Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 1
SERMON I.
MATT. 18. 21, 22.
Then Peter came to him and ſaid, Lord, how oft ſhall my Brother ſin againſt me, and I forgive him? till ſeven times?
Jeſus ſaith unto him, I ſay not unto thee until ſeven times: but until ſeventy times ſeven.
HEre is Peter's Queſtion unto Chriſt about the Forgiving of Offences, and Chriſts Anſwer unto Peter's Queſtion; you muſt know that the Queſtion, and ſo the Anſwer relates unto particular offences, perſonal offences, ſuch wrongs and injuries as are done by one man unto another. As for thoſe which are more immediately againſt God, and more publick, Chriſt doth give another rule in this Chapter: but this, I ſay, is concerning perſonal offences or wrongs which are done by one man unto another. How often ſhall my Brother ſin againſt me, and I forgive? It is true, every ſuch offence is a ſin againſt God, and ſo far as it is a ſin againſt God, there is no man can forgive: the Lord only can forgive ſin, he againſt whom the ſin is committed: but now there is an offence or wrong which is done againſt man, and ſo far as the offence is againſt man, man may forgive; man cannot forgive Gods part, but ſo far as the offence is againſt man, man may forgive it: nay Chriſtians ought to forgive it, ſo far to forgive it as not to ſeek any revenge for the wrong done. How often ſhall my Brother ſin or offend againſt me? By Brother here we are to underſtand any relation, any friend, any neighbour, any man that we have to do with; if that he hath done any wrong or any offence, he's comprehended under this relation of a Brother: any man, for we are all Brethren. How often ſhall my Brother ſin againſt me, and I forgive him? till ſeven times? there is Peter's Limitation: he ſeems to give an anſwer to himſelf, for it comes ſhort of the anſwer of Chriſt: Shall I forgive him ſo often, ſaies Peter? Lord! what ſhall I forgive him ſeven times? It ſeems to be hard to forgive a brother ſeven times: but ſee how Chriſts anſwer doth exceed Peter's, Chriſt will have no ſuch bounds ſet as ſeven times, I ſay not unto thee, till ſeven times, but until ſeventy times ſeven: As if Chriſt ſhould ſay, Wherefore doſt thou ſay ſeven times, to ſet the bounds of thy forgiveneſs ſeven times to thy brother? I'le have no ſuch bounds given: you think it a great matter to forgive ſeven times, I ſay unto you, That it is the Will of my Father that you forgive until ſeventy times ſeven: a certain number for an uncertain; ſeventy times ſeven, that is, I will have you to multiply forgiveneſs: not that Chriſt himſelf doth ſet bounds to ſeventy times ſeven, that they ſhould proceed ſo far and no further: but I will have you to forgive very often, nay, as often as thy brother doth offend, not ſeven times, but I ſay ſeventy times ſeven. That which I ſhall obſerve at this time is this:
Doct. How far the thoughts of the Lord and the waies of the Lord are beyond our waies and our thoughts in this matter of forgiveneſs; Peter thought ſeven times for a man to forgive an offending brother, was a great matter, but ſeventy times ſeven was not enough; and know that what the Lord Chriſt doth here give in as a duty unto Peter, and to all the Diſciples, that the Lord Jeſus himſelf doth aſſert as his prerogative in the matters of forgiveneſs, in the matter of forgiving offences and tranſgreſſions. The Lords thoughts and the Lords waies are infinitely above ours. This truth I ſhall handle at this time, to make way for that main Doctrine of the Text, which is the Doctrine of Forgiveneſs, forgiving Offences. Now that the Lords thoughts, and the Lords waies, are ſo far above ours, it is clear from Scripture, Iſa. 55. 7, 8, 9. ſee it was in the matter of forgiveneſs this is ſpoken: Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your waies my waies, ſaith the Lord: for as the Heavens are higher than the Earth, ſo are my waies higher than your waies, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Though you cannot think that I ſhould multiply pardon, you think ſeven times hard, but the Lord can multiply unto ſeventy times ſeven; the Lords waies are not as your waies, nor his thoughts as yours, for his thoughts are above your thoughts, as the heavens are above the earth; now this ſhews us how far ſhort we do imitate the Lord in forgiving others: For
1. Firſt of all, The Lord when he forgives, he forgives thoſe that are enemies; this will advance the exceeding riches of the Lords grace; I ſay the Lord when he forgives, he forgives enemies, for ſo is every man by nature; neither can any man lay down that enmity that is in▪ the heart, till ſuch time as the Lord Chriſt brings home a pardon, that is the firſt work and the ground of all that the Lord doth for a ſoul, and of what it doth for him: I will be merciful to their unrighteouſneſſes, and their ſins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now how far are the thoughts and waies of the Lord above our thoughts and waies in this matter of forgiveneſs! Chriſt he forgives enemies, he brings home forgiving mercy unto enemies, and reconciles the enmity that is in their hearts; But oh how far come we ſhort? we are ſo far from forgiving enemies, as we can ſcarce forgive friends, hard to forgive a brother, a dear and near relation: Oh how far do we come ſhort of Chriſt in that?
Secondly, The Lord when he forgives offences and tranſgreſſions to a poor ſoul, he forgives freely: and the freeneſs of the Lords forgiveneſs, will appear in theſe particulars▪
1. Firſt, In that the Lord is alwaies ready to forgive, there is a propenſity in the heart of the Lord to pardon poor ſinners that come in to him, he is ready to it, God is never unready; it diſcovers the freeneſs of the Lord in this work: the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of the Lord in Pſal. 86. 5. For thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon him. Of tender mercies, God is never unready for this work, alwaies ready, ready to forgive, the heart of God is never out of tune, never out of frame for this work, never unready for this work, alwaies ready to forgive: but oh, how far are the waies of the Lord above our waies, for this, and his thoughts above our thoughts? Where is the man, or where is the woman whoſe heart is ready to forgive, whoſe heart is never out of tune, never out of frame for this work of forgiving wrongs, injuries and offences unto them that they do commit them? The Lord he is ready to forgive. It may be at laſt a man may be drawn off to forgive a man when friends have dealt with him, when he hath been urging it on his own heart to be his duty, when he hath taken pains with his own ſoul, and brought the Word home to his ſoul, and hath ſmarted for this unreadineſs to forgive: but oh, where is the man or woman that looks unto God, whoſe heart is never out of tune, but alway ready to forgive?
2. Secondly, The freeneſs of the Lords forgiveneſs appears thus, In that he is not only ready to forgive, but he forgives at the deſire of the poor creature; no ſooner doth a poor creature expreſs his deſire, but the Lord is ready to expreſs his willingneſs, ſet forth in the Parable of the wicked Servant in Mat. 18. 32. I forgave thee becauſe thou deſiredſt me; not that this his deſire was the cauſe of forgiveneſs, but it expreſt the readineſs of the Lord at his deſire to come in, and to manifeſt pardon unto him. Now I pray let us conſider how far the thoughts of the Lord, and the waies of the Lord in this particular are above ours: for the Lord forgives that which is deſired; but oh, where is the man almoſt that can ſo eaſily forgive at the deſire of him that offends? hardly brought off, although the party offending doth deſire it, although friends have deſired him, and relations have deſired him, and God hath deſired him, and Chriſt hath deſired him, yet how hardly are they brought off to this work?
3. Again, Thirdly, The Lord forgives freely: it appears thus, He doth forgive upon the confeſſion of his people, he is ready to manifeſt his pardoning and forgiving love, 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins: And hereby I ſay it appears that he forgives freely, in that he forgives upon the very confeſſion of his people, though not for confeſſion, and not for deſire, as I ſaid before; but yet in this way the Lord is pleaſed to manifeſt forgiveneſs; no ſooner doth the poor ſoul confeſs, but he preſently forgives: I have ſinned, ſaies David: The Lord hath done away thy ſin, ſaies the Prophet preſently, that is the next word. Now how far is the way of the Lord above ours? Where is the man that is ready to forgive upon a confeſſion? Yea, although there be an acknowledgement of the wrong done, yet how hard a matter is it for a poor creature to paſs by that wrong? Thus, how much are we unlike to God?
4. Fourthly, Nay further, the freeneſs of Gods forgiving mercy appears in this, He doth forgive preſently, as ſoon as his people look towards him; he doth not make long delay about the buſineſs, he doth not ſtand to conſider whether he ſhall forgive ſuch offences or no, but preſently gives out pardon: I have ſinned, ſaies David, and in the next words, The Lord hath done away thine iniquity: Now how far is the way of the Lord above us in this? Where is the man or woman that can find in their heart to forgive preſently the wrong or injury done? Oh there muſt be a great deal of do to bring off the heart to this work to forgive. It may be in length of time mens hearts may be perſwaded, through a long time they may forgive and forget: but oh where is the working of grace, to bring off the hearts of men to forgive preſently? truly in this we come far ſhort of God, and the way and thoughts of God.
5. Fifthly, Nay further, The freeneſs of God in forgiving a poor ſinner, appears in this, He doth prevent poor ſinful creatures with pardoning mercy, Even before they do deſire, he prevents their deſire, their ſupplication for mercy, he brings in a pardon to a poor ſoul, before it hath made any real acknowledgement of its offence: I ſaid I will confeſs my ſin unto the Lord, Pſal. 32. 5. And thou forgaveſt me the iniquity of my ſin; David did but ſay it in his heart, he had but ſuch a thought, ſuch a purpoſe in his ſoul; well, I will return unto the Lord, and I will confeſs: And before David could do it, the Lord he prevents him, he prevents him with mercy. And ſo another Inſtance you have of the Prodigal in Luk. 15. He ſaid he would go to his Father and make his confeſſion; at the 18 Verſe, I will ariſe and go to my Father, and ſay, Father I have ſinned againſt Heaven and before thee, &c. and then at the 20 Verſe it is ſaid, He aroſe and came to his Father. But when he was yet a great way off, his Father ſaw him, and had compaſſion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kiſſed him. Mark how the compaſſion of the Father did prevent the confeſſion of the Son, I will go to my Father, and ſay, Father I have ſinned ſo and ſo, but before he could utter one word, the Father falls upon his neck and kiſſeth him, and forgives his many and great tranſgreſſions, and then indeed afterward he doth make an humble acknowledgement: And thus the Lord doth deal with poor ſinners, he doth prevent them with pardon, before they can acknowledge their tranſgreſſion; and how far is the way of the Lord above the way of man in this? Where is the man or woman that will deal thus with an offending brother, with one that hath done him wrong and injury, that will prevent their deſire, and prevent their confeſſion? but men will rather ſtand upon it, and think they have rather warrant ſo to do: If my brother confeſs and acknowledge his offence, then it may be we think it our duty to forgive, though hardly to bring off our hearts to that: but where there is no confeſſion and acknowledgement, where is the man like the Prodigals Father, to run and meet his ſon, and ſeal up forgiveneſs before confeſſion, or an acknowledgement? This ſhews that the way of the Lord in matters of forgiveneſs is far above man, the Lord forgives enemies, and the Lord forgives freely. But,
3. Thirdly, The Lords waies are above ours, it appears in that the Lord forgives fully: He doth not only forgive freely thoſe whom he doth forgive, but the Lord forgives poor ſinners fully: I ſhall make it out in theſe particulars. As
1. Firſt, The Lord he doth forgive all the debts When God doth forgive a ſoul, he doth forgive all offences, all tranſgreſſions and ſins whatſoever: I forgave thee all the debt; he doth not forgive one ſin to the ſoul, and leave the other to reckon with him for, and to condemn him for; but where the Lord forgives one, he forgives all, elſe the forgiveneſs of the Lord were not full. There are ſome that think indeed that God may forgive a ſoul one ſin, and yet reckon with him for other ſins: as the Arminians ſay, That God forgives Original ſin to all the World, and yet condemns for actual ſin; but this is contrary unto the fullneſs of that grace of forgiveneſs: As Jeſus Chriſt died for ſins againſt the Law, ſo he died for the ſin of Unbelief; and when God forgives the ſin of the Law, he forgives Unbelief, and overcomes Unbelief, elſe it were in vain for God to forgive tranſgreſſion: though God could forgive all tranſgreſſions againſt the Law, yet if God did not forgive tranſgreſſion againſt the Goſpel, we had been ſhut up eternally for that ſin; but when God forgives one ſin, he forgives all ſins, and herein is the fulneſs of his pardon; But oh how ſhort is our way of Gods way in this particular! A man can find in his heart to forgive ſome wrong, but to forgive all the wrong that a man hath done, this is a hard work: how hardly is the heart of man brought off to this work?
2. Secondly, Nay again, The fulneſs of Gods forgiving mercy, it appears in this, He doth not only forgive all the offences, where the offences are few, but he forgives them all where they are many. If the ſoul be brought home to Chriſt the great Mediator, the great Sacrifice, the Lord forgives for all ſins though never ſo many, Luk. 7. 47. She loved much, becauſe much was forgiven her; though her ſins were very many, yet they were forgiven her fully: we can forgive a brother, a Neighbour, or a friend if they have done us but a few wrongs, but now when offences come to be multiplied, ſuppoſe they were many, Oh how hard a matter is it to us to forgive them, though eaſie with a Almighty God? But
3. Thirdly, Again, The fulneſs of Gods forgiving mercy doth appear, in that he doth forgive the greateſt wrong. He doth not only forgive many when they are ſmall, but he forgives many when they are great: and herein I ſay is the greatneſs of the grace and of the love of God towards poor ſinners, that although offences be never ſo great, he pardons and forgives them all, Though your ſins be as ſcarlet, yet they ſhall be made as white as ſnow, Iſa. 1. 18. This is it that aggravates the offences of his people, in Iſa. 43. 24. Thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſins, thou haſt wearied me with thine inquities; yet this follows at the 25 Verſe, I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for my Name ſake, and will not remember thy ſins; this was it that did aggravate the offences of his people, thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſins. God he forgives their ſins though they were ſo great, that God was oppreſſed under them as a ſervant under a heavy burden, and yet ſaith the Lord, I, even I am he that blotteth them out: Oh how ſhort is our way of the way of God? It may be a man may forgive offences when they be ſmall, but when they come to apprehend them great, they are great wrongs done unto him, and never was any wronged as I am, by ſuch a one, and ſuch a friend: Oh how hard a matter then is it to imitate God in forgiving ſuch great wrongs?
4. Fourthly, But again further, The fulneſs of Gods forgiving mercy appears in this, He ſo forgives his people as He retains no grudge in his heart againſt his people, nothing but clearneſs in the heart of God toward his people; Joſeph was one that forgave his Brethren ſo freely as he never retained any grudge: he takes off their aggravation; it was not you, but God that ſent me hither, therefore be not offended: Joſeph herein was a Type of Chriſt, he forgave his Brethren ſo fully as he bore no grudge againſt them, we never read that he upbraided his brethren ſo much as once, for all the wrong they had done to him, there was no grudge in the heart of Joſeph againſt his brethren, there was nothing but clearneſs in his heart, and ſo nothing but clearneſs in the heart of God: But oh how do we fall ſhort of God? Men may profeſs forgiveneſs, O they forgive their Neighbour ſuch a wrong: but oh is there not ſtill ſome old grudge at the bottom that is ready to break out upon all occaſions? How ſhort do we come of God in this reſpect? Nay
5. Fifthly, Further, The fulneſs of Gods forgiveneſs doth appear in this, That he doth not bear any grudge, he will not only not upbraid, but He doth receive thoſe whom he forgives into neareſt friendſhip and fellowſhip with himſelf. Though man did greatly ſin againſt God in Adam, and brake his firſt Covenant, the Lord he enters into another Covenant, a ſecond Covenant, and in that Covenant he gives his people a nearer admittance unto himſelf than formerly in his firſt Covenant, nearer in Chriſt in the ſecond Adam than in the firſt; and truly when ever the Lord doth forgive a poor ſoul, and paſs by the failings and infirmities of his people, the wrongs and injuries which they do commit againſt him daily, yet he carries it as fairly and as friendly with them, as if they had never broke Covenant with him; ſo did Chriſt to Peter, though he did wrong and injury to Chriſt, yet the Lord Jeſus he doth admit him as near as formerly, he doth not only not upbraid him, but look upon him as his dear friend. Now how far is this way of God above our waies and thoughts? It may be you will forgive a man that hath done you wrong, yea, but you will not truſt him; he was once your friend, but you will never truſt him with your ſecrets again, you will have an eye upon him, and watch over him as long as ever he lives: Oh! how far ſhort are we in our forgiveneſs, of the forgiveneſs of God? But
Again, The Lord he doth not only forgive freely and fully, but he forgives ſincerely, with all his heart: I will do you good with all my heart and ſoul: ſo the Lord doth not only profeſs with his lips, he doth not only ſpeak it in word, but the heart of God goes along with it, with every word of pardon: I know my thoughts towards you, in Jer. 29. 11. they are thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end; he doth not only ſpeak peace, but his heart is full of peace. Oh how ſincerely doth God forgive! there is no hypocriſie, no diſſimulation, no deceit in Gods forgiveneſs: but oh how unlike are we in our thoughts and waies to God in this? There is many a man profeſſes, ay, he doth forgive, he doth forgive another that hath done him wrong, but his heart doth not go along with his word, though he cannot but for ſhame profeſs, yet a mans heart doth check him, and tell him, he doth not really forgive even as God forgives, Pſal. 55. 21. Their words are ſmoother than Oyl, peaceable words, but war is in their heart: when a man is put upon it by being urged to it to forgive, it's a ſhame not to confeſs forgiveneſs, but it is not from the heart. But
Again, When God forgives he forgives unchangeably: When God pardons, he doth not pardon to day, and call it in tomorrow again: he doth not pardon to day and recall it tomorrow: I will be merciful to their ſins, and their iniquities will I remember no more, I will blot them out as a Cloud, as a thick Cloud; A Cloud that is blown away and ſcattered that it never come again, ſo doth the Lord give out pardon, he forgives unchangeably. Indeed the Papiſts, and ſome that follow them in that way, God he may forgive, ſay they, and yet viſit for tranſgreſſions, and afterward ſuch may fall away, and God may call to account and viſit for all ſins: but this is contrary to ſound Doctrin. That which is urged by them for the proof of this their Aſſertion is that Parable in Matth. 18. that was ſpoken upon this occaſion of forgiving: ſome plead (upon this Parable) that God may forgive a man all his ſins, and yet afterwards calling him to account may reckon with him for thoſe very ſins: It ſpeaks of a certain man who ought his Lord ten thouſand Talents, but his Lord forgave him all the debt, and immediately he went forth and fell upon his fellow ſervant which ought him an hundred pence, and took him by the throat and caſt him into priſon, till he ſhould pay all the debt; whereupon it is ſaid, When his Lord heard thereof, he was wroth, and delivered him to the Tormentors, till he ſhould pay all that was due unto him. Now from this Parable ſome plead, That a man may be pardoned, and afterwards God may reckon with him for thoſe very ſins. But by way of Anſwer,
1. Firſt, Know it is dangerous to ſtrain every Parable: we are in Parables to look to that which is the main ſcope; it is not that God forgives ſins, and then calls to account afterward for them again; the ſcope of the Parable is, That no man can know he is pardoned of God, but that man that is ready to forgive wrongs and injuries done unto him: But yet they will urge particularly this Parable, that the debt was forgiven, and yet he called to an account.
2. Secondly, I anſwer to that, That the Lord may forgive ſome temporal puniſhment; when God removes a man or a people from temporal puniſhment, then God is ſaid to deliver from ſin, and ſo far this ſervant was forgiven, and any a perſon may be forgiven ſo far, God may give out a promiſe of the removal of ſome temporal puniſhment, as he did upon Ahab his outward confeſſion; a man may be ſo far forgiven, that temporal puniſhment for a while may be repealed and held back, and a man by his own folly may pull down ſome greater wrath. And then
3. Thirdly, Again, He was never made partaker of that pardoning mercy which the Covenant holds forth, which appears by the frame of his Spirit after he was pardoned, Verſe 26. Lord have patience with me, and I will pay thee all; it was no more than the forgiving of ſome temporal puniſhment: he knew not what did belong to the Covenant of Grace, he was ignorant of Gods way in forgiving ſin, he was a Legaliſt; certainly this man was never acquainted with the Covenant of Grace, he did not know that he was a poor weak man, and altogether unable to make ſatisfaction to his Lord. And then
Again, He was never made partaker of that pardoning mercy which the Covenant of Grace holds forth, as appears by the frame of his Spirit after he was pardoned. It was no more than the forgiving of ſome temporal puniſhment, his ſin was not pardoned by the Covenant of Grace, for if it had, he would have acted more mildly, and not ſo irregularly, and dealt ſo harſhly with his fellow ſervant.
And it appears in that other word, in the 32 Verſe, O thou wicked ſervant; ſo that he was never made righteous with the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, for there he is called the wicked ſervant: ſo that you ſee notwithſtanding what was objected, that the Lord whenever he doth forgive a ſoul, he doth forgive unchangeably, he doth not croſs the ſcore to day, and then call to an account for the ſame another day, but whom he pardons, he pardons for ever: how far ſhort is our way of forgiveneſs unto Gods? How hard a matter is it to forgive unchangeably? David did forgive for a time, when Shimei curſed him, then he made an humble acknowledgement, but upon another occaſion he commands his ſon Solomon to fall upon him, that Shimei's head might not go in peace to the Grave: You ſee then that the point is made good, that the thoughts of the Lord, and the waies of the Lord in the matter of forgiveneſs, are far above the thoughts and the waies of man; Peter thinks ſeven times to be a great matter, but Chriſt ſaies, not ſeven times, but ſeventy times ſeven. A word for Application in brief to ſhut up all.
1. Ʋſe. Here is incouragement for poor ſinners to come in to Chriſt, there is mercy and forgiveneſs with him that he may be feared, and the thoughts and waies of the Lord in this particular, they are as far above your thoughts and waies as the heavens are above the earth; and oh what a wide open door is here! That the Lord would perſwade ſome poor guilty ſoul to come in to Chriſt by this door of mercy, forgiveneſs and plenteous redemption: though you have been enemies, and though your hearts be ſtill filled with enmity againſt God, yet know that the Lord is able to forgive enemies, and though you have nothing in the world to procure your acceptance, you can do nothing that ſhould commend you to God; yet know that the Lord he forgives freely, and though your tranſgreſſions have been multiplied, though very many, though very great, though you have made the Lord to ſerve with your ſins, and wearied him with your iniquities, yet he is able to blot them out freely for his own name ſake: Oh then that the Lord would perſwade your hearts to come, and to ſubmit to Chriſt, and not to go on in the way of rebellion, and take hold of that great propitiatory ſacrifice, and then you ſhall know that the Lord forgives, for he forgives you cordially and ſincerely; he doth ſo forgive your tranſgreſſions, as he will never remember them more.
2. Ʋſe. And it ſpeaks a word of comfort and refreſhment unto ſuch poor ſouls as are in dark and ſad conditions: ſome poor ſouls that have look'd to Chriſt for righteouſneſs, and yet are found ſitting in darkneſs and oppreſſed with the weight of ſin; and becauſ (it may be) when you look into your own hearts, you find they are very narrow, when you are put upon this work of forgiving another, you are hardly brought off to it, and certainly the Lord may for this withdraw himſelf; Oh know you have ſinned after profeſſion, and you have ſinned much, yea you have ſinned much againſt light, and that is that which cuts and makes great gaſhes: but yet know that the Lord gave Commandment to Peter and his Diſciples to forgive ſeventy times ſeven; certainly that command which the Lord gave to man to forgive ſeventy times ſeven, he will certainly forgive poor creatures though their ſins be numberleſs. This is not to ſpur on to ſin, this is no word to invite to ſin: but this word of forgiveneſs is to the end the Lord may be feared and admired for his great grace; and take heed poor creatures you wrong not God of that which is his greateſt glory: It is the glory of a man to forgive ſeventy times ſeven, and the oftner the more like unto God; now do not rob God of his glory, that infinite mercy which put him upon it to forgive ſeventy times ſeven; ſay therefore as the Church did in Mic. 7. 18, 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity, and paſſeth by the tranſgreſſion of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, becauſe he delighteth in mercy: he will turn again, he will have compaſſion upon us, he will ſubdue our iniquities, and thou wilt caſt all our ſins into the depth of the Sea. You may look upon your tranſgreſſions, nay you ought to look upon your ſins, nay and to lye low becauſe of your provocations, and abhorr your ſelves in duſt and aſhes, you can never lye too low in the conſideration of your own vileneſs, none have ſinned againſt ſo many aggravations, and ſinned againſt ſo much light and conviction; when you have thus aggravated your ſin, do not rob God of his glory, but ſay with the Prophet, Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity, that forgiveth great iniquities, and many iniquities, who forgives ſeventy times ſeven.
3. Ʋſe. Laſtly, This ſhould be matter of great humiliation, that our thoughts and our waies are ſo beneath the thoughts and waies of God in the matter of forgiveneſs; Peter thought it a great matter, What to forgive ſeven times? Peter's number is very ſhort of Chriſts number. Yet where is the man or woman that is come to Peter's number? and yet Peter's number was ſhort of Chriſts number: Oh what cauſe have we to be humbled? One of the Evangeliſts hath it, If thy brother offend thee ſeven times in a day, and ſay, I repent, thou ſhalt forgive him; Oh how far are we from forgiving ſeven times in a day? We are ſo far from forgiving ſeven offences in one day, as we many times remember one offence ſeven daies, nay ſeven years together; Oh how unlike is this to Chriſt? Oh let us therefore labour to walk up to the rule, or elſe never profeſs our ſelves to be Chriſts Diſciples. And ſo much for this time.