all of us strangers to him in our natural â—tate Eph. 2. 12. The Apostasy hath made an infinite distance between God and Sinners Man goâ—â— away from God by every Sin for it is of the nature of Sin to deaprt from him Psal 73. 27. Hence â—he Sinners of the Gentiles are said to be afar off â—ct 2. 39. 2. If we get not an interest in him we must perish or ever Mans misery took its date from his loosâ—ng of God and his happiness begins upon his finding of him nor will he ever be perfectly blessed till he cometh to that compleat and uninterrupted Communion with him which is reserved for glory Every distance from God is so far a misery and they that regard it not now will find it to their cost when they shall hear that fearful word Depart pronounced upon them and there is no other way to remedy our misery but by the getting of this distance removed God reconciled to us through Christ he must of our enemy be our God or we are undone 3. We must seek after this if ever we obtain it On how many Solemn considerations is this Command urged in the Scriptures and though it be a Solemn truth that if Christ do not seek us first by his preventing Grace we shall never seek him yet the way in which he cometh to be found by us is in his putting us upon seeking him He gives us such an heart and then he comes and revealeth himself to us All men are either seekers or forsakers of him and we are told how it is with both 1 Chron. 28. 9. 4. We have but this time of life to do it in God hath limited the whole opportunity of aâ— treaty with Sinners hither What said Christ to those Jews that despised him Joh. 8. 21. Ye shallâ— seek me and dy in your sins This life is mansâ— probation time for another You have but onâ— life to work in take heed then that you dâ— not let it go before your work be done Goâ— will not give you a second life to try over again if you spend this away prodigally thoughâ— you should repent never so bitterly of it and promise never so sairly he will bid you to remember you had a time but you regarded it not 5. This time will soon be done The shortness of life is that of which all complain though but few rightly improve the consideration there is indeed through Grace time enough if well husbanded to lay up store in for time to come However it is but a little while a few days will summ up and put a conclusion to it See how the Word of God comments upon lifes brevity Job 14. 1. Psa 102. 11. 103. 15. 144. 4. It makes use of the most fleet and transitory things to represent it by it is but a moment to eternity and yet on this moment that eternity dependeth We begin to dy as soon as we begin to live Sinners you have but a short day to do your great work in take heed how you let it slide away insensibly lest your glafs be out before you are aware 6. The finishing of this time is very uncertain Your times are not in your own hands but Gods Psal 21. 15. An age indeed is a poor short thing Psal 39. 5. But how few are there that live to consummate the ordinary age of man how few whose candle of life burns out the most have it blown out by an immature end and there is â—one of you that knows how soon death will seiz you The truth is if you must find God in this life 〈◊〉 ever you had need to do it just now or you may miss of it Think of this you that pretend exâ—uses and delays you are young and there is â—â—me enough how know you but God hath appointed your time to dy to be in youth you say to the Spirit go away and come to morrow but what if this night you be cut off and to morrow dawn not upon you Take heed there is but an hands breadth between life and death and the Change made by it is inexpressibly great If you take this day you may do your work but if you put it off to another it may never be done and then there is a Soul undone and lost to Eternity 7. The finishing of time will put an end to all opportunity of grace You now enjoy it but then no more Now you have Gods holy Sabbaths and precious Ordinances now you may read hear pray ask counsel repent believe and be saved You have a rich price in your hands why will you not set your hearts to improve it when time is done all these things cease no more Sabbaths you must never hear a Sermon more never be entreated again to be reconciled to God then the Spirits strivings will cease Where will you then seek God when you can no more come there where he useth to reveal himself 8. Possibly a great portion of your little time is already gone and you have hitherto neglected this great business You have had a fair season for many years living under the Gospel and enjoying aâ—â— helps for seeking and finding of God but yoâ— have squandred them away negligently and yoâ— have squandred them away negligently and yoâ— have now reason to think that your time is hastening to an end it may be gray hairs predicâ— your approaching dissolution it may be you labour of wasting bodily infirmities that are undermining your lives and telling you that you can hold out but a little longer And is it not time for you to rouse up now at last who have so small a remnant of a short life left you to seek God in and will you lose this too shall the few â—â—itting hours that are behind be sent after the rest there is time yet but it is upon the last sands Oh! redeem it 9. The longer you delay the harder work you will find of it It is the most unhappy way of arguing for men to plead they shall be better disposed afterward when they grow into years or their youthful lusts are tired out or worldly business a little over and in better order c. Assure your selves he that is not ready to day will be more unready to morrow it is the deceitfulness of sin to use delays on such pretences while sin taketh faster hold and gets deeper rooting and custom in sin adds a second nature When lust pleads hereafter the true meaning is never For helps in this affair 1. Resolve in this to be the first and most necessary thing It is a point of prudence to be rightly informed in this matter The most that perish for 〈◊〉 have this plea to make for themselves that they minded that which they accounted most necessary yielding to the pleadings and importunities of the flesh but weigh things in an equal allance enquire what will be of greatest moment â—o you when come to part with time and â—hink that to
punishment of such is likâ— to be far more Intolerable than that of others Yoâ— should therefore look upon the aggravations oâ— your Sins to be the more Potent incentives 〈◊〉 drive you to God for forgiveness 3. If you do not make hast it will quickly bâ— too late It must be done while God sits on 〈◊〉 throne of Grace or else it cannot be done at alâ— when he hath sat out his patience and given oâ— the Oath there is then no pardon to be had Aâ— great Sinners have the greatest reason to be afraiâ— lest the day should be done speedily for of 〈◊〉 Sinners such have least hope to escape and suâ— Sins give special provocation to an Holy God 〈◊〉 make a speedy work with them Be then awakeâ—ed and perswaded forth-with to fly to the City 〈◊〉 Refuge USE IV. Learn we hence not to be dâ—couraged from using means for the Salvation 〈◊〉 others notwithstanding their grievous Sinning against God There is in every gracious Soul an earnest desire after the good and welfare of others their Children Friends Neighbours which puts them upon endeavours with and for them longing that they may be freed from Condemnation and obtain forgiveness of God but when they have used all means and waited with much patience and find all to work contrary with them and they grow worse under all and are now fallen into more horrible and scandalous Sins and habituated to them and it may be to despise Counsel and hate to be reproved they are ready to give them up for gone and abandon all farther endeavours for them reputing them hopeless But here is that which may prevent such desperate conclusions and put you upon renewing your endeavours again Remember there is forgiveness with God even for such as they are they are not gone so far but that God may still turn them at last and have mercy upon them Their Sins are astonishing but not beyond the line of forgiveness their hearts are hardned but not beyond the ability of God to soften them they have provoked him to cast them off for ever but who knows but that he may yet come and exalt his infinite Grace in giving them a pardon Let this hope then revive your Spirits and though you do it with fear and trembling yet be the more ardent and earnest with and for them Counsel them affectionately warn them with greatest Solemnity and pray for them with all importunity plead Gods Power and his Grace too and how much he can shew it forth to his eternal praise in extending iâ— to them and put him in mind of the infinitâ— vertue and value of the Sacrifice of Christ leâ— him not alone who knows but you may prevailâ— and either in this life or when you are gone tâ— Heaven see a joyful return of your endeavouâ— to your eternal satisfaction Pardon removes the load 〈◊〉 Sin from the Sinner DOCTRINE III. GOD in pardoning of Sin removes the loâ— of it from the Sinner There are thrâ— words used in our Text by which this forgiveneâ— is expressed which do set it out emphatically 〈◊〉 the opening whereof will help to discover thâ— excellency of this benefit We observed that thâ— word translated forgiven signifies to take a thiâ— off and is a metaphor from an heavy load thâ— oppresseth one Such is sin here supposed to bâ— and pardon to give the man ease by taking 〈◊〉 off from him There are two Propositions here to be takeâ— notice of viz. 1. That the Guilt of Sin is an exceeding heavâ— burden 2. That Forgiveness removes this burden froâ— the Sinner 1. That the Guilt of Sin is an exceeding heavy burden Sin as light as the most of men make of it is an oppressing and intollerable load and it is Guilt that makes it so the truth of this conclusion will appear from the consideration of three things 1. From the nature of Guilt it self and indeed there need no more but this to clear the truth in hand In the Demonstration of this I shall not insist largely Guilt is properly an obligation lying upon a Sinner to suffer punishment and it falls upon him as soon as he hath by Sin made himself obnoxious It properly ariseth from the relation which he bears to the Law of God All mankind originally are the Subjects of the Law and by the Transgression of it they are denominated Sinners 1 Joh. 3. 4. Now there is in the Law a threatning of punishment denounced against the man in case of his sinning and by vertue of this threatning as soon as the man is chargeable with Sin he is under that Sentence by which the punishment becomes due to him and is judicially laid upon him and it is truly and properly the Guilt under consideration We are to distinguish between the Sentence of the Law and of the Judge the former renders the man Guilty in his state the latter doth but declare him to be so and accordingly adjudge him to punishment the Verdict of the Jury doth not make the man guilty but finds him so and if he were not so before it is a false Verdict Now this must needs be an heavy weight and will appear so if we consider that the whole punishmenâ— that is due to and deserved by sin is hereby laid upon the Sinner and he is held fast to the suffering of it and he that shall read aâ— the Curses of the Law and the fearful thingâ— that are therein threatned must needs say thâ— they are unconceivably heavy and enough 〈◊〉 make the stoutest Sinner to sink under them 〈◊〉 these when they shall come to be born will 〈◊〉 found unsupportable and it must needs be veâ— oppressive to have them charged upon the maâ— so as Guilt doth for a man to read over 〈◊〉 the Curses of the book of God and have 〈◊〉 Conscience to tell him this is thy portion thâ— art the man against whom this doom is out aâ— must expect every moment when it will fâ— upon thee is extreamly oppressive and yâ— this is the nature of Guilt but this will 〈◊〉 farther illustrated in the next thing 2. From the bitter groans and complaints 〈◊〉 those who have been under the apprehension 〈◊〉 the guilt of Sin How have they cried out 〈◊〉 oppressed and sinking under their burden whâ— nothing else hath ailed them but only God haâ— awakned them and charged their sins heavy upâ— their Consciences with the discovery of his tâ—rors or that Wrath which was out against theâ— for their sin this may be exemplified in thâ— respects 1. The resentment that impenitent Sinners have had of this Guilt when awakned God hath left us some instances of it and testimonies about it in his word for our admonition How was it with Cain when his doom was past upon him Gen. 4. 13. and whence arose that despairing conclusion of his but from the weight of his Guilt and how was it with Judas upon this account Mat. 28. begiu out of doubt it was the intollerableness of the
he would not be concerned in it God is angry at nothing but Sin and Sinners for it and that which brings them under this wrath is their Sin that hath engaged his Revenging Justice against them on account of his Law by which he Governs the reasonable Creature Gods anger as it is an Attribute in him would hurt none of his Creatures but if they become the butt against which it shooteth its arrows then they have put themselves in the way of it and woe to them and none but Guilty Sinners so do The holy Angels have no burden by it it never toucheth or comes near them they that are reconciled to God in and through Christ by the application of his Blood to them cannot be hurt by it No it is the Sentence which tells the Sinner from the Mouth of an Holy and True God Thou must dy this this is the burden and what is it that receives this but a Conscience convicted of Guilt 3. Hence as long as this Guilt abides he must needs be under that load This is it that chains him down to it which Concludes him under it let him be otherwise circumstanced to his hearts desire yet all avails not Guilt maintains the Curse against him Guilt for all pronounceth him a man of Death whiles he is under Guilt the Law is his enemy it thundereth out its threatnings against him and he is every moment exposed to feel the dint of the Curse Psal 7. 11. And it is certain that if it abide it will sooner or later work his bane the arrow is upon the string ready to fly and bath it self in his hearts blood Verse 12â— 13. And hence there is no Peace to be hoped foâ— in this Condition Isa 57. ult 4. God in pardoning the Sinner takes off thiâ— Guilt from him This is the great benefit thaâ— comes in to him by it And here observe 1. That pardon bears a proper respect to Guilâ— There are several Considerations under which Siâ— cometh but of them all that which a pardon 〈◊〉 concerned about and extends to is Guilt It doth nothing to the taking away the being of Sin to the removing of the defilement of it that belongs to Sanctification but it is conversant about the Guilt Pardon is the act of the Judge and it respects the Crime as it exposeth the Sinner to punishment and that ariseth from his Guilt 2. Hence in it the Sentence of the Law Condemning him is removed This is the very thing it doth The penalty of the Law was Death and he by being exposed to it was a man of Death but a pardon brings with it a revoking of that Sentence God when he pardons the Sinner saith that he shall not Dy but Live the Curse of the Law shall not take place upon him but he shall be delivered from it It is excellently expressed Job 33 24. Deliver him from going down to the pit Hence that conclusion Rom. 8. 1. There is now no more Condemnation the Sin remains for that which hath once been done cannot be undone the merit abides it will be for ever true That the man hath done things worthy of Death but the Sentence it self is revoked How this is done consistent with the Justice of God will be enquired in a following Doctrine but so it is a pardoned man is out of the reach of the Law in its Curses He is for ever delivered from his Judge 3. Hereupon in the account of the Law his Sins are as if they had never been When Guilt is translated by a pardon the Law hath no more to charge the man with than if he had never committed any Sin at all It is true he hath reason to remember his faults and to be humbled for them but the Law hath discharged him and this is part of the meaning of that Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law Sin doth not reign to death in such an one the pardoned Sinner is made the Righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. and this is the meaning of that strange expression Numb 23. 21. He hath seen no iniquity in Jacob nor perverseness in Israel it cannot be intended of his Omniscience for if there be any sins committed by his people as cetainly there are he must needs so see and know them Nor can it be intended of his dealing with them in the Discipline of the New-Covenant for so he both seeth and is displeased at the bold transgression of his Children 2 Sam. 11. ult The thing that David did displeased the Lord and he corrects them severely on this account as he did David It must therefore aim at him as a Judge he seeth nothing in them for which to condemn them and why so but because their Guilt is removed 4. This makes way for the easing Conscience of its load It is true as there are some whose Sins ly upon them and they are insensible of it as was before observed so there are some whose Sins are taken off by this forgiveness and yet they feel burden by them because they have not the clear apprehension of a Pardon sealed in their Consciences The thing may be done and they not know it but be afraid about it hence to the easing of the mind there is necessary the inward assurance witnessed by the Spirit of God in the â—earts of his people but the foundation of it is â—id here When a pardon is written signed and â—aled in Heaven the man is put out of danger â—d the thing it self is done which is afterwards â—itnessed to and confirmed in him and his state 〈◊〉 the same before and after this Assurance though â—e comfort of it is so enjoyed which the Psalâ—ist prays for Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of â—y Salvation USE I. This may afford a word of Aâ—akening to all Unpardoned Sinners and let all â—ch be solemnly advised to listen to the truth in â—nd And there is a double awakening that I â—ave to offer to all such 1. Be awakened to see and be affected with â—our present misery Take heed of sleeping in â—rnal security you have little reason for it if â—ou understand how the case is with you Conâ—der then 1. You are under Guilt Who is there in the World that can wash his hands from being a sinâ—l creature It is the Wise mans challenge Prov. â—0 9. Who can say I am pure from my sins and I â—are every Soul to whom this Doctrine may â—ome to make an answer to it and if Sin can â—e charged on you how can you excuse your â—lves from being Guilty except you have alreaâ—y obtained a pardon You are in your natural â—tate under the Law and your outward relatiâ—n to the Gospel doth not discharge you from it how vainly soever you please your selves with itâ— and if so consider Rom. 3. 19. Every mouth shâ— be stopped and all the world found Guilty Thaâ— Law which hath hold on you saith
that the Sâ— that sins shall dy and you stand under this verâ— relation to it You are bound over to suffâ— death not Temporal only but Eternal too anâ— this obligation is so strong that you cannot breaâ— it and is not this Guilt 2. This is a fearful burden whether you aâ—prehend it to be so or no it is so in it self anâ— will be sooner or later experienced so to be 〈◊〉 you Who can tell the weight of all these fearâ— Curses which God hath in his righteous Law dâ—clared against those that are under the Guilt 〈◊〉 Sin ask those that have felt it under the Tâ—rors of an awakened Conscience and they wâ— tell you that if all the mountains in the Woâ— had lain upon them it could not have been moâ— heavy It contains in it the Wrath of that Gâ— before whom the Devils tremble whose Hand 〈◊〉 Omnipotent a frown of whose Countenance 〈◊〉 able to dissolve the Creation whose Rebuke 〈◊〉 blast the Creature at once Psal 31. 11. 3. If therefore this Guilt abide on you it 〈◊〉 sink you into perdition It will be your unavoâ—able and everlasting ruine the fire of the Wraâ— which is kindled by it will if not put out by 〈◊〉 grace burn to the uttermost hell it will neâ— leave till it hath crushed you down into the bâ—tomless pit however you may seem to stoutâ— out for the present you will certainly fall befo◠〈◊〉 and a fearful fall it will give you It will be 〈◊〉 dreadful thing to go out of the World under â—e Guilt of all that Sin which you are to be â—arged withal and when you come to look â—er into Eternity as ere long you will and feel 〈◊〉 your Sins lying on you you would give ten â—ousand worlds if you had them to dispose of 〈◊〉 be delivered from under the weight of them â—h that you would see and believe it 2. Be advised to go to God for pardon One â—ould think that the consideration of the weight â—f Sin lying upon them were enough to put â—nners on asking earnestly how they may get it â—moved now be directed to ask it of God â—d wait on him for it And to move you hereâ— Consider 1. There is no other way to be discharged of â—is burden It is only by a pardon that it can â—e done and if you think of any other course â—ou deceive your selves As long as the Senâ—nce is out against you dooming you to dy and â—e Justice of God stands engaged to the Executiâ—n of it your sins do and will ly upon you It 〈◊〉 not all your legal repentances reformations â—bstinences from the acts of sin that will turn to â—ny account you are condemned still except the â—udgment be revoked and what quiet or comâ—ort can you enjoy as long as it is so surely Sin â—ust ly heavy while you are in this condition 2. There is forgiveness with him This is the â—nly relief against an accusing and condemning Conscience Psal 130. 3 4. How this comes to be and how wonderfully he hath laid in for it will be hereafter considered but he hath a stock of forgiveness he can be just and justify Rom. 3. 26. he can abundantly pardon Isa 55. 7. and hâ— alone can do it there is none else in the worâ— that can give you a pardon but he if he dâ— not forgive you if all the men and Angels in thâ— world should do it it would signify nothing 〈◊〉 all 3. He makes the offer of a pardon to you 〈◊〉 doth not only wait to see if you will come anâ— ask it of him but he sends to you a Message â—bout it he hath commanded that you should 〈◊〉 told about it and pleaded with to accept of 〈◊〉 he hath sent an Embassy to you by his Servanâ— who are to entreat you to entertain it 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 20. and he is all this day of his patience waâ—ing to see whether you will embrace it or nâ— and why will ye'dy why will you not seek 〈◊〉 have your burden thus taken off but rather châ— to bear it though it will overwhelm you 〈◊〉 endless Destruction USE II. Let it be for Examination Tâ— we by this whether the burden of our Sins 〈◊〉 indeed removed off from us It is a very desiraâ— thing to be known and there is a Rule 〈◊〉 judgment about it be perswaded to be soleâ— in it Hence consider 1. There are those that are mistaken thâ— find ease upon their spirits and they have 〈◊〉 hope that their sins are discharged they woâ— perswade themselves that they have received â—emission of them when there is no such â—hing and there are a great many cheats that Satan and their false hearts do put on them in â—his regard and perswade them to cry peace to â—hemselves when there is no peace You have â—eed then to be very heedful in this respect 2. A mistake on this account is very perilous â—f whiles we please our selves with a dream of â—ardon and peace and quiet our selves in it whiles we are indeed in the gall of bitterness and â—ond of iniquity we loose our opportunity of seekâ—ng it are held fast under our Guilt and live in â—azard every day of dropping into the pit from whence there is no delivery Let us then take diligent heed on this account lest we rue it when â—oo late and for Rules of Trial. 1. Did you ever find Sin to be your great burden I know that the Spirit of God acts diversly â—s to the degrees of terror which he excites â—n the Consciences of those whom he Converts â—ut I am sure that he makes sin our burden in â—rder to his taking of it off from us an evil and a bitter thing Jer. 2. 19. he first lays it on â—n Conviction before he removes it in pardon I speak of those that grow to years of understanding If then you are strangers to this and know not what it means you have reason to think that your Guilt abides on you 2. Have you truly gone to God for forgiveness all other attempts are vain and unprofitable he hath it in his disposal and will not put it out of his own hands Jesus Christ who is God is the dispenser of it and the invitation is to come to him if we would obtain it Havâ— you so done and if you have you have relinquished all other objects of trust and confidenceâ— your former essays are no more pursued but rejected he hath said that he will be sought to 〈◊〉 the house of Israel for this Have you then heaâ—kened to his Call and see that you be not mâ—staken in this it is not every perfunctory prayer will prove it it is not every pretended accepâ—ing of the offered pardon that will amount 〈◊〉 this there is a so coming requisite Hence 3. Have you cast your selves on free grace 〈◊〉 it There is a vast difference between a persoâ— being acquitted upon a payment and upon 〈◊〉 pardon It may be you have
and that is his trouble and â—ill he can get some good security of his pardon â—he is not satisfied The report indeed that there â—s forgiveness with God and the offer of it made â—o him is some relief and affords him a supportâ—ng hope against utter despair but it must be a â—igned and sealed pardon read to him that will â—estore him to real comfort there is many a Malefactor is Executed for all the mercy of the Prince God may be a God of forgiveness and many may taste of it but he may perish Time was when he pleased himself with a general notiâ—on of mercy but now he considers what God hath â—aid Isa 27. 4. Fury is not in me who will set briâ—rs c. And so he cannot rest till Christ saith â—o him Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven the â—an must have a good ground to believe his â—ardon as he hath been assured of his Condemnation 5. There is no Testimony that can satisfie the Consciâ—nce in this case but that of the Spirit of God He must speak peace to and in the man or it cannot be believed Conscience saith it is God that is â—rovoked he is Judge the Sentence of Condemnation hath proceeded from his mouth and if he do not take it off again none can I must thereâ—ore hear what he saith to me Psal 85. 8. There â—â— indeed the terms of the Covenant to which the promise of forgiveness is connected which beinâ— wrought in the man have the evidence in themâ— and do make the witness of our own spirit buâ— this alone will not satisfie a troubled Soul wiâ—â— object against the reality of them and suspeâ—â— them of fallacy till the Spirit come in and set hâ—â— seal to the truth of them and confirm them byâ— his secret application Godly and skilful Christians may inquire into the mans case and give kinâ— great encouragement judging his condition safe â— but all will signifie nothing to him they are chaâ—ritable and do not know him as he knows himself he knoweth his own state better than they do he therefore can have no quiet till therâ— be a Divine Obsignation upon him till it comes toâ— that Rom. 8. 16. Faith only can receive the consolation and apply it and that cannot build on aâ—ny thing short of a Divine Testimony 6. There must be this forgiveness really past in orâ—der to the Spirits bearing witness to it The maâ— must be forgiven at least in order of nature beâ—fore he can be ascertained of it for this Testimony is to a thing that really is and though God sometimes doth together with pardoning thâ— Sinner let in this light whereby he discerns itâ— yet he doth not always do so he acts his Soveraignty in this matter but he giveth no assurancâ— of a pardon to him before hand he indeed ofâ—fereth it tells him where it is and how to be obtained encourageth him to wait for it offereth him his assistance but all this while the matterâ— is in suspense as to the man and if he complyâ— â—th not with these offers he remaineth in a state of â—ondemnation God is not wont to reveal his â—urpose to the man on this account till he hath â—ven being to it in his Providence and this â—ssurance follows upon that faith by which he â—mbraced the offer of Grace which had been â—ade to him 7. That this Forgiveness is applyed upon the plightâ—g of the New Covenant As to the opinion of Justification from Eternity or upon Christs Reâ—irrection the mistake of it hath been before obâ—erved the promise of it made unto Christ and â—he accquittance given to Christ for his Redeemed â—as to be applyed to them in the Gospel way and â—rder The actual Forgiving their Sins belongâ—th to the work of Application and God hath in â—he Gospel opened a New Covenant in which â—he carrieth on the Reconciliation so that after Christ had Reconciled God to us we are sent to â—nd entreated to be Reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And there are the terms of the Covenant accordâ—ng to the tenour whereof it is brought about â—nd therefore called a Covenant of Peace Mal. 2. 5. because upon the making it with the Soul the Peace of God is brought into it to which belongs â—his Forgiveness And so upon every renewal of Covenant upon any difference that Sin hath made this Peace is restored upon a new applicaâ—ion of Forgiveness 8. Hence this Forgiveness is always connected with Faith and Repentance There is great dust raised about the word Condition and whether Faith and Repentance be Conditional in the New Covenantâ— I know no danger in calling them so if rightly understood however it is enough to say that there is a close Connexion between these and the benefits contained in the New Covenant Iâ— grant we may call them Benefits too being fruitsâ— of Gods Everlasting Love and operations of his Spirit in and with the means and things promised to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption inâ— behalf of those whom he was to Dy for But in the New Covenant they are acts of preventing Grace and are not promised on any Conditionâ— to us all the offers of Spiritual Good are there made to Repenting and Believing so that both the Invitations of the Gospel and the Evangelical commands Published in it require this of us though not of our selves but we must wait for them as a Gift from God yet this is a great Truth that there are no other Saving benefiâ— conferred on us without them and there is a reciprocation in them which is as much as is to be understood in calling them Conditions viz. that without Faith and Repentance there is no Forgiveness if God giveth not this Grace neither doth he the other Acts 5. 31. and that whenever God bestowâ— these upon any he together with it brings them into a State of Pardon true Faith hath all Salâ—vation secured to it Heb 10. 39. 9. This Confession of Sin is a necessary concomitanâ— of the Repentance of Faith And there are two things wherein this necessity will be discovered 1. The promise of Forgiveness includes this Hypothesâ— ly it That the Promises of the Covenant do run Hypothetically is not only maniâ—est from the nature of a Covenant but also evident from the tenour of Scripture expressions about it though there be something else besides confession put in yet this is mentioned in Prov. 28. 13. 1 Joh 1. 9. Where is intended a penitent confession such as accompanieth true Repentance else Pharaoh may confess c. And see how God insists upon it Jer. 3. 12 13. And not one word of encouragement is given in the whole Book of God for any to hope for pardon who will not confess nay â—hiding and covering is threatned 2. There can be no kindly Repentance expressed without it No other way to testify it For 1. Sin must be seen in its colours if ever it be reâ—ented of There must such a Conviction
know what is your present duty If you sit down discouraged you thereby charge God but if you make a through search you may so be set in the right way USE II. For Exhortation to all to the practice of this Duty And there is argument enough in the Doctrine to move us hereto If this be the proper necessary course to relieve us in distress let us then whensoever we find any such trouble coming upon us apply our selves unto this way as we hope to find any relief against it And there is none whose condition this may not be and it is good to be laying in for it Let this be particularly applyed 1. To the Unconverted Such as are yet strangers to forgiveness And there are two sorts to whom distinctly 1. To the secure Sinner who feeleth no trouble on his Conscience but all is quiet and so he looks upon himself unconcerned in this affair Consider 1. You are Sinners That is the condition of all men by nature Rom. 5. 12. Yea your whole course in this world hath been a trade of Sin Gen. 8. 21. You have done nothing else since you were born but sin against God this is the very Character given of a natural man Psal 58. The wicked is estranged from the womb they go astray as soon as they are born 2. You are on this account Guilty before God This is the state in which all men are by reason of sin Rom. 3. 19. There is always a Guilt cleaving to sin till by a pardon it be removed where therefore Sin may be charged and is not forgiven it insurreth Guilt and every unpardoned one is under the efficacy of the Sentence 3. Hence you have the matter of this distress on you And what is it that is so bitter and burden-some to the Conscience but a Conviction of Sin and apprehension of the Guilt that attendeth it It is a fear of the wrath of God arising from an expectation of having it fall upon us whiles then you are under Guilt there needs nothing but the awakening of Conscience and making it to feel the impressions thereof upon it to bring the man under the most hellish amazements that can be thought of It is only because Conscience is asleep that you are quiet and God knoweth how to rouse it when he pleaseth and he will certainâ—â— do it sooner or later There is no peace to the wicked Isa 57. 20. 4. Your nourishing your security doth but lay in sâ— make your distress the more terrible You may enjoy a little present ease by it but will be forced to pay interest for it afterwards The calm will be over and a storm will arise there is no preventing it and not only so but the tempest will be the moâ—â— impetuous Your Fair Days are but Weather breeders and all the Sins with which you nourish this security will help to aggravate your Guilt and make the remorces of Conscience more severe Here then 1. Be willing to be convinced of you Sin Have a care of stifling the Convictions which God affordeth you in his Word and Providence take heâ—â— of hardning your hearts against Counsels or shutting your eyes upon the light that is offered you to discover your Sin to you Whatsoever content you find in thus doing for the present it will be bitter in the end God cometh now to shew you your Sin in the way of a Treaty of Peace and saith as Jer. 2. 19. Know that it is an evil and bitter thing c. And if you do not hearken he will shew it you another way 2. See the danger you are in by reason of it If Siâ— lyeth at the door you are in a perilous Condition there is no safety the wrath of God is out against you and Vengeance hangs over your heads Holiness Justice Truth stand engaged to do Execution upon you and all the fearful Curses written in the Book of God are your portion and how can you Escape 3. Be perswaded how vain it is for you to go about to cover it Who ever did so and prospered What a madness is it to think to hide the most secret enormities from the eyes of God who is Omniscient and knows you a great deal more intimately and throughly then you do your selves and can when he will make your sin to find you out 4. Take encouragement to hope for mercy by the Gospel discovery of Christ The great temptation to keep silence is a Spirit of fear that urgeth us to despair of mercy that driveth us to hide our selves as Adam did Now God hath in the Gospel made a Proclamation of peace to Sinners and shewn them the way to pardon think then of this and let it melt your heart and drive you to fall down at his feet and make the most enlarged acknowledgment of your sins asking his pitty This is the most kindly and genuine working of the Evangelical offers of Grace when they work us to the deepest sense and draw forth our most hearty Confessions unto God 2. To the awakened and terrified Sinner whose Conscience is roused and who hath his sins set in order before him and is thereupon under fearful agonies in his mind If you ever hope to find solid comfort â—our next business is to come to this Confession and for your quickning and encouragement Consider 1. You are in the hand of an Holy God A God who stands on his honour and will have his Glory from or by all his Creatures you must therefore voluntarily give it to him or else he will strain for it and so recover it upon you Now all Sin is a falling short of his Glory Rom. 3. 23. It is a dishonouring of him and no little of his Holiness is displayed in his shewing his hatred of it Hab. 1. 13. And you have no other way to glorifie this Holiness but by a free and full Confession 2. He is yet a merciful God Though you have greatly dishonoured and grievously provoked him by sin yet there is mercy with him he hath published and proclaimed this mercy of his lâ—â— the Gospel and inviteth weary and burdened Sinners to come to him for it Mat. 11. 28. All the Messages of peace that are sent to Sinners by the Gospel and the fair tenders therein made to them and the patient waiting of God with the strivings of his Spirit are a witness to thiâ—â— that there is mercy to be had from him if 〈◊〉 be rightly sought 3. But he expecteth that you come for this men with ropes on your heads He looketh that you should give him all the signal testimony of a deâ— conviction that you deserve no mercy from hiâ— but that he do Execution upon you according 〈◊〉 the demerit of your sin and that you ly at 〈◊〉 foot as those that have no injustice to impute him if he should fall upon and destroy you aâ—â— acknowledge his meer mercy in your pardon 4. In this way there is hope for you and in
would do so and that upon this purpose God forgave him This seemeth to refer to 2 Sam. 12. 13. He there made a short acknowledgment upon which the Prophet declareth his pardon but he with this resolved on a more ample and enlarged business of it notwithstanding the intervening forgiveness this he accomplished and hath left upon record in Psal 51. And it tells us That sense of a pardon should not prevent but encrease our humble acknowledgment of our sin unto God And indeed there is nothing that more tendeth to melt an ingenious soul into self abhorrence for his sin than the wonderful kindness of God in being so ready to forgive it The word Forgavest is the same that is used verse 1. Where we took notice of the import of it In summe Sin is then forgiven when the Guilt of it is removed and God is reconciled to the person and so he is delivered from the Curse threatned in the Law And it is remarkable that he doth not only say thou forgavest my sin but the iniquity of my sin This is diversly understood by Interpreters but all agreeable to the matter in hand The word translated Iniquity properly signifieth Crookedness Pravity Perverseness Maliciousness but is not so here to be understood for the taking away of that properly belongeth to Sanctification whereas Forgiveness belongeth to Justification Some therefore read it Guilt and so the word is often used because Sin is by reason of its relation to the Law attended with Guilt and then it is that which forgiveness hath the immediate respect unto Others read it Punishment in which sense also the Scripture useth it by a like Metonymy which is consequent upon Guilt that being nothing else but a binding the Creature over to suffer it and is therefore removed together with it Others suppose the Psalmist to use this expression to set forth the wondrousness of Gods forgiving Grace by the consideration of the greatness of his sin which was thus forgiven and read it my most sinful sin and Paul seemeth to borrow his expression from hence Rom. 7. 13. q. d. my Sin was extraordinary great and yet thou so readily forgavest it In a word the Iniquity of sin is in that it is a violation of the Command of God and thereby a just provocation given him to break forth in revenges upon â—â—e Sinner for it and this is that which is removâ—â— by forgiveness Hence Gods readiness to forgive on Penitent Confession DOCTRINE GOD is exceeding ready to Forgive the truly Penitent upon their humble Confession how great â—ever their Sins have been The Psalmist here â—â—mmends God to us for one wonderfully prone 〈◊〉 pardon penitent Sinners upon his own very â—â—rge experience What this Confession is hath â—een already observed under the former Doctrine Here therefore we may further Enquire 1. What is implied in this forgiveness 2. Wherein the readiness of God to forgive is discovered 3. What influence such Confession hath to the obtaining this forgiveness 1. What is implied in this Forgiveness A. Forgiveness properly signifieth a free remission of 〈◊〉 offence without any satisfaction made by the person 〈◊〉 forgiven For when a man hath fully satisfied â—t the injury he hath bought his peace and it â—ould be injustice to pursue him for it afterwards 〈◊〉 Forgiveness is an act of free favour Now this may be considered either in respect of personal wrongs between man and man or with regard iâ— the Transgression of a Law wherein there is a penalty due in Justice and the Judge is concerned in pursuing it and this latter best resembleth the case of a Sinner and in this respect satisfaction may be given to the Law by the procurement of the Judge that so Justice be not perverted and yet a free pardon may upon it be given to the Offender who did nothing to the procuring of that satisfaction and such is the case here This Forgiveness then belongs to and is one essential part of Justification and therefore presumeth such a satisfaction made and accepted by God upon which and in respect to which he proceedeth to pass an act of forgiveness upon the person who before stood Guilty and it properly consisteth in a free and full discharging of him from the whole Condemnation of the Law and putting him out of the danger of it and hath these things contained in it 1. He is supposed to be arraigned tryed at Gods Bar and there found Guilty and Sentence of Death there past upon him for his sin All this in course goeth before and maketh way for a pardon and this the Spirit of God doth in the Conscience when he Erecteth a Tribunal in Gods Name and formally proceedeth We read of our own heart condemning us 1 Joh. 3. 20. And this is the first work of Conviction ascribed to the Spirit Joh 1â— 8. without which the riches of Gods grace cannot be suitably apprehended and acknowledged by the pardoned one 2. Hereupon God by an act of Soveraign Grace â—evokes the Sentence The man is first condemned and then pardoned and though God hath always an eye to the Propitiatary Sacrifice in it by vertue of which he can be both just and merciful yet in the application of it to the person as he manifesteth his Grace so he acteth his Soveraignty Rom. 9. 18. And here he disannuls and makes void the Sentence in respect of the Sinners person Job 33. 24. 3. By vertue of this act the Sinner is made as free from the Condemnation of the Law as if he had never transgressed it Rom. 6. 14. He is delivered from his Judge there is no more Condemnation Chap. 8. 1. 33 34. His Sin is sunk into the depth of oblivion and shall no more rise up against him 4. This act being Forinsical is entred on record to stand irrevocable We read of Books to be Opened in the Great Day out of which men are to be Judged Rev. 20. 12. Now in these Books are Registred all acts that have formerly past not only the Sins of men but all the Transactions between God and them and so all the pardons that have past So that in that Judgment though it be found that all were Sinners and Condemned yet the pardons that have been given out are filed and will there be produced Now there is a double record or two Books wherein the act is written 1. There are the Records of Heaven or the Rolls of Eternity And this is the first original authentick Register of this forgiveness and many times is past some while before the other and is indeed nothing else but Gods gracious revoking the Sentence and enrolling the man among the number of the pardoned whereby whether he know it or no his state is secured and he is put out of the danger whatsoever fear and terrors may perplex his mind about it 2. There is the Record of Conscience which is the duplicate or transcript of the Original signed sealed and witnessed by the Spirit of
shortly be withdrawn if now you slight the offers of a pardon you will ere long seek one and nor obtain it God will hereby be incensed read how he declareth it Prov. 1. 24. c. Take heed of delaying the Proclamation is out against you Justice hath you in chase if you make not hast to the City of Refuge you will be overtaken Now prevent it lest you mourn too late 2 Let it be to encourage drooping and desponding Sinners When Satan can no longer cherish presumption in men but the Spirit awakens and puts them in fear he now seeks to overwhelm them with fears and put them out of hope here then is a precious cordial for such For Encouragement Consider 1. You have a gracious God to do withal who delighteth in pardon He is indeed holy and just but be not disheartened by that he is for all that merciful those Attributes cannot hinder his being so all that he hath done to make way for this forgiveness stands to let us understand how much his heart is in it Would he ever have given his own Son to be made an offering for sin had he not taken pleasure in exalting his pardoning grace among a company of sinful Creatures 2. He hath laid in enough for your pardon whatsoever you have been It may be the greatness of your sins terrifie you or the multitude of them or your long continuing in them and the many aggravations circumstancing of them which makes you think them to outbid a pardon but know it that because God delighted in forgiveness he provided for the glorifying of it by laying it upon one mighty to save and hence in the Satisfaction made by Christ there is sufficient to answer all the demands of Justice for the greatest Sins and Sinners Such are therefore encouraged Isa 55. 7. There can be no wrong done to the Law of God abundance is added to the manifestation of his grace by this there is therefore no room leâ—t for your doubting on this account Nay you may make a plea of it Psal 25. 11. 3. He urgently offereth this pardon to you You may question but will God entertain me if I come to him for it Will he not reject me but if it were so surely he would not send so many messages to you use so many entreaties with you to accept and come up to the terms of forgive ness nor come himself by the secret addresses of his Spirit moving on you in the means God doth not dissemble with men It was once used as an argument of consolation Mark 10. 49. He calleth thee and the same may be said to you What mean all those pleadings in the Ministry those repeated Calls and Invitations What intends this long continued patience used with you notwithstanding your unbelief and standing off Why should you say he meaneth not me he himself hath invited every one that thirsteth and is weary and if you are such you are specified 4. He is grieved at your unbelief and despondency He takes it ill that troubled Sinners should question the truth of his protestations that they should rather credit Satans discouragements than his invitations that when their adversary tells them there is no hope you have sinned beyond a pardon he shall be believed and that when he himself tells them he hath a pardon provided and it shall be theirs upon acceptance that he is a merciful God and is willing to be reconciled they should suppose he meaneth not as he saith this unbelief grieves his Holy Spirit and you have grieved him â—â—ough already 5. He asks nothing of you to purchase this forgiveness You are apt to say What shall I bring I have nothing I can do nothing to procure it and this disheartens you but without reason for he knows your poverty and so hath himself laid in for that the work is already done Justice is satisfied the demands of the Law are answered Jesus Christ hath gone through that Province and nothing is left to be done by you he therefore expects that you come empty handed Isa 55. 1 And if you think to bring any thing with you and lay in for it it will be the ready way to be rejected it is his Grace that he seeks to exalt in your forgiveness and you must compâ—â— with it 6. Hence he only expects that you should Confess This is the great thing he stands upon you humble and cordial acknowledgment Jer. 3. 11 I know proud nature had rather to do somethinâ— else than come to this but God will have â—â— thus to testifie our Humiliation and acknowledgment of his grace to us if then you 〈◊〉 heartily confess he will readily forgive 7. He counts himself Glorified by this Confessâ—â—â— Josh 7. 19. And indeed by it we acknowledge our own merit and his Righteousness in the Sentence of Death past upon us as he Psal 51 4. By this we lay our selves down at-his feeâ— and acknowledge that if ever he forgive us it must be for his own name sake and so we ascribe our pardon to him and give him the praise of his grace 3. Let it be to direct Sinners in this affair how Confession is rightly to be made was opened under the former Doctrine Only for our help in it take these Rules 1. Be duly affected with your Guilt Till we rightly apprehend that we shall never kindly confess our sin the want of this is the reason why some confess not at all and others do it so slightly whereas when once the Soul is under the burden of this and finds himself justly condemned this will draw forth a free and full Confession Psal 51. 3. 2. Know your own impotency to remove this Guilt This is the undoing of many a convinced Sinner who finds himself under Condemnation and not being humbled but acted by a legal spirit hopeth to make up all by a Righteousness of his own and so instead of duly consessing falls to his Reformations sets upon abstinence from sin and takes a task on him to perform moral duties hoping so to make up ill and thus deceiveth himself Know that you cannot do any thing to purchase Gods favour Isa 64. 6. 3. Renounce all other hopes of pardon but what must derive to you through the free Grace of God If you expect it may come in any other way it will spoil your Confession either it will prevent it or make it a meer legal thing it will lose its direct end which is to carry us off from every other bottom to cast our selves upon the meer mercy of God in Christ and if we have our hope on any other thing our pride will keep us from this Resolve then as Hos 14. 3. Ashur shall shall not save us c Conclude positively if Grace save us not we perish for ever 4. Be not afraid to confess your Sins with all the aggravations It is a foolish fear in some lest 〈◊〉 they do aggravate their sins they should thereby damp
there are three Conclusions contained in this Proposition 1. That God may be found by sinful men 2. That the Opportunity of thus seeking God is limited to time 3. That there are special seasons wherein God is to be found by them that seek him 1. That God may be found by sinful men This is the foundation of all our encouragment to seek after him We may here enquire 1. When God is said to be found 2. For the evidence that he may so 3. The ground of it or how it comes to pass 1. When God is said to be found A. In respect of his Omnipresence it is every where Act. 17. 27 28. And with regard to his Providence he fills all with his presence and influence Psal 135. 6. But it here aims at a gracious discovery which God makes of himself to us We then find him when we obtain favour from him in the thing we seek him for when he is propitious to us Deut. 4. 29. Gods being found is opposed to his hiding himself and his people account him to do so when they receive no favourable returns of their Prayers no gracious effects coming thereupon But when we ask his mercy and he bestows it upon us we conclude that we have found him If when we are burdened with the Guilt of Sin we humbly address him for pardon and he applies the promise and helps us to take hold on it and witnesseth within us his accepting us we conclude that we have found him and so in every other respect in which his Children call upon him It is he himself who comes in by his Spirit to the Soul and leaveth those things there which testify his presence Psal 34. 4. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me 2. For the evidence that he may be found Sin indeed hath made an infinite distance between God and Sinners and hath provoked him to hide from them Every natural man is a lost Creature hath lost his God and his happiness and knoweth not where to find him but wandereth in a Wilderness where there is no way But for all this such is Gods rich Grace that he hath discovered himself in the Gospel so as that he may be found again by the lost Creature and these things will evidence it 1. He invites men to seek him This precious advice is given to all where the Gospel cometh He would not have men to seek their help else where but enquire after him He gives them this call while they are wandring from mountain to hill seeking rest and finding none 1 Chron. 16. 11. 22. 19. Now God would not invite men to seek him if there were no hope that they might find him he doth not delude them but point them to a way of safety 2. He hath therefore made promises to such as seeâ— him that they shall find him The Prophet tells 〈◊〉 from God Isa 45. 19. I said not to the seed of Jacob seek me in vain And to make this appear he hath obliged himself 1 Chron. 28. 9. If thou seek him he will be found of thee So Psal 69. 32. Prov. 8. 17. Heb. 11. 6. And he who hath promised is faithful and will perform and they that adventure on his word shall never see cause to repent 3. He hath made a way for his being found by Sinful men And there is nothing wherein God hath equally celebrated his goodness to man as in this 〈◊〉 that when Sin had shut us out of his presence and raised Mountains between him and us he hath been at the cost to remove them and make a New and Living way for us to find him For this it was that Christ came into the World and made the Atonement with his own Blood that he might pull down the wall of separation And now he tells us that he is the way Joh. 14. 6. And so there is a new way Consecrated Heb. 10. 20. This God would not have done if he had not designed that some of the lost race should find him in it 4. He hath given us directions how we may find this way and him in it All the Gospel Precepts are adapted to this end As there could have been no way if he had not opened it so we could never have known it if he had not shown it us Mic. 6. 8. And his Spirit is sent to influence and guide us into it Isa 30. 21. The preceptive part of the Gospel is purposely given for our direction in this affair 5. Jesus Christ came to seek lost Sinners and bring them into this way he himself tells us so Luk. 19. 10. True he had a further design in coming viz. to make this way by his Priestly Office but yet in his Prophetical and Kingly he pursueth this design for having purchased to himself a Church in the world he sends forth his Spirit to gather them to himself he seeks them up in their lost estate and finds them and so they find him Isa 65. 1. 3. For the ground of this or how it comes to pass that he is willing to be found let these things be considered 1. That God hath purposed the glory of his Grace in the Salvation of Sinners Hence some are said to be Chosen in Christ to this very end Eph. 1. 3. 6. The foundation of all this is laid in his good will it was because he had a mind that this letter in his name should be made legible and celebrated throughout Eternal Ages 2. That mans happiness consists in his seeing and enjoying of God There is no other object is adequate for him should he enjoy all the goodness of the whole Creation separate from the favour and love of God it would not make him better man miserable Psal 73. 27. He only is a portion that can satisfy the cravings of an immortal Soul and if the man be happy he must know him Joh. â—7 3. and he must have him to be his portion Lam. 3. 24. 3. That man by Sin hath lost God This is the unhappy effect of the Apostasy and is the fruit of sin Isa 59. 2. Man was at first made near to God but as soon as sin came in it set him at a vast distance so that now he knows him not but is a stranger to him hath lost all title to him as his God and is become his enemy and so is made miserable 4. That fallen man must find God again if ever he enjoy him Vision and Fruition go together iâ— Mans misery is that he hath left him his only happiness is in finding him We must find him if we find life by him Prov. 8. 35. Till we so do we remain in the forlorn state state which Sin hath cast us into That man that doth not find his God again is undone for ever 5. For this end God exhibits himself to man as the object whom they are to seek God hath made our seeking of him a medium in order to our finding him Not but
pleads with young ones to husband their youth well Eccl 12. begin There will be many encumbrances of life afterward which now burthen them not and when old age siezeth them it will greatly unfit them for it who did not engage in it before 2. Whiles the Gospel is dispensed to them powerfully and faithfully This is another special season Here observe 1. That the Gospel Ministry and Ordinances are the ordinary instruments by which God Converteth Sinners He hath seen meet to make this the appointed way of promoving the Salvation of men 1 Cor. 1. 21. Rom. 10. 17. Where he sendeth not these it is an awsul sign that he hath none of this work to do there 2. That they are the Gospel truths by the dispensation whereof he useth them as instruments They are moral instruments and therefore their business is to treat with men and the matter of the treaty is these great truths that declare the Counsel of God and the way wherein Sinners may come to enjoy him in and through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2. 3. Hence the faithful dispensation of these truths is that which gives men all the advantage to seek and find God Their work is an Embassy 2 Cor. 5. 20. And the business is Reconciliation which is to be advanced by opening the terms and urging of them suitably If then they are faithful and do seriously and solemnly pursue this design there is all that can be expected of instruments by way of information and excitation Legal Preaching sufficeth not for this but Preaching Christ and the way of Peace by him and the more there is of this the more is the advantage of such a people 4. Hence when these fail this advantage is greatly impeded If then the Gospel is no longer Preached among a people it is a Judgment and a sign of his departure If instead of such dispensations there be such who Preach false Doctrines who blow up men with opinion of their own abilities who corrupt the pure stream of Gospel Truth or Proach unprofitable things needs must these impede this affair 3. Whiles the Spirit is pleased to accompany the means with his powerful influences This is a special finding time And here observe 1. That our sincere seeking of God depends on the Spirits operation He first seeks us if ever we seek him We must have a principle of Grace for it else we cannot do it and that must derive from him who is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. All our own moral powers can never exert this 2. There are times when he is more plenteously poured out upon men Not only is there a more powerful Ministry at one time than another but also more of the efficacy of Grace on the hearts of men when Sinners come flocking in apace at the call of the Gospel and the reason why it is so at any time is because the Spirit sets in powerfully with the means They may be the same and the labour in dispensing them as great Isa 33. 15. 3. There are times when he applieth himself to this and that person in particular as he did to Lydia Act 16. 14. And this is not always but at certain seaâ—sons which are arbitrary and he acts his liberty therein This he doth sometimes to one sometimes to another and when it is so it is an happy opportunity he is now very near and ready to be found when he stands at the door and knocks it is but opening to him 4. There are times of his withdrawing in both respects He sometimes lets a faithful Ministry be an unprofitable one to such as sit under it his Servants toil all night and catch nothing they complain as he Isa 49. 4. I have laboured in vain c. And then it becomes an hardning Ministry as Isa 6. 9 10. a savour of death 2 Cor. 2. 16. It will be hard finding of God at such a time as this 5. And there are times when after a great while he cometh again The Spirit withdraws and mens hearts grow hard but afterwards sometimes he comes again before he utterly giveth them up they have awakenings and remorces and now he is also near 4. When God brings his Judgments on a people And here 1. These Judgments whether publick or personal are Testimonies of Gods displeasure at men for neglecting to seek him He herein witnesseth his righteous anger at them and the reason is because they have not sought him but something else instead of him Jer. 2. 17. Isa 57. 17. If they had not forgotten him he had not fallen upon them 2. The proper design of these Judgments is to awaken them to seek him A professing people may so far provoke him as to fall upon them in his fury and make his Judgments a Sword to cut them off but it is not so at first they are part of his Discipline hence called his Corrections and God speaking after the manner of men tellâ— them what he expected Zeph. 3. 17. I said thouâ— wilt receive instruction c. 3. He is wont to stir up some at least of his Servanâ—â— to take this occasion to be earnest with men He affecteth them and makes them to cry aloud they see his anger and are afraid and upon it blow the Trumpet Thus in the times of the Apostasy of Israel and Judah God sent such Prophets to them who dealt faithfully with them 4. And he usually toucheth mens hearts at sucâ— times Indeed it is a natural operation of Judgments to put men upon thoughtfulness but thâ— Spirit is wont to set in and put such a people atâ—least many of them upon enquiring after hiâ— mind and to affect them with Convictions of sinâ— and fear of his Wrath. And this is a great advantage now to seek him 5. If all this be neglected he is hereby grievouslyâ— incensed It is an high provocation and he now thinks of withdrawing Hos 5. 15. Nay someâ— times it arrives at that that because all means aâ—ineffectual and they grow worse by them he deâ—clares resolutely to come at them in this way nâ— more but abandon them to destruction Ezek. 2â— 13. And then what a wo case are they in USE 1. For caution Let none from the prâ—mises conclude that his time is past I know somâ— troubled hearts are apt to be shaken by such awâ—ful truths and the adversary is ready to set iâ— and perswade them that their day is done anâ— so sink them into despondency To prevent this â—â— me offer these things 1. That none hath Scripture warrant so to conclude Gods purposes concerning individual persons on this account are reserved with himself nor hath he given us any Rules in Scripture to determine it concerning our selves or others there being but one Sin there branded for unpardonable all others may be forgiven Mat. 12. 31. Now we are to â—â—tch our hope and regulate our selves in our duties by the revealed will of God 2. The arguments that such are wont to
it will be because we did not know the things of 〈◊〉 peace in the day of them Let the very thoughts of such a thing put us upon improving the preâ—â—â— precious season 3. Doth the Spirit strive with any of you Take heed that you do not resist him are there any inward strivings of Conviction shakings of contrition sharp prickings of compunction secâ—â—â— perswasions to hearken to the concerns of your Souls Doth the Word take how of you awaken Conscience and put you upon serious thinking These are inward addresses of the Spirit and say he is near be sure to taâ—e the opportunity put him not off To quicken you Consider 1. If he should cease thus to strive the means would do you no good He hath chosen the means to come in and apply his grace to our Souls and we are diligently to attend on them for this end and the neglect of so doing is an affront put upon the Spirit However all the saving efficacy of it â—â—pends on his influencing them if he apply them with power we are savingly benefited by them if he withold that from them there will he no such blessed effect flow from them it is not Pauls Planting c. God often affords as emiâ—â—ent means to a declining people as to those that flourish in a profession but they have not the â—â—â—e effect because he comes not in them with 〈◊〉 if then you send him away you hinder your own profiting What a sad remark was that of Moses Deut. 29. 2 3 4. 2. Nay on his witholding the means have a conâ—â—â—y operation Instead of softning they will harden instead of drawing you nearer to God they will put you at a farther distance from him There are two contrary effects of the means on men 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. And where the one is not the other is God by the same means ripens â—â—â—e for ruine by which he fits others for glory Not that it is the natural tendency of the Gospel but the Judicial Dispensation of God towards men who despise his Spirit striving in it who for this â—â—ves them to their hearts lusts to their hardning in 〈◊〉 and encouraging themselves in their wicked courses and by presumpion to put from them the fear of God and the aw of his Judgments and so to heap up wrath against themselves and in such a â—â— soil to ripen the faster for destruction 3. If we resist him it will be the way to have him â—e gone The Spirit of Christ is a tender Spirit Gods own Children in whom he dwells if they take not heed may grieve him and if they do he can and will withdraw from them to their great sorrow the Spouse found it to her cost Cant. 5. We are therefore warned to take heed of grieving him Eph. 4. 30. And there is a sinful disposition in unconverted sinners to resist him Acts 7. 51. And this is done when we regard not his application of himself to us when we turn away his awakenings and refuse to submit to them and chuse to hearken to the sollicitations of our vain minds and suggestions of Satan 4. Nay do not his strivings begin to be more lâ—â— guid Do you not begin to grow Sermon proof warning proof and threatning proof Time was when the word affected you you trembled at the awful truths of it you were afraid of Gods Judgments and could not soon get off the impression of an awakning Sermon but now you find very faint and easy motions on your Spirits though not altogether stupid senseless Be afraid the happy â—â—ason begins to decline and if you trifle a little longer it may be gone 5. If he hath sometimes ceased and now comes again take heed to your selves You had resisted him tiâ— you were grown remorceless but he hath sent hiâ— Spirit again and put you into fear about your everlasting state tremble to think of the issue of this you have a new price in your hands use it right and all shall be well but if you treat him as you diâ— formerly it may be one of the last offers that hâ— will make to you if you quench him now it iâ— likely that he will come no more see Gen. 6 2. Psal 81. 11 12. Dread then the terrible Oath Psal 95. 10 11. Though God proceeds slowly to this yet he may be provoked to come to it at last Ezek 24. 13. And what a fearful condition will that be God is not a man that he should ly If Christ say never more let fruit be found in this Fig tree it withers up presently No rains or dews of Ordinances will ever fetch you to life but dry you up and fit you for everlasting burnings Oh then improve this finding time with fear and trembling 4. Let the Judgments of God that are upon us rouse you to seek him God afflicts us it may be to prevent his destroying of us and he is certainly near his people as long as he is using his rod upon them there is a gracious design in some fore afflictions Isa 27. 9. By this shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged c. And he would have his people prepare to meet him Amos 4. 12. And to move you Consider 1. What danger you are now in who are strangers to God True a Christless condition is a milerable condition at all times the man that is in it is never safe having God for his enemy but when God brings his wasting Judgments on a Land to plead the quarrel of his neglected Covenant there is reason for all to be afraid Gods own Children will feel the smart of the rod David saith Psal 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments but yet they that fear God have something to support them God is their Father and though he chastize he will not cast them off But as for them that are strangers to God at such a time what can they expect when they see the arrows of his anger flying about but to be slain by them You may tremblingly look every moment not only to be cut off from the earth but sent down to the place of endless miseries as you have no security for this life so no ground to expect a well being in another 2. You are more peculiarly concerned in these Judgments If a reason be asked why God brings his Judgments on a professing people the answer is ready because they neglected to improve the means of grace aright it is because they who have the title of Children do not answer their title Deut. 32. 19. And though every one ought at such a time to say What have I done yet such as you have special reason to confess these Judgments come for our sakes and should not this put you an enquiring how to obtain peace and the turning away of Gods fierce anger nor is there any other hope for this but in your serious seeking of him 3. You may expect that
solitude into vain company endeavour to drink and talk and sing down all their sorrows and rest not till they get their spirits up again and are as jocund as ever how many have so long driven this trade till they have gotten their consciences seared and their hearts too hard to receive more such impressions Now to fasten this reproof let me offer these things 1. You are not the owners of this priviledge Sorrow and not joy is your inheritance if you have no peace I am sure you have no true joy and so it is Isa 57 ult Joy belongs to the Righteous and you usurp that which is none of yours 2. You are incapable of this duty It is your Sin that you are so but no ungodly man can perform any Gospel duty You have the Affection of joy in you but not the grace to sanctifie it so as to be able to use it aright you are Strangers cannot intermeddle with the joy of the Saints 3 You have enough to think of to swallow up all your present joy in sorrow Whatever matter of gladness you meet in the common Providence of God all this while it is certain that you are Gods enemies cursed Sinners heirs of destruction under a sentence of death and may expect every moment when it shall be executed upon you and post you down to the blackness of darkness for ever did you know this could you be so frolick if God but touch Conscience you shall have all dashed at once terrour will drink up your spirits make you a Magor missabib 4. This joy of yours will if you take not heed prevent you of ever reaching the true joy If your mirth holds and be not interrupted you will never come to the fullness of joy in Gods presence You must mourn and that bitterly if ever you come to the joy of the Lord. There must always be a seed time of tears in order to an harvest of joy Psal 126. 5. Observe that too Luk. 6. 25. Carnal mirth is the greatest enemy to Conversion 5. And this joy of yours will it self turn into the greatest sorrow None for whom so much gall wormwood is provided as those that have been deepest drenched in the worlds mad mirth Rev. 18. 7. This would contribute to your everlasting grief to remember that you would not part with your foolish mirth in order to the setling of those joyes that are sollid and durable accept then the reproof I am no enemy to your joy but I would fain that it might have a foundation and stand against all that would assail it Do not then for a moments merriment run the risk of everlasting wailing 2. It also reproves righteous and upright men for their not improving this priviledge and neglecting of this duty And there is great occasion for this rebuke if we observe the frame of such whom we have reason to look upon as under this benefit and obligation viz. 1. Those that abandon themselves to sorrow and deâ—ectedness That are turned mopes and live like persons forsaken have hanged up their harps in the willows and go up and down with down cast looks wringing their hands and bitterly complaining as those that have no hope Such was the Psalmists case Psal 77. But he confesseth it was his infirmity verse 10. 2. That lead a discontented life Though they do not despair yet they are ever fretting pining â—uâ—muring finding fault with every condition his robs them of their joy and makes their life a burden to them they see nothing to take comfort â—n how then should they rejoyce David was â—otten into such a frame Psal 42 73. 3. That are up and down according to the changes of outward Providence If they find some comfort or conten ment in the smiles of Providence on their affairs here they can be chearful and speak well of God but if there come a change things go cross to them they are down and their spirits overwhelmed and are not able to practice it as he Hab. 3. 17 18. Though figtree blossom not c. 4. That take a sort of pride in feeding on gall and wormwood I mean they do all they can to nourish black and despairing thoughts in themselves snatch at every thing to make a discouragement of and apply it to themselves and thrust away every thing that should encourage them are grown great disputants against their own souls and the more attempts are used to encourage them the more averse they are to it so the Psalmist saith â—â— was with him Psal 77. 2. And rather than not maintain their sinking thoughts they will deny their own experience argue against themselves from the very evidences of their uprightness Lâ— such consider 1. Is not this to despise so great a priviledgeâ— And how unreasonable a thing is this Either you conclude that you have no reason to rejoyce anâ— that is to give the ly to truth it self or that thâ— joy is little to be regarded and that nature it seâ— will condemn If it be a priviledge why do yoâ— not assert it Will men so part with their righâ— in this world as to plead themselves out of them â— Must they not be forced from them if ever theâ— lose them and can you so easily forgoe this 2. You greatly sin in so doing God hath made it your duty and you directly transgress his Command Nav he hath made it your important duty and presseth it on you with earnestness and for Godly men not only to sin but uphold and fortifie themselves in it deserves a sharp rebuke thus do you 3. You reproach the love of God Herein hath God wonderfully signalized his love to his people by laying in consolation for them and if you consider what was done to purchase it for you it must appear to be astonishing love this joy cost the Blood of the Son of God he was acquainted with grief that he might procure these comforts for you and this carriage of yours casts reflections upon it that the very consideration of such love should not fill you with overflowing delight 4. You obstruct the work of your Generation This frame hinders your business this sorrow contracts your spirits bindeth them up and unfits them for what God calls you to not only can you not do your work as you ought for you should Serve the Lord with chearfulness but you cannot do the work at all you are discouraged your thoughts diverted and you forget your business and you will repent of this ere long 5. You scandalize the world They often hear of the happy condition of Gods Children and the joys provided for them but then they look upon you and see your frame and carriage they cry out all is a fable and say if a man would lose all delight and turn a mope let him become a thorow Professor and this strengthens them in their Atheistical ways and they resolve not to make such an happy exchange and
of this Grace is to be made to you and though it be admirable yet God hath bidden such a proclamation to be published Jer. 3. 1. And I am sure that he can break your hard hearts and give you repentance and if he do there is no doubt of the good success of it 2. You are yet striven with and called upon God indeed speaks of a cessation of his Spirit striving with obstinate Sinners Gen. 6. 3. And there are the awful instances of it but the case is otherwise with you If the means of grace are influenced so as to rouse and awaken you out of your security and make you feel your mifery and be asraid by reason of it if he presents your sins to you iâ— their aggravations and makes them evil and bitteâ— to vou this is a woâ—k of his Spirit and saith thaâ— he stâ—ives still and whiles he strives there is hopâ— that he may be found 3. Hence these fears and terrours are not to driâ— â—ou to despair but to awaken you from your neglect And indeed you stand in need of them You deâ—pised many a gentle warning and were grown dreadfully secure fearfully asleep it was thereâ—ore meet that you should be starâ—led by some terâ—ible impressions made on you that he should give you deep and gaping wounds in your Conâ—dences to make you sensible the providence then is merciful though terrible but you ought to count it a mercy and then the lesson properly to be learned from it is to put you upon speed and utmost diligence in seeking of God without delay We have such a prayer of the Psalmist Psal 83. 15 16. God makes sin a burden too heavy tâ— hear that men may feel the necessity of seeking him And therefore Christ specially invites such to come unto him Mat. 11. 28. Be then encouraged whatever you have been and done there is hope in Israel concerning this thing only delay not Conclu 3. That there are special special seasons wherein God is to be found by those that seek him A finding time not only intends that it must be done in time but that there is a division of time into that wherein God is to be found and that wherein he is not to be found Here in general observe 1. That God hath more largely made this life a finding time so that none in particular ought to conclude his time to be past if he be alive This is the difference between the dead and the living IsaÌ„ 38. 18 19. The treaty of grace ordinarily continuâ— with men under the Gospel till they dy and aâ— long as it so doth their state is not to us desperate for any to say of himself my time is over my day is done I am gotten past hope of Salvation is a rash conclusion without any Scripture warrant It is a great sin because it stops men from using the means yea it is to make God â—liar for he saith in his word to such if you will return to me I will return to you whereas this saith let me seek and pray and confess and mourn all will be to no purpose he is resolved never to save me 2. God hath declared concerning some that their fâ—â—ing time shall be over in this life He may wait and strive longer or shorter as he pleaseth and though we have no ordinary Rule certainly to determine it to persons that they are so left yet there are some and that should make all fearful of trifling with and putting of him off we have such threatnings Prov. 1. 28. Joh. 8. 21. Hence that warning Heb. 3. 7. Gods invitations are all for the present their date is To Day and whether he will repeat them another day is with him Esau represented too late Heb. 12. 17. And how awful a word was spoken to those Jews who rejected the Salvation offered them Act. 13. 46. Now there are some awful symptoms of this 3. That there are some seasons wherein there is greater advantage to seek find God than in other The word Time in our Text signifyeth an Opportunity it intimates a fit season A work may be done while there is time but it is best and more readily done at some times We are told that sometimes God is near and that it is best then to Call upon him Isa 55. 6. intimating that he may be far off and then it will be more difficult There are times when he is within call and will answer at first and times when we may call again again before we have an answer from him Here â—o Quest What are those seasons wherein we are peculiarly advantaged for the seeking and finding of God A. There are four seasons more especially for this 1. The time of Youth is a special season for this Young persons put off and think hereafter is soon enough but it is their great folly there is no such â—eason for seeking and making out after Christ as 〈◊〉 For 1. God earnestly calls upon such to seek him He doth as it were single out such and the offer is particularly made to them the Spirit of God speaks emphatically to such Psal 34. 11. Come ye Children 〈◊〉 Wisdom calls them as it were by name Prov. 4. 1. 5. 7. 8. 32. Eccl. 12. 1. which tells us how â—â—in God would have young ones to begin early and how loth he is that they should spend their first time in vanity 2. God hath testifyed how well pleased he is when such seek him The entertainment he gives them is a testimony how acceptable it is to him What respect did he shew to young Abel Gen. 4. 4. How wonderfully did he reveal himself to young Samuel who was devoted to him from his Infancy 1 Sam. 3. 1. with verse 19 21. What an eminent instrument of reformation did he make of Josiah who began young 2 Chron. 34. 3. And what a testimony did he give to a good Child of a wicked father when dying 1 King 14 12 13. 3. Young ones have not so resisted him as others have done Children have Original Sin in them as soon as they live and begin to discover it as soon as they are capable but God hath taken the Children of his Servants into Covenant with him and they have not so notoriously rejected his Covenant as those have done who withstoold him in youth and addicted themselves to follow folly and vanity 4. Their hearts are usually more tender and easy to be wrought upon Not but that natural hardness born with us requires Gods Almighty power to take it away in the tenderest Child that is But there is a contracted obstinacy which grows on persons by custom which Children do not presently arrive at but are more tractible readier to receive the impressions of Counsels given them And this is the reason why we are bidden to begin early with them in Prov. 22. 6. 5. They have many advantages now which they will not have afterwards With such arguments the Spirit of God