needs understand it of the Church therefore as in an holy rapture and speaking of Gods government of it he saith Her foundations ye know whom I speake of So in another Psalme the Lord heare thee in the day of trouble one would have thought he had spoken of some body before the Lord hear thee thee afflicted poor soule whosoever In the day of trouble the Lord heare thee so This poore man I know some interpret it in reference to Christ therefore they make it a prophesie of Gods hearing of Christs prayer upon the crosse and in the garden some of the antients interpret it so but yet it runs more directly concerning righteous men according to the phrase of Scripture This poore man that is any poore man any righteous man it is as much as The righteous crie and the Lord hears them This psore man cried and the Lord heard him that is whosoever is in distresse and perplexitie if he seeke to God God will heare him and deliver him Wee see it by experience And we may see it by example too The examples are many in Scripture I will instance only in three that this hath alway been the course that the Saints of God nay that even wicked men have tooke in the time of calamitie and distresse to flie to the Throne of grrace and to turne to God by prayer Moses when God sayd he had a purpose to destroy the congregation of Israel and consume them in a moment presently he betakes himselfe to his knees and he speakes to God O Lord this people have committed a great sinne it was the course that David tooke too when he saw the Angel of the Lord with his sword drawn over Jerusalem readie to destroy it It is I that have sinned it was the course that Hezekiah tooke when he had a Message of death brought to him He turned to the wall saith the Text and said to God O Lord remember how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart he turned to the Wall that is he sequestred himself from earthly occasions that he might Turne to the Lord with more libertie of Spirit and largenesse of heart It was the course that Manasses tooke that filled Jerusalem with blood when he was in chaines and captivitie and affliction he turned to the Lord and called upon him and humbled himselfe greatly it was the course that the Prodigall tooke in the new Testament when he had not bread to eate he saith I will goe to my Father that is I will turne to my Father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee we see it confirmed by example there cannot be more said To confirme it by reason for this is the most easie and the most equall and the most successefull and most possible course of diverting any ill wee are in or in danger of It is the most equall and reasonable course because God is the person that is provoked by us he is the Judge that sends the punishment it is his Law that is broken his name that is dishonoured to whom should wee goe but to him that wee have provoked by our sinnes It is not possible that the turning away of judgement should be by any other way Vaine is the helpe of man it is not in the Arme of flesh to save any one from that judgement that God sends There is no care no providence no foresight of man can divert judgement we must have recourse to God And it is the most successefull way of all other no man can instance in any example of any soule that ever turned to God by prayer in the time of distresse but if God saw it needfull in his wisedome to turne away plague or famine he turned it away Prayer is the most readie and the most equall way And Prayer is the most easie way can any man desire to have a blessing upon easier tearmes then to aske and have to turn to God and to have him turne to us to turn to God have his judgements turned from us that is the first Proposition there is no hope of turning away calamities over us but by turning to God by Prayer Secondly there is no hope of diverting judgements but by turning to God by repentance that is the second Turne to God by prayer and turne to God by repentance or else prayer will not serve without repentance If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord wll not heare my prayer The prayer of sinners is oft times accepted but it is of penitent sinners but the prayer of sinne never the hands of the blasphemer and the eyes of the Adulterer that looke to Heaven God lookes with indignation upon such hands and eyes and hearts we must purge our hearts from wickednesse if we will turne to God These two cannot stand together God and sinne as on the other side pardon and impenitencie cannot stand together because pardon belongs to repentance so sinne and repentance cannot stand together the one takes away the other sinne removes repentance and repentance removes sinne sinne makes a seperation betweene God and us repentance knits us againe the one destroyes the other sinne makes God turne from the purpose of of mercie Your sinnes have withheld good things from you this I did to you and would have done more but for your transgressions sin makes God turn from the purpose of mercie on the other side repentance makes God turn from the purpose of judgement Lastly Sinne never meets with pardon that is impenitencie though sinne meet with pardon impenitencie doth not it sets a man further from God then sinne when its first committed It is worse to goe on in sinne then to commit it But repentance alway hath pardon First repentance never misseth of forgivenesse if we turne to God he is alway readie to turne to us See in that place of the Psalme The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him to those that are of a broken heart and he saves them that be of a contrite Spirt Yet plainer in 2. Chron. 3. If ye will turne to the Lord the Lord will not turne his face from you yet againe Amos 5. Hate the evill and seeke the good it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph that is peradventure he will Some may say here is some hope some comfort but here is no assurance there is no assurance in this place The Lord is nigh he may be nigh he is nigh to all he may be nigh to me but yet it may be he will not turne to me in mercie it may be he may be too neare me as when he sends judgements what comfort have I by that promise the Lord is nigh I have lesse comfort by that It may be he will turne Is salvation promised with it may be It may be God will be gratious There is but little comfort in that Turne from your evill wayes and God will not turne away his face He hath turned
them believe that their sins are unpardonable what should I beg for pardon of sinnes my time is past If not that then he labours to keepe them from enjoying the comfort of pardon he labours to blind their eyes if they have pardon that they may not see that comfort If not that he tempts them to presumption if he cannot hinder them of the comfort he labours to draw them to a presumptuous opinion of their righteousnesse that they have no sinne to beg pardon you are not such a sinner c. It were well if there were no sinne but is that a Cockatrice egg that they should thinke they need not to aske pardon of sinne at the hâ—nds of God It was one of the opinions in the primitive times but this time farre outstrips that because worse opinions attend upon it there were some that were gotten in unawares I wonder whence this opinion should grow that Christians should ever come to this height of impietie to thinke it unlawfull to beg pardon of sinne therefore it comes from another because God sees no sinne in his Children But whence comes this here is an ill bird and an ill egge yet it hath a dam that is older still that is as damnable as either that is that Christians are not tyed to any obedience of the morall law because they are brought under the obedience of Christ see how they hang like Samsons foxes that were tyed after a disorderly manner First the Devill possesseth their hearts that there is no obedience to the law of God and thereby he stops up the fountain of al pietie If there be no obedience to the Law it must needs follow that there can be no sin for there is no sinne without the transgression of the law and then there no sinne for God to see and then they need not after they are in the state of justification beg remission they need not use this prayer Take away iniquitie nor that of Christ forgive us our trespasses There is not any of all these opinions but they are as I conceive sprung from the misunderstanding of some orthodox point in divinitie that people not well understanding themselves doe wrest As the poynt of justification only by faith that point is only for our comfort we must exclude works in justification our works have no part in the justification of a sinner but it doth not follow because faith only justifies that thereupon they conclude what have we to do with works and obedience of the law That is a mistake for God though he justifie us without works he requires obedience as a fruit of justification and as a speciall pledge of that grace that he works in the heart There is the mistake of that The other and a second branch comes from the mistake of another point that is comfortable and hath its foundation in the book of God that he that is truly in the state of son-ship cannot fall finally that is a fundamentall point and of great consequence and that is cleare because else Gods promise should not be true if God were mutable and should bring us into a state of adoption one day and after cast us out This is a point of great prety But from wresting of this comes the other point that because they cannot fall totally that therefore they cannot fall at all that because a man cannot sinne finally that justification makes him totally gracious that he cannot sinne For though God keep them from finall sinning yet the best Saints fall In many things wee sinne all And he that saith he is not a sinner is a lyar even of those that are converted Wee tread awry every day and there are many slips and sometimes foule grosse falls but it pleaseth God to raise us againe but it is by repentance and faith in Christ the same way that we rose at the first So for the third point that men need not beg pardon it is from a corrupt originall It is a good heavenly point that there is a certainty of salvation granted to many Saints that certainty may be had though it be not had by all every one comes not to the same degree of assurance From the mistake of this comes the third because we may be assured that we are in a state of salvation and grace and that sinne is pardoned we need not beg pardon So they run to popery another way Popery is a thing that they disclaim and while they would run from popery they fall into another extream and run to popery another way Compare them a little A Saint may come to perfection and keep all the morall law say the Papists a Christian may come to that perfection that he need not keep it say they Some sins are of so easie a weight they are not to be accounted God accounts them no sins the first motions God sees not these in his Children as sins say the Papists God sees no sin in his children say they here is their errour Say the Papists if assurance may be had why doe we beg for forgivenesse It is fond to beg pardon if wee have assurance So they because the child of God hath assurance he needs not beg pardon Thus they run by eschewing the contrary into the same errour in a worse manner then they For of all other these are most damnable There is never an opinion that the Devill hath stirred up that hath a worse savour and intendment in it then these It overthrows the foundation of the Gospel and of Christianity and piety It takes away Christ and take him away take away prayer and repentance and all at one blow O when there are such fundamentall errours as these shall we wonder if God send the plague to purge his floore when these shall start up and are not smothered And those that should smother them doe not awake authority No man cares which way Religion goes and how it thrives God will purge this leaven from the authors of these opinions and those that should suppresse it God will not have every man preach what he will and hold and do what he will And if humane Lawes be offended there is severity enough in correcting Gods law is broken daily and no man looks after it Of all others that one grosse point that Christians are come to think it unnecessary nay needlesse nay sinfull to beg remission of sins then farewell Gospel and Religion and all St. Austin had some in his time that were of that opinion therefore he hath diverse passages against it They had no sinne The forme that Christ gave it agrees to every Christian it is a forme that all Christians must use to the worlds end they must still pray forgive us our trespasses as long as they live and breath Not only all other Christians but the Apostles the masters of the Flock those that were the bell-weathers the greater sort of sheep that Christ committed the sheep to yet the Apostles when they were on the
crosse in suffering or under the axe yet still they must pray forgive us our sinnes And in another place saith he There was never any Saint in the world or shall be but must make this prayer forgive us our trespasses Only that Sanctum-sanctorum Jesus Christ he is excepted he gave the forme he needed it not Yet further and that is a sweet speech the whole Church of God saith it and he is a reprobate that saith it not that he is in that condition of all other there is no greater signe then this it is to be feared he is in a state of reprobation that will not say Lord forgive us our trespasses pardon our sins Therefore there was good reason why the Prophet made them make their prayer against this iniquity that is the transgression of the law iniquity that makes shipwrack of conscience and exposeth to judgment and deprives of all comfort and iniquity that condemneth to hell therefore there they must settle this first petition Take away iniquity Secondly The extent All iniquity there is some reason why he addes that All is a word of universality an indefinite word here is no iniquity mentioned no fin mentioned but all wound up in a clew all in a lump propounded Take away all It is not take away our iniquity that is meant It is not take away this or that pardon our Idolatry or our rebellion pardon our prophanesse or the adulterers that neigh after their neighbours wives there be drunkards of Ephraim pardon these sins no pardon all There is some reason why the Prophet would have it thus pardon all take away all I conceive these three reasons First he would draw them to a generall acknowledgment of sinne for however we are tyed to a particular mention and confession of those sins that our consciences are privy to upon due search and in our acknowledgment and humiliation to name them to God This I have done and this thou hast done deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O God So for those sins that are past our memorie as there are many those we wind up in a generall implicite confession as that Publican O God be mercifull to me a sinner as here the Prophet teacheth them to say Take away all He would have them thereby acknowledge their aggravation of sin All that is many exceeding many nay all that is all that can be said Take away all the iniquities that we can name and all that the Prophet can name or that thou canst lay to our charge Lord our sins are great as skarlet for die as sands for number but one wipe with the spunge of thy mercie wil take away all they are more then we can expresse and number there is an all of them It is warrantable by the example of the Saints in Scripture And that is one of the errors of auricular confession that the Church of Rome fastens on men because they tie men to reckon every sinne that is impossible so they lay burthens on the consciences of men It is true it is the glory of Christians to honour God by confession and he that studies his heart most knows his life most but those that we cannot reckon it is an honour to God to reckon them up in generall phrases that we may give God the glory of aggravation I confesse against my selfe whatsoever I know I have done and I confesse what I have forgotten There are sinnes of my sleepe that I cannot remember and of my dreames I confesse them There are sins of my cradle I confesse to thee There are sinnes that I took no notice of before I had knowledge pardon all my iniquities The Prophet would draw them to an acknowledgement of all Every man hath an All. And if hee knew them to have an all O what an all is that with which we are oppressed now He that goes to reckon up the particulars of our general the many species kinds in this age it is an all that fils the world that fils heaven that fils the eares of God our sins we confesse to thee of thought and word and deed of ignorance of knowledge of presumption of infirmitie our secret sins our open sinnes against thee against our neighbours against our selves Thus a Christian goes on to aggravate against himselfe all these and what ever else can bee said He that goes about to reckon our drunkennesse our adulterie our backeslidings the severall degrees of our prophanesse the shedding of innocent blood how it encreaseth there hath been more blood shedde since the sickenesse began more duels about the City then I have heard of in two or three yeares before As if we would aggravate sinne when God comes to reckon with us If a man should reckon the degrees of fraud that is continually practised in shops and trades the prophaning of the Sabbath sin is come to that that it is uncontrollable that all the Magistrates in this Citie are not able to controll a few boyes and disorderly men that wrestle in the fields So boyes give lawes to men and so sin runs on The sin that every man commits if that be so infinite the sin that the whole commits how infinite is it We have an all He would bring them to an acknowledgement that is the first reason Secondly he would bring them to a detestation and protestation against all They come not to distinguish when they make confession before God take away our mortall sins but let our veniall sins alone our greater sins wipe away for our lesse we will shift as well as we can True repentance knowes no such distinction Though there be a difference of sins yet in repentance repentance makes none not the distinction so as to exclude any It makes distinction to mourn more for shipwracking sinnes that burthen conscience and force and streine our teares it mourns most for them but it acknowledgeth all If it be but as a graine of sand that it acknowledgeth an idle word an exorbitant thought an irreligious gesture indiscretion folly they are fruits of the first sin and these and every of these are opposite to the law If it be a transgression of the law it provokes the Divine Majestie and is an obliquity from him and incurs his justice if God should be extreame Therefore when a Christian askes pardon he distinguisheth not here is the sinne that I will lay aside and this is the sin that I wil ask pardon of no he repents of none that repents not of all He distinguisheth not the profitable and the unprofitable sins here is a sinne I am crucified to saith the old man I will aske God pardon of that but covetousnesse sticks to my fingers ends I will not ask pardon of that So when nature is weake in a drunkard he will then acknowledge I have offended God and sinned against the creatures in the intemperate use of them now he dares not for his consumption or he must not for his dropsie It is not
out of the book of his remembrance that it never rise for accusing or condemning We see that distinction of theirs will not stand before this word Take away our iniquities So now the points hence are these two The reasons why the Prophet chooseth this word for he might have had great variety not pardon thou that is as much not pardon or forgive iniquity but here is a fuller in regard of the effect Take away It is for these two reasons First he would draw them to acknowledge that sin was burthensome that they did detest and loath it For no man will have that taken away that he delights in It is plain the Prophet would have them expresse such affections that it might appeare that their sins were odious and abhominable and they delighted not in them no men would have that removed that they take pleasure in While sin is but the pastime of the impenitent heart no man desires it should be taken away but the prayer of a wicked mans heart is contrary Lord that I may fulfill my lusts that my sinnes may thrive and goe on Where sin is sweet and delightfull that man cannot wish that it should be taken away these are repugnant But where a man wisheth it to be taken away and pardoned it is plain there it appeares a burthen and heavie Looke in any thing naturall and civill A servant a man desires not to put him away while he is profitable but if he be unserviceable You cast not away a garment while it is usefull but when you have done with it when they will serve for your wearing you will keepe them no man will cast a way that that he hath profit or pleasure by It is either somewhat that is hurtfull or unusefull that men cast away So is the nature of sinne sinne only is unprofitable what fruit have you in those things saith the Apostle Sinne is that which is only hurtfull it exposeth men to great danger therefore if a man would truly prepare and fit his heart that he may speak with enlarged affections for the pardon of sinne let him learn first to come to the sense of it to know that sinne in its nature is a burthen David calls it so my iniquities are gone over my head A heavy burthen greater then Aetna greater then all the mountaines pyled one upon another but while sin is pleasing to the soule so long it is not a burthen Water in its place doth not gravitare If a man be at the bottom of the Sea and all the waves be on him hee feels no weight If he be out of the sea a paile of water is heavie Why in the Sea it is in its place Sinne when men delight in it is in its place it hath no weight he that truly desires to have it taken away he must find it burthensom A man that is in danger of drowning hee will cry with fervency for help a man that sees the danger of sinne it will make him cry and roare The reason why we do not cry with such fervency for the removing of sin is because we feele not the sting and sharpnesse of it Therefore a good Christian makes this a part of his study that hee may bring himselfe to find sinne burthensome And that may be done by these meanes If he oft represent the purity of that law that sin transgresseth the law of God The glory of that Majestie that sin provokes the Lord of Hosts The blood of that Saviour that sin crucifies the Lord of life The honour of that profession that sinne disgraceth the profession of Christianity The losse of that happinesse that sinne endamageth the losse of heaven The bitternesse of that place to which sin exposeth eternall condemnation The comfort of that conscience that sin makes shipwrack of that is the conscience that is within a man that shall either be a vessel of comfort or woe He that layes all these together will begin to apprehend that sin is burthensome that sinne hath weight on it and that the Prophet provokes them to by this word The word signifies to take a burthen from a man that is over weary So the same word is that that John useth concerning Christ The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world The weight of sinne lay on the world Christ comes and takes it away he takes it upon himselfe that he might take it from us That they might understand thus much therfore he chooseth this word of weight That is the first reason to bring them to this acknowledgment that their sin was distastfull and burthensome because they could desire God to take them away Secondly another thing it implies is hee would hereby bring them to the acknowledgment of the author of pardon of sin He would hereby let them understand who alone is both able and willing to take away sin That is not in the power of any creature or man himself or any Angell or Prophet or Apostle or Saint whatsoever Here is the second thing requisite in every true convert First he must find sin burthensome Secondly that he acknowledge God to be the author of the pardon of it It is in vaine to come before God and not to know this He that comes to God must believe that he is He that comes to God to remove his sin must believe that God must remove it Shall we come to God and believe and trust the merits of others to remove sinne It is to mock God Let our adversaries of Rome look to this though they pretend God to be the author of pardon yet let them see how it will stand with those poynts One concerning the doctrine of merit and the other concerning free-will For if the Saints by the merit of their intercession can procure pardon or if those to whom the power of the keyes is committed can properly virtually efficaciously and directly remove and take away sinne it is plaine they that hold these cannot acknowledg God to be the sole author of pardon But the Scripture runs in another phrase God expresseth it so and testifies of himselfe that none else can doe it Isa 43. I the Lord blot out your iniquities The Prophet acknowledgeth so much To thee O Lord belongeth mercie and forgivenesse As mercie and forgivenesse belong to God so the taking away of sinne that is to thee alone It hath the force of an exclusive because the depth of mercie belongs to him therefore forgivenesse And we are happy that it belongs to him God knows what successe we should have if it were trusted to men that are so unmercifull Nay if it were in the hands of Angels though they be charitably and well-affected to us that are their fellow-members yet there is a great deal of difference the bowels of Angels would be strait if they were the dispensers of it No it must be a fountaine that cannot be drawn dry it must bâ— an infinite hath that must wash the souâ—e and that
God are called Statutes because they are immoveable they cannot be altered and changed thereupon it is that you have this Epithite anexed oft in Scripture they are sure and stedfast and faithfull The statutes of the Lord are sure Psal 19. A more sure word of prophecie saith Peter Stedfast promises Rom. 4. Sure and stedfast commandements Heb. 2. It is an epithite still given to shew the surenesse they are called Statutes the Latine word signifies stability the Hebrew signifies visitation that God visits for breaking them yet this is proper they are called Statutes because they are ratified they are firm the things that God hath established Every thing is said to be ratified that stands My counsell shall stand saith God in Isa and out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established therefore we stand to it it is the rule and summe of our faith that cannot be abolished it is a thing ratified thy Statutes Statutes is more then precepts they are unabrogable precepts they are Statutes Sanctions Decrees Constitutions If I would enlarge my selfe from this particular I could shew that hence there is an obligation laid to observe Gods lawes because they are Statutes that that God by his decree hath established we cannot nullifie them by our transgressions wee nullifie Gods commandements as much as lies in us as oft as we break them to transgresse the commandements is as much as in us is to cancell that that God hath confirmed and to nullifie that that God hath ratified it is not only to break it by sinne but to break it in the validity There is no man that transgresseth but he wisheth there were no commandements no rule of obedience and piety It is not so with other creatures all other creatures have a law and it is a statute-law because it is a law that they have not broken they all keepe those Statutes that God hath given them and they have nothing but the instinct of nature not only animate but inanimate creatures the Stars keep their courses and the Earth and the Sea keeps it's course and motion of ebbing and flowing as the impression was first made in them when they were created it is a firmer law that is given to man not only that law but the law of Gods commandements He hath given him that law that shall stand more firme for that law of nature shall be abrogated when there shall be a dissolution of all Heaven and earth shall passe the law of nature the law of the creatures shall cease then there shal be a cessation of that but though heaven and earth passe not one jot or tittle not one jot of Christs word shall passe it is Austins observation jod is the least of all letters and the affix is the little dash of it Our blessed Saviour saith there shall not an iota not an affix passe but the least part of Gods commandements shall be kept Then if other creatures keep their law shall not wee much more labour to observe that that God hath given us If wee labour not to keep them as statutes we shal as judgments if they be not done a nobis they shall be executed de nobis if they be not done by us they shall be executed upon us but I will not prosecute the word that that he calls before commandements he calls here statutes A stationary exercise he useth a stationary object I will dwell or stand upon the exercise of thy Statutes The first was for the exercise this for the meditation he contents not himselfe with one resolution or with the second this whole Psalm is nothing but a multitude of holy resolutions and ejaculations take but this one part of the Psalm this one division that my Text is out of see how resolutions come one on the necke of another In vers 46. there is one I will speake of thy testimonies before Kings In the 47th there is another I will delight my self in thy commandements After that he is not content he gives a third I will lift up my hands to thy commandements which I have loved And in the latter part he closeth with a fourth I will meditate in thy Statutes He arms himselfe with resolutions and these two resolutions are subservient one to another the preparatorie act to meditation in Gods statutes I will lift up my hands to thy commandements He first prepares before he falls to meditate he doth not rush upon the sudden as we do in prayer uncivily when we come into the house of God hee fits and tunes his heart he sets the parts in order before he goes to meditate he composeth himselfe his eyes his hands his heart all the whole man before he goes to meditate I will first lift up my hands to thy commandements and then meditate on thy statutes as it is in Psal 51. Before he will sing he will tune Awake my Lute Harp awake my glory and my selfe will awake right early David would not sing before he was prepared he tunes before he sings Psal 45. My heart is enditing of a good matter I speake of the things which I have made touching the King He prepares his heart that hee may get Gods approbation so here before he sets seriously to meditation he puts every affection in a right key and tune and then when he had set all right after he had composed his very gesture his eyes fixed to heaven his hands lifted to Gods throne then I will meditate in thy statutes He sets the most heavenly act on an heavenly object there is no object fitter for meditation then the Commandements there is no act fitter for the commandements then meditation Meditation is the improving of all other exercises spirituall whatsoever meditation is an Angelicall exercise the only exercise or the chiefe that we know of that the Angels exercise in heaven is the meditating of Gods will and wayes and works If we would conform our selves nay if we would attain to the height of Angels it must be by meditation yet we generally the most of us are very negligent and backward in this duty few men know what belongs to meditation or what is the comfort of it those that professe they love God and delight in his commandements though they read sometime and heare sometime they labour not to improve that that they read hear by meditation meditation is come to be the scorn of the world I account meditation is scorned because conference about holy things repetition is a thing in reproach in the world It is true I know those things may be done sometimes as they are out of faction and under pretence of repetition oft times conventicles are made but a modest humble soule will not do things for applause or offence but if we look to benefit our selves by the word of God we will take all helps to remember what we hear and apply it to our selves and we cannot do it without meditation and repetition
countenancer of his owne institution he was pleased himselfe to eat of it As he was the Son of God so he was not at all nor could not be subject and as he was the Son of man because he was a righteous man therefore he was free He could have freed himselfe from those afflictions the deliverance whereof the Passover signified and he could have made himselfe free from all that injury that was offered him by the Jews yet he was pleased to condiscend so far sayth St. Ambrose well it was thus far appointed he that instituted the Passover taking the similitude of flesh yet true flesh being incarnate that he himselfe should observe that rite that himselfe instituted St. Austin presseth it well that is the part of a good Pastor or Shepheard to goe before his Sheep in his owne example and himselfe to doe that that he would have them to doe That he might make us zealous in all those performances that he requires at our hands he himselfe was pleased to performe and to condiscend to the performance of that that concerned him not to eat the Passover That is the first reason Secondly another reason was the preparative of his owne Passion he saw that his owne sufferings drew nigh the Passover it selfe was a Type of that to shew that he was the true Passover he brings into the same Room the Passover that was the Type and the Passover that was the Truth As St. Chrysostome observes well at the same Table there was both the one Passover that was the figure and the other that was the substance and celebrates both The keeping of the Passover was nothing else to the Children of Israel but a remembrance of that grace that was past and a sealing of some other grace that was promised The grace that was past was the goodnesse of God in making the Angell to passe-over them when he smote the Aegyptians here then was the conformity Diem transitus c. Christ when he was to passe from death to life he keeps that Feast that was the solemnity of that great transcision that God wrought for them and being to tast of the bitternesse of death he would goe in the eating of the soure Herbs to the drinking of that sourer Cup of his Passion To shew thereby that he was the end of all the Ceremoniall Law the end of all the Types in the Old Testament that very Lamb which was the most eminent of the Types was now fulfilled in the appearance and presence of Christ as St. Chrysostome sayth Sanguis ille c. that Lamb signified Christ the Lamb of God and the blood of that Lamb that was then sprinkled upon the Posts of the Door signified that far more precious blood of Christ that was shed for the washing away of sin That is the second reason that he might Preach to them by this Action and shew who was the Messias the true Lamb the true Passover as the Apostle calls him Christ our Passover is Sacrificed for us Therefore Christ did eat the Passover Thirdly it was also for the abrogation of it to put an end to it He put an end to Circumcision virtually by taking it as he gave strength to Baptisme by assuming it by joyning these two Sacraments legall and Evangelicall the Passover and the Supper he put an end to the one and gave strength of beginning to the other Therefore it is that Euthimius observes that in the celebration of the Passover he keeps it not exactly as it was prescribed to the Jews It was set them the 14. day and he kept it the 13. day They were to eat it standing he eat the Passover lying and leaning One reason why he kept it the 13. day was because he would not be prevented in his Passion He knew the 14. day that it should be kept was the day of his deliverance and betraying therefore to make an end of that work that was one reason he kept it sooner and dispensed with his owne Law Another reason was to shew in the different keeping of it that the Passover was abolished all judaicall shaddowes began to vanish now they were dead though their death did not appeare till afterward The Passover it was an obscure Type as Nazianzen speaks well of a clearer Type the representation of the Lords Supper and therefore was to give way to the better and more honourable Sacrament that then Christ instituted by joyning it to the former sayth Theophilact there was blood that was taken away by blood ceremoniall blood by the blood of Christ There was a Sacrifice that was taken away by a Sacrifice the legall Sacrifice by the spirituall and the Passover it selfe even while it was fullfilled it was changed that was another reason The third reason therefore Christ eat the Passover that he might put an end to it and make it the last eating of it Last of all the reason why he eat iâ— and kept it was to shew his subjection to the Law to set us a patterne and example of obedience he was obedient in every point not onely to the Law morall but even the Law ceremoniall For two reasons One was he became obedient because we were disobedient that his obedience might satisfie for our neglect We were transgressors of the law Christ would be a keeper of it Sayth St. Chrysostome because thou wert a Transgressor of the Law therefore Christ was pleased to keep it he was made a curse to free us from the curse he was made sin to wash away our sins He was made under the Law Gal. 4. that he might free us that his perfection might satisfie for our infirmities And that here now the Christians soule might find true refuge for however I be assured that my sins and transgressions be washed away by the blood of Christ yet when it comes to my particular God requires perfect satisfaction to the whole Law that I can never doe in my owne person here is our refuge there is one in our nature that hath satisfied the Law and all that God could require the very extreamity and utmost letter and period that is Christ and in that he is my Mediator and Redeemer I have done that that he did I have done it in him though I could not in my selfe That he might perfectly satisfie and obey for us he was obedient to the Law Secondly to stop the mouths of all cavilling Pharisees they were ready to object to him that he was a raiser of new Sects that he was an Enemy to the Law of Moses and that therefore he came not from God No he shews in all the passages of his life that he was one that honoured the Law because he was conformable to it the Law of Circumcision he subscribed to it the Law of Dedication and Offering in the Temple he subscribed to that the Law of keeping the Passover he subscribed to that Let now prophane Wretches goe and think themselves eased of the yoak of the Law of God
say thus and thus to him And that I may doe it now to purpose I will take the words in pieces so they present to us these two particulars There is a rule of excitement And there is a rule of direction The forme of excitement that is in these words Take to you words and turne to the Lord and say to him The form of direction that is in the other words Take away all iniquitie and receive us gratiously In the former of these parts there are two things observeable a double excitement an excitement to duty of action Turne to the Lord an excitement to the duty of elocution Take to you words and say to him In the latter there are these two parts also One direction is for grace that is to be given from above Take away all our iniquities and receive us gatiously The other direction is for returne of thankes for the mercies of God from below So will we give the calves of our lips I begin with the first and that is the rule or forme of excitement and that is double for two duties And the first excitement is to a dutie of action Turne to the Lord it is not the first thing specified in the order of the words but it is the first that I will take in in the order of handling them so it will goe well if wee read it thus Turne to the Lord and take with you words and say Thus The first thing is for turning to the Lord the dutie to which they were exhorted in the former verse yet the Prophet doth it here again He saw their backwardnes was great and therefore he pricks them twise forward He knew it was a dutie of importance that was to be done oft and dayly Et nunquam nimis dicitur quod nunquam nimis discitur It can never be spoken too oft that can never be learned too oft it can never be pressed too much that can never be learned and understood too much as they were to do it dayly so he cals upon them dayly in the former verse and in this verse This is so evident that I need not stand further on it I shall not need therefore to speake of it nor yet of the occasion of these words that is seene by the coherence of the Text. The Prophet in the spirit of prophesie foresaw the great miserie that was readie to fall upon them he foresaw the great captivitie that God would bring on them therefore nowso long before he cals upon them to prevent those miseries yet there was opportunitie to avert the captivitie he speakes to them therefore that they would bethinke themselves that God might turne his purpose of the captivitie that they would turne now the course of their sins that they would Turne from their evill wayes to the Lord. The only things I will observe here in the first Phrase are these two The meaning of the Phrase And the Propositions that may be drawne from it For the meaning of the phrase it 's a phrase that we oft meet with therefore it will be worth our looking to see what dutie that is here to which the Prophet exhorts them for to one of these two it must needs be referred either to prayer or to repentance and yet it is doubtfull to which of these For if wee say to prayer it is to repentance as well as that for repentance is a turning to God as well as prayer And if we say he exhorts them to the dutie of repentance it seems otherwise for conversion is but halfe the worke of repentance Repentance consists of two acts there are two parts of it The first part of it is contrition or humiliation that is the penal or passive part of repentance The second part only is conversion or reforming of our wayes and that is the active part it seemes therefore it is not meant of repentance because that is but halfe Again if we say he exhorts to conversion that implies but halfe repentance for conversion it implies a turning from sinne before wee can turne to God Therefore the best course will be to take in all these humiliation as the first thing in repentance and aversion from sinne as that that alway accompanies true humiliation and turning to God by prayer and supplication as that part of repentance which is the last in act but the first in intent We may well take them in all for the Scripture allowes us this libertie the Scripture sets forth to us the whole worke of repentance in all the parts of it by this one phrase of turning to the Lord and there is no phrase used in Scripture to set out the worke of repentance ofter then this Turne to the Lord. Therefore wee may take in both the duties prayer and repentance and humiliation So it is thus much in effect Turne to the Lord humble your selves before God lament your sinnes renounce all those transgressions you have provoked him by cast them from you least they cast you from him cut them off least they cut you off leaving your transgressions you may come with comfort and boldnes to the Throne of grace you may call on him and pray to him Both then are to be taken in the dutie of prayer and the dutie of repentance And there is good reason for it They both agree to the scope of the place for the words are either the excitement of a prophane heart to the worke of devotion or of a hard impenitent heart to the work of contrition and remorse and the next words shew so much Ashur and your owne arme cannot save you he is the Father of the Fatherlesse as if he he had said Turne to the Lord or pray that he would deliver you for Ashur and your owne arme cannot save you and turne to the Lord by repentance that he would pardon you For in him the Fatherlesse sinde mercie they agree with the scope of place And they agree with the coherence Take to you words words are as necessary to be taken to the duty of repentance as to the dutie of prayer necessary to both The penitent man when he comes before God he takes words they are bitter mournfull words whereby he enlageth and openeth his heartto God and the devout man he takes words they are words of zeale and fervencie moving perswasive words that God would be reconciled both the penitent unloads himselfe this way and the devout heart he enlarg eth himselfe both take words It agrees to the coherence Lastly all of them agree to the metaphor it is called turning to God repentance is a turning as well as prayer and prayer as well as repentance so that the difference be observed in the application of this word unto them both irst repentance is a diametricall turning a turning from the greatest evill to the greatest good from sinne to God Prayer is not a diametricall turning but a collaterall turning it is not from the greatest evill to the greatest good but from a
these things were requisite to repentance but these were harsh symptomes he propounds not these now but onely that thy bring words It is not now take to you teares but words That is the second thing commendable in the Prophet and that shall serve for the motive that induced him to make this excitement The second thing is the excitement it selfe Take to you words words of repentance and words of prayer He would instruct them in two languages at once For every grace of the spirit hath a peculiar language Faith hath its language and charity hath her language repentance hath her language Prayer hath language for all the rest The Prophet at once would instruct them in the language of repentance and of prayer First in the language of repentance and that is confession of sin that is the tongue of repentance Take to you words of turning turning words words that beseem converts words of remorse words of contrition words of humiliation take to you words that you may lay open your sins before God So hee shewes them two things concerning the duty of confession of sin One is the necessity of the confession of sin to the duty of repentance no repentance without confession of sin nor no pardon where there is no repentance The other concernes the forme of this confession what manner of confession men must bring to God Take to you these words and turne The first is concerning the necessity of the grace Take to you words confesse your sins to God that is the effect of it because the Prophet would draw them into a course of diversion of Gods judgements there is no diversion of judgement without the pardon of sin and there is no pardon without confession therefore hee presseth this duty It is the interpretation that all take in Confesse your sins to God and so turne to him because without confession there is no pardon no forgivenesse Solomon sets it downe so Prov. 17. Hee that covers his sins shall not prosper that is he that would hide them from God he that will not open them by confession shall not prosper as not in other courses of his life so especially he shall not prosper towards God and Heaven towards spirituall comfort to have any comfort of pardon of sin for God hath set this condition if we will have him cover our sins we must open them if we will have him cover them we must discover them if we will have him shut his eyes on them wee must open our eyes upon them and lay them open to God that knows them there is no repentance and no forgivenesse without confession On the other side where there is an humble acknowledgement and confession of sin to God there pardon still follows See it in the Thesis He that covers his sins shall not prosper saith Solomon but he that confesseth and forsakes them shall finde mercy So in the Thesis See it in the Hypothesis in David I sayd I will confesse my sins and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Psal 32. It was not onely so in the time of the Law but in the Gospell in Davids time and in Johns time 1 John 2. If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins If we confesse them he is faithfull and just he is not only mercifull but faithfull A man would have thought it should have run thus If we confesse our sins he is gracious and full of loving kindnesse to forgive them no but hee is just Why Because God hath promised pardon to the confession of sin it is not onely grounded upon his mercy but upon his truth and therefore upon justice God were not just if he should not pardon sin to Penitents If we confesse our sins he is not onely gracious and mercifull but faithfull and just to forgive sin He hath bound himselfe that hee that makes a humble confession to God in Christ and comes with a penitent heart by Faith in Christ he is faithfull and just to forgive sin We see upon the hiding of our sinnes pardon is excluded upon the opening of our sins pardon is assured So it stands saith Tertullian both wayes Cum accusat excusat cum condemnat absolvit c. When we accuse ourselves God acquits us when we condemne our selves God absolves us Here is the ready way to get absolution for a man to cast downe himselfe He that takes no glory to himselfe but all shame and gives glory to God God will give grace to such a soule otherwise let us never think that God will pardon those that we labour to hide from him Si faves tu peccato c. saith Austin sweetly if thou take upon thee to be the advocate of thy sins to plead for them how shall God be the acquitter and absolver Therefore that God may free thee from them condemne thy selfe lay the bond and obligation and weight of thy sins upon thine owne conscience that is the way to have God to ease them that is the way the Prophet prescribes Beloved we need not be discouraged at this Doctrine it is not in the wit of man and it were too bold a word to say that God himselfe could not invent a more easie way we know not how farr God can goe but we cannot see that God could have found a more facile way then for men to confesse and finde mercy confesse and have mercy The true confession of the lips out of contrition of spirit by Faith in Christ is most sure to meet with pardon and forgivenesse Let any tell me whether there be a more compendious way to remission then this It is but an easie way that is prescribed in the other word Turne to the Lord and the Lord assures the removing of judgements upon that But confession of sin is more easie it is that that is concurrent with the other it is that that waites on it nay it is that that goes before and if there be this humble acknowledgement made if it be not out of dissimulation and hypocrisie God hath assured pardon to it So different are the conditions of the Covenant at the first and now the precept that God gave to Adam was harder Thou shalt not commit sin but the commandement he gives us is easie If thou sin confesse thy sins to God and he will have mercy Confession is the salve as God alone is the Physitian so here he prescribes by the Prophet the salve for sinne Nazienzen calls it so sweetly It is the Potion that the soule takes it is the Plaster that is to be applyed to the sore of sin Chrysostome enlargeth it by making the proportion in the other part Sin that is the disease and ulcer and repentance confession of sin and the renouncing of our sin that is the remedy The remedy saith Gregory well because it is the opening of the wound Saith Origen it is as the Vomit that is taken into the stomack that cleanseth the stomack so repentance
had one tongue in their hearts and another in their tongue God looks to the language of the heart As we must bring naked open hearts so we must bring simplicity of speech All the confessions in Scripture run thus with naming the sins not in generall onely but in particuler So the Israelites Numb 21. We have sinned in that we have spoken against the Lord and his servant Moses they name their sin So in 1 Sam. 12. when Samuel presseth them home and layes to their heart all the sins that they had committed then they make confession in naked simple words We have sinned and added this to all our sins to aske a King They did not onely confesse in generall we have sinned but in particuler this is that sin that wee have provoked God by As Davids heart smote him when he had numbred the people presently he tells God hee had sinned in this sinne of numbring the people while his heart was hott and the sinne lay upon him hee opens it to God in simple naked words That is the third sort Last of all There is another bring with you forcible words weighty words aggravating words such words as may exagerate your sins against your selves such words Lay them not onely open but make them more if it were possible though it be a sinne to lye to God but though a man say with Paul Of whom I am cheife it is farr from dissimulation he that knowes his owne heart is able to say hee is the cheife of sinners though the World be able to lay nothing against him because every man knowes the sinne of his owne heart Therefore he that comes to confesse will not bring cold words but aggravating words So run all the formes in Scripture because when we aggravate God extenuates and when we make more God makes lesse but we cannot make them more but aggravate our sins in confession Looke to that in Nehemiah how he aggravates with words after words We have dealt proudly and stoutly with the Lord. So saith Ezra Wee have hardned our hearts and refused to obey wee have not hearkned to his Commandements we have rebelled against him we and our Kings our Princes our Preists and our Fathers And Daniel in his confession adds The men of Judah and the people of Israel There are all aggravations against the persons and against the sins Wee have dealt proudly wee have hardned our hearts we have not hearkned to Gods Law we have rebelled against him And such were the confessions that David made one we have in Psal 106. We have sinned and dealt wickedly and committed iniquity as if he wanted words to expresse himselfe and it is the very same words with Daniel and Ezra in their confessions David in Psal 51. My iniquities are gone over my head and are as a burthen too heavy to beare See how could he exagerate more they are over my head above my reach I cannot compasse them as the flood that overwhelmes a man in the bottom of the water and he sees nothing but destruction so my sins are gone over my head I cannot look to the top or bottome or reach them and they are too heavy a burthen I cannot beare them thou alone must ease me of them Daniel and Ezra aggravate sin in the same words Our sins are increased up to Heaven here was a high pitch he tooke to himselfe not onely in the knowledge of them so every sin grows up to Heaven because God knows them but for multitude and increase we have piled sin upon sin As the Giants of old set Pelion upon Ossa and Parnassis upon both so we have set one sin upon another that they are heaped up to Heaven the Earth is weary with bearing of them they reach to Heaven So here is the form of words bring naked simple humble forcible aggravating words And after all this when wee looke upon all these formes of confession and see the practice of the Saints of old and see the burthen of sin and of the commands are we not all stirred up are we not all ready to burst Is it possible to hold but to cast off such shame almost and in the middest of much people to acknowledge wee have sinned Lord we have sinned and for our iniquities and transgressions these troubles are come upon us If wee want words of our owne let us borrow of those confessions in Scripture We have need to take all helps sin lyes close all helpes of discovery of removall and of comfort so we shall be able to expresse our selves when we see those formes that they exprest themselves in that was the end when the Prophet bids them take words that is get the language of repentance goe humble your selves and your soules to God take words and goe and confesse to him that is the first thing I see the time is spent and the weather is hot yet points that are depending one upon another are best applyed when the heart is warme and sometimes the dependance adds so much grace to a point that the grace of it is lost if the season be not taken Take to you words The language of confession and the language of prayer Take words to you when you turne to the Lord by repentance then take words and when you turne to the Lord by prayer then take words These two goe together confession and prayer In Nehem. 1. there they be joyned I prayed before thee for the Children of Israel and confessed to thee the sins of the Children of Israel And in Dan. 9. I prayed to my God and made my confession before him There must be no prayer made to God where there is no confession of sin for if we multiply our prayers and pray every houre yet there goes sin betweene and though it be a sin repented of and though it be a sin that is pardoned before yet David confessed his sin after it was pardoned nothing moves so much to confession as the knowledge of pardon Prayer will not availe without confession therefore I first spake of the other Prayer without confession saith Chrysostome it is as if a Bird should have her wings at liberty and her feet be tyed Confession is as the feet and prayer as the wings if a Bird have the wings free and the feet in a snare it cannot get up so though the heart pray yet if the foot of confession be in a snare there is no hope that the heart should flye to God it is as a Bird that hath the wings at liberty and the foot is in a snare therefore these must goe together take to you words of confession and prayer I must be breife therefore I will reduce them to three heads There are three things the Prophet aimes at in this exhortation Take to you words of prayer He shewes the necessity of vocall prayer Take to you words He shewes the necessity of preparation to prayer Take words It is not onely use words and pray but take them
cannot be done but by the bath that is taken from Christ and the mercie of God The Jewes that were ignorant and knew nothing in the time of Christ they knew that who can forgive sinnes but God Though they misapplyed it yet it is was true in the thesis and in the generall who can forgine sinnes out God And Christ unlesse he had been God could not have forgiven sins who can forgive sinnes but God Cyrâ—l well upon the place gives the reason it must needs be so because God is the Law-giver and the Judg saith he to whom can it possibly belong to pardon and passe by and wipe away the transgressions of the law but to him that is the giver of the law Therefore none of the Prophets or Apostles durst ever arrogate this priviledge Nathan when he was sent to David though he had a commission from God durst not speak in his own name but the Lord hath pardoned And if there were no Prophet or Apostle durst assume so much shall we that are men far inferiour in place and piety and those speciall intercourses of the love and knowledge of God It is true there is a power given to Ministers declaratorie to publish and pronounce pardon to the truly repentant but the power of absolution properly so called and the power of taking away and pardoning that onely God keeps in his own custodie Saith Ambrose well the Minister of God doth that that belongs to his duty when he declares and publisheth pardon to the repentant but he exerciseth not any power and authority it is but Ministeriall Therefore Saint Austin observes well that when Christ gave this power to his Apostles and Disciples whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted he first premiseth he breathed on them and said receive yee the holy Ghost Saith he first they received the holy Ghost and then whose sinnes yeremit they are remitted For it is the holy Ghost that puts away sinne and not you It is Austin's observation And we may further observe that Christ when hee healed any commonly hee pronounced forgivenesse of sinnes but the Apostles though they healed many yet we never read that they used this word To note that Christ gave the power of healing to them but he kept the power of pardoning to himselfe Further then it is ministeriall hee kept the power of putting away of sinne to himselfe for it is an act of Majestie it cannot be so to others God may make Angels to declare it or men but the power is proper to him Christ gave the power of healing to the Apostles but hee kept the power of pardoning to himselfe Saint Austin presseth it against the Donatists sweetly who would faine have got the power to themselves Austin askes the question tell me the vertue of whose name takes away sinne He speaks of himselfe is it the name of Austin is it the name of Donatus it is neither the name of Paul nor Peter who is Austin who is Donatus And the Apostle presseth it who is Paul and who is Apollo but the Ministers of CHRIST But who is it that takes away sinnes GOD Himselfe This is the second thing the Prophet would bring them to know and acknowledge in this word O Lord to thee belongs mercie and forgivenesse thou art the Father of mercie we can feel the smart of sinne but cannot remove it thou must either take it away or else it will not be taken away therefore shew mercie and come among us either take it from us or else it will take us from thee remove it from us and remove it from thee Take away sinne and receive us graciously I have done with the first part the precatory part which concernes Malum tollendum the evill to be removed the evill of sin The second is bonum largiendum in these words â—â—ke away all iniquity and receive us graciously It is in the Originall and shew us good Yet in the Originall a little further Take away iniquity and receive good Like that phrase in the Psalm He received gifts for men that is he gave gifts to men Receive good that is shew good shew thy grace that is as it is well interpreted in English receive us graciously Two things are to be considered in it One that I propounded in the forenoon though I came not to it that is the connexion of this part to the other The other is the order of this part with the other why it is joyned or added to the other clause and why it followes it I shall hardly speak of all But let us looke upon the connexion why is this clause added to the other Is not this enough take away all iniquitie It seemes this is superfluous for where-ever sinne is pardoned grace is conveyed where GOD takes away sinne he discovers grace and where hee crucifies the old man he stamps the image of the new where hee frees from death he gives interest to life where sinne is pardoned salvation is stated upon the soule what need this follow this one word take away all iniquitie is all the expression that need to be used But the Prophet would bring them to a greater enlargement and it is added for speciall reasons I will bring them to these three First it is added as a clause of illustration Take away all iniquitie so shew thy self gracious favourable Noting this that there is nothing doth more magnifie the goodness glory of God then the pardon of sin nothing doth more shew his grace then that As if he had said thou art the Father of mercie we have need of mercy thou hast mercy for thousands and we are thousands that beg it we pray thee to pardon our sins and manifest thy mercie in pardoning by receiving us graciously shew us grace in the pardoning our sins It is the greatest evidence of the mercie of God in the pardoning of sinnes it is that that glorifies God most It is well said by the Psalmist that his mercie is over all his works and we may say of the grace of pardoning that it is over all his other mercies There are other mercies that God shewes us that concerne our temporall estate O these come not within compare Nay spirituall mercies if he preserve any it is the grace of custodie If he deliver any from danger it is the grace of liberty If he accept our prayers and receive them at our hands that is a testimonie of mercie the grace of acceptation but if he pardon sinne that hath all in it that is Gods tender mercie in that he shewes bowels of mercie He opens his casket of mercy in all favours but hee opens his owne bowels when he pardons sinne that includes all mercies that David calls his tender mercies Over all our works it is even over the worst workes of ours which is sinne Over all Gods works it is euen over all the best of Gods works besides in creating preserving and keeping It is that that shines and breakes
publique to his glory his glory it is to passe by transgressions it is a great glory to passe by many transgressions if it be his peculiar glory to passe by any Where sinne hath abounded grace abounds where grace abounds glory abounds where much sinne is pardoned He cals them to acknowledge his mercy and makes it an illustration of the former Take away our transgressions and receive us graciously That is the first it is a clause of illustration Secondly observe it as a clause of inducement a motive and argument to perswade God to forgive them So it stands thus Take away iniquity because thou art gracious because thou usest to receive favourably therefore take away iniquity They begge for grace in the name of grace and mercy in the name of mercy shew mercy because thou art mercifull take away iniquity because thou art gracious and favourable therefore take away iniquity It is the strongest motive of all others to presse God from himselfe to pardon sin The point is this He that comes before God to begge for mercie must bring no other motive but mercie There is no such strong prevalent motive with God to shew mercy as mercy Mercy is the thing we sue for and mercy must make God shew it He expresseth it so I will pardon for my name sake in one place For mine owne sake in another place For my owne sake will I doe this to the House of Israell For my promise sake in another place For my mercy sake in another place Here are four and they are all alike to shew that mercy comes from it selfe it hath a reciprocation it moves circularly it begins in mercy and it ends there For mine owne sake that is for himselfe and his mercy is himselfe For my name sake that is as much as for my mercy Thy name is as Oyle powred out and it appeares that his name is as Oyle by his mercy for mercy is that Oyle that Swims over all liquors it appeares over all other works it is manifest to all For my promise sake that is as much as for his mercy for Gods Promises are Promises of mercy So all agree in this for my name sake it is a name of mercy for my Promise sake they are Promises of mercy for mine owne sake he is a God of mercy But yet more plaine when God speakes of shewing mercy he makes it come round to shew that mercy is the thing that he will give and the ground why he gives it In Exod. 33. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy See how it runs it is thus I will have mercy on whom I will that is because I will so if we presse God for mercy doe it thus Lord be gracious that thou mayest be gracious and be mercyfull because thou art mercyfull Pardon because thou art gracious thy mercy hath an everlasting Duration The Psalmist presseth it so Have mercy on me according to thy great goodnesse and according to the multitude of thy mercies take away mine offences See how sweetly he presseth it Have mercy according to thy goodnesse he makes it come to it selfe Pardon me according to thy goodnesse be mercifull because thou art mercifull he had no other motive In another place he hath the same Reciprocation Doe good for thy name sake because thou art good deliver me because thou art good doe good and deliver me It is the same reciprocation that Isaiah makes Isa 63. He hath beene good to the House of Israell for his goodnesse and because his mercies are everlasting He hath beene good for his goodnesse To instance no more places in the new Testament there is the same reciprocation that John makes John 1. Of his fullnesse we all receive grace for grace mercy for mercy it is not onely grace after grace which is a good interpretation the first grace and the second grace the grace of Acceptation and the grace of Strengthning the grace of pardoning and the grace of reviving and quickning all grace is from God But it hath a fuller signification Grace for grace Grace because he is gracious because he is mercifull he shewes favour he turnes it to himselfe So now the Lession is this that When we come to sue for pardon of sin before the Throne of Grace we have no name to come in but the name of Christ The name of Christ is a name of mercy that is Gods owne name he that comes to plead his owne merit comes in his owne name He that comes to plead the Merits of any other pleads in a Strangers name If merit and satisfaction had been that way then were mercy no more mercy and grace no more grace then all the Saints of God were out of the way for they all went in this path Mercy was the Citty of refuge to which they went and the path by which they went Mercy was the Water in the Well and the Paile they drew it with they sued for mercy in the name of mercy The Publican David Peter St. Austin saith of Peter well I read of Peters Teares but no man ever read of Peters satisfaction Peter could not goe in that name Our blessed Saviour hath taught us therefore so to pray Forgive us our Trespasses he taught us not to pray as the Servant in the Gospell Have patience with me and I will pay thee all Lord be favourable a little longer lend me a little life and I will make thee satisfaction No that is not the Prayer he that goes that way misseth but here is the Prayer Pardon and forgive for thy name sake and for thy mercy sake Take away iniquity and receive us favourably receiue us to grace and Pardon for thy mercy sake This is the Forme that Penitent faith full soules look to God in No Creature is capable of merits therefore let men never trouble themselves with the discussion of that it is so repugnant that the Angells though they never sinned cannot merit they doe but their duty Adam in integrity could not merit if innocency cannot merit sin cannot if the State of Angells cannot merit humane cannot Nay the Saints that are called out of darknesse and sanctified by grace those Saints though it were possible they should never sin not so much as in the circumstances of any good Act that they should not be touched with veniall sins as they call them with no ill thought or idle word or unprofitable gesture if they were borne and sanctified from the womb as John Baptist and Jeremiah and should continue in a course of sanctification without any treading awry they could not merit when they had done all they must say They were unprofitable Servants He that doth his duty cannot merit ye are but Servants when you have done all you can nay when you have done all you should if it were possible that is more then all you can For that grace that God gives us though it be a good evidence of his spirit and of
word that he hath given Therfore it is a speciall meanes to keep men in the Pale of obedience when they hedge themselves in with holy resolutions I know Cardinall Bellarmine and he more remarkably then any other of the Romish Writers is very large and peremptory in declaring that that which is within the compasse of precept cannot fall within the compasse of a vow that no necessary duty can fall within the compasse of a vow But if there were not Testimony of the Saints in Scripture the Testimony of their owne Writers are sufficient evidence against it besides the truth it self Alphonsus Picus Cajetane Valencia these foure they are bold all of them to expresse themselves to be of another opinion that properly and directly that that we are tied to by the necessity of precept most properly falls within the compasse of a vow and it is most safe for one may safely vow that that he is tied to doe and the vowing and resolving of it adds a second obligation it is an awaking Therefore David took this course he bound himselfe by vow and promise and oath I have sworne that I will performe thy righteous judgements He excites himselfe by these Obligations to every duty of piety he set himselfe those Lessons of piety he tasked himselfe to such duties sometimes to repentance To thee will I confesse Sometimes to obedience I will walke in thy Commandements Sometimes to prayer At morning noone and evening I will call on thee Sometimes to thankfullnesse Seaven times in a day I will prayse thee He tasked himselfe to these duties thereby to keep and hidge in his obedience So will every Christian that he may keep himselfe in the path of Piety he will oft consider how he walks and consider his purposes and resolutions and strengthen himselfe in holy purposes it is a great meanes to arme our selves A heart will not easily be overcome with temptations that is armed with good purposes good purposes incite to Prayer and practise you take away perseverance you take away practise and performance you take away endeavour if you take away resolution Therefore if you will learne to keepe your selves in the wayes of Gods Commandements learne oft to resolve to purpose We shall tread awry when we have done the best but if there be a good purpose God takes that for performance if we arme our selves with good resolutions Let us not take this help from our selves since we come short of performance let us have endeavours and purposes This the Prophet teacheth them when they come to performe their thanks they must have purposes We will give thee Those are the two first things he minds them of in generall There are other things he minds them of in perticuler and they are these foure The first is this That Thankfullnesse is due to God for all his mercies It is due by right of Lordship because God is Lord and owner of all we have he is Lord of our life and being there is the Fountaine of all goodnesse Whither should the streames run but back to the Fountaine to the Sea sayth Bernard let the streames of thankfullnesse run back to the Head they are drawne from grace they come from God the grace of pardon and grace must returne to God the grace of thankfullnesse And it is by right of Debt his we owe it him it is a Debt to any man that doth us a courtesie no lesse requitall can be made for the least good turne then thankfullnesse yet those that they doe are small and they are tied by the bond of Charity and by the Law of God and they sin if they doe it not and those that they doe God doth by their hands he inclines them to it Then if we account it a misery if we be unthankfull to men we owe much more of this duty of thankfullnesse to God by another bond because from him we have all mercy and the choisest mercies What hand soever reacheth us a Blessing God is the Author God gives it And can we give him any thing lesse then thanks We can give him nothing else He gives it us when we give him thanks and prayse we pay him with his owne we give not his mercy back in the kind but vertually in the strength He that gives glory to God he gives the mercy back in strength But we can give nothing to God that he hath not before in a more eminent manner whether it be praise or glory or blessing or reverence or worship His name is glorious though we give it not his name is admirable he will make his glory appeare though we dishonour him But he so interprets it in mercy we are sayd to give it when we acknowledge it He is not capable of our gift but when we testifie that he hath it we are said to give it The Knee when it bowes before him worships him and the heart when it is ravished with admiration gives him reverence and the tongue when it speakes of his prayse gives him thankfullnesse if God take these as gifts at our hands that we owe and can add no addition by it we can doe no lesse then acknowledge that thankfullnesse is due to God for all his mercies That is the first thing A second thing he would teach them to acknowledge that thankfullnesse is especially due for the pardon of sin when sin is pardoned the first bud of new righteousnesse in the heart O it is thankfullnesse to God Bless the Lord O my soule and all that is within me and then followes That forgiveth all thine iniquities We owe God praise and glory for all his mercy and goodnesse but for none more then the pardon of sin for here is the Stock upon which other graces are grafted when once sin is pardoned all temporall things prove comfortable Therefore when they beg for the Pardon of sin say they We will give thee the Calves of our lips There is thankfullnesse due to God especially for spirituall mercies and of them for the grace of reconciliation the forgivenesse of sins A Christian will be methodicall in his thankfullnesse as well as in his Prayer I shewed before that devotion keeps good order it prayes for spiritualls before temporalls and against spiritualls before temporalls And thankfullnesse keeps a good order it gives thanks for the best mercies first and most Though all the mercies of God be good yet there is a difference there is a difference betweene spirituall mercies and temporall For temporall mercies Liberty is better then Wealth and life then liberty and grace then all As God hath set an order in mercies so thankfullnesse observes an order he doth not thanke God so much for temporall mercies as for pardon of sin that swallowes up the heart and takes up the whole latitude of the affections There is thankfullnesse due for establishing us in our civill Callings but more for calling us to the acknowledgement of the truth There is blessing due for keeping us
Strength of the faculties of his mind and of the parts of his body when he gives the glory of all his actions and intentions when he learnes to deny himselfe He that Sacrificeth he parts with that which he Sacrificeth and he that Sacrificeth himselfe parts with himselfe and denies himselfe He that will come after me let him denie himselfe A man that gives himselfe in sacrifice goes out of himselfe and keeps nothing back when a man brings carnall reason and opens his affections and will to be Subject to God when he brings all those sins which he was addicted to by nature or hath contracted by custome when he brings all to the obedience of Christ and layes them upon the Altar of a penitent contrite heart such a man offers himselfe to God It is a thing most precious with men themselves and it is a thing most precious with God too There is nothing of that value that we can give to God as our selves he that gives his whole selfe gives all the duties that can be performed by man He gives the Sacrifice of praise and Prayer his hands are Dedicated to God in works of Charity his eyes in Chastity his heart in repentance every faculty of his mind all his whole selfe is consecrated to God That is to make a true devotion sayth St. Austin O si quis bene c. If any man will make a perfect vow and Sacrifice to God let him make a dedication of himselfe Hoc est quod debetur imago this is that that God demands this is that that we owe the Image of Caesar to returne to Caesar and the Image of God to God God made man for himselfe therefore we should give our selves See how farr we doe it Christ he gave not any thing of himselfe but himselfe for us his whole selfe we must make such a retalliation to give to God againe not any thing of ours but our selves that God requires If we give any thing to the World we give not our selves to God if any thing to the pleasures of sin if any thing of our selves to our selves we give not our selves to God The way to keepe our selves is to give our selves to God A man never keeps himselfe till he loose himselfe then he is kept sure when he is laid in Gods armes The presumptuous man gives not himselfe to God he gives not God his feare The doubtfull dispairing Christian he gives not himselfe to God he gives not God his hope The covetous man gives the World his desire the World hath his love and his joy He that consecrates himselfe to sin let him see to whom he gives himselfe not to God who is one hat abhors iniquity and transgression You know who was the first author of sin he that dedicates himselfe to sin gives himselfe to him that is the Author of it I abhor to name it to whom we consecrate our selves Christians Baptise themselves into the name of Satan they give themselves in Sacrifice to the Devill To consecrate our selves to sin is to doe so it is plaine the Prophet puts not in the heart here because the whole man is included therefore he sayth not We will give thee the Calves of our hearts but We will give thee the Calves of our lips This for the meaning of it Now look in the second place why the Prophet makes choise of it for there was a large Field of expressions that he could have used David hath this work set downe in much variety of Language so we will praise and glorifie thee and give laud to thy name so will we sing to thy praise and honour thee in our actions any of these would have served yet he chooseth this we will give the Sacrifice of our selves The reasons that make it full for the understanding of it are these three why he passeth by literall phrases and expressions and instanceth in a Metaphoricall So will we render the Calves of our lips First to shew them and to teach to us that thanksgiving and praise is a Sacrifice Every duty of Christianity in which a man consecrates himselfe to God is called a Sacrifice Righteousnesse that is a Sacrifice Psal 4. Offer to God the Sacrifice of righteousnesse Prayer that is a Sacrifice or oblation Psal 141. Let my Prayer be as incense So the Apostle sayth Christ offered up Prayers in the dayes of his flesh Thirdly repentance is a Sacrifice Psal 51. The Sacrifice of God is a humble contrite heart It is not onely one Sacrifice but the Sacrifice the eminent Sacrifice that God delights in a humble heart Fourthly Almes-deeds that is a Sacrifice Heb. 13. To doe good and distribute forget not for with such Sacrifice God is well pleased Againe praise is called a Sacrifice By him that is by Jesus Christ let us offer the Sacrifice of praise Lastly thanksgiving that is a Sacrifice Psal 116. and diverse others I will offer the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay my vowes to the Lord. Nay and the Apostle St. Peter 1. Pet. 2. he sets downe all Christian duties under this metaphor we are made a holy Priesthood in him we should offer the duties of Christianity there set downe to make an oblation of them they are every duty called there a Sacrifice or oblation The Prophet therefore would draw them to this Consideration that whereas they were much busied and imployed in offering legall Sacrifices that they would look to the spirituall Sacrifices Here are the Sacrifices that are perpetuall the other vanish these continue under Christianity And these are not onely not taken away but perfected in the time of the Gospell The spirituall Sacrifices are Sacrifices that continue still but they are spirituall ones that we offer to God Every Christian duty is as a Sacrifice nay as a severall Sacrifice We may paralell it Repentance is as a Trespasse-offring Zeale is as a Burnt-offring and praise is as a Free-will-offring and thank fullnesse that is as the offring of the first-fruits He that brings sincerity to God there is the oblation of unleavened bread The Apostle sets it out 2 Cor. 5. The unleavened bread of sincerity He that honours God in the works of Charity gives the two young Turtles his hands are as Turtles mercy is as the young turtles offered to God I might instance in other perticulars The incense of prayer the Calves of praise here the Lamb of a humble heart There is no Christian duty but hath some proportion to some Sacrifice it is that in truth and effect that the Sacrifice typified Therefore the Prophet to draw them from looking on their Sacrifices with a carnall eye he instanceth in this to teach them that every duty and in particular the duty of praise is a Sacrifice to God That is the first thing Secondly he would not onely teach them that thankfullnesse was a Sacrifice but that it was a better Sacrifice as I shewed out of the Scriptures that it is reputed
take away our iniquity and we will give thee the Sacrifice of righteousness Take away our iniquity of cruelty and we will give the Sacrifice of mercy take away our iniquity of falshood and we will give thee the Sacrifice of truth take away our iniquity of ingratitude and we will give thee the Sacrifice of Thankfullnesse Powre thy grace on us and then we will blesse thee and blesse thee in a plentifull manner we will pay thee of thine owne give us thy grace and we will give it thee againe It is thy grace and not ours let it be thine in giving and receiving O Beloved In these times of unthank fullnesse and prophanenesse we have lips to curse God not to blesse him O the sins that the stones of every Street cry against in this Citty that there is never a Foot of any Wall free but there is an Oath scrabled and dawbed on it it is that that defiles the dust you tread on and the Aire you breath in it is impossible there should be a pure aire where there comes so much pollution from so many blasphemies in every corner of the Streets every day millions of Oaths and execrations Shall we think that God will not be avenged on such a people as we are that neither Law nor Conscience nor feare of Hell nor plague can yet keep us back from going on in that unprofitable sin that brings no advantage to us It becomes us to look to God in this perticular that he would reforme us in this because the Sacrifice of praise must come from him We live in an unthankfull age besides none looks to God to give him retribution for his mercies How hath he dealt with us graciously in the last sicknesse Have we given him the Calves of our lips since Have we beene so zealous in offering the Sacrifice of praise No no it may be this second sicknesse is to punish our ingratitude for that O yet returne As prayer will turne away judgements so will thankfullnesse let us offer him now the Sacrifice of that glory that belongs to him for that judgement it may be he will deliver us if not we shall blesse him in Heaven if he doe we shall blesse him here and say with them in the Prophet O take away iniquity and receive us graciously remove our sins and remove thy judgements remove our sins that we may have accesse to the Throne of grace remove our iniquities and then we will give thee the Calves of our lips THE Sufferers Crowne DELIVERED In Foure Sermons on James 1.12 BY That Learned and Reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuell Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON James 5.11 Behold we count them happy which indure c. LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons in Aldersgate-Street 1650. SERMON I. James 1.12 Blessed is the man that indureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him WHAT the scope is of these words you will very well understand by reading of them The Argument of them is concerning temptation an usefull argument to be knowne of what kind of temptation soever we speake though it be the temptation of Seducement A Christian is no where safe but as St. Ambrose well Temptations haunt us daily in what place or in what Action soever we are conversant If we speake here of the Temptations of Afflictions these times will very well call for this Argument We are now under Gods owne hand he hath brought us under a State of suffering we had need therefore to furnish our selves every way because we know not how these sufferings may yet be seconded for they yet continue It is a usefull Argument and being so usefull that is the reason that the Apostle James here gives it a full handling and Explication And indeed we may call it his peculiar argument for none of the holy Penmen wrote or spake so entirely or largely of this Argument as this Apostle which is observable in all the Apostles that however it is true of each of them what was said of Tullyes Oratory that they were able being indued with the Spirit from above to speake of every point of Doctrine that doth appertaine unto Salvation and left none untouched that was necessary to be knowne yet there was none of them but had some particular Argument that was peculiar almost to himselfe in which he did excell St. Paul went thorough the whole Doctrine of Divinity yet there is one Argument in perticular that is peculiar to him the Doctrine of Justification that he handles above the rest St. John hath one Argument that he was peculiar in the Doctrine of Love St. Peter of Judgement St. Jude of Apostacy St. James of Temptation That you may see it is his peculiar Argument in this narrow compasse of words I have read he name the word at least six times he sets it downe in all the severall parts he defines what it is that is called Tentation he divides it into the severall Branches The Temptation of Seduction The Temptation of Probation Or tryall of these severall kinds he gives the severall Amplifications Of the Temptations of Chastisement he shewes the end that they are sent to us for to try us and when that tryall is wrought though the premises be very sharp yet they alwaies end in a blessed Conclusion in blessednesse and in the Crowne of life For the Temptations of seduction he shewes the Originall of them both Negative they are not from God God cannot be tempted nor tempteth he any man Affirmative they are from our owne corrupt lusts and noysome concupisence Every man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne lusts and enticed There is the summe of the words so that in short it is a Compendium of the Doctrine of Temptation set downe in three Theologicall formes or elauses A word of Support A word of Prevension A word of Information And all these of speciall use for Edification First because when God doth afflict and correct us we are most of us too prone to think his hand is heavy on us and complaine of hard usage to thinke our afflictions sharp and irk some therefore for this the Apostle useth a word of Support and incouragement to establish our hearts that we doe not think them long bitter and sharp because they are onely sent for tryall and in the end rewarded with a Crowne and that Crowne the Crowne of life In the second place because we are unacquainted and Ignorant of the dealing of God towards us and too prone to charge him foolishly as if he were the Author of seducing temptations because he is the Author of afflicting therefore for this end he lends us a word of prevention and anticipation to keepe us off from entring into such considerations and thoughts Let no man when he is tempted say he is tempted of God
forth and surpasseth all other his attributes it is that that glorifies God most that honours him yea that God himselfe hrnours most His grace and goodnesse appeared in the creation of the world that was a great mercy mercie budded out then but that was not so great a mercy as the pardon of sinne For nullitie though it be farre off from God yet it is nearer God then sinne and iniquity is because that is more repugnant and contrary to his nature it is more to pardon a sinner then to create a world it is more to pardon one sinner then to make a million of men It is over his works of power over his works of justice Justice is seen in punishing of sin God shews his power in that but there is a greater power seen in the pardoning of sinne it is plain His power in executing of justice it is as the strong man but his power in magnifying his mercy is as the stronger man for it binds the hands of justice the stronger man comes and binds the strong man Grace and mercie are the stronger attributes stronger then justice though both be the same in God yet in manifestation it prevailes and exalts it selfe against justice If Gods power be seen in punishing much more in pardoning because mercie conquers justice Besides see it in our selves for a man that punisheth another it argues he hath power over another but he that pardons him that deserves to be punished shews 〈◊〉 â—ee not only hath power over another but over himselfe because pardon is both an evidence of that power that should have been in punishing and of a further power in sparing So the force of mercy is double to that of justice it magnifies Gods power more it is the last act of divine justice the pardon of sinne Therefore in Scripture mercie hath the prerogative above all other attributes in many respects Of antiquity it is older in regard of manifestation we speake still for mercie and love budded out in the creation of the world we speak of the effects of it but justice was not manifested till man had transgressed It was one day older in the manifestation then judgement was then judgement took place when Adam transgressed mercie was before It hath the prerogative of alliance for though the justice of God be himselfe as well as his mercie as all is but one act in God his justice and wisdome and power and merciâ— all are himselfe yet mercy is his more proper work Therefore in Scripture judgment is called his strangâ— work I will bring a strange worke that is I will execute justice He calls it a strange worke as hetrogenicall and contrary to his nature he is forced to execute judgement our sinnes compell him If it were not for sinne he would not manifest judgements Though both be naturall yet mercy is more naturall in regard of the effect of it It is nearer Thirdly It hath the prerogative of latitude it hath a greater extent he executes justice seldome and upon some few all men tast of his mercie There is no judgement that God executes but mercie is mingled with it Goe over any that were executed since the beginning of the world still there was mercy in it but there is mercie often manifested when there is no judgement in it Here is the difference judgement is never entire but there is some mercie in it mercie is alway entire and there is no mixture of judgement in it See the effects in regard of extent God saith he will punish to the third and fourth Generation the Fathers upon the Children that is a long time but it is nothing to his mercie I will shew mercie to thousands of generations A thousand Generations is longer then the world shall last For there were but 42. generations from the Creation to Christ a hundered generations is like to be longer then the world shall last yet God will be mercifull to thousands of Generations if it last so long or if not hee will be so for ever a large periphrasis Mercy hath the prerogative of extent It hath the prerogative of honour it honours God more and God honours it more He makes mention by his spirit in Scripture when he mentions judgement and mercie mercy goes first My song shall be of mercie and judgement Mercie and truth are met together still mercie is first God gives it the prerogative Nay usually he mentions merâ—â—twice for once righteous Gracious and mercifull is God and righteous And at the last day when these two attributes shall be placed at the two hands of God wee shall see which attribute hath preheminence that hath the highest honour to stand at Gods right hand judgement shall stand at his left hand among the vessels of wrath mercy at his right hand among the sheepe and the elect Last of all it hath the prerogative of duration for though condemnation speaking of eternall condemnation and eternall life though condemnation be a line of as great length as eternall life that lasts for ever yet speaking of temporall punishment compared with the mercie of God so we see mercy out-lives justice in all the expressions of it and that by a great disproportion It is a great disproportion between yeares and months In Rev. 11. The holy Citie shall be trodden down 42. months but they shall reigne with me for a thousand yeares Though moneths be not moneths in that place I come not now to examine the meaning of moneths but see the comparison there is mercy for a thousand yeares there is judgement for 42. moneths they shall be troden under foote but they shall reign a thousand yeares It is a greater disproportion that is betwixt weeks and yeares see that in Dan. 9. Seventy weekes are determined for the transgression of my people that I may compasse them with everlasting kindnesse Seventy weeks are determined for transgression God measures judgements by weekes but hee reckons the continuance of his mercy by many yeares by ages by everlasting duration there shall be everlasting righteousnesse Yet further there is a greater disproportion between yeares and dayes yet in Isa 63. The day of revenge is in mine heart and the yeare of my redeemer is come Here is the day of revenge the yeare of redemption The day of revenge is in mine heart There days are years and years are dayes but in the expression of them God exalts mercie that wee may see it hath a larger sphere to move in Yet further there is a greater disproportion between a moment and a yeare nay between that and eternity For a small moment have I corrected thee but with everlasting mercie I will receive thee as it is in Isaiah God threatens to punish for a small moment but his mercy endures for eternity Now to sum it up the Prophet would make them understand thus much that nothing magnifies Gods grace and goodnesse more then the pardon of sinne that they might professe it that they might make it