Gospel Remission, Treatise · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of the Diſhonour done to the Grace of God by not reſting on it. 2. Of the Evil of it.
THere is one ſort more that are great diſhonourers of the pardoning grace of God, and they are thoſe that think they honour him, and yet diſhonour him exceedingly, ſuch as being apprehenſive of the greatneſs of their ſins, the vileneſs of them and their own miſery, by reaſon whereof lie down in a ſullen deſperate diſcouraging mood, under the wait and burden of them, and are ready to turn againſt themſelves, ſaying; certainly, my condition is ſuch, as I muſt expect no other but to lie for ever under the burden of my ſins, and bear for ever the puniſhment of them; I have heard much indeed of the riches of the pardoning grace of God; but for my part, my condition is ſuch, that little expectation I have of being made partaker of it; certainly this kind of ſullen diſcouragement, in lying under our ſins, is a mighty aggravation of our ſin, and exceedingly diſhonourable to the pardoning grace of God; many that are thus, let them hear never ſo much opened of the riches of the Goſpel, and the infiniteneſs of the grace of God; all is nothing to them, it raiſes them not from the ſullenneſs of their hearts, and the dicouragement of ſpirit that hangs upon them; they are like to thoſe in Exod. 6.9. that Moſes ſpake unto, but they hearkened not for anguiſh of ſpirit, and for cruel bondage; God ſent Moſes to ſhew them the grace (of God, to deliver them from their bondage; but ſays the Text, they hearkened not to Moſes, only for anguiſh of ſpirit, and for cruel bondage; ſo many People when God comes to awaken their Conſciences, there is ſo much anguiſh in the ſenſe of their ſin, that they hearken not to what is ſaid; let them hear never ſo much in private or in publick, they are juſt where they were, the ſame complaints, ſullenneſs and objections as before: you may anſwer all their objections againſt the grace of God, that they know not what to ſay, but go away for half an hour, and they will have the ſame objections as if never any thing had been ſaid unto them, certainly there is more evil in this, then you are aware of, this limiting and determining of Gods grace: tis true, there is reaſon to judge your ſelves unworthy, and that God may deny you, but that God will deny you is another thing; there is a great deal of difference in theſe: ſome when they are put upon the uſe of means, will confeſs they ought to attend upon them, and that they will do it, but yet when I have done all, I have little hopes that God will deliver me, but I ſhall dye and periſh in my ſins, as that woman 1 Kings 12.17. ſaies ſhe, I am a poor Woman, I have but a handful of meal in the barrel, and a little Oyl in a Cruſe, and am gathering two ſticks that I may eat it and dye; ſo much as I have I am preparing, and when I have eaten this I muſt dye, thus ſaies many a ſoul, I may go hear the word and pray, but to little purpoſe; But I will go and do them and then I muſt dye. It is but little that I can make of Prayer, when I have ſpoken two or three words, I am preſently diſtracted with wandring thoughts. Two or three ſticks I may lay together, but when I have done that, I muſt dye. Now know and conſider this day, what from God ſhall be ſaid unto you, thou much diſhonoureſt the pardoning grace of God.
Firſt, Know it is very low thoughts thou haſt of the pardoning mercy of God, and what Chriſt hath purchaſed, and what God hath intended from everlaſting, in the Covenant of grace, to thoſe ſouls for whom he intends good; and though for his intentions he keeps them to himſelf (and would not have thee meddle with that) till he manifeſt them in the work of grace, yet in the mean time having revealed no further, but that thou maiſt have it as well as any other, he expects from thee that thou ſhouldſt venture thy ſelf upon his grace through his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and though thou ſaiſt thou art vile, unworthy, and after the uſe of means, that thou art unprofitable, vain, full of wandring thoughts and deadneſs, and therefore thou canſt not expect grace; know that thou haſt but mean thoughts of the grace of God, that ſett'ſt ſuch things as theſe againſt it, theſe are poor low unworthy things to ſet againſt the grace of God, and they do lower the grace of God too much; that ſet ſuch things as theſe againſt it. A Schollar would think it a diſhonour to him, for one to come to reaſon with him, and bring nothing but poor low weak objections that are not worth the anſwering, he would think it a diſgrace to him; certainly it is a diſhonour to the grace of God, to ſet ſuch things as theſe againſt it, thou look'ſt upon it in a natural way, and doſt not conſider, it is the great deſigne of God above all things in the World; to magnify his grace in pardoning of ſin; certainly were this underſtood, theſe things would be counted too low and unworthy to be ſet againſt ſuch a deſigne; when it is the greateſt, God hath to magnify his name in.
Secondly, Thou judgeſt of God according to thy own thoughts, and this God will take exceeding ill, as they Pſal. 50.21. Becauſe I kept ſilence thou thoughteſt I was altogether ſuch a one, as thy ſelf; 'Tis a great evil to meaſure God by our own thoughts, and there are two waies of diſhonouring God by it.
1. The way of the carnal ſecure ſinner; he meaſured God by his own thoughts, he thinks God is not ſo ſtrickt to be angry for every fault; and if thou offendeſt, that if we go and cry him mercy, he will be pleaſed again. We think it an eaſie matter to pleaſe God, and becauſe God is ſilent, we think he do's not hate ſin as he doth, thats one way of diſhonouring God.
A Second way is when a man comes to be troubled for ſin, and conſcience enlightened; then we think ſlightly of God another way. It may be thou haſt a hard heart and wouldſt not pardon one that provokes thee again and again, thou wouldſt not paſs by ſuch and ſuch offences, and thou thinkſt God is ſo too, thou thinkeſt God to be like thy ſelf, and that he cannot bear with thee in ſuch and ſuch things, becauſe thou canſt not bear with others. This is to judge God by our own line, but know, that the thoughts of Gods pardoning grace are as far above ours as the Heavens are above the Earth; and therefore we muſt not meaſure God by our own thoughts.
Thirdly, Thou diſhonoureſt the pardoning grace of God, by haveing low thoughts of it, becauſe it is contrary to the Scriptures. For the main ſcope of all the Scriptures is to magnifie the pardoning grace of God, and to ſet it out in its greatneſs to to thy ſoul, and thou mak'ſt it thy main work to under-value it, Luther ſais, the ſcope of the whole ſcriptures are but this, that we might know and acknowledge God to be a gracious and merciful God, and a greater then Luther ſpeaks this; that is a notable Text of Scripture in the Acts of the Apoſtles 10.42, 43. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to teſtifie, it is he that was ordained of God to be the Judge of Quick and Dead. To him give all the Prophets witneſs, that through his name; whoſoever believeth in him ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins.
Marke, to him give all the Prophets witneſs, that through his name; whoſoever believeth in him ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins: So that it is the ſcope and intention of all the Prophets, to witneſs this to a poor ſoul, that whoſoever believes in him ſhall receive remiſſion of ſin: You will ſay, whoſoever believes on him, but there is all the Queſtion: but thou hindreſt thy ſelf of believing, thou wouldſt have aſſurance before thou doſt believe, thou muſt believe that thou mayeſt have it, that is, thou muſt venture and caſt thy ſoul upon this grace of God; all the Prophets witneſs this, that whoſoever believes on him ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins; therefore by thy ſitting down in theſe ſullen diſcouraging thoughts of thy heart, thou giveſt a lye to all the Prophets of God, thou giv'ſt not a lye only to our preaching, for certainly ſo it is, God ſees it ſo, but to all the Prophets of God: now when God makes it the work of all the Prophets to witneſs forgiveneſs of ſins by Chriſt, wilt thou make it thy work to object againſt it.
Again, Know that thy reaſonings are quite contrary to the Scriptures, for thou reaſoneſt, that pardoning mercy will not be thine, becauſe thy ſins are ſo great, Pſal. 25.11. David cries to God to pardon his iniquities for they are great, he makes the greatneſs of his ſins, an argument to drive him too God, not from God, and this is Gods own argument. Gen. 8.21. I will not again curſe the Ground any more for mans ſake; why? for the imaginations of Mans heart are evil from his youth; one would have thought it ſhould have been thus, the imaginations of mans heart are evil, and therefore I will do nothing elſe but curſe the ground. No ſaies God, I will not, becauſe the imaginations of mans heart are evil from his youth; as if he ſhould ſay, if I ſhould never leave curſing till man leave ſinning, I ſhould alwayes be curſing, ſo ſaies God, If I ſhould never pardon ſin till mans ſins are leſs, I ſhould never pardon at all. So in Hoſea 2.13, 14. You have God reaſoning there like to this here; She went after her lovers, and forgat me, ſais God, 14.v. Therefore will I allure her, and bring her into the Wilderneſs, and ſpeak comfortably unto her. For ſhe had forgotten me, and went after her lovers; ſee how the Scripture makes that an argument of Gods mercy. Take another Text in Iſaiah the 57.17. For the iniquity of his covetouſneſs, I was wroth and ſmote him, I hid me and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. Marke what followes; I have ſeen his wayes and will heal him, and will reſtore comfort to him and to his mourners, he went on frowardly in the perverſeneſs of his Spirit ſaies God, I have ſeen his ways and will heal him: thus God expreſſes himſelf to the end of the Chap. to incourage the hearts of thoſe that are ſencible of their ſins, and would be ſenſible of the evil of ſin, and account it a great miſery that they cannot be ſencible of it, the Lord would incourage them, therefore the greatneſs of ſin is no diſcouragement at all.
Further, The way that thou takeſt is the way to periſh, there can be no good in that way, thou mayſt pine away in thine iniquity, but for to get any Councel, help, comfort, or mercy: be aſſur'd thou canſt not, therefore reaſon as the Lepers, 2. Kings 7.3. If we ſit here we ſhall certainly dye, if we go to the Camp of the Syrians they can but kill us, let us ariſe and go: And it was a good going to them, for they met with that, that helpt and relieved them; So do you ſay if I ſit down thus, there is no way but I muſt dye, but however though I ſhould never get any comfort or help, yet it is better venture that way than the other: thou knoweſt not what thou mai'ſt meet with, may be thou think'ſt it humility to ſit down in this way, but know that moſt deſperate pride may be under it, and ſtand with ſuch diſcouragements. We know the moſt proud ſpirits may be the moſt diſcouraged ſpirits, as the Devil, the Scripture ſets him forth to be as proud as Lucifer, yet none ſo proud as ſpirits under ſuch diſcouragements: there may be much pride in diſcouragements, therefore take heed leaſt there be any ſecret pleaſing of your ſelves this way, though you be in ſome trouble, yet if you feel there is a ſecret pleaſure in that ſmart that falls upon you, and ſome kinde of contentedneſs in going your own way, as many men though they meet with abundance of Croſſes, yet if they go their own way, it pleaſes them much; take heed, there may be deſperate pride at the bottom of all this.
Ob.If this be to diſhonour the pardoning grace of God; what would you have us to do? (We would not ſpeak it were it not ſo, to what end is it for us to ſtudy, and pray to God for light and help to open the grace of God, if a little diſcouragement of heart and ſulleneſs of Spirit, ſhall turn all aſide, and make all that we ſay to be of none effeſt: therefore great reaſon there is that we ſhould tell you this is a great diſhonouring of the pardoning grace of God:) but what, would you have us to doubt no more, but go on and perſwade our hearts our ſins are pardoned and theres an end?
Anſ.No, if I ſhould ſay you could do this, it would be in vain for me to ſay all this, for it is not in your power to caſt off all fears of Gods anger, and preſently perſwade your ſelves your ſins are pardoned; this is not in your power to do: and therefore this is not the thing I put you upon, it muſt be the mighty work of God; in the 2. of Ezech. When the Prophet had done in the end of the 1. Chap. the next verſe of the 2. Chap. he ſaies, Son of Man ſtand upon thy feet, but that was not enough to raiſe the Prophet, no not for God himſelf to ſay Son of Man ſtand upon thy feet but together with the voice of God, verſe the 2. There enters into him the Spirit of God, and ſets him on his feet; ſo it is with the Miniſters of the Word, we ſpeak to ſouls that are caſt down under the burden of their ſins, to ſtir up themſelves that they may not alwayes lye down drooping, but ſtand up on their feet; But together with our ſpeaking, God muſt ſpeak and convey his ſpirit to the ſoul before it is able to ſtand up.
Queſt Well, but what would you have us to do?
Anſw. Theſe are the things I would have you do.
Firſt I would have you turn your fears of preſuming, into fears of diſhonouring the grace of God. I would have you be as fearful that Gods grace ſhould be diſhonoured by unbelief, as now you are fearful leſt you ſhould preſume upon Gods grace; thoſe that are ſecure, they fear not leſt they ſhould preſume; but thoſe whoſe conſciences are awakened, their great fear is leaſt they ſhould preſume upon Gods grace, and diſhonour it by preſumption; if thou feareſt thou ſhouldſt diſhonour the grace of God by preſumption, why ſhouldſt thou not fear leſt thou ſhouldſt diſhonour it by unbelief, as well as by preſumption? certainly the ſtrength of this temptation is from the Devil. Thoſe that have their conſciences troubled for ſin, he labours to keep them from venturing on the grace of God, leaſt they ſhould preſume; but the way to cut the Sinews of this temptation, is to fear rather leaſt thou ſhouldſt diſhonour the grace of God by unbelief; many look not at unbelief as a great ſin, but God is diſpleaſed at thy unbelief, as much as by thoſe that do preſume.
Secondly, The thing I would have you to do, you that are under the checkings of Conſcience for ſin, and full of doubts that God will not pardon, and you cannot be perſwaded your ſins are pardonable. Labour to ſet the greatneſs of the pardoning grace of God in the fulneſs of it, to the utmoſt you can, before the eye of your ſouls, That it may be before you; though you cannot reach to it, yet ſet it before you; you do not know what an efficacy the pardoning grace of God hath, by being preſented before your ſouls, and kept there; no marvel you find not the power of it, when as you ſet it not before your eyes, the efficacy of Gods grace lyes much in preſenting it before your ſouls. The Braſen Serpent, if they lookt not to it, it would never heal; So though the pardoning grace of God, be in books and Sermons; yet unleſs it be before your eyes, and you fix and faſten the eye of your ſouls upon it; it will never heal you: therefore keep it before your eyes, Pſal. 5.3. There is an excellent expreſſion; In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. I ſuppoſe many of you in the morning will not neglect prayer to God; but mark the expreſſion, I will direct my Prayer; Tis not I will ſay my prayers, but direct my prayer, there's a great emphaſis in it. I will level my Prayer aright, and dart up my ſoul aright to Heaven, and obſerve the way that God would have me; and ſo direct my heart in prayer to him. It may be ſome of you go thus far, not to content your ſelves with a dead hearted ſluggiſh Prayer: But what do you look to all the day after? what ſhall wandring and diſcouraging thoughts bring you to look down all the day? Would you look up to your morning Prayers, and what you prayed for, there would come a great deal of efficacy upon your ſouls.
Thirdly, Be careful to keep your hearts ſtirring and active, be afraid of deadneſs and dulneſs; take heed of ſuch thoughts, Why ſhould I pray and read, when as I have no heart to perform any duty: Up and be doing, and the Lord be with you; if ever your hearts were active at any thing in the world, it ought to be in this, if once you give your ſelves liberty to lye down, and the activity of your Spirits be gone, you are in a ſad condition, twill be very difficult to get them up again; take heed of a ſullen heart, you may be very active, and yet calme, quiet, and patient, theres a great conjunction between theſe two, when I am active and yet calme, ſtilling of my heart under God, and yet ſtirring of my heart unto God, theſe two are joyned together in thoſe whom God directs unto himſelf.
Fourthly, Renew thy reſolutions, that what ever becomes of thee, whether God will ever ſpeak peace or no to thee yet ſo long as thou liveſt, thou will do what thou canſt; to honour his name, and keep from ſin: Keep thy heart under the power of this reſolution.
Fifthly, Keep thy heart in a waiting frame, uſe the means, lye at the Poole, as the man that lay many years waiting for the ſtirring of the Waters met with help at laſt; ſo do thou keep thy heart in a waiting frame, and think with thy ſelf if mercy come at laſt, it will recompence thee for all thy waitings and pains.
Sixthly, Be willing to catch hold of any beginnings of Gods diſcoverings of himſef, if it be but a little glimpſe make much of it, and bleſs God for it: Many in their trouble ſeek to God for pardon; but they are always complaining, either to their Neighbours or themſelves; but ſeldom expreſs themſelves in Thanks-givings: Now, you ſhould obſerve what God hath granted, what beginnings and glimpſe of his grace appear; look and ſee if there be not a little cloud, the bigneſs of a mans hand, it may breed a ſhower, a ſhower of grace may come after it; but take notice of it, when it is but the bigneſs of a mans hand: it is a great evil in ſuch as are under trouble of Conſcience, becauſe they find not full Aſſurance preſently, they think they receive nothing at all: Well, wait upon God under theſe directions, and as you ſhall not be ſo guilty of diſhonouring the pardoning mercy of God; ſo 'twill be a means to bring great good unto your ſouls. We have now done with the ſeveral wayes of diſhonouring the pardoning grace of God; and becauſe God is very jealous of this, and takes it exceeding ill; I have been the larger in it; now I am to ſhew the evil of it.
Of the Evil of diſhonouring the Pardoning Grace of God.
Firſt, There is this evil in it, becauſe it is a ſinning againſt mercy, which God accounts his glory; a man takes it exceeding ill, if he be wronged in his Goods, or good Name, or in any thing he apprehends an excellency in; and (mark it) The greater excellency a man apprehends in any thing, the greater evil he accounts the wrong that is done to him in that thing: As a covetous man, if you wrong him in his Eſtate, he preſently as a mad man cannot bear it, becauſe you wrong him of that which he counts his greateſt excellency; ſo a Scholar, a man of parts will rather you wrong him in any thing than account of him as a Dunce, becauſe he accounts his parts and learning his greateſt excellency, therefore he would not be wronged in that: ſo you that are Marriners, and have skill in ſailing, and in the Art of Navigation, if one vilifie your work, and find fault with you there, 'tis as if one touch't your free-hold, you cannot bear it; Why? becauſe you account it your excellency; ſo it is between us and God, if we wrong God in that which he accounts his excellency, he cannot bear it; Now the pardoning mercy of God is that which God counts his excellency and glory, Exod. 34. when God deſcended to ſhew Moſes his glory, his Pardoning Mercy was one of the great Maſter-pieces, wherein God accounted his glory to conſiſt, more than in the making of Heaven and Earth: Now for God to be contemn'd in that wherein his glory conſiſts, muſt needs be a great diſhonour to him; the mercy of God comes from the bowels of his compaſſions; Now if you ſtrike one on the arm or ſhoulder, it is not ſo much as if you ſtrike him on his bowels; when you diſhonour the pardoning grace of God, you do as it were ſpurn at the Bowels of God and Chriſt, and he accounts it ſo: certainly you that can hear this, and neglect it, and prize and prefer every baſe iuſt before it, you do as it were go up and down kicking and ſpurning at the bowels of God; and that Child that ſhould ſpurn at his Mothers bowels, is not ſo much to be blamed as thou art that goeſt on in ſin, after thou haſt heard the pardoning grace of God opened to thee, thy going on in ſin is a ſpurning at the very bowels of God.
Secondly, This aggravates the ſin of ſuch men above the ſins of the Heathen; their ſins are nothing in compariſon of thoſe that live under the Goſpel, and have the grace of God opened unto them; at the Day of Judgment, when thou heareſt them condemned for ſins againſt the Light of Nature, they may ſay, Lord, What ſhall become of theſe? we never heard of ſuch grace and pardoning mercy in Chriſt as you heard of, that have lived in ſuch and ſuch a place, and have had the pardoning mercy of God opened to you; if they do not plead againſt you, yet it will be made known before all Men and Angels what you have heard, and what has been preached unto you, and what God has done for you; and for you to continue in ſin, your ſins will thereby be aggravated, and your condemnation heightened.
Thirdly, Your ſin is above the ſin of the Devils; the ſin of the Devils is not ſo great as yours is that live under the light of the Goſpel, and have the pardoning grace of God preached to you: for though the Devils blaſpheme God continually, yet their ſins have not this aggravation upon them that yours have; God never came and told them, he was willing to pardon their ſins; nor did Chriſt make any purchaſe for them by his blood; but to you is the Goſpel preacht, and pardon offered dayly to you▪ Are not your ſins greater then, than the ſins of the Devils? Would not you account it a great aggravation of any ones offence, that hath wronged and injured you, and ſhould ſeek for pardon, and yet you rather ſeek to him, and offer pardon to him, and ſue to him to accept it, and he goes away and contemns you; would not you account this a great aggravation? know, thy ſinning againſt this grace, makes thee to be in a worſe condition than Belzebub himſelf, that is the chief all the Devils; he had never this aggravation, which is a dreadful one to ſin againſt the pardoning mercy of God; ſo that the very Devils may complain againſt you, and ſay, O Lord we ſinned againſt thee, but thou tookeſt advantage againſt us preſently for one ſin; but how have theſe ſinned againſt thy pardoning mercy, that has been offered to them again and again, which was never offered us?
Fourthly, I might ſhew you the evil the Scripture ſays of it, take two or three Texts, Joh. 3.18, 19. He that believeth not, is condemned already, and verſ. ult. He that believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him; it ſticks faſt upon ſuch a one, and that place in Heb. 10.29. If they that ſinned under Moſes Law died without mercy, who had but little of this grace revealed unto them; How much ſorer puniſhment ſhall they have, that ſin under the Goſpel, under the full revelation of this grace; but to conclude all, there is nothing will be ſuch an aggravation of thy torments in Hell, as theſe Sermons of Gods pardoning mercy, if thou go on in ſin: When we ſpeak of the pardoning grace of God, we cannot do it without trembling hearts; Why? Becauſe we know God will be exceeding quick with thoſe that have the grace of the Goſpel preacht unto them: And therefore when we come upon this argument, we cannot but do as a Phyſitian that is giving his Patient a Potion that is of mighty operation, that will either cure him, or diſpatch him ſuddenly, if it cure not: A Phyſitian cannot but come with a trembling hand, with ſuch a Potion, when he knows it muſt work one way or other: we know God is exceeding quick with thoſe to whom he reveals his pardoning mercy in the preaching of the Goſpel, and thoſe truths we preach, will have a quick operation either to bring you out of your ſins to Salvation, or elſe they will quickly diſpatch you for condemnation, Mark 16.15, 16. Go ſays Chriſt, and preach the Goſpel to every creature; and he that believes ſhall be ſaved; and he that believes not ſhall be damned: As if Chriſt had ſaid, go open the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and the Juſtification of a ſinner by the freeneſs of the grace of God through Chriſt Jeſus, and whoſoever will come in and believe, and cloſe with it ſhall be ſaved; but he that believes not ſhall be damned: there is no trifling in the buſineſs, he that believes and comes in ſhall be ſaved; but he that believes not ſhall periſh, he ſhall be damned; let people know when they have the Goſpel preach't unto them, there is no trifling, no dallying with it, 'tis not to be put off; he that comes in, ſhall be ſaved; but he that ſtands off ſhall periſh, ſhall be damned, and ſhall know that I will fetch up my glory from him another day, in another way; as if Chriſt had ſaid, Go preach, make quick work of it; either come in and be ſaved, or ſtand out and periſh: And ſo John when he came to preach the Doctrine of forgiveneſs of ſin, Matth. 3.10. ſays, Now the Axe is laid to the root of the tree, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and caſt into the fire: Now alſo the Axe is laid to the root of the tree; Why not before? No, all that while they went on in Ignorance, and underſtood not ſin, and the grace of God brought unto them, for the pardon of their ſin all that while; God let them grow, though they bore no fruit, or but ill fruit: but now alſo the Axe is laid to the root,—If he bears not good fruit now, he is hewn down and caſt into the fire. Now, when you hear of pardon of ſin, and grace revealed in the Goſpel, either you bring forth fruit, or you do not, if you do not, God is peremptory; if you come in and imbrace the Goſpel, you ſhall be ſaved; but if you do not, the Axe is laid unto your root to cut you down: the Goſpel makes quick work with you, as Paul ſays in 2 Cor. 2.14. it is ſo ſtrong that it kills with the very ſavour of it, it has ſuch a ſavour as it can kill with the very ſmell of it; To him that believes, it is the ſavour of life unto life; but to him that believes not, it is the ſavour of death unto death, Act, 17.30. In the times of Ignorance God winked, when men underſtood not what the evil of ſin was; but now he commands all men to repent: before you heard the dreadful evil and malignity that is in ſin, God might wink at you; but now he commands you all, having heard ſo many Sermons of the evil nature of ſin, to repent, or elſe God will be very quick with you, Heb. 4.12. an excellent place, The Word of God is quick and powerful; but what word is it? mark, in the 2d. verſe, Unto us, ſays he, was the Goſpel preached: It was the Word of the Goſpel, and verſ. 8. If Jeſus had given them reſt: It is that reſt ſpoken of in the Goſpel; and mark what he ſays in the beginning; Let us therefore fear, leaſt a Promiſe being left of entering into reſt, any of you ſhould ſeem to come ſhort of it: Let us therefore fear, for the Word of God is ſwift, and will make quick diſpatch: No Sermons make ſuch quick diſpatch as Sermons of the Goſpel; fear leaſt any ſeem to come ſhort: let us fear, leaſt any of us ſhould go on in any way that makes it ſeem to appear we reject the Goſpel. It is very obſervable what we find in Gods dealings with Iſrael of old; we never find God ſwearing againſt them, till they rejected the Land of Canaan, and preferr'd Egypt before it; when the Spies were ſent forth to ſearch the Land, and brought ſome of the Grapes of it, Numb. 13, 14. Chapters, and told them what an excellent fruitful Land it was; but becauſe of ſome difficulty in the getting of it, they fell a murmuring; then God took up a ſolemn Oath they ſhould not enter into it, though they had provoked him ten times, yea forty years in the Wilderneſs, yet God never ſware againſt them till that time: That ſoul is in a ſad condition, that God ſhall ſwear in his wrath it ſhall not enter into his reſt: Thou that walkeſt in the Wilderneſs of thy ſins, and haſt thy heart hardned againſt all the Truths of God. But now, if God has come in to thee, and opened Canaan, and brought you any cluſters of thoſe Grapes; revealed the myſteries of the Goſpel and pardoning grace through Chriſt: If you now hang off, and be longing after the Onions and Garlick of Egypt; fear and tremble, leaſt God ſhould ſwear you ſhould never enter into reſt: you that are wicked, unclean perſons, that went on in ſin, though you had ſome light of Nature that cauſed Conſcience to check you; yet God was patient, and your condition was not ſo dangerous then. But now, after the hearing of this grace of the Goſpel and pardoning mercy, a Drunkard, an unclean perſon, or a vile liver now, is in a thouſand times of more danger, leaſt God ſhould ſwear againſt him now than before: Take heed in every act of the renewal of thy ſin, thou art in danger, leaſt God in his wrath ſwear againſt thee that thou ſhalt never enter into reſt.
Queſt.Well, If the caſe be ſo, then you may ſay; What ſhall we do that we might not diſhonour this ſweet and precious grace, but that we might honour God in it?Anſw. Is this the frame of thy heart, to be careful above all things in the world, that thou mighteſt not diſhonour this precious grace? Does thy heart work thus? Lord, whatever I have been heretofore, though I have been a negligent vile wretch; yet for time to come, it ſhall be the work of my ſoul to give up my ſelf unto whatever God ſhall ſpeak unto me, that I may not diſhonour God: Is this the frame of thy ſpirit? The Lord keep it ſo. Now that I might direct you in this great Point, I ſhall 1. ſhew who they are that are pardoned; for that will be a foundation for direction; and then 2ly, ſhew you what you ought to do to get it, what we are to put you upon, if you find not Evidence of it: And then 3ly, What is to be done for the honouring of the grace of God by thoſe that have ſome comfortable Evidence of it.