for with him there is Redemption All other grounds of hope are false and deceiving Obs. 3. Inexhaustible stores of Mercy and Redemption are needful for the incouragement of sinners to rest and wait on God With him is plentiful Redemption Such is your misery so pressing are your fears and disconsolations that nothing less than boundless Grace can relieve or support you there are therefore such Treasures and stores in God as are suited hereunto With him is Plenteous Redemption Obs. 4. The Ground of all the dispensation of Mercy Goodness Grace and forgiveness which is in God to Sinners is laid in the blood of Christ. Hence it is here called Redemption Unto this also we have spoken at large before Obs. 5. All that wait on God on the account of Mercy and Grace shall have an undoubted Issue of peace He shall redeem Israel let him saith God lay hold of my Arm that he may have peace and he shall have peace Isa. 27. 3. Obs. 6. Mercy given to them that wait on God shall in the close and issue be every way full and satisfying He shall redeem his people from all their Iniquities And these Propositions do arise from the words as absolutely considered and in themselves If we mind their Relation unto the peculiar Condition of the soul represented in this Psalm they will yet afford us the ensuing Observations Obs. 1. They who out of depths have by faith and waiting obtained mercy or are supported in waiting for a sense of believed mercy and forgiveness are fitted and only they are fitted to Preach and declare Grace and mercy unto others This was the Case with the Psalmist Upon his emerging out of his own depths and streights he declares the mercy and redemption whereby he was delivered unto the whole Israel of God Obs. 2. A saving participation of Grace and forgiveness leaves a deep Impression of its fulness and excellency on the soul of a sinner So was it here with the Psalmist Having himself obtained Forgiveness he knows no bounds or measure as it were in the extolling of it There is with God Mercy Redemption Plenteous Redemption redeeming from all Iniquity I have found it so and so will every one do that shall believe it Now these Observations might all of them especially the two last receive an useful improvement But whereas what I principally intended from this Psalm hath been at large insisted on upon the first verses of it I shall not here further draw forth any Meditations upon them but content my self with the Exposition that hath been given of the design of the Psalmist and sense of his words in these last verses FINIS 1. Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. 2. Lord hear my voice let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities General Scope of the whole Psalm The two first Verses opened Depths of trouble on the account of Sin Depths of Sin wherein they consist The Nature and Extent of supplies of Grace according to the Covenant The Power of Indwelling Sin Gods Soveraignty in dealing with Believers in their sins Sins occasioning great distresses Aggravations of sins causing distresses The second Verse opened Actings of a Believer under distress from sin False ways of relieving souls in distress Earnestness of a distressed soul in its Applications unto God Grounds of earnestness in Applications unto God Earnestness c. wherein it consisteth Verse 3. opened Propositions from Verse 3. Terror arising from a sense of the guilt of sin Gods marking sin and mans salvation inconsistent The souls actings towards a Recovery Sense of sin wherein it consists Nature and Causes of Gospel convictions of sin Acknowledgement of sin the true nature of it Self-condemnation wherein it consists Miscarriages in persons convinced of sin The fourth Verse opened Doctrinal Observations from V. 4. No approaching unto God without a discovery of forgiveness Forgiveness a great Mysterie Testimony of a natural consciscience against the forgiveness of sin Testimony of the Law against the forgiveness of sin False Presumptions of Forgiveness The true Nature of Gospel forgiveness Forgiveness as it relates to the Nature of God Forgiveness as it relates to the free Acts of Gods Will. Forgiveness as it hath respect to the blood of Christ. Forgiveness as it relates unto the Promise What faith respects in Forgiveness Forgiveness discovered to Faith alone Discovery of Forgiveness a great supportment Particular Assurance attainable Duty of Believers to endeavour Assurance Causes and Effects of Assurance Saving Faith where there is no Assurance Discovery of forgiveness a great supportment to intangled souls Effects of the Discovery of Forgiveness in God Means whereby a Discovery of Forgiveness yields supportment Abiding with God wherein it consisteth Waiting on God from a Discovery of Forgiveness Discovery of Forgiveness prepares the soul to receive it Vain pretences of Faith discovered Essential properties of Gods nature how made known Free Acts of Gods Will how they may be known Forgiveness not revealed by the work of Providence about the first sin Forgiveness discovered in the first Promise Sacrifices an Evidence of Forgiveness Forgiveness with God manifested by his Prescription of Repentance Confirmation of the Truth of Forgiveness necessary Necessity of producing Arguments to prove forgiveness Some sinners actually pardoned and accepted with God Patience of God towards the World an evidence of forgiveness Experience of the Saints giveing Testimony to Forgiveness The Evidence that is in Spiritual Experience Religious Worship of sinners an Evidence of Forgiveness with God Especial Ordinances evidencing forgiveness Prayer for the Pardon of sin commanded Forgiveness manifested in the New Covenant Nature Use and End of the first Covenant Reason of Alteration of the first Covenant Forgiveness confirmed by the Oath of God Forgiveness confirmed by the Name of God 〈◊〉 of Gods Nature manifesting Forgiveness What it is to give Glory to God Glory arising to God by Forgiveness Forgiveness manifested in the Death of Christ. Our Obligation unto mutual forgiveness proves forgiveness in God Properties of Divine forgiveness Forgiveness believed by Few Exhortations unto Believing Terms of Peace with God Equal and Holy Certainty of the final Ruine of them who believe not Exhortation to Believing enforced Christ the only Judge of our spiritual condition Self-condemnation consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace Gospel Assurance wherein it consisteth Sense of sin consistent with Assurance Sorrow for sin consistent with Assurance Sense of the power of sin consistent with Assurance Fears and Temptations consistent with Assurance The Nature and Effects of Gospel Assurance Effects of Gospel Assurance in Believers Waiting necessary to obtain Peace Search of Sin necessary to consolation Unbelief and Jealousie distinguished Different Effects of Unbelief and Jealousie Differences between faith and spiritual sense Spiritual sense wherein it consists Foundation and Spiritual Building distinguished Complaints fruitless and heartless to be avoided Hasty Expressions concerning God to be avoided Judgement of mens states in the hand of Christ alone The least Appearances of Grace to be improved Afflictions a cause of spiritual disquictments Means of the Aggravation of Affliction Rules to be observed concerning Afflictions Objections against Believing from the State of the Soul Two different estates whereunto all men belong Saving Grace specifically distinct from common Grace Difference between the State of Grace and Nature discernable Believers may know themselves to be born of God Rules whereby men may judge of their Condition in respect of Inherent Grace Objections from weakness in Duty and the power of Sin V. 5 6. V. 5 6. opened Waiting the first fruit of Faith in a way of Duty Waiting on God wherein it consists God himself the Object of our Waiting Waiting on God whence so necessary Considerations of Gods Being and Attributes rendring Waiting necessary Considerations of Gods Righteousness in his Judgements Considerations of our own Condition tending to Humble us Supportment in trouble from the Word of Promise Psal. 130. v. 7 8. Exposition of vers 7 8.
external thing whereof a soul can have no inward sense or relish Notions there are many about it and endless contentions but what more why let a gracious soul in simplicity and sincerity of Spirit give up himself to walk with Christ according to his Appointment and he shall quickly find such a taste and relish in the fellowship of the Gospel in the Communion of Saints and of Christ amongst them as that he shall come up to such Riches of Assurance in the Understanding and Acknowledgement of the wayes of the Lord as others by their disputing can never attain unto What is so High Glorious and Mysterious as the Doctrine of the ever blessed Trinity Some wise men have thought meet to keep it veiled from ordinary Christians And some have delivered it in such terms as that they can understand nothing by them But take a Believer who hath tasted how gracious the Lord is in the Eternal Love of the Father the great Undertaking of the Son in the work of Mediation and Redemption with the Almighty work of the Spirit creating Grace and comfort in the soul and hath had an experience of the Love Holiness and Power of God in them all and he will with more firm confidence adhere to this mysterious Truth being lead into it and confirmed in it by some few plain Testimonies of the Word than a thousand Disputers shall do who only have the notion of it in their minds Let a real Tryal come and this will appear Few will be found to sacrifice their lives on bare speculations Experience will give Assurance and Stability We have thus cleared the credit of the Testimony now to be improved It is evident on these grounds that there is a great certainty in those Truths whereof Believers have experience Where they communicate their power unto the heart they give an unquestionable Assurance of their Truths And when that is once realized in the soul all disputes about it are put to silence These things being so let us enquire into the faith and experience of the Saints on the Earth as to what they know of the Truth proposed unto confirmation namely that there is forgiveness with God Let us go to some poor soul that now walks comfortably under the Light of Gods countenance and say unto him Did we not know you some while since to be full of sadness and great anxiety of Spirit yea sorrowful almost to death and bitter in soul Answ. Yes saith he so it was indeed my dayes were consumed with mourning and my life with sorrow and I walked heavily in fear and bitterness of Spirit all the day long Why what ayled you what was the matter with you seeing as to the outward things you were in Peace Answ. The Law of God had laid hold upon me and slain me I found my self thereby a woful sinner yea overwhelmed with the guilt of sin Every moment I expected Tribulation and wrath from the hand of God My sore ran in the night and ceased not and my soul refused comfort How is it then that you are thus delivered that you are no more sad Where have you found ease and peace have you been by any means delivered or did your trouble wear off and depart of its own accord Answ. Alas no had I not met with an effectual Remedy I had sunk and everlastingly perished What course did you take Answ. I went unto him by Jesus Christ against whom I have sinned and have found him better unto me than I could expect or ever should have believed had not he overpowred my heart by his Spirit Instead of wrath which I feared and that justly because I had deserved it he said unto me in Christ fury is not in me For a long time I could not believe it I thought it impossible that there should be mercy and pardon for me or such a one as I. But he still supported me sometimes by one means sometimes by another untill taking my soul near to himself he caused me to see the folly of my unbelieving heart and the vileness of the hard thoughts I had of him and that indeed there is with him forgiveness and plenteous Redemption This hath taken away all my sorrows and given me quietness with Rest and Assurance But are you sure now that this is so may you not possibly be deceived Answ. Sayes the soul I have not the least suspicion of any such matter and if at any time ought doth arise to that purpose it is quickly overcome But how are you confirmed in this perswasion Answ. That sense of it which I have in my heart that sweetness and rest which I have experience of that influence it hath upon my soul that Obligation I find laid upon me by it unto all thankful Obedience that Relief Supportment and Consolation that it hath afforded me in tryals and troubles in the mouth of the Grave and Entrances of Eternity all answering what is declared concerning these things in the Word will not suffer me to be deceived I could not indeed receive it untill God was pleased to speak it unto me But now let Satan do his utmost I shall never cease to bear this Testimony that there is mercy and forgiveness with him How many thousands may we find of these in the world who have had such a seal of this Truth in their hearts as they cannot only securely lay down their lives in the confirmation of it if called thereunto but also do chearfully and triumphantly venture their Eternal Concernments upon it Yea this is the rise of all that peace serenity of mind and strong consolation which in this world they are made partakers of Now this is to me on the principles before laid down an evidence great and important God hath not manifested this Truth unto the Saints thus copied it out of his word and exemplified it in their souls to leave them under any possibility of being deceived Institution of Religious Worship an Evidence of Forgiveness 6. Gods Institution of Religious Worship and Honor therein to be rendred unto him by sinners is another Evidence that there is forgivenesswith him I have instanced before in one particular of Worship to this purpose namely in that of Sacrifices But therein we intended only their particular nature and signification how they declared and manifested Reconciliation Attonement and Pardon That now aimed at is to shew how all the Worship that God hath appointed unto us and all the Honour which we give unto his holy Majesty thereby is built upon the same foundation namely a supposition of forgiveness and is appointed to teach it and to ascertain us of it which shall briefly be declared To this end observe 1. That the General End of all Divine and Religious Worship is to raise unto God a Revenue of glory out of the creation Such is Gods infinite natural self-sufficiency that he stands in need of no such Glory and Honour He was in himself no less infinitely and eternally
them in the souls of men namely that all things stand between God and his Creatures as they did at their first Creation and as they have no natural notion of forgiveness so the interposition of sin weakens disturbs darkens them as to any improvement of those Apprehensions of Goodness and Benignity which they have If they have any notion of forgiveness it is from some corrupt Tradition and not at all from any universal Principle that is inbred in nature such as are those which they have of Gods Holiness and Vindictive Justice And this is the first ground from whence it appears that a real solid discovery of forgiveness is indeed a great work many difficulties and hinderances lye in the way of its accomplishment False Presumptions of Forgiveness discovered Differences between them and Faith Evangelical Before I proceed to produce and manage the remaining Evidences of this Truth because what hath been spoken lyes obnoxious and open to an Objection which must needs rise in the minds of many that it may not thereby be rendered useless unto them I shall remove it out of the way that we may pass on to what remains It will then be said doth not all this lye directly contrary to our daily experience Do we not find all men full enough most too full of Apprehensions of Forgiveness with God What so common as God is merciful Are not the Consciences and Convictions of the most stifled by this Apprehension Can you find a man that is otherwise minded Is it not a common complaint that men presume on it unto their eternal ruine Certainly then that which all men do which every man can so easily do and which you cannot keep men off from doing though it be to their hurt hath no such difficulty in it as is pretended And on this very account hath this weak endeavour to demonstrate this Truth been by some laughed to scorn men who have taken upon them the teaching of others but as it seems had need be taught themselves the very first Principles of the Oracles of God Answ. All this then I say is so and much more to this purpose may be spoken The solly and presumption of poor souls herein can never be enough lamented But it is one thing to embrace a cloud a shadow another to have the truth in reality I shall hereafter shew the true nature of forgiveness and wherein it doth consist whereby the vanity of this self-deceiving will be discovered and laid open It will appear in the issue that notwithstanding all their pretensions that the most of men know nothing at all or not any thing to the purpose of that which is under consideration I shall therefore for the present in some few Observations shew how far this delusion of many differs from a true Gospel discovery of forgiveness such as that we are enquiring after First The common notion of forgiveness that men have in the world is twofold 1. An Atheistical Presumption on God that he is not so Just and Holy or not Just and Holy in such a way and manner as he is by some represented is the ground of their perswasion of forgiveness Men think that some Declarations of God are fitted only to make them mad That he takes little notice of these things and that what he doth he will easily pass by as they suppose better becomes him Come Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye This is their inward thought the Lord will not do good nor will he do evil which sayes the Psalmist is mens thinking that God is such a one as themselves Psal. 50. 21. They have no deep nor serious thoughts of his Greatness Holiness Purity Severity but think that he is like themselves so far as not to be much moved with what they do What thoughts they have of sin the same they think God hath If with them a slight ejaculation be enough to expiate sin that their consciences be no more troubled they think it is enough with God that it be not punished The generality of men make light work of sin and yet in nothing doth it more appear what thoughts they have of God He that hath slight thoughts of sin had never great thoughts of God Indeed mens-undervaluing of sin ariseth meerly from their contempt of God All sins concernments flow from its Relation unto God And as mens apprehensions are of God so will they be of sin which is an Opposition to him This is the frame of the most of men they know little of God and are little troubled about any thing that relates unto him God is not reverenced sin is but a trifle forgiveness a matter of nothing who so will may have it for asking But shall this Atheistical wickedness of the heart of man be called a discovery of forgiveness Is not this to make God an Idol He who is not acquainted with Gods Holiness and Purity who knows not sins desert and sinfulness knows nothing of forgiveness Secondly From the doctrine of the Gospel commonly preached and made known there is a general notion begotten in the minds of men that God is ready to forgive Men I say from hence have a doctrinal Apprehension of this truth without any real satisfactory foundation of that Apprehension as to themselves This they have heard this they have been often told so they think and so they are resolved to do A general perswasion hereof spreads it self over all to whom the sound of the Gospel doth come It is not fiducially resolved into the Gospel but is an Opinion growing out of the Report of it Some relief men find by it in the common course of their Conversation in the duties of Worship which they do perform as also in their troables and distresses whether internal and of conscience or external and of Providence so that they resolve to retain it And this is that which I shall briefly speak unto and therein manifest the differences between this common prevailing Apprehension of forgiveness and Faiths discovery of it to the soul in its power First That which we reject is loose and general not fixed ingrafted or planted on the mind So is it alwayes where the minds of men receive things only in their notion and not in their power It wants fixedness and foundation which defects accompany all notions of the mind that are only retained in the memory not implanted in the Judgement They have general thoughts of it which they use as occasion serves They hear that God is a merciful God and as such they intend to deal with him For the true bottom rise and foundation of it whence or on what account the pure and holy God who will do no iniquity the Righteous God whose judgement it is that they that commit sin are worthy of death should yet pardon iniquity transgression and sin they weigh it not they consider it not or if they do it is in a slight and notional way as they consider
We will then bring our guilty souls into his presence and attend the pleasure of his Grace what he speaks concerning us we will willingly submit unto And this sometimes proves an Anchor to a tossed soul which though it gives it not rest and peace yet it saves it from the rock of despair Here it abides until Light do more and more break forth upon it Thirdly Faith dealing about forgiveness doth commonly eye in a peculiar manner its relation to the mediation and blood of Christ. So the Apostle directs 1 John 2. 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins If any one hath sinned and is in depths and entanglements about it what course shall he take how shall he proceed to obtain deliverance why he must unto God for pardon but what shall he rely upon to encourage him in his so doing saith the Apostle consider by faith the Attonement and propitiation made for sin by the blood of Christ and that he is still pursuing the work of Love to the suing out of pardon for us and rest thy soul thereon This I say most commonly is that which faith in the first place immediately fixes on Fourthly Faith eyes actual pardon or condonation So God proposeth it as a motive to further believing Isa. 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee Actual pardon of sin is proposed to faith as an encouragement unto a full returning unto God in all things 2 Sam. 23. 5. And the like may be said of all the other particulars which we have insisted on There is not any of them but will yield peculiar relief unto a soul dealing with God about forgiveness as having some one special concernment or other of forgiveness in wrapped in them Only as I said they do it not exclusively but are the special doors whereby believing enters into the whole And these things must be spoken unto afterwards Let us now take along with us the end for which all these considerations have been insisted on It is to manifest that a real discovery of Gospel Forgiveness is a matter of greater consequence and importance than at first proposal it may be it appeared unto some to be Who is not in hopes in expectation of pardon Who thinks not that they know well enough at least what it is if they might but obtain it But men may have general thoughts of impunity and yet be far enough from any saving acquaintance with Gospel mercy Forgiveness discovered or Revealed only to Faith Reasons thereof For a close of this Discourse I shall only add what is included in that Proposition which is the foundation of the whole namely that this discovery of forgiveness is and can be made to faith alone The nature of it is such as that nothing else can discover it or receive it No Reasonings no enquiries of the heart of man can reach unto it That guess or glimpse which the Heathens had of old of somewhat so called and which false Worshippers have at present is not the forgiveness we insist upon but a meer imagination of their own hearts This the Apostle informs us Rom. 1. 17. The Righteousness of God is in the Gospel revealed from faith to faith Nothing but faith hath any thing to do with it It is that Righteousness of God whereof he speaks that consists in the forgiveness of sins by the blood of Christ declared in the Gospel And this is revealed from the faith of God in the Promise to the faith of the Believer to him that mixes the Promise with faith And again more fully 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The wayes whereby we may come to the knowledge of any thing are by the seeing of the eye or the hearing of the ear or the Reasonings and meditations of the heart but now none of these will reach to the matter in hand by none of these wayes can we come to an acquaintance with the things of the Gospel that are prepared for us in Christ. How then shall we obtain the knowledge of them that he declares v. 10. God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit Now it is faith only that receives the Revelations of the Spirit nothing else hath to do with them To give evidence hereunto we may consider that this great mysterie 1. Is too Deep 2. Is too Great for ought else to discover and 3. That nothing else but faith is suited to the making of this discovery First It is too deep and mysterious to be fathomed and reached by any thing else Reasons line is too short to fathom the depths of the Fathers Love of the blood of the Son and the Promises of the Gospel built thereon wherein forgiveness dwells Men cannot by their rational considerations launch out into these deeps nor draw water by them from these Wells of Salvation Reason stands by amazed and cryes how can these things be it can but gather Cockle shells like him of old at the shoar of this Ocean a few Criticisms upon the outward letter and so bring an evil report upon the Land as did the Spies All it can do is but to hinder faith from venturing into it crying spare thy self this attempt is vain these things are impossible It is among the things that faith puts off and layes aside when it engageth the soul into this great work This then that it may come to a discovery of forgiveness causeth the soul to deny it self and all its own Reasonings and to give up it self to an infinite fulness of Goodness and Truth Though it cannot go into the bottom of these depths yet it enters into them and finds rest in them Nothing but faith is suited to rest to satiate and content it self in mysterious bottomless unsearchable depths Being a soul emptying a Reason denying Grace the more it meets withal beyond its search and reach the more satisfaction it finds This is that which I looked for saith Faith even for that which is infinite and unsearchable When I know that there is abundantly more beyond me that I do not comprehend than what I have attained unto for I know that nothing else will do good to the soul. Now this is that which really puzzles and overwhelms Reason rendring it useless What it cannot compass it will neglect or despise It is either amazed and confounded and dazled like weak eyes at too great a light or fortifying of it self by inbred pride and obstinacy it concludes that this preaching of the Cross of forgiveness from the Love of God by the blood of Christ is plain folly a thing not for a wise man to take notice of or to trouble himself about So it appeared to the wise Greeks
Invitation to Repentance and to disbelieve forgiveness is to call the Truth Holiness and Faithfulness of God into question If you will not believe forgiveness pretend what you please it is in truth because you hate Repentance You do but deceive your souls when you pretend you come not up to Repentance because you cannot believe forgiveness For in the very Institution of this duty God engageth all his Properties to make it good that he hath pardon and mercy for sinners 4. Much less cause is there to doubt of forgiveness where sincere Repentance is in any measure wrought No soul comes to Repentance but upon Gods call God calls none but whom he hath mercy for upon their coming And as for those who sin against the Holy Ghost as they shut themselves out from forgiveness so they are not called to Repentance 5. God expresly declares in the Scripture that the forgiveness that is with him is the foundation of his prescribing repentance unto man One instance may suffice Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perverse wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the man of iniquity his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy and to our God for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will multiply to pardon You see to whom he speaks to men perversely wicked and such as make a trade of sinning What doth he call them unto plainly to Repentance to the duty we have insisted on But what is the ground of such an invitation unto such profligate sinners Why the abundant forgiveness and pardon that is with him super-abounding unto what the worst of them can stand in need of as Rom. 5. 20. And this is another way whereby God hath revealed that there is forgiveness with him and an infallible bottom for saith to build upon in its approaches unto God it is Nor can the certainty of this Evidence be called into question but on such grounds as are derogatory to the Glory and Honour of God And this connexion of Repentance and forgiveness is that principle from whence God convinces a stubborn unbelieving people that all his wayes and dealings with sinners are just and equal Ezek. 18. 25. And should there be any failure in it they could not be so Every soul then that is under a call to Repentance whether out of his natural condition or from any back-sliding into folly after Conversion hath a sufficient foundation to rest on as to the pardon he enquires after God is ready to deal with him on terms of mercy if out of love to sin or the power of unbelief he refuse to close with him on these terms his condemnation is just And it will be well that this consideration be well imprinted on the minds of men I say notwithstanding the general presumptions that men seem to have of this matter yet these principles of it ought to be inculcated For 1. Such is the Atheism that lyes lurking in the hearts of men by nature that notwithstanding their pretences and professions we have need to be pressing upon them Evidences of the very Being and Essential Properties of God In so doing we have the assistance of inbred notions in their own minds which they cannot eject to help carry on the work How much more is this necessary in reference unto the free Acts of the Will of God which are to be known only by meer Revelation Our Word had need be line upon line And yet when we have done have cause enough to cry out as was said Lord who hath believed our report and to whom hath this arm of the Lord been revealed 2. What was spoken before of the obstacles that lye in the way hindring souls from a saving reception of this Truth ought to be remembred Those who have no experience of them between God and their souls seem to be ignorant of the true nature of Conscience Law Gospel Grace Sin and Forgiveness 3. Many who are come to a saving perswasion of it yet having not received it upon clear and unquestionable grounds and so not knowing how to resolve their faith of it into its proper principles are not able to answer the Objections that lye against it in their own Consciences and so do miserably fluctuate about it all their dayes These had need to have these principles inculcated on them Were they pondred aright some might have cause to say with the Samaritans who first gave credit to the report of the woman John 4. They had but a report before but now they find all things to be according unto it yea to exceed it A little experience of a mans own unbelief with the Observation that may easily be made of the uncertain progresses and fluctuations of the spirits of others will be a sufficient conviction of the necessity of the work we are engaged in But it will yet be said that it is needless to multiply Arguments and Evidences in this case The Truth insisted on being granted as one of the fundamental principles of Religion As it is not then by any called in question so it doth not appear that so much time and pains is needful for the confirmation of it For what is granted and plain needs little confirmation But several things may be returned in Answer hereunto all which may at once be here pleaded for the multiplication of our Arguments in this matter That it is generally granted by all is no Argument that it is effectually believed by many Sundry things are taken for granted in point of opinion that are not so believed as to be improved in practice We have in part shewed before and shall afterwards undeniably evince that there are very few that believe this Truth with that faith that will interest them in it and give them the benefit of it And what will it avail any of us that there is forgiveness of sin with God if our own sins be not forgiven no more than that such or such a King is rich whilst we are poor and starving My aim is not to prove it as an opinion or a meer speculative Truth but so to evidence it in the principles of its Being and Revelation as that it may be believed whereon all our blessedness depends 2. It needs never the less confirmation because it is a plain fundamental Truth but rather the more and that because both of the Worth and Weight of it This is a faithful saying saith the Apostle worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners So say I of this which for the substance of it is the same with that It is worthy of all acceptation namely that there is forgiveness with God And therefore ought it to be fully confirmed Especially whilst we make use of no other demonstrations of it but those only which God hath furnished us withal to that purpose and this he would not have done but that he knew them
Acceptance of Worship from us is an infallible Demonstration that he will not execute against us the severity of the first curse And this is clearly evidenced in the first Record of solemn instituted Worship performed by sinners Gen. 4 4. God had Respect unto Abel and his Offering Some think that God gave a visible pledge of his acceptance of Abel and his Offering it may be it was by fire from Heaven For how else should Cain so instantly know that his Brother and his Offering were accepted but that he and his were refused However it were it is evident that what Testimony God gave of the Acceptance of his Offering the same he gave concerning his Person and that in the first place he had respect unto Abel and then to his Offering And therefore the Apostle saith that hereby he obtained witness that he was Righteous Heb. 11. 4. that is the Witness or Testimony of God himself Now this was in the forgiveness of his sins without which he could neither be Righteous nor accepted for he was a sinner This God declared by Acceptance of his Worship And thus we also if we have any Testimony of Gods Acceptance of us in any part of his Worship should employ it to the same end Hath God enlarged our hearts in prayer hath he given us an Answer unto any of our supplications hath he refreshed our hearts in the preaching and dispensation of the Word or any other Ordinance We are not to rest in the particular about which our communion with him hath been Our doing so is the cause why we lose our experiences They lye scattered up and down separated from their proper root and so are easily lost But this is that which we should first improve such particular experiences in the Worship of God unto namely that God hath pardoned our sins and accepted our persons thereon for without that none of our Worship or Service would please him or be accepted with him 2. Hereby God lets us know that he deals with us upon new Terms so that notwithstanding sin we may enjoy his love and favour For this we have the engagement of his Truth and Veracity and he cannot deceive us but yet by this command of his for his Worship we should be deceived if there were not forgiveness with him For it gives us encouragement to expect and Assurance of finding Acceptance with him which without it cannot be obtained This then God declares by his Institution of and command for his Worship namely that there is nothing that shall indispensably hinder those who give-up themselves unto the Obedience of Gods commands from enjoying his love and favour and communion with him 4. For matter of fact it is known and confessed that God hath appointed a Worship for sinners to perform All the Institutions of the Old and New Testament bear witness hereunto God was the Author of them And men know not what they do when either they neglect them or would be intermixing their own Imaginations with them What can the mind of man conceive or invent that may have any influence into this matter to secure the souls of Believers of their Acceptance with God Is there any need of their Testimony to the Truth Faithfulness and Goodness of God These things he hath taken upon himself This then is that which is to be fixed on our souls upon our first Invitation unto Religious Worship namely that God intends a new Revenue of Glory from us and therefore declares that there is a way for the taking away of our sins without which we can give no Glory to him by our Obedience and this is done only by forgiveness 5. There are some Ordinances of Worship appointed for this very end and purpose to confirm unto us the forgiveness of sin Especially in that Worship which is instituted by the Lord Jesus under the New Testament I shall instance in one or two First The Ordinance of Baptism This was accompanied with the dawning of the Gospel in the Ministry of John Baptist And he expresly declared in his Sermons upon it that it was instituted of God to declare the Remission of sins Mark 1. 4. It is true the Lord Christ submitted unto that Ordinance and was baptized by John who had no sin But this belonged unto the Obedience which God required of him as for our sakes he was made under the Law He was to observe all Ordinances and Institutions of the Worship of God not for any need he had in his own Person of the especial Ends and significations of some of them yet as he was our Sponsor surety and Mediator standing in our stead in all that he so did he was to yield obedience unto them that so he might fulfill all Righteousness Matth. 3. 13. So was he circumcised so he was baptized both which had respect unto sin though absolutely free from all sin in his own Person and that because he was free from no Obedience unto any Command of God But as was said Baptism it self as appointed to be an Ordinance of Worship for sinners to observe was a Declaration of that forgiveness that is with God It was so in its first Institution God calls a man in a marvellous and miraculous manner gives him a Ministry from Heaven commands him to Go and Baptize all those who confessing their sins and professing Repentance of them should come to him to have a Testimony of forgiveness And as to the especial nature of this Ordinance he appoints it to be such as to represent the certainty and truth of his Grace in pardon unto their senses by a visible pledge He lets them know that he would take away their sin wherein their spiritual defilement doth consist even as Water takes away the outward filth of the body and that hereby they shall be saved as surely as Noah and his Family were saved in the Ark swimming upon the waters 1 Pet. 3. 21. Now how great a deceit must needs in this whole matter have been put upon poor sinners if it were not infallibly certain that they might obtain forgiveness with God After the Entrance of this Ordinance in the Ministry of John the Lord Christ takes it into his own hand and commands the observation of it unto all his Disciples I dispute not now who are the proper immediate objects of it whether they only who actually can make profession of their faith or Believers with their infant seed For my part I believe that all whom Christ loves and pardons are to be made partakers of the pledge thereof And the sole Reason which they of old insisted on why the infants of Believing Parents should not be baptized was because they thought they had no sin and therein we know their mistake But I treat not now of these things only this I say is certain that in the prescription of this Ordinance unto his Church the great Intention of the Lord Christ was to ascertain unto us the forgiveness of sins
in those other fundamental duties of the Gospel in self-denyal readiness for the Cross and forsaking the world is an Evidence if not how little sincerity there is in the World Yet at least it is of how little growing and thriving there is amongst Professors 3. That there is no Grace Vertue or Perfection in any man but what is as an Emanation from the Divine Goodness and Bounty so expressive of some Divine Excellencies or perfection somewhat that is in God in a way and manner Infinitely more Excellent We were created in the Image of God Whatever was good or comely in us was a part of that Image Especially the Ornaments of our Minds the perfections of our souls These things had in them a resemblance of and a correspondency unto some excellencies in God whereunto by the way of Analogie they may be reduced This being for the most part lost by sin a shadow of it only remaining in the faculties of our souls and that Dominion over the Creatures which is permitted unto men in the patience of God The recovery that we have by Grace is nothing but an initial Renovation of the Image of God in us Ephes. 4. 22. It is the implanting upon our natures those Graces which may render us again like unto him And nothing is Grace or Vertue but what so answers to somewhat in God So then whatever is in us of this kind is in God absolutely perfectly in a way and manner infinitely more excellent Let us now therefore put these things together God requires of us that there should be forgiveness in us for those that do offend us forgiveness without limitation and bounds The Grace hereof he bestoweth on his Saints sets an high price upon it and manifests many wayes that he accounts it among the most excellent of our endowments one of the most lovely and praise worthy qualifications of any person What then shall we now say Is there forgiveness with him or no He that made the Eye shall he not see He that planted the Ear shall he not hear He that thus prescribes forgiveness to us that bestows the Grace of it upon us is there not forgiveness with him It is all one as to say though we are good yet God is not though we are Benign and Bountiful yet he is not He that finds this Grace wrought in him in any measure and yet fears that he shall not find it in God for himself doth therein and so far prefer himself above God which is the natural Effect of cursed unbelief But the Truth is were there not forgiveness with God forgiveness in man would be no vertue with all those qualities that encline thereto such are meekness pity patience compassion and the like Which what were it but to set loose Humane Nature to rage and madness For as every Truth consists in its answerableness to the Prime and Eternal Verity So vertue consists not absolutely nor primarily in a conformity to a rule of Command but in a Correspondency unto the first absolute perfect Being and its perfections Properties of Forgiveness The Greatness and Freedom of it The Arguments and Demonstrations foregoing have we hope undeniably evinced the great Truth we have insisted on which is the life and soul of all our Hope Profession Religion and Worship The end of all this Discourse is to lay a firm foundation for faith to rest upon in its addresses unto God for the forgiveness of sins as also to give encouragements unto all sorts of persons so to do This End remains now to be explained and pressed which work yet before we directly close withall two things are further to be premised And the first is to propose some of those Adjuncts of and Considerations about this forgiveness as may both encourage and necessitate us to seek out after it and to mix the Testimonies given unto it and the Promises of it with faith unto our Benefit and Advantage The other is to shew how needfull all this endeavour is upon the account of that great Unbelief which is in the most in this matter As to the first of these then we may consider First That this forgiveness that is with God is such as becomes him such as is suitable to his Greatness Goodness and all other Excellencies of his Nature such as that therein he will be known to be God What he sayes concerning some of the works of his Providence be still and know that I am God may be much more said concerning this great Effect of his Grace Still your souls and know that he is God It is not like that narrow difficult halving and manacled forgiveness that is found amongst men when any such thing is found amongst them But it is full free boundless bottomless absolute such as becomes his Nature and Excellencies It is in a word forgiveness that is with God and by the exercise whereofhe will be known so to be And hence 1. God himself doth really separate and distinguish his forgiveness from any thing that our thoughts and imaginations can reach unto and that because it is his and like himself It is an object for faith alone which can rest in that which it cannot comprehend It is never safer than when it is as it were overwhelmed with infiniteness But set meer rational thoughts or the imaginations of our minds at work about such things and they fall unconceivably short of them They can neither conceive of them aright nor use them unto their proper end and purpose Were not forgiveness in God somewhat beyond what men could imagine no flesh could be saved This himself expresseth Isa. 55. 7 8 9. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord for as the Heavens are higher than the earth so are my wayes higher than your wayes and my thoughts than your thoughts They are as is plain in the context thoughts of forgiveness and wayes of Pardon whereof he speaks These our Apprehensions come short of we know little or nothing of the infinite largeness of his heart in this matter He that he speaks of is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an impiously wicked man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of deceit and perverse wickedness He whose design and course is nothing but a lye sin and iniquity Such an one as we would have little or no hopes of that we would scarce think it worth our while to deal withal about a hopeless Conversion or can scarce find in our hearts to pray for him but are ready to give him up as one profligate and desperate But let him turn to the Lord and he shall obtain forgiveness But how can this be Is it possible there should be mercy for such an one Yes For the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
This will further improve and carry on the former consideration If God reveals any thing for one end and purpose and men use it quite unto another they do not receive the Word of God nor believe the thing revealed but steal the Word and delude their own souls Let us then weigh to what Ends and purposes this forgiveness was first revealed by God for which also its manifestation is still continued in the Gospel We have shewed before who it was to whom this Revelation was first made and what condition he was in when it was so made unto him A lost wretched Creature without hope or help he was how he should come to obtain Acceptance with God he knew not God reveals forgiveness unto him by Christ to be his all The intention of God in it was that a Sinners All should be of Grace Rom. 11. 6. If any thing be added unto it for the same End and purpose then Grace is no more Grace Again God intended it as a new foundation of Obedience of Love and Thankfulness That men should Love because Forgiven and be Holy because Pardoned as I have shewed before that it might be the Righteousness of a Sinner and a spring of new obedience in him all to the praise of Grace were Gods Ends in its Revelation Our Enquiry then is whether men do receive this Revelation as unto these Ends and use it for these purposes and these only I might evince the contrary by passing through the General abuses of the Doctrine of Grace which are mentioned in the Scripture and common in the world but it will not be needfull Instead of Believing the most of men seem to put a studyed despight on the Gospel They either proclaim it to be an unholy and polluted way by turning its Grace into Lasciviousness or a weak and insufficient way by striving to twist it in with their own Righteousness both which are an Abomination unto the Lord. From these and such other Considerations of the like importance as might be added it is evident that our Word is not in vain nor the Exhortation which is to be built upon it It appears that notwithstanding the great noyse and pretences to this purpose that are in the World they are but few who seriously receive this fundamental truth of the Gospel Namely that there is forgiveness with God Poor Creatures sport themselves with their own deceivings and perish by their own delusions Exhortation unto the Belief of the Forgiveness that is with God Reasons for it and the Necessity of it We shall now proceed unto the direct uses of this great Truth For having laid our foundation in the Word that will not fail and having given as we hope sufficient Evidence unto the truth of it our last work is to make that improvement of it unto the Good of the Souls of men which all along was aimed at The persons concerned in this Truth are all Sinners whatever No sort of sinners are unconcerned in it none are excluded from it And we may cast them all under Two heads First Such as never yet sincerely closed with the promise of Grace Nor have ever yet received forgiveness from God in a way of believing These we have already endeavoured to undeceive and to discover those false presumptions whereby they are apt to ruine and destroy their own souls These we would guide now into safe and pleasant paths wherein they may find assured Rest and Peace Secondly Others there are who have received it but being again entangled by sin or clouded by darkness and temptations or weakned by unbelief know not how to improve it to their Peace and Comfort This is the condition of the soul represented in this Psalm And which we shall therefore apply our selves unto in an especial manner in its proper place Our Exhortation then is unto both to the first that they would receive it that they may have life to the latter that they would improve it that they may have peace To the former that they would not overlook disregard or neglect so great salvation as is tendred unto them to the latter that they would stir up the Grace of God that is in them to mix with the Grace of God that is declared unto them I shall begin with the first sort those who are yet utter strangers from the Covenant of Grace who never yet upon saving grounds believed this forgiveness who never yet once tasted of Gospel Pardon Poor sinners this word is unto you Be it that you have heard or read the same word before or others like unto it to the same purpose It may be often it may be an hundred times It is your concernment to hear it again God would have it so The Testimony of Jesus Christ is thus to be accomplished This Counsel of God we must declare that we may be free from the blood of all men Acts 20. 26 27. And that not once or twice but in preaching the Word we must be instant in season out of season reproving rebuking exhorting with all long-suffering and doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 2. And for you wo unto you when God leaves thus speaking unto you when he refuseth to Exhort you any more wo unto you This is Gods departure from any person or people when he will deal with them no more about forgiveness and faith he Wo unto them when I depart from them Hos. 9. 12. O that God therefore would give unto such persons seeing Eyes and hearing Ears that the word of Grace may never more be spoken unto them in vain Now in our Exhortation to such persons we shall proceed gradually according as the matter will bear and the nature of it doth require Consider therefore 1. That notwithstanding all your sins all the evil that your own hearts know you to be guilty of and that hidden Mass or evil treasure of sin which is in you which you are not able to look into notwithstanding that charge that lyes upon you from your own Consciences and that dreadful sentence and curse of the Law which you are obnoxious unto notwithstanding all the just grounds that you have to apprehend that God is your Enemy and will be so unto eternity yet there are Terms of Peace and Reconciliation provided and proposed between him and your souls This in the first place is spoken out by the Word we have insisted on Whatever else it informs us of this it positively asserts namely that there is a way whereby sinners may come to be accepted with God For there is forgiveness with him that he may be feared And we hope that we have not confirmed it by so many Testimonies by so many Evidences in vain Now that you may see how great a priviledge this is and how much your concernment lyes in it Consider 1. That this belongs unto you in an especial manner it is your peculiar advantage It is not so with the Angels that sinned There were never any terms of Peace or
Peace you may find This is the putting of the hand into the side of Christ but blessed are they who believe and yet have not seen RULE III. If you have at any time formerly received any especial or Immediate pledge or testimony of God given unto your souls as unto their Sincerity and consequently their Regeneration labour to recover it and to revive a sense of it upon your Spirits now in your darkness and trouble I am perswaded there are but few Believers but that God doth at one time or other in one duty or other entring into or coming out of one Temptation or another give some singular Testimony unto their own souls and consciences concerning their Sincerity and his Acceptance of them Sometimes he doth this in a duty wherein he hath enabled the soul to make so near an approach unto him as that it hath been warmed enlivened sweetned satisfied with the presence the gracious presence of God and which God hath made unto him as a token of his uprightness Sometimes when a man is entring into any great Temptation Trial difficult or dangerous duty that death it self is feared in it God comes in by one means or other by a secret intimation of his Love which he gives him to take along with him for his furniture and provision in his way and thereby testifies to him his Sincerity And this serves like the food of Elijah for forty daies in a wilderness condition Sometimes he is pleased to shine immediately into the soul in the midst of its darkness and sorrow wherewith it is surprized as not looking for any such expression of kindness and is thereby relieved against its own pressing self-condemnation And sometimes the Lord is pleased to give these tokens of Love unto the soul as its refreshment when it is coming off from the storm of Temptations wherewith it hath been tossed And many other times and seasons there are wherein God is pleased to give unto Believers some Especial Testimony in their consciences unto their own Integrity But now these are all wrought by a transient operation of the Spirit exciting and enabling the heart unto a spiritual sensible apprehension and receiving of Gods expressing kindness towards it These things abide not in their sense and in their power which they have upon our Affections but immediately pass away They are therefore to be treasured up in the mind and judgement to be improved and made use of by Faith as occasion shall require but we are apt to lose them Most know no other use of them but whilst they feel them yea through ignorance in our duty to improve them they prove like a sudden light brought into a dark place and again removed which seems to increase and really aggravates our sense of the darkness The true Use of them is to lay them up and ponder them in our hearts that they may be Supportments and Testimonies unto us in a time of need Have you then who are now in the dark as to your state or condition whether you are Regenerate or no ever received any such refreshing and chearing Testimony from God given unto your Integrity and your Acceptance with him thereupon call it over again and make use of it against those discouragements which arise from your present darkness in this matter and which keeps you off from sharing in the consolation tendred unto you in this Word of Grace RULE IV. A due spiritual Consideration of the Causes and Effects of Regeneration is the ordinary way and means whereby the souls of Believers come to be satisfied concerning that work of God in them and upon them The principle or causes of this work are the Spirit and the Word He that is born again is born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 6. and of the Word Of his own Will begat he us by the word of his Truth Jam. 1. 18. We are born again by the Word of God that abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. Where ever then a man is regenerate there hath been an effectual work of the Spirit and of the Word upon his soul. This is to be inquired into and after Ordinarily it will discover it self Such impressions will be made in it upon the soul such a change will be wrought and produced in it as will not escape a spiritual diligent search and enquiry And this is much of the duty of such as are in the dark and uncertain concerning the accomplishment of this work in themselves Let them call to mind what have been the actings of the Spirit by the Word upon their souls What Light thereby hath been communicated unto their minds what discoveries of the Lord Christ and way of Salvation have been made to them what sense and detestation of sin have been wrought in them what satisfaction hath been given unto the soul to chuse accept and acquiesce in the Righteousness of Christ what Resignation of the heart unto God according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace it hath been wrought unto Call to mind what Transactions there have been between God and your souls about these things how far they have been carryed on whether you have broken off the Treaty with God and refused his Terms or if not where the stay is between you and what is the Reason since God hath graciously begun to deal thus with you that you are not yet come to a through close with him in the work and design of his Grace the defect must of necessity lye on your parts God doth nothing in vain Had he not been willing to receive you he would not have dealt with you so far as he hath done There is nothing then remains to firm your condition but a resolved Act of your own Wills in answering the mind and will of God And by this search may the soul come to satisfaction in this matter or at least find out and discover where the stick is whence their uncertainty doth arise and what is wanting to compleat their desires Again this work may be discovered by its Effects There is something that is produced by it in the soul which may also be considered either with respect unto its Being and Existence or unto its Actings and Operations in the first regard it is Spirit Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the Spirit which is produced by the effectual operation of the Spirit of God it is Spirit A new Creature 2 Cor. 15. 17. He that is in Christ Jesus who is born again is a new Creature a new life a spiritual life Gal. 2. 20. Ephes. 2. 1. In brief it is an habitual furnishment of all the faculties of the soul with new spiritual vital principles enabling a person in all instances of Obedience to lead a spiritual life unto God This principle is by this work produced in the soul and in respect of its Actings it consists in all the gracious operations of the Mind Will Heart or Affections in the duties of Obedience which God hath required
of us This is that which gives life unto our duties without which the best of our works are but dead works and renders them acceptable unto the Living God It is not my business at large to pursue and declare these things I only mention them that persons who are kept back from a participation of the Consolation tendred from the forgiveness that is with God because they cannot comfortably conclude that they are born again as knowing that it is unto such persons alone unto whom these Consolations do truly and really belong may know how to make a right judgement of themselves Let such persons then not fluctuate up and down in Generals and Uncertainties with heartless complaints which is the ruine of the peace of their souls but let them really put things to the trial by the examination of the Causes and Effects of the work they enquire after It is by the use of such means whereby God will be pleased to give them all the Assurance and Establishment concerning their State and Condition which is needfull for them and which may give them incouragement in their course of obedience But supposing all that hath been spoken what if a man by the utmost search and enquiry that he is able to make cannot attain any satisfactory perswasion that indeed this great work of Gods Grace hath passed upon his soul is this a sufficient ground to keep him off from accepting of supportment and consolation from this Truth that there is forgiveness with God which is the design of the Objection laid down before I say therefore further that 1. Regeneration doth not in Order of time precede the souls interest in the forgiveness that is with God or its being made partaker of the pardon of sin I say no more but that it doth not precede it in order of time not determining which hath precedency in order of nature That I confess which the method of the Gospel leads unto is that Absolution Acquitment or the pardon of sin is the foundation of the communication of all saving Grace unto the soul and so precedeth all Grace in the sinner whatever But because this Absolution or pardon of sin is to be received by faith whereby the soul is really made partaker of it and all the benefits belonging thereunto and that faith also is the radical grace which we receive in our Regeneration for it is by faith that our hearts are purified as an Instrument in the hand of the great purifier the Spirit of God I place these two together and shall not dispute as to their priority in nature but in time the one doth not precede the other 2. It is hence evident that an Assurance of being Regenerate is no way previously necessary unto the believing of an interest in forgiveness so that although a man have not the former it is or may be his duty to endeavour the latter When convinced persons cryed out What shall we do to be saved the answer was believe and you shall be so Believe in Christ and in the remission of sin by his blood is the first thing that convinced sinners are called unto They are not directed first to secure their souls that they are born again and then afterwards to believe But they are first to believe that the Remission of sin is tendred unto them in the blood of Christ and that by him they may be justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law Nor upon this proposition is it the duty of men to question whether they have faith or no but actually to believe And faith in its operation will evidence it self See Acts 13. 38 39. Suppose then that you do not know that you are Regenerate that you are born of God that you have no prevailing refreshing constant evidence or perswasion thereof should this hinder you should this discourage you from believing forgiveness from closing with the promises and thereby obtaining in your selves an interest in that forgiveness that is with God Not at all Nay this ought exceedingly to excite and stir you up unto your duty herein For 1. Suppose that it is otherwise that indeed you are yet in the state of sin and are only brought under the power of Light and Conviction this is the way for a translation into an estate of spiritual life and Grace If you will forbear the acting of faith upon and for forgiveness until you are Regenerate you may and probably you will come short both of Forgiveness and Regeneration also Here lay your foundation and then your building will go on This will open the door unto you and give you an entrance into the Kingdom of God Christ is the door do not think to climb up over the wall enter by him or you will be kept out 2. Suppose that you are born again but yet know it not as is the condition of many This is a way whereby you may receive an evidence thereof It is good embracing of all signs tokens and pledges of our spiritual condition and it is so to improve them But the best course is to follow the genuine natural actings of faith which will lead us into the most setled apprehensions concerning our Relation unto God and acceptance with him Believe first the forgiveness of sin as the effect of meer grace and mercy in Christ. Let the faith hereof be nourished and strengthened in your souls This will insensibly influence your hearts into a comforting Gospel perswasion of your state and condition towards God which will be accompanied with assured rest and peace To winde up this discourse remember that that which hath been spoken with reference unto the state of Regeneration in General may be applyed unto every particular objection or cause of fear or discouragement that may be reduced to that head Such are all Objections that arise from particular sins from Aggravations of sin by their greatness or circumstances or relapses into them The way that the consideration of these things prevail upon the mind unto fears is by begetting an apprehension in men that they are not Regenerate for if they were they suppose they could not be so overtaken or entangled The Rules therefore laid down are suited to the streights of the souls of sinners in all such particular cases Lastly There was somewhat in particular added in the close of the Objection which although it be not directly in our way nor of any great importance in it self yet having been mentioned it is not unmeet to remove it out of the way that it may not leave intanglement upon the minds of any Now this is that some know not nor can give an account of the Time of their conversion unto God and therefore cannot be satisfied that the saving work of his grace hath passed upon them This is usually and ordinarily spoken unto And I shall therefore briefly give an account concerning it 1. It hath been shewed that in this matter there are many things whereon