorry Mark 6.26 But yet the prevailing part of his will carried him forth to cut off John's head v. 27. whose head was more worth than Herods Kingdom So Darius was very unwilling to cast Daniel into the Lyons Den witness his being sore displeased with himself and witness his setting his heart on Daniel to deliver him and witness his great unquietness of spirit for he could neither eat nor drink nor sleep the night after he was cast into the Lyons Den and witness his great joy at Daniels safety Dan. 6.14 18 19 20. All which did clearly argue a very great unwillingness that Daniel should suffer and yet the prevailing part of Darius his will carried him forth to sacrifice Daniel to the Lyons yea to that which was worse viz. the lusts of his enemies v. 16 17. By all these instances 't is most evident that the prevalent part of a wicked mans will stands most strongly byafs'd towards sin But now the prevalent part of a Christians will is to be rid of sin If the Lord should say to a gracious Christian Ask what thou wilt O Christian and it shall be granted to thee the Answer would be Lord rid me of my sins Lord take away mine iniquities Lord mortify my corruptions Lord whoever lives let these lust dye Lord drown these Egyptians in the Sea of thy Sons blood who have so violently and unweariedly pursued after the Blood of my precious Soul Lord kill and crucify all these sinful evils that have killed and Crucified the Lord of life and glory Psal 5.2 7. Lord wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Lord purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow Lord carnal reason and flesh and bloud would fain have such and such pleasurable sins and such and such profitable sins indulged and spared but Lord the earnest the ardent desires of my soul are that I may be rid of them and that Justice to the heighth may be done upon them Lord be but the death of my sins and my soul shall say My lot is fallen in a pleasant place and verily I have a goodly heritage Lord cleanse me but from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and I shall cry Hâ—sanna to thee Matth. 21.9 Psal 16.6 2 Cor. 7.1 Lord let me but out live my lusts and follow them to the Grave before others follow me to my Grave and I shall say it is enough And thus every gracious Soul is more willing to be rid of his sins than he is to keep his sins A Porter cannot be more willing to be rid of his burden nor a sick man to be rid of his disease nor a Beggar of his nasty louzy rags nor a Prisoner of his chains than a gracious Soul is willing to be rid of his lusts c. Fourthly That Soul that does not nor through Grace assisting will not allow himself or indulge himself in a course of sin or in the common practise of any known sin that Soul is certainly a gracious soul The evil that I do Rom. 7.15 I allow not So Psal 119.1 3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way that walk in the Law of the Lord they also do no iniquity that is they allow not themselves in the practice of any iniquity Blessed souls live not in the service of sin they live not in an ordinary practice of any iniquity 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God He that has the seed of God the seed of Grace and Regeneration in him he cannot allow himself in away of sin he cannot give himself over to a voluntary serving of sin he cannot make a Trade of sin So Prov. 16.17 The highway of the upripht is to depart from evil that is it is the ordinary usual constant course of an upright man to depart from evâ—l An honest Traveller may step out of the Kings Highway into a house a Wood a Close but his work his business is to go on in the Kings Highway So the business the work
of an upright man is to depart from evil 't is possible for an upright man to step into a sinful path or to touch upon sinful facts but his main way his principal work and business is to depart from iniquity As a Bee may light upon a Thistle but her work is to be gathering at Flowers or as a Sheep may slip into the dirt but its work is to be grasing on the Mountains or in the Meadows Certainly there is no man in the world so abominable wicked but that he may now and then when he is in a good mood or when he is under distress of Conscience or bleeding under a smarting rod or beholding the hand-writing upon the Wall or under a sentence of death depart from evil but this is not his course this is not his business this is not his work this is not his highway Thieves do but now and then step into the Kings Highway to take a purse they do not keep the Kings Highway But now the upright mans Highway his common and ordinary course is to depart from evil and therefore he cannot allow himself liberty to walk in an evil way Titus 2.11 12. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men without distinction of Nations Sex Age or condition teaching us that denying ungodlyness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Under the name of ungodliness he compriseth all the breaches of the first Table and under the name of worldly lusts he compriseth all inordinate desires against the second Table and those three words soberly righteously and godly have a threefold reference the first to our selves the second to our neighbour and the third to God We must live soberly in respect of our selves righteously in respect of our neighbours and godly in respect of God And this is the sum of a Christians whole duty Now if the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation teaches Saints to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts then certainly Saints that are taught by that Grace cannot live nor allow themselves in ungodliness or worldly lusts without all peradventure Heaven is for that man and that man is for Heaven that can appeal to Heaven that he allows not himself in the practice of any known sin Thus David did Search me O Lord sayes he and know my heart Psal 13â— 24 try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me 'T is a most sure sign that sin hath not gained a mans heart nor consent but committed a rape upon his Soul when he allows not himself in it but cryes out bitterly to God against it as Paul did Rom. 7. If the ravished Virgin under the Law cryed out she was guiltless Deut. 22.25 26 27. Certainly such as cry out of their sins and that would not for all the world allow themselves in a way of sin such are guiltless before the Lord. That which a Christian does not allow himself in that he does not do in divine account c. But now the whole Trade the whole life of formal and carnal Christians is nothing else but one continued web of wickedness there is no wicked unregenerate person in the world but lives in the daily practice of some known sin or other but allows himself in some Trade or way of wickedness or other as you may evidently see by comparing of these following Scriptures together Prov. 1.20 to 33. Jer. 5.3 Jer. 44.16 17 18 19. Jer. 9.3 4 5 6. Jer. 7.8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Psal 50.16 17. Isa 66. 3. Matth. 7.23 Rom. 6.12 13 19. Rom. 8.5 Luke 13.27 Ephes 2.2 3. Phil. 4.19 Titus 3.3 2 Pet. 2.14 Sin is a sinners absolute work it is his main work and the sinner is besides himself besides his Calling as it were when he is besides his sin Fifthly He that conflicts most with heart-sins and is most affected with spiritual sins Psal 19.12 Psal 119.113 I hate vain thoughts Psal 30.6 7. Isa 64.7 and that laments and mourns most over secret sins invisible sins sins that lye most hid and remote from the eyes of the World he is certainly a gracious soul Grace in truth and grace in power will rise and conflict and make head against the most inward and secret vanities of the Soul as against secret self-love and secret hardness of heart Isa 63.17 and secret unbelief Mark 9.24 and secret carnal confidence and secret hypocrisie and secret envy and secret malice and secret vain-glory and secret fretting and murmuring and secret lustings and secret runnings out of the Soul after the meat that perisheth and secret pride hence Hezekiah humbles himself for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32.25 2 Sam. 24.10 Psal 42.11 and so David he humbles himself for the pride of his heart in numbring of the people And how does the same Prophet chide himself for sinful dejection of spirit Psal 73.22 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquited in me And how does he at another time be-fool himself and be-beast himself for his secret grudging and fretting at the prosperity of the wicked So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee And so Paul was most affected and afflicted with a law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind Inward pollutions and defilements did sit closest and sadest upon his spirits And the same Apostle in that 2 Cor. 7.1 is for keeping down the filthiness of the spirit as well as the filthiness of the flesh he is for inward cleansing as well as for outward cleansing Rom. 7.22 23 24. Having therefore these Promises dearly beloved let as cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God So Mr. Bradford was a man that had attained to so great and eminent a heighth of holiness that Doctor Taylor the Martyr calls him That Saint of God John Bradford and yet O how sadly does he bewail his secret hypocrisy True Grace makes opposition as well against the being of sin in a mans nature Col. 3.5 as against the breakings out of sin in a mans life True Grace will make head against the corruptions of the heart as well as against the excursions of the feet 't is as willing and desirous to be rid of a polluted heart as 't is willing and desirous to be rid of a polluted hand It would fain have not only sinful acts but also sinful dispositions and not only irregular actions but also inordinate affections mortified and subdued O friends heart-sins are root-sins they are the springs that set all the wheels a going the Fountain that sets all the streams a running the fire that sets the Furnace a smoaking the Bellows that sets the fire a burning Certainly a proud heart hath more of Satan in it than a proud look and a wanton heart is more vile than a wanton eye
and a murtherous or adulterous heart is worse than a murtherous or adulterous act c. And therefore true grace makes head against heart-sins against spiritual sins against the most inward secret sins against those very sins that lye not within the reach of reason or the Sword of the Magistrate or the piercing eye of the most knowing or observing man in the World but are only obvious to an omniscient eye But now carnal men as they make little of outward sins so they make nothing of heart-sins of spiritual sins If they are not drunkards nor swearers Matt. 19 16-27 nor extortioners nor whoremasters nor cursers nor cheaters nor oppressors nor lyars nor persecutors if they are good negative Christians then they think themselves very good Saints and in a very fair way for heaven and that no man can say Black is their eye when their hearts are as full of evil thoughts and secret lusts as Ignorance Atheism unbelief pride envy discontent anger formality hypocrisy indifferency lukewarmness deadness and hardness c. as the Sun is full of light or as Hell is full of darkness Restraining grace common grace only makes head against gross enormities against palpable vanities as you may see in the Scribes and Pharises but saving grace makes head against heart-sins against spiritual sins Common grace is all for washing the outside but Saving grace is for washing the inside as well as the outside Common grace is only for washing the feet and the head but Saving grace is for washing both feet head and heart Look as in a dark night we can only see those stars that are of the greatest magnitude Matth. 23. John 13.9 10. so by the star-light of natural Conscience the natural man can only see those sins that are more great and gross Natural convictions can reach no further than natural light but spiritual convictions reach to the most inward secret spiritual and undiscernable sins Certainly that is a sincere heart a heart more worth than gold that smites a man for inward sins as well as for outward sins for sins done in a corner as well as for sins acted upon the house top for spiritual sins as well as for fleshly sins for sins against the Soul as well as for sins against the body for sins committed in a Closet as well as for sins committed on the most publick Stage Certainly that trouble and grief that springs from heart-sins from spiritual sins from secret sins bears a more immediate relation to the holiness of God who only observes them and is offended by them and so is a most sure and infallible evidence of saving Grace and of the work of the spirit in power upon the Soul When open commissions do humble and abase the heart and secret inclinations to sin do even break and burst the heart asunder then the heart is certainly sincere with God A Christian will readily grant that his God is a good God and that Jesus Christ is the chiefest of ten thousand and that the Gospel is a glorious Gospel and that the Promises are precious Promises and that the Ordinances are blessed Ordinances and that the lively communion of Saints is the Sweetest communion in all the world But yet he will say I have such a proud heart such a hard heart such a flight heart such a carnal heart c. and I am so vexed and molested with sinful motions and with sinful imaginations and with sinful inclinations and with Atheistical risings and with private murmurings and with secret unbelievings and that in despite of all my conflictings and strivings and prayings and mournings and sighings and groanings and complainings that I am oftentimes even weary of my life And if this does not speak out Christ within and grace within and the Spirit within such a Soul I know nothing O friends remember this once for all viz. That the main Battle the main warfare of a Christian lyes not in the open field it lyes not in visible skirmishes but his main quarrels and conflicts are most within and his worst and greatest enemies are them of his own house they are them of his own heart A little grace at first conversion may reform an ill life but it must be a great deal of grace that must reform an ill heart A little grace may make a man victorious over outward gross sins but it must be a great deal of grace that must make a man victorious over inward sins secret sins spiritual sins heart-sins yea a through conquest of these sins will hold a man play all his dayes But Sixthly He that abstains from sin he whose heart rises against sin he that sets himself against sin because of the evil nature of sin 2 Cor. 7.1 I have read of the Ermin that she will rather dye than be got into the dirt to defile her beautiful skin And rather than Joseph will defile his beautiful soul by defiling his Masters bed he will to a dirty Dungeon He had rather that the Irons should enter into his Soul Psal 105.18 than that sin should enter into his Conscience He had rather that his chains should eat into his flesh than that sin should pollute his soul Isa 59.1 2. Amos 3.6 Acts 5.39 because of that vileness and filthiness that is in sin he certainly has a principle of Grace a seed of God in him He who refrains from sin and whose heart rises more against sin because of the purity of the Law which forbids sin then because of the severity of the Law which condemns sin is certainly under the power of renewing Grace of saving Grace Psal 119.140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it 't is only pure Grace that can inable a man to love the Word for its purity The Apostle to set forth the formidable evil that is in sin expresses it thus Rom. 7.13 That sin might appear to be sin He could find nothing more evil and odious to express it by than it self Sin is so great an evil that it cannot have a worse Epithet given it Paul can call it no worse than by its own name sinful sin Had the Apostle said that sin might appear to be a snare a Serpent a Viper a Toad a Plague a Devil a Hell c. he had said much but yet not enough to set forth the transcendent evil that is in sin and therefore he calls it sinful sin All other evils are but outward they only reach the name the body the estate the life but sin is an inward evil a spiritual evil an evil that reaches the precious and immortal Soul and therefore is the greatest evil Death puts an end to all other troubles viz. poverty sickness disgrace scorn contempt crosses losses c. but sin is so great an evil that death it self cannot put an end to it Eternity it self shall never put a stop a period to this evil of evils All outward evils can never make a man the subject of Gods
A gracious heart that is weary of sin will certainly and habitually fall a striving against it Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh for these two are contrary the one to the other Now contraries are naturally expulsive each of other Such a pair as a Jacob and an Esau such Twins as an Isaac and an Ishmael cannot lye quietly together in the same womb no nor live quietly together in the same house but there will be a mutual prosecuting and persecuting each of other Fire and Water may as well agree in the same Vessel as grace and sin in the same heart True Grace hath a real repugnancy and contrariety to all sin and remember this once for all that saving Grace is not contrary to sin because it is open and manifest nor to sin because it is private and secret nor to sin because it is of this or that consequence but to sin as sin whether publick or private because both the one and the other are contrary to the Law of God the will of God the glory of God the nature of God the designs of God c. As it is with true light though it be but a beam yet it is universally opposite to all darkness or as it is with heat though there be but one degree of it yet it is opposite to all cold So true Grace it is opposite to all sin it cannot comply with any known sin Look as sin and Grace were never born together and as sin and Grace shall never dye together so sin and Grace can never be reconciled together There is a natural contrariety between sin and Grace and therefore you can never reconcile them in the heart The opposition that Grace makes against sin is inward as well as outward 't is against sin wheresoever it is Nothing will satisfy a gracious soul but the destruction of sin Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is Crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred destroyed signifies weakned and the strength of it broken and made idle fruitless and uneffectual So Psal 51.2 Wash me throughly or multiply to wash me or play the Fuller upon me from mine iniquity David looked upon his sin his stain to be so inveterate so ingrained that it would hardly be ever gotten out till the cloth were almost rub'd to pieces and cleanse me from my sin David was as desirous to be cleansed of the Leprosy of sin as ever any poor Leper was willing to be cleansed of his Leprosy under the Law And so ver 7. Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow All the Sacrifices of expiation of sin in the old Law were done by blood and that blood was sprinkled upon the people by a bunch of Hyssop so called from the Hebrew word Ezob by reason of the nearness of the sound In the legal sprinklings made with Hyssop was shadowed out the washing away of sin through the blood of Christ Rev. 1.14 Job 9.30 The Brides garments are made white in the blood of the lamb and not by any washings in Snow water When a gracious Soul looks upon sin he cries out Lord raze it raze it down to the ground Lord let not one stone be left upon another In every gracious Soul there is such a detestation and such an indignation against sin that neither Mountains of Gold nor Rocks of Pearl nor honour nor applause nor favour on the one hand nor frowns nor threats nor neglects nor scorns nor contempt on the other hand 〈◊〉 win the Soul over to sin or make the Soul one with sin Look how it was between the Lord and Amalek so it is between a gracious soul and his sins Now if you turn to that Exod. 17.16 you shall find how it was between the Lord and Amalek Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from Generation to Generation Or as the Hebrew has it The hand upon the throne of the Lord Gods hand is laâ—d upon his own Throne as swearing to root out Amalek or because Amaleks hand is lifted up against Gods Throne that is the Church so called in Jer. 4.21 and Crown of Glory Isa 62.3 therefore God will have perpetual wars with Amalek God could as soon be reconciled to Amalek as a gracious Christian can be reconciled to his sins Others sense the words thus that Moses had a solemn Oath as it were laying his hand upon Gods Throne for asseveration and assurance that he and the people will have an irreconcilable war with the posterity of Amalek And so every gracious soul is resolved to make an irreconcileable war with sin But now where there is only common Grace there a man deals by his sins as David did by his son Absolom banish him his Court for a time and afterwards receive him into full favour and court him as much or more than before An unsound heart may fall out with his sin and be very angry with its sin for the consequence of it for the shame it brings upon his person for the blot it leaves upon his name and for the stinging guilt and convulsion fits which it causeth in his Conscience and yet this very person be in a very close and strict league with sin and his heart inwardly and strongly adhering unto sin But a gracious heart will be still a restraining of sin a curbing of sin a crossing of sin a making head against sin and a withstanding it in all its workings Anger may be reconciled but hatred cannot Eightly Where the very prevailings of sin are ordinarily made serviceable to high and holy to gracious and spiritual ends Ezek. 16.61 63. Ephes 2.7 6 7. there certainly is a saving work of God upon that mans soul As when they produce more Soul-loathing Soul-humiliation Self-judging Self-abasement Self-abhorring or when they fill the Soul with a grea◠〈◊〉 admiration of the freeness and riches of Grace or when they keep down pride and prevent the despising of others or produce holy shame or when they make the blood of Christ more precious and dear to the Soul or when they engage a Christian so much the more to watch and pray and pray and watch that he may either be kept from the hour of temptation or in the hour of temptation or when every fall makes sin more bitter to the soul than ever and Christ more sweet to the Soul than ever and all the means of Grace more delightful to the Soul than ever and heaven more desirable to the Soul than ever or when sin is made the prevention of sin or when sin through the over-ruling hand of Grace is made an occasion of more Grace as that good man said As I get hurt by my Graces So I get good by my sins You know all the
to glory of For necessity is laid upon me yea wo is unto me if I Preach not the Gospel Now 't is infinitely better to fall under the displeasure of men than to fall under the woes of God The Jews under a pretence of their Authority command the Apostles not to Preach Jesus to the people but the commands of Christ carry it with the Apostles against all their contrary commands The Apostles who were like to Bottles of new Wine that must either vent or burst knew very well that 't was not obedience to mens commands that could excuse their disobedience to Gods commands So in that third of Daniel the commands of the great God carried it with the three Children against all the dreadful threatnings proud boastingâ— and Idolatrous commands of King Nebuchadnezzar Certainly the commands of sin are of all commands the vilest commands they are all illegal sin hath no ground no reason to command our souls Sin is but a Usurper a Traitor and therefore hâ—s no Authority over us All sins commands are purely sinful they are plain and notorious rebellions against the Laws of Christ the life of Christ and against the Crown Honour and Dignity of Jesus All sins â—ommands are grievous burthensome and painful commands of all yoaks none so heavy as that which sin layes upon the sinner hence sin is compared to a talent of Lead Zach. 5.7 to shew the weightiness and burthensomness of it and hence 't is that sinners are said to weary themselves in committing iniquity Jer. 9.5 And hence 't is that wicked men are laid to travel with iniquity Psal 7.14 to shew what anxious pain and trouble they have in bringing about their wickedness Behold he travelleth with iniquity or as the Hebrew has it he shall travel or he continually travelleth he takes as great pains to go to Hell as a travelling woman doth to be delivered Wicked men are as laborious and as restless and unquiet in the practice of wickedness Prov. 4.14 15 16. as a woman in labour is when the pangs of Travel are upon her Sugred poisons go down pleasantly O but when they are down they gall and gnaw and gripe the very heart-strings asunder 't is so with sin Lastly the commands of sin are extreamly unreasonable what an unreasonable thing is it to command a man to run into the fire or to drown himself in the water or to strangle himself c. Now all the commands of sin tend directly and intentionally to the burning drowning strangling and destroying of the sinner All sins commands tend to the dishonour of God the breach of his righteous Laws and the damnation of the precious and immortal Soul Now where the commands of God do commonly carry it against all the commands of sin there the Soul is certainly sincere with Goâ— That we owe perfect obedience to Gods will to Gods commands is evident enough several wayes and in particular from the universal obedience of all Creatures I mean those which are without reason sense or life for they inviolably observe his commands Isa 48.13 Mine hand hath laid the Foundations of the earth and my right hand hath spann'd the Heavens when I call to them they stand up together as prepared to execute his commands The insensible parts of the world are so compliant with his will as to contradict their proper natures to serve his glory Fire descends from Heaven at his command Gen. 19.24 2 Kings 1.10 11 12. And the fluid Sea stands up at his command Exod. 14.22 Now what a sad thing is it that Christians should at any time prove disloyal and rebellious when all inferiour Creatures do with one consent serve and glorify the great God But c. Tenthly Constant desires and earnest and constant endeavours to avoid and shun all known appearances of sin Where do you read in all the Scriptures of any one Hypocrite that ever made Conscienâ—e of shunning and avoiding the appearances of sin evâ—dences the truth and reality of Grace in the Soul Certainly that man is a true Nathaniel that makes it his business his work to abstain from all appearances of evil An Hypocrite loves the appearance of good more than goodness it self and a sincere Christian hates the very appearance of evil as well as the evil it self He who hates a person loaths his very picture A wicked man may abstain from broad-fac'd evils but commonly he is very bold and ventrous upon appearing evils O what vain Apologies do many make in these dayes for long hair gaudy Apparel Antick Fashions Spotted Faces Naked Breasts Wanton Behaviours Effeminate Dalliances and a thousand other suspicious practices and vanities But now a man that is truly gracious he makes Conscience not only of shunning real gross known evils but also of shunning the very likeness of evil His heart does not only rise against real sins but he is very shy of that which looks like sin When Josephs Mistris took hold of him and said Lie with me he left his garment in her hand and fled and got him out Gen. 39.12 Joseph would not be found in the company of his impudent brazen-fac'd Mistris that could so barely and basely so boldly and frequently sollicite him to defile his Masters bed and to damn two Souls at once her own and his that so he might avoid the very appearance of evil the very suspition of sin By wanton touches and dalliance mental Adultery is often committed and therefore Joseph flies as being unwilling to touch her or to be touched by her 1 Cor. 9.11 12 13 14 15. And so Paul refused the using his liberty in taking a lawful maintenance for his labours lest a sinister interpretation of covetousness and mercenary affection should have been put upon it by his Adversaries And so the same Apostle would needs have Titus and two others chosen by the Church to joyn with him in carrying the benevolence of the Church of Macedonia to Jerusalem because he was very careful to avoid all suspition of dealing ill in that business 2 Cor. 8.20 21. Avoiding this that no man should blame us in this abundance that is Ministred by us Providing for honest things not only before the Lord but also before men So Daniel would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat that is say some Dan. 1. â— he would not defile his Conscience by eating such unclean meats as were forbidden under the Law for the Babilonians did eat of divers meats as of Swine Hares c. and of sundry sorts of Fishes and Fowls which were forbidden by God unto the children of Israel Levit. 11. Deut. 14 nor with the wine which he drank but in the Hebrew the plural number is used of his drinks whence some gather that the King drank divers sorts of Wines which were also set before Daniel and his companions therefore he requested of the Prince of the Eunuchs that he might not defile himself Daniels living at a full Table
and his feeding upon Kingly dainties might have been not only a means to ensnare him and drown him in the sensualities of the Court but it would have carried with it also too great a shew of Daniels conformity to the Courts manners and customs and have been too great an appearance of Daniels forgetfulness of the sore and miserable calamities and matchless miseries of the captive Church who sate sighing and groaning and mourning in her cruel bondage and had none to comfort her or speak peace unto her and therefore Daniel purposed in his heart or set it upon his heart or laid it upon his heart as the Hebrew may be read that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat c. that so he might avoid all shews or suspition of evil 'T is very observable that in the Law of the Nazarite who did for a time special consecrate himself to God that besides his not comming to the dead and suffering his hair to grow 'T was ordained of God that he should abstain from these six things 1. From Wine and strong drink 2. From the Vinegar of Wine or strong drink 3. From any Liquor of Grapes though it were but the water wherein they were steeped 4. From the green or moist Grape 5. From the dryed Grape or Raisin 6. From the husk or kernel of them Num. 6.3 4. Had the Nazarite eaten but the skin of the Grape or Raisin he had broken the Law Now hereby the Lord would teach us that those that separate themselves from the world to be in a special manner serviceable to the Lord they must avoid not only that which is plain sin downright sin or such sins that men may run and read but also that they must shun and be shy of the very appearances of sin It was good counsel that Livâ—a gave her husband Augustus Dio in vita It behoveth thee said she not only not to do wrong but not to seem to do so c. We must shun and be shy of the very shew and shadow of sin if either we tender our credit abroad or our comfort at home walking in the power of holiness lyes much in shunning the very appearance of sin The Primitive Christians would not endure that any Christian should look towards Jerusalem praying because they would avoid the least shew of Judaism And indeed there are great reasons why every Christian should avoid whatever may have the suspition of sin and this will be evident if you please but seriously to consider of these eight following particulars First Consider those clear and plain commands of God which makes this duty to be a duty as that 1 Thess 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil God requires us not only to abstain from all apparent sins but also from all appearance of sin we must do nothing which hath a shew or shadow of sin 't is duty to abstain from whatever is of an ill shew or an ill report And so God commands us to hate the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 23. Saints must abhor every thing that carries with it but a savour or suspition of uncleanness Hence that saying of the Jews Remove thy self from filthiness and from all that which hath a shew of it See Drusius praeterit in 1 Thess 5.22 The Apostle alludes to legal uncleanness which was contracted by touching the houses the vessels or the garments of unclean persons Levit. 15. Christians must not only hate uncleanness but they must hate every thing that looks like it or that has the least communion with it So in that Deut. 12.30 Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared by following of them after that they be destroyed from before thee and that thou enquire not after their gods saying how did these Nations serve their gods even so will I do likewise God does not only command his people to abstain from gross Idolatry but he also commands them to take heed of all those wayes and means and enquiries that might tend to draw them to Idolatry or that might carry with them the least shew or appearance of Idolatry 'T is observable in the Law that God commanded his people not only that they should Worship no Idol but that they should demolish all the Monuments of them and that they should make no Covenant nor have any affinity with those who Worshipped them and all to avoid the very shews of Idolatry and to prevent his people from being drawn by those means to commit Idolatry with them And so Exod. 23.7 Keep thee far from a false matter Every good man must stand aloof off he must keep at a distance both from the occasions of sin and from the appearance of sin So Prov. 5.8 Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house He that is farthest from fire is safest from burning and he that is most remote from the water is in least danger of drowning It is no small wickedness to approach near the door of wickedness he who approaches near the door of a Whores house Prov. 22 14. and ch 23.27 is already in the door of whoredom It argues too much mind to be in the house for any one knowingly willingly to come near the door of it O how should a man dread the comming into that house where he must needs either perish or else overcome Certainly 't is infinite better not to be in danger of perishing than being in danger not to perish So Hosea 4.15 Though thou Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend and come not ye unto Gilgal neither go ye up to Beth-aven nor swear the Lord liveth Gilgal was once the Key of Canaan scituate between Jordan and Jericho famous for sundry services there performed to God as might be easily shewed by many instances but now Gilgal was basely abused to Idol-Worship and hence 't is that God charges them not to come near it that so they might avoid both the shew and danger of Idolatry and 't is upon the same account that God charges them not to go up to Beth-aven By these Scriptures 't is evident that God would have his people to abstain from all shews and appearances of sin But c. Secondly The holiness of God and the honour of God calls aloud upon all Christians to avoid the suspition of sin God is so essentially holy so unmixedly holy so universally holy so eminently so transcendently holy so superlatively holy so originally radically and fundamentally holy he is so Independantly holy so unchangably so constantly and so exemplarily holy that he cannot but hate and abhor the very appearance of evil Look as apparent sins stir up the judicial anger of God against sinners so the appearance of sin stirs up the Fatherly anger of God against Saints A gracious heart knows That God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 and therefore he keeps at a distance from the appearance of
the doctrine of Repentance at large but only to speak so far of it as may speak it out to be evidential of the goodness and happiness of a Christians spiritual and eternal condition NOw before I come to open my self more particularly give me leave to premise this in the general viz. That there is a repentance that does accompany salvation 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Acts 11.18 When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Mat. 18.3 And Jesus said verily I say unto you except you be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Having premised thus much in the general give me now leave to say That there are three parts of true sound saving repentance unto all which forgiveness of sin is promised And the First is contrition or grief of heart for sins committed Now this is called sometimes godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 and sometimes a contrite spirit Isa 66.2 and sometimes a broken and contrite heart Psal 51.17 and sometimes the afflicting of our souls Levit. 16.29 and sometimes the humbling of the heart 2 Chron. 7.14 Lamen 3.20 and sometimes a mourning Zech. 12.10 and sometimes a weeping Mark 14.72 All repenting sinners are mourning sinners David repents and waters his couch with his tears Psal 6.6 Hezekiah repents and humbles himself for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32.26 Ephraim repents and Ephraim bemoans himself and smites upon his thigh and is even confounded Jer. 31.18 19. Mary Magdalen repents and weeps and washes Christs feet with her tears Luke 7.38 The Corinthians repented and they were made sorry after a godly manner 2 Cor. 7.9 Repentance in the Hebrew is called Nacham an irking of the soul and in Greek Metamelia after grief and Metanoia after wit and in the Latine Poenitentia All which do import that contrition or sorrow for sin is one part of true repentance O! the sighs the groans the sobs the tears that are to be found among repenting sinners Luth. Tom. 3.457 c. Luther hit the Mark when he said What are all the Palaces of the world to a contrite heart yea heaven and earth seeing it is the seat of divine Majesty Secondly 'T is very observable that all mourning persons for their sins are within the compass of the promise of forgiveness of sins Zech. 12.11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Zech. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Jer. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning of himself c. Ver. 20. I will surely have mercy on him or as the Hebrew has it I will having mercy have mercy on him As soon as Ephraims heart is troubled for his sins Gods bowels are troubled for Ephraim as soon as Ephraim like a penitent child falls a weeping at God's foot God like a tender indulgent father falls a bemoaning of Ephraim Ephraim could not refrain from tears and God could not refrain from opening his bowels of mercy towards him So Isa 57.15 And how can the contrite heart be indeed revived and cheered without forgiveness of sins without a pardon in the bosom Melancthon makes mention of a godly woman who having upon her death-bed been in much conflict and afterwards much comforted brake out into these words Now and not till now did I understand the meaning of these words Thy sins are forgiven There is no comfort to that which arises from the sense of forgiveness Isa 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her iniquities are pardoned And why is the mourning soul pronounced the blessed soul Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted but because the mourning soul is the pardoned soul But what is that sorrow or mourning for sin Qu. that is a part of true repentance The resolution of this question is very necessary for the preventing of all soul-deceits and mistakes and for the quieting setling and satisfying of souls truly penitent and therefore I shall give these eight following Answers to it First It is a sorrow or grief that is spiritual that is supernatural no man is born with godly sorrow in his heart as he is born with a tongue in his mouth Godly sorrow is a plant of God's own planting 't is a seed of his own sowing 't is a flower of his own setting 't is of a heavenly off-spring 't is from God and God alone The spirit of mourning is from above 't is from a supernatural power and principle there is nothing that can turn a heart of stone into flesh but the spirit of God Ezek. 36.25 26. Godly sorrow is a gift from God Job 23.16 God makes my heart soft No hand but a divine hand can make the heart soft and tender under the sight and sense of sin Nature may easily work a man to mourn and melt and weep under worldly losses crosses and miseries as it did David's men 1 Sam. 30.4 But it must be grace it must be a supernatural principle that must work the heart to mourn for sin Secondly godly sorrow is a sorrow for sin as sin 't is a mourning rather for sin than for smart 't is not so much for loss of goods lands wife child credit name c. but for that a holy God is offended a righteous Law violated Christ dishonoured the Spirit grieved and the Gospel blemished c. Peter's sorrow was godly but Judas his sorrow was worldly Peter mourns over the evil of sin but Judas mourns over the evil of punishment David mourns over his sin Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 And so 2 Sam. 24.10 And David's heart smote him after he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done foolishly David does not cry out take away the threatned famine but take away the iniquity of thy servant nor he does not cry out take away the enemies of thy servant but take away the iniquity of thy servant nor he does not say take away the pestilence from the Land but take away the iniquity of thy servant But now when Pharaoh was under judgments he never cryes to the Lord to take away his sins
ever before him Godly sorrow will every day follow sin hard at hells Look as a wicked man in respect of his desire and will to sin would sin for ever if he should live for ever so I may say if a godly man should live for ever he would sorrow for ever After Paul had been converted many years some think fourteen you shall find him a mourning and lamenting over his sins Rom. 7. An ingenious child will never cease mourning till he ceases from offending an indulgent father Though sin and godly sorrow were never born together yet whilst a believer lives in this world they must live together And indeed holy joy and godly sorrow are no wayes inconsistent Psal 2.11 yea a godly man's eyes are alwayes fullest of tears when his heart is fullest of holy joy c. A man may go joying and mourning to his grave yea to heaven at the same time But now the sorrow the grief of wicked men for sin 't is like a morning cloud or the early dew or the crackling of thorns under a pot or a Post that quickly passeth by or a dream that soon vanisheth or like a tale that is told c. their sorrowful hearts and mournful eyes soon dry up together As you may see in Esau Ahab Pharaoh and Judas but the streams of godly sorrow will last and run as long as sin hangs upon us and dwells in us 1 Cor. 15.9 I am the least of the Apostles that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God Psal 25.7 Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions David prayeth to the Lord not only to forgive but also to forget both the sins of his youth and the sins of his age David remembred all his faults both of former and of later times David was well in years when he defiled himself with Bathsheba and this he remembers and mourns over Psal 51. And 't is very observable that God charged his people for to remember old sins Deut. 9.7 Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness Repentance is a grace and must have its daily operation as well as other graces witness the very covenant of grace it self Ezek. 16.62 63. I will establish my covenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done Certainly a true penitent can no more satisfie himself with one act of repentance than he can satisfie himself with one act of faith or or with one act of hope or with one act of love or with one act of humility or with one act of patience or with one act of self-denial Godly sorrow is a Gospel-grace that will live and last as well and as long as other graces 't is a spring that in this life can never be drawn dry Sixthly Godly sorrow is a divorcing sorrow it divorces the heart from sin it breaks that ancient league that has been between the heart and sin It is an excellent saying of Austin He doth truly bewail the sins he hath committed who never commits the sins he hath bewailed there is a strong firm league between every sinner and his sin Isa 28.15 18. but when godly sorrow enters it dissolves that league it separates between a sinner and his sin it sets the soul at an everlasting distance from sin The union between the root and the branches the foundation and the building the head and the members the father and the child the husband and the wife the body and the soul are all neer very neer unions yet that between a sinner and his sin seems to be a neerer union Observable is the story of Phaltiel 2 Sam. 3.14 15 16. You know when David had married Michol Saul injuriously gave her to another but when David came to the crown and sent forth his Royal commands that his wife should be brought to him her husband dares not but obey brings her on her journey and then not without great reluctancy of spirit takes his leave of her But what was Phaltiel weary of his wife that he now forsakes her O no he was enforced and though she was gone yet he had many a sad thought about parting with her and he never leaves looking till he sees her as far as Baharim weeping and bemoaning her absence Just thus stands the heart of every unregenerate man towards his sins as Phaltiel's heart stood towards his wife But when the springs of godly sorrow rise in the soul the league the friendship the union that was between the sinner and his sins comes to be dissolved and broken in pieces Hosea 14.8 All godly sorrow sets the heart against sin he that divinely mourns over sin can't live in a course of sin when of all bitters God makes sin to be the greatest bitter to the soul then the soul bids an everlasting farewel to sin now the soul in good earnest bids adieu to sin for ever O Sirs ☜ this is a most certain Maxim to live and die with that either a mans sins will make an end of his mourning or else his mourning will make an end of his sin for he that holds on sinning will certainly leave off mourning no man can make a trade of sin and yet keep his heart in a mourning frame but he that holds on mourning for sin will certainly leave off the trade of sin holy grief for sin will sooner or later break off all leagues and friendships with sin Isa 59.1 2. As sin makes a separation between God and a man's soul so godly sorrow makes a separation between a man's soul and his sin All holy mournings over sin will by degrees issue in the wasting and weakning of the strength and power of sin nothing below the death and destruction of sin will satisfie that soul that truly mourns over sin But now though you may find an unsound heart sometimes a lamenting over his sins yet you shall never find him a leaving off his sins Pharaoh lamented over his sin crying out I have sinned Exod. 9.27 10.16 the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked And again Then Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron in haste and he said I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you But though you find him here lamenting and complaining over his sin yet you never find him leaving or forsaking of his sin So Saul could cry out he had sinned but yet he still continued in his sin he acknowledged that he did evil in persecuting of David and yet he still held on persecuting of him An unsound heart mourns over sin and yet he holds on in a course of sin he sins and mourns and mourns and sins and commonly all his mourning for sin does but the more imbolden him
produce a hundred other Scriptures to prove that repenting sinners are confessing sinners but let these suffice c. Secondly If you please to cast your eyes upon other Scriptures you shall find these penitent confessing sinners to be expresly under the promises of the forgiveness of sins Confessing penitents are under the promises of forgiveness c. Turn to that Job 33.27 28. and ponder upon it Prov. 28.13 He that covers his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy c. 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Psal 22.5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and then forgavest the iniquity of my sin Seâ—ah Levit. 26.40 41 42. If they shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers with their trespass which then trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me and that I also have walked contrary unto them and have brought them into the land of their enemies if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity This will I remember my covenant with Jacob and also my covenant with Isaac and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember Jer. 3.12 13. Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord only acknowledge thine iniquity And observable is that prayer of Solomon 1 King 8 47-50 If they shall bethink themselves and repent and make supplications to thee saying we have sinned and have done perversly we have committed wickedness then hear thou their prayer and forgive thy people that have sinned against thee Qu. But what are the properties or qualifications of true penitential confession of sin Ans They are these eight that follow First 'T is free 't is voluntary not forc'd not extorted Nehemiah Ezra Job David Daniel Paul Acts 26.10 11. Ezra 9.9 Neh. 9. Daniel 9. Psal 5. Job 49.4 5. c. were free and voluntary in the confession of their sins as all know that have but read the Scripture The true penitent confesses his sins with much candour ingenuity and freedom of spirit he is as free in his confession of sin as he has been free in the commission of sin his confessions are like water which runs out of a spring with a voluntary freeness but the confessions of wicked men are like water that is forced out of a still with fire their confessions are forced and extracted meerly from sence of pain and smart or from fear of punishments c. Pharaoh never confest his sin till God brought him to the rack Exod. 10.16 1 Sam. 15.24 Num. 22 23-35 Mat. 27.3 4 5. nor Saul till he was in danger of losing his Crown and Kingdom nor Balaam till he sees the Angel stand with his drawn sword ready to slay him nor Judas till horror of conscience and the pangs of hell had surprized him and taken fast hold on him Wicked men cast out their sins by confession as Mariners do their wares in a storm wishing for them again in a calm the confessions of wicked men are commonly extorted or squeezed out either by some outward trouble or by some inward distress but penitential confession is free and ingenuous arising from an inward detestation of sin and from the contrariety of the heart to sin and therefore were there no rod no rack ho wrath no hell the true penitent would very freely and readily confess his sins when God is most free in bestowing of mercies then are they most free in confessing their iniquities Hos 14.1 2 3 4. Look as that is the best wine that flows from the grape with least pressing and as that is the best honey which drops from the honey-comb without crushing so those are the best confessions that flow that drop freely voluntarily from the soul c. Secondly True penitential confession is full as well as free That confession is not sincere that is not full Lam. 1.18 19. God loves neither halting nor mincing confessions These undid the Pharisee Luke 18.11 As penitential confessions are not extorted so they are not straitned sin must be confest in its particular species and parts all known sins must be confest fully plainly particularly as you may see by turning to these Scriptures Lev. 26.40 41 42. 19.21 Judg. 10.10 Psal 51. 1 Sam. 12.19 1 Tim. 1.13 Acts 26.10 11. Dan. 9.5 6 7 8-17 Lev. 16.21 22 c. Some there be that deny their sins with the Harlot Prov. 30.20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman she eateth and wipeth her mouth and saith I have done no wickedness And others there be that father their sins on others as Adam did Gen. 3.12 and as Eve did ver 13. and as Aaron did Exod. 32.22 and as Saul did 1 Sam. 15.22 And many there are that hide their wickedness that conceal their wickedness as that proud Pharisee did Luk. 18.11 12. That expression of the Prophet Hosea Hosea 10.13 You have plowed wickedness is rendred by the Septuagint You have concealed wickedness and indeed there is nothing more common to a wicked heart than to keep closs his sin than to cover and hide his transgressions And certainly this is that sore disease that our first parents were sick to death of almost six thousand years ago and therefore 't is no wonder if we are all infected with it Job 31.33 We are but flesh and bloud sayes one it is my nature sayes a second I cannot help it sayes a third I am not the first sayes a fourth 't was bad company drew me sayes a fifth if it be a sin I am sorry for it says a sixth if it be naught I cry God mercy sayes a seventh And thus wicked men are as hypocritical in their confessions as they are in their professions c. Man by nature is a vain glorious creature apt to boast and brag of the sins that he is free of but unwilling to confess the sins that he is guilty of There are no men so prone to conceal their own wickedness as those that are most forward to proclaim their own goodness There are many that are not ashamed to act sin who yet are ashamed to confess sin but certainly of all shame that is the most shameful shame that leads a man to hide his sins But now the true penitent he makes conscience of confessing small sins as well as great sins secret sins as well as open sins Psal 90.8 Psal 19.12 David confesses not only his great sins of murder and adultery but he confesses also his self-revenge intended against Nabal and of his knife being so neer Sauls throat when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment A true Penitent is much in confessing and lamenting over that secret pride that
secret fleshliness that secret worldliness that secret hypocrisie that secret vain glory c. that is only obvious to God and his own soul But 't is quite otherwise with wicked men for they confess their grosser sins but never observe their lesser sins they confess their open sins but never lay open their secret sins Cain confesses his murdering of his brother but never confesses his secret enmity that put him upon washing his hands in his brother's bloud Pharoah confesses his oppression of the children of Israel but he does not confess the pride of his heart nor the hardness of his heart Judas confesses his betraying of innocent blood but he never confesses his covetousness that put him upon betraying of the Lord of glory And others have confest their Apostacy who have never confest their hypocrisie that hath led them to Apostacy c. Well this is certain that those little sins those secret sins that never break a sinners sleep do often break a believers heart Thirdly As true penitential confession is full so 't is sincere 't is cordial 't is not a feigned nor a formal nor a meer verbal confession but an affectionate confession 't is a confession that has the mind the heart the soul as well as the lip in it Psal 51.31 Jer. 18.19 20. Isa 26.8 9. Ezra 9.6 Psal 38.4 Job 42.6 Luke 18.13 The penitent man's confession springs from inward impressions of grace upon his soul he heels what he confesses and his affections go along with his confessions The poor Publican smote upon his breast and confessed Look as the sick man opens his disease to his Physician feelingly affectionately and as the Client opens his case to his Lawyer feelingly affectionately so the penitent opens his case his heart to God feelingly affectionately cold careless verbal formal customary confessions are no small abominations in the eye of God Jer. 12.2 Such mens confessions will be their condemnations at last their tongues will one day cut their throats though confession to men is a work of the voice yet confession to God must be the voice of the heart Sometimes the heart alone is sufficient without the voice as you may see in Hannah 1 Sam. 1.13 14 15. but the voice is never sufficient without the heart as you may see in that Isa 29.13 Such who make confession of sin to be only a lip-labour such instead of offering the calves of their lips as the Prophet requires Hosea 14.2 do but offer the lips of calves Heart-confessions without words shall be effectual with God and carry the day in heaven when all formal verbal confessions though they are never so eloquent or excellent shall be cast as dung in sinners faces Isa 1 12-16 Mary Magdalen weeps and sighs and sobs Luke 7.38 but speaks neveâ— a word and yet by her heart-confessions she carries it with Christ as is evident by his answer to her Luke 7.48 Hâ— said unto her thy sins are forgiven thee Penitent souls confess sin feelingly but wicked mens confessions make no impressions upon them their confessions run through them as wateâ— runs through a pipe without leaving any impression at al upon the pipe Wicked men do no more taste nor relish the evil of sin the poyson of sin the bitterness of sin in any of their confessions than the pipe does taste or relish the water that runs through it Such who confess sin formally or rhetorically and yet love sin dearly heartily shall never get good by their confessions certainly such confessions will never reach the heart of God that do not reach our own hearts nor such confessions will never affect the heart of God thâ—t do not first affect our own hearts Such as speak very ill of sin with their tongues and yet secretly wish well to sin in their hearts will be found at last of all men the most miserablest But Fourthly As penitential confession is sincere and cordial Ezra 10.3 so 't is distinct and not confused The true penitent has his particular and special bills of indictment he knows his sins of omission and his sins of commission he remembers the sins that he hath most rejoyced and delighted in he can't forget the sins that have had most of his eye his ear his head his hand his heart the by-paths in which he has most walked and the transgressions by which God has been most dishonoured his conscience most wounded and his corrupt nature most pleased gratified Psal 51.3 are always before him An implicite confession is almost as bad as an implicite faith wicked men câ—mmonly confess their sins by whole-sale we are all sinners but the true penitent confesses his sins by retail Though it cant't be denied but that in some cases a general confession may be penitent Luke 18.13 as you see in the Publican God be merciful to me a sinner yet it must be granted that a true penitent can't content nor satisfie himself with a general confession And therefore David confesses his particular sins of adultery and bloud-guiltiness 1 Tim. 1.13 and Paul particularizeth his sins of blasphemy and persecution and injuriousness against the Saints And more you have of this in that Act. 26.10 11. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the Saints did I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief Priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them and I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities So Judg. 10.10 And the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord saying we have sinned against thee both because we have forsaken our God and also served Balaam We have sinned there is their general confession we have forsaken our God and also served Balaam there is their distinct and particular confession both of their Apostacy and Idolatry And so 1 Sam. 12.19 And all the people said unto Samuel pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we dye not for we have added unto all our sins this evil to ask us a King They were discontented with that government that the Lord had set over them and they would need be governed by a King after the mode of other Nations and this sin they confess distinctly and particularly before the Lord and Samuel And so David in that 1 Chron. 21.17 And David said unto God is it not I that commanded the people to be numbred even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed but as for these sheep what have they done Thus that princely Prophet confesses that particular sin that he then lay under the guilt of And so Zacheus makes a particular confession he does as it were point with his finger at that wrong and injustice that he had been guilty of Behold Lord half my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation
sin not to swear and whore and curse and be drunk and prophane Sabbaths and dispise Ordinances yea there are many that are so far from being ashamed of their abominations that they even glory in them like those in that Phil. 3.19 They shew their sins as Sodom they make both a sport of acting and a jest of confessing their sins Thus Austin confesseth that it was sometimes with himself before the Lord wrought upon him I was stricken with such blindness as that I thought it a shame unto me to be less vile and wicked than my companions whom I heard boast of their leudness and glory so much the more by how much they were the more filthy therefore saith he lest I should be of no account I was the more vicious and when I could not otherwise match others I would feign that I had done those things which I never did lest I should seem so much the more abject by how much I was the more innocent and so much the more vile by how much I was the more chast But for a close remember this The true penitent knows that the more God has been displeased with the blackness of sin the better he will be pleased with the blushing of the sinner and therefore he can't but blush when either he looks upon sin within him or God above him But Seventhly Penitential confession 't is believing and fiducial 't is mixt with some faith Hosea 14. â— though not alwayes with a strong faith 't is not like the confession of a Malefactor to the Judge but like the confession of a child to his father or like the confession of a sick man to his Physician As a penitent man has one eye of sorrow upon his sin so he has another eye of hope upon pardoning grace Thus David Psal 51. though he had sinned greatly yet he hangs upon free mercy and begs his pardon believingly Thus Daniel Dan. 9.9 To the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him Thus Sechaniah Ezra 10.2 Ezra 10.2 And Sechaniah the son of Jehiel one of the sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra we have trespassed against our God and have taken strange wives of the people of the Land yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing If it were not for hope the heart would break there was hope among them that Israel would repent and there was hope among them that God would have mercy upon their repentance And the same spirit was working in the Prodigal I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Luke 18.18 Though he was a Prodigal yet he would go to God as to a father who knew how to pity and forgive the mourning and repenting child When confessions of sin are mingled with hopes of mercy and the soul draws neer to God as a father then the heart breaks most and melts and mourns most That confession of sin that is not mixt with some hope of pardon and with some faith in the mercy of God is not penitential but desperate Cain in some sort confesses Gen. 4.16 but then he flies into the Land of Nod and there he falls a building and planting partly in contempt of the dreadful doom God had past upon him and partly to drown the noise of his conscience and despairing of ever obtaining pardon in this world 2 Cor. 5.1 2. or enjoying a house not made with hands in another world Judas likewise confesses his most hainous sin I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud but having no hope of pardon Mat. 27.3 4. no faith in that innocent blood he had shed he goes out and hangs himself Judas had no faith to mingle with his confession he confesses despairingly not believingly and so goes forth and strangles himself Since Adam fell in paradise there has not been one wicked man in the world continuing in that state that has ever mixt faith with his sorrows believing with his confessing 't is only the penitent man that confesseth sin believingly and that is pardoned graciously The confessing penitent reasons thus with God Lord though I am a sinful creature yet thou art a merciful God though I am unworthy of mercy yet thou forgivest sins freely though my sins reach as high as heaven yet thy mercies teach above the heavens I am here ready and willing to accuse and condemn my self and therefore be thou as ready and as willing to absolve me and forgive me O Lord though my sins are very many yet thy mercies are exceeding more though I have multiplied my sins yet thou canst multiply thy pardons though I am a sinner a very great sinner yet there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared and loved served and trusted and therefore in the face of all my sins provocations and unworthiness I will look up for mercy and wait for mercy But Eighthly and lastly True penitential confession is joyned with reformation That confession of sin that carries forgivness of sin with it Psal 51.10 is attended with serious desires and earnest endeavours of reformation therefore forsaking of sin is annext to confession of sin Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Confession of sin must be joyned with confusion of sin or all 's lost God will never cross the book he will never draw the red lines of Christ's bloud over the black lines of our transgressions except confessing and forsaking go hand in hand He that does not â—orsake his sin as well as confess it forsakes the benefit of his confession And indeed there is no real confession of sin where there is no real forsaking of sin 't is not enough for us to confess the sins we have committed but we must peremptorily resolve against the committing again the sins we have confest we must desire as freely to forgo our sins as we do desire God to forgive us our sins Confession of sin is a spiritual vomit now you know a man that is burdened in his stomack is heartily willing to be rid of that â—oad on his stomack that doth oppress nature and so a man that is real in his confession of sin is as heartily willing to be rid of his sin that lyes as a loâ—d upon his conscience as any sick man can be heartily willing to be rid of that load that lyes upon his stomack The penitential confessor doth as heartily desire to be delivered from the power of his sins as he does desire to be delivered from the sting and punishment of his sins This is observable in the confession of good Sechaniah Ezra 10.2 3. We have trespassed against our God and taken strange wives of the people of the Land Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are born of them
according to the counsel of my Lord and those that tremble at the commandement of our God and let it be done according to the Law And this was the former practise of the children of Israel who joyned reformation with their confession as you may see in that Judg. 10.15 We have sinned Ver. 16. And they put away the strange Gods from among them and served the Lord and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel That Job 34.31 32. is observable Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more And the same spirit you may find working in those that were once given up to sorcery and witchcraft Act. 18. And many that believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds Ver. 19. Many also of them which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men Penitential confession leaves a holy awe and dread on the soul to take heed of committing sins confest Though a godly man may in an hour of temptation or in a day of desertion or in a season of God's with-holding the gracious influences of heaven from falling upon his soul commit a sin which he has seriously confest and sadly bewailed yet he retains in his course and practise such a holy fear and awe upon his heart as in some measure proves armour of proof against future commissions of sin But now wicked men are very ready bold and venturous to commit the same sins they have confest as you may see in Saul one while you shall have him confessing his sinful injuries against David with tears and soon after you shall find him pursuing of him in the wilderness of Zaph with three thousand chosen men at his heels Compare 1 Sam. 24.16 17. with Chap. 26.2 3 4 Exod. 9 27 34. The same evil spirit was predominant in Pharaoh one day you shall have him confessing his sin and promising to let Israel go and the next day you shall find his heart hardned and he peremptorily resolved that Israel shall not go And so the Harlot made the confession of her sin Prov. 7.14 to be but a provocation to more sin The wicked sometimes confess their sins but they never forsake their sins 2 Pet. 2. ult after confeâ—sion they commonly return with the dog to his vomit as Fulgentius Fulgent de Rem peccat l. 1. c. 12. hath worthily observed Many saith he being pricked in conscience confess that they have done ill and yet put no end to their ill deeds they humbly accuse themselves in God's sight of the sins which oppress them and yet with a perverse heart rebelliously heap up those sins whereof they accuse themselves The very pardon which they beg with mournful-sighs they impede with their wicked actions they ask help of the Physician and still minister matter to the disease thus in vain indeavouring to appease him with penitent words whom they go on to provoke by an impenitent course Well remember this real confession of sin is alwayes attended with real endeavours of turning from sin Look as the Patient layes open his diseases to the Physician for this very purpose that he may be cured and healed so the penitent soul confesses his sins to the Physician of souls on purpose to be cured and healed The daily language of the penitent soul is this Lord when wilt thou heal the maladies of my soul when wilt thou heal my unâ—elief and heal my pride and heal my vain glory and heal my hypocrisie and heal my impurity and heal my hard heartedness and heal my carnalness and heal my worldliness and heal my selfishness c. Lord I do as earnestly beg grace to heal my soul as I do mercy to pardon my soul And let thus much suffice for the second part of true Evangelical repentance The third part of true Repentanceâ— lyes in turning from all sin to God That great and precious promise of forgiveness of sin is made over to repenting and â—â—â—â—ning from sin all who truly repent of their sins and turn from their sins shall receive the forgiveness of their sins pardon of sin is for that man and that man is for pardon of sin who truly repents and returns from his sin Four things speak out this c. First Scripture exhortations to repent that so our sins may be forgiven Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. Secondly Express promises that our sins shall be forgiven upon our repentance 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people shall turn from their evil way then will I forgive their sin Prov. 28.13 Whose confesseth and fâ—rsaketh his sin shall find mercy Ezek. 18.21 If the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die Ver. 22. All his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him Thirdly A most certain assurance of the forgiveness of sins upon repentance though they have been never so great and hainous Isa 1.16 17 18. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings cease to do evil learn to do well Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be reâ— like crimson they shall be as wool Fourthly Express records and instances of forgiveness unto such as have repented and turned from their sins 2 Sam. 12.13 And David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord and Nathan said to David the Lord hath also put away thy sin Jer. 31.18 19 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself turn thou me and I shall be turned c. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I sâ—ote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Is Ephraim my dear son â—s he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Luke 7.38 And shee stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment Ver. 47. Wherefore I say her sins which were many are forgiven Chap. 15.18 19 20. I will arise and go to my father and will say to him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son And he arose and came to his
father but when he was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell upon his neck and kissed him Qu. But what are the properties or qualifications of that right turning from sin which brings poor sinners within the compass of the promise of forgiveness of sins Now to this great question I shall give these four following Answers First Answer Ans 1 First That turning from sin which brings a man within the compass of the promise of forgiveness of sin is a cordial turning from sin Joel 2.12 Turn ye even to me with all your heart 2 Chron. 6.38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul Ver. 39. Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication and forgive their sins Deut. 30.10 If thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul c. Jer. 3.10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart but feignedly saith the Lord. Chap. 24.7 And I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shall return unto me with their whole heart Wicked men are serious and cordial in their sinning and they must be as serious and cordial in their returning or they are lost and undone for ever The true penitent turns from sin with his heart with all his heart and with all his soul he is turned in good earnest from his sins whose heart is turned from his sins if the heart turns not all is naught all is stark naught he that turns from sin but not with his heart turns but feignedly partially hypocritically deceifully God is a just and a jealous God and he will never endure corrivals or copartners in the throne the heart of man a holy God will never divide with an unholy Devil The true God is a righteous God and he will never share his glory with another the true God must be served truly heartily he loves neither halting nor halving Such as divide the rooms of their souls betwixt God and sin God and Satan God and the world that swear by God and Malcham that sometimes pray devoutly and at other times curse most hideously that halt betwixt God and Baal are meer Heteroclites in Religion and such whom God abhors When a man's heart gives a bill of divorce to his sins when his heart breaks the league with sin when his heart casts it off and casts it out as an abominable thing then the heart is turned from sin really effectually c. If notwithstanding all the professions that a man makes against his sins his heart still loves them and delights in them and he will still retain them and welcom them and cleave to them and make provision for them c. his repentance is feigned and not real c. But The second Answer Secondly A true penitential turning is an universal turning Ans 2 a turning not from some sins but from all sins Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions Ver. 31. Cast away from you all your transgressions 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit Psal 119.101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way Ver. 128. I hate every false way Ezek. 14.6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel thus saith the Lord God repent and turn your selves from your idols and turn away your faces from all your abominations Chap. 18.28 Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall surely live he shall not die True repentance is a turning from all sin without any reservation or exception he never truly repented of any sin whose heart is not turned against every sin The true penitent casts off all the rags of old Adam he throws down every stone of the old building he will not leave a horn nor a hoof behind That which Nehemiah speaks of himself in that Neh. 13.7 8. is very observable to our purpose And I came to Jerusalem and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God and it grieved me sore but he rests not there but goes further therefore I cast forth all the houshold-stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber What should Tobiah do with a chamber therefore he not only outs Tobiah but outgoes all his stuff too Thus the true penitent when he considers all the evil that sin has done how it has taken up not only one chamber but every chamber in the soul and how it has for many years quite shut out God and Christ and the Spirit and every thing that is good he is grieved sore and so falls upon the outging of every lust being highly resolved that neither Satan nor any of his retinue shall ever find the least entertainment in his soul any more Such as are resolved against turning from any sin are horrible profane such as turn from some sins but close with others are hideous hypocrites such as turn from one sin to another or change their sins as men do their fashions are most sadly blinded and desperately deluded by Satan but such as turn not from some sins but from every sin are sincerely penitent And certainly there are very greaâ— reasons why the true penitent does turn and must turn from sin universally As First 'T is to no purpose for a man to turn from some sins if he does not turn from all his sins James 1.26 If any man seem to be religious and bridle not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans Religion is in vain This at first sight may seem to be a hard saying One stab at the heart kills one act of treason makes a Traitor one spark of fire sets the house on fire one flaw in a diamond spoyls the price of it one puddle if we wallow in it will defile us one head of garlick will poyson a Leopard say the Naturalists that for one fault for one fault in the tongue all a mans Religion should be counted vain and yet this you see the holy Ghost does peremptorily conclude Let a man make never so glorious a profession of Religion yet if he gives himself liberty to live in the practise of any known lust yea though it be but in a sin of the tongue his Religion is in vain and that one lust will separate him from God for ever If a Wife be never so officious to her Husband in many things and though she gives him content several wayes yet if she entertains any other Lover into his bed besides himself it will alienate his affections from her and for ever separate him from her The application is easie To turn from one sin to another is but to be tossed from one hand of the Devil to another it is
but with Benhadad to recover of one disease and die of another it is but to take pains to go to hell If a Ship spring three leaks and only two be stopped the third will sink the Ship or if a man have two grievous wounds in his body and take order only to cure one that which is neglected will certainly kill him 'T is so here if a man that has divers lusts fighting against the life of his precious soul shall only mortifie and slay some of them the rest will certainly destroy him and all his pains in subduing some of them will be lost I have read of a devout man who had amongst many other vertues the gift of healing unto whom divers made resort for cure among the rest one Chromatius being sick sent for him being come he told him of his sickness and desired that he might have the benefit of cure as others had before him I cannot do it said the devout person till thou hast beaten all the Idols and Images in thy house to pieces O that shall be done said Chromatius here take my keys and where you find any Images let them be defaced which was done accordingly to prayer went the holy man but no cure was wrought O saith Chromatius I am as sick as ever O I am very weak and sick It cannot be otherwise replyed the holy man nor can I help it for certainly there is one Idol more in your house undiscovered and that must be defaced too True sayes Chromatius there is so indeed there is one all of beaten gold it cost 200 l. I would fain have saved it but here take my keys again you shall find it locked up fast in my chest take it and break it in pieces which done the holy man prayed and Chromatius was healed The moral of this story is this We are all spiritually sick full of wounds and putrified sores Christ our spiritual Physician tells us that if we will be cured we must break off our sins by repentance Now this we are willing to do in part but not in whole we would fain keep one Dalilah one darling beloved sin but it must not be there must not be one sin unrepented of we must repent as well for our Achans as our Absaloms our Rimmons as our Mammons our Davids as our Goliahs our covert as well as our open sins our loved as well as our loathed lusts our heart abominations as well as our gross transgressions our Babe iniquities as well as our Giant-like provocations our repentance must be universal or 't will be to no purpose Herod turned from many evils but would not turn from his Herodias Mark 6.18 19 20 and that was his ruin Judas his life was as fair and as free from spots and blots as the lives of any of the Apostles no scandalous sin was to be found upon him only that golden Devil covetousness was his sin and his everlasting ruin his Apostleship Preaching working of Miracles hearing of Christ and conversing with him c. was to no purpose because of that Serpent he kept in his bosom which at last stung him to death If a man lives in the practise of any known sin the union between sin and his soul is not dissolved and if that union be not dissolved Christ and his soul was never united and therefore such a person can never be saved Saul spared Agag and the Witch of Endor whom he should have destroyed and so lost his Crown his Kingdom and his Soul which was saddest of all Gideon had seventy sons Judg. 8.13 and but one bastard and yet that one bastard destroyed all the rest The Jewish Rabbins report that the same night that Israel departed out of Egypt towards Canaan all the Idols and idolatrous Temples in Egypt by lightning and earthquakes were broken down So when a man truly repents all the Idols that were set up in his soul are cast down But Secondly God has so connexed the duties of his Law one to another that if there be not a conscientious care to walk according to all that the Law requires a man becomes a transgressor of the whole Law according to that of Saint James Chap. 2.10 Whosoever shall keep the whole Law He who prevaricates with God as to any one particular commandement of his his heart is naught stark naught and he is guilty of all he hath no real regard to any of the commandements of God that hath not a regard to all the commandements of God c. and yet offend in one point is guilty of all the bond of all is broken the authority of all is slighted and that evil disposition that sinful frame of heart that works a man to venture upon the breach of one command would make him venture upon the breach of any command were it not for some infirmity of nature or because his purse will not hold out to maintain it or for shame or loss or because of the eye of friends or the sword of the Magistrate or for some sinister respects and might the breach of any other of the commands of God serve his turn and advance his ends he stands as strongly prest in spirit to transgress them all as to transgress any one of them He that gives himself liberty to live in the breach of any one command of God is qualified with a disposition of heart to break them all every single sin contains virtually all sin in it He that allows himself a liberty to live in the breach of any one particular Law of God he casts contempt and scorn upon the authority that made the whole Law and upon this account breaks it all And the Apostle gives the reason of it in Verse 11. For he that said do not commit adultery said also do not kill now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the Law Not that he is guilty of all distributively but collectively for the Law is copulative there is a chain of duties and these are all so linked one to another that you cannot break one link of the chain but you break the whole chain All the precepts of the Law are as it were a string of pearls strung by the authority of God now break this string in any place and all the pearls fall to the ground No man can live in the breach of any known command of God but he wrongs every command of God and this at last he shall find to his cost without sound repentance on his side and pardoning grace on God's But Thirdly One sin never goes alone Cain's anger is seconded with murder Gen. 4.6 8. Ahab's covetousness is attended with bloudy cruelty and Jeroboam's rebellion with idolatry and Judas his thievery with treason I might give instances of this in Adam and Eve and in Lot Abraham Noah Jacob Joseph 1 King 12. Job David Solâ—mon and Peter c. but a touch on this string is enough one
turning from sin shall find no more sweetness in that grand promise of pardon Prov. 28.13 than devils or damned spirits do Look as one sin unforgiven will as certainly undo and damn a man as a thousand so one sin unforsaken will as certainly undo and damn a man as a thousand The true penitent is as willing to turn from all his sins as he is willing that God should pardon all his sins But Eighthly and lastly There is in every penitent a sincere hatred of sin a universal hatred of sin Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil Prov. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil True hatred is to the whole kind Arist Amos 5.15 Hate the evil and love the good Psal 119.104 Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way Ver. 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way Ver. 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Ver. 163. I hate and abhor lying but thy Law do I love True hatred is universal 't is of the whole kind he who hates a toad because it is a toad hates every toad he that hates a serpent because it is a serpent hates every serpent he that hates a wolf because 't is a wolf hates every wolf he that hates a man because he is holy hates every man that is holy and so he that hates sin because it is sin hates every sin and therefore he can't but turn from it and labour to be the death and ruin of it Holy hatred is an implacable and an irreconcilable affection you shall as soon reconcile God and Satan together Christ and Antichrist together heaven and hell together as you shall be able to reconcile a penitent soul and his sin together A true penitent looks upon every sin as contrary to the Law of God the nature of God the being of God the glory of God and accordingly his heart rises against it he looks upon every sin as poyson as the vomit of a dog as the mire of the street as the * Pliny saith that the very trees with touching of it would become barren menstrous cloth which of all things in the Law was most unclean defiling and polluting and this turns his heart against every sin he looks upon every sin as having a hand in apprehending betraying binding scourging condemning and murdering of his Lord and Master Jesus Christ and this works him not only to refrain from sin but to forsake it and not only to forsake it but also to abhor it and to loath it more than hell it self The penitent soul will do all he can to be the death of every sin that has had a hand in the death of his Lord and Master he looks upon the sins of his body to be the tormentors of Christ's body and the sins of his soul to be the tormentors of Christ's soul to be those that made his soul heavy to the death and that caused the withdrawings of his father's love from him and that forced him in the anguish of his soul to cry out Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And this raises up in him a universal hatred of sin and a universal hatred of sin alwayes issues in a universal turning from sin Now these eight arguments do sufficiently prove that a true penitential turning is a universal turning a turning not from some sins but from all sins But some may be ready to object Object and say Sir this is a hard saying who can hear it who can bear it John 6.60 who shall then be saved for if a man repents not unless he turns from every sin then there is not a man to be found in all the world that repents for there is not a man in all the world that turns from every sin that forsakes every sin c. 1 King 8.46 For there is no man that sinneth not Prov. 20.9 Who can say Job 9.30 31. Psal 130.3 2 Chron. 6.36 Job 14.4 Psal 51.5 Ponder upon these Scriptures c. I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin It is a question that implyes a strong denial Who can say it and say it truly that he is pure from his sin surely none He that shall say that he has made his heart clean and that he is pure from his sin sins in so saying and commonly there are none more unclean than those that say they have made their hearts clean nor none more impure than they that say they are pure from their sin Eccl. 7.20 For there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not These words in their absolute sense are a full testimony of the imperfection of our inherent righteousness in this life and that even justified persons come very short of that exact and perfect obedience which the Law requireth James 3.2 For in many things we offend all or as the Greek has it we stumble all 'T is a metaphor taken from Travellers walking on stony or slippery ground who are very apt to stumble or slide This Apostle was worthily called James the just and yet he numbers himself among the rest of the sanctified ones that in many things offended all The Apostle does not say in many things they offend all but in many things we offend all We that have more gifts than others we that have more grace than others we that have more assurance than others we that have more experiences than others we that have more preservatives to keep us from sin than others even we in many things offend all nor the Apostle doth not say in some things we offend all but in many things we offend all the Apostle speaking not of the singular individual acts of sin but of the divers sorts of sin nor the Apostle does not say in many things we may offend all but in many things we do offend all 1 John 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us The Apostle does not say if thou sayest thou hast no sin thou deceivest thy self as if he spake to some particular person only but if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves nor the Apostle does not say if ye say ye have no sin ye deceive your selves as if he intended weak or ordinary Christians alone but if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves we Apostles we that in all grace and in all holiness and in all spiritual enjoyments exceed and excel all others even we sin as well as others He that is so ignorant and so impudent so saucy and so silly as to say he has no sin sins in saying so and has no sincerity no integrity nor no ingenuity in him Ver. 10. If we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in us As much as in us lyes we make
I answer affirmatively That notwithstanding all this yet a true penitential turning from sin is a continued and stedfast turning from sin and that in these five respects First In respect of his habitual purpose and resolution not to sin Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me See my Treatise on holiness page 507 508 509. David resolves to lay a Law of restraint upon his tongue and to clap a muzzle upon his mouth whilst he was in the presence of the wicked who did lye at the catch to ensnare him and trapan him come health come sickness come honour come reproach come poverty come plenty come liberty come restraint come life come death the true penitent is fixed in his purpose and resolution not to sin Jerom writes of a brave woman that being upon the wrack told her persecutors that they might do their worst for she was firmly resolved rather to dye than lye Secondly In respect of his babitual desires which are that he may not sin Psal 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me David's great desire is that he may walk as in a frame that he may walk by line and rule exactly accurately and that though sin did dwell in him that yet it might not reign in him and though it did rebel in him that yet it might not have dominion over him he would have his sins to be like those beasts in Daniel whose dominion was taken away though their lives were prolonged for a season and a time Chap. 7.12 Psal 119.10 O let me not wander from thy commandements Ver. 36. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness Under the name of covetousness all manner of viciousness is to be understood that being the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 Thirdly In respect of his habitual endeavours which still are not to sin The ordinary and habitual endeavours of a true penitent are still set against sin he ordinarily rows against the stream of sin though sometimes the stream proves too strong for him Psal 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee He hides the word in his heart as a treasure that he might not lose it and as a rule that he might not transgress against it The Law of God kept closs in the heart is the best armour of proof against evil lusts David locks up the Law of God in his heart as in a chest or cabinet to secure him against Satan's ambushes and assaults on the one hand and to preserve him from sin on the other hand So Psal 18.23 I have kept my self from mine iniquity Fourthly In respect of his habitual hatred of sin Although the true penitent does sometimes sin yet he alwayes hates the evil he does there is a firm and fixed hatred in his soul against sin Psal 119 1â—â— Therefore I hate every false way Ver. 113. I hate vaâ—â—â—â—oughts Ver. 163. I hate and abhor lying So Rom. 7.15 The evil that I hate that I do A penitent heart usually rises and swells against the toad in the bosom Some say that there is such a native dread and terror of the Hawk implanted in the Dove that she is afraid of every feather and that she detests and abhors the very sight of any feather that hath grown upon a Hawk so there is such a detestation abhorrency of sin divinely implanted in every penitent man's heart that he cannot but hate every thing that looks like it or that belongs to it or that comes from it Fifthly In respect of his constant path or continued way or course of life which is quite opposite and contrary to sin Gal. 5.17 Isa 26.7 The way of the just is uprightness Prov. 16.17 The high-way of the upright is to depart from evil It is as common and ordinary for upright persons to depart from evil as 't is for Passengers to keep the King's high-wayes Though an upright man through mistake or weakness of grace or violence of temptation may step out of a way of holiness yet walking in a way of wickedness cannot be charged upon him Psal 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting You know the path and practise of penitent Zacheus of penitent Paul and of the penitent Jaylor was quite contrary to those wayes of wickedness that they had formerly walked in The fourth Answer Ans 4 But fourthly and lastly As a true penitential turning from sin is a constant and continued turning from sin so 't is a returning to God Sin is an aversion from God and repentance is a conversion to God Act. 26.18 Sound repentance is not only a ceasing from doing evil but also a learning to do well Isa 1.16 17. Repentance and turning to God are joyned together as being one and the same thing Act. 26.20 The Prodigals repenting was his returning to his Father Luke 15.17 When he came 〈◊〉 himself he said I will arise and go to my father and say father 〈◊〉 â—ave sinned against heaven and before thee c. The Hebrew word for repentance is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shob which signifies to return implying a going back from what a man had done it notes a returning or converting from one thing to another as from sin to God from evil to good from hell to heaven The common call of sinners to repentance is to turn from sin and to return to God Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way Consult these Scriptures Isa 44.22 Isa 19.22 Isa 59.20 Hosea 3.5 Hosea 6.1 Hosea 14.1 and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord c. Jer. 1.4 If thou wilt return O Israel saith the Lord return unto me and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight then shalt thou not remove And so Chap. 18.11 Return ye now every one from his evil way and make your way and your doings good 1 Pet. 2.25 For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls 'T is not enough for a sinner to forsake his sins but he must also return to the Lord. The true penitent subjects his heart to the power of divine grace and his life to the blessed will and word of God Look as negative goodness can never satisfie a penitent soul so negative goodness can never save an impenitent soul It is not enough O man that thou art not thus and thus bad but thou must be thus and thus good or thou wilt be miserable for ever Ezek. 18.21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he
shall be dealt with Mat. 24.5 But Secondly No hypocrite under heaven is totally divorced from the love and liking of every known sin there is still some secret lust or other Job 20.12 13 14 which as a sweet morsel he rowls under his tongue and will not spit it out every Hypocrite tollerates some evil or other in himself and takes liberty to transgress An Hypocrite will make hard shift to daub up his conscience and to secure himself from the checks thereof After once the bag was committed to Judas his custody after once he was chosen into that sweet office he quickly put conscience out of office It was a strange conceit of the Cerinthians and those Caini or Cainiani as they are called by some that honoured Judas the Traitor as some divine and super-humane power and called his treason a blessed piece of service that he knowing how much the death of Christ would profit mankind did therefore betray him to death to save the race of men and to do a thing pleasing to God Irenaeus Aug. de haeresi and never left stealing and licking his fingers whilst there was any money in his bag to finger Herod knew much and heard John Baptist and had some temporary affections and did many good things Mark 6.20 But yet 1. He kept Herodias his brother's wife Mark 6.17 2. He took away the life of John the Baptist Mark 6.27 3. He sets Jesus Christ at naught and rejected him Luke 23.11 As fair as Herod seemed to carry it yet he lived in a known notorious sin and unjustly murdered the messenger of God and mocked and rejected Jesus Christ as a vile person Some sin or other alwayes reigns without controul in an hypocritical heart As they say of Witches that they have one familiar or another that still sucks them An Hypocrite alwayes reserves one nest-egg or another in his heart or life for Satan to sit and brood on Jehu did many brave things but yet he kept up the worship of his golden calves Naaman promises high but yet he is for bowing in the house of Rimmon The Pharisees were very devout but yet they loved the praises of men and the uppermost seats in the Synagogues There is never an hypocrite in the world but will do what he can to save the life of his sin though it be with the loss of his soul O Sirs Satan can be contented that Hypocrites should yield to God in many things provided they will be but true to him in some one thing for he very well knows that one sin lived in and allowed gives him as much advantage against the soul as more Satan can hold a man fast enough by one sin as the Fowler can hold the bird fast enough by one claw Satan knows that one sin lived in and allowed will marr all a mans sweetest duties and services as one dead fly will marr the whole box of precious ointment and as one jarring string will bring the sweetest musick out of tune 'T is said of Naaman the Syrian Eccl. 10.1 that he was a valiant man and a victorious man and an honourable man 2 King 5.1 and a great favourite with his Prince but a Leper So it may be said of many Hypocrites they have such and such excellencies and they perform such and such glorious duties but they live and allow themselves in this or that sin Mat. 7.21 22 23. and that marrs the beauty of all their services Satan knows that one sin lived in and allowed will as certainly damn a man as many as one disease one ulcerous part may as certainly kill a man as many Satan knows that one sin lived in and allowed Lev. 31. will render a man as unclean in the eye of God as many If the Leper in the Law had the spot of leprosie in any one part of his body he was accounted a Leper although all the rest of his body were sound and whole So he who hath the spot of the leprosie of sin allowed in any one part of his soul he is a spiritual Leper in the eye of God he is unclean though in other parts he may not be unclean The Schoolmen say that if a sow do but wallow in one miry or dirty hole she is filthy and certainly that soul that doth but wallow in any one sin he is filthy in the eye of God Satan knows Heb. 13.4 It is most true that the Heathen man saith Qui habet unium vitium shabet omnia he that hath any one vice viz. reigning hath all others with it Seneca de benef l. 5. c. 15. that one sin lived in and allowed will as effectually keep Christ and the soul asunder as many as one stone in the pipe will as effectually keep out the water as many Satan knows that one sin lived in and allowed will make way for many as one thief can open the door to let in many more Satan knows that one sin lived in and allowed will as certainly shut the soul out of heaven as many one enemy may shut the door upon a man as well as many and what difference is there between that man that is shut out of heaven for living in many sins and he that is shut out of heaven for lâ—ving but in one sin One sin lived in and allowed will arm conscience against a man as well as many If there be but one crack in the honey glass there the wasp will be buzzing One sin allowed and countenanced will spoyl the musick of conscience one sin lived in and allowed will make death as terrible and as formidable to the soul as many one hand-writing upon the wall made King Nebuchadnezzar's countenance to change Dan. 5.5 6. and his thoughts to be troubled and the joynts of his loyns to be loosed and his knees to be dashed one against another Now all this Satan knows and therefore he labours mightily to engage Hypocrites to live in the allowance of some one sin O Sirs remember that as one hole in a Ship will sink it and as one stab at the heart will kill a man and as one glass of poyson will poyson a man and as one act of Treason will make a man a Traitor so one sin lived in and allowed will damn a man for ever one wound strikes Goliah dead as well as three and twenty did Caesar one Dalilah will do Sampson as much mischief Suetonius as all the Philistines one wheel broken spoyls all the whole clock one vein's bleeding will let out all the vitals as well as more one bitter herb will spoyl all the pottage Gen. 3. 1 Sam. 14.33 Josh 7. Jonah 1. by eating one apple Adam lost Paradise one lick of honey endangered Jonathan's life one Achan was a trouble to all Israel one Jonah was lading too heavy for a whole Ship So one sin lived in and allowed is enough to make a man miserable for ever One milstone will sink a man
hypocrites that won't receive him in every office 1 Cor. 1 1â— should have no benefit by any one of his offices Christ and his offices may be distinguished but Christ and his offices can never be divided whilst many have been a labouring to divide one office of Christ from another they have wholly stript themselves of any advantage or benefit by Christ Hypocrites love to share with Christ in his happiness but they don't love to share with Christ in his holiness they are willing to be redeemed by Christ but they are not cordially willing to submit to the Laws and Government of Christ they are willing to be saved by his bloud but they are not willing to submit to his Scepter Hypocrites love the priviledges of the Gospel but they don't love the services of the Gospel especially those that are most inward and spiritual But now a sincere Christian he owns Christ in all his offices 1 John 12. Mat. 2.6 Heb. 7.21 26. Acts 3.22 John 12.46 he receives Christ in all his offices and he closes with Christ in all his offices he accepts of him not only as a Christ Jesus but also as a Lord Jesus he imbraces him not only as a saving Christ but also as a ruling Christ The Colossians received him as Christ Jesus the Lord Col. 2.6 they received a Lord Christ as well as a saving Christ they received Christ as a King upon his throne 2 Cor. 4.5 as well as a sacrifice upon his Cross God the Father in the Gospel tenders a whole Christ We preach Christ Jesus the Lord Acts 5.31 and accordingly a sincere Christian receives a whole Christ he receives Christ Jesus the Lord he sayes with Thomas My Lord and my God John 20.28 he takes Christ for his wisdom as well as for his righteousness and he takes him for his sanctification as well as for his redemption An hypocrite is all for a saving Christ for a sin-pardoning Christ for a soul-glorifying Christ but regards not a ruling Christ a reigning Christ a commanding Christ a sanctifying Christ and this at last will prove his damning sin John 3.19 20. But Seventhly An Hypocrite can't mourn for sin as sin nor grieve for sin as sin nor hate sin as sin nor make head against sin as sin Mark to hate sin is not 1. Num. 22. Meerly to refrain from sin for so Balaam did even then when he was tempted to it 2. To hate sin is not meerly to confess sin Exod. 10.16 Mat. 27.4 for so Pharaoh and Judas did 3. To hate sin is not meerly to be afraid to sin for this may be where the hatred of sin is not 4. To hate sin is not meerly to mourn because of the dreadful effects and fruits that sin may produce for so Ahab did and the Ninivites did c. He that sears sin for hell Augustine fears not to sin but to burn but he hates sin indeed whoso hates sin as hell it self It was a saying of one of the Ancients Anselm That if hell and sin were before him he would rather fall into hell than fall into sin here was a true hatred of sin indeed An hypocrite may be troubled for sin as it blots his name and wounds his conscience and brings a scourge and destroys his soul shuts him out of heaven and throws him to hell but he is never troubled for sin he never mourns for sin he never hates sin because 't is contrary to the nature of God the being of God the Law of God the glory of God the design of God or because of the evil that is in the nature of sin or because of the defiling and polluting power of sin True hatred of sin is universal 't is of the whole kind he who hates a toad because it is a toad hates every toad and he who hates a man because he is holy hates every holy man and so he who hates sin because 't is sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Rhet. lib. 2. hates every sin Psal 119.128 I hate every false way True hatred is ever against the whole kind of a thing Every sincere Christian hath in him a general hatred of every false way and dares not allow himself in the least sin What I do I allow not Rom. 7.15 Rom. 12.9 Abhor that which is evil The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very significant Chrysost the simple Verb imports extream detestation which is aggravated by the composition Rom. 2.21 the word signifies to hate evil as hell it self Though an hypocrite may hate some sins Thou abhorrest Idols yet that is out of some peculiar and particular indisposition to a particular sin Doctor Sibs in his souls conflict makes the hatred of sin the surest and never failing character of a good soul page 340. but this hatred of thâ—s or that particular sin ariseth not from an inward nature or gracious principle as it doth in him that is a sincere Christian the reason is this because that contrariety to sin which is in a real Christian arising from this inward gracious nature is to the whole species or kind of sin and is irreconcilable to any sin whatsoever As contrarieties of nature are to the whole kind as light is contrary to all darkness and fire to all water so this contrariety to sin arising from the inward man is universal to all sin Though a sincere Christian has not a universal victory over all sin yet there is in him a universal contrariety to all sin Victory argues strength contrariety argues nature Hence it is that an hypocrite may hate one sin and love another because there is not a gracious nature in him which would be contrary to all The inward nature of a Christian is to be judged by the universal contrariety of his inward man to all sin Now this universal contrariety to all sin will beget a univeâ—sal conflict with all sin O Sirs remember this A universal contrariety to sin can be found in no man but he that is sincere and this universal contrariety to sin argues an inward nature of grace and this is that which differences a real Christian from an hypocrite who may oppose some sins out of other principles and reasons An hypocrite may be angry with this sin and that which brings the smarting rod and wounds his conscience and disturbs his peace and imbitters his mercies and strangles his comforts and that layes him open to wrath and that brings him even to the gates of hell but he can never hate sin as sin An hypocrite he hates some sins but likes others he loaths some but loves others he opposes some but practises others like the Angel of the Church of Ephesus that hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans but loved luke-warmness Rev. 2.5 6. Many men detest theft that love covetousness abhor whoredom that like irrereligiousness c. There is no hypocrite under heaven that can truly
say I hate every false way but a sincere Christian he hates all sinful wayes but his own first and most 1 Kings 5.18 an upright heart leaves no nest-egg for Satan to sit on but the hypocrite alwayes does Mark in true hatred there are six things observable First True hatred includes an extream detestation every dislike is not hatred but true hatred is an extream loathing Thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth Isa 30.22 thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence Chap. 2.20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the Moles and to the Bats Their detestation should be so great that they should cast their most costly idols of silver and gold into the most dark nasty dusty corners to testifie the sincerity of their conversion to God they should hate and abhor abandon and abolish their gold and silver idols which they valued above all others Secondly True hatred includes an earnest separation He that hates his sin would fain be separated from his sin 2 Cor. 5.4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened A sincere Christian finds no burden to lay so heavy and weighty upon his spirit as sin and therefore he groans to be delivered from it In the Law Deut. 24.3 he that hated his Wife did sue out a bill of divorce from her He that truly hates sin puts in many a bill into the Court of Heaven that he may be for ever divorced from his sin Thirdly True hatred includes an irreconcilable alienation He that hates sin has his heart for ever alienated from sin he who hates sin can never be one with sin Two angry men may be made friends Lawyers often fall out at the Bar but are very well agreed when they meet at the Tavern but if two men hate each other all friendship is everlastingly broken betwixt them A man may be angry with sin and yet made friends with sin again but if once he comes to hate his sin then all friendship with sin is everlastingly broken When Christ and the soul comes to be really one then sin and the soul comes to be everlastingly two c. Fourthly True hatred includes a constant and perpetual conflict the flesh will be still lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7.22 23. Though sin and grace were not born together and though sin and grace shall never die together yet whilst a believer lives in this world they must live together and whilst sin and grace do cohabit together they will still be opposing and conflicting one with another That man that truly hates sin will everlastingly conflict with sin he will die fighting against his sins as one of the Dukes of Venice died fighting against his enemies with his weapons in his hand Well Christians remember this Though to be kept from sin brings most peace and comfort to us yet for us to oppose sin and for God to pardon sin that brings most glory to God 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. Fifthly True hatred includes a deadly intention and destruction for nothing satisfies hatred but death and ruin Saul hated David 1 Sam. 26.19 20. 1 Sam. 23.23 Est 5.14 and sought his life he hunted him up and down as a Partridge in the mountains he left no stone unturn'd nor no means unattempted whereby he might revenge himself upon David Haman hated Mordecai and nothing would satisfie him but to bring him to a shameful death to see him hang'd on a gallows fifty cubits high which was design'd saith Lyra to put Mordecai to the greater shame for he hanging hâ—gh every one might see him and point to him Now when there was but one night betwixt Mordecai and a shameful death divine providence opportunely strook in and saved hâ—m from Haman's malice and caused the mischief which he had plotted against Mordecai suddenly to fall upon his own pate for he who was highly feasted with the King one day 2 Sam. 13.22 28 29 30 31 32 33. was made a feast for crows the next day Absalom hated Amnon and killed him Julian the Apostate hated the Christians with a deadly hatred he put many thousands of them to death and threatned and vowed that at his return from fighting against the Persians he would put all the Christians in his Empire to the sword but God prevented him by cutting him off in that expedition A Christian that hates sin can't be satisfied but in the death and destruction of it in all his duties the language of his soul is Lord let my sins be destroyed whoever escapes let not my sins escape the hand of thy revenging justice And in all Ordinances the language of his soul is O Lord when shall my sins be subdued and mortified when shall my cursed corruptions be brought to an under yea when shall they all be drowned in the Red-Sea of my Saviours bloud c. Sixthly True hatred includes an impartial aversation true hatred is of the whole kind but of this before To wind up all ask thy heart what is it that thou abhorrest as the superlative evil what is that which thou wouldst have separated as far from thee as heaven is from hell what is that thy heart will never renew league or friendship with any more what is that against which thy soul doth rise and with which as Israel with Amalek thou wilt have war for ever Exod. 17.16 what is that which thou wilt be avenged of and daily dost endeavour the mortifying and crucifying of what is that which thou settest thy heart against in the comprehensive latitude thereof whether great or little open or secret if it be sin if it be thy sins if it be all thy sins then assuredly here is a true hatred of sin and assuredly here is a most distinguishing character of a child of God of a sound conversion and of a saving change It was not wont to be thus with thee nor is this findable in any hypocrite Judg. 14.3 7. or in any unconverted person upon the face of the earth 2 Sam. 13.15 sin was once to thee as Dalilah to Sampson but now it is to thee as Tamar to Amnon Job 20.12 13. once it was a sweet morsel which thou heldst fast and wouldst not let it go Isa 30.22 but now it is the menstruous cloth which thou castest away Hos 14.8 saying Get thee hence Now with Ephraim thou cryest out What have I to do any more with Idols O if it be indeed thus with thee then thou hast cause for ever to be much in blessing and in admiring of the Lord for his distinguishing grace and favour towards thee O Sirs the world is full of baits snares and temptations but whilst the hatred of sin burns in your breasts you may cast up your caps and throw the Gantlet to the
of Refuge But The second Royal Fort that Christians should have their eys their hearts fixed upon Imputed righteousness seem◠to be prefigured by the skins wherewith the Lord after the full cloathed our first parents The bodies of the beasts were for sacrifice the skins to put them in mind that their own righteousness was like the fig-leaves imperfect that therefore they must be justified another way whether their graces or gracious evidences sparkle and shine or are clouded and obscured is the Mediatory righteousness of Christ Beloved there is a twofold righteousness in Christ First there is his essential and personal righteousness as God Now this essential personal righteousness of Christ cannot be imputed to us But then there is Secondly his Mediatory righteousness that is that righteousness which he wrought for us as Mediator whereby he did subject himself to the preceptt to the penalties commands curses answering both Gods vindictive and rewarding justice This is communicated to us and made ours by virtue of which we stand recti in curia justified in God's sight The Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the matter of our justification Now this Mediatory righteousness of Christ includes First the habitual holiness of his person in the absence of all sin and in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy and requisite qualities Secondly the actual holiness of his life and death by obedience By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the Law and by his passive obedience his voluntary sufferings he satisfied the penalty and commination of the Law for transgressions Mark that perfect satisfaction to divine justice in whatsoever it requires either in way of punishing for sin or obedience to the Law made by the Lord Jesus Christ God and Man the Mediator of the new Covenant Osiander was of opinion that men were justified by the essential righteousness of Christ as God which opinion is largely confuted by Calvin in his Institutions as a common head representing all those whom the Father hath given to him and made over unto them that believe in him This is that righteousness that is imputed to us in justification No other righteousness can justifie us before the throne of God Look as Christ was made sin for us only by imputation so we are made righteous only by the imputation of his righteousness to us as the Scripture clearly evidences 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Jer. 23.6 The Lord our righteousness A soul truly sensible of his own unrighteousness would not have this sentence The Lord our righteousness blotted out of the Bible for ten thousand thousand worlds 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ Jesus is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness c. And pray how is Christ made righteousness to the believer Not by way of infusion but imputation not by putting righteousness into him but by putting a righteousness upon him even his own righteousness by the imputing his merit his satisfaction his obedience unto them through which they are accepted as righteous unto eternal life Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Christ's righteousness is his in respect of inhesion but it is ours in respect of imputation his righteousness is his personally but ours meritoriously Look as there is a true and real union between us and Christ so there is a real imputation of Christ's righteousness to us And a gracious soul triumphs more in the righteousness of Christ imputed than he would have done if he could have stood in the righteousness in which he was created This is the crowning comfort to a sensible and understanding soul that he stands righteous before a judgment-seat in that full exact perfect compleat matchless spotless pearless and most acceptable righteousness of Christ which is imputed to him The righteousness of Christ is therefore called the righteousness of God Rom. 3.21 22. Rom. 10.3 Phil. 3.9 because it is it which God hath designed and which God doth accept for us in our justification and for and in which he doth acquit and pronounce us righteous before his seat of justice Luthers great fear was that when he was dead this glorious doctrine of free justification by the righteousness of Christ would be sent packing out of the world That we are freely justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us is the very Basis foundation and state of Christian Religion whereby it is distinguished from all other Religions whatsoever Jews Turks Pagans and Papists explode an imputed righteousness yea Papists jeer it calling it a putative righteousness Well Sirs remember this once for all viz. That the Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the life of your souls and will afford you these most admirable comforts First In this righteousness there is enough to satisfie the justice of God to the utmost farthing The Mediatory righteousness of Christ is so perfect so full so exact so compleat and so fully satisfactory to the justice of God as that divine justice cryes out I have enough and I require no more I have found a ransom and I am fully pacified towards you Ezek. 16.62 63. But Secondly This Mediatory righteousness of Christ takes away all our unrighteousness it cancels every bond it takes away all iniquity and answers for all our sins Lord Isa 53. Col. 2.12 13 14 15. here are my sins of omission and here are my sins of commission but the righteousness of Christ hath answered for them all here are my sins against the Law and here are my sins against the Gospel and here are my sins against the offers of grace the tenders of grace the strivings of grace the bowels of grace but the righteousness of Christ hath answered for them all When a cordial was offered to one that was sick O said he the cordial of cordials which I daily take is this The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins O Sirs 1 Joh. 1.7 it would be high blasphemy for any to imagine that there should be more demerit in sin Rom. 8.1 33 34 35. in any sin in all sin to condemn a believer than there is merit in Christ's righteousness to absolve him to justifie him But Thirdly This righteousness of Christ presents us perfectly righteous in the sight of God It is that pure fine white linnen garment whereby our nakedness is covered before the face of God And to her was granted that is to the Lambs wife that she should be arrayed in fine linnen Rev. 19.8 clean and white for the fine linnen is the righteousness of Saints or the righteousnesses or justifications of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Greek is plural Some by righteousnesses understand the righteousness of Christ imputed and the righteousness of Christ imparted but I rather close
wanting to relieve a people so that must needs be a well ordered Covenant where there is nothing wanting to govern poor souls or to relieve poor souls or to save poor souls and such a Covenant is the Covenant of grace And sure the Covenant of grace is a sure Covenant Jer. 31.31 33 35 36 37. Psal 19.7 Rev. 3.14 Isa 54.10 Deut. 7.9 The Lord thy God he is God the faithful God or the God of Amen which keepeth Covenant with them that love him Psal 89.33 My Covenant will I not break Hebrew I will not prophane nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips All God's precepts all God's predictions all God's menaces and all God's promises are the issue of a most just faithful and righteous will God can neither dye nor lye Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began There are three things that God can't do 1. He can't dye Nor 2. He can't lye Nor 3. He can't deny himself Josh 23.14 And behold this day I am going the way of all the earth and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to passe unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof O Sirs the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love John 13.1 upon Gods unchangable love upon God's free love whom God loves once he loves for ever Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love God can as well cease to be as he can cease to love those whom he has taken into Covenant with himself And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love so 't is bottomed upon Gods immutable counsel Heb. 6.17 God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the immutable counsel of God so it is bottomed upon the free purpose of God 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure that is the decree and purpose of God's election stands firm and sure Now the purpose of God's election is compared to a foundation because it is that upon which all our happiness and blessedness is built and bottomed and because as a foundation it abides firm and sure And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the free purpose of God so 't is bottomed upon the glorious power of God The power of God is an infinite power Isa 33.11 Isa 41.2 Mal. 4.1 1 Cor. 1.25 it is a supream power a power that overtops the power of all mortals What 's the stubble to the flames the chaff to the whirlwind no more is all created power to the power of God The weakness of God is stronger than men and did not Pharaoh find it so and Haman find it so and Sennacherib find it so and Nebuchadnezzar find it so and Belshazzar find it so and Herod find it so In all the ages of the world the power of God hath bore down all before it the power of God is an independant power a matchless power an incomparable power an enduring power an eternal power And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the power of God Heb. 6.17 18 Psal 89.34 35. so it is bottomed upon the oath of God Luke 1.72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Ver. 73. The oath which he sware to our father Abraham To think that God will break his oath or be perjured is an intollerable blasphemy Once more give me leave to say the Covenant of grace is bottomed not only upon the oath of God but also upon the precious blood of Christ The blood of Christ is called the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the fiâ—st Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Ver. 17. A Testament is of force after men are dead It is called a Covenant and a Testament 1. A Covenant in respect of God and a Testament in respect of Christ 2. A Covenant in respect of the manner of agreement and a Testament in respect of the manner of confirming Jesus Christ died as a Testator and by his death confirmed the Testamentary gift before made of Life and Salvation Now the Covenant of grace being thus gloriously bottomed as you seâ— it must roundly and undeniably follow that thâ— Covenant of grace is a sure Covenant For this is all my salvation and all my desire i. e. This is the great ground of all my hope concerning my salvation and of all the happiness and blessedness which I look for in another world This everlasting Covenant this sure Covenant is the great Charter of Charters that I have to shew for eternal bliss David was drawing neer to his eternal home and whether his graces and gracious evidences for heavens happiness were bright and shining or blotted and clouded I shall not at this time stand to enquire it is enough that he stayes his soul upon the Covenant of grace and that he comforts and solaces his soul in the Covenant of grace And O that all Christians when their graces and gracious evidences are either clouded or blotted or else sparkling and shining that they would frequently eye these three royal Forts viz. 1. The free-grace and favour of God 2. The Mediatory righteousness of Christ 3. The Covenant of grace Now that I may the more effectually prevail with you to look upon these royal Forts and to delight in these royal Forts and to prize these royal Forts and to improve these royal Forts Give me leave to offer these three things briefly to your consideration First Our best graces and performances are not commensurate and square payment in the eyes of pure justice all of them as inherent in us and acted by us are but imperfect excellencies No man hath so much grace and holiness as is required nor doth he so much as he is obliged to do Every particular grace though it be of an heavenly and divine original yet it is like the Stars twinkling though placed in the heavens so that if God should enter into judgment with the most righteous person even the righteousness that is in him Psal 143.2 Job 14.3 4. Rom. 3.20 would not be safety and defence unto him for what a deal of pride have we mixt with a little humility and what a deal of passion have we mixt with a little meekness and what a deal of hypocrisie have we mixt with a little sincerity and what a deal of earthly-mindedness have we
highest Mountains and Hills yet were drowned So let men climb up to the highest duties yet if they be not housed in Christ in his righteousness they will be as certainly damned as the men in the old world were certainly drowned Adam and all his posterity was to be saved by doing Do this and live And hence it is natural to all the sons and daughters of Adam to rest on duties and to look for life and happiness in a way of doing but if salvation were to be had by doing what need of a Saviour Well remember this once for all such as rest on duties such as rest on their own righteousness or on any thing on this side Christ such shall find them as weak as the Assyrian or as Jareb they cannot heal them they cannot cure them of their wounds Hos 5.13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb yet could they not heal him nor cure him of his wound Duties are to Satan as the Ark of God was to the Philistines he trembles to see a soul diligent in the use of them and yet not daring to rely on them but on Christ but when he can draw poor souls to confide in their duties and to rest on their duties then he has his design then he claps his hands for joy then he cryes out Ah ah so would I have it There is no sin that doth so formally and immediately oppose Christ and reject Christ and provoke Christ as this of resting upon self-righteousness and therefore above all pray against this and watch against this and weep over this There is no man in his wits that hath a precious lading that will dare to adventure it in a crackt and broken vessel so there is no Christian in his wits that will dare to adventure the everlasting safety of his soul upon the leaking vessels and bottoms of his own holiness or services O Sirs your duties cannot satisfie the Justice of God they cannot satisfie the Law of God your present duties cannot satisfie for your former sins and rents that be behind A man that payes his Rent honestly every year does not thereby satisfie for the old Rent not paid in ten or twenty years before Thy new obedience O Christian is too weak to satisfie for old debts and therefore roll thy self on Christ and Christ alone for life and for salvation Bellarmine could say after all his disputes for relying on works on Saints and Angels Tutius est c. The safest way is to rely on Jesus Christ Now let all these things work you to renounce your own righteousness and to take sanctuary alone in the pure perfect and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ and in the free-grace of God Austin Paul is called by one the best child of grace in the world Eph. 3.8 for whatsoever he was or had or did he ascribeth all to free-grace he was the chiefest of the Apostles and yet less than the least of all Saints he was very eminent in grace and yet what he was he was by grace By the grace of God I am what I am He lived yet not he but Christ lived in him 1 Cor. 15.10 Gal. 2.20 1 Cor. 15.10 Phil. 4.13 He laboured more abundantly than they all yet not he but the grace of God which was with him He was able to do all things but still through Christ that strengthned him O that these three last things might work you to be more in love with free-grace than ever and to be more in love with the righteousness of Christ than ever and to be more in love with the Covenant of grace than ever But The fourteenth Proposition is this The more grace the more holiness the more any man has of the Spirit of Sanctification the more clear the more fair the more full the more sweet will his evidences be for heaven for salvation and the more comfort and the more assurance and the more settlement and the more of the witness of the spirit of Adoption such a person will certainly attain unto That Spirit which is the earnest of our inheritance and which seals us up to an holy assurance is an holy Spirit Eph. 1.13 14. he is frequently called the holy Spirit Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51.11 Isa 63.10 Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 4.8 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Hâ— therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit To make a man holy is more than to create a world 't is a work too high and too hard for Angels or men it becomes none and it can be done by none but by the holy Spirit Sanctification is the Spirits personal operation 't is the great work of the Spirit to shape 2 Thes 2.13 1 Pet. 1.2 form and fashion the new-creature holiness in all the vessels of glory The Spirit is the root of all holiness and therefore the several parts of holiness are called the fruits of the Spirit Holiness is the very picture of God Gal. 5.22 and certainly no hand can carve that excellent picture but the Spirit of God Holiness is the Divine nature and none can impart that to man but the Spirit the Spirit is the great principle of holiness Now the more grace the more holiness any man hath the more he is the delight of the Spirit and the more the Spirit will delight to witness his Sonship his Saintship and his Heirship unto him Scripture and experience will tell you that commonly men of greatest holiness have been men of greatest assurance This is certain the more holiness the more assurance for so the precious promises runs Isa 32.17 The work of righteousness shall be peace to wit peace of conscience Rom. 5.1 and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Inherent righteousness for of that he speaks as is evident by the 15. and 16. verses of the same Chapter is the high-way to assurance and peace So Psal 50. ult To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God that is declare my self to be his Saviour say some say others I will give him a prospect of heaven here and a full fruition of heaven hereafter say others I will cause him to see and know that he shall be saved So John 14.21 He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him Ver. 23. If any man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Holy Christians shall have most of the spiritual presence of
Christ and of the singular manifestations of the love of Christ to their souls The great reason of reasons why the springs of comfort of joy of inward peace and of assurance rises no higher in many Christians souls is because the springs of grace and holiness rises no higher in their souls Had Christians more grace and more holiness in their hearts and lives God would quickly bring down more of heaven and assurance into their souls There is a blessed assurance as I have told you before which arises from the discovery of grace in the soul Now the more ample large and full the matter of our assurance is the more ample large and full must our assurance be Methinks the connexion of these four verses in Titus 2.11 12 13 14. shews this When grace that appears to us teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts c. See what follows then we are most likely to look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And that prayer of the Apostle for his Ephesians Eph. 3.16 17 18 speaks as loudly in the case That God would grant them to be strengthned by the Spirit c. to be rooted and grounded in love And what then That ye may comprehend with all Saints the length and breadth of the love of God Suppose in health or sickness living or dying a man should labour to support comfort and chear up his spirit in the thoughts or meditations of his eternal election and free justification And suppose that at that very time the Spirit of God his own conscience â— Thes 2.13 14. a faithful Minister or an experienced Christian should tell him That if he be really justified he is really sanctified Now if this man should say What do you tell me of sanctification or I know not whether I am sanctified or no or I look not to sanctification I mind not holiness I regard not the fruits of the Spirit will not the holy Spirit will not an enlightned conscience will not a faithful Minister will not an experienced Christian reply Then certainly thou art not elected thou art not justified for it is a truth as clear as the Sun a truth that will admit of no dispute viz. Rom 8.1 13 29 30. That none are eternally elected and freely justified but they are sanctified and that they that are not sanctified are not justified Mark there is a closs connexion of sanctification with justification in the promises of the Covenant sanctification and justificatiòn go hand in hand they come forth like twins out of the womb of free-grace as you may see in these remarkable Scriptures Jer. 33.8 Bern. in Cant. Serm. 37. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me Here you see them both expressed together in the same deed I will cleanse them from all their iniquity there is our sanctification promised And I will pardon all their iniquities there is justification promised So Mich. 7.19 He will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt câ—st all their sins into the depths of the Sea Here you find justification and sanctification again in the promise He will subdue our iniquities This is sanctifying And he will cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea This is justifying Heb. 8.10 I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts there is the promise of sanctification Vâ—r. 12. And I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more There is the promise of justification 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins There is our justification promised And to cleanse us from aâ—l unrighteousness There is the promise of sanctification Ezek. 36.25 From all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you There is the promise of sanctification Ver. 29. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses There is the promise of justification 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified Justification and sanctification are inseparable companions distinguished they must be but divided they can never be where sin is pardoned the gift of sanctity is still conferred 'T is weakness 't is wickedness for a man to conclude that he is in an elected and justified estate when he has nothing when he has not the least thing to evidence himself to be in a sanctified estate Both justification and sanctification have a necessary respect to the salvation of all those that shall go to heaven He that will go to heaven must be sanctified and he that will go to heaven must be justified No man can go to heaven without both no man can go to heaven unless he be justified Rom. 8.30 Whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them he also glorified None are justified but such as are called and none are glorified but such as are justified And as no man can go to heaven but he that is justified so no man can go to heaven but he that is sanctified John 3.5 Jesus answered and said unto him verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Ver. 5. Jesus answerd verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God See my Treatise on Holiness Heb. 12.14 And holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. By these Scriptures 't is evident that there is an absolute necessity both of sanctification and justification in reference to salvation Now as sanctification and justification are linkt together so the more clear the more full the more evident and the more eminent a mans sanctification is the more clear the more full the more evident and the more eminent will the evidences of his justification be The greatest evidences of our sanctification carries with them the greatest assurance of our justification and of our salvation But The fifteenth Proposition is this When your graces are strongest and your evidences for heaven are clearest and your comforts rise highest upon the sight of your graces or gracious evidences then in a special manner it concerns you to make it your great business and work to act faith a fresh to act faith with a greater strength upon the free rich and glorious grace of God and upon the Lord Jesus Christ 'T is reported of the Chrystal that it hath such a vertue in it that the very touching of it quickens other stones and puts a luster and beauty upon them This is most true of faith faith is a grace that gives strength and efficacy to all other graces it is like a silver thred that runs thorow a chain of pearl it hath an influence upon all other graces
that are in the soul faith is as the spring in the watch that moves the wheels not a grace stirs till faith sets it at work What is said of Solomons vertuous woman viz. Prov. 31.15 27 Heb. 11. Rom. 4.3 8.24 Zech. 12.10 That she sets all her Maidens to work is most true of faith faith sets all the graces in the soul at work We love as we believe and we obey as we believe and we hope as we believe and we joy as we believe and we mourn as we believe and we repent as we believe all graces keep time and pace with faith c. Now when your graces are most shining and your evidences for heaven are most sparkling O then give faith elbow-room give faith full scope to exercise it self upon the Lord Jesus Adams obedience to innocency was not more pleasing and delightful to God than the exercise of your faith on the Lord Jesus will be at such a time pleasing and delightful to him you are to look upon all your graces and gracious evidences as your highest encouragement to a lively cheerful 1 Joh. 5.13 Rom. 1.17 and resolute acting of faith upon the person of Christ the righteousness of Christ c. All a Christians graces and all his gracious evidences should be but as a golden bridge Gen. 45.19 21 27. or as Josephs wagons a means to pass his soul over to Christ afresh by a renewed exercise of faith When your graces and gracious evidences are most splendent then be sure that Christ be found lying as a bundle of myrrhe between your breasts and all is well and will be well Dear Christians Cant. 1.12 when your eyes are fixt upon inherent righteousness Plutarch in the life of Phocion tells us of a certain gentle-woman of Ionia who shewed the wife of Phocion all the rich jewels and precious stones she had She answered her again all my riches and jewels is my Husbands This is more applicable to Christ c. The precious stone Opalum is said to have the vertue of all stones the brightness of the Carbuncle the purple colour of the Amethist the amiable greenness of the Emerald but what are all these to Christ and upon your gracious evidences then let your hearts be firmly fixt upon the Lord Jesus Christ and his imputed righteousness Pauls eye was fixt upon his grace upon his better part Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man Ver. 25. And with my mind I serve the Law of God And yet at the very same time his heart was set upon Christ and taken up with Christ Ver. 25. I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ Though Paul had an eye to his noble part his better part his regenerate part yet at the same time his heart was taken up with the Lord Jesus Christ as freeing of him from the curse of the Law the dominion of sin the damnatory power of sin and as translating of him into the glorious liberty of the sons of God I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ So in Col. 2.2 3. You have their eyes fixt upon grace and at the same time their hearts fixt upon Christ That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Their eyes were upon grace but their hearts were taken up with Christ So in Phil. 3.8 The Apostle had his eye upon the excellent knowledge of Christ But Ver. 9. his heart is taken up with the righteousness of Christ That I might be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Though Paul had his eye upon grace upon inherent righteousness yet in the very presence of his grace his heart was taken up with Christ and with his imputed righteousness as is evident in the Text. This is your glory Christians in the presence and sight of all your graces and gracious evidences to see the free grace of Christ and his infinite spotless matchless and glorious righteousness to be your surest sweetest highest and choicest comfort and refuge Look as Rebkekah was more taken with the person of Isaac than she was with his ear-rings Gen. 24.30 53 64 65 66 67. bracelets jewels of silver and jewels of gold So it becomes a Christian in the presence of his graces and gracious evidences which are Christs ear-rings bracelets and jewels to be more taken up with Christ than with them He that holds not wholly with Christ doth very shamefully neglect Christ Aut totum mecum tene aut totum omitte Grego Nazien Christ and his Mediatory righteousness should be more in a Christians eye and always lye nearer to a Christians heart than inherent righteousness Grace is a ring of gold and Christ is the sparkling diamond in that ring Now what 's the ring to the sparkling diamond 'T is not safe to pore more upon inherent righteousness than upon imputed righteousness 'T is not wisdom to have our thoughts and hearts more taken up with our gracious dispositions and gracious actings than with the person of Christ the righteousness of Christ the life of Christ the death of Christ the satisfaction of Christ c. Dear Christians was it Christ or was it your graces or your gracious evidences or your gracious dispositions or your gracious actings that trod the wine-press of your Fathers wrath that satisfied divine justice that pacified divine anger that did bear the curse that fulfill'd the Law that brought in an everlasting righteousness that discharged your debts that procured you pardon that made your peace and that brought you into a state of favour and friendship with God If you answer as you must none but Christ none but Christ O then let your thoughts and hearts be firstly mostly chiefly and lastly taken up with the Lord Jesus Though inherent grace be a glorious creature yet 't is but a creature Now when your thoughts and hearts are more taken up with inherent grace than they are with Christ the spring and fountain of all grace you make an idol of inherent grace John 1.16 Col. 2.2 3. and reflect dishonour upon the Lord Jesus A Christian may lawfully look upon his graces and his gracious evidences and a Christian ought to be much in blessing and praising of God for his graces and gracious evidences and a Christian may safely take comfort in his graces and gracious evidences as they are the fruits of God's eternal and unchangable love Isa 38.3 2 Cor. 1.12 but still his work should be to live upon Christ and to lift up Christ above all 'T is Christ 't is his Mediatory righteousness 't is free-grace that a Christian ought to make the