Consciences and make them know that their sin is now testified against it is very proper hence in laying open duties and sins very distinctly we may come so close to men that they verily believe that some body hath been babling something against them and acquainting us with such sins of theirs as we had not the least intimation of now the ground of this will appear if we consider 1. That we in our Application are but the Instruments of the Spirit of God Ministerial Teaching is no farther profitable than he is pleased to set in with it 1 Cor 3. 6. Our business therefore is to comply with him and endeavour in our place to promove his design Ministers are called Under-rowers 1 Cor. 4. 1. He is the Pilot and they are to endeavour to act according to his directions 2. It is certain that all the Spirits applications are personal When he comes to set home Gospel Truths and make them effectual he toucheth the hearts of men individually Hence it is that some are perswaded and won by the same means by which others are hardned and it must be so because every man must give an account of himself to God and the great Judgment will be a reckoning with individuals 3. And it is equally certain that moral application must needs determine here Moral applications are made to Causes by Counsel and are entertained by a rational consideration and answerable improvement and this no man can do for another Though counsels are given among many yet if they fix any where it must be upon these and those individuals Acts 13. 48. 16. 24. 4. Hence it is the duty of every one that hears to apply to himself This is the only way to get good by what we hear If men put these things from themselves they lose the benefit of them hence that Acts 13. 46. USE I. Learn hence that there is a great deal requisite to accomplish us to be profitable teachers of others The right and suitable application of truths as it is the life and spirit of teaching so it requires much skill and prudence Besides that it is necessary that we be acquainted with the principles of Religion from whence we are to fetch all without which we are more fit to be taught than to be teachers there is a great deal more requisite to accommodate us for this viz. 1. We we must be acquainted with all the Cases of Conscience that refer to these principles If Religion be practical it hath to do with mens Consciences and hence there are those practical enquiries which refer to every common place in Divinity which must be distinctly resolved for the illumination and direction of Conscience therein and if we are not skilled in them how shall we teach others 2. We must observe and acquaint our selves with the present state of Religion that is among a people There is no Truth of God but may at any time be suitably and profitably applied but there are the special concerns of a people which vary God would have us to suit our Ministrations to the occasion thus did the Prophets of old and thus did Paul in his Epistles All sins but more especially the sins of the times are to be born witness against c. 3. We must also study men personally All that we have to do with are not of the same temper not the same circumstances and so not to be applied to after the same manner Some are proud and profane and obstinate these are to be more roughly treated others are tender troubled apt to be discouraged another manner of application belongs to them Jude 22 23. 4. Hence there is a great deal of prudence necessary â—â— this affair It is is not enough to know what is right and what is wrong but much discretion is to be used in the manner of applying it the want whereof may make good designs to miscarry We see how Nathan used this in his addressing himself to David 2 Sam 12. begin 5. It requires courage also We have the corruption of men to deal with and may expect when we have done our best to meet with hard entertainment the lusts of men are not easily opposed but are apt to rise up against counsels reproofs how did Asa though a good man entertain the Prophet 2 Chron. 16 10. And see Jer. 1. 17 18. 〈◊〉 2. 6 7. And they most need that can least bear 6. It also calls for fidelity We must be faithful in God and to men too whose everlasting concerns are interested in our applying to them with whom we must deal plain and home Isa 58 1. â—â—â— which things shew how much is required to the right discharge of this duty USE II. To direct us how we may approve our selves for the best hearers of the Word of God Teaching and Hearing are correlates and from the Duty on one part we may argue to the Duty on the other Would we then be profitable hearers 1. We ought carefully to hearken to and get acquainted with the Doctrines of Religion To be well informed in the great truths of the Word of God And they that are negligent in this respect will never make good proficiency in any thing else Those that are not careful to furnish themselves with knowledge are never like to be firm fixt stable in the things of God The Apostle joyns these together grow in grace and knowledge c. 2 Pet. 3. 18. 2. But we must not rest here They that think all Religion consists in head knowledge usually deceive themselves we must be making Addition to this 2 Pet. 1. 5. c. we must endeavour to make particular application of these Doctrines to our selves personally without which we shall lose the benefit of the other and lay in a more fearful account they that take up Religion only to talk will find it a vain Religion when their knowledge will be an Article against them to aggravate the Guilt of their neglect For Direction 1. Let us be in love with practical preaching and the more particular and pressing it is let it please us the better Many love to hear learned and accurate Discourses on principles of Religion but when these Truths are brought home to mens Consciences and they search and make discoveries of their lives and practices now they care not for them but we ought to account this the life of preaching 2 Cor. 4. 2. 5. 11. 2. Let us our selves enquire what every truth saith to us If we hear any Gospel Doctrine laid open let us often be asking our hearts what doth this say to us What would God have me to learn by this Doth it lay open no Sin of mine Is not this a Duty that I have too much neglected c. This is better than to apply it to others and say there is a word for such an one 3. Beware of prejudice against the close application of truths Suppose they come home to us and make deep incision and
The Truly Blessed Man OR The way to be HAPPY here AND For Ever Being the Substance of Divers SERMONS Preached on Psalm XXXII By Samuel Willard Teacher of a Church in Boston N. E. Isa XII 1 2. I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortedst me 2. v. Behold God is my salvation I will trust not be afraid for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation BOSTON in N. E. Printed by B. Green and I. Allen for Michael Perry 1700. TO THE READER MANS natural and extinguishable cravings are after Happiness God at first put him in a fair way for the securing and obtaining of it having besides the resentments of it imprinted in his nature which still remain given him a Rule to direct him the way to it and a concreated power to conform to that Rule and brought him under strongest obligations to that Conformity But by his unhappy fall he hath reduced himself to a state of misery in which the whole Race of sinful men is involved and under which he must have abode for ever had not God in his rich mercy opened a new and living way for his recovery This is revealed in the Gospel in which life and immortality are brought to light but for which undone man must have groped in the dark and it is certain that those to whom this Revelation is not made do but grasp after shadows instead of substances and lay out their money for that which is not bread Their insatiable desires push them forward in quest of felecity and their crazed and deluded understandings which call good evil and evil good point them to Objects that are empty and courses that will undo them the natural man knows not the root of his misery nor the depth and strength of it much less the only way of his recovery The generality of men are immerged in 〈◊〉 if they can but gratifie their carnal lusts with sensible objects it is enough whence they seek no farther than the things of the World and if they can obtain by all their industry the Profits Pleasures and Honours here below they can bless themselves There are some indeed who have improved the light of nature and the broken fragments of the Law of it remaining in them by the exercise of Reason to a more plausible profession and practice they acknowledge man to be placed in an higher orb than bruits and to stand in need of some better object than those that are meerly sensual to give them satisfaction but therein also they have become vain in their imaginations◠hence the farthest they have reached hath been to place mans felicity in moral vertue of which they have but rude guesses and being ignorant of the state of nature by sin have hoped by their own power and goodness to oblige God and procure their own happiness not knowing either the state of damnation which they were born in or the efficacy of Original Sin in them◠whence it is truly said of them misery destruction in their ways and the way of peace have they not known It then infinitely concerns men to be undeceived With what thankfulness therefore ought w◠to entertain the Sacred Oracles of Gods Word the design whereof is to acquaint us with the New-Covenant in which is shewed us the method of self-ruined man◠recovery as it is laid out by God himself and what enemies are they to the Grace of God and the Souls of men who go about to pervert this method seeking to bring men back again to a Covenant of Works It is by the Word of God that we are acquainted that man by his Apostasy hath lost his Righteousness and Strength that he is fallen under a sentence of death to the execution whereof Gods Justice stands engaged that Satisfaction must be made to that Justice if ever the Sinner be Saved that he cannot pay his own ransom for himself that Jesus Christ became a Surety for Gods Elect and having atoned the Justice of God to them is become the author of Eternal Salvation for them that they must be united to him by a living faith if ever they partake in the benefit of it that they must be Justified in order to their being Glorified that must be by the Imputation of his Mediatorial Righteousness to them that this Justification is ever accompanied with Sanctification that the man who is thus Justified and Sanctified is an happy man that in order to this there is a work of Conversion wrought in men by the Spirit of God in which they are renewed by his Grace and brought to confess and forsake their sins and vain objects of trust and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and that all that are so are heirs of life and may triumphantly rejoyce in God How much these truths are derided by many and despised by more in this degonerate and perilous time is obvious to every one that observes the state of Religion in places that are called Christian and never was there more need to Preach and Print in defence of those great Fundamentals of our faith and hope than at this day The excellent portion of Gods Holy Word contained in this Psalm give us abundant light for our acquaintance with and establishment on these Articles which I endeavoured in my course of Preaching to lay open before the Auditory to which I was sent according to the Grace given me and am now perswaded to make publick my care and study was to accommodate it to the meanest hearer chusing rather with the Apostle to speak five words intelligibly than many more in an unknown manner of expression and I hope these truths will relish never the worse to those that love truth for its own sake because they are not garnished with florid language May this following Treatise be any ways serviceable to the Glory of God and good of Souls may it commend Christ so as to render him lovely and acceptable may it help any in the right way to obtain Pardon and Peace may it shew Sinners their misery and drive them from their carnal security and obstinacy to Christ their only refuge and direct Saints in the renewals of their Repentance and their faithful and cheerful Serving of God I have mine highest ambition answered and that it may thus do I commend it and such as shall be at the pains to peruse it to the mercy of the Great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls Who am Less than the least c. Samuel Willard The Truly Blessed Man Or the WAY to be Happy here and for ever PSAL. XXXII 1 2. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered 2. v. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile The Text Opened ON what occasion this Psalm was penned we are not told It evidently appears by the matter of it that it
was when the Psalmist had been under sore distress of mind by reason of the deep sence of his Sin and was relieved by God and it is generally supposed that it bears a reference to that great and complicated sin of his respecting the matter of Uriah concerning which also several other Psalms are thought to be written besides the Fifty first The Title of the Psalm is Maschil of David the word signifieth to Teach Some think it here intends a sort of Instrument that bare this name Others that it points to the kind of Song suited to such a Tune according to the numbers or measures of it But generally it is supposed that the matter of the Psalm is pointed to in it viz. that it is a Psalm for teaching or instruction There are some of Praise others Petitionary some Historical c. But this is Doctrinal and the matter of it excellently suits to this interpretation and there are ten others besides this that bear the same inscription The Doctrine that is laid down in this Psalm is one i. e. to point us to the way how we may come to be truly happy where we have 1. A Blessed man described vers 1 2. 2. Exemplified by the Psalmist in himself by his own experience verse 3 4 5. 3. He directs how to improve the faith of this verse 6 7. 4. He shews what manner of life men ought to lead if they would maintain the sence of their pardon and blessedness in it verse 8 9 10. 5. Calls on these blessed men to rejoyce in it verse 11. The first thing then in the Psalm is a description given of a blessed man verse 1 2. And it bears respect to the state of Blessedness which is enjoyed in this life There is an Inchoate Felicity which the Children of God are partakers of â—ere which shall arrive at perfection hereafter The Topick from whence he argues or describes â—his Blessedness is the state of Pardon or Forgiveness in which such do now stand In the words observe 1. The blessedness of some is asserted Blessed Interpreters are at a loss about the word Some make it an Adverb signifying well q. d. it shall â—e well with such an one Others an Adjective of â—he plural signifying That all manner of felicities â—elong to such an one both in this life and that to â—ome The word certainly denotes an happy â—ate and tells us that there is in it the affluence â—f all the good that is desirable and the Psalmist gives us to understand that there are such men as â—hese in the world 2. This blessed man is characterized he is a â—ardoned man where 1. We have the nature of this pardon expressed in three particulars in all of which Sin is considered as the thing about which this pardon â—s applied set forth in divers names which are given it in the Word of God and when he mentions sin indefinitely it is to be understood of all sin for one sin unpardoned is enough to undermine and overthrow all the mans blessedness Here â—hen 1. The pardoned man is one whose transgression â—s forgiven The word Transgression signifies a proud rebellious wilful breaking of the Law or high-handed iniquity and the word Forgiven signifies to take off from one and is supposed to be a Metaphor from a burden which oppresseth one by the removal whereof he is eased 2. He is one whose sin is covered the word Sin signifies an erring or turning out of the right way and is applicable to all Sin whatsoever which is Anomy 1 Joh. 3. 4. the word Covered signifies to hide a thing by throwing something over it that it may not be seen and is a metaphor from the covering of nasty dirty things that one is not willing should be taken notice of 3. He is one to whom the Lord imputes not iniquity the word Iniquity signifies that which iâ— crooked or perverse and is sometimes used to express Original Sin which is the crookedness oâ— our nature and is often also applied to Actuâ— Sin which is called mans crooked way and thâ— word translated Impute among many other significations of it is often used for reckoning or chaâ—ging to ones account and Sins are sometimâ— called Debts in Scripture 2. We have the evidence of this pardon sâ— down with respect to the subject of it he 〈◊〉 one in whose spirit there is no guile the word Guile signifies fraud falshood and deceit and 〈◊〉 here taken for Hypocrisy in opposition to truâ— and integrity That there is a Blessedness which God haâ— provided for and will bestow upon some 〈◊〉 the Children of men is a truth observabâ— from our Text but I here supersede any distinct â—andling of it having lately insisted on it from â—nother Text and pass to some other Obserâ—ations A Pardoned Man is a Blessed Man DOCTRINE I. A Pardoned Man is a Blessed Man That person who hath obtained at the hand of God a Remission of his sins is possessed of true â—elicity a state of forgiveness is a state of real â—appiness I might here spend some time in enâ—uiring into the nature of Pardon but that will â—llow to be distinctly considered afterwards â—ere therefore let it be only in general observed â—at pardon properly consists in the removal of the â—uilt of sin from the sinful creature It ever suppoâ—eth guilt arising from sin with which the man â—as justly charged and by which he was under 〈◊〉 Sentence of Condemnation When this Senâ—nce is taken off and the person is acquitted â—en he is said to be pardoned It is therefore 〈◊〉 act of authority done by one who hath powâ— to apply it and that is no other but God â—ey said the truth in Thesi Mark 2. 7. Who can â—rgive sins but God only only their charge â—as false because Christ was God and being constituted by his Father to be Judge of all the World he had this authority verse 10. But thâ— which I here design is only to clear up the truth of the Doctrine by essaying to discover the great blessedness of such an one as is pardoned only observing that their whole blessedness doth noâ— consist in this it being a collection of manâ— things together that are requisite to the making one compleatly happy but this is one of themâ— and inseparable from the rest and doth also communicate to the man that which is truly hapâ—pifying There are two heads to which we may refeâ— the demonstration of this truth 1. The evil and misery which this pardoâ— frees the man from declares him to be happâ— Happiness and Misery are directly contrary each 〈◊〉 other that therefore which removes this froâ— the man restores him to that again now thâ— pardon hath a main stroak here How this râ—moves it will be considered hereafter we noâ— only consider the things that it delivers the mâ— from and they are not only seeming but reâ— and great miseries it therefore must needs beâ— real and great felicity Here then 1. It takes
is mercy for such too Such an oâ— was Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 6. and what eâ— were they Acts 19. 19. I might instance in mâ— things but these may suffice 2. Sins committed with the greatest and mâ— horrid aggravations do not exclude men frâ— pardon that the same sins in themselves 〈◊〉 more or less heinous according to their circuâ—stances is evident by the Word of God Jâ— 15. 22 24. and the light of nature tells us that the more there is of presumption or ingratitude that the more obligations are broken the more is the Guilt that is contracted thereby and by this occasion the sin that is least in it self may grow up into a formidable great one and yet when all these are added to encrease â—he Guilt they will not make the sin amount â—o unpardonable it may yet be forgiven Here I might multiply but I shall only point â—o three or four more comprehensive ones 1. Though men have fallen into all manner of sins and those the most vile yet there is â—orgiveness Some men have been noted for â—ne some for another but when men Sell â—hemselves to all wickedness Sins against the â—ight of nature and conscience this renders them â—xceeding great When every one brings guilt â—supportable along with it what must so maâ—y do when they have added iniquity to sin â—s drunkenness to thirst this declares men to be â—eyond measure vile and fills up their indictâ—ent with a fearful company of Articles and â—et such a man ought not to despair of but â—eek to God in hope for a pardon how maâ—y sins of the first magnitude are charged upâ—n Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. begin What a proâ—igious monster of iniquity was he grown up 〈◊〉 be and yet is he left as an instance of Gods pardoning grace to give us to underâ—and how far it can extend it self in shewing â—ercy 2. Though they have lived a long while in such sins and multiplied them they have not only fallen into them but made a trade of themâ— and pursued them to old age it hath been the course they have followed from their youth upward they have accustomed themselves to it theâ— is a vast difference between being overtaken wiâ— a Sin and making it ones way and course anâ— every repeated act of a sin enflames the reckoâ—ing and fills up the Ephah yea by this meaâ— men grow more and more hardned and so theâ— grow worse and worse and yet when men haâ— done their utmost on this account God may aâ— sometimes doth come and turn them to himseâ— and bestow a compleat remission upon themâ— and for this also Manasseh is an amazing instancâ— hence Gods offer is not only to such as haâ— played the harlot once but many a time and haâ— made a trade of it Jer. 3. begin 3. Though men have long withstood the caâ— of the Gospel and strivings of the Spirit wiâ— them yet they may be forgiven To sin agaiâ— Gospel light is far more provoking than to Sin â—gainst the meer light of nature to despise aâ— not regard the means of Grace in which Goâ— sets before men the things of their peace aâ— against the Spirit who comes in and with thoâ— means and pleads with Sinners by Convictioâ— Awakenings Terrors c. is a most stupendâ— aggravation of Sin much more then for suâ— to live and ly in scandalous Sins and follow tâ— abominations of the Heathen to Sin in 〈◊〉 Land of Uprightness for men that sit under the Gospel and are followed with calls and counsels and promises and threatnings not only to live in Unregeneracy but to addict themselves to and allow themselves in Drunkenness Swearing Whoredom Sabbath-breaking and all manner of debauchery and profaness is a most unaccountable wickedness this is to do worse than the Heathen and yet such as these are not hopeless God hath forgiveness for such too What Indictments did God bring in against Ephraim by the Prophet and yet see how he declares himself Hos 11. 8 9. How shall I give thee up Ephraim c. and doubtless our Saviours design is to commend this precious truth to us in the Parable of the Prodigal Luk. 15. 11 c. 4. Though men have relapst into great and grievous sins after Conversion there is forgiveness for them there is a state of Justification in which a person stands acquitted from Condemnation which abides immutable and Gods Children do not fall out of it by any falls that they take but there are sad falls which they are sometimes hurt by great sins they are overtaken with and sometimes complicated such was Davids to which he is supposed to have respect in â—his Psalm it is a fearful thing for such an one so to sin see how aggravated it was 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. What love is sinned against what mercy â—s despised what obligations are broken by it â—nd yet God forgave him upon his purpose to â—sk it verse 5. and how heinously did Solomon fall and we have that Asterism on it 1 Kinâ— 11 9. God had appeared to him twice and yâ— God forgave him Aarons Calf and Asa's Perâ—cution of the Prophet are also instances for thiâ— and is not here enough to prove the truth that 〈◊〉 is so if the things mentioned are not in theâ—selves exclusive of a pardon what can be suppâ—sed more likely to do it than they 2. I proceed now to give the ground 〈◊〉 reasons of the Doctrine and there are tâ— assertions that will be serviceable for this pâ—pose 1. That the vertue of Christ's Sacrifice 〈◊〉 sufficient for the forgiveness of all sins 〈◊〉 we may gather some intimation of what Gâ— purpose was when we consider what proviâ— he hath made However here is reason sâ—cient to evidence that all Sin may be pardoâ— when we are acquainted that there is enoâ— in the remedy for it Here observe thâ— things 1. That there is no forgiveness without sâ—faction made to the Justice of God the 〈◊〉 stands out against every Sinner and condeâ— him to dy and that Law was the Rule of â—lative Justice between God and man and 〈◊〉 not be baulked without violence offered to 〈◊〉 Righteousness It therefore is asserted Hebâ— 22. Without blood there is no Remission for 〈◊〉 God forgives the Sinner freely in the appâ—tion of it to the Subject yet forgiveness 〈◊〉 be first laid in for him and that by a sufâ—ent price paid for him or else there were no room for such an Application as the case stands between God and man in the First Covenant so that if there could have been no satisfaction made there could not have any forgiveness been conferred but the Law must have unavoidably past into execution upon the guilty Creature 2. That God hath accepted of his Son to make this satisfaction Jesus Christ hath undertaken it and his Father is well pleased with it The Sinner himself was firstly responsible for it and God might have made his demands of him and no other but it hath pleased him
but had by some Sins wounded himself and it 〈◊〉 generally reckoned that it refers to the same witâ— Psal 51. There are two Observations that mâ— be gathered from this The distress of a Conscience burdened with Sin DOCTRINE I. IT is a dismal distress to have a Conscience burdened with the lively sense of the Guilt of Sin It is indeed of all burdens the most heavy and oppressing none comparable to it Prov. 18. 14. It is enough to dry up the moisture and consume the bones and put the man into incessant roaring In clearing and confirming this Doctrine we may enquire 1. What it is that brings a man into great distress 2. What evidence may be given to the truth of the DOCTRINE 1. What it is that brings a man into great Distress A. We may take a short account of this in three particulars 1. Distress is properly a sinking or over bearing perplexity on the mind There is indeed a distress that meer Animals may be in arising from an impression made in their sensitive Spirits but we are speaking of manâ— who is a rational being and acts according to the principles of reason It is true that which gives occasion for it may be outward and bodily but the distress it self hath its great influence on the mind or soul and it is by reason of perplexity that is in it For let a man meet with what he may yet so long as the mind is quiet he is not distrest and it must be something that over bears or is too hard for him for whiles he can stand steadily under it and sinks not nor is staggered by it it doth not amount to a distress Hence this condition is set forth by such expressions Psal 31 9 10. 38. 8 10. 142. 3. When a man is in trouble and his Spirits give in and fail him then he is distressed 2. That which giveth being to this distress is some evil either felt or feared The cause of it is always something that is really evil or apprehended to be so It either shuts up the Spirits that they cannot get out or it breaks them in pieces that they caâ— not be gathered up and that must needs be some evil that which is good and so apprehended dilates them and makes the man ready chearfully to entertain it Man hath in him a natural a verseness to evil which makes him afraid of it when he sees it coming and burdened with it when it is upon him hence he would willingly fly from it and if he cannot it troubleth him he counts it to be hurtful to him and from the apprehension of this ariseth his distress hence evil and bitter are put together Jer. 2. 19. 3. That this distress is greater or less from the considerations of the evil that gives being to it And this hath a respect either to the evil it self or the apprehension that the man hath of it in his mind 1. In respect of the evil it self And here are three things 1. The Nature of the Evil. Though all are evil and so have a tendency to become distressing yet there are two sorts of them some are bodily some are spiritual although men that are immerged in sense are apt to be more surprized perplexed with the former yet the latter are in themselves most terrible and when aright conceived of most distressing Prov. 18. 14. And in this respect Sin is in its own nature of all the most distressing because it is the worst and most pernicious and so Spiritual Plagues are the most terrible of all 2. The degree of it There are different measures in those Evils that men are liable to some are lighter others are heavier Some are so easy to be born that though there be some inconvenience in them yet the Spirit is not over-born by them and so they are not distressing others are heavier and harder to bear and out bid the man God therefore so expresseth the Judgment that he was about to bring on them Ezek. 7. 5. 3. The prospect the man hath of the issue of the Evil The only inward support which a man in distress hath is in his Hope If he hath a prospect of an end of his trouble it gives him something to feed upon that is of the nature of a Cordial and though it should be long first yet it helps to bear more patiently but when he feels the weight and sees no end of it it then makes it insupportable Despair under trouble is the height of distress it is a deadly discouragement when it cometh to say as they Ezek. 37. 11. Our hope is lost 2. In respect of the apprehension the man hath of the Evil on his mind Every thing is to the mind of man as he resents it If the man be ignorant of the Evil he is not troubled about it if he understandeth not the evil in the thing he maketh a light matter of it and that is the reason why Fools make a mock of sin Prov. 14. 9. Which they would never do if they knew the world of mischieâ— there is in it On the other hand when men do over value the evil in the thing it makes lighter troubles the more distressing which is the reason why worldly crosses more perplex men then Spiritual Plagues and the loss of a creature comfort more oppresseth them than the loss of a Soul 2. It now follows to shew the truth of the Doctrine or evidence that a Conscience thus burdened is a dismal distress For which let theâ— three Considerations be laid together 1. From the nature of Guilt The right consideration of what is in it will make it appear a distressing thing We have before considered what it is and there are three things in it which afford matter of distress to the man 1. The consideration of the penalty it self which by is bound to undergo i. e. All the miseries that are contained in the Threatning Guilt binds upon the man all the Curses that are written in the Book of God and what a terrible burden is this there are all the sorrows that men are exposed to in this life which are uncountable and astonishing and there are all the punishments in another World to be suffered in the place prepared oâ— purpose for the setting forth the triumph of Revenging Justice over those whom God hateth and will himself be to them a Consuming Fire and the Emphasis of it is in the extremity of it a Fire unquenchable a Worm that dieth not and therefore called Everlasting Burnings Isa 33. 14. 2. The Consideration of the strength of the Obligation Guilt is a prison that holds the man fast the â—ars of it are too strong for the whole Creation to be able to break the powerful hand of Omnipotency keeps them in and the watchful eye of Omnisciency guards them so that there is no possibility of making an escape the Sentence declaring them Guilty is positive Gen. 2. 17. The God who hath declared it is
be buisy about other mens Sins and careless of our own Mat. 7. begin If our own Sins do not humble us we cannot be graciously affected with the Sins of other men The High priest was to offer first for his own Sins Heb. 7. 27. Lev. 9. 7. If we pray for others being our selves under Guilt God will not hear us 2. We must charge them home upon our selves There is a word in our Text omitted by Translators generally as redundant which yet seems to have Emphasis in it and is to be read I will confess upon my sins or against hence some read it against my self or against my sins Now we theâ—â— properly confess against our Sins when we lay all we can to their charge to render them vilâ— and odious we not only confess that we have done the thing and transgressed the Law by it But 1. We take the whole blame of it home to our selves It is I that have done it it was mâ— wickedness my vile heart my woful corruption God is clear Psal 51. 4. What though the Devil suggested cursed companions tempted the World was a snare to me Yet it was my naughty heart that complied or I had not done it Thus Paul chargeth on sin dwelling in him Rom. 7. 20. That shall have the blame and it shall not be put off elsewhere 2. We put all the circumstances we can to it to aggravate it We do not mince our Testimony against it but tell the whole truth as near as we can we do not favour our Sin at all or hide the shame of it but put it to the greatest shame that may be 2 Sam. 24. 10. Psal 73. 22. And how large is he on this account Dan. 9. We not only did the thing but against light against conscience against means against mercies against counsels and warnings c. We lay all open that it may appear exceeding sinful 3. Hence we confess our sins with an earnest desire to have them put to death and destroyed Our Text may be an allusion to the Sacrifice on the head whereof the man was to lay his hands and confess his Sins over it and then it was to be Slain So he brings his Sins with a design to have his lusts mortifyed and so confesseth upon them or as Junius renders it I will confess concerning my sins i. e. I will tell all I know about them to forward their Condemnation and this also is requisite in a right Confession PROPOSITION VI. That we are to make this Confession to the Lord. To Jehovah He is the proper object of this duty and all Sin is to be confessed to him though not always to him only There is some times a Confession to be made to men but in no case will that suffice without bringing it to God and to state this aright Let us observe 1. That we are not absolutely bound to confess to men those Sins which Gods Providence hath kept secret from them In some case we ought as anon but in it self it is not a positive duty they are between God and us and we have only to do with him God hath not enjoyned us to expose our selves either in our name or life by publishing them to the world if he will bring us forth it is just but if he will let them so ly hid our business is to see that all be right between him and us 2. That a verbal Confession to men of the wrongs we have done them is not always requisite There is a restoration of wrongs by restitution that is due but this may be done though they know noâ— who wronged them nor is it necessary that they should In some places these are Capital a man by confessing exposeth his life and the wrongâ— may be repaired by another hand and the Sin confessed to God and forgiveness obtained 3. Sins known to others and by which there is 〈◊〉 scandal are to be confessed to men for removing the scandal If it be private and but few know of iâ— it sufficeth to confess it to them Mat. 18. 15. Iâ— we have given them a proof of our Repentance we have removed the scandal so far as we gave it but if the scandal be open and notorious and many are grieved by it the Confession ought to hold in proportion 1 Tim. 5. 20. Them that Sin rebuke before all i. e. If they sin publickly for this doth not cross our Saviours Rule about private offences and the reason for such a Confession is because the Glory of God is concerned in it and as we have dishonoured him by such Sins so we have no other way to give him Glory but by such Confession Josh 7. 19. 4. If God by his Providence brings our secret sins to light we are to make a free Confession of them There are many ways in which God doth this Men think their sins shall never be known being contrived so privately and acted so secretly but God revealeth them and then it is vain for us to hide them thus God dealt by David 2 Sam. 12. and he hath left his sorrowful Confession on record Psal 51. 5. Hence sometimes it is requisite to make a publick Confession when the Sin cannot be legally proved against us Viz. When Gods Providence giveth so much light as our profession is scandalized among men though there be not a full proof When there are such circumstances of discovery as give a moral certainty to men and there are several things known that render us justly suspected as when there is a common fame and such things as make the most charitable suspicious of us and force an enquity to be made Now we are either innocent or guilty and the honour of God requires that we either assert our innocency or acknowledge our Guilt the Apostle reproved the Corinthians on a common report 1 Cor. 5. 1. And he commends their earnestness in clearing themselves 2 Cor. 7. 10. 6. There may be such a distress on Conscience for some sins as will necessitate a Confession to men God sometimes lays the burden heavy on the man and though he confess to God he findeth no ease it is now proper to make use of some or other to unburden our minds unto which may be peculiarly intended in Jam. 5. 16. Confess your faults one to another God hath appointed his Children to be helpful each to other only great caution is to be used here we should chuse such to discover our selves to as will be faithful and secret and are capable of giving us counsel and relief the proper design of it being for the easing of our Consciences But our great business is to make our Confessions to God and this we must never forget and there is great reason for this for 1. God knows all our sins and therefore it is vain to go about to hide them from him They all stand in the light of his Countenance we may hope to escape from men by hiding but to think to get
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
God in the Conscience of the person A Copy of his pardon thus ratified iâ— given to him and he is made to read and believe it as coming from God himself and from whence resulteth the Testimony of Conscience acquitting of us 1 Joh. 3. 21. If our heart condemn us not c. i. e. acquits us on good grounds Now this God giveth to the man when he sees best and this is more peculiarly aimed at in our Text though not in separation from the former for without that this is a delusion nor is there any safety in an acquitting Conscience so long as God condemneth us 3. Wherein this readiness in God to forgive is discovered A. Besides that God hath proclaimed this in his Word to belong to his great and glorious Name as that wherein he delighteth to make himself known to the Children of men Exod. 34. 6 7. There is abundant demonstration that he hath given for the confirmation of the truth of it 1. In that any of the sinful race of men have ever been forgiven Such is the vile nature of Sin so high is the affront that is offered to God by it there is so much of malignity in the least Sin and so great an indignity done to the Declarative Glory of God by it that if he had not an heart in him to pardon there had no such thing ever been heard of One Sinner pardoned though the least that ever was in the world is a Monument of Gods wonderful Grace and proclaimeth him to be a forgiving God One such instance saith that there is forgiveness with him for it must proceed from his own voluntary inclination who found the Sinner to be his Enemy and might justly have destroyed him for ever To see a Sinner saved from hell is a matter of just admiration to all such as ever were acquainted with the nature of Sin and what it hath made men to be 2. In the way which he hath contrived to bring about the forgiveness of Sinners The right consideration of this will shew us how deeply Gods heart was engaged for it in the days of Eternity and how unchangeably it is fixed on it in as much as he laid it out before time and pursued it to effect in the fulness of time and truly this is that which hath surprized the Holy Angels themselves with astonishing wonder and they still gaze upon it with greatest admiration the Psalmist observeth Psal 130. 4. With thee there is forgiveness but how comes it to be with him how came he to have a stock of pardoning mercy laid up by him It is true nothing is more free than forgiveness it cannot be bought by but must be given to the Subject but there must a door be opened for the extending of this though God is prone to pardon Psal 86. 5. Yet there was that which lay in the way of it which must be removed else there could have been no application of it the Justice of God which was concerned in and by which the First Covenant was ratified had righteously doomed man to dy for sin and the truth of God had declared that he would stand by his own Law yea and his Holiness by which he is bound for his own Glory would not admit that that Covenant should be baulked Mat. 5. 18. How then shall the Sentence be Executed and yet the Sinner be pardoned There was but one way in which this could be brought about and that was by the interposition of the Eternal Son of God undertaking to be substituted in the Sinners room and to answer all the demands of the Law in his stead that so Justice being satisfied might conspire with Mercy in the Sinners Salvation Psal 85. 10. In which affair the Son of God must become man and be humbled to death and bear all the weight of Divine Displeasure even all the penalties of sin Isa 53. 4 5 6. Nor was Salvation possibly to be had in any other way Acts 4. 12. And yet such was the kindness of God that all this should not obstruct the matter but he would rather make all wonders to meet in one and not Spare his own Son but give him for us that so he might express his kindness to us in pardoning out sins And what greater discovery of good will could there be 3. In the free offers that he maketh of it to men He hath not only made way for it by the Obedience of his Son who paid the price of our Redemption but published it in the Gospel and tendered it to all that come within the sound of that Proclamation And there are two things that set forth his readiness to apply this forgiveness to Sinners 1. That he maketh offer of and invites Sinners to accept it He hath ordered that man be told that he hath forgiveness and that they be bidden to come for it He doth not wait till miserable Sinners cry to him for it which yet would be a rich favour if so they might find it at his hands but because they sought it not nor ever would have done so he sends them an Embassy about it Isa 65. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 20. And would he do so did he not delight in pardoning 2. That he offereth it freely And if he did not do so the Sinner must for ever go without it for he had nothing to purchase it with The Gospel Invitations come as freely as can be supposed Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. If it be here objected you teach that there are Gospel Conditions on which it is only to be had how then can it be said to be free it may readily be replied there are no other Conditions required in the Gospel but what among men are required in order to receiving and being invested with the freest gift that can be there is nothing but acceptance of this gift and acknowledgment of the kindness of the bestower faith is the hand that receiveth it whereas unbelief puts it away and is it not meet that he who would have the benefit of a gift do accept of it or doth such acceptance derogate from the grace of the Giver and what is our Obedience but our thankfulness to God for so unspeakable a gift and shall any say the gift was not free be cause I was thankful for it the Sinner was worthy of death and deserved no pardon and yet he may have it for receiving and is not God willing 4. In the urgent entreaties he useth with men to accept of this forgiveness He not only offers it but pleads and is very urgent and importunate with them as if it were a kindness done him to take it of him as well as to them in their having it he useth all sorts of arguments to perswade them by he tells them what need they stand in of it that their eternal welfare depend upon it that they are condemned and going to Execution and must need perish if they be not pardoned and therefore how much they
And there never was an instance of so much as one that was defeated the greatest Prodigal such as he Luke 15. If he hath come to himself gone back to his Father confessed his sins and deservings and cast himself upon his Soveraign Grace hath found him so ready that he hath met him a great way off taken him into his arms and given him all the Testimonies of his pardon 3. What influence this confession hath into that forgiveness for the obtaining of it A. 1. Negatively it is neither the meritorious nor the moving cause of Gods forgiving us 1. It is not the meritorious cause of it We have already observed that it is a free favour It is indeed first merited for us before we can partake in it for it belongs to Justification we are first ransomed and then pardoned but our confession hath no hand in this It is through Christ's Blood that we obtain remission by his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 5. Confession carrieth no satisfaction in it but is a legal and full proof of our Guilt in it we condemn our selves it saith as Dan. 9 8. To us belongs Confusion the Law left no room for a pardon upon acknowledgment this is purely Evangelical 2. Nor is it the moving cause of it Among men indeed a tender heart is moved by an ingenious confession and humble subâ—ission and it makes us to relent and shew compassion to a delinquent but though such affections are ascribed to God yet it is after the manner of men and warily to be understood Affections are attributed to him in regard of the Effects which flow from his fixed and unalterable will Confession is an adjunct of true Repentance and God is the Author of that as well as of the pardon Acts 5. 31. To be able truly to confess Sin is his gift 2. Positively this Confession belongs to the way in which God is wont to apply forgiveness to Sinners God designed from Eternity to forgive them but he hath laid out this Medium through which he will bring them to it How God treats with Infants is beyond our decision but in regard of such as are of years of understanding and under the Gospel there are two things observable 1. That God requires this Confession of these that hope to obtain forgiveness of him The influence therefore of one upon the other is only as it is the way of Divine Appointment to obtain it the promise so runs Prov. 28. 13. And that clause is inserted Jer. 3. 13. Only acknowledge c. God will be sought to for pardon and there can be no asking forgiveness without acknowledging Guilt Hence though this be Gods gift as well as the other yet it is whiles the Guilty Sinner is prostrating himself at the foot stool of Mercy taking shame to himself that God comes and passeth the act of pardon upon him Luk. 15. 17. In summe where God giveth a Pardon he gives Repentance and where true Repentance is there will be confession So we may safely conclude that he who is not brought truly to confess hath not truly repented of his sins and if he be still an impenitent he is certainly an unpardoned man 2. That this Confession is the way to obtain the evidence or witness of our pardon God is sometimes said to forgive when he witnesseth in us to his pardoning mercy and the reason is because the man was before in his own apprehension unpardoned though his state were good Now as it is usual for God to come in and refresh the heart with telling it its Sin is forgiven whiles the bleeding Soul is bemoaning it self with most humble confessions to him so there is matter of evidence in the confession it self and when we can truly say we have so confessed as before we have the characteâ— of one that hath received this grace of God and so is in a state of forgiveness whereas the want of this is just reason to make us call it in question at least to think that sin is not forgiven which is not thus confessed USE I. For Caution Take heed of abusing this truth unto presumption It is a great policy of Satan to hold men as long as he can in carnal security unto which their own natural inclination leads them and among other devices he hath to insinuate into them by this is one main engine that he useth with those that live under the Gospel and enjoy the priviledges of it to blow them up with false surmizes about God and thence to draw ungrounded conclusions about their good estate and arrogate to themselves the things that belong not to them let us then be warned to take heed to our selves and there are many that need this warning lest they rue it for ever viz. 1. All such as resolve their whole hope into the merciful nature of God not seeking his favour in his own way That God is merciful and gracious is a great truth and wo to us all if it were not so had he not written his Name in such Letters we had all been without hope But this precious truth may be abused and it is so by all those that have no other plea for Salvation but because God is merciful his natural goodness and his common love to his Creature is the only foundation on which they build thence arguing that they cannot perish and hence enquire no farther but rest here never asking how this mercy may be obtained so as to obtain a deliverance from the Curse fallen on them or what are the terms of the New Covenant on which God offers himself to be propitious to Sinners and so never study a compliance with them but count it enough that he is such a God this is derided in that Sarcasm Isa 27. 4. And this Spirit was in them Joh. 8. 32. And if we may judge of mens hearts by their practices this is the guise of all the loose Professors that live carelesly and yet confidently 2. They that instead of confessing do cover their sins and yet hope to do well enough And how many are there of these Such as seek to hide their Sins under excuses or to justifie themselves by pleas and defences or that little regard to practice Repentance upon their falling into sin but think it sufficient either to plead their infirmity or slight it over with saying we are all Sinners and none without their faults or a pretence that they allow it not in themselves though the flesh be too hard for them and hope that God will not charge it thus they prevent their deep sorrow and taking to themselves the due shame for their sins and think they are as good Christians as any and God will accept them as well as the best surely this speaks them presumptuous 3. They that encourage themselves to sin boldly on account of Gods mercy Instead of being melted into Godly Sorrow on consideration that God is so good and gracious which is the kindly effect of it
their Hopes but it ariseth from a groâ—â— mistake there is an aggravation which Satan suggests which will do it to think that we have Sinned beyond the vertue of the atonement buâ— know it there is vertue enough in Christ's Blood 1 Joh. 1. 7. And the greater you apprehend your sins to be the more will you be helped to admire the mercy that brings and applies a pardon to them the more vile you make your selves the more will Christ be exalted by you when you come to taste of his rich forgiveness VERSE VI. 6. For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayst be found Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him WE now proceed to the third part of the Psalm in which David directs us how to improve the faith of the Doctrine of this Blessedness arising from a state of pardon â—â—emplified in himself He directeth himself to God in the words but the Doctrine in them is accommodated for the encouragement of all that fear God And here he tell us 1. What is the duty of the People of God on his account For this c. 2. What is the priviledge of such surely c. 3. Professeth his faith in God on this account for encouragement Verse 7. We may take these things up in their order 1. He declares what is the duty of the People of God on this account for this shall c. In the words observe 1. The Subject of this Duty the Godly the â—ord signifieth one that is Benevolent Beneficent Pious or Good A Godly man is called by this â—ord either to signifie that he is merciful and beneficent or that he hath obtained mercy and goodness from God We are here to understand 〈◊〉 for one that hath the saving Grace of God put into him for till this no man can truly seek God 2. The extent of the Subject every one that is Godly It is a disposition that God puts into all that are truly Converted and they shall exert it on the occasions of it 3. The duty it self he shall pray this word when applied to praying implies the bringing our cause to God laying it before him and leaving it with him all of which is proper to a petitionary prayer 4. The Object of this prayer God he shall pray unto thee to pray to any other is Idolatry and to ask help of that which cannot succour us 5. The thing it self prayed for for this i. e. for this forgiveness When they find themselves oppressed with the Guilt of sin or it may point us to the encouragement of so praying for this may be read upon this i. e. upon the reading and being acquainted with my experience and good success in so coming to God 6. The season of this prayer in a time when thou mayst be found Heb in a time of finding Some interpret it of a time of affliction when their sin have found them out but others and so on Translation understand it of an opportune time wherein God is ready to be found of such as indeed seek him Three Doctrines may here be observed Examples of Pardoned Sinners our Encouragement DOCTRINE I. THE instances of Gods forgiving any upon their hearty confessing their sins to him should encourage others to hope for and seek it of him in the same way The very subjoyning of this to what went before intimates this truth if we consider David as turning his speech to God he doth as it were say this is the honour thou shalt get by doing thus graciously by me thou shalt have more Customers others when they hear of it will be animated to seek to thee for mercy The great incentive to this is from the gracious discoveries that God hath made of himself in his Word those alluring promises with which he animates desponding Sinners to seek him but yet his works also have a voice in them and confirm his Word by giving an example in which his Word is verified Here take these conclusions 1. That there are many eminent instances of Gods pardoning mercy on Scripture record He hath set up the monuments of it there who though they had been great Sinners and many ways provoked his just displeasure yet obtained mercy of him or their humble submission and hearty bemoaning themselves before him and though there be no Saint recorded in the Book of God who was not an example of this but for which they had never been saved yet there are some who have a peculiar remark for this What a great Sinner was Manasseh how wofully did David defile himself What a Chief Sinner had Paul been What a prodigious fall was that of Peter and yet we have the register of their obtaining forgiveness with many more 2. That the Word of God gives us a distinct account of divers of these It not only mentions them to be such but mentions the Dispensation towards them in the circumstances for 1. It tells us how they had Sinned Not that God delights to be raking in the kennel of his Childrens follies when he hath cast their iniquities into the depth of the sea but to set the examples of his Grace before others for mans sin is the foil of Gods Grace and the more black that hath been the more orient do the colours of this appear to be their sin therefore is declared in its aggravations so Davids 2 Sam. 11. 12. 2. It acquaints us with what distress they were in after they had so Sinned What Convictions what compunctions they felt in them what pain they were in by reason of their wounds and broken bones what terrible agonies they suffered on the account see Context verse 3 4. and Mat. 26. ult and else where 3. It shews us what course they took to get their Sin pardoned In what way they gat relief and found mercy at Gods hand What confession they made to God how they bemoaned themselves bitterly how earnestly they besought God for mercy with what deep Humiliation and self loathing they prostrated themselves at the footstool of the Throne of Grace to this serve all Davids penitential Psalms and we have such an account of Ephraim Jer. 31. 18 19 4. It particularly notes what success they found in this way How they sped with God in thus doing how they sought a pardon and obtained it so Context verse 5. God did not spurn them out of his presence but when he saw these Prodigals humbling themselves and resolving to return he met and embraced them Luk. 15. 20. So Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 12 13. And what tenderness God exprest to Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31. 20. 3. That this manner of Dispensation continueth to be exemplified in Gods Providence We have not the same ground of assurance now concerning others in that we have only their own Testimony as we have for those recorded in the Book of God however there is a charitable credit
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
God do but carry a dark and faint resemblance of his perfections for there is nothing in the creature that may be compared with him we ought therefore to resolve that the thing shadowed by it is in him after a glorious and unparallel'd manner When God calls himself an hiding place we may think of the strongest munition of rocks the best fortified strong holds and the most secret retiring places and then conclude them all unworthy of the name in comparison of him and if he were not thus he would never so stile himself 6. Hence God is such an Object to his people as their faith may safely thus rely upon They need not be afraid to adventure into him as an hiding place in the greatest trouble He is in himself all sufficient for it as to power none can be too hard for him Prov. 18. 10. As to wisdom all the policy of men and Devils cannot outwit him Prov. 21. 30. He therefore looks on and laughs at all their cunning contrivances Psal 2. 4. And his promise hath made this over to them so that they may challenge a special interest in it he hath not only said I am God but I am thy God Isa 41. 18. And his faithfulness hath secured the performance of all the promised good to them If he can he will do it for them his promises are yea and amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. They are but the revelation of his purposes which he can never change 7. Their believing dependance on him is the only way for them to glorify him in troubles They ought so to do and it is done only by a suitable exercise of Grace according to the condition they are in and no grace can at such a time have a right exercise without this dependance doubting fearing desponding fretting fainting in a time of trouble is a dishonour done to God by his people Whereas hoping trusting in him daring to adventure all upon his word and power giveth him his acknowledgment and this will keep them to duty in blackest times Dan. 3. 16 17. 8. All a believers comfort and settlement now ariseth from the exercise of this faith Trouble is of its own nature troublesome and tends to unsettle or disquiet the man all his consolations must now come from God and often all other doors are shut and how shall we derive this from God but by the exercise of faith and that must be by believing that he is such an one in himself and will be so to us Hab. 3. 17 18. USE I. For Information in three particulars 1. Learn hence that a time of trouble will try our faith There is a double experiment that it will make 1. It will try the truth of it Many whiles in tranquility make a great flourish of their trust in God and might they always have Halcyon days they would pass for eminent believers but when tribulation comes and floods threaten them or assault them their great confidence shrinks up to nothing such are the stony ground hearers Mat. 13. 20 21. 2. It will try the strength of it Prov. 24. 10. If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small a weak faith although a true one may bear up compleatly under ordinary afflictions but when they are growing and great it will discover its infirmity Peter on the waters ruffled with tempest begins to sink Mat. 14. 30 Paul under the sorest pressures is confident 2 Tim. 1. 12. 2. See here the happiness of those who in a time of peace have made God their hiding place Herein it lieth that they have secured their preservation is a day of trouble they have an Ark in which they are sheltered and may sleep quietly though the Floods rise so as to cover the loftiest mountains Psal 91. 9 10. When others have their hiding places of deceit come tumbling about their ears these are Castled in their rock Mat. 7. 24 25. 3. Learn hence whence the settlement of Gods people in a time of trouble proceeds They are not stocks and stones but have sense and reason as other men They can foresee an evil day and apprehend the evil of it How then can they look on it with a sedate spirit that it doth not frighten them but when other mens spirits fail hearts faint joynts tremble they quietly follow their work It is because they are sheltred in God have hidden themselves under his feathers taken him for their defence their faith hath rolled them on him they dare trust him and believe all shall be well and let men if they will count this faith frenzy they know what they do USE II. For Tryal do we expect that God shall preserve us from trouble Prove whether we have made him our hiding place for Consider 1. Trouble is to be expected It is a world of trouble we live in nor are the best of Gods Children secured from it whiles the Devil maligneth us the world hateth us and so much sin cleaves to us a wise God manageth our affairs for our good we may look for trouble on all hands 2. God is not engaged to preserve any but such as â—â—ve made him their hiding place There are great and precious promises in this regard but none can challenge them but such as by faith are gotten into God and have made him their shelter 3. If he do not preserve you none else can And if you do not believe this you shall find it on tryal to be true You shall sooner or later come to that acknowledgment Jer. 3. 23. Truely in vain is Salvation looked for from hills and mountains c. Let them promise never so fair they will deceive your expectations What saith the Psalmist Psal 20. 7 8. Some trust in Chariots c. They are brought down and fallen but we are risen and stand upright 4. If you are deceived in your expectations you will be in a miserable condition If you have presumed God to be your hiding place and were never indeed gotten into him you will be without any reâ—uge when trouble comes And for your help in â—his tryal take these Rules 1. You have foreseen a flood A prospect of evil in the consideration of it was ever made use of by the spirit of God to bring men to Christ Heb. 11. 7. Noah being warned of God was moved with fear and prepared an Ark. There is nothing else will perswade sinful men to repair to God 2. You have seen the vanity of all other hiding places and renounced them Sinful man will trust in lying vanities till he is effectually convinced that they are such and as he will not go to God till then so God will not accept of him except he abjure all reliance on them Hos 14. 3. vers 8. 3. You have been lifted up by a mighty arm into the rock that is higher than you You did not go into this hiding place by your own strength but were brought into it Almighty power and have
enabling him to discern them spiritually this every natural man hath not 1 Cor. 2 14. And the so opening his eyes is a Divine work Eph. 1. 17 18. Till this be done Doctrinal teaching doth no saving good whatsoever literal knowledge men gain by it 2. That God hath no dependance on Instruments in producing this knowledge The highest service of men is only instrumental and that no more than morally and God hath no need of instruments nor doth he use them of necessity but for his pleasure much less doth he need that they be thus or so furnished he can do it as well with the most unlikely and gain glory in so doing 2 Cor. 4. 7. 3. But yet in order to their being used as instruments God is wont to furnish them with a suitable capacity for it There are those gifts that he bestows upon them making them meet for this service these gifts therefore are given to men to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. And accordingly there is a diversity both in kind and degree which God arbitrarily distributes to these and those 4. There are two ways in which we are to teach others viz. by Precept and Example In this latter Christians are equally concerned he that hath received Grace ought to walk worthy of it and we are told what its teachings are Tit. 2. 11 12. As to the former there is a different obligation â—ying upon the people of God every one ought according to his call to teach others but every one is not a like concerned 5. Hence Christians are bound to teach others either by the obligation of their General Calling or by a Special Calling The general calling of a Christian obligeth him to glorify God with all that he hath still reserving the station that God hath set him in thus Christians are bidden to teach one another Col. 3. 16. But there is a special calling that God hath given to some who besides that have gifts and abilities for it are called by God to the Ministry of the Gospel these are of his giving Jer. 3. 15. And notwithstanding gifts men must wait for this till called to it according to the Gospel Rule Rom. 10. 14. How shall be preach except â—e be sent Now in both these respects the Doctrine is a great truth for though there be more than experience requisite to fit a man for official teachings yet this added to those qualifications is abundantly helpful for 1. Experience mightily prompts or puts men forward to be teaching of others It puts life into men and quickens them to their work and that in two respects 1. It fills the heart with an ardent desire to glorifie God All the literal Light that men get by study hath no heat in it it doth not engage the heart at all in love to God but when once the Soul hath tasted that God is gracious hath felt the bitterness of sin and been distrest by reason of the wrath of God and known the Grace of God in giving him Repentance and pardon he is now filled with love to God and thinks he can never do enough for him never lay himself low enough nor sufficiently set forth his praises and he would have all the world to love admire and praise this God with him Psal 34. 3 4. 2. It kindleth a longing desire after the Salvation of Souls By this men come to know the great worth of Souls and their woful danger and accordingly to have travailing pains for them ul Christ be formed in them Gal 4. 19. He that hath felt in himself what an evil and bitter thing sin is and hath known the riches of grace in pardoning and healing him cannot but compassionate such as live in sin and ly under the curse and this will put them upon all endeavours and make them to give warning and counsel on all occasions knowing the worth and hazard of a Soul if it be possible to save it 2. Experience is a mighty help to men in teaching of others Luther was wont to say Prayer and Temptation make a Minister fit for his work And why temptation but because it helps to this experience the Apostle applies this to Christ himself Heb. 2. 18. And this will be evident in divers respects 1. It gives them a more clear understanding of the truths which they teach Theoretical and practical knowledge vastly differ a meer discorsive knowledge of any Art makes a man but a bungler compared with one that hath been practised in it Experience exemplifieth the Rules of Religion to â—â— man he had heard of these things before and had some rational notions about them but now he sees and tasts Psal 34. 8. And this is aâ— great help to teaching 2. It greatly establisheth their faith and confidence iâ— these truths and hereby they are enabled to commend them with the more authority A man may by study be able to speak largely and distinctly upon Scripture truths but they can say nothing of their own knowledge and possibly themselves fluctuate about their credit of them they take them only upon Tradition whereas he that hath the record of these truths on his heart and had them exemplified on him can with greatest boldness assert them â—â— Joh. 1. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 16. 4 It hath great influence on the Affections in teaching Indeed the main thing is information all that doth us saving good must come in by the Understanding they that seek only to raise the affections confusedly do no good but still we have to do with the affections and the best way to raise them is to express our own it is vain to think to make another concerned with that which we shew no concernedness in whereas experience stirs these affections that which one feels he will speak feelingly he feels the misery of the Unregenerate speaks compassionately to them feels the distress of deserted souls and applies tenderly feels the wounds and broken bones of such as have fallen and handleth them with great caution c. 4. It furnisheth him with skill of applying to particular cases Many can discourse very distinctly upon a subject in Divinity but when they meet with the doubts and objections of tempted Christians they are meer bunglers for want of experience Peter is winnowed to be fitted to strengthen others Luk. 22. 32. To be sure in cases of Desertion nothing more proper to apply than experience besides that it helps to do every thing with compassion Heb. 5. 2. 5. It much helps our patience and perseverance in teaching Meer speculative knowledge puffs up and makes men impatient and presently they despair of good if they see not the desired effect if Sinners will not presently hear them they conclude them past hope if troubled ones be not perswaded presently to hear them they think them desperate all this is for want of experience he that hath known his own heart and the mighty resistance that it makes to the offers of grace will learn by it to
often doth David in the Psalms and Paul in his Epistles inculcate this but besides let it be considered 1. That joy is put into the Creature for use God who is the author of Nature did nothing in vain Affections are natural to men and are therefore deputed for Service among these Joy is one if then it loseth its use or be not improved it fails of its end and this is properly the Creatures delight in the enjoyment of that which is good for it 2. Hence the Creature is naturally carried out after it Joy is an Affection to which all the other do pay a subserviency they are all at work in their place to make way for that to exert it self the other are working Affections but this is that in which they center and take their rest when they have done their business thus sits down and reaps the comfort of all So that the Creature is restless till it comes to this every thing would rejoyce and is not satisfied till it hath some thing to rejoyce in 3 If any in the world have cause to rejoyce the Children of God have so Worldly men think they have good reason for it but it is certain that the Children of God have infinitely more Look over the worlds inventory and then the Saints and you must needs confess this to be a great truth Need then must it be a preposterous thing for a carnal worldling to be merry and jocund and a Saint sinking in spirit and overwhelmed with grief they indeed have their weeping time whiles the other laugh Luk. 6 21 25. But they have more to joy in in their weeping time than the other in their laughing time 4. There is nothing they meet with in this world sufficient to obstruct their joy There are Changes of Providence which they pass under and they are sometimes called to heaviness and mourning but none of all this can take from them their causes of rejoycing or be sufficient to excuse them from exercising it Jam. 1. 2. But of this afterwards 5. The honour of God is concerned in their rejoycing A Godly man cannot honour God aright unless he rejoyce in the Lord. For a Christian to go always sorrowful and heavy hearted doth not only shew unthankfulness to God for his undeserved mercy but it prejudiceth others and brings the profession they make into discredit among men and maketh them to think that such serve an hard Master whenas a Christian who is holily chearful gains credit to the ways of God Hence the Psalmists care Psal 73 15. 6. And their own comfort in this life depends upon it A man no farther enjoys himself than as he rejoyceth either in hope or fruition â—f his joy be false his life is a dream but if that be true his life is life indeed The Philosopher defines life an act with delight intimating that so much as this is wanting there is so much of death in life And as our spiritual life consists in serving God so we do nothing well for God but what we do chearfully None but the Righteous can claim this priviledge Conclu 4. THat this priviledge and duty belongs to none but these righteous and upright ones As it is common to all of them so it is proper to them There are no other in the world but the righteous and the wicked and certainly wicked men are here exempted if not altogether from the duty yet from the priviledges though in a sense from the duty too Only that we may cautiously take this up let a few things be observed 1. There is a threefold joy which may be considered viz. sinful natural and spiritual These are all mentioned in the Word of God and exemplified in men and we may take a brief account of each of them so far as is for our purpose 2. Sinful joy to begin with that may be so accounted either with respect to the matter or manner of it 1. Sinful joy may be so with regard to the matter of it when the thing it self in which we rejoyce is sinful And there can neither priviledge nor duty belong to this for we ought not to rejoyce in sin â—here are that rejoyce to do evil Prov. 2. 14. But it â—s a sinful joy For Sinners to make themselves merry in their Cups and with their harlots in gaming c. highly provokes God and we read of those that rejoyce in the troubles that befal the Children of God Psal 35. 26. But confusion belong to them 2. It may be so for the manner of it The things themselves may be good in their kind and afford occasion for delight but when men do sinfully rejoyce in them they therein transgress and greatly provoke God thereby There is a mad mirth which men take in the good things of God of which the Wise man tells us Eccles 2. 1. I said of laughter it is mad and hath that Sacrasmons concession Chap. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man c. When men take delight in abusing the goodness of God this is sinful 3. Natural joy is that which the instinct of nature teacheth It is natural for the Creature whether sensitive by meer instinct or rational by the use of the understanding to delight it self in that which it finds to do it good and this answers the inclination of the Affection and the Creature will of its own accord fall into it and there must be force put upon nature if it be suppressed this is accommodated by the common goodness of God in which he makes both good and bad to partake Mat 5. 45. Acts 14. 17. It is certainly a benefit to the outward man to have health and peace and plenty by which it is supported and refreshed and this gives the affection of joy a motive by which it is excited Psal 4. 7. And here let us observe 1. That this natural joy is in it self a duty Consider it abstractly and surely ungodly men owe to God thankfulness for every mercy they partake in and the good they taste in it should excite them to thankfulness Ingratitude is condemned in the Heathen Rom. 1. 21. And that which we are thankful for supposeth that we rejoyce in it else we cannot aright express our thankfulness 2. But a wicked man cannot thus rejoyce lawfully He must cease to be wicked and become upright before he is capable of thus rejoycing Every Ungodly man sins in every thing he doth and though the matter be lawful and a duty yet there is an evil root of bitterness in him that spoils all he doth it can at best be but a carnal joy which can be neither acceptable to God nor profitable for him 4. Spiritual joy may also be considered as to matter or manner 1. It may be called spiritual as to the matter when employed about spiritual things The love of God the Redemption of Christ the Graces of the Spirit and the like and such was Pauls rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. And that which Christ
the seas of increated inexhaustible goodness are met in him 2. Hence to enjoy him is perfect happiness He that hath God for his portion can want for nothing Psal 23. 1. There can be no perfect felicity in the fruition of other things for they have neither fulness nor sutableness in them to answer all the cravings of the soul but goodness it self cannot be defective in any point he that hath God hath all for God is all in all Psal 84. 11. He that can say God is mine can say all that is to be said to declare him happy 3 He is the Upright mans God He hath made himself over to every one that is Godly Psal 4. 3. He hath given to the believer a property in himself Isa 41 10. I am thy God and he is theirs for ever Psal 48 ult And they may say as Psal 67. 6. God even our own God shall bless us How full then must their joy be and there are these things in particular that they may glad themselves in 1. He hath loved them from eternity Jer 31. 3. For Effectual Calling is a certain fruit of that love God thought of and sat his heart upon them before the world was and what joy is there in this his love is better than life Psal 63. 3. If we are sure of this we are certain to share in all the happy fruits of it which are beyond computation if he loved us before time his love to us will outlast time And shall we not triumph in Everlasting Love 2. He hath converted them This is the first breaking forth of his love to them and if there be joy in heaven at the conversion of a Sinner Luk 15. 7 10. Shall not he himself rejoyce This is a joyful change indeed then was a Child born to God then was a Sinner made a Sainâ— a dead soul raised to life c. And can such an one but be glad 3. He hath pardoned them This accompanies Effectual Calling Rom. 8. 30. And this hath made them of miserable happy Context vers 1 2. The condemned Caitiff was going to Execution and had a pardon sent him the Sinner who was under the weight of all the Curses is delivered from them the prisoners of death is set at liberty the Sentence that was past upon him is revoked his peace is made he shall not dy but live and shall he not triumph 4. He hath taken him into the number of his Children There is a wonderful Adoption past upon him 1 Job 3. 1. 2. He that was a Child of Satan is now a Child of the Great God he hath put his own name upon him he that was one of Gods enemies may now call him father Jer. 3. 19. And this is an honour and happiness that cannot be expressed 5. He hath given them his Spirit He is theirs to dwell in them to undertake for them to conduct and counsel and comfort them Rom. 8. 9. They are called the Temples of the Holy Ghost in which he resides he is in them a Spirit of Adoption to help their faith in God as their father or of Sanctification to lead them into all truth of Consolation to comfort them in every condition and how great is their happiness 6. He hath taken them under his conduct to carry them safe through an evil world There are many troubles and temptations that they must expect in their passage but they are under the eye and care and in the hand of God and have his promise past for it that he will guide them by counsel and bring them to glory Psal 73. 24. And let things be what they will to appearance yet underneath are everlasting arms Deut. 33. 27. And here is joy indeed 7. He hath secured for them the glories of the Everlasting Kingdom They are not yet arrived at it and so cannot rejoyce as they do who are there swimming in the pleasures of it but they have this in hand and his Word and Oath for it that they shall without fail be brought thither and setled there in due time Luk. 12. 32. And he reserves it for them while he is conducting them to it 1 Pet. 14. And mean time gives them the seals and earnests of it Eph. 4. 30. 8. He both can and will accomplish all this for them He can do it in despite of all that withstand it Ro. 8 35 c. He is the Lord God Almighty And he will do it for his faithfulness is as large as his power and both are infinite if he hath said it it is as good as done and can those that are owners of such priviledges rejoyce too much The Application USE I. FOR Reprehension and it may be applied to two sorts 1. This serves to reprove the mad mirth of Unregenerate men It is an amazing thing to see Ungodly men living in all jollity and delight as if they only were owners of true happiness Job 21. 12. And there are several respects in which they are to be rebuked in regard oâ— this mirth 1. Those that rejoyce in iniquity So is the merry young man represented Eccl. 11. 9. And how many jocund persons are there whose very delight is in sin their stollen waters Prov. 9. 17. Lascivious and obscene talk drunken bouts carousing of healths making a mock of sin and a scoff and scorn of the Godly for their Godliness and are never merry but when engaged in heaven daring abominations doing things that it is a shame to speak thereby provoking the holy God to vengeance 2. Those that terminate all their joy on the Creature They seem more sober than the former and to have a better pretence the Creature is good in its place and we tast comfort in it but this is the blame they rest here God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. They dwell in a fat pasture their Cup â—verslows c. Psal 73. 7. And here is their hearts â—â—light Psal 62. 10. And so they pay all their acknowledgments hither Hab. 2. 16. 3. That rest content in a natural joy We observed that this hath a sort of medium between the spiritual and sinful being in its own nature lawful and may be used in subserviency to the spiritual and influenced by it but Unregenerate men please themselves with this and the lawfulness of it but forget that corrupt nature in fallen man turns all his natural actions into sinful ones T it 1. 15. 4. That do all they can to put mourning away from them And hence lest they should be sorrowful they are afraid to be serious they think men born to sport themselves in the world as the fishes in the Sea hence they abandon every thing that offers to trouble them and count them their enemies that invite them thereto and if the Spirit of God set any word home which disturbs them they are displeased and instead of retiring and entertaining their thoughts with it they fly from home from all business and
lay open our very bosom sins take heed of rising up against them it was their great sin Acts 7. 54. Take heed of the suggestions of the flesh which are now ready to disturb you and make you think they hate and seek to disgrace you 4. Let us take every word home to our selves When we hear any sin reproved let it put us upon self examination to see whether we have no Guilt on that account to repent of and seek pardon for Is any Duty urged ask our selves how do we attend it Are we careful in it And if so let it encourage us and if we have neglected it let it quicken us and put us on more dillgence 5. Let us be thankful when our Consciences are roused at any time by the applications that are made Instead of being angry that we are disturbed let us acknowledge it a kindness and say God hath sent me a word for my good I had need of it it belonged to me and God was faithful in it so shall we be able to bid the message welcome and receive a Messenger coming from God 6. Let us endeavour to mend something by every word of application that is made to us Count every private or publick advice lost upon us that doth not put new life into us and influence our Conversation so as to make us reform what is sinful and with new vigour to pursue the work of our generation so shall we by all be helped forward to eternal life Divine Teachings are to guide us in our way DOCTRINE III. THe proper design of all Divine Teaching is to guide men into and in the way they ought to go There are two Propositions here to be observed Prop. 1. That there is a way in which all they must go that would obtain pardon peace and blessedness We may take notice of three things under this 1. That there is a way to blessedness out of which it cannot be obtained This is evident for 1. The Scriptures often mention the way under this consideration Called the way of the Righteous Psaâ— 1. 6. Of Righteousness Prov. 8 20. Of life Prov. 10 17. And many other Epithets are given iâ— which put a peculiarity upon it and inform us that it is the one way that leads to blessedness 2. The Word of God acquaints us with another way that leads to misery and that in contradistinction to this both are mentioned and characterized Mat. 7. 13 14. Called the way of the ungodly Psal 1. 6. A false way Psal 119 104. A way in which is destruction and misery Rom. 3. 16. And many like titles and by these we are acquainted that there is a right and a wrong 3. Hence also the Scriptures declare men happy or miserable according to the way they are in Psal 1. begin 119. begin Prov. 7. ult c. And the reason is because the way if followed will unavoidably issue in this at last There must then be a way for a man to come at felicity by if he would not miss of it at last and this will appear if we consider 1. That blessedness is an end and so there must be a medium to it All the desires and endeavours of the Reasonable Creature are carried forth after happiness this they propose and are insatiably craving of Psal 4. 6. Who will shew us good And whatsoever measures men take as their conceptions are variously perswaded this is it they would obtain Now the light of nature teacheth us that where an end is proposed there must be means used for the compassing it and if there be no such means to be found the end is in vain desired 2. That all men do not reach to be blessed and there must be some reason for it If all aspire after it and lay themselves out for it and yet but some are crowned with it and others finally miss of it they did not prosecute it alike and hence that there is a bounded way to it for it any way would do why should any be frustrated in the end The Apostle tells us why the Jews after so much labour missed of obtaining Rom. 9. 31 32. 3. That blessedness is a reward promised in a Covenant It was so to man in the First Covenant Ro. 10 5. And it is so in the New Covenant verse 9. And as God is the only Author of it so he never offered it to any out of the way of a Covenant and this infers a way to it for 1. A Covenant promise is a promise with a condition Herein it differs from an absolute promse for that is incondiâ—ionate A Covenant promise is as binding as that which is absolute only the obligation of one is single and that of the other is mutual and so dependent See Jam. 1. 19. Rom. 8. 13. 2. Hence the promise is to be claimed only upon the performance of the Condition For though the promise be firm yet it is Relative it stands or falls according to the tenour of it if we fail of doing that to which the promise is connected God is faithful to his word and there is no falshood in the promise though we never receive the good of it there is therefore expresly or implicitly contained a threatning with the promise Isa 1. 19 20. Rom. 8. 13. 3. Hence this performance is the very way to enjoy the performance of the promise It comes in as a necessary medium which is Metaphorically called a way because we come to be happy by our conformity to that which is required of us in order to it and the want of this will make us to fail of that Gal. 6. 16. 2. That if ever man be happy he must be brought into kept in this way On supposition that there is a way to blessedness necessary to be gone in and that there is but one right way it is beyond dispute that we must get into it and persevere in it or we shall certainly come short of life and happiness We are now speaking of fallen man which is the condition of all Adams progeny here then a few remarks 1. That man by his fall is turned out of the way of felicity God sat man right at first Eccles 7. 29. But it is of the very nature of sin to take a wrong course 1 Joh. 3. 4. Which is therefore assigned to the state of fallen man Psal 14. 3. He is a lost thing Luk. 19. 10. Man hath not lost his natural desire to be happy but he is gone from the method that was given him to obtain it 2. As long as he is out of the way every step he takes leads to destruction There are but two ways one leads to life the other is the path to ruine till then he gets into the right way again he is pursuing his own undoing Every man is in some way every thought word and deed is a step in that way all the man doth hath a tendency to some end and what tends not to happiness