Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bless_a	lord_n	soul_n	6,252	5	5.0695	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53721	A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm wherein the nature of the forgiveness of sin is declared, the truth and reality of it asserted, and the case of a soul distressed with the guilt of sin and relieved by a discovery of forgiveness with God is at large discoursed / by John Owen.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1669 (1669)	Wing O794; ESTC R26853	334,249	417

they taught to value all the fruits of the blood of Jesus Christ of the enjoyment of many whereof they are at present cut short and deprived All which with other things of the like nature and importance make them very sensible of their concernments Secondly They remember what it cost them formerly to deal with God about sin and hence they know it is no ordinary matter they have in hand They must again to their old work take the old cup into their hands again A recovery from depths is as a new conversion Oft-times in it the whole work as to the souls apprehension is gone over afresh This the soul knows to have been a work of dread terror and trouble and trembles in it self at its new tryals And Thirdly The Holy Ghost gives unto such poor souls a fresh sense of their deep concernments on purpose that it may be a means to stir them up unto these earnest Applications unto God The whole work is his and he carries it on by means suited to the compassing of the end he aimeth at And by these means is a gracious soul brought into the frame mentioned Now there are sundry things that concur in and unto this frame First There is a continual thoughtfulness about the sad condition wherein the soul is in its depths Being deeply affected with their condition they are continually ruminating upon it and pondering it in their minds So David declares the case to have been with him Psal. 38. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore there is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sins for mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me my wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness I am troubled I am bowed down I go mourning all the day long I am feeble and sore broken I have roared for the disquietness of my heart Restlestness deep-thoughtfulness disquietness of heart continual heaviness of soul sorrow and anxiety of mind lye at the bottom of the Applications we speak of From these Principles their prayers flow out as David adds v. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee This way all his trouble wrought He prayed out of the abundance of his meditation and grief Thoughts of their state and condition lye down with such Persons and rise with them and accompany them all the day long As Reuben cryed The child is not and I whither shall I go So doth such a soul the Love of God is not Christ is not and I whither shall I cause my sorrow to go God is provoked death is nigh at hand relief is far away darkness is about me I have lost my peace my joy my Song in the night what do I think of duties Can two walk together unless they be agreed Can I walk with God in them whilst I have thus made him mine enemy What do I think of Ordinances Will it do me any good to be at Jerusalem and not see the face of the King to live under Ordinances and not to meet in them with the King of Saints May I not justly fear that the Lord will take his holy Spirit from me until I be left without remedy With such thoughts as these are sin-entangled souls exercised and they lye rolling in their minds in all their applications unto God Secondly We see the Application it self consists in and is made by the prayer of Faith or crying unto God now this is done with intenseness of mind which hath a twofold fruit or property 1. Importunity and 2. Constancy It is said of our blessed Saviour that when he was in his depths about our sins that he offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryes and tears Heb. 5. 7. Strong cryes and tears express the utmost intension of Spirit And David expresseth it by roaring as we have seen before as also by sighing groaning and panting A soul in such a condition lyes down before the Lord with sighs groans mourning cryes tears and roaring according to the various working of his heart and its being affected with the things that it hath to do and this produceth First Importunity The power of the importunity of Faith our Saviour hath marvelously set out Luke 11. 8 9 10. as also Chap. 18. 1. Importunate prayer is certainly prevailing And importunity is as it were made up of these two things frequency of interposition and variety of arguings You shall have a man that is importunate come unto you seven times a day about the same business and after all if any new thought come into his mind though he had resolved to the contrary he will come again And there is nothing that can be imagined to relate unto the business he hath in hand but he will make use of it and turn it to the furtherance of his plea. So is it in this case Men will use both frequency of interposition and variety of arguings Psal. 86. 1. I cry unto thee daily or rather all the day He had but that one business and he attended it to the purpose By this means we give God no rest Isa. 62. 7. which is the very character of importunity Such souls go to God and they are not satisfied with what they have done and they go again and somewhat abideth still with them and they go to him again and the heart is not yet emptied they 'l go again to him that he may have no rest What variety of arguments are pleaded with God in this case I could also manifest in the same David But it is known to all there is not any thing almost that he makes not a plea of the Faithfulness Righteousness Name Mercy Goodness and kindness of God in Jesus Christ the concernment of others in him both the friends and foes of God his own weakness and helplesness yea the greatness of sin it self Be merciful to my sin saith he for it is great Sometimes he begins with some Arguments of this kind and then being a little diverted by other considerations some new plea is suggested unto him by the Spirit ane he returns immediately to his first employment and design all arguing great intension of mind and spirit Secondly Constancy also flows from intenseness Such a soul will not give over untill it obtain what it aims at and looks for as we shall see in our process in opening this Psalm And this is in general the deportment of a gracious soul in the condition here represented unto us As poor creatures love their peace as they love their souls as they tender the glory of God they are not to be wanting in this duty What is the reason that controversies hang so long between God and your souls that it may be you scarce see a good day all your lives Is it not for the most part

external thing whereof a soul can have no inward sense or relish Notions there are many about it and endless contentions but what more why let a gracious soul in simplicity and sincerity of Spirit give up himself to walk with Christ according to his Appointment and he shall quickly find such a taste and relish in the fellowship of the Gospel in the Communion of Saints and of Christ amongst them as that he shall come up to such Riches of Assurance in the Understanding and Acknowledgement of the wayes of the Lord as others by their disputing can never attain unto What is so High Glorious and Mysterious as the Doctrine of the ever blessed Trinity Some wise men have thought meet to keep it veiled from ordinary Christians And some have delivered it in such terms as that they can understand nothing by them But take a Believer who hath tasted how gracious the Lord is in the Eternal Love of the Father the great Undertaking of the Son in the work of Mediation and Redemption with the Almighty work of the Spirit creating Grace and comfort in the soul and hath had an experience of the Love Holiness and Power of God in them all and he will with more firm confidence adhere to this mysterious Truth being lead into it and confirmed in it by some few plain Testimonies of the Word than a thousand Disputers shall do who only have the notion of it in their minds Let a real Tryal come and this will appear Few will be found to sacrifice their lives on bare speculations Experience will give Assurance and Stability We have thus cleared the credit of the Testimony now to be improved It is evident on these grounds that there is a great certainty in those Truths whereof Believers have experience Where they communicate their power unto the heart they give an unquestionable Assurance of their Truths And when that is once realized in the soul all disputes about it are put to silence These things being so let us enquire into the faith and experience of the Saints on the Earth as to what they know of the Truth proposed unto confirmation namely that there is forgiveness with God Let us go to some poor soul that now walks comfortably under the Light of Gods countenance and say unto him Did we not know you some while since to be full of sadness and great anxiety of Spirit yea sorrowful almost to death and bitter in soul Answ. Yes saith he so it was indeed my dayes were consumed with mourning and my life with sorrow and I walked heavily in fear and bitterness of Spirit all the day long Why what ayled you what was the matter with you seeing as to the outward things you were in Peace Answ. The Law of God had laid hold upon me and slain me I found my self thereby a woful sinner yea overwhelmed with the guilt of sin Every moment I expected Tribulation and wrath from the hand of God My sore ran in the night and ceased not and my soul refused comfort How is it then that you are thus delivered that you are no more sad Where have you found ease and peace have you been by any means delivered or did your trouble wear off and depart of its own accord Answ. Alas no had I not met with an effectual Remedy I had sunk and everlastingly perished What course did you take Answ. I went unto him by Jesus Christ against whom I have sinned and have found him better unto me than I could expect or ever should have believed had not he overpowred my heart by his Spirit Instead of wrath which I feared and that justly because I had deserved it he said unto me in Christ fury is not in me For a long time I could not believe it I thought it impossible that there should be mercy and pardon for me or such a one as I. But he still supported me sometimes by one means sometimes by another untill taking my soul near to himself he caused me to see the folly of my unbelieving heart and the vileness of the hard thoughts I had of him and that indeed there is with him forgiveness and plenteous Redemption This hath taken away all my sorrows and given me quietness with Rest and Assurance But are you sure now that this is so may you not possibly be deceived Answ. Sayes the soul I have not the least suspicion of any such matter and if at any time ought doth arise to that purpose it is quickly overcome But how are you confirmed in this perswasion Answ. That sense of it which I have in my heart that sweetness and rest which I have experience of that influence it hath upon my soul that Obligation I find laid upon me by it unto all thankful Obedience that Relief Supportment and Consolation that it hath afforded me in tryals and troubles in the mouth of the Grave and Entrances of Eternity all answering what is declared concerning these things in the Word will not suffer me to be deceived I could not indeed receive it untill God was pleased to speak it unto me But now let Satan do his utmost I shall never cease to bear this Testimony that there is mercy and forgiveness with him How many thousands may we find of these in the world who have had such a seal of this Truth in their hearts as they cannot only securely lay down their lives in the confirmation of it if called thereunto but also do chearfully and triumphantly venture their Eternal Concernments upon it Yea this is the rise of all that peace serenity of mind and strong consolation which in this world they are made partakers of Now this is to me on the principles before laid down an evidence great and important God hath not manifested this Truth unto the Saints thus copied it out of his word and exemplified it in their souls to leave them under any possibility of being deceived Institution of Religious Worship an Evidence of Forgiveness 6. Gods Institution of Religious Worship and Honor therein to be rendred unto him by sinners is another Evidence that there is forgivenesswith him I have instanced before in one particular of Worship to this purpose namely in that of Sacrifices But therein we intended only their particular nature and signification how they declared and manifested Reconciliation Attonement and Pardon That now aimed at is to shew how all the Worship that God hath appointed unto us and all the Honour which we give unto his holy Majesty thereby is built upon the same foundation namely a supposition of forgiveness and is appointed to teach it and to ascertain us of it which shall briefly be declared To this end observe 1. That the General End of all Divine and Religious Worship is to raise unto God a Revenue of glory out of the creation Such is Gods infinite natural self-sufficiency that he stands in need of no such Glory and Honour He was in himself no less infinitely and eternally

fearful expectation of judgement and fiery indignation as to the prevailing apprehension of their minds And Sixthly God secretly sends his Arrows into the soul that wound and gall it adding pain trouble and disquietness to its disconsolation Psalm 38. 2. Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore Ever and anon in his walking God shot a sharp piercing arrow fixing it on his soul that galled wounded and perplexed him filling him with pain and grievous vexation These arrows are Gods rebukes Psal. 39. 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity God speaks in his Word and by his Spirit in the Conscience things sharp and bitter to the soul fastning them so as it cannot shake them out These Job so mournfully complains of Chap. 6. 4. The Lord speaks words with that efficacy that they piecce the heart quite through and what the issue then is David declares Psal. 38 3. There is no soundness saith he in my flesh because of thine anger nor is there any rest in my bones because of my sin The whole person is brought under the power of them and all health and rest is taken away and Seventhly Unspiritedness and disability unto Duty in doing or suffering attend such a condition Psal. 40. 12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up His spiritual strength was worn away by sin so that he was not able to address himself unto any communion with God The soul now cannot pray with life and power cannot hear with joy and profit cannot do good and communicate with cheerfulness and freedom cannot meditate with delight and heavenly mindedness cannot act for God with zeal and liberty cannot think of suffering with boldness and resolution but is sick weak feeble and bowed down Now I say a gracious soul after much communion with God may on the account of sin by a sense of the guilt of it be brought into a state and condition wherein some more or all of these with other the like perplexities may be its portion And these make up the Depths whereof the Pfalmist here complains What are the sins or of what sorts that ordinarily cast the souls of Believers into these depths shall be afterwards declared I shall now shew both whence it is that Believers may fall into such a condition as also whence it is that oftentimes they actually do so Whence it is that Believers may be brought into depths on the account of sin Nature of the supplies of Grace given in the Covenant How far they extend Principles of the power of sin First The Nature of the Covenant wherein all Believers now walk with God and wherein all their whole provision for obedience is enwrapped leaves it possible for them to fall into these depths that have been mentioned Under the first Covenant there was no mercy or forgiveness provided for any sin It was necessary then that it should exhibit a sufficiency of Grace to preserve from every sin or it could have been of no use at all This the Rigteousness of God required and so it was To have made a Covenant wherein there was no provision at all of pardon and not a sufficiency of Grace to keep the Covenanters from need of pardon was not answerable to the Goodness and Righteousness of God But he made man upright who of his own accord sought out many inventions It is not so in the Covenant of Grace There is in it pardon provided in the blood of Christ It is not therefore of indispensible necessity that there should be administred in it Grace effectually preserving from every sin Yet is it on all accounts to be preferred before the other For besides the relief by pardon which the other knew nothing of there is in it also much provision against sin which was not in the other First There is provision made in it against all and every sin that would disannull the Covenant and make a final separation between God and a soul that hath been once taken into the bond thereof This provision is absolute God hath taken upon himself the making of this good and the establishing this Law of the Covenant that it shall not by any sin be disannulled Jor. 32. 40. I will saith God make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me The security hereof depends not on any thing in our selves All that is in us is to be used as a means of the accomplishment of this Promise but the event or issue depends absolutely on the faithfulness of God And the whole certainty and stability of the Covenant depends on the efficacy of the Grace administred in it to preserve men from all such sins as would disanull it Secondly There is in this Covenant provision made for constant peace and consolation notwithstanding and against the guilt of such sins as through their infirmities and temptations believers are daily exposed unto Though they fall into sins every day yet they do not fall into depths every day In the tenour of this Covenant there is a consistency between a sense of sin unto humiliation and peace with strong consolation After the Apostle had described the whole conflict that Believers have with sin and the frequent wounds which they receive thereby which makes them cry out for deliverance Rom. 7. 24. He yet concludes Chap. 8. 1. that there is no condemnation unto them which is a sufficient and stable foundation of Peace So 1 John 2. 1. These things have I written unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Our great business and care ought to be that we sin not but yet when we have done our utmost if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves Chap. 1. 8. What then shall poor sinful guilty creatures do why let them go to the Father by their Advocate and they shall not fail of pardon and peace And saith Paul Heb 6. 17 18. God is abundantly willing that we might have strong consolation who fly for resuge to lay hold on the hope set before us What was his condition who fled of old to the City of refuge for safety from whence this expression is taken He was guilty of blood though shed at unawares and so as that he was to dye for it if he escaped not to the City of Refuge Though we may have the guilt of sins upon us that the Law pronounceth death unto yet flying to Christ for refuge God hath provided not only safety but strong consolation for us also Forgiveness in the blood of Christ doth not only take guilt from the soul but trouble also from the conscience And in this respect doth the Apostle at large set forth the Excellency of his Sacrifice Heb. 10. The Sacrifices of the Old Law he

and obstructions by his own blood bringing forth unto beauty and Glory this Redemption or Forgiveness of sin as the price of it And let the Glory of the Gospel which alone makes this discovery of Forgiveness in God dwell in your hearts Let your minds be exercised about these things You will find effects from them above all that hath as yet been brought forth in your souls What for the most part have you hitherto been conversant about when you have risen above the turmoyling of lusts and corruptions in your hearts the entanglements of your Callings business and affairs what have you been able to raise your hearts unto perplexing fears about your Condition General hopes without savour or relish yielding you no refreshment Legal Commands Bondage-duties distracted Consciences broken Purposes and Promises which you have been tossed up and down withall without any certain rest And what Effects have these thoughts produced have they made you more holy and more humble have they given you delight in God and strength unto new obedience Not at all Where you were there you still are without the least progress But now bring your Souls unto these Springs and try the Lord if from that day you be not blessed with spiritual stores 8. If the Lord be pleased to carry on your Souls thus far then stirr up your selves to choose and close with the way of forgiveness that hath been revealed Choose it only choose it in comparison with and opposition unto all others Say you will be for Christ and not for another and be so accordingly Here venture here repose here rest your Souls It is a way of peace safety Holyness beauty strength power liberty and glory you have the Nature the Name the Love the Purposes the Promises the Covenant the Oath of God the Love Life Death or Blood the Mediation or Oblation and Intercession of Jesus Christ The Power and Efficacy of the Spirit and Gospel Grace by him administred to give you Assurance of the excellency the oneness the safety of the Way whereunto you are engaging If now the Lord shall be pleased to perswade your hearts and souls to enter upon the path marked out before you and shall carry you on through the various exercises of it unto this closure of Faith God will have the Glory the Gospel will be Exalted and your own Souls shall reap the Eternal benefit of this Exhortation But now if not withstanding all that hath been spoken all the Invitations you have had and Incouragements that have been held out unto you you shall continue to despise this so great salvation you will live and dye in the state and condition wherein you are why then as the Prophet said to the Wife of Jeroboam Come neer for I am sent unto you with heavy Tydings I say then 9. If you resolve to continue in the neglect of this Salvation and shall do so accordingly Then Cursed be you of the Lord with all the Curses that are written in the Law and all the Curses that are denounced against Despisers of the Gospel Yea be you Anathema Maranatha Cursed in this World alwayes untill the comeing of the Lord and when the Lord comes be ye cursed from his presence into Everlasting destruction Yea Curse them all ye holy Angels of God as the obstinate Enemies of your King and Head the Lord Jesus Christ. Curse them all ye Churches of Christ as despisers of that Love and Mercy which is your portion your Life your Inheritance Let all the Saints of God all that love the Lord curse them and rejoyce to see the Lord comeing forth mightily and prevailing against them to their everlasting ruine Why should any one have a thought of compassion towards them who despise the compassion of God or of mercy towards them who trample on the blood of Christ Whilest there is yet hope we desire to have continual sorrow for you and to travail in soul for your conversion to God but if you be hardened in your way shall we joyn with you against him shall we preferre you above his Glory shall we desire your salvation with the despoyling God of his honour Nay God forbid We hope to rejoyce in seeing all that vengeance and indignation that is in the right hand of God poured out unto Eternity upon your Souls Prov. 1. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. Rules to be observed by them who would come to stability in Obedience The first Rule Christ the only infallible Judge of our spiritual condition How he judgeth by his Word and Spirit That which remaineth to be further carried on upon the Principles laid down is to perswade with Souls more or less intangled in the depths of sin to close with this Forgiveness by Believing unto their Peace and Consolation And because such persons are full of pleas and objections against themselves I shall chiefly in what I have to say endeavour to obviate these Objections so to encourage them unto believing and bring them unto settlement And herein whatever I have to offer flowes naturally from the Doctrine at large laid down and asserted Yet I shall not in all particulars apply my self thereunto but in Generall fix on those things that may tend to the Establishment and Consolation of both distressed and doubting Souls And I shall do what I purpose these two wayes First I shall lay down such General Rules as are necessary to be observed by all those who intend to come to Gospel peace and Comfort And then Secondly shall consider some such Objections as seem to be most comprehensive of those special reasonings where with distressed persons do usually intangle themselves I shall begin with General Rules which through the Grace of Christ and Supplyes of his Spirit may be of use unto Believers in the condition under consideration RULE I. Be not Judges of your own Condition but let Christ judge You are invited to take the comfort of this Gospel Truth That there is Forgiveness with God You say not for you so said Jacob My way is hid from the Lord Isa. 40. 27. and Sion said so too chap. 49. 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But did they make a right Judgement of themselves We find in those places that God was otherwise minded This false Judgement made by Souls in their intanglements of their own Condition is oft-times a most unconquerable hinderance unto the bettering of it They fill themselves with thoughts of their own about it and on them they dwell instead of looking out after a Remedy Misgiving thoughts of their distempers are commonly a great part of some mens sickness Many diseases are apt to cloud the thoughts and to cause misapprehensions concerning their own nature and danger And these delusions are a real part of the persons sickness Nature is no less impaired and weakened by them the Efficacy of Remedies no less obstructed than by any other reall distemper In such

Peace you may find This is the putting of the hand into the side of Christ but blessed are they who believe and yet have not seen RULE III. If you have at any time formerly received any especial or Immediate pledge or testimony of God given unto your souls as unto their Sincerity and consequently their Regeneration labour to recover it and to revive a sense of it upon your Spirits now in your darkness and trouble I am perswaded there are but few Believers but that God doth at one time or other in one duty or other entring into or coming out of one Temptation or another give some singular Testimony unto their own souls and consciences concerning their Sincerity and his Acceptance of them Sometimes he doth this in a duty wherein he hath enabled the soul to make so near an approach unto him as that it hath been warmed enlivened sweetned satisfied with the presence the gracious presence of God and which God hath made unto him as a token of his uprightness Sometimes when a man is entring into any great Temptation Trial difficult or dangerous duty that death it self is feared in it God comes in by one means or other by a secret intimation of his Love which he gives him to take along with him for his furniture and provision in his way and thereby testifies to him his Sincerity And this serves like the food of Elijah for forty daies in a wilderness condition Sometimes he is pleased to shine immediately into the soul in the midst of its darkness and sorrow wherewith it is surprized as not looking for any such expression of kindness and is thereby relieved against its own pressing self-condemnation And sometimes the Lord is pleased to give these tokens of Love unto the soul as its refreshment when it is coming off from the storm of Temptations wherewith it hath been tossed And many other times and seasons there are wherein God is pleased to give unto Believers some Especial Testimony in their consciences unto their own Integrity But now these are all wrought by a transient operation of the Spirit exciting and enabling the heart unto a spiritual sensible apprehension and receiving of Gods expressing kindness towards it These things abide not in their sense and in their power which they have upon our Affections but immediately pass away They are therefore to be treasured up in the mind and judgement to be improved and made use of by Faith as occasion shall require but we are apt to lose them Most know no other use of them but whilst they feel them yea through ignorance in our duty to improve them they prove like a sudden light brought into a dark place and again removed which seems to increase and really aggravates our sense of the darkness The true Use of them is to lay them up and ponder them in our hearts that they may be Supportments and Testimonies unto us in a time of need Have you then who are now in the dark as to your state or condition whether you are Regenerate or no ever received any such refreshing and chearing Testimony from God given unto your Integrity and your Acceptance with him thereupon call it over again and make use of it against those discouragements which arise from your present darkness in this matter and which keeps you off from sharing in the consolation tendred unto you in this Word of Grace RULE IV. A due spiritual Consideration of the Causes and Effects of Regeneration is the ordinary way and means whereby the souls of Believers come to be satisfied concerning that work of God in them and upon them The principle or causes of this work are the Spirit and the Word He that is born again is born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 6. and of the Word Of his own Will begat he us by the word of his Truth Jam. 1. 18. We are born again by the Word of God that abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. Where ever then a man is regenerate there hath been an effectual work of the Spirit and of the Word upon his soul. This is to be inquired into and after Ordinarily it will discover it self Such impressions will be made in it upon the soul such a change will be wrought and produced in it as will not escape a spiritual diligent search and enquiry And this is much of the duty of such as are in the dark and uncertain concerning the accomplishment of this work in themselves Let them call to mind what have been the actings of the Spirit by the Word upon their souls What Light thereby hath been communicated unto their minds what discoveries of the Lord Christ and way of Salvation have been made to them what sense and detestation of sin have been wrought in them what satisfaction hath been given unto the soul to chuse accept and acquiesce in the Righteousness of Christ what Resignation of the heart unto God according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace it hath been wrought unto Call to mind what Transactions there have been between God and your souls about these things how far they have been carryed on whether you have broken off the Treaty with God and refused his Terms or if not where the stay is between you and what is the Reason since God hath graciously begun to deal thus with you that you are not yet come to a through close with him in the work and design of his Grace the defect must of necessity lye on your parts God doth nothing in vain Had he not been willing to receive you he would not have dealt with you so far as he hath done There is nothing then remains to firm your condition but a resolved Act of your own Wills in answering the mind and will of God And by this search may the soul come to satisfaction in this matter or at least find out and discover where the stick is whence their uncertainty doth arise and what is wanting to compleat their desires Again this work may be discovered by its Effects There is something that is produced by it in the soul which may also be considered either with respect unto its Being and Existence or unto its Actings and Operations in the first regard it is Spirit Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the Spirit which is produced by the effectual operation of the Spirit of God it is Spirit A new Creature 2 Cor. 15. 17. He that is in Christ Jesus who is born again is a new Creature a new life a spiritual life Gal. 2. 20. Ephes. 2. 1. In brief it is an habitual furnishment of all the faculties of the soul with new spiritual vital principles enabling a person in all instances of Obedience to lead a spiritual life unto God This principle is by this work produced in the soul and in respect of its Actings it consists in all the gracious operations of the Mind Will Heart or Affections in the duties of Obedience which God hath required

the soul. 1. Because they are unexpected The soul looks not for them upon the first great conquest made of sin and universal engagement of the heart unto God When it first sayes I have sworn and amstedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous Judgements commonly there is peace at least for a season from the disturbing vigorous actings of sin There are many Reasons why so it should be Old things are then passed away all things are become new and the soul under the power of that universal change is utterly turned away from those things that should foment stir up provoke or cherish any lust or temptation Now when some of these Advantages are past and sin begins to stir and act again the soul is surprized and thinks the work that he hath passed through was not true and effectual but temporary only Yea he thinks perhaps that sin hath more strength than it had before because he is more sensible than he was before As one that hath a dead arm or limb whilst it is mortified endures deep cuts and launcings and feels them not when spirits and sense are brought into the place again he feels the least cut and may think the instruments sharper than they were before when all the difference is that he hath got a quickness of sense which before he had not It may be so with a person in this case he may think lust more powerfull than it was before because he is more sensible than he was before Yea sin in the heart is like a Snake or Serpent you may pull out the sting of it and cut it into many pieces though it can sting mortally no more nor move his whole body at once yet it will move in all its parts and make an appearance of a greater motion than formerly So it is with lust when it hath received its deaths wound and is cut in pieces yet it moves in so many parts as it were in the soul that it amazes him that hath to do with it and thus coming unexpectedly fills the spirit oftentimes with disconsolation 2. It hath also in its actings an Universality This also surprizeth there is an universality in the actings of sin even in Believers There is no evil that it will not move to there is no good that it will not attempt to hinder no duty that it will not defile And the reason of this is because we are sanctified but in part not in any part wholly though savingly and truly in every part There is sin remaining in every faculty in all the Affections and so may be acting in and towards any sin that the nature of man is liable unto Degrees of sin there are that all Regenerate persons are exempted from but unto solicitations to all kinds of sin they are exposed and this helps on the Temptation 3. It is endless and restless never quiet conquering nor conquered it gives not over but rebels being overcome or assaults afresh having prevailed Oft-times after a victory obtained and an opposition subdued the soul is in expectation of Rest and Peace from its enemies But this holds not It works and rebels again and again and will do so whilst we live in this world so that no issue will be put to our conflict but by death This is at large handled elsewhere in a Treatise lately published on this peculiar subject These and the like Considerations attending the actings of indwelling sin do oftentimes intangle the soul in making a Judgement of it self and leave it in the dark as to its state and condition A few things shall be offered unto this Objection also 1. The sensible powerfull actings of indwelling sin are not inconsistent with a state of Grace Gal. 5. 17. There are in the same person contrary principles the flesh and the spirit these are contrary And there are contrary actings from these principles The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these actings are described to be great vigorous in other places Lust wars against our souls Jam. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 1 l. Now to war is not to make faint or gentle Opposition to be flighted and contemned but it is to go out with great strength to use craft subtlety and force so as to put the whole issue to a hazard So these lusts war such are their actings in and against the soul. And therefore saith the Apostle You cannot do the things that you would see Rom. 7. 14 15 16 17. In this conflict indeed the understanding is left unconquered it condemns and disapproves of the evil led unto and the will is not subdued it would not do the evil that is pressed upon it and there is an hatred or aversation remaining in the Affections unto sin but yet notwithstanding sin rebels fights tumultuates and leads captive This Objection then may receive this speedy Answer Powerfull actings and workings universal endless struglings of ind welling sin seducing to all that is evil putting it self forth to the disturbance and dissettlement of all that is good is no sufficient ground to conclude a state of Alienation from God see for this the other Treatise before mentioned at large 2. Your state is not at all to be measured by the opposition that sin makes to you but by the opposition you make to it be that never so great if this be good be that never so restless and powerfull if this be sincere you may be disquieted you can have no reason to despond I have mentioned these things only to give a specimen of the Objections which men usually raise up against an actual closing with the Truth insisted on to their consolation And we have also given in upon them some Rules of Truth for their relief not intending in them absolute satisfaction as to the whole of the cases mentioned but only to remove the darkness raised by them so out of the way as that it might not hinder any from mixing the Word with Faith that hath been dispensed from this blessed testimony that there is forgiveness with God that he may be feared Verse 5 6. PRoceed we now to the second part of this Psalm which contains the deportment of a sin-perplexed soul when by Faith it hath discovered where its Rest doth lye and from whom its relief is to be expected even from the forgiveness which is with God whereof we have spoken There are two things in general as was before mentioned that the soul in that condition applies it self unto whereof the first respects its self and the other the whole Israel of God That which respects its self is the description of that frame of heart and spirit that he was brought into upon faiths discovery of forgiveness in God with the duties that he applied himself unto the grounds of it and the manner of its performance v. 5 6. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his Word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that

A Practical EXPOSITION ON THE 130th Psalm WHEREIN The Nature of the Forgiveness of Sin is declared the truth and reality of it asserted AND The Case of a Soul distressed with the Guilt of Sin and relieved by a discovery of Forgiveness with God is at large discoursed By John Owen D. D. John 5. 39. Search the Scriptures LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder at the Sign of the Peacock in Chancery-Lane near Fleet-Street 1669. TO THE READER Christian Reader THE ensuing Exposition and Discourses are intended for the benefit of those whose spiritual state and condition is represented in the Psalm here explained That these are not a few that they are many yea that to some part or parts of it they are all who believe both the Scriptures and their own Experience will bear Testimony Some of them it may be will inquire into and after their own concernments as they are here declared To be serviceable to their Faith Peace and Spiritual consolation hath been the whole of my design If they meet with any discovery of Truth any due application of it to their consciences any declaration of the sense and mind of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures suitable unto their condition and usefull to their edification much of my end and purpose is obtained I know some there are that dislike all discourses of this nature and look upon them with contempt and scorn But why they should so do I know not unless the Gospel it self and all the mysteries of it be folly unto them Sin and Grace in their original causes various respects consequents and ends are the principal subjects of the whole Scripture of the whole Revelation of the Will of God to Mankind In these do our present and eternal concernments lye and from and by them hath God designed the great and everlasting exaltation of his own Glory Upon these do turn all the transactions that are between God and the souls of men That it should be an endeavour needless or superfluous to inquire into the Will of God about and our own interest in these things who can imagine Two waies there are whereby this may be done First Speculatively by a due investigation of the nature of these things according as their Doctrine is declared in the Scripture An endeavour according to the mind of God herein is just and commendable and comprehensive of most of the chief heads of Divinity But this is not to be engaged in for its own sake The knowledge of God and spiritual things have this proportion unto practical Sciences that the end of all its notions and Doctrines consists in practice Wherefore Secondly These things are to be considered practically that is as the souls and consciences of men are actually concerned in them and conversant about them How men contract the guilt of sin what sense they have and ought to have thereof what danger they are liable unto thereon what perplexities and distresses their souls and consciences are reduced to thereby what courses they fix upon for their relief as also what is that Grace of God whereby alone they may be delivered wherein it consists how it was prepared how purchased how it is proposed and how it may be attained what effects and consequents a participation of it doth produce how in these things Faith and obedience unto God dependance on him submission to him waiting for him are to be exercised is the principal work that those who are called unto the dispensation of the Gospel ought to enquire into themselves and to acquaint others withall In the right and due management of these things whether by writing or oral-instruction with prudence diligence and zeal doth consist their principal usefulness in reference unto the Glory of God and the everlasting welfare of the Souls of men And they are under a great mistake who suppose it an easie and a common matter to treat of these practical things usefully to the edification of them that do believe Because both the nature of the things themselves with the concerns of the souls and consciences of all sorts of Persons in them require that they be handled plainly and without those intermixtures of secular Learning and additions of ornaments of speech which discourses of other natures may on ought to be composed and set off withall some judging by meer outward appearances especially if they be of them from whom the true nature of the things themselves treated of are hid are ready to despise and scorn the plain management of them as that which hath nothing of wisdom or learning accompanying of it no effects of any commendable ability of mind for which it should be esteemed But it is not expressible how great a mistake such persons through their own darkness and ignorance do labour under In a right spiritual understanding in a due perception and comprehension of these things the things of the sins of Men and Grace of God consists the greatest part of that wisdom of that soundness of mind of that knowledge rightly so called which the Gospel commands exhibits and puts a valuation upon To reveal and declare them unto others in words of Truth and Soberness fit and meet to express them unto the understandings of men opened and enlightned by the same spirit by whom the things themselves are originally revealed to derive such sacred spiritual Truths from the Word and by a due preparation to communicate and apply them to the Souls and Consciences of men contains a principal part of that ministerial skill and ability which are required in the dispensers of the Gospel and wherein a severe exercise of sound learning judgement and care is necessary to be found and may be fully expressed Into this Treasurie towards the Service of the House of God it is that I have cast my mite in the ensuing Exposition and discourses on the 130th Psalm The design of the Holy Ghost was therein to express and represent in the Person and condition of the Psalmist the case of a soul intangled and ready to be overwhelmed with the guilt of sin relieved by a discovery of Grace and Forgiveness in God with its deportment upon a participation of that relief After the Exposition of the words of the Text my design and endeavour hath been only to enlarge the Pourtraicture here given us in the Psalm of a Believing soul in and under the condition mentioned to render the lines of it more visible and to make the Characters given in its description more legible and withall to give unto others in the like condition with the Psalmist a light to understand and discern themselves in that Image and representation which is here made of them in the Person of another To this end have I been forced to enlarge on the two great heads of Sin and Grace especially on the latter here called the forgiveness that is with God An Interest herein a participation hereof being our principal concernment in this World and the

professeth that it was all his relief and supportment How comes it to be an occasion of his trouble All had not been well between God and him and whereas formerly in his Remembrance of God his thoughts were chiefly exercised about his Love and Kindness now they were wholly possest with his own sin and unkindness This causeth his trouble Herein lyes a share of the intanglements occasioned by sin Saith such a soul in its self foolish creature hast thou thus requited the Lord Is this the return that thou hast made unto him for all his love his kindness his consolations mercies Is this thy kindness for him thy love to him Is this thy kindness to thy Friend Is this thy boasting of him that thou hadst found so much Goodness and Excellency in him and his Love that though all men should forsake him thou never wouldst do so Are all thy Promises all thy Engagements which thou madest unto God in times of distress upon prevailing obligations and mighty impressions of his Good Spirit upon thy soul now come to this that thou shouldst so foolishly forget neglect despise cast him off Well! now he is gone he is withdrawn from thee and what wilt thou do Art thou not even ashamed to desire him to return They were thoughts of this nature that cut Peter to the heart upon his fall The soul finds them cruel as Death and strong as the Grave It is bound in the chains of them and cannot be comforted Psalm 38. 3 4 5 6. And herein consists a great part of the depths enquired after For this consideration excites and puts an edge upon all grieving straightning perplexing Affections which are the only means whereby the soul of a man may be inwardly troubled or trouble it self such are sorrow and shame with that self-displicency and Revenge wherewith they are attended And as their Reason and Object in this case do transcend all other occasions of them so on no other account do they cause such severe and perplexing reflections on the soul as on this Thirdly A revived sense of justly deserved wrath belongs also to these depths This is as the opening of old wounds When men have passed through a sense of wrath and have obtained deliverance and rest through the blood of Christ to come to their old thoughts again to be trading afresh with Hell Curse Law and Wrath it is a depth indeed And this often befalls gracious souls on the account of sin Psalm 88. 7. Thy wrath lyeth hard upon me saith Heman It pressed and crushed him sorely There is a self-judging as to the desert of wrath which is consistent with a comforting perswasion of an Interest in Christ. This the soul finds sweetness in as it lyes in a subserviency to the exaltation of Grace But in this case the soul is left under it without that relief It plungeth it self into the Curse of the Law and flames of Hell without any cheering supportment from the blood of Christ. This is walking in the valley of the shadow of death The soul converseth with death and what seems to lye in a tendency thereunto The Lord also to increase his perplexities puts new life and spirit into the Law gives it a fresh Commission as it were to take such a one into its Custody and the Law will never in this world be wanting unto its Duty Fourthly Oppressing Apprehensions of temporal Judgements concurr herein also for God will Judge his People And Judgement often begins at the House of God Though God saith such a one should not cast me off for ever though he should pardon my iniquities yet he may so take vengeance of my inventions as to make me feed on gall and wormwood all my dayes Psal. 119. 120. faith David My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgements He knows not what the great God may bring upon him and being full of a sense of the guilt of sin which is the bottom of this whole condition every Judgement of God is full of terror unto him Sometimes he thinks God may lay open the filth of his heart and make him a scandal and a reproach in the world Psal. 39. 8. Oh saith he make me not a reproach to the foolish Sometimes he trembles lest God should strike him suddainly with some signal Judgement and take him out of the world in darkness and sorrow so saith David take me not away in thy wrath Sometimes he fears lest he shall be like Jonah and raise a storm in his Family in the Church whereof he is a Member or in the whole Nation Let them not be ashamed for my sake These things make his heart soft as Job speaks and to melt within him When any Affl●ction or publick Judgement of God is fastned to a quick living sense of sin in the Conscience it overwhelms the soul whether it be only justly feared or be actually inflicted as was the case of Joseph's Brethren in Aegypt The soul is then rolled from one deep to another Sense of sin casts it on the consideration of its Affliction and Affliction turns it back on a sense of sin So deep calleth unto deep and all Gods billows go over the soul. And they do each of them make the soul tender and sharpen its sense unto the other Affliction ●●●●ens the soul so that the sense of sin cuts the deeper and makes the larger wounds and the sense of sin weakens the soul and makes Affliction sit the heavier and so encreaseth its burden In this case that Affliction which a man in his usual state of spiritual peace could have embraced as a sweet pledge of Love is as goads and thorns in his side depriving him of all rest and quietness God makes it as thorns and briars wherewith he will teach stubborn souls their duty as Gideon did the Man of Succoth Fifthly There may be added hereunto prevailing fears for a season of being utterly rejected by God of being found a Reprobate at the last day Jonah seems to conclude so Chap. 3. 4. Then I said I am cast out of thy sight I am lost for ever God will own me no more And Heman Psalm 88. 4 5. I am counted with them that go down into the pit Free among the dead like the slain that lye in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut off from thy hand This may reach the soul until the sorrows of Hell encompass it and lay hold upon it untill it be deprived of comfort peace rest untill it be a terror to its self and be ready to choose strangling rather than life This may befall a gracious soul on the account of sin But yet because this fights directly against the Life of Faith God doth not unless it be in extraordinary cases suffer any of his to lye long in this horrible pit where there is no water no refreshment But this often falls out that even the Saints themselves are left for a season to a

we will go and do as at other times Bones are not broken without pain nor great sins brought on the Conscience without trouble But I need not insist on these Some say that they deprive even true Believers of all their interest in the Love of God but unduly all grant that they bereave them of all comforting evidence and well grounded Assurance of it So they did David and Peter and herein lyes no small part of the depths we are searching into Secondly There are sins which though they do not rise up in the conscience with such a bloody guilt as those mentioned yet by reason of some circumstances and aggravations God takes them so unkindly as to make them a root of disquietness and trouble to the soul all its dayes He sayes of some sins of ungodly men as I live this iniquity shall not be purged from you until ye dye If you are come to this height you shall not escape I will not spare you And there are Provocations in his own People which may be so circumstantiated as that he will not let them pass before he have cast them into depths and made them cry out for deliverance Let us consider some of them First Miscarriages under signal Enjoyments of love and kindness from God are of this sort When God hath given unto any one expressive manifestations of his Love convinced him of it made him say in the inmost parts of his heart this is undeserved love and kindess then for him to be negligent in his walking with God it carrieth an unkindness with it that shall not be forgotten It is a remark upon the miscarriages of Solomon that he fell into them after God had appeared unto him twice And all sins under or after especial mercies will meet at one time or other especial rebukes Nothing doth more distress the conscience of a sinner then the remembrance in darkness of abused light in desertions of neglected love This God will make them sensible of Though I have redeemed them saith God yet they have spoken lyes against me Hos. 7. 15. So Chap. 13. 4 5 6 7. When God hath in his Providence dealt graciously with a Person it may be delivered him from straights and troubles set him in a large place prevented him with many fruits and effects of his goodness blessed him in his Person Relations and Employments dealt well with his soul in giving him a gracious sense of his love in Christ for such a one to fall under sinful miscarriages it goes to the heart of God and shall not be passed over Undervaluations of Love are great provocations Hath Nabal thus requited my kindness saith David I cannot bear it And the clearer the convictions of any in this kind were the more severe will their reflections be upon themselves Secondly Sins under or after great Afflictions are of this importance also God doth not afflict willingly or chasten us meerly for his pleasure He doth it to make us partakers of his Holiness To take so little notice of his hand herein as under it or after it not to watch against the workings and surprizals of sin it hath unkindness in it I smote him saith God and he went on frowardly in the wayes of his own heart These provocations of his Sons and Daughters he cannot bear with Hath God brought thee into the Furnace so that thou hast melted under his hand and in pity and compassion hath given thee enlargement if thou hast soon forgotten his dealings with thee is it any wonder if he mind thee again by troubles in thy soul Thirdly Breaking off from under strong convictions and dawnings of Love before Conversion are oftentimes remembred upon the conscience afterwards When the Lord by his Spirit shall mightily convince the heart of sin and make withal some discoveries of his Love and the Excellencies of Christ unto it so that it begins to yield and be overpowred being almost perswaded to be a Christian if then through the strength of lust or unbelief it goes back to the world or self righteousness its folly hath unkindness with it that sometimes shall not be passed by God can and often doth put forth the greatness of his power for the recovery of such a soul but yet he will deal with him about this contempt of his Love and the Excellency of his Son in the dawnings of them revealed unto him Fourthly Suddain forgetfulness of endearing manifestations of special Love This God cautions his people against as knowing their proneness thereunto Psal. 85. 8. God the Lord will speak peace to his People and his Saints but let them not turn again to solly Let them take heed of their aptness to forget endearing manifestations of special Love When God at any time draws nigh to a soul by his Spirit in his Word with gracious words of peace and love giving a sense of his kindness upon the heart by the Holy Ghost so that it is filled with joy unspeakable and glorious thereon for this soul upon a temptation a diversion or by meer carelesness and neglect which oftentimes falls out to suffer this sense of Love to be as it were obliterated and so to lose that influencing efficacy unto obedience which it is accompanied withal this also is full of unkindness An account hereof we have Cant. 5. 1 2 3 4 5 6. In the first Verse the Lord Jesus draws nigh with full provision of Gospel Mercies for his Beloved I am come unto thee saith he O my Sister I have brought myrrh and spice honey and Wine with me What ever is spiritually sweet and delightful Mercy Grace Peace Consolation Joy Assurance they are all here in a readiness for thee v. 2. The Spouse in her drowsie indisposition takes little notice of this gracious visit she is diverted by other matters and knows not how to attend fully and wholly to the blessed Communion offered unto her but excuseth her self as otherwise engaged But what is the issue Christ withdraws leaves her in the dark in the midst of many disconsolations and long it is before she obtain any recovery Fifthly Great opportunities for service neglected and great gifts not improved are oftentimes the occasion of plunging the soul into great depths Gifts are given to trade withal for God Opportunities are the market dayes for that trade To napkin up the one and to let slip the other will end in trouble and disconsolation Disquietments and perplexities of heart are worms that will certainly breed in the rust of unexercised Gifts God looseth a revenue of glory and honour by such slothful souls and he will make them sensible of it I know some at this day whom omissions of opportunities for service are ready to sink into the grave Sixthly Sins after especial warnings are usually thus issued In all that variety of special warnings which God is pleased to use towards sinning Saints I shall single out one only When a soul is wrastling with some Lust or Temptation God by his

As ever you desire to come to rest avoid not this entrance of your passage unto it Weigh well and attend unto what the Law speaks of your sin and its desert or you will never make a due application to God for forgiveness As ever you would have your souls justified by Grace take care to have your sins judged by the Law Secondly There is a respect in it to the Love of God And this breaks the heart of the poor returning sinner Sorrow from the Law shuts it self up in the soul and strangleth it Sorrow from the thoughts of the Love of God opens it and causseth it to flow forth Thoughts of sinning against the Love of God managed by the Holy Ghost what shall I say their effects in the heart are not to be expressed This made Ezra cry out O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee Chap. 9. 6. and v. 10. What shall we say after this After what why all the fruits of love and kindness they had been made partakers of Thoughts of love and sin laid together make the soul blush mourn be ashamed and confounded in its self So Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall you remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good When shall they do so when thoughts and apprehensions of love shall be brought home to them and saith he then shall you loath your selves in your own sight The soul now calls to mind what Love what kindness what mercy what grace what patience hath been exercised towards it and whereof it hath been made partaker The thoughts of all these now come in upon him as streams of water Such Mercy such Communion such Priviledges such hopes of Glory such tastes of Heaven such Peace such Consolation such Joy such Communications of the Spirit all to a poor wretched cursed lost forlorn sinner and all this despised neglected the God of them all provoked forsaken Ah saith the soul Whither shall I cause my sorrow to go This fills him with shame and confusion of face makes him mourn in secret and sigh to the breaking of the loyns and then Thirdly The blood and Cross of Christ is also brought to remembrance by the Holy Ghost Ah saith the soul have I thus requited the wonderful astonishing Love of my Redeemer Is this the return the requital I have made unto him Are not Heaven and Earth astonished at the despising of that Love at which they are astonished This brake Peters heart upon the look of Christ. Such words as these from Christ will in this condition sound in the ears of the soul. Did I love thee and leave my glory to become a scorn and reproach for thy sake Did I not think my life and all that was dear unto me too good for thee to save thee from the wrath to come Have I been a Wilderness unto thee or a land of darkness What could I have done more for thee when I had nothing left but my life blood and soul they went all for thee that thou mightest live by my death be washed in my blood and be saved through my souls being made an offering for thee And hast thou thus requited my love to prefer a lust before me the world before me or by meer sloth and folly to be turned away from me go unkind and unthankful soul and see if thou canst find another Redeemer This overwhelms the soul and even drowns it in tears and sorrow And then the bitterness also of the sufferings of Christ are brought to mind They look on him whom they have pierced and mourn Zech. 12. 10. They remember his gall and wormwood his cryes and tears his agony and sweat his desertion and anguish his blood and death the sharpness of the Sword that was in his soul and the bitterness of the Cup that was put into his hand Such a soul now looks on Christ bleeding dying wrestling with wrath and curse for him and seeth his sin in the streams of blood that issued from his side And all this encreaseth that sense of sin whereof we speak Also Fourthly It relates to the communion and consolations of the Holy Ghost with all the priviledges and fruits of Love we are by him made partakers of The Spirit is given to Believers upon the promise of Christ to dwell in them He takes up their hearts to be his dwelling place to what ends and purposes that he may purifie and sanctifie them make them holy and dedicate them to God to furnish them with Graces and gifts to interest them in priviledges to guide lead direct comfort them to seal them unto the day of Redemption Now this Spirit is grieved by sin Ephes. 4. 30. and his dwelling place defiled thereby 1 Cor. 6. 19. and 3. 17. Thoughts hereof greatly sharpen the spiritual sense of sin in a recovering soul. He considers what Light what Love what Joy what Consolation what Priviledges it hath by him been made partaker of what motions warnings workings to keep it from sin it hath found from him and sayes within it self What have I done whom have I grieved whom have I provoked what if the Lord should now for my folly and ingratitude utterly take his holy Spirit from me What if I should have so grieved him that he will dwell in me no more delight in me no more What dismal darkness and disconsolation yea what utter ruine should I be left unto However what shame and confusion of face belongs to me for my wretched disingenuity and ingratitude towards him This is the first thing that appears in the returning souls actings and frame a sincere sense of sin on the accounts mentioned wrought in it by the Holy Ghost And this a soul in the depths described must come unto if ever it expect or look for deliverance and a recovery Let not such persons expect to have a renewed sense of mercy without a revived sense of sin Secondly From hence proceedeth an ingenious free gracious Acknowledgement of sin Men may have a sense of sin and yet suffer it to lye burning as a fire shut up in their bones to their continual disquietment and not be able to come off unto a free soul opening acknowledgement Yea confession may be made in general and mention therein of that very sin wherewith the soul is most intangled and yet the soul come short of a due performance of this Duty Consider how the case stood with David Psal. 32. 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long How could David keep silence and yet roar all the day long What is that silence which is consistent with roaring It is a meer negation of that duty which is expressed v. 5. that is intended I acknowledge my sins unto thee and mine iniquities I have not hid It was not a silence of submission and waiting on God that he intends That would not have produced a wasting of his spiritual strength as he complains

in all this dispensation aimed at by God Ephes. 1. 6. That which he is now doing is to bring the soul to glory in him 1 Cor. 1. 31. which is all the return he hath from his large and infinitely bountiful expence of Grace and Mercy Now nothing can render Grace conspicuous and glorious until the soul come to this frame Grace will not seem high until the soul be laid very low And this also suits or prepares the soul for the receiving of mercy in a sense of pardon the great thing aimed at on the part of the sinner And it prepares it for every duty that is incumbent on him in that condition wherein he is This brings the soul to waiting with diligence and patience If things presently answer not our expectation we are ready to think we have done what we can if it will be no better we must bear it as we are able which frame God abhors The soul in this frame is contented to wait the pleasure of God as we shall see in the close of the Psalm Oh saith such an one if ever I obtain a sense of Love if ever I enjoy one smile of his countenance more it is of unspeakable Grace Let him take his own time his own season it is good for me quietly to wait and to hope for his salvation And it puts the soul on prayer yea a soul alwayes in this frame prayes alwayes And there is nothing more evident than that want of a through engagement into the performance of these duties is the great cause why so few come clear off from their entanglements all their dayes Men heal their wounds slightly and therefore after a new painful festering they are brought into the same condition of restlesness and trouble which they were in before Grounds of miscarriages when persons are convinced of sin and humbled Resting in that state Resting on it The soul is not to be left in the state before described There is other work for it to apply it self unto if it intend to come unto Rest and peace It hath obtained an eminent advantage for the discovery of Forgiveness But to rest in that state wherein it is or to rest upon it will not bring it into its harbour Three things we discovered before in the souls first serious address unto God for deliverance sense of sin acknowledgement of it and self-condemnation Two evils there are which attend men oftentimes when they are brought into that state Some rest in it and press no farther some rest upon it and suppose that it is all which is required of them The Psalmist avoids both these and notwithstanding all his pressures reacheth out towards forgiveness as we shall see in the next verse I shall briefly unfold these two evils and shew the necessity of their avoidance First By resting or staying in it I mean the souls desponding through discouraging thoughts that deliverance is not to be obtained Being made deeply sensible of sin it is so overwhelmed with thoughts of its own vileness and unworthiness as to sink under the burden Such a soul is afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted Isa. 54. 11. until it is quite weary As a Ship in a storm at Sea when all means of contending are gone men give up themselves to be driven and tossed by the Winds and Seas at their pleasure This brought Israel to that state wherein he cryed out My way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from my God Isa. 40. 27. and Zion The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Chap. 49. 14. The soul begins secretly to think there is no hope God regardeth it not it shall one day perish relief is far away and trouble nigh at hand These thoughts do so oppress them that though they forsake not God utterly to their destruction yet they draw not nigh unto him effectually to their consolation This is the first evil that the soul in this condition is enabled to avoid We know how God rebukes it in Sion Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Isaiah 49. 14. But how foolish is Sion how froward how unbelieving in this matter what ground hath she for such sinful despondencies such discouraging conclusions Can a woman saith the Lord forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget but I will not forget thee The like reproof he gives to Jacob upon the like complaint Chap. 40. 28 29 30. There is nothing that is more provoking to the Lord nor more disadvantagious unto the soul than such sinful despondency For First It insensibly weakens the soul and disenables it both for present duties and future endeavours Hence some poor creatures mourn and even pine away in this condition never getting one step beyond a perplexing sense of sin all their dayes Some have dwelt so long upon it and have so intangled themselves with a multitude of perplexed thoughts that at length their natural faculties have been weakned and rendred utterly useless so that they have lost both sense of sin and every thing else Against some Satan hath taken advantage to cast in so many intangling objections into their minds that their whole time hath been taken up in proposing doubts and objections against themselves with these they have gone up and down to one and another and being never able to come unto a consistency in their own thoughts they have spent all their dayes in a fruitless sapless withering comfortless condition Some with whom things come to a better issue are yet for a season brought to that discomposure of Spirit or are so filled with their own apprehensions that when the things which are most proper to their condition are spoken to them they take no impression in the least upon them Thus the soul is weakned by dwelling too long on these considerations until some cry with those in Ezek. 33. 10. Our sins are upon us we pine away in them and how should we then live Secondly This frame if it abides by its self will insensibly give countenance unto hard thoughts of God and so to repining and weariness in waiting on him At first the soul neither apprehends nor fears any such issue It supposeth that it shall condemn and abhorr it self and justifie God and that for ever But when relief comes not in this resolution begins to weaken Secret thoughts arise in the heart that God is austere inexorable and not to be dealt withall This sometimes casts forth such complaints as will bring the soul unto new complaints before it comes to have an issue of its tryals Here in humiliations antecedaneous to conversion many a convinced person perisheth They cannot wait Gods season and perish under their impatience And what the Saints of God themselves have been overtaken withal in their depths and tryals we have many examples and instances Delight and Expectation are the grounds of

the thing it self They take it for granted that so it is and are never put seriously upon the enquiry how it comes to be so and that because indeed they have no real concernment in it How many thousands may we meet withall who take it for granted that forgiveness is to be had with God that never yet had any serious exercise in their souls about the grounds of it and its consistency with his holiness and justice But those that know it by faith have a sense of it fixed particularly and distinctly on their minds They have been put upon an enquiry into the rise and grounds of it in Christ so that on a good and unquestionable foundation they can go to God and say there is forgiveness with thee They see how and by what means more glory comes unto God by forgiveness then by punishing of sin which is a matter that the other sort of men are not at all solicitous about If they may escape punishment whether God have any glory or no for the most part they are indifferent Secondly The first Apprehension ariseth without any tryal upon enquiry in the Consciences of them in whom it is They have not by the power of their convictions and distresses of Conscience been put to make enquiry whether this thing be so or no. It is not a perswasion that they have arrived unto in a way of seeking satisfaction to their own souls It is not the result of a deep enquiry after peace and rest It is antecedent unto Tryal and Experience and so is not Faith but Opinion For although Faith be not Experience yet it is inseparable from it as is every practical habit Distresses in their consciences have been prevented by this Opinion not removed The reason why the most of men are not troubled about their sins to any purpose is from a persuasion that God is merciful and will pardon when indeed none can really on a Gospel account ordinarily have that perswasion but those who have been troubled for sin and that to the purpose So is it with them that make this discovery by faith They have had conflicts in their own spirits and being deprived of peace have accomplished a diligent search whether forgiveness were to be obtained or no. The perswasion they have of it be it more or less is the issue of a tryal they have had in their own souls of an enquiry how things stood between God and them as to peace and acceptation of their Persons This is a vast difference the one sort might possibly have had trouble in their consciences about sin had it not been for their Opinion of forgiveness this hath prevented or stifled their convictions not healed their wounds which is the work of the Gospel but kept them from being wounded which is the work of security Yea here lyes the ruine of the most of them who perish under the preaching of the Gospel They have received the general notion of pardon it floats in their minds and presently presents it self to their relief on all occasions Doth God at any time in the dispensation of the Word under an Affliction upon some great sin against their ruling light begin to deal with their consciences before their conviction can ripen or come to any perfection before it draw nigh to its perfect work they choak it and heal their consciences with this notion of pardon Many a man between the Assembly and his dwelling house is thus cured You may see them go away shaking their heads and striking on their breasts and before they come home be as whole as ever Well! God is merciful there is pardon hath wrought the cure The other sort have obtained their perswasion as a result of the discovery of Christ in the Gospel upon a full conviction Tryals they have had and this is the issue Thirdly The one which we reject worketh no Love to God no Delight in him no Reverence of him but rather a contempt and commonness of Spirit in dealing with him There are none in the world that deal worse with God than those who have an ungrounded perswasion of forgiveness And if they do fear him or love him or obey him in any thing more or less it is on other motives and considerations which will not render any thing they do acceptable and not at all on this As he is good to the Creation they may love as he is great and powerful they may fear him but sense of pardon as to any such ends or purposes hath no power upon them Carnal boldness formality and despising of God are the common issues of such a notion and perswasion Indeed this is the generation of great sinners in the world men who have a general apprehension but not a sense of the special power of pardon openly or secretly in fleshly or spiritual sins are the great sinners among men Where faith makes a discovery of forgiveness all things are otherwise Great Love Fear and Reverence of God are its attendants Mary Magdalen loved much because much was forgiven Great Love will spring out of great forgiveness There is forgiveness with thee saith the Psalmist that thou maist be feared No unbeliever doth truly and experimentally know the truth of this inference But so it is when men fear the Lord and his Goodness Hos. 3. 5. 1 say then where pardoning mercy is truly apprehended where faith makes a discovery of it to the soul it is endeared unto God and possessed of the great springs of Love Delight Fear and Reverence Psal. 116. 1 5 6 7. Fourthly This notional apprehension of the pardon of sin begets no serious through hatred and detestation of sin nor is prevalent to a relinquishment of it nay it rather secretly insinuates into the soul encouragements unto a continuance in it It is the nature of it to lessen and extenuate sin and to support the soul against its convictions So Jude tells us that some turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness v. 4. and sayes he they are ungodly men let them profess what they will they are ungodly men But how can they turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness Is Grace capable of a conversion into Lust or Sin Will what was once Grace ever become Wantonness It is Objective not Subjective Grace the Doctrine not the real substance of Grace that is intended The Doctrine of forgiveness is this Grace of God which may be thus abused From hence do men who have only a general notion of it habitually draw secret encouragements to sin and folly Paul also lets us know that carnal men coming to a doctrinal acquaintance with Gospel Grace are very apt to make such conclusions Rom. 6. 1. And it will appear at the last day how unspeakably this glorious Grace hath been perverted in the world It would be well for many if they had never heard the name of forgiveness It is otherwise where this Revelation is received indeed in the soul by believing Rom. 6.

the soul for the receiving of that consolation and deliverance out of its pressures by an evidence of a special interest in forgiveness which it waiteth for 1. For this makes men to hearken after it It makes the soul like the Merchant who hath great Riches all his wealth in a far Country which he is endeavouring to bring home safe unto him If they come he is well provided for if they miscarry he is lost and undone This makes him hearken after tydings that they are safe there and as Solomon sayes Good news in this case from a far Countrey is as cold water to a thirsty soul Prov. 25. 25. full of refreshment Though he cannot look upon them as his own yet absolutely because he hath them not in possession he is glad they are safe there So is it with the soul These Riches that it so values are as to its apprehensions in a far Country So is the Promise that he shall behold the Land that is very far off Isa. 33. 17. He is glad to hear newes that they are safe to hear forgiveness preached and the Promises insisted on though he cannot as yet look upon them as his own The Merchant resis not here but he hearkeneth with much solicitousness after the things that should bring home his riches especially if they have in them his All. Hence such Ships are called Ships of desire Job 9. 26. Such a man greatly desires the speeding of them to their Port. He considers the Wind and the Weather all the occasions and inconveniences and danger of the way And blame him not his All is at stake The soul doth so in like manner it hearkneth after all the wayes and means whereby this forgiveness may be particularly brought home unto it is afraid of sin and of Temptation glad to find a fresh Gale of the Spirit of Grace hoping that it may bring in his Return from the Land of Promise This prepares the heart for a spiritual sense of it when it is revealed Secondly It so prepares the soul by giving it a due Valuation of the Grace and Mercy desired The Merchantman in the Gospel was not prepared to enjoy the Pearl himself until it was discovered to him to be of great price then he knew how to purchase it procure it and keep it The soul having by this acting of faith upon the discovery of forgiveness insisted on come to find that the pearl hid in the field is indeed precious is both stirred up to seek after possession of it and to give it its due Saith such a soul How excellent how precious is this forgiveness that is with God Blessed yea ever blessed are they who are made partakers of it What a life of Joy Rest Peace and Consolation do they lead Had I but their Evidence of an interest in it and the spiritual consolation that ensues thereon How would I despise the world and all the temptations of Satan and rejoyce in the Lord in every condition And this Apprehension of Grace also exceedingly prepares and fits the soul for a receiving of a blessed sense of it so as that God may have glory thereby 3. It fits the soul by giving a Right Understanding of it of its Nature its Causes and Effects At the first the soul goes no further but to look after impunity or freedom from punishment any way What shall I do to be saved is the utmost it aims at Who shall deliver me how shall I escape And it would be contented to escape any way by the Law or the Gospel all is one so it may escape But upon this discovery of forgiveness treated of which is made by faith of Adherence unto God a man plainly sees the nature of it and that it is so excellent that it is to be desired for its own sake Indeed when a soul is brought under trouble for sin it knows not well what it would have It hath an uneasiness or disquietment that it would be freed from a dread of some evil condition that it would avoid But now the soul can tell what it desires what it aims at as well as what it would be freed from It would have an interest in Eternal Love have the gracious kindness of the heart of God turned towards it self a sense of the everlasting purpose of his Will shed abroad in his heart have an especial interest in the precious blood of the Son of God whereby Attonement is made for him and that all these things be testified unto his Conscience in a word of promise mixed with faith These things he comes for this way alone he would be saved and no other It sees such a Glory of Wisdom Love and Grace in forgiveness such an Exaltation of the Love of Christ in all his Offices in all his undertaking especially in his Death Sacrifice and bloodshedding whereby he procured or made Reconciliation for us that it exceedingly longs after the participation of them All these things in their several degrees will this discovery of forgiveness in God without an evidence of an especial interest therein produce And these will assuredly maintain the spiritual life of the soul and keep it up unto such an obedience as shall be accepted of God in Christ. Darkness sorrow storms they in whom it is may meet withal but their eternal condition is secured in the Covenant of God their souls are bound up in the bundle of life From what hath been spoken we may make some Inferences in our passage concerning the true notion of believing For 1. These Effects ascribed to this faith of forgiveness in God and alwayes produced by it make it evident that the most of them who pretend unto it who pretend to believe that there is forgiveness with God do indeed believe no such thing Although I shall on set purpose afterwards evince this yet I cannot here utterly pass it by I shall then only demand of them who are so forward in the profession of this faith that they think it almost impossible that any one should not believe it what Effects it hath produced in them and whether they have been by it enabled to the performance of the duties before mentioned I fear with many things on the account of their pretended faith are quite otherwise They love sin the more for it and God never the better supposing that a few barren words will issue the controversie about their sins they become insensibly to have slight thoughts of sin and of God also This perswasion is not of him that calls us Poor souls your faith is the Devils greatest Engine for your ruine the highest contempt of God and Christ and forgiveness also that you can be guilty of a means to let you down quietly into Hell the Pharisees Moses trusted in and will condemn you As none is saved but by faith so you if it were not for your faith as you call it might possibly be saved If a mans Gold prove counterfeit his Jewels painted Glass

his Silver lead or dross he will not only be found poor when he comes to be tryed and want the benefit of Riches but have withal a fearful aggravation of his poverty by his disappointment and surprizal If a mans faith which should be more precious than Gold be found rotten and corrupt if his light be darkness how vile is that faith how great is that darkness Such it is evident will the faith of too many be found in this business 2. The work we are carrying on is the rising of a sin entangled soul out of its depths and this we have spoken unto is that which must give him his first relief Commonly when souls are in distress that which they look after is Consolation What is it that they intend thereby that they may have Assurance that their sins are forgiven them and so be freed from their present perplexities What is the issue Some of them continue complaining all their dayes and never come to Rest or Peace so far do they fall short of Consolation and Joy And some are utterly discouraged from attempting any progress in the wayes of God What is the Reason hereof Is it not that they would fain be finishing their building when they have not laid the foundation They have not yet made through work in believing forgiveness with God and they would immediately be at Assurance in themselves Now God delights not in such a frame of Spirit for 1. It is selfish The great design of faith is to give glory unto God Rom. 4. 20. The end of Gods giving out forgiveness is the praise of his glorious grace Ephes. 1. 6. But let a soul in this frame have peace in it self it is very little solicitous about giving glory unto God He cryes like Rachel Give me children or I dye give me peace or I perish That God may be honoured and the forgiveness he seeks after be rendred glorious It is cared for in the second place if at all This selfish earnestness at first to be thrusting our hand in the side of Christ is that which he will pardon in many but accepts in none 2. It is impatient Men do thus deport themselves because they will not wait They do not care for standing afar off for any season with the Publican They love not to submit their souls to lye at the foot of God to give him the glory of his Goodness Mercy Wisdom and Love in the disposal of them and their concernments This waiting comprizeth the universal subjection of the soul unto God with a resolved Judgement that it is meet and right that we and all we desire and aim at should be at his Soveraign disposal This gives glory to God a duty which the impatience of these poor souls will not admit them to the performance of and both these arise 3. From weakness it is weak it is weakness in any condition that makes men restless and weary The state of Adherence is as safe a condition as the state of Assurance only it hath more combats and wrestling attending it It is not then fear of the event but weakness and weariness of the combat that make men anxiously solicitous about a deliverance from that state before they are well entered into it Let then the sin entangled soul remember alwayes this Way Method and Order of the Gospel that we have under consideration First Exercise faith on forgiveness in God and when the soul is fixed therein it will have a ground and foundation whereon it may stand securely in making Application of it unto it self Drive this principle in the first place unto a stable issue upon Gospel evidences Answer the Objections that lye against it and then you may proceed In believing the soul makes a conquest upon Satans Territories Do then as they do who are entring on an Enemies Countrey secure the passages fortifie the Strong holds as you go on that you be not cut off in your progress Be not as a Ship at Sea which passeth on and is no more possessed or Master of the Water it hath gone through than of that whereunto it is not yet arrrived But so it is with a soul that fixeth not on these foundation principles he presseth forwards and the ground crumbles away under his feet and so he wilders away all his dayes in uncertainties Would men but lay this principle well in their souls and secure it against assaults they might proceed though not with so much speed as some do yet with more safety Some pretend at once to fall into full Assurance I wish it prove not a broad presumption in the most It is to no purpose for him to strive to flye who cannot yet go to labour to come to Assurance in himself who never well believed forgiveness in God Now that we may be enabled to fix this perswasion against all opposition that which in the next place I shall do is to give out such unquestionable evidences of this Gospel truth as the soul may safely build and rest upon And these contain the confirmation of the principal Proposition before laid down Evidences of Forgiveness in God No inbred Notions of any free Acts of Gods Will. Forgiveness not revealed by the Works of Nature nor the Law 1. The things that are spoken or are to be known of God are of two sorts 1. Natural and Necessary such as are his Essential properties or the Attributes of his nature his Goodness Holiness Righteousness Omnipotency Eternity and the like These are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 19. That which may be known of God And there are two wayes as the Apostle there declares whereby that which he there intimates of God may be known 1. By the inbred light of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 19. It is manifest in themselves in their own hearts They are taught it by the common conceptions and presumptions which they have of God by the light of nature From hence do all mankind know concerning God that He is that he is Eternal infinitely Powerful Good Righteous Holy Omnipotent There needs no special Revelation of these things that men may know them That indeed they may be known savingly there is and therefore they that know these things by nature do also believe them on Revelation Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh unto God must BELIEVE that he is and that he is a rewarder Though men KNOW God by the light of nature yet they cannot COME to God by that knowledge 2. These Essential properties of the nature of God are revealed by his WORKS So the Apostle in the same place ver 20. The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead See also Psalm 19. 1 2 3. And this is the first sort of things that may be known of God 2. There are the free Acts of his Will and Power or his free eternal purposes with the

needful for us And for the plainness of this Truth it is well if it be so unto us This I know nothing but the Spirit of God can make it so Men may please themselves and others sometimes with curious notions and make them seem to be things of great search and attainment which when they are well examined it may be they are not true or if they are are yet of a very little consequence or importance It is these fundamental Truths that have the mysteries of the Wisdom and Grace of God in wrapped in them which who so can unfold aright will shew himself a workman that needs not be ashamed These still waters are deep and the farther we dive into them the greater discovery shall we make of their depths And many other Sacred Truths there are whose mention is common but whose depths are little searched and whose efficacy is little known 3. We multiply these Evidences because they are multitudes that are concerned in them All that do believe and all that do not believe are so Those that do believe that they may be established and those that do not believe that they may be encouraged so to do Among both these sorts some evidences may be more profitable and useful one to one some to another It may be amongst all all will be gathered up that no fragments be lost They are all I hope instruments provided by the Holy Ghost for this end and by this Ordinance do we endeavour to put them into his hand to be made effectual as he will One may reach one soul another another according to his pleasure One may be of use to establishment another to consolation a third of encouragement according as the necessities of poor souls do require However God who hath provided them knows them all to be needful 4. They are so also upon the account of the various conditions wherein the Spirits of Believers themselves may be One may give help to the same soul at one season another at another one may secure the soul against a temptation another stir it up to Thankfulness and Obedience These things have I spoken that you may not think we dwell too long on this consideration And I pray God that your Consolation and Establishment may abound in the reading of these Meditations as I hope they have not been altogether without their fruit in their preparation Further Evidences of Forgiveness with God Testimonies that God was well pleased with some that were sinners The Patience of God towards the world an evidence of Forgiveness Experience of the Saints of God to the same purpose IV. Let us then in the fourth place as a fourth Evidence of this truth consider those both under the Old Testament and the New concerning whom we have the greatest Assurance that God was well pleased with them and that they are now in the enjoyment of him And this Argument unto this purpose the Apostle insists upon and presseth from sundry instances Heb. 11. How many doth he there reckon up who of old obtained a good report and this Testimony that they pleased God ver 2. 5. All these inherited the Promises through believing that is obtained the forgiveness of sin For whereas by nature they were children of wrath and under the Curse as well as others obtaining an infallible interest in the favour of God and this Testimony that they pleased him it could no otherwise be For without this on a just account every one of them would have continued in the state wherein Adam was when he heard the voyce of God and was afraid Wherefore it being evident that some persons in all Generations have enjoyed the friendship love and favour of God in this world and at their departure out of it have entred into Glory it makes it evident that there is forgiveness of sin with him without which these things could not be Let us after the example of the Apostle mention some particular instances in this matter Look unto Abraham He was the friend of God and walked with God God made a solemn Covenant with him and takes it for his memorial throughout all generations that he is the God of Abraham And he is doubtless now at rest with God Our Saviour calls the place or condition whereinto blessed souls are gathered Abrahams Bosom He is at rest with whom others are at rest The condition was the same with Isaac and Jacob. They also are Heaven being alive unto and with God Our Saviour proves it from the tenour of the Covenant I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22. 32. They are yet alive alive unto God and with him by vertue of the Covenant or after their death God would not be said to be their God This is the force of our Saviours Argument in that place that after their death God was still their God Then death had not reached their whole persons They were still alive with God in Heaven and their bodies by vertue of the same Covenant were to be recovered out of the dust The same is the state with David He was a man after Gods own heart that did all his Will and fulfilled all his pleasure And although he dyed and his body saw corruption yet he is not lost he is with God in Heaven Hence he ended his dayes triumphantly in a full apprehension of Eternal Rest beyond what could in this world be attained and that by vertue of the Covenant For these are the last words of David Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ascertaining unto him sure and eternal mercies 2 Sam. 23. 5 Peter also is in Heaven Christ prayed for him that his faith should not fail and in his death he glorified God John 21. 19. So is Paul He also is in Heaven he knew that when he wis dissolved he should be with Christ. Here then we are encompassed about with a cloud of witnesses For 1. It is most certain that they were all sinners They were all so by nature for therein there is no difference between any of the Children of men And personally they were sinners also They confessed so of themselves and some of the sins of all of them stand upon record Yea some of them were great sinners or guilty of great and signal miscarriages Some before their Conversion as Abraham who was an Idolater Josh. 24. 2 3. and Paul who was a Persecutor and a Blasphemer Some after their Conversion Some in sins of the flesh against their Obedience as David and some in sins of Profession against saith as Peter Nothing then is more evident than that no one of them came to rest with God but by forgiveness Had they never been guilty of any one sin but only what is left upon Record concerning them in Holy Writ yet they could be saved no other way For he that

in themselves from them they draw conclusions arguing from one thing unto another and in the end oft-times either deceive themselves or sit down no less in the dark than they were at the entrance of their self-debate and Examination A mans judgement upon his own reasonings is seldom true more seldom permanent I speak not of self-examination with a due discussion of Graces and Actions but of the final sentence as to state and condition wherein the soul is to acquiesce This belongs unto Christ. Now there are Two wayes whereby the Lord Jesus Christ gives forth his decretory sentence in this matter 1. By his Word He determines in the Word of the Gospel of the state and condition of all men indefinitely Each Individual coming to that Word receives his own sentence and doom He told the Jews that Moses accused them John 5. 45. His Law accused and condemned the transgressors of it And so doth the acquit every one that is discharged by the Word of the Gospel And our self-judging is but our receiving by faith his Sentence in the Word His process herein we have recorded Joh 33. 22 23. His soul that is of the sinner draweth neer to the grave and his life to the destroyers This seems to be his state it is so indeed he is at the very brink of the grave and hell What then why if there be with him or stand over him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel interpreting or the Angel of the Covenant who alone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one of a thousand what shall he doe He shall shew unto him his uprightness He shall give in unto him a right determination of his interest in God and of the state and frame of his heart towards God whereupon God shall speak peace unto his Soul and deliver him from his entanglements v. 24. Jesus Christ hath in the Word of the Gospel stated the condition of every man He tells us that sinners of what sort soever they are that believe are accepted with him and shall receive forgiveness from God that none shall be refused or cast off that come unto God by him The Soul of whom we are treating is now upon the work of coming unto God for forgiveness by Jesus Christ. Many and weighty Objections it hath in and against its self why it should not come why it shall not be accepted Our Lord Jesus the Wisdom of God foresaw all these Objections he foreknew what could be said in the case and yet he hath determined the matter as hath been declared In General mens arguings against themselves arise from Sin and the Law Christ knowes what is in them both He tryed them to the uttermost as to their penalties and yet he hath so determined as we have shewed Their particular Objections are from particular considerations of sin their Greatness their Number their Aggravations Christ knows all these also And yet stands to his firmer determination Upon the whole matter then it is meet his Word should stand I know when a Soul brings it self to be judged by the Word of the Gospel it doth not alwayes in a like manner receive and rest in the sentence given But when Christ is pleased to speak the word with power to men they shall hear the voyce of the Son of God and be concluded by it Let the Soul then that is rising out of depths and pressing towards a sence of forgiveness lay it self down before the Word of Christ in the Gospel Let him attend to what he speaks and if for a while it hath not power upon him to quiet his heart let him wait a season and light shall arise unto him out of darkness Christ will give in his sentence into his Conscience with that power and efficacy as he shall finde rest and peace in it 2. Christ also judgeth by his Spirit not only in making this sentence of the Gospel to be received effectually in the Soul but in and by peculiar Actings of his upon the heart and soul of a Believer 1. Cor. 2. 11. We have received the Spirit of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The Spirit of Christ acquaints the Soul that this and that Grace is from him that this or that duty was performed in his strength He brings to mind what at such and such times was wrought in men by himself to give them supportment and relief in the times of depths and darkness And when it hath been clearly discovered unto the Soul at any time by the Holy Ghost that any thing wrought in it or done by it hath been truely saving The Comfort of it will abide in the midst of many shakings and Temptations 2. He also by his Spirit bears witness with our Spirits as to our state and condition Of this I have spoken largely elsewhere and therefore shall now pass it by This then is our first General Rule and Direction Selfdeterminations concerning mens spiritual state and condition because their minds are usually influenced by their distempers are seldom right and according to Rule Mistakes in such determinations are exceedingly prejudicial to a Soul seeking out after relief and sence of Forgiveness let Christ then be the Judge in this Case by his Word and Spirit as hath been directed RULE II. Self-condemnation and abhorrency for sin consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace The nature of Gospel-Assurance what is consistent with it What are the Effects of it Self-Condemnation and Abhorrency do very well consist with Gospel-Justification and Peace Some men have no peace because they have that without which it is impossible they should have peace Because they cannot but condemn themselves they cannot entertain a sence that God doth acquit them But this is the mystery of the Gospel which unbelief is a stranger unto Nothing but faith can give a real subsistence unto these things in the same Soul at the same time It is easie to learn the notion of it but it is not easie to experience the power of it For a man to have a sight of that within him which would condemn him for which he is troubled and at the same time to have a discovery of that without him which will justifie him and to rejoyce therein is that which he is not lead unto but by Faith in the mystery of the Gospel We are now under a Law for Justification which excludes all boasting Rom. 3. 27. So that though we have joy enough in another yet we may have we alwayes have sufficient cause of humiliation in our selves The Gospel will teach a man to feel sin and believe Righteousness at the same time Faith will carry Heaven in one hand and Hell in the other shewing the one deserved the other purchased A man may see enough of his own sin and folly to bring Gehennam è Coelo a Hell of wrath out of Heaven and yet see Christ bring Coelum ex inferno a Heaven of blessedness out of an

its principle it is from a spirit of bondage Rom. 18. 15. We have not again received the spirit of bondage unto fear It is not such a fear as makes an occasional incursion upon the mind or soul such as I se xcited and occasioned by incident darkness and Temptation such as the best and persons of the highest assurance are liable and obnoxious unto but it is such as hath a compleat abiding principle in the soul even a spirit of bondage a prevailing frame constantly inclining it to fear or dreadful apprehensions of God and its own condition Secondly That it tends to bondage it brings the soul into bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. He dyed to deliver them who by fear of death were in bondage all their daies Fear of death as penal as it lyes in the curse which is that fear that proceeds from a spirit of bondage brings the persons in whom it is into bondage that is it adds weariness trouble and anxiety of mind unto fear and puts them upon all waies and means imaginable unduly and disorderly to seek for a remedy or relief Thirdly It hath torment fear hath torment 1 Joh. 4. 18. It gives no rest no quietness unto the mind now this is so cast out by Gospel Assurance of forgiveness that though it may assault the soul it shall not possess it though it make incursions upon it it shall not dwell abide and prevail in it 3. It gives the soul an hope and expectation of the Glory that shall be revealed and secretly stirs it up and enlivens it unto a supportment in sufferings tryals and Temptations This is the hope which makes not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. and that because it will never expose the soul unto disappointment Where ever there is the root of Assurance there will be this fruit of hope The proper object of it is things absent invisible eternal the promised reward in all the notions respects and concernments of it This hope goes out unto in distresses temptations failings and under a sense of the guilt and power of sin Hence ariseth a spring of secret relief in the soul something that calms the heart and quiets the spirit in the midst of many a storm Now as where ever Assurance is there will be this hope so where ever this secret relieving hope is it grows on no other root but a living perswasion of a personal interest in the things hoped for 4. As it will do many other things so that I may give one comprehensive instance it will carry them out in whom it is to dye for Christ. Death unto men who saw not one step beyond it was esteemed of all things most terrible The way and means of its approach add unto its terrour But this is nothing in comparison of what it is unto them who look through it as a passage into ensuing Eternity For a man then to chuse death rather than life in the most terrible manner of its approach expecting an Eternity to ensue it argues a comfortable perswasion of a Good State and Condition after death Now I am perswaded that there are hundreds who upon Gospel saving accounts would embrace a stake for the Testimony of Jesus who yet know not at all that they have the Assurance we speak of and yet nothing else would enable them thereunto But these things being besides the main of my Intendment I shall pursue them no further only the Rule is of use Let the soul be sure to be well acquainted with the nature of that which it seeks after and confesseth a sense of the want of RULE III. Continuance in waiting necessary unto Peace and Consolation The fourth Rule Remove the Hinderances of Believing by a searching out of sin Rules and Directions for that Duty Whatever your Condition be and your Apprehension of it yet continue waiting for a better issue and give not over through weariness or impatience This Rule contains the summ of the Great Example given us in this Psalm Forgiveness in God being discovered though no sense of a particular interest therein as yet obtained that which the soul applies it self unto is diligent carefull constant persevering waiting which is variously expressed in the 5 and 6 verses The Holy Ghost tells us that light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal. 97. 11. Light and Gladness are the things now enquired after Deliverance from darkness misapprehensions of God hard and misgiving thoughts of his own condition is that which a soul in its depths reacheth towards Now saith the Holy Ghost These things are sown for the Righteous Doth the Husbandman after he casts his seed into the Earth immediately the next day the next week expect that it will be harvest doth he think to reap so soon as he hath sown or doth he immediately say I have laboured in vain here is no return I will pull up the hedge of this field and lay it waste or I see a little grass in the blade but no corn I will give it to the beasts to devour it No his God as the Prophet speaks instructs him unto discretion and teacheth him namely what he must do and how he must look for things in their season And shall not we be instructed by him behold the Husbandman saith James waiteth for the precious fruit of the Earth and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and the latter rain Jam. 5. 7. And is Light sown for them that are in darkness and shall they stifle the seed under the clods or spoil the tender blade that is springing up or refuse to wait for the watering and dews of the Spirit that may bring it forth to perfection Waiting is the only way to Establishment and Assurance we cannot speed by our haste yea nothing puts the end so far away as making too much haste and speed in our Journey The ground hereof is that a sense of a special interest in forgiveness and acceptance is given into the soul by a meer act of Soveraignty It is not it will not be obtained by or upon any rational conclusions or deductions that we can make All that we can do is but to apply our selves to the removal of hinderances For the Peace and Rest sought for come from meer prerogative When he giveth quietness who can give trouble and when he hideth his face who can behold him Job 34. 29. Now what is the way to receive that which comes from meer Soveraignty and prerogative doth not the nature of the thing require humble waiting If then either Impatience cast the soul into frowardness or weariness make it slothfull which are the two waies whereby waiting is ruined Let not such an one expect any comfortable Islue of his contending for deliverance out of his depths And let not any think to make out their difficulties any other way their own Reasonings will not bring them to any establishing conclusions for they may lay down propositions and have no

or at most such an irregular acting of it as the Lord Christ will be very tender towards and which is consistent with peace and a due sense of the forgiveness of sins Mistake not then these one for another lest much causeless unquietness ensue in the Judgement which you are to make of your selves But you will say how shall we distinguish between these two so as not causelesly to be disquieted and perplexed I answer briefly 1. Unbelief working in and by the questioning of the promises of God is a weakning disheartning dispiriting thing It takes off the edge of the soul from spiritual duties and weakens it both as unto delight and strength The more any one questions the promises of God the less life power joy and delight in obedience he hath For faith is the spring and root of all other Graces and according as that thriveth or goeth backwards so do they all Men think sometimes that their uncertainty of the love of God and of acceptance with him by the forgiveness of sin doth put them upon the performance of many duties and they can have no rest or peace in the omission of them It may be it is so Yea this is the state and Condition with many But what are these duties and how are they performed And what is their acceptance with God The duties themselves are legal which denomination ariseth not from the Nature Substance or Matter of them for they may be the same that are required and injoyned in the Gospel but from the principle from whence they proceed and the End to which they are used Now these in this case are both legal their principle is legal fear and their end is legal Righteousness the whole attendance unto them a seeking of righteousness as it were by the works of the Law and how are they performed Plainly with a bondage frame of Spirit without Love Joy Liberty or Delight To quiet conscience to pacifie God are the things in them aymed at all in opposition to the Blood and Righteousness of Christ. And are they accepted with God Let them be multiplyed never so much he every where testifieth that they are abhorred by him This then Unbelief mixed with convictions will do It is the proper way of venting and exercising it self where the soul is brought under the power of conviction But as unto Gospel Obedience in all the duties of it to be carryed on in communion with God by Christ and delight in him all questioning of the promises weakens and discourageth the soul and makes them all wearisome and burdensome unto it But the Jealousie that is exercised about the Person and Love of Christ unto the soul is quite of another nature and produceth other effects It cheers enlivens and enlargeth the soul stirs up to activity earnestness and industry in its enquiries and desires after Christ. Jealousie saith the Spouse is hard as the grave therefore set me as a Seal upon thy heart as a Seal upon thy arm It makes the soul restlesly pant after neerer more sensible and more assured Communion with Christ It stirs up vigorous and active Spirits in all duties Every doubt and fear that it ingenerates concerning the Love of Christ stirs up the soul unto more earnestness after him delight in him and sedulous watching against every thing that may keep it at a distance from him or occasion him to hide withdraw or absent himself from it 2. Unbelief that works by questioning of the promises is universally selfish it begins and ends in self Self-love in desires after freedom from guilt danger and punishment are the life and soul of it May this end be attained it hath no delight in God Nor doth it care what way it be attained so it may be attained May such persons have any perswasions that they shall be freed from death and hell be it by the works of the Law or by the observance of any inventions of their own whether any Glory ariseth unto God from his Grace and faithfulness or no they are not solicitous The Jealousie we speak of hath the Person of Christ and his Excellency for its constant object These it fills the mind with in many and various thoughts still representing him more and more amiable and more desirable unto the soul. So doth the Spouse upon the like occasion as you may see at large Cant. 5. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Being at some loss for his presence for he had withdrawn himself not finding her wonted communion and entercourse with him fearing that upon her provocation she might forfeit her Interest in his Love she falls upon the Consideration of all his Excellencies and thereby the more enflames her self unto desires after his company and enjoyment And these divers things may be thus distinguished and discerned RULE VI. Learn to distinguish between faith and spiritual sense This Rule the Apostle gives us 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith and not by sight It is the sight of Glory that is especially here intended But faith and sense in any kind are clearly distinguished That may be believed which is not felt Yea It is the Will and Command of God that faith should stand and do its work where all sense fails Esa. 50. 10. And it is with spiritual sense in this matter as it is with natural Thomas would not believe unless he saw the object of his faith with his Eyes or felt it with his hand but saith our Saviour blessed are they who believe and have not seen who believe upon the testimony of God without the help of their own sense or reason And if we will believe no more of God of his Love of Grace of our acceptance with him than we have a spiritual affecting sense of we shall be many times at a loss Sensible impressions from Gods Love are great springs of Joy but they are not absolutely necessary unto peace nor unto an evidence that we do believe We will deal thus with the vilest person living We will believe him whilest we have the certainty of our sense to secure us And if we deal so with God what is there in our so doing praise worthy the Prophet tells us what it is to believe in respect of providence Hab. 3. 17. When there is nothing left outward and visible to support us then to rest quietly on God that is to believe So Psal. 73. 26. And the Apostle in the Example of Abraham shews us what it is to believe with respect unto a special promise Rom. 4. 18. Against hope he believed in hope When he saw not any outward ordinary means for the accomplishment of the promise when innumerable objections arose against any such hope as might have respect unto such means yet he resolved all his thoughts into the faithfulness of God in the promise and therein raised a new hope in its accomplishment so in hope believing against hope To clear this matter you must observe what I intend by

this spiritual sense which you must learn to distinguish faith from and to know that true faith interesting the soul in forgiveness may be without it that so you may not conclude unto a real want of pardon from the want of the refreshing sense of it Grace in general may be referred unto two heads 1. Our Acceptation with God through Christ the same upon the matter with the forgiveness of sin that we are treating of And 2. Grace of Sanctification from God in Christ Of each of these there is a spiritual sense or Experience to be obtained in both distinguished from faith that gives us a real Interest in forgiveness Of the first or the spiritual sense that we have of Acceptance with God there are sundry parts or degrees As first hereunto belongs peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God This peace is the Rest and composure of the soul emerging out of troubles upon the account of the Reconciliation and friendship made for it by the blood of Christ. And it hath as all peace hath two parts First a freedom from war trouble and distress and Secondly Rest Satisfaction and Contentment in the condition attained And this at least the second part of it belongs unto the spiritual sense that we enquire after Again there is in it Joy in the holy Ghost called joy unspeakeable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. as also glorying in the Lord upon the account of his Grace Esa. 45. 26. with many the like Effects preceding from a shedding abroad of the Love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. Yea you say these are the things you aim at these are the things you would attain and be filled withall It is this Peace this Joy this glorying in the Lord that you would alwaies be in the possession of I say you do well to desire them to seek and labour after them They are purchased by Christ for Believers but you will do well to consider under what notion you do desire them If you look on these things as belonging to the Essence of Faith without which you can have no real interest in forgiveness or acceptance with God you greatly deceive your own souls and put your selves out of the way of obtaining of them These these things are not believing nor adequate effects of it so as immediately to be produced where ever faith is But they are such consequents of it as may or may not ensue upon it according to the Will of God Faith is a seed that contains them virtually and out of which they may be in due time educed by the working of the Word and Spirit And the way for any soul to be made partaker of them is to wait on the Soveraignty of God's Grace who createth peace in the exercise of faith upon the promises He then that would place believing in these things and will not be perswaded that he doth believe until he is possessed of them he doth both lose the benefit advantage and comfort of what he hath and neglecting the due acting of faith puts himself out of the way of attaining what he aimeth at These things therefore are not needfull to give you a real saving interest in forgiveness as it is tendered in the promise of the Gospel by the blood of Christ. And it may be it is not the Will of God that ever you should be entrusted with them It may be it would not be for your good and advantage so to be Some servants that are ill husbands must have their wages kept for them to the years end or it will do them no good It may be some would be such spendthrifts of satisfying peace and joy and be so diverted by them from attending unto some necessary duties as of humiliation mortification and self-abasament without which their souls cannot live that it would not be much to their advantage to be entrusted with them It is from the same Care and Love that Peace and Joy are detained from some Believers and granted unto others You are therefore to receive forgiveness by a pure Act of believing in the way and manner before at large described And do not think that it is not in you unless you have constantly a spiritual sense of it in your hearts See in the mean time that your Faith bringeth forth Obedience and God in due time will cause it to bring forth Peace The like may be said concerning the other head of Grace though it be not so direct unto our purpose yet tending also to the relief of the soul in its depths This is the Grace that we have from God in Christ for our sanctification When the soul cannot find this in himself when he hath not a spiritual sense and experience of its in being and power when it cannot evidently distinguish it from that which is not right or genuine It is filled with fears and perplexities and thinks it is yet in its sin He is so indeed who hath no Grace in him but not he alwaies who can find none in him But these are different things A man may have Grace and yet not have it at some times much acting he may have Grace for life when he hath it not for fruitfulness and comfort though it be his duty so to have it Rev. 3. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 6. And a man may have Grace acting in him and yet not know not be sensible that he hath acting Grace We see persons frequently under great temptations of apprehension that they have no Grace at all and yet at the same time to the clearest conviction of all who are able to discern spiritual things sweetly and genuinely to act Faith Love Submission unto God and that in an high and eminent manner Psa. 88. Heman complains that he was free among the dead a man of no strength vers 4 5. as one that had no spiritual life no Grace This afflicted his mind and almost distracted him vers 15. and yet there can be no greater expressions of Faith and Love to God than are mixed with his complaints These things I say then are not to be judged of by spiritual sense but we are to live by faith about them And no soul ought to conclude that because it hath not the one it hath not the other that because it hath not Joy and Peace it hath no interest in pardon and forgiveness RULE VII The seventh Rule Mix not foundation and building work together The eighth spend no time in heartless complaints c. Mix not too much foundation and building work together Our foundation in dealing with God is Christ alone meer Grace and Pardon in him Our Building is in and by Holiness and Obedience as the fruits of that faith by which we have received the Attonemont And great mistakes there are in this matter which bring great intanglements on the souls of men Some are all their daies laying of the foundation and are never able to

observed that special cases are so varied by their Circumstances that it is very rare that any Resolutions of them are every way adequate and suited unto the Apprehensions of them that are exercised with them I shall therefore call things unto some general heads whereunto most of the Objections that distressed sinners make against their own peace may be reduced and leave the Light of them to be applied in particular unto the relief of the souls of men as God shall be pleased to make them effectual Second General Head of the Application of the Truth insisted on Grounds of Spiritual Disquietments considered The first Afflictions Waies and means of the Aggravation of Afflictions Rules about them That which now lyeth before us is the second part of the second General Use educed from the Truth insisted on Our aim is to lead on souls towards peace with God through a gracious perswasion of their Interest in that forgiveness which is with him And it consists as was declared in a Consideration of some of those disquietments which befall the minds of men and keep them off from Establishment in this matter And first such disquietments and objections against the peace of the soul and its acceptance with God will arise from Afflictions they have done so of old they do so in many at this day Afflictions I say greatned unto the mind from their Nature or by their Concomitants do oft-times variously affect it and sometimes prevail to darken it so far as to ingenerate thoughts that they are all messengers of wrath all tokens of displeasure and so consequently evidences that we are not par doned or accepted with God Now this is a time of great Afflictions unto many and those some of them such as have innumerable aggravating circumstances accompanying of them Some have come with a dreadfull surprizal in things not looked for such as falls not out in the providence of God in many Generations Such is the condition of them who are reduced to the utmost extremity by the late consuming fire some have had their whole families all their posterity taken from them in a few daies they have been suddenly bereaved as in the Plague Some in their own persons or in their Relations have had sore long and grievous tryals from Oppressions and Persecutions and these things have various effects on the minds of men Some we find crying with that wicked King This evil is of the Lord why should we wait any longer for him and give up themselves to seek relief from their own lusts Some bear up under their troubles with a natural stoutness of spirit some have received a sanctified use and improvement of their trials with joy in the Lord. But many we find to go heavily under their burdens having their minds darkned with many misapprehensions of the Love of God and of their own personal interest in his Grace It is not therefore unseasonable to speak a little to this Head of trouble in our entrance Outward troubles I say are oftentimes occasions if not the causes of great inward distresses You know how the Saints of old expressed their sense of them and conflicts with them The complaints of David are familiar to all who attend unto any communion with God in these things so are those of Job Heman Jonah Jeremiah and others neither do they complain only of their troubles but of the sense which they had of Gods displeasure in and under them and of his hiding of his face from them whilest they were so exercised It is not otherwise at present as is known unto such as converse with many who are either surprized with unexpected troubles or worn out with tryals and disappointments of an expected end They consider themselves both absolutely and with respect unto others and on both accounts are filled with dark thoughts and despondencies Saith one I am rolled from one trial unto another the clouds with me return still after the rain All the billows and water-spouts of God go over me In my person it may be pressed with sickness pains troubles in my Relations with their sins miscarriages or death in my outward state in wants losses dis-reputation I am even as a withered branch Surely if God had any especial regard unto my soul it would not be thus with me or some timely end would have been put unto these dispensations On the other hand they take a view of some other Professors they see that their Tables are spread day by day that the Candle of the Lord shines continually on their tabernacle and that in all things they have their hearts desire Setting aside the common attendencies of humane nature and nothing befalls them grievous in the world Thus it is with them And surely had I an interest in his Grace in Pardon the God of Israel would not thus pursue a Flea in the Mountains nor set himself in battel array against a leaf driven to and fro with the wind he would spare me a little and let me alone for a moment but as things are with me I fear my way is hidden from the Lord and my Judgement is passed over from my God These kind of thoughts do perplex the minds of men and keep them off from partaking of that strong consolation which God is abundantly wiling they should receive by a comfortable perswasion of a blessed Interest in that forgiveness that is with him And this was the very case of David or at least these outward Troubles were a special part of those depths out of which he cryed for relief by a sense of Pardon Grace and Redemption with God I answer to these Complaints First That there are so many excellent things spoken concerning Afflictions their Necessity their Usefulness and the like such blessed ends are assigned unto them and in many have been compassed and fulfilled by them that a man unacquainted with the exercise wherewith they are attended would think it impossible that any one should be shaken in mind as to the Love and favour of God on their account But as the Apostle tells us that no Afflictions are joyous at present but grievous So he who made in the close of his Trials that solemn profession That it was good for him that he had been affected yet we know as hath been declared how he was distressed under them There are therefore sundry Accidental things which accompany great Afflictions that seem to exempt them from the common Rule and the promise of Love and Grace As 1. The Remembrance of past and buryed misearriages and sins lyes in the bosom of many Afflictions It was so with Job Thou makest me saith he to possess the sins of my youth See his plea to that purpose chap. 13. 23 24 25 26 27. In the midst of his troubles and distresses God revived upon his spirit a sense of former sins even the sins of his youth and made him to possess them he filled his soul and mind with thoughts of them

to what end is this Namely that they may all mutually perform those duties one towards another which are incumbent mutually on Regenerate persons If these are omitted there is an End of all profitable use of Church Society Churches without this are but meer husks and shells of Churches Carkasses without souls For as there is no real Union unto Christ without faith so there is no real Union among the members of any Church without Love and that acting its self in all the Duties mentioned Let not this Ordinance be in vain But we must return from this digression to that which lies before us which is concerning what a man may discern concerning his own being Regenerate or born again I say then Secondly Men may come to an assured Satisfactory perswasion that themselves are regenerate and that such as is so far insallible as that it will not deceive them when it is brought unto the tryal For there are many Duties whose performance in faith unto the glory of God and the Edification of our own souls doth depend on this perswasion and Conviction As 1. A due sense of our Relation unto God and an answerable comportment of our spirits and hearts towards him He that is born again is born of God He is begotten of God by the immortal seed of the Word Without a perswasion hereof how can a man on grounds of faith carry himself towards God as his Father and how great a part of our Obedience towards him and communion with him depends hereon we all know If men fluctuate all their dayes in this matter if they come to no settlement in it no comfortable perswasion of it they scarce ever act any genuine childlike acts of Love or Delight towards God which exceedingly impeacheth their whole Obedience 2. Thankfulness for Grace received is one of the principal duties that is incumbent on Believers in this World Now how can a man in faith bless God for that which he is utterly uncertain whether he have received it from him or no. I know some men run on in a Road in this matter They will bless God in a formal way for their Regeneration Sanctification Justification and the like But if you ask them whether themselves are regenerate or no they will be ready to scoff at it or at least to profess that they know no such thing What is this but to mock God and in a presumptuous manner to take his name in vain But if we will praise God as we ought for his Grace as we are guided and directed in the Scripture as the nature of the matter requires with such a frame of heart as may influence our whole Obedience surely it cannot but be our duty to know the Grace that we have received 3. Again the main of our Spiritual watch and diligence consisteth in the cherishing improving and increasing of the Grace that we have received the strengthening of the new Creature that is wrought in us Herein consists principally the Life of faith and the exercise of that Spiritual Wisdom which faith furnisheth the soul withall Now how can any man apply himself hereunto whilest he is altogether uncertain whether he hath received any principle of Living Saving Grace or no whereas therefore God requires our utmost Diligence Watchfulness and Care in this matter It is certain that he requires also of us and grants unto us that which is the foundation of all these duties which lyes in an Acquaintance with that state and condition whereunto we do belong In brief there is nothing we have to do in reference unto Eternity but one way or other it hath a respect unto our light and convictions as to our State and Condition in this World And those who are negligent in the tryal and Examination thereof do leave all things between God and their souls at absolute uncertainties and dubious hazards which is not to lead the Life of Faith We shall now upon these premises return unto that part of the Objection which is under consideration Say some We know not whether we are regenerate or no and are therefore altogether uncertain whether we have an interest in that forgiveness that is with God nor dare we on that account admit of the consolation that is tendred on the Truth insisted on Supposing what hath been spoken in general I shall lay down the grounds of resolving this perplexing doubt in the ensuing Rules RULE I. See that the perswasion and Assurance hereof which you look after and desire be regular and not such as is suited meerly unto your own Imaginations Our second and third General Rules about the nature of all spiritual Assurance and what is consistent therewithall are here to be taken into consideration If you look to have such an Evidence Light into and absolute conviction of this matter as shall admit of no doubts fears questionings just occasions and causes of new trials teachings and self-examinations you will be greatly deceived Regeneration induceth a new principle into the soul but it doth not utterly expel the old some would have security not Assurance The principle of sin and unbelief will still abide in us and still work in us Their abiding and their acting must needs put the soul upon a severe enquiry whether they are not prevalent in it beyond what the condition of Regeneration will admit The constant conflicts we must have with sin will not suffer us to have alwaies so clear an Evidence of our condition as we would desire Such a perswasion as is prevalent against strong objections to the contrary keeping up the heart to a due performance of those duties in faith which belong unto the state of Regeneration is the substance of what in this kind you are to look after RULE II. If you are doubtfull concerning your state and condition do not expect an extraordinary determination of it by an Immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God I do grant that God doth sometimes by this means bring in peace and satisfaction unto the soul he gives his own Spirit immediately to bear witness with ours that we are the children of God both upon the account of Regeneration and Adoption He doth so but as far as we can observe in a way of Soveraignty when and to whom he pleaseth Besides that men may content and satisfie themselves with his ordinary Teachings Consolations and Communications of his Grace he hath left the nature of that peculiar Testimony of the Spirit very dark and difficult to be found out few agreeing wherein it doth consist or what is the nature of it No one mans Experience is a Rule unto others And an undue Apprehension of it is a matter of great danger Yet it is certain that humble souls in extraordinary cases may have recourse unto it with benefit and relief thereby This then you may desire you may pray for but not with such a frame of spirit as to refuse that other satisfaction which in the waies of Truth and

watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Herein I say he describes both his frame of spirit and the Duty he applied himself to both as to matter and manner I shall as in the method hitherto observed first consider the reading of the Words then their sense and importance with the suitableness of the things mentioned in them to the condition of the soul under Consideration all which will yield us a foundation of the Observations that are to be drawn from them The Words rendred strictly or word for word lye thus I have earnestly expected Jehovah my Soul hath expected and in his Word have I tarryed or waited My Soul to the Lord more then or before the watchmen in the morning the watchmen in the morning or unto the morning I have waited or expected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to expect to hope to wait Verbum hoc est magno animi desiderio in aliquem intentum esse respicere ad eum ex eo pendere The word denotes to be intent on any one with great desire to behold or regard him and to depend upon him and it also expresseth the earnest inclination and intention of the Will and Mind Paul seems to have expressed this word to the full Rom. 8. 19. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an intent or earnest expectation expressing it self by putting forth the head and looking round about with earnestness and diligence And this is also signified expresly by this word Psal. 69. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I looked for some to take pitty huc illuc anxie circumspexi siqui fortè me commiseraturus esset I looked round about this way and that way diligently and solicitously to see if any would pitty me or lament with me Thus I have waited is as much as I have diligently with intention of soul mind will and affections looked unto God in earnest expectation of that from him that I stand in need of and which must come forth from the forgiveness that is with him 2. I have saith he waited for or expected Jehovah he uses the same Name of God in his Expectation that he first fixed on in his Application to him And it is not this or that means not this or that Assistance but it is Jehovah himself that he expects and waits for It is Jehovah himself that must satisfie the Soul his favour and loving kindness and what flows from them If he come not himself if he gives not himself nothing else will relieve 3. My soul doth wait or expect it is no outward duty that I am at no lip-labour no bodily work no formal cold careless performance of a duty no my soul doth wait it is soul work heart work I am at I wait I wait with my whole soul. 4. In his word do I hope or wait There is not anything of difficulty in these words the word used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt qui quod affiue sit verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 velint anxietatem nisum includere ut significet anxie seu enixe expectare sustinere sperare It signifies to hope expect endure and sustain with care solicitousness and indeavours Hence the 70 have rendred the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vul. Lat. Sustinui I have sustained and waited with patience And this on the Word or he sustained his soul with the Word of promise that it should not utterly faint Seeing he had made a discovery of Grace and forgiveness though yet at a great distance he had a sight of Land though he was yet in a storm at Sea and therefore incourageth himself or his soul that it do not despond But yet all this that we have spoken reaches not the intensness of the soul of the Psalmist in this his Expectation of Jehovah The earnest engagement of his soul in this duty riseth up above what he can express Therefore he proceeds ver 6. My Soul saith he for the Lord that is expects him looks for him waits for his coming to me in Love and with forgiveness more than the watchers for the morning the watchers for the morning These latter words are variously rendred and variously expounded The LXX and vulgar Latin render them from the Morning watch untill night Others from those that keep the Morning watch unto those that keep the Evening watch More than the watchers in the morning more than the Watchers in the Morning The Words also are variously expounded Austin would have it to signifie the placing of our hopes on the Morning of Christs Resurrection and continuing in them untill the night of our own death Hierome who renders the Words from the morning watch to the morning watch expounds them of continuing our hopes and expectations from the morning that we are called into the Lords Vineyard to the morning when we shall receive our reward as much to the sense of the place as the former and so Chrysostome interprets it of our whole life It cannot be denyed but that they were lead into these mistakes by the Translation of the 70. and that of the Vulgar Latine who both of them have divided these Words quite contrary to their proper dependance and read them thus My soul expected the Lord. From the Morning watch to the Night watch Let Israel trust in the Lord so making the words to belong to the following Exhortation unto others which are plainly a part of the expression of his own duty The words then are a Comparison and an Allusion unto Watchmen and may be taken in one of these two senses 1. In things Civil As those who keep the Watch of the Night do look and long for and expect the morning when being dismissed from their Guard they may take that Sleep that they need and desire which expresses a very earnest expectation inquiry and desire Or 2. In things Sacred With the Chaldee Paraphrast which renders the words more than they that look for the morning watch which they carefully observe that they may offer the Morning Sacrifice In this sense as faith he the Warders and Watchers in the Temple do look diligently after the Appearance of the Morning that they may with Joy offer the Morning Sacrifice in the appointed season So and with more diligence doth my Soul wait for Jehovah You see the reading of the words and how far the sense of them opens it self unto us by that consideration Let us then nextly see briefly the several parts of them as they stand in Relation one to another We have then 1. The Expression of the Duty wherein he was exercised and that is earnest waiting for Jehovah 2. The bottome and foundation of that his waiting and expectation that is the Word of God the word of promise he diligently boped in the Word 3. The Frame of his Spirit in and the manner of his performance of this Duty Expressed 1. In

the words themselves that he uses according as we opened them before 2. In the Emphatical reduplication yea triplication of his expression of it I wait for God my soul waiteth for God my soul for the Lord. 3. In the Comparison instituted between his discharge of his duty and others performances of a corporal watch with the greatest care and diligence more than they that watch for the morning So that we have 1. The duty he performed earnest Waiting and Expectation 2. The Object of his waiting Jehovah himself 3. His Supportment in that duty the Word of promise 4. The Manner of his performance of it 1. With Earnestness and diligence 2. With Perseverance Let us then now Consider the Words as they contain the frame and working of a sin entangled soul. Having been raised out of his depths by the discovery of forgiveness in God as was before declared yet not being immediately made partaker of that forgiveness as to a comforting sense of it he gathers up his soul from wandring from God and supports it from sinking under his present condition It is saith he Jehovah alone with whom is forgiveness that can relieve and do me good his favour his loving kindness his communication of mercy and Grace from thence is that which I stand in need of on him therefore do I with all heedfulness attend on him do I wait my soul is filled with expectation from him surely he will come to me he will come and refresh me though he seem as yet to be afar of and to leave me in these depths yet I have his word of promise to support and stay my soul on which I will lean untill I obtain the enjoyment of him and his kindness which is better than life And this is the frame of a sin entangled Soul who hath really by faith discovered forgiveness in God but is not yet made partaker of a comforting refreshing sense of it And we may represent it in the ensuing Observations Obs. 1. The first proper fruit of faiths discovery of forgiveness in God unto a sin distressed soul is waiting in patience and Expectation Obs. 2. The proper Object of a sin distressed souls waiting and expecting is God himself as reconciled in Christ I have waited for Jehovah Obs. 3. The Word of promise is the souls great supportment in waiting for God in thy Word do I hope Obs. 4. Sin distressed Souls wait for God with earnest intention of mind diligence and expectation from the redoubling of the Expression Obs. 5. Continuance in waiting untill God appears to the soul is necessary and prevailing Necessary as that without which we cannot attain assistance and prevailing as that wherein we shall never fail Obs. 6. Establishment in waiting where there is no present sense of forgiveness yet gives the soul much secret Rest and Comfort This Observation ariseth from the influence that these Verses have unto those that follow The Psalmist having attained thus far can now look about him and begin to deal with others and exhort them to an Expectation of Grace and mercy And thus though the soul be not absolutely in the haven of Consolation where it would be yet it hath cast out an Anchor that gives it Establishment and Security Though it be yet tossed yet it is secured from Shipwrack and is rather sick than in danger A waiting Condition is a condition of Safety Hence it is that he now turns himself to others and upon the Experience of the discovery that he had made of forgiveness in God and the Establishment and consolation he found in waiting on him he calls upon and incourageth others to the same duty v. 7 8. The Propositions laid down I shall briefly pass through still with respect unto the State and Condition of the Soul represented in the Psalm Many things that might justly be insisted on in the improvement of these Truths have been anticipated in our former General Rules To them we must therefore sometimes have recourse because they must not be again repeated On this account I say we shall pass through them with all briefness possible yet so as not wholly to omit any directions that are here tendred unto us as to the guidance of the soul whose condition and the working of whose faith is here described This therefore in the first place is proposed The first proper fruit of faiths discovery of forgiveness in God unto a sin-distressed soul is waiting in patience and expectation This the Psalmist openly and directly applies himself unto and expresseth to have been as his duty so his practice And he doth it so emphatically as was manifested in the opening of the words that I know not that any duty is any where in the Scripture so recommended and lively represented unto us You must therefore for the right understanding of it call to mind what hath been spoken concerning the state of the soul inquired into its depths intanglements and sense of sin with its Application unto God about those things As also remember what hath been delivered about the nature of forgiveness with the Revelation that is made of it unto the faith of Believers And that this may be done where the soul hath no refreshing sense of its own interest therein It knows not that its own sins are forgiven although it believes that there is forgiveness with God Now the principal duty that is incumbent on such a soul is that laid down in the proposition namely patient waiting and expectation Two things must be done in reference hereunto First The nature of the duty it self is to be declared And secondly The necessity and usefulness of its practice is to be evinced and demonstrated For the Nature of it something hath been intimated giving light into it in the opening of the words here used by the Psalmist to express it by But we may observe that these duties as required of us do not consist in any particular acting of the soul but in the whole spiritual frame and deportment of it in reference unto the End aimed at in and by them And this waiting as here and elsewhere commended unto us and which is comprehensive of the especial duties of the soul in the case insisted on and described comprehends these three things 1. Quietness in Opposition to haste and tumultuating of spirit 2. Diligence in Opposition to spiritual sloth despondency and neglect of means 3. Expectation in Opposition to despair distrust and other proper immediate actings of unbelief 1. Quietness Hence this waiting it self is sometimes expressed by silence To wait is to be silent Lam. 3. 6. It is good both to hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be silent for the salvation of the Lord that is to wait quietly as we have rendred the word And the same word we render sometimes to rest as Psal. 37. 7. Rest on the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be silent unto him where it is joyned with hoping or waiting as that which belongs unto

the nature of it and so in sundry other places And this God in an especial manner calleth souls unto in straights and distresses In quietness and confidence saith he shall be your strength Isa. 30. 15. And the effect of the Righteousness of God by Christ is said to be Quietness and Assurance for ever Isa. 32. 17. First Quietness and then Assurance Now this silence and quietness which accompanieth waiting yea which is an essential part of it is opposed first to Haste and Haste is the souls undue lifting up its self proceeding from a weariness of its condition to press after an end of its troubles not according to the conduct of the Spirit of God Thus when God calleth his people to waiting he expresseth the contrary acting unto this duty by the lifting up of the soul Hab. 2. 3 4. Though the vision tarry wait for it behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the Just shall live by faith God hath given unto the soul a vision of Peace through the discovery of that forgiveness which is with him but he will have us wait for an actual participation of it unto rest and comfort He that will not do so but lifts up his soul that is in making haste beyond the Rule and Method of the Spirit of God in this matter his heart is not upright in him nor will he know what it is to live by faith This ruines and disappoints many a soul in its attempts for forgiveness The Prophet speaking of this matter tells us that He that believeth shall not nor will not make haste Isa. 28. 16. Which words the Apostle twice making use of Rom. 9. 33 chap. 10 11. in both places renders them Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed or confounded And that because this Haste turns men off from believing and so disappoints their hopes and leaves them unto shame and confusion Men with a sense of the guilt of sin having some discovery made to them of the Rest Ease and Peace which they may obtain to their souls by forgiveness are ready to catch greedily at it and to make false unsound undue applications of it unto themselves They cannot bear the yoak that the Lord hath put upon them but grow impatient under it and cry with Rachel Give me children or I dye Any way they would obtain it Now as the first duty of such a soul is to apply its self unto waiting so the first entrance into waiting consists in this Silence and Quietness of heart and spirit This is the souls endeavour to keep its self humble satisfied with the soveraign pleasure of God in its condition and refusing all waies and means of Rest and Peace but what it is guided and directed unto by the Word and Spirit 2. As it is opposed unto Haste so it is unto tumultuating thoughts and vexatious disquietments the soul is silent Psal. 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it He redoubles the expression whereby he sets out his endeavour to quiet and still his soul in the Will of God In the condition discoursed of the soul is apt to have many tumultuating thoughts or a multitude of perplexing thoughts of no use or advantage unto it How they are to be watched against and rejected was before declared in our General Rules This Quietness in waiting will prevent them And this is the first thing in the duty prescribed Secondly Diligence in Opposition unto spiritual sloth is included in it also Diligence is the activity of the mind in the regular use of means for the pursuit of any end proposed The End aimed at by the soul is a comforting refreshing interest in that forgiveness that is with God For the attaining hereof there are sundry means instituted and blessed of God A neglect of them through regardlesness or sloth will certainly disappoint the soul from attaining that end It is confessedly so in things natural He that soweth not must not think to reap he that cloatheth not himself will not be warm nor he enjoy health who neglects the means of it Men understand this as to their outward concerns And although they have a due respect unto the blessing of God yet they expect not to be rich without industry in their waies It is so also in things spiritual God hath appointed one thing to be the means of obtaining another in the use of them doth he bless us and from the use of them doth his Glory arise because they are his own appointments And this diligence wholly respecteth practice or the regular use of means A man is said to be diligent in business to have a diligent hand though it be an Affection of the mind yet it simply respects Practice and Operation This diligence in his waiting David expresseth Psal. 40. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We render it I have waited patiently that is waiting I have waited that is diligently earnestly in the use of means So he describes this duty by an elegant similitude Psal. 123. 2. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden to the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until he have mercy on us Servants that wait on their Masters and look to their hands it is to expect an intimation of their minds as to what they would have them do that they may address themselves unto it So saith he do we wait for mercy not in a slothfull neglect of duties but in a constant readiness to observe the Will of God in all his commands An instance hereof we have in the Spouse when she was in the condition here described Cant. 3. 1 2. She wanted the presence of her Beloved which amounts to the same state which we have under consideration For where the presence of Christ is not there can be no sense of forgiveness At first she seeks him upon her bed by night upon my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not She seems herein to have gone no further than desires for she was in her bed where she could do no more and the issue is she found him not but doth she so satisfie her self and lye still waiting until he should come there unto her no she sayes she will rise now and go about the City in the streets and in the broad waies I will seek him whom my soul loveth She resolves to put her self into the use of all means whereby one may be sought that is wanting In the City Streets and Fields she would enquire after him And the blessed success she had herein is reported vers 4. She found him she held him she would not let him go This then belongs unto the waiting of the soul. Diligence in the use of means whereby God is pleased ordinarily to communicate a sense of pardon and forgiveness is a principal part of it What these means

of the soul. 1. A Resolution to abide with God and to commit all unto him This the word as was observed teaches us There is forgiveness with thee and therefore thou shalt be feared Because this I found this I am perswaded of therefore I will abide with him in the way of his Fear and Worship This our Saviour calls unto John 15. 4. Abide in me except you do so ye can hear no fruit So the Lord representing his taking of the Church unto himself under the Type of the Prophets taking an Adulteress in vision doth it on these terms Hos. 3. 3. Thou shalt abide for me many dayes Thou shalt not play the Harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee Now this abiding with God intimates two things 1. Oppositions Solicitations and Temptations unto the contrary 2. Forbearing to make any other choice as unto that end for which we abide with God 1. It argues Oppositions To abide to be stable and permanent is to be so against Oppositions Many discouragements are ready to rise up in the soul against it In Fears especially that it shall not hold out that it shall be rejected at last that all is nought and ●ypocritical with it that it shall not be forgiven that God indeed regards it not and therefore it may well enough give over its hopes which seem often as the giving up of the Ghost will assault it Again Oppositions arise from corruptions and temptations unto sin contrary to the Life of faith And these often proceed to an high degree of prevalency so that the guilt contracted upon them is ready to cast the soul quite out of all expectation of mercy I shall one day perish by these means saith the soul if I am not already lost But now where faith hath made this discovery of forgiveness the soul will abide with God against all these discouragements and Oppositions It will not leave him it will not give over waiting for him So David expresseth the matter in the instance of himself Psal. 73. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt and v. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain but yet after all his conflicts this at last he comes unto v. 26. Though my flesh and my heart faileth yet v. 28. It is good for me to draw near unto God I will yet abide with God I will not let go his fear nor my profession Although I walk weakly lamely unevenly yet I will still follow after him As it was with the Disciples when many upon a strong temptation went back from Christ and walked no more with him Jesus said unto them will ye go away also to which Peter replyes in the name of the rest of them Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of Eternal Life John 6. 66 67 68. It is thus and thus with me saith the soul I am tossed and afflicted and not comforted little life little strength real guilt many sins and much disconsolation What then faith God by his word Wilt thou go away also no saith the soul there is forgiveness with thee thou hast the words of Eternal Life and therefore I will abide with thee 2. This abiding with God argues a forbearance of any other choice Whilst the soul is in this condition having not attained any evidences of its own special interest in forgiveness Many Lovers will be soliciting of it to play the harlot by taking them into its embraces Both self-righteousness and sin will be very importunate in this matter The former tenders it self as exceeding useful to give the soul some Help Assistance and supportment in its condition Samuel doth not come saith Saul and the Philistins invade me I will venture and offer Sacrifice my self contrary to the Law The Promise doth not come to the soul for its particular relief it hath no evidence as to an especial interest in forgiveness Temptation invades the mind try thy self sayes it to take relief in somewhat of thine own providing And this is to play the harlot from God To this purpose self-righteousness variously disguises it self like the Wise of Jeroboam when she went to the Prophet Sometimes it appears as duty sometimes as signs and tokens but its end is to get somewhat of the faith and trust of the soul to be fixed upon it But when the soul hath indeed a discovery of forgiveness it will not give ear to these solicitations No saith it I see such a Beauty such an Excellency such a desireableness and suitableness unto my wants and condition in that forgiveness that is with God that I am resolved to abide in the Gospel desire and expectation of it all the dayes of my life here my choice is fixed and I will not alter And this Resolution gives glory to the Grace of God When the soul without an evidence of an interest in it yet prefers it above that which with many reasonings and pretences offers it self as a present relief unto it Hereby is God glorified and Christ exalted and the spiritual life of the soul secured 2. This discovery of forgiveness in God with the effects of it before mentioned will produce a Resolution of waiting on God for peace and consolation in his own time and way He that believeth will not make haste Isa. 28. 16. not make haste to what not to the enjoyment of the thing believed Haste argues precipitation and impatience this the soul that hath this discovery is freed from resolving to wait the time of Gods appointment for peace and consolation God speaking of his accomplishment of his Promises sayes I the Lord will hasten it Isa. 60. 22. Well then if God will hasten it may not we hasten to it nay saith he I will hasten it but in its time All oppositions and impediments considered it shall be hastned but in its time its due time its appointed time And this the soul is to wait for and so it will As when Jacob had seen the beauty of Rachel and loved her he was contented to wait seven years for the enjoyment of her to be his wife and thought no time long no toyle too hard that he might obtain her so the soul having discovered the beauty and excellency of forgiveness as it is with God as it is in his gracious Heart in his eternal purpose in the Blood of Christ in the Promise of the Gospel is resolved to wait quietly and patiently for the time wherein God will clear up unto it it s own personal interest therein Even one experimental embracement of it even at the hour of death doth well deserve the waiting and obedience of the whole course of a mans life And this the Psalmist manifests to have been the Effect produced in his heart and spirit For upon this discovery of forgiveness in God he resolveth both to wait upon him himself and encourageth others so to do 3. This prepares