Gospel Remission, Treatise · Chapter 14

Gospel Remission · Treatise · Chapter 14

p. 81CHAP. XIV. Of the Diſhonour that is done by Men to the Pardoning Grace of God by ſlighting of it.

FIrſt, this we have to ſay to thoſe things, Surely if the Pardon of Sin be ſo great a mercy as you have heard, and that there is ſuch a wonderful work of God in it; then it muſt needs be a horrible and vile thing to ſin againſt this grace that the heart of God is ſo much in; to diſhonour this great work of God muſt needs be a very vile and horrible thing: And this hath been my intention, my very plot, as to ſet forth the greatneſs of the grace of God in the mercy of forgiveneſs; ſo alſo to keep you from ſinning againſt this grace. If he be bleſſed upon whom ſuch a great and glorious work of God is wrought in forgiveneſs of ſin; then it muſt needs be a moſt horrible and dreadful thing for any man or woman to ſin againſt this grace of God; and horrible to diſhonour ſuch a great work of God as this is.

p. 82Queſt.But who are they that diſhonour this great work of God? or how many wayes may we be guilty in ſinning againſt this great mercy of God in forgiveneſs of ſin? I ſhall ſhew firſt who they be that caſt diſhonour on this great work of God; and Secondly, Shew the greatneſs of the ſin, what a dangerous thing it is to ſin againſt this great work of God in pardoning ſin.

Anſw. 1.Firſt, They ſin againſt this great work of God in pardoning ſin that are altogether careleſs, who little or nothing mind it, or ſcarce ſpend any time about it: there are a generation of men and women in the world, that have ſin and guilt enough upon their ſpirits, yet they ſcarce ever call to mind, or queſtion what are the terms between God and their own Souls, how things ſtand between God and them? what God hath to charge them withal? whether God hath any thing againſt them, yea or no? How few of you now this morning that are come into the preſence of God, have had your thoughts working thus? O my ſoul how is it with thee? How does matters ſtand betwixt God and thee? What guilt is it thou haſt upon thy Spirit? What hath Divine Juſtice to charge thee withal? Conſcience ſpeak freely and fully: What is there in Heaven againſt me? Is there any thing upon Record that I am charg'd withal? How is it between God and me? O what ſtrangers are moſt men unto ſuch thoughts as theſe! but go on in a ſleepy, ſecure, and dead hearted way, either they believe there is no guilt at all upon their ſpirits, or no great evil in that guilt, or elſe think 'tis no great matter for God to pardon; you are very ſolicitous for the fleſh, what you ſhall eat and drink, and what you ſhall put on; and for your Eſtates, how to get and increaſe in the world: But to make up the Records between God and your Souls, to get them diſcharg'd, and the Records of Heaven cancell'd that are againſt you: O how ſeldom do theſe things take up your thoughts? know you that are of ſuch careleſs ſpirits about this great matter of pardon of ſin, that it is a great aggravation of your ſin, that you are ſo careleſs about that great work of God in pardoning ſin, you are careleſs and ſpend but a few thoughts about that; that hath (as I may ſo ſpeak with holy reverence) taken up the heart of the infinite God from all eternity: certainly, there is not any in the world, not any of the works of God towards his creatures hath taken up the thoughts and heart p. 83of God ſo much as this one work of the pardon of ſin, & yet your thoughts are not taken up with it, you little mind it: certainly there is a great diſproportion between your thoughts and Gods; whereas thoſe that are godly, ſhould labour to work as God works; and thoſe things that hath taken up the heart of God, ſhould take up their hearts; whereas thoſe things that are even unworthy of an immortal Soul take up your thoughts, and thoſe objects that take up the thoughts & heart of God about pardoning ſin, your own Conſciences can tell you is very little in your thoughts and hearts: Certainly my Brethren, were the thoughts of men and women taken up about this ſerious and great buſineſs of getting pardon of their ſin, it would prevent and cure them of thouſands of other vain, ſlight, fooliſh and wicked thoughts; there are, I ſuppoſe, many of you begin to be ſenſible of ſin, and of the baſe wandring, filthy, unclean, and wicked thoughts of your hearts; and you ſay, O that we could but help our ſelves againſt theſe wandring, vile and wicked thoughts; ſurely this would be a great help, if you would get your thoughts poſſeſt with ſerious ſubjects, it would have a great deal of waight in it, to help you againſt thoſe light and vain things your thoughts work about. Now of all ſubjects in the world, this is the moſt ſerious about the grace of God; How his infinite wiſdom hath wrought to reconcile himſelf to your ſouls, in the bringing about the pardon of ſin, and making peace between himſelf and the Children of men. Now if you would take up your thoughts about the great buſineſs of getting pardon of your ſins, it would take off your thoughts from other things: Suppoſe a man have a vain, ſlight, wandering, fooliſh heart; yet if he were condemned to die ſome dreadful tormenting death, his thoughts would quickly be taken off from other things, and taken up about uſing means; if there were any poſſibility to deliver himſelf from death; Jerom in one of his Epiſtles hath this Relation of one that was troubled with vile thoughts, and he, that he complained unto had this device, I name it not to approve it, but he had this device, he brought the man to have a charge of a crime laid againſt him, and cauſed him to be brought before a Judge, and put into Priſon, and afterwards he came to him, and askt him, How is it now with you? Does your vain thoughts ſtill abide with you as they were p. 84wont to do? he gave him this anſwer, ſays he, I cannot live, and what ſhall I now think of Uncleanneſs and Fornication? I am in danger of my life, and I have now no time to think of ſuch things; and that help't and cured his thoughts: from this we may ſee, that if a ſoul was poſſeſt of the evil of ſin, and the danger of condemnation, the neceſſity and great conſequence of a pardon; what a mighty means would it be to take off your thoughts from other things, and turn them upon this; and certainly, who ever you are, whoſe thoughts are not mightily taken up about this great ſubject of the pardon of your ſins, you take the name of God in vain, and do not ſanctifie him in this great work of his; and know this, you that ſpend your days ſleeping in ſecurity, your damnation ſleeps and ſlumbers not; and until your ſin be pardoned, the infinite juſtice of God is working your doom, for the full ſatisfaction of it, that is the firſt thing they diſhonour God that go on in ſecure courſes without minding ſuch a great thing as the pardon of ſin is.

Secondly, Others diſhonour God, who in ſtead of making it their great buſineſs in this world to get their ſin pardoned, they make it their great work to increaſe the guilt of ſin, by heaping up more and more guilt and ſo make the flame greater, and add to it continually; you would think it a very unreaſonable and deſperate thing in a man, that being condemn'd to ſome grievous and dreadful death, yet there being a pardon propounded, and ſome poſſibility of it, and a friend for this very end get a Reprieval of the King for two or three days, that he might have time to ſue out his Pardon; ſuppoſe ſuch a thing: Now then, if this man in this time of Reprieval that is given for this very end, to ſeek a Pardon, ſhould call for good cheer and muſick, merriment and ſporting, and not only ſo, but fall into railing againſt the Prince, increaſe his guilt, and provoke the Prince more and more againſt him; Would not every man ſay, this man is worthy of the greateſt extream tormentingeſt death that could be deviſed? Nay, I ſuppoſe, ſhould you hear of ſuch an one condemn'd to die, and had his life given him for this very end, you would think, ſurely this man will ſpend theſe days in another manner than ever he ſpent his time before: you that would think ſo of ſuch a man, it may be ſome of you, before the Lord this day, are guilty of the ſame evil, for this is a certain truth, that all the men in the world have been p. 85condemn'd to eternal death, and all the time of your life is given you for this very end, a few days that God gives you for this very purpoſe, meerly that you might have a little liberty to ſue out your pardon, and make up your peace with God: O that men and women would but underſtand this, what they live for, that all the time of their lives is given them to make up their peace with God; you are to know it is given for this end, meerly as a Malefactor hath a Reprieve to get his Pardon; this is your very condition, you ſtand before the Lord guilty of eternal death, but God in his patience and long-ſufferance gives you a few days to live to ſue out your Pardon, and if you let this time ſlip, and theſe days be gone, I profeſs to you this day, before the Lord, that mercy it ſelf ſhall never ſave you; I would but know of many of you, how you ſpend theſe days? you are not certain of one day, it may be not an hour; Do you ſpend theſe days in making it the great buſineſs and work of your Souls to ſue out a Pardon? Let me ſpeak to you, and O that you would ſpeak it in ſecret between God and your own Souls, and that you would anſwer in the Name of God every ſoul preſent, to this Queſtion, Soul haſt thou made it the great work and buſineſs of thy life, above all things in the world, to ſue out thy Pardon, and ſeek for Reconciliation with thy God, and a diſcharge of thy ſins? I verily fear that many of you that hear me this day, if we could but hear Conſcience ſpeak, would anſwer, What? I make it the great work and buſineſs of my life to ſue out a Pardon, God knows it hath been the great work and buſineſs of my life to increaſe my guilt; there is not a day goes over my head, but I have brought more guilt upon my ſelf by wicked Oaths, taking Gods Name in vain, neglecting his Worſhip, abuſing of his creatures, perhaps by drunkenneſs or uncleanneſs; methinks your Conſciences might miſgive you, when you are ſo far from making it the great buſineſs of your lives to ſue for pardon, that you make it your great work to encreaſe your guilt; Doſt thou think ever to get pardon of thy ſin, ſo long as thou goeſt on to encreaſe thy guilt, and make thy ſelf more vile? the lives of many people are ſuch in a courſe of wickedneſs, that it beſpeaks them that either they are reſolved to periſh eternally in their ſin, or elſe to make it to be as p. 86great a burden to the mercy of God as can be in the pardoning of their ſin; if it be ſo mighty a work of God to pardon ſin, obſerve what I ſay; it follows from the point wherein I opened the wonderful work of God in pardoning any one ſin; think thus, Is it ſo great a work of God to pardon one ſin? Shall I go on then to add ſin unto ſin to make the work greater? Friend, if God pardon but one ſin in thought that thou haſt been guilty of in all thy life, it would be a work that would yield thee matter of praiſe to all eternity; and wilt thou be ſo deſperate then as to add ſin unto ſin? As ſuppoſe a man had ſome grievous diſeaſe, and it would be the ſtrangeſt work to cure him that ever was wrought ſince the Earth and Heavens were made, if this man ſhould go on by intemperate courſes, to increaſe the malignity and venom of it day by day more and more; what a deſperate thing would this be eſteemed in him, eſpecially if he were in a poſſibility of cure; yea, and perhaps he could tell others, that there is ſome poſſibility, and yet he goes on to encreaſe the malignity more and more; how would every one think this mans courſes unreaſonable? O that we would conſider of the unreaſonableneſs of the dealings of men with God; men are aſhamed to be unreaſonable in their dealings with men, but in their dealings with God, they are as unreaſonable as can be imagined; you are guilty of many ſins, have you hope to be forgiven, yes, you will ſay, you have hope; have you hope? if God deliver you from any of your ſins, he muſt do ſuch a work as is greater than the making of Heaven and Earth; what do you then to encreaſe your ſin, when it is ſo great a work to pardon your ſin: O! the horrible wickedneſs of men and women to increaſe their ſin, Joſh. 22.17. I may allude unto it, and it is an argument of great force, Is the iniquity of Peor too little, from which we are not cleanſed to this day? ſo I may ſay to ſinners going on in their ſins; Is the iniquity of Peor too little, from which you are not cleanſed to this day? What, is the iniquity of your youth too little that you committed, and miſpent your time when you were Prentice, or lived in ſuch and ſuch a family? Is that ſin too little to magnifie the grace of God in pardoning of it, but that you muſt add more and more unto it, as if you would tempt God to try and ſee whether God would extend his mercy further and further? we tell p. 87you in the Name of God, and ſay to you, the ſins you have committed already are ſo grievous, that it muſt needs be a wonderful work of God to forgive them; and what, muſt you needs add more and more, and tempt God to extend his mercy further? Take heed of tempting God to extend his mercy further, for though God may be pleaſed to extend his mercy thus far; Who ſhall preſcribe God how far he ſhall go? Who can tell but that the thoughts of God towards thee are thus, that he will go thus far to pardon thee, but if thou go on in ſin, who can tell whether he will go on to pardon further? 'Tis true, when God comes to pardon, he will do them all away; but know thou that goeſt on to increaſe the guilt of thy ſin, thou may'ſt find it, as many thouſands have found it a mighty hard thing, which hath coſt them much anguiſh and diſtreſs of ſpirit, to get the pardon of their ſin ſealed in the Court of Conſcience, though it was ſealed before in Heaven; O the anguiſh of ſpirit it hath coſt them! and doſt thou ſtill go on to heap up more and more ſin, as if the pardon of thy ſin was nothing? there is a great deal of reaſon in this, to cry to ſinners to ſtop in the courſe of ſin; for thou haſt gone on enough already, go no further, that's a ſecond abuſe of the mercy of God in pardoning ſin.

Thirdly, They abuſe the mercy of God that have extream ſlight thoughts of pardon of ſin, that think to have it at any time, when they will, 'tis but repenting; as it was ſaid of Lewis the xi^th, King of France, That he wore a Cruſifix in his Hat, and when he had committed a ſin, it was but taking it down and kiſſing of it, and all was well again, ſo many Idolatrous Papiſts, they have as ſlight thoughts of pardon of ſin as can be, if they commit a ſin, they make no more of it, but go to a Prieſt to ſhrieve them, or kneel before a Crucifix and knock their breaſt, which is a thing ſoon done, and all's well again; certainly 'tis a great diſhonour to God, for any man to have ſlight thoughts of the pardon of ſin: It is ſuch a work as if ever any thing put God to it (as I may ſay) to pardon ſin, and yet to ſalve his Juſtice, it was this work; and certainly, if ever God have love to thee, thou wilt change thy thoughts about this; and certainly, the ſlight thoughts men have about this, is the cauſe many times why they are held ſo long under the ſpirit of bondage; when God begins to work p. 88upon them, and ſtirs the Conſcience, and lays the guilt of ſin home upon it: how long are they before they can have any aſſurance of pardon? and in juſt judgment it is ſo, becauſe they had ſlight thoughts before of the pardon of ſin. I remember it is ſtoried of Pompey, when one of his Captains came to him, and told him he wanted men; ſays he, I can but ſtamp my foot upon the ground and bring forth ſo many men preſently; but when the Enemy came, this Captain came to him again, and ſaid, where's your men now; but then he could not get them when he was in diſtreſs and had great need of them; as many think they can do great things with a word ſpeaking, as if all muſt be at their beck preſently, but when they come to it, they fail and find it otherwiſe; ſo many make it a ſmall matter to get pardon of ſin, they think to do it with a Lord have mercy upon us, at their death-bed, or the like; but when they come to it indeed, God makes them to know, It is the greateſt buſineſs that ever they had to do in, in all their lives; there is nothing that God is ſo jealous of as his honour, and ſpecially about this great work, and certainly, were it not that God is very jealous of his honour, and would cure the ſlight thoughts that men have of this great work; there needs never be ſo much humiliation and workings of the ſpirit of bondage; and certainly, did we but know the greatneſs of this work, how would ſinners ſnatch at any opportunity or hint of Gods favour appearing to them? they would do as the ſervants of Benhadad, 1 King. 20.33. diligently obſerve if any thing would come from him, and haſtily catch at it, they watched that if any thing did come from him, that did make any way to that which they ſought after, and did haſtily catch at it; ſo, did a ſoul underſtand the pardon of ſin, what a great work it is, he would be ſo far from having ſlight thoughts of it, that he would come cloath'd in Sackcloath, and every Sermon would be watching and enquiring, what hath God ſpoke any word to my ſoul or no? And if any word fall from a Miniſter concerning this great buſineſs, ſuch a ſoul would catch greedily at it, and loſe no opportunity to imbrace it, Pſal. 32. is very remarkable to this purpoſe, David found it a very hard thing to get pardon of his own ſin, verſ. 4. and he acknowledged it, and God forgave him, verſ. 5. what follows? p. 89verſ. 6. For this ſhall every man that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou may'st be found; as if David in this language ſpake thus, O all you poor ſinners, that ſin againſt God, think it an eaſie matter to get pardon of ſin; know, I have found it otherwiſe, it coſt me dear before I could get aſſurance of pardon; and therefore for this cauſe let every one that is acquainted with the ways of God, ſeek to God in due time, and not put it off from time to time, for the buſineſs is not ſo ſlight to put it off: many abuſe the example of David, and think becauſe he ſinned, they may take liberty to ſin, but they conſider not what abundance of ſorrow it coſt him to get his pardon; it coſt him ſo much as that he tells them, for this cauſe every one ſhall ſeek God in due time: many think they may put it off till any time; but mark what David ſays, For this cauſe every man that is godly ſhall ſeek thee in a time when thou may'st be found; he does not ſay, I have found mercy in the pardoning of my great ſins, and for this cauſe men ſhall be bold to put it off to any time; no, but for this cauſe thoſe that are godly, and have any acquaintance in the wayes of God, will ſeek God in a time that he may be found; and if thoſe that are godly, that have ſin pardoned in the Court of heaven, find ſo hard a matter of it to get it pardoned in their own Conſciences; how does it concern thee that perhaps haſt thy ſin neither pardoned in the Court of Heaven, nor in thy own Conſcience, But art in the gall of bitterneſs and bond of iniquity, how concerns it thee to look to it? that is a third ſort that abuſe the mercy of God in having ſlight thoughts of the pardon of ſin.

Fourthly, Thoſe that ſeek for pardon but are unſenſible of the greatneſs of the work of God in pardoning, they do not put it off, but ſeek it for the preſent, but how? with extream unſenſibleneſs; they do not come before God with brokenneſs, trouble and contrition of ſpirit in ſeeking after pardon of ſin; many they repeat of their ſins before God, and have a gift of Prayer; it is that which would make a mans heart to tremble, to conſider how many have a great gift in Prayer, and will be praying half an hour, and will repeat abundance of their ſins, make Catalogues, and tell large ſtories of their ſins, bring in all the aggravations againſt them for their ſins; judge themſelves, and ſpeak mighty words againſt p. 90themſelves for their ſins, and yet all this while, God knows with a deſperate, dull, dead and ſenſleſs heart for their ſins; it may be others that joyn with them, their hearts are broken with their expreſſions, and yet in the mean time thy Conſcience may tell thee, thy heart is deſperately hard before God, and not ſenſible at all of what thou ſpeakeſt; thou wer't putting up Petitions to God, and yet with as dull and ſenſeleſs a ſpirit, as if thou wer't ſpeaking of a matter of no conſequence at all; this is a high degree of taking the bleſſed Name of God in vain; for we are to know, the Name of God in forgiveneſs of ſin is a moſt glorious Name, and we had need to take heed how we ſpeak to God in this buſineſs, that we take not his Name in vain, for he will not hold him guiltleſs that takes his Name in vain; we had need to look to the ſanctifying of Gods Name in this thing: Many a man will think it of himſelf, that to ſwear and blaſpheme is a taking of the Name of God in vain; and why is it ſo? becauſe it is a ſin againſt the 3d Commandment, Thou ſhalt not take the Name of thy God in vain, &c. for my part I cannot but think that to make large Confeſſions of ſin, and yet with a ſenſleſs dead heart, is a high degree of taking the Name of God in vain; (miſtake me not, if thy heart be ſenſible of thy unſenſibleneſs, thou art not of thoſe that take the Name of God in vain; God accepts of this, it is the rational part of the ſoul that is taken with this, and this is pleaſing to him, though thou canſt not bring the ſenſitive part of the ſoul up to this thing; but I ſpeak it of thoſe that have got a formality in crying and confeſſing of their ſins, and yet are unſenſible of them; yea, it may be, glory in this, that they can in the Church thus ſpeak of their ſins, and have ſuch expreſſions before the Lord; take heed of this, if you would ſhew your parts and abilities, let it be in ſomething elſe, and not to come before the holy God; and before others in a holy duty to vent your parts and abilities there: it is a dangerous thing for any to meddle ſo in this kind, Heb. 9.22. as he ſays there, without ſhedding of blood there is no remiſſion; ſo I may ſay without the blood of thy heart, without the bleeding of thy heart there is no remiſſion, or at leaſt a being ſenſible of thy unſenſibleneſs; if thou can'ſt not mourn then mourn that thou can'ſt not mourn, be ſenſible of thy unſenſibleneſs, and then p. 91God may accept of thee; but otherwiſe without this kind of blood there is no remiſſion; that is to ſanctifie the Name of God, conſider this note, it may be of uſe many ways, that is, to ſanctifie the Name of God, when there comes to be in my heart a diſpoſition ſutable to the work of God I have to deal withal; ſutable to the manifeſtation of God in that thing I have to deal with God in: if any ask, What is it to ſanctifie Gods Name, I would anſwer thus; To ſanctifie Gods Name in any thing, it is to labour to get an anſwerable diſpoſition to that thing that I have to deal with God in; when I am to deal with God in any work, according to that work I muſt have a diſpoſition in my heart ſutable to it; as to inſtance, I ſanctifie Gods Name in Prayer, when I ſpeak of Gods glorious Attributes and Titles then, when there is an anſwerable diſpoſition in my heart to thoſe glorious Titles that I ſpeak of; ſo I ſanctifie Gods Name when I confeſs my ſin before God the Judge of all the World, in having an anſwerable diſpoſition in my heart ſutable to this Judge; and then I ſanctifie Gods Name in ſeeking pardon of ſin, when I have an anſwerable diſpoſition in my heart to the greatneſs of the work of God in pardoning ſin; therefore all of you muſt be careful, when you intreat God to pardon ſin, to intreat him alſo to ſanctifie his Name; How is that? intreat God to manifeſt that glorious work to your ſouls, and then labour to get your hearts into an anſwerable diſpoſition ſutable to that great work; you that go to God every day in ſeeking pardon of ſin; have you been apprehenſive of the greatneſs of it; Hath God ſhewed you the greatneſs of his work in it? or further, ſince the time that you have heard of the greatneſs of the work; have you been caſting in your ſouls how to get an anſwerable diſpoſition ſutable to theſe Divine Truths? Certainly, ſo far as you are wanting in that, ſo far you art ſhort of ſanctifying Gods Name; and for time to come, this muſt be the great work of your ſouls, to get anſwerable diſpoſitions in ſeeking pardon of ſin, that may be ſutable to the great work of God in it; if one that comes to ſeek to you, to Petition you to remove ſome evil one that hath offended you, if he come ſlightly, you will ſay, you muſt come after another manner; Shall a poor man or woman expect ſuch a kind of coming from a Child, Servant, or Inferiour; and yet p. 92ſhall he or ſhe go in a ſenſleſs way to God in ſeeking pardon of ſin, and think to obtain it thus? you go about it unſenſibly, and your hearts are not ſtirr'd, but when Chriſt came he was ſenſible of it, in ſeeking to God about this buſineſs, Heb. 5.7. — In the days of his fleſh, obſerve, Chriſt in the days of his fleſh, did offer up Prayers and Supplications; How? with ſtrong cryings and tears, What? ſhall Chriſt be ſo ſenſible of the waight and burden of ſin, when he was to ſuffer, that he ſhould ſeek the Father with ſuch Prayers? if he had ſaid but one word, it had been a Prayer; but he ſought him with Prayers, and Prayers with cries and ſupplications; and not only ſo, but with ſtrong cries and tears: let thy heart be rebuked this day for the ſenſleſsneſs of it, in going to God in ſuch a ſlight manner in ſeeking pardon of thy ſins.

Fifthly, Thoſe are to be rebuked that in ſeeking pardon of ſin, d… indeed but dally with God and triffle with him; they are not at all ſerious in it; whereas if there be any buſineſs in the world, wherein we had need to be ſerious, 'tis in this? But you will ſay, Who are they? Queſt. Anſw.there are four or five ſorts that do but dally with God in ſeeking pardon of ſin.

1. Thoſe that cry, and ſeem to be very earneſt with God in crying to him for pardon, and yet ſtill continue in love to their ſins, and abide in the practice of them in an ordinary courſe and way; I do not ſpeak of thoſe that ſeek truly for the pardon of their ſins, and yet may ſometimes be overtaken with them agen; but I ſpeak of the common courſe of People; they come to God and intreat him to forgive them, and yet continue ſtill in them, I ſpeak not of thoſe that are ſenſleſs in the acts of Confeſſion of their ſins, but of thoſe that cry mightily unto God for pardon, and yet live in the practice of thoſe ſins they cry to God for pardon of: as for inſtance, conſider every one of you what ſins have been in your courſe of life; I put this to you, either you have prayed to God to forgive them, or you have not prayed; if you have not prayed, then you are moſt horrible Atheiſts; but I thank God, I pray every day: Well, you pray to God for forgiveneſs of ſin, and yet live in it dayly: O how do people thus dally with God; pray againſt ſin, and yet commit ſin, and fall to it again; pray again, and commit it again, and this is the very way p. 93that many people take; they draw out the thread of their lives, and ſpend out their day of Salvation in trifling with God; they pray that God would be merciful to them in forgiving their ſin, and yet go on to commit ſin; they do not think what a ſtrong ingagement againſt ſin Praying is; I beſeech you note it, every one of you that pray againſt any ſin, every Prayer thou makeſt for pardon of ſin, is a mighty ſtrong ingagement from God to you to take heed of ſin afterwards, may be you have not thought of this; you ſay, you pray every morning, conſider what you do; if you have any care of your ſouls, you will not reſt meerly in ſuch a form as your Fathers and Mothers have taught you; but if you have any care of your ſouls, you will conſider in Prayer to God, and ſay, Lord I am guilty of ſuch and ſuch ſins, ſuch ſins my nature is moſt prone unto, and ſuch ſins I have lately committed; well, I will humble my ſoul before God in Prayer, and intreat God to forgive me; 'tis not Prayer to mumble over a few words, this is to prate and not to pray: but when you ſolemnly ſet your ſelves to examine your own hearts what you are guilty of, and proteſt againſt your ſins ſolemnly in the preſence of God, and ſay, Lord this and this particular ſin I am guilty of; Lord I was drawn to ſuch and ſuch ſins the day before in ſuch and ſuch company, O Lord forgive my ſin, and forgive me theſe and theſe particular ſins; this is the way to ſeek pardon of ſin aright: Do you do ſo? this will be a mighty bond upon your hearts to think thus within your ſelves; Lord, What have I been ſetting my ſelf ſolemnly in the preſence of the Almighty to confeſs my ſins, and prayed him to forgive them; what care have I need to take that I fall not into the ſame ſin again? Thou that haſt come this day, and confeſt and prayed againſt thy ſin, do not fall into it again; you that are apt to break out into paſſion, when you find your ſelves begin to wax hot, if you would but take ſo much liberty as to bethink your ſelves, that you have been praying to God this morning to forgive ſuch a Paſſion: it would be of mighty concernment to help you from going on in Paſſion, or any other ſin, to conſider that you have been praying to God for pardon and forgiveneſs of it; you that do not conſider this, but confeſs your ſins in the morning, and then go on again to commit ſin; you make more work for the next time: you p. 94come to confeſs ſin, as in Solemn Days of Humiliation, men will rip up all their ſins, but before another day come, they have made work for another and another day; and this is the reaſon when men come to confeſs their ſins before God, of their trifling with him and were it not that God is a God of infinite patience, he could not bear it; might not he ſay to you, you came ſeven years ago, and told me of your Pride, Paſſion, Earthly-mindedneſs, and the like; and do you now come and tell me the ſame again? were not God infinitely patient, he could never bear this dallying with him, for the truth is, it is nothing elſe but infinite dallying with God, Jer. 3.5. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, my Father, thou art the guide of my youth? they ſeem'd to cry to God; O thou art my Father and the guide of my youth, there are but theſe words named, but it is like they opened their ſins before God, and cryed for mercy: O ſays God unto them, Thou haſt ſp…ken, and cryed out of the Anger of mine that is gone out againſt you for your ſins, and yet thou haſt ſpoken and done evil as thou could'ſt; this is an evil thing, and heavy to be laid to the charge of any man, to confeſs ſin, and pray for pardon, and yet commit it again; know this day you that have been confeſſing ſin, and yet go on in ſin; know this thing, I tell you it is but dallying with God: many men and women do ravel out their Prayers this way; they make excellent Prayers, and when they have done they ravel all again by falling into the ſame ſin.

2. A ſecond ſort are thoſe that ſeek earneſtly the pardon of ſome ſins, and yet ſtill keep the love of ſome other ſin, and yet think to obtain pardon of them, this is but dallying and trifling with God about this buſineſs; you never ſet your ſelves yet ſeriouſly about it; when you cry againſt ſome ſins that are againſt the Light of Nature, and it may be your Conſciences fly in your faces, and the Word of God hath ſtricken you for them; but there is ſome other ſecret haunts of villanies, that your hearts cloſe withal, and yet you think to obtain of God forgiveneſs of the other, and go on there: O thou vain ſoul, thou vain man, know that though thou ſhould'ſt cry thy heart out for the forgiveneſs of one or more ſins, yet if thy heart ſecretly cloſe with ſome other ſin that thou haſt ſecret haunts after, the bonds of the guilt of that ſin will hold thy ſoul in chains eternally; except p. 95thy ſoul be rent from that ſin as well as from any other, thou underſtandeſt not the way of God in the diſpenſing of his grace to the ſoul, if thou thinkeſt God will pardon ſome ſins, and give thee liberty in others: thou ſottiſh ſoul, know that when thou goeſt to God for pardon of ſin, thou muſt go with a heart reſigned up from every ſin, or elſe thou loſeſt all thy labour, and art held in the chains of them all.

3. Thoſe that never look after their Prayers to call it into Queſtion what anſwer they have had; I have prayed to God, but have I got any anſwer in my own heart, or hath God come in, in any Ordinance, and ſealed to me my pardon; thus the ſoul ſhould look after pardon in Prayer, and all other means; Many pray, but never look after their Prayers whether God hear or no, Pſal. 85, 8. I will hear and hearken what the Lord God will ſpeak; thus the Pſalmiſt, and thus it would be with thee, if thou did'ſt not dally with God; after thou haſt cryed for pardon, thou would'ſt be liſtning at Heaven gates, and looking towards God: What anſwer doth God give? I have prayed and there comes no anſwer, the ſoul that ſets it ſelf in a ſolid and ſerious way to ſeek for pardon, will be often looking out, and remain much troubled till an anſwer come: Many cry for pardon, but are not troubled till God give anſwer, they deal with God as Pilate did with Chriſt, ask't him What is Truth? but never ſtayed to have an anſwer, but went his way; ſo we do but dally with God in our Prayers and Petitions, when we ask for forgiveneſs of ſin, and neglect to look after an anſwer.

4. As thoſe that look not after the anſwer of their Prayers dally with God, ſo thoſe that follow not their Prayers with anſwerable indeavours, they Petition that God would be merciful unto them; but what are the indeavours of your ſouls after your Petitioning? if there be not indeavours to attend upon the means of grace that God uſes to ſpeak peace to ſouls in, all your Prayers are nothing; but of this I ſhall ſpeak afterwards, you are to ſearch into the Covenant, and enquire after the Saints what courſe they have taken, and what means they have uſed to obtain pardon.

5. Thoſe that pray for pardon, yet are ſatisfied with other things; as thus, they pray for pardon, but if the world come in they are p. 96ſatisfied and quieted with that; as a Child that hath a piece of Gold given him and an Apple, he will be ſtill'd with the Apple; ſo many men ſue to God for this great work of pardon of ſin, but let God give them health and accommodations in the world, they are ſatisfied and contented with them, and little or never ſeek after the pardon of their ſin; that is a fifth ſort that are charged this day before the Lord that do but dally with God about ſeeking pardon for their ſins.

Sixthly, They that are quiet upon weak and ſlight Evidences diſhonour God; certainly they have not thoſe high thoughts of the mercy of God in pardoning ſin, that content themſelves with poor Evidences about it as moſt do; come to many people, and ask them, What? you hope that God will pardon your ſins; yes we do hope, but upon the pooreſt Evidences imaginable: thoſe Evidences they lay the waight of the pardon of their ſins upon, are ſuch broken reeds that it would make a man amazed, that underſtands what the worth of a poor ſoul is, that they ſhould venture ſo great a thing on ſo ſlight a reed; What is the reaſon? becauſe they have but ſlight thoughts of the forgiveneſs of ſin: that, that a man puts a high valuation of, he will make ſure; but that which he ſlights, he is not ſo intenſe in; as to inſtance, if one give you in payment Silver, Gold, and Farthings, you take the Farthings and do not tell them, but you tell the Silver, and the Gold you not only tell it, but weigh it too; What is the reaſon? becauſe you little eſteem of the Braſs, and ſo will not tell it, you more eſteem the Silver, and therefore tell that; but the Gold you not only tell but weigh it, becauſe you have a greater eſteem of that than the other; this is an argument, may convince the men of the world, that their eſteem of earthly things is more than of Heaven and their ſouls; becauſe they labour to make earthly things more ſure than the things of heaven; a worldly man to make ſure his Eſtate will have Bond upon Bond, and Seal upon Seal, and carry his Evidences to Counſellors, and ſay, I beſeech you Sirs, ſee whether there be not ſome flaw in them, I ſhall loſe all my money if there be but a crack in my Evidences; he is mighty careful of this, becauſe he hath ſuch a high eſteem of his worldly concerns: But how does it appear that men have but poor low thoughts p. 97about the pardon of their ſins, becauſe they content themſelves with ſuch poor mean Evidences; for had they a high eſteem of it, they would labour to make pardon of ſin ſurer than any thing in the world. To wind up all, thoſe that know what pardon of ſin is; how do they ſpend their time, and lay out themſelves to get aſſurance? Take this one note, Becauſe God ſees thoſe that are his own people underſtand what forgiveneſs is, have a high eſteem of it, and are very ſolicitous about it, he condiſcends in his kindneſs to aſſure them by all ſorts of ways and means; methinks God deals with them in this manner, the poor ſoul ſtands ſhaking and trembling, crying our, Oh! that I might have my ſins forgiven, and have aſſurance of it; Why, ſays God, what way do you take to make things ſure from one to another? ſays you, firſt we give our word one to another,1. The Word. ſays God you ſhall have that, I give you my Word; What have you elſe? Secondly, ſay you, we cauſe it to be written;2. Writing. well ſays God, you ſhall have it written, and this is a great mercy, the Covenant of grace is written; we have it not from hand to hand, as our fore-fathers had: What do you elſe require? Thirdly, you ſay to have witneſſes; well, ſays God, you ſhall have witneſſes, in things between man and man, In the mouth of two or three witneſſes every thing is eſtabliſhed, Matth. 10.16.3. Witneſſes. Now God in reconciling a Soul to himſelf, brings no leſs than ſix witneſſes to confirm a Believer in aſſurance of his grace and favour to him, 1 Joh. 5.7, 8. There are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoſt; and three that bear witneſs on Earth, the Spirit, Water, and Blood; three in Heaven, and three on Earth to aſſure thee of forgiveneſs of ſin, that is a third way; Is there any other way? yea Lord: Fourthly,4. Oath. we uſe not only to have a word, and this word put in writing, and witneſſes affixed to it; but we uſe to take an Oath: Well, ſays God, I will ſwear and take an Oath, to make my Covenant of grace ſure to your ſouls, Heb. 6.13. when God made a Promiſe to Abraham, becauſe he could ſwear by no greater, he ſware by himſelf, and this is in the 18. verſe, (an admirable Text of Scripture) That we might have ſtrong Conſolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope ſet before us; there is hope of Gods grace through the Reconciliation of Chriſt Jeſus, and this hope the ſoul runs to as to a City of Refuge, when his guilt, like the perſuer of blood p. 98follows him; Well, ſays God, this poor ſoul notwithſtanding will have doubts of my grace; now that it might have ſtrong conſolation, I have ſwore that I might make my mercy ſure to ſuch a ſoul, that's a fourth way: but is there any thing elſe you uſe to make things ſure between one another? Yea Lord, Fourthly, we put our Seals to it, an Oath taken may ſoon paſs over,5. Seal. but a Seal that abides: ſays God, I will do that too, I will give you Seals, and there are divers ſorts of Seals; there's firſt the Broad Seal of Heaven: What is that? that is nothing elſe, but the very Printing of the Image of God on the Soul, that is the Broad Seal of Heaven. And as the Broad Seal of England, hath the Picture or Image of the King ſtampt upon it, ſo the Broad Seal of Heaven is nothing elſe but the Image of God ſtamp't or imprinted on the Soul. 2. There is the Privy Seal of the Holy Spirit of God, which is the perſwading and aſſuring of the ſoul of its intereſt it hath in Chriſt and God the Father. In 2 Tim. 2.19. you have Gods Privy Seal, The Lord knows them that are his, and they having his Privy Seal know themſelves to be the Lords, Cant. 6.2. I am my Beloveds, and my Beloved is mine; ſo Paul, Gal. 2.20. being ſealed with this Seal, ſaith of Chriſt, He loved me, and gave himſelf for me; he was perſwaded and aſſured of ſalvation, 2 Tim. 1.12. Rom. 8.38, 39. This Privy Sealing is like the New Name, Revel. 2.17. Which no man knoweth ſaving he that receiveth it. And to this you ſhall have a third Seal Baptiſm and the Supper of the Lord, that is, to aſſure you, that the end of the Sacrament is to Seal up Pardon of ſin; God ſaw that his People would be very ſolicitous, and therefore added all theſe wayes of aſſurance to them; when you therefore come to the Sacrament, you ſhould come with a ſenſe upon your ſouls of the great need you have of the grace of God in pardoning ſin, and come to it as to a Sealing-day; you have many fears and doubts; come ſo as that you may have the grace of pardon ſeal'd to your ſouls; take heed of coming ſo as to have your condemation ſealed: for certainly, all Ordinances if they work not for that end that they are appointed, they turn to another and quite contrary; as the Word, if it be not the ſavour of life, it is the ſavour of death; and ſo the Sacraments, if they ſeal not the pardon of thy ſins up unto thee, they ſeal up the ſentence p. 99of death and condemnation; therefore look to it, as oft as you come unworthily to the Sacrament, you have ſo many Seals of death and condemnation ſet upon your ſouls: Take heed you do not come to take another Seal of death; 'tis much to be feared, many in this place come to take the ſeal of eternal death upon their ſouls: but thoſe that come worthily, though adminiſtrations be not in that due order as they ſhould, yet God may be preſent with his own Ordinance to give them comfort from it, and help their Evidences by it; I muſt conclude this, thoſe that content themſelves with ſlight Evidences about this great work, diſhonour the grace of God: you would have us preach of mercy, and indeed it is a bleſſed Argument which our ſouls delight much to be preaching of, becauſe we find ſo much ſweetneſs in it, and for which our ſouls ſhall expatiate themſelves in glorifying God to all eternity; but we are withal jealous of your diſhonouring of God in this mercy, and therefore it is that we labour ſo with you, after the laying open of this mercy, that you may not abuſe it: for certainly my Brethren, there is nothing in the world God takes to heart more, than the diſhonour that is done to his pardoning mercy; and nothing more aggravates the ſin of People than to have ſlight thoughts of this great work.

Seventhly, This is a great diſhonour to Gods pardoning mercy, for men to put off the ſeeking of it to the worſt times that poſſible can be; Is it not the ordinary way of moſt people, to put of the ſeeking of the grace and favour of God, Pardon of ſin, and Reconciliation, till the time of ſickneſs, and the time of death? they go on all their life time in ſinning againſt God; but when they are lying upon their ſick-beds and death-beds, Lord have mercy upon me, pardon me, forgive me, a wicked wretch that I have been; theſe kind of words we hear from men at that time: O that God would forgive and pardon ſuch and ſuch ſins, and then perhaps they will tell ſome particular ſins if they think they ſhall die, they will open themſelves to the Miniſter, or to ſome faithful Neighbour in the diſcloſing of their particular ſins, and beſeech them to pray to God for mercy; but if they have any hopes to eſcape, they will keep them in, and be loath to rip open the ſins of their lives: This I ſay, for any to put off p. 100the ſeeking unto God for his pardoning grace till that time, it is to put a great diſhonour upon God, for it is a putting of it off to the worſt time that poſſible can be. And that makes much to the diſhonour of God: For

Firſt, Thoſe men ſeek pardon of ſin, when ſin is leaving them, or they muſt leave ſin whether they will or no; when you have ſerved your own turn of ſin, after you have had as much ſuppoſed pleaſure as you can, then you think to be delivered from the guilt and puniſhment of ſin; what is there but a meer ſelfiſh ſpirit in ſeeking God now, and God ſees it ſo; it is not ſeeking after pardon of ſin that you may honour God in his infinite grace, for then you would ſeek after it now, and the honour of God would be dear to you now; but you ſeek it at ſuch a time meerly out of reſpect to your ſelves, this is a great diſhonour to God, It is the firſt born of Gods glory to pardon ſin; and for God to ſee men and women have no higher ends in ſeeking pardoning grace, but meerly to ſave their own skins; How may God look upon them with diſdain? What ſhall I magnifie the riches of my grace ſo wonderfully in this work of my pardoning mercy? And ſhall my creatures ſeek after it for no other end, nor higher aims, but meerly to ſave their own skins? you bring down the grace of God, that that is the top of his infinite Majeſty and Glory you put to a low and baſe end; therefore put not off ſeeking it to the laſt, 'tis a great diſhonour to his grace.

2. It is the worſt time, becauſe you come to ſeek after pardoning grace when it is the time of Gods wrath, Prov. 11.4. the time of affliction, and trouble, ſickneſs, and death, is call'd the day of wrath; Riches avail not in the day of Gods wrath; Riches avail for comfort at preſent, but in the day of wrath they will not: God hath his day of affliction, and his day of wrath, he hath his time to come to viſit men for their ſins: Now then, for people to come to ſeek to have the pardon of their ſins when Gods time is to viſit for ſin, that muſt needs be the worſt time that poſſible can be, I reaſon thus, and conſider of it; if God does deny his mercy in the day of mercy, is it likely, that he will grant mercy in the day of wrath? while you are alive, and have liberty, health and opportunity to come to hear the Doctrine of p. 101the Juſtification of a ſinner, and forgiveneſs of ſin opened, you are to know it is the day of Gods grace; Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of Salvation and of grace; when God gives liberty and oppertunity, thus to have the myſteries of the Goſpel opened unto you, this is the day of Gods grace: Now if God deny you grace in this day of mercy, that you are not ſo much as inlightned, your ſouls melted and your hearts ſtirred; Do you think that now you are upon your ſick-beds or death-beds, which is a day of wrath unto you? for ſo it is to thoſe that have not their ſins pardoned before, it is a day of wrath, and Gods time of viſiting for ſin; Is it likely that God will now ſhew thee mercy? I beſeech you conſider, the uſual way of Gods working on men is according to his Ordinance: Now the ordinary way of Gods conveying grace is by the Miniſtry of the Word; Did God ever appoint any other way to convey Chriſt, and grace to thy Soul? give me a Text for it; Where do you find a Text in Scripture of any other way as an Ordinance appointed by God, for the conveying of his pardoning grace in Chriſt to any Soul? No, it is in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, and by faith, that lays hold of the pardoning grace of God, by coming to hear the Word preached; Now if God come not in that time to work upon thee, and to beſtow mercy in his own appointed way, it is not likely he will come any other way: I remember in a Treatiſe of Mr. Bolton's, he has this expreſſion, Let any one give me an example, that ever any one that lived under a powerful Miniſtry, and not ſavingly wrought upon that way, was ever wrought upon any other way; many he ſays may be ſtirred, but for his part he knew none that was ſo ſtirred by affliction to the converſion of their ſouls, if God had not before in the Ordinances of grace wrought upon them: then it muſt needs be the worſt time that can be to ſeek pardon of ſin in a day of trouble or affliction, becauſe that is uſually a time of Gods wrath viſiting for ſin.

3. The work of the Soul in ſeeking after Gods pardoning mercy, and applying of it to himſelf, as it is the excellenteſt work that ever a creature did perform, ſo it does require the moſt exquiſite work of the Spirit that ever was required, or that ever any creature was ſet about; it is the moſt intenſive work of the ſpirit of p. 102man, the applying of the grace of God in Chriſt, and the cloſing with it for Juſtification, it is the higheſt, moſt exquiſite, moſt glorious and moſt admirable work of the ſpirit of man that ever was in the world, and it requires the greateſt intenſneſs and ſtrength of a mans ſpirit that ever any work did: Now then to put this off till ſuch a time as a mans ſtrength is gone, and he through diſeaſes unfit for any thing, and when as all the ſtrength he hath will be little enough to help him to bear his pain, this muſt needs be the worſt time; you are miſtaken if you think the applying of Gods mercy in Chriſt is but in ſaying Lord have mercy upon me; No, it is Gods putting the heart of man to do the moſt glorious work that hath the greateſt operation in it that ever he did. I remember it related of one that lived wickedly, and divers ſought to reclaim him, ſays he, come when I am upon my ſick bed, that is time enough; and afterwards he being ſick, was put in mind of it; you ſaid you would do it then: but then he ſwore a great Oath, ſaying, What is this a time to repent in? becauſe he then felt ſo much trouble and anguiſh that took up his thoughts, that he was ſtirr'd with indignation to be put upon repenting then, in a time when he felt ſo much dolour of ſpirit by the pains that were upon him; Is this a time to repent in? if that be not, then do it betimes.

4. It is the worſt time, becauſe God ſhall loſe a great part of his end in pardoning ſin; for when God pardons ſin it is to this end, that his poor creatures might honour and worſhip him in …his world, and do him ſervice; but now to ſeek for Gods pardoning grace when thou can'ſt do him no more ſervice in this world; How can'ſt thou think that he will accept thee then? He came to redeem us, that we might ſerve him in holineſs and righteouſneſs all the days of our lives; and he knows there is no ſuch way to ingage the heart of man to ſerve him as pardoning grace; for when once a ſoul ſees it ſelf delivered from thoſe Enemies of ſin and of the Law that would deſtroy him, his heart will be mightily ſet to honour God and ſerve him in holineſs and righteouſneſs all his days; and therefore to ſeek for pardon when thou can'ſt do God no more ſervice in this world, muſt needs be the worſt time; for how knoweſt thou that he will accept thee then? I beſeech you obſerve one Text of Scripture p. 103that is abuſed by many people; for I ſuppoſe that I am ſpeaking to a great many very ignorant in the ways of God, and therefore I deſire to ſpeak plainly unto you, there is one place, though miſapprehended and miſtaken, that is the main prop of many carnal hearts, as it is read in ſome Books; At what time ſoever a ſinner repents, &c. I know no ſuch Text of Scripture; it is true, there are Scriptures tending that way that do not limit the time; but no Scripture does expreſs it ſo: many people run away with that expreſſion, as if it were ſo; there is no Text of Scripture hath thoſe words; there is one Text of Scripture this is taken out of, but that is ſpoken to another end, and therefore you had need to examine what is ſpoken, 'tis Ezek. 18.21. this comes the neareſt to thoſe words, mark this Scripture, and ſee what you can have from thence to defer the ſeeking of Gods pardoning mercy and grace till ſickneſs and death; But if the wicked ſhall turn from all his ſins that he hath committed, and keep all my Statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not die; here this Scripture does not limit a time, though it ſays not, At what time ſoever; it ſays, if he turn from all his ſins, and keep all my Statutes, and do that that is lawful and right; ſo that this Scripture promiſes mercy to one that turns from all his ſins, and will keep all Gods Statutes, and ſo do all that is lawful and right: But now, if you put it off to the time of ſickneſs and death; How can you do all this? Turn from all ſin and keep all Gods Statutes then, or, How can you do that is lawful and right then? it muſt be then when you can keep all Gods Statutes, as well as turn from all your ſins; ſo that if you take all together, there is not ſo much incouragement to that which is ſo frequent in your mouths; At what time ſoever a ſinner repents, it muſt be at ſuch a time as that you muſt keep all Gods Statutes: but further, God ſpeaks here to the Jews according to the condition of the Covenant of works, becauſe they made account to be juſtified by the Law; ſays God you will put it off, and think at laſt to turn from your wicked wayes, and that I will have mercy on you; I but look to it, if you will repent, it muſt be ſuch a repentance as muſt be joyned, with a keeping all my Statutes; therefore thoſe that do not underſtand the way of the Goſpel, but depend upon a repentance on their p. 104death-beds, God will hold you to this Scripture, that you muſt repent at ſuch a time as that you muſt keep all Gods Statutes, then you ſee, this is the worſt time of all, to defer repentance till your ſick-beds or death-beds; for how can you keep all Gods Statutes then, and do all that is lawful and right then?

5. It is the worſt time, becauſe all the tag-rag, all the baſe and v…leſt wretches in the world will come in then; And what haſt thou no other ſpirit, but to defer coming in till then? Haſt thou no more care of thy ſoul, no more love to God and his ways, but to put it off till ſuch a time, as all the abominable wretches in the world will come in? that is the ſeventh way in diſhonouring the pardoning grace of God, by ſeeking it in the worſt time that poſſible can be.

8. The Eighth way of diſh…nouring the pardoning grace of God, and the moſt conſiderable of all, is the ſeeking and expecting of it any other way, but only through the Mediation of the Son of God; I told you in the opening of the glorious myſteries of pardoning grace, that it muſt be done by a Mediator: Now, not only groſs ignorant people, but many others diſhonour the pardoning grace of God, they are not ſenſible of this; that it is ſuch grace that only comes through the Mediation of the Son of God: We have too low thoughts of the pardoning grace of God, if we do think there is a poſſibility of attaining it any other way than by the mediation of him, that is God-Man: If we think our crying to God at any time will do it, or our roaring out in anguiſh of ſpirit, forty, fifty, or ſixty years is enough to do it: or that there is any thing to attain it by, under the mediation of the Son of God, we have too low thoughts of the pardoning grace of God, we give not God that honour that is due unto it. Luther has a notable expreſſion to this purpoſe, It is a horrible blaſphemy if you preſume to pacifie God by any works, 'tis an excellent ſpeech; ſo I ſay, 'tis horrible blaſphemy and intolerable to think to have any thing in the leaſt of your own, to preſume upon that God will be pacified with it, whereas God cannot be pacified by any other means, then by the infinite price of the Death and Blood of his own Son; one drop of which is more precious, than all the creatures of Heaven and Earth; God will ſay, Have I revealed ſuch a way of being reconciled with my Creatures, p. 105and that at ſuch a rate and infinite price as the death of my own Son? Shall his life and blood go to procure pardon (one drop of which is more worth than ten thouſand worlds) and when all this is done, ſhall my creature think to put me off by a poor work of their own prayers, tears, good meaning, or the like; or with the moſt glorious work that they can perform? for the greateſt and moſt glorious work that they can perform is not near worth ſo much as one drop of the blood of Chriſt. And if you have not ſuch high thoughts of Gods Pardoning Mercy, that it muſt be procured by that which hath more worth in it than all the Creation beſides, you do diſhonour it, by having ſuch low thoughts of it, when as you think to obtain it by any duty that you can do; you think God is a merciful God, and you hope upon your reforming and performing duties of Obedience, that God will be pacified towards you for all that is amiſs: Certainly when you have theſe thoughts of Gods pardoning grace, you make it to be but as common and ordinary pity towards one in miſery; but the grace of God is a higher thing than common pity and compaſſion, and it is a mighty diſhonour to God to have no higher thoughts of it, that you think of it but as of common pity and compaſſion that one creature hath unto another; or if you think it differs from that pity one creature hath to another, it is but a difference in degrees;; only you think it is a little higher in degree: but you muſt look upon it in another way, and as another kind of pity then one creature bears to another; it is true, Gods pardoning his poor creatures is in pity and compaſſion, but it is through the death and ſatisfaction of his own Son; and if you think to procure it any other way than by the mediation of the Son of God, you look upon it but in a natural way, as nature will dictate unto you; for nature will dictate, that the beholding of one crying out in miſery will move pity and compaſſion, and you go no further: But you are to know, the pardoning grace of God, is the moſt ſupernatural and myſteriouſeſt thing in all the Book of God; therefore when God works in us, we muſt act faith upon it in a myſtical way, or act faith upon it as a great myſterie; and therefore you that p. 106have been made ſenſible of ſin, it may be you have thought of Gods grace for the pardon and forgiveneſs of your ſins, and for to quiet the trouble of your ſpirits; Have you done that? there is I ſuppoſe many a poor ſoul may ſay, I have been often with God when no eye ſaw me, but only Gods, ſeeking the pardon of my ſin in trouble of ſpirit; you have done ſo: but has your eye at that time been faſtened on the Son of God, as the great Mediator between God and Man, to interceed to God the Father for the obtaining this mercy, by making ſatisfaction to infinite Juſtice: Together with your cries for pardon, have your eyes been upon the Son of God at the right hand of the Father, pleading for man? Have your hearts been taken with the great myſteries of godlineſs, and wrought upon by the infinite grace of God? Have you put forth a mighty power of the Spirit of Faith, to tender up to God the Father the Attonement that his Son has made by his blood and death for your ſins? Have you ſeen that the pardoning grace of God is ſo high, that it is impoſſible to be reach't unto by any thing you can do, but only by the mediation of the Son of God? If it have been thus with your ſpirits? then you have ſomewhat of the ſenſe of the great work of God in this thing; but otherwiſe, though you have been never ſo much wrought on and have had floods of ſorrow, and have cryed never ſo earneſt for the pardon of your ſins, yet except you have had ſome ſuch kind of thoughts of Gods grace, as theſe are, upon your hearts, working after God this way, you were never throughly acquainted with the way of Gods pardoning grace, and ſo you have diſhonoured him, by having too low thoughts of it, except your hearts have been raiſed to this height, Pſal. 51.7. in that time when David was on repenting, he called unto God to purge him with Hyſop; David deſired the renewing of the aſſurance of Gods mercy in Chriſt, in the pardoning of that horrible offence he had committed; and therefore prays that he may be purged with Hyſop: What is the meaning of that? there is a great myſtery in it; in the time of the Law when the blood was ſprinkled, it was done with a bunch of Hyſop; and it was a Type of the Blood of Chriſt that was p. 107to make an Attonement, Levit. 14. They were to take a bunch of Hyſop to ſprinkle withal; Now ſays David, Purge me with Hyſop, that is, apply to me the blood of Chriſt, for I have need of freſh applications of the blood of Chriſt; I have ſinned againſt him, and have done what in me lay to bring my ſelf under Gods wrath, and have brought new guilt upon my ſoul: Now for the aſſurance of thy love to me, let there be freſh applications of the blood of thy Son; let there be a new ſprinkling of the blood of thy Son upon me: I ſuppoſe many of you in reading this place, did not think of the meaning of the Spirit of God in it, that may be a great help unto you, when at any time you are ſeeking the pardon of your ſins, to cry to God to be purged with Hyſop; O Lord▪ ſprinkle the blood of Chriſt afreſh upon me; for I know that all my Prayers and Tears, and all that I can do, cannot purge me from the guilt of that ſin I have committed againſt thee, except thou purge me with Hyſop; that is, by applying of the Blood of thy Son unto me: And this is the Eighth way of diſhonouring the grace of God, in ſeeking for it any other way than through the blood of his Son; and remember when you are ſeeking it, that it may be the laſt time; and therefore remember you look up to God for it in, by, and through the death of his Son; for otherwiſe, though you are never ſo earneſt in Prayer, you diſhonour this grace: It is an eaſie matter to convince men and women, that they are guilty of diſhonouring the grace of God, if they ſeek for pardon in a negligent and ſluggiſh way; but now, though you are never ſo ſenſible, and put forth never ſo much ſtrength in ſeeking for it, yet you diſhonour God, except you look upon it as ſuch a high thing that can never be reacht unto, but through the mediation of the Son of God.

9. The ninth way of diſhonouring the grace of God is, for any one to venture on ſin, the rather becauſe they hope they ſhall be pardoned, that dare to venture on ſin on that ground, hoping that God will at laſt pardon them, I ſpake before of thoſe that did nothing elſe but increaſe their ſins in ſtead of ſeeking pardon of ſin, and of the miſerable ſad condition of ſuch: But thoſe we now ſpeak of, are not ſuch as are come to this height p. 108of ſinning, to do nothing elſe but increaſe their ſins; but ſuch men and women who being convinc't of ſin, and if they were perſwaded that God would never pardon that ſin, they would find knots enough to ſtop them from the commiſſion of it: but becauſe they have ſome hopes that God will pardon, therfore on that very ground they venture on ſin; 'tis true, it is an offence, but God is a merciful God, he will forgive though it be an evil: there is more evil and miſcheif in this than thou can'ſt imagin; What, art thou convinc't of ſin, and wilt thou venture on ſin meerly on this ground, becauſe thou hopeſt that God will pardon thee? I may ſay unto thee as Peter to Simon Magus, Act. 8.22. Pray O pray to God, that if it be poſſible, this thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee; for this thought of thy heart hath ſo much malignity in it, and is ſo great a provocation againſt God as poſſible can be imagined, (except the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt,) for any man or women to venture on any ſin in hopes of pardon: ſome will ſay, What need we be ſo ſtrict, and trouble our ſelves ſo much? God is merciful, and therefore they think upon that ground; they need not be ſo ſtrict; this is a horrible degree of turning the grace of God into wantenneſs, Jude 4. the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſuch there, that profeſt they did believe in Chriſt; mark what he ſays of them, There are certain men crept in unawares, — ungodly men turning the grace of God into laciviouſneſs, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; 'tis a moſt dreadful place, if there be any one in the Congregation that have ever had the glorious light of the Goſpel revealed to them, that can reaſon thus? I do ſuch and ſuch things, yet God is merciful; O that God would convince thee of this evil, give me leave to open it unto you, how men creep in; they were Chriſtians, and were come into the Church; but how? they crept in cunningly; the Saints of God were not aware of them, they crept in amongſt them; here by the way, we may take notice, that in a Church there ought to be none admitted Members, but ſuch as there may be ſome teſtimony of godlineſs in them; for if any be ungodly, they are ſuch as creep in unawares; the Church of God ſhould keep p. 109them out, ſuch as creep in unawares ſhould be kept out: many cry out, they will not have communion with any Church, becauſe there are ſome wicked men in it; and others ſay, while there is a Church on Earth, the tares will be among the corn, and chaff will be among the wheat: be not deceived, I know none in the world that does think there is any Congregation ſo pure, but that ſome ungodly one may creep into it: but conſider, to have ſome evil ones in the Church is one thing, and the Church to have power to caſt them out, that is another thing; 'tis true, they will creep into the Church, but when they are crept in, and appear to be ungodly ones, we muſt do our duty; tell them of their faults, and if they will not hear us, we muſt tell it to the Church; and if the Church have power and will not deal with them, it need not at all hinder our communicating with them: but here lies the caſe, Whether we ſhould withdraw, becauſe evil ones are among them? or, Whether we can joyn with that Church wherein there is no power to keep them out, and after they are crept in to caſt them out? they will creep into the Church, they came in unawares; but the ſtate of the Church ſhould be ſuch, that they ſhould ſuffer no evil men to come in, and if they do come in, it is unawares to the Church, by making a Profeſſion of Religion; for the Church can go no further then what does outwardly appear unto them: if men make a Profeſſion of Religion, and have a converſation agreeable to it, the Church can go no further; but for a Church to admit al, if they be no ſwearers, no adulterers, of groſs livers in any other ſin, although they make no Profeſon; nay, if they do but hire a Houſe in the Pariſh, it is enough to make them members of the Church, and when they are in, there is no power to caſt them out; & if a power heretofore, the remedy was worſe than the diſeaſe; it was ſuch a power as was never ordained of God: Whether we ſhould joyn with ſuch a Church or no; or whether we ſhould withdraw, becauſe there is ſome evil ones among them is queſtionable? ſurely none can imagine there ſhould be ſuch a pure Church in the world, as that there ſhould be no tares among them; But if there be a power in every Church to admit of none p. 110but ſuch as have an appearance of godlineſs, and if after being crept in, they proving otherwiſe, that there is a power to caſt them out; let theſe things be granted, and then though many ungodly ones will unawares creep in, yet it is no hinderance at all to joyn with them in all the Ordinances of God: that is the firſt thing ſaid of them; they creep in. 2. He ſays they were ſuch as were ordained of old to condemnation; thoſe that turn this grace of God into wantonneſs; that is, abuſe this pardoning grace of God by taking liberty to ſin; ſurely they are ſuch as ſhould be kept out of the Church, and if they creep in, they ſhould not be accounted members, but ſhould be caſt out, when they appear to be ſuch as were of old ordain'd to condemnation: then thoſe that abuſe the grace of God to wantonneſs, and think they may take liberty to ſin becauſe God is merciful to forgive ſin, the Scriptures ſays, they are of old ordained to condemnation. Thirdly, They are ungodly men, ſuch that have no godlineſs at all in them, but are meer carnal and worldly men; it is a terrible thing for a Miniſter to ſay to any of you out of the Word of God, thou art an ungodly man or woman. Haſt thou not turn'd the grace of God into wantonneſs, and abuſed it, when thou heardeſt that God was merciful? Haſt thou took liberty to ſin? thou art an ungodly man; for thou turneſt the grace of God into wantonneſs: The bleſſed grace of God that ſhould be the chief means to keep men from ſin; thou makeſt it an advantage to further ſin: And mark further, Fourthly, Thou denyeſt our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; thou talkeſt of Gods mercy in Chriſt, but thou denieſt the only Lord God and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; What a heap of expreſſions are here, to ſet forth the condition of ſuch men that turn the grace of God into wantonneſs? 1. They creep in. 2. Were of old ordained to condemnation. 3. They are ungodly: And 4. they deny the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Methinks this one Text ſhould daunt the heart of every one that is before the Lord this day; never to preſume upon acting of ſuch horrible wickedneſs, to ſin becauſe of Gods pardoning grace, for there is ſo much evil in this, to preſume on ſin becauſe God is willing to forgive ſin, that thoſe that underſtand the glory of Gods grace, their hearts cannot but p. 111ſtand amazed and riſe with indignation againſt it, Rom. 6.1. What ſhall we ſay then, Shall we continue in ſin, that grace may abound? — ſome there were that did abuſe the grace of God to ſin; How does the Apoſtle riſe with indignation againſt that abominable wickedneſs? he does not grant it, but reject it with a horrible indignation, God forbid, What? to ſin that grace may abound, God forbid: What? to make uſe of the grace of God to further ſin; Shall we ſtand to anſwer theſe men, in the horrible reaſoning of their hearts? No, they are to be caſt of with deteſtation and rejection, with a God forbid, that there ſhould be any of ſuch vile and wicked hearts thus to abuſe the pardoning grace of God: Suppoſe you forgive one ſervant a fault, and another ſervant ſhould ſay; well, my Maſter hath forgiven him, I will do ſo too; upon that ground, if thou commit the ſame offence, he will not forgive thee, becauſe thou offendeſt preſumptuouſly, which is a moſt horrid thing. Let me a little further reaſon the caſe:

1. It is an argument of an abominable heart, that hath no way to keep it from ſin, but only guilt, and fear of wrath and Hell; Thou makeſt not the grace of God an argument to keep thee from ſin, nor the evil of ſin in it ſelf; which is a great diſhonour and wrong to God; there is more evil in ſin it ſelf, ſetting a ſide the conſideration of the guilt and puniſhment of it, there is ten thouſand times more evil in ſin it ſelf, than all the puniſhment in Hell will countervail; and thou haſt no way to keep thee from ſin, but only the guilt and puniſhment; it is an argument of a baſe wicked heart.

2. Suppoſe there were no evil of guilt or puniſhment, yet an ingenious gracious ſpirit would never do it; What ſhall I ſin, becauſe God will pardon? Shall I venture upon it? no, I will never do it: grace reaſons to a quite contrary end; that is an excellent Scripture in Tit. 2.11. The grace of God that brings Salvation; it is this grace that reveals the pardon of ſin; this precious grace of God that brings ſalvation has appeared to all men: But to what end? teaching us to deny all ungodlineſs and worldly luſts; the grace of God that brings ſalvation, it teaches us theſe leſſons; not ſuch a wicked leſſon p. 112that we ſhould preſume to ſin, on hopes that God may pardon it: No, But to deny ungodlineſs and worldly luſts; and that we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly; and not to take liberty to ſin, to lye, ſteal, be filthy and the like, becauſe God will pardon; no, it teaches other manner of leſſons than theſe; and then it follows, looking for that bleſſed hope and appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Christ; mark the Text, there is a great deal in it, when the grace of God that brings ſalvation, and mercy, and pardon of ſin is revealed, it teaches us theſe Leſſons; becauſe of the grace and favour of God is revealed to us, that we ſhould deny all ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, and then we may with comfort look for the bleſſed hope and appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; but otherwiſe you can never look for that bleſſed hope: let me ſpeak to thoſe that reaſon thus, that they may venture on ſin, becauſe of Gods pardoning grace; Does the Revelation of the grace of God teach you to live ungodly, and in worldly luſts? Can you look for that bleſſed hope with comfort, and expect the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt? 'tis impoſſible, you cannot, 'tis not a bleſſed hope that you have, but a curſed hope; that all ſhall be well at laſt, though you live ungodly and wickedly, and for the appearing of the great God; certainly it will be a terrible appearing to thee, that made Chriſt who came to diſſolve the works of the Devil, to be a means to uphold the works of the Devil.

3. Did ever any Child of God make uſe of Scripture to reaſon for ſin in ſuch a wicked way, for to preſume to ſin, becauſe God is willing to pardon? you cannot give me one example in all the Scripture of any of thoſe that God hath ſhewed mercy to, that reaſoned after this manner; I can give you examples to the contrary, how the Saints have reaſoned otherwiſe, Pſal. 130.4. mark the reaſoning of a gracious heart, But there is forgiveneſs with thee, that thou may'ſt be feared; he reaſons from the pardoning grace of God, to draw up his heart to the fear of God; as if he ſhould ſay, Lord, I have heard much of the Doctrine of the pardon of ſin, p. 113and the great workings of thy grace to effect it, and of thy readineſs to forgive, this is the end of it, that thou mighteſt be feared; this is the effect this doctrine works in a gracious ſoul, and 'tis a good ſign if you reaſon after this manner; but there is forgiveneſs with thee, that thou may'ſt be feared: If thoſe Sermons you have heard of this Doctrine be a means to implant the fear of God in your hearts, this is a bleſſed ſign they have had a good effect upon you; when you reaſon thus, Becauſe Lord, I have had ſo much of thy grace and mercy in forgiving my ſin; through thy grace my ſoul ſhall fear thee more than ever before, and fear to ſin more than ever before: thoſe that have hearts anſwering this Text, 'tis a good ſign that the Word has had a powerful efficacy upon them: take another Text, Pſal. 103.1, 2, 3. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits; Why? who forgiveth all thy iniquities: Mark, it is a Pſalm that David made of Gods mercy in forgiving of ſin, the conſideration of which makes him call upon his ſoul, and all that is within him to bleſs the Lord: Do's God ſhew ſo much grace as to forgive ſin? then bleſs the Lord O my ſoul, and all that is within me bleſs his holy Name; 'tis not reaſoning thus, God forgives iniquity, and therefore O my ſoul take liberty; thou need'ſt not be ſo ſtrict: But bleſs the Lord O my ſoul, and all that is within me bleſs his holy Name: thoſe that have ſtrength to do any thing for God, this is an argument will ſtir up all within them to bleſs God, when they ſee God appearing ſo infinitely gracious to them in the forgiveneſs of their ſins; they ſo reaſon, that all they have, or can do, ſhould be given unto him.

4. You that think, you may take liberty to ſin becauſe God is gracious, and venture on it, becauſe you conceit that God will never puniſh; think of this, the example of the damned in Hell, they are flying in the face of God becauſe they know that God will never pardon; and thou ſinneſt becauſe thou hopeſt God will pardon; which is the worſt of the two: the Devils and the damned are in ſuch a condition, as that they know that God will never pardon them; and therefore they always curſe God, becauſe they know he will not pardon: but God offers pardon, and tenders grace to you, holds forth Jeſus Chriſt p. 114to you, and his blood and ſufferings for the pardoning of you, and you blaſpheme becauſe you think he will pardon; of the two methinks you ſhould judge the ſecond ſort worſt; you blaſpheme becauſe you hope God will pardon, and the other blaſpheme God becauſe they know he will not pardon; 'Tis ſomething worſe to take liberty to ſin, becauſe you hope God will pardon, than they that ſin becauſe they are out of all h…p…s of pardon. Thou that takeſt liberty on this ground to blaſpheme the Name of God; What thinkeſt thou will become of thee another day? now thou doſt blaſpheme, becauſe thou hopeſt that God will pardon thee; ere long thou maiſt come to that condition to blaſpheme God eternally, becauſe, he will not pardon thee: As I make no queſtion, but many Swearers, Drunkards, unclean perſons and the like, have gone on in ſin on this ground, becauſe they hoped that God would pardon them; are now gone to their own place, and blaſpheme becauſe they find that God will never pardon: ſo that thou that blaſphemeſt now, it may be thou ſhalt blaſpheme eternally, but it will be otherwiſe, thou doſt it now on hopes that God will pardon; thou ſhalt there do it, becauſe thou ſhalt have no hopes that he will ever pardon.

5. Thou that ſinneſt now in hopes that God will pardon, if God inlighten thy mind, theſe things will be an intolerable burden to thee; and if there be any thing that will indanger the ſinking of thy ſoul into the bottomleſs gulf of diſpair, it is like to be this; you now give way to the reaſonings of your own hearts, to further ſin from the conſideration of Gods pardoning mercy; the ſame reaſon that furthers ſin in you now, from the conſideration of pardon, will make you have further thoughts of deſpairing of Gods mercy: Suppoſe thou goeſt on a great while, and heapeſt up ſin on this preſumption: Let me put this unto thee, either God will inlighten thy Conſcience, or he will not do it; if he never do it, thou art eternally loſt; but if he do it, if he come at length and awaken Conſcience; then what a load of anguiſh and trouble will lie upon thy ſoul, that will make thee cry out, O Lord, I have not only ſinned: but now I come to ſeek for mercy; my mouth is ſtop't with the thoughts of that mercy that I have abuſed: Now nothing p. 115but free grace can do me good; my Conſcience tells me how I have abuſed this grace, I have preſumed on ſin becauſe of this, I have made the thoughts I had of this grace a means to further me in ſin; and now with what face can I go to ſeek this grace and mercy? theſe will be ſtinging thoughts to thee another day; when a Miniſter ſhall come to apply the grace of God to thy ſoul, thou wilt ſay there is mercy with God to pardon ſinners, but not for thoſe that have abuſed the grace of God as I have done; Manaſſeh, and Paul, 'tis true, they committed many great ſins; but did they ever commit any ſin upon this ground, in hope of pardon: O look unto it, let none go out from the preſence of the Lord this day, with thoughts to venture on ſin, becauſe ye hope it may be pardoned; to venture on ſin on that ground, is the moſt horrible curſedeſt thing that can be.

Tenthly, A tenth way of diſhonouring the grace of Gods pardoning mercy; as to ſin in hopes of pardon, ſo to ſin after pardon, after God hath revealed this grace unto you; then to ſin, this is a great diſhonour to this grace: Many that have been in trouble for their ſins, and in their trouble have cryed to God for mercy, and God hath ſpoke peace to their ſouls, and hath told them that their ſins are pardoned, and that he will cleanſe their ſouls from the guilt of ſin by the blood of his own Son; and yet after all this, they have again faln to their former ſins: I have ſpoke before of this degree of diſhonouring Gods pardoning grace, but now I am ſpeaking of a further degree; not only to fall into that ſin you have ſought for pardon of, but to fall into that ſin, that you have ſome comfortable aſſurance of pardon of, 1 King. 11.9. The Lord was angry with Solomon, becauſe his heart was turned from the Lord, that had appeared to him twice; remember, hath not God appeared to ſome of you twice, and given you aſſurance of his love and pardoning grace? God came with ſweet comforts and rejoyced your ſouls; and what do you turn from the Lord after he hath appeared twice to you, and ſaid unto thee, thy ſins are pardoned? this is a grievous thing, Ezra 9.14. Should we again break thy Commandements? — Would'ſt not thou be angry with us, ſhould we again p. 116ſin, would'ſt thou not conſume us? ſo after God has delivered us from condemnation, the guilt of ſin, and the ſpirit of bondage; What? to treſpaſs again, it is juſt with God to be angry with us, Pſal. 85.8. The Lord will ſpeak peace —, but let them not return again to folly; if God ſpeak peace, O return not again to folly; I appeal unto you, hath God ever ſpoke peace to your ſouls? Have you heard the voyce of gladneſs ſpeaking in your hearts, ſaying, Son, or Daughter be of good chear, go in peace, thy ſins are pardoned? Have you not heard this? if you have not, you had need to get it; if you have, then return not again to the ſame ſin that God hath graciouſly pardoned. 1. Return not to the ſame ſin. 2. Return not to any other ſin. 1. Return not to the ſame ſin; it is a queſtion, and a great caſe of Conſcience, Whether it be poſſible for a Child of God after God hath dealt unto him the pardon of ſin, whether he may commit that ſin again? ſome have denyed it; I remember ſome antient Divines, Origen and Tertullian upon thoſe words in Heb. 6. For it is impoſſible for thoſe that were once inlightened, — if they ſhall fall away to renew them by repentance; he applies it to the ſin of uncleanneſs; and ſays he, a ſecond repentance is not promiſed in the Name of Chriſt to Adulterers and Fornicators; thus I may boldly ſay, we do not find any certain expreſs example in all the Book of God, of any Child of God that did fall into the ſame groſs outward ſins after an actual repentance, and making up his peace with God for ſin; we find no expreſs Scripture: I do not ſay, we find no example of the Children of God that have not committed the ſame ſin again, as Peter and Lot, but we find no example of any groſs ſin that they have faln into: mark it, after their repentance and reconciliation; what was done amiſs, was done before they came to have it laid home unto their Conſciences, and applyed unto their hearts for the humbling of their ſouls in making their peace with God: True, David committed Adultery, but never the ſecond time, after he had his bones broken, he fell not again: and ſo Peter, after he went out and wept bitterly, he never denyed his Maſter again; and ſo Abraham equivocated, but we read not, that after p. 117any actual renewal of faith and repentance, that he committed that ſin again: a wound while it is open, and not fully cloſed, it may bleed again; but when it is fully cloſed, to bleed again is dangerous; and ſo any of the people of God, after the actual renewal of their faith and repentance, you cannot give me an example that any of them have faln into the ſame ſin again; I do not abſolutely deny it, but I ſay it is a dangerous thing, God hath not left an example; he hath left examples that his Children have faln, but not after they have renewed their faith and repentance, that they have faln into the ſame ſins again; I ſpeak not of inward thoughts, I know that they after repentance will return again; but for any outward groſs actual ſin after the renewal of faith and repentance, they have not return'd again to commit the ſame ſin: when once a joynt is out, or a leg broke and ſet, uſually that joynt or bone is ſtronger than before; and ſo I m…ght ſhew you after they have ſinned, and been ſet again, they have been ſtronger than before: a Child of God falling into ſin is juſt like the breaking of a bone, Gal. 6.1. And you that are ſpiritual muſt reſtore ſuch a one; the word in the Original is put him in joynt again; any godly man or member of a Church that falls into ſin, is as a bone out of joynt, and you that are ſpiritual muſt ſet it again; if once you have a bone out of joynt, the longer you let it go, the more painful it is; ſo if you fall into any ſin, the longer you let it go the more unweildy you will be: No marvel you cannot go about your buſineſs handſomely, when you have a bone out of joynt; but has God been ſo merciful as to put you into joynt again; you know what Chriſt ſaid to the man, Thou art made whole, &c. ſo I ſay to you, you that have ſinned, and God has pardoned you, ſet you in joynt again, Go your way, you are made whole, take heed of ſinning again leaſt, a worſe thing befal you.

2. A ſecond ſort that diſhonour the grace of God, are ſuch that though they fall not into the ſame groſs ſins again after pardoning mercy, yet are negligent in the wayes of God; looſe, ſlight, v…in, ſenſual, carnal, dead-hearted in their converſation, and do not anſwer the grace of God revealed to them, but are more p. 118droſſie in their ſpirits than before; It may be for the time wherein they were ſeeking this grace of God, they were ſtrick't in their converſation, in their wayes conſcientious; and in every thing walk't cloſe with God, durſt not for their lives omit a known duty, attended on the Word with a great deal of patience, their hearts cloſed with it, and it was as meat and drink unto them; and in their converſation they were very fruitful in the places where they lived: But now having had ſome comfortable aſſurance of Gods mercy pardoning them, after this they are grown ſlight, vain, looſe, and dead hearted; this is a very grievous evil where ever it may be charged: It is a very great evil for any to abuſe Gods general Bounty, Patience, and Long-ſufferance, and the good we receive from God in the uſe of the creature; but far worſe to abuſe the grace of God in Chriſt, manifeſted in pardoning mercy: I ſhall ſhew this to be a great evil, and ſhall labour to convince you of it.

1. Conſider and call to remembrance what the dayes of old were? How in former times it was with you, when you were ſeeking the pardoning grace of God? then you thought if ever G…d come in to my ſoul, and give me any aſſurance of pardon of ſin, How infinitely ſhould my ſoul be ingaged to bleſs God, and how ſhall I for ever be bound to give up my ſelf, ſoul and body; what I am, and what I can do to live to the praiſe of the grace of God; if God come in to my ſoul and pardon this ſin of mine, the guilt whereof lies ſo heavy upon my ſpirit; I appeal unto your own Conſciences, Did not you think in your own thoughts, that it was impoſſible that ever you ſhould come to live as you do? certainly if the thoughts of many people might this day appear, they cannot but ſay, Time was (when I was ſeeking after the mercy of God, to pardon my ſin that lay upon my Conſcience) I thought with my ſelf thus; he is a bleſſed man) indeed that has aſſurance of this, and if ever I had peace ſpoken to my ſoul, I thought my life would have been ſuch, that (in my apprehenſion) I thought it was impoſſible that I ſhould have grown to this dulneſs, deadneſs, ſlightneſs, and vanity, that now I ſee I am, then now as Paul ſaid to the Galatians, Where is the bleſſedneſs you ſpake of, time was you ſaid the pardoning p. 119mercy of God it was a bleſſed thing; where is that bleſſedneſs you ſpake of, that after you have received it, you ſhould grow wanton, looſe, and ſlight? What, have you not a mightier Argument to draw your hearts to God, after he hath ſpoke peace, than ever you had before? The apprehenſion of guilt, danger, and trouble of ſpirit for ſin, that was an Argument to keep you from ſin before; but if God have ſpoken peace, in applying this pardoning grace; Have you not Arguments, of another nature than theſe, which are far more powe…ful? Certainly, thoſe that know the grace of God in Chriſt know that there is no ſuch powerful argument as the grace of God in Chriſt in pardoning ſin, to keep up the heart to God, and to keep from ſin as this, no ſuch argument in the world that is like to this; the eyeing of Gods grace is a ſpecial thing to quench and keep down luſt; whereas thoſe that ſin after this mercy, whoſe luſts and corruptions overcome the power of this pardoning mercy, they are deprived of the beſt and moſt ſpecial ſpiritual helps, that can be to keep from ſin; Phil. 4.7. The peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding, ſhall keep your hearts and minds in Chriſt Jeſus; the word in the Original is very ſignificant, ſhall guard your hearts; this is the emphaticalneſs of the phraſe; as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, The ſweet peace of God, is ſuch as paſſeth underſtanding, and ſhall guard your hearts; as indeed the peace of God that comes to flow out from the ſweetneſs of the pardoning grace of God is ſuch, as paſſeth underſtanding; but yet after all this, there will be many dangers, and you are to be involved with many temptations; but this peace of God will be a guard to your ſouls, to keep you from ſin and temptation: The ſoul of a Believer that hath peace ſpoken to it, is there compared to a Captain in War, or a Prince that apprehends himſelf in ſome danger, ſets a ſtrong guard about his Perſon to keep him from danger: Now what is the guard, that keeps the ſoul of a Believer from temptation and danger? It is the peace of God, that is the greateſt and ſtrongeſt guard in the world; if you complain of ſin and temptations, and that you are afraid that ſin will ſurprize you; What guard would you have to keep you? The peace of God is the beſt guard that can be: Now after p. 120this hath been a guard unto you if thy ſin break in upon thee, as fully, and as freely, as if there were no guard at all; thy condition is very ſad.

2. Let me further ſpeak to ſúch that ſin after the pardoning grace of God, and do not walk anſwerable to that grace that was let forth in witneſſing the pardon of ſin; 'tis a thouſand to one thou wilt looſe thy evidence; 'tis true, it is irrevocable in Gods heart, yet thou may'ſt carry it ſo, that by thy looſe walking, thou may'ſt looſe the evidence of it in thy own ſoul, and it may be as ſad with thee as if thou wer't not at all pardoned; we are to know that when an Evidence is given in, concerning pardon of ſin, every renewed act of ſin is a blot to that Evidence: A man that having Evidences of Lands, or an Eſtate, will keep them fair; but if he ſhould ſuffer them to be blotted, one blot after another, perhaps ſo blotted as neither he nor any one elſe is able to read them; it may coſt him a great deal of trouble before he get them renew'd again; ſo 'tis with a poor creature that hath got ſome comfortable Evidence of the pardon of ſin, but giving way to temptation, commits a ſin, and there he gets a blot; and then, the next temptation, coming poſſibly to worldly Mindedneſs, Paſſion, Unbelief, ſlightneſs of Spirit, Vanity, Senſuality, and abuſe of the Creatures; by often yielding to theſe, he gets more and renewed blots; ſo that if his Evidences be lookt into, they will be found ſo full of blots, that no marvel in a time of temptation they cannot read them; poſſibly ſome that are skilful in the way of God, and the nature of the Covenant of grace, may pick out ſomewhat of the meaning of them; but thou haſt faln ſo ſouly from God that thy Evidences are ſo blotted and blur'd, that in thy own apprehenſion thou can'ſt ſee nothing, but that thy condition is as dangerous as ever it was and as uncomfortable, thy Evidences are ſo blotted that thou can'ſt not read them thy ſelf, and ſo haſt no comfort by them, and 'tis to thee as if thou had'ſt none at all; this is the duty, and would be the comfort of every Chriſtian, that when they have gotten their Evidences, that they would keep them ſo clear, that they might read them every morning, and run and read them, and not ſtand p. 121pooring and beating their brains and hearts, and fret themſelves, becauſe they cannot find ſuch and ſuch a thing that was to them an Evidence of the pardon of their ſins, this is through their neglect; and if they had been careful to have kept their Evidences clear and plain, O the comfort they might have had to have read them every morning: If the Pollution of ſin recoil back again, no marvel the ſenſe of guilt of ſin upon thy Conſcience recoil back again; if God have committed ſuch a Jewel to thee as the Evidence of pardon of ſin, and thou makeſt no better uſe of it, 'tis juſt with God to take it out of thy hands, and keep it in his own; and though he ſhew mercy at laſt unto thee, yet thou may'ſt not know it while thou art in this world; 'tis a very hard thing to recover it again: thoſe that have had the pardon of ſin ſeal'd unto them, have by their falling into ſin afterwards, ſo darkned and loſt their Evidences that they could never recover them again; as David, ſee how he cries out, Create in me a clean heart, and reſtore to me the joy of thy Salvation; David ſaw all was gone, and that there muſt be a new Creation and Reſtoration; Reſtore to me the joy of thy ſalvation; O the joy that once I had, and now have loſt; O Lord that I may have it once again: David had a little ſenſual pleaſure for a while, but he paid dear for it, he loſt the joy of Gods Salvation: What think you, David would have given to have got it again? for ought we know, he never had it ſo fully as before: Thoſe that have had ſome comfortable Evidence of pardoning grace, and afterwards through their negligence, looſneſs, and vanity, have loſt it, may never come to injoy the comfort of it again as formerly they did; and therefore when Peter had ſinned againſt his Maſter; mark, when Chriſt came to Peter, ſays he, Loveſt thou me? he anſwered, Lord thou knoweſt I love thee; Chriſt puts it to him again; Loveſt thou me? he would not take his firſt anſwer, but puts it to him the ſecond and third time, Loveſt thou me? as if Chriſt had ſaid to Peter, look to your ſelf, it is not any preſent ſudden work that can recover your Evidences again; you that have ſinned and darkned your Evidences, had need to put this Queſtion p. 122to your own hearts again and again, to get it ſure, that you love Chriſt, and that Chriſt loves you.

3. Thirdly, Let me ſpeak to ſuch as ſin after pardon, it may juſtly provoke God to deal with you, though he do not take away his everlaſting love; yet to deal with you as a Slave rather than a Child; I mean, in following you with ſore and heavy chaſtiſements, though he may ſave your ſouls at laſt, yet it may cauſe God to meet you with ſuch ſore and evil things in this world, that for that ſloath and ſluggiſhneſs of your hearts you may pay dear for it, before you die; truly ſo may be the dealings of God with his own Children whom he pardons, Jer. 2.14. God is ſpeaking there to his own people: Is Iſrael a ſervant? Is he a home-born ſlave? and at verſ. 18. What haſt thou to do in the way of Egypt? ſo thou to whom God hath heretofore received to mercy and pardon; but thou haſt walk't ſo, that Gods ways to thee ſeem to be ſuch as it may be ſaid, Is this man or woman a ſervant? Is he a home-born ſlave? God ſpeaks it with pity, Iſrael is my dear Son; How comes it to paſs that he is as a home-born ſlave? What, is he a ſervant, and brought into ſuch a condition as a ſervant or a ſlave? What is the matter? Why? he is in the way of Egypt; ſo it may be ſaid to thee who walkeſt in the ſenſual droſſineſs of thy ſpirit; Haſt thou not been in the way of Egypt? Are thy ways ſuch, that Gods dealings with thee are as if thou wer't a ſervant, and a home-born ſlave? Where is that filial ingenious ſpirit of thine, that God is fain to deal with thee as now he doth?

4. Again, thou that ſinneſt after pardon, thou comeſt to aggravate thy ſins more than the ſins of the wicked, in ſome regards; thoſe that are wicked, and go on in their vile ways againſt God, you cry out of them as wretched creatures, baſe, filthy, drunkards, ſwearers, lyars, falſe men and women in their dealings, ſuch as are not to be dealt withal in the world, you think theſe are wicked; but you that ſin after mercy, your ſins have an aggravation upon them beyond theirs; for they never knew what Gods ſweet pardoning mercy meant; they never heard God ſpeak peace to their ſouls, as thou haſt to thine; they never had the ſecret Viſitations of Gods p. 123Spirit, nor the warm beams of Gods mercy ſhining into their hearts; they were never acquainted with ſuch things; and therefore though they go on in ſin, after which they have bin accuſtomed, 'tis not ſo much to be wondered at: But thou that haſte had a taſt of the ſweetneſs of Gods love in Chriſt, in pardoning mercy; for thee to ſin after this, 'tis a greater aggravation than the ſins of the other; and as 'tis a greater aggravation than the ſins of the wicked, ſo thy ſin goes more near to the heart of Chriſt than the ſins of the wicked and ungodly do; the ſins of the moſt prophaneſt wretch in all the Town doe not go ſo near to the heart of Chriſt, as thoſe that are committed after receipts of mercy from Chriſt; What, you my ſons to do thus and thus againſt me? I remember 'tis reported of Caeſar, when many with their Poinyards came about him, and ſtab'd him in the Senate-Houſe, at length comes Brutus, whom he had done much good for, he comes and gives him a blow, he look't upon him, and cries out; What, thou my ſon Brutus, wilt thou give me a blow and ſtab? It went nearer to the heart of Caeſar, to have Brutus come and give him a wound and ſtab, than for all the other that came round about and ſtab'd him; ſo Chriſt may look upon thee, for whom he has purchas't pardon, ſhed his blood, and laid down his life for; What, thou my ſon, wilt thou ſin againſt me? for wicked wretches that are ſtrangers to him, no marvel if they ſin againſt him; but for you that are his ſons, his redeemed ones, that have received ſuch pardoning grace and mercy; for you to ſin: this goes to the heart of Chriſt more than the ſins of the ungodlyeſt wretch in all the Pariſh, And would you not be loath to do more againſt Chriſt than the vileſt wretch in the Pariſh? you that have received ſo much mercy from Chriſt: Further, other mens ſins anger God, but no mens ſins grieve the Spirit of God ſo, as the ſins of thoſe that have received pardon; they go to the heart of God, and greive the Spirit by which they are ſealed; the Spirit of God that hath ſealed to your ſouls the pardon of your ſins, let not that Spirit be grieved; 'tis a greater ſin to grieve the bleſſed Spirit of God than you are aware of. Further, yet once more, you bring a diſgrace upon the p. 124Doctrine of Aſſurance of Pardon: We preach that a man may not only have ſome good hopes that his ſins are pardoned; but we ſay God hath revealed ſuch a fulneſs of riches of grace in the Goſpel, that a man may have certain and full aſſurance of the pardon of his ſin; as if he heard a voyce from Heaven, ſpeaking to him by name, thy ſins are pardoned; or as if when Chriſt in the days of his fleſh, ſaid to any one, ſon, go in peace, thy ſins are pardoned; certainly, there may be as full aſſurance of pardon of ſin, by the witneſs of the Spirit of God, as if ſuch a voyce came from Heaven: But our Adverſaries ſay, open but that gap, and 'tis an open way for men to take liberty to commit any ſin; What need men care what ſins they commit, when they know they are pardoned? that has been objected againſt us; but now we ſay, there is ſuch a vertue in the grace of God going along with pardoning of ſin, that heals the ſoul, as well as comforts the ſoul; we anſwer it thus, but you take away our anſwer, and digrace that bleſſed Doctrine of Pardon of Sin; for wherein does it appear, there is ſuch a healing power in the aſſurance of the pardon of ſin? if it be ſo, then you would walk more ſtrictly than any man in the world can do, in the time of the greateſt horror of Conſcience that poſſible can be; and this would bring an honour to the Doctrine of Aſſurance; but you by ſinning after pardon, How do you diſgrace this bleſſed Doctrine, and take away the anſwer out of our mouths? So much for the preſent, to be ſpoken to thoſe that diſhonour the pardoning mercy of God by ſinning after pardon.