Gospel Remission, Treatise · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Of the true Evidences of Forgiveneſs of Sin.
BUt if it be asked, Who are they that have their ſins pardoned? ſurely they are not many, this Text puts it in the ſingular number, Bleſſed is he that hath his ſin pardoned, and by that which hath been delivered about the miſtakes, it appears there are not very many; but yet ſome there are, and this is the work of this day in the Name of the Lord to declare to ſome poor ſouls this day their ſins are pardoned; this is the meſſage from the Lord I am to ſpeak to them; (I hope divers in this place,) as from Chriſt, Son and Daughter be of good comfort, thy ſins are pardoned; And bleſſed is that man and woman that this day ſhall hear that joyful ſound, in their hearts, and that ſhall have the Spirit of God witneſs unto their ſpirit; that as I have heard, ſo I have felt this day that what ſigns of forgiveneſs of ſin have been delivered, I have felt them in my own ſoul; Well then, What are they? to inſiſt upon them. The
Firſt is that the Apoſtle gives in Rom. 8.30. Moreover whom he did predeſtinate, them he alſo called; and whom he called, them he alſo juſtified; Juſtification conſiſts eſpecially in the remiſſion and pardon of ſin: Now the Holy Ghoſt ſays, whom he hath, called them he hath juſtified; would you know that you are juſtified, and that your ſins are pardoned, the Spirit of God ſhews you, it is not a note of mine, but it is that which comes from the Holy Ghoſt; whom he hath called them he hath juſtified; Vocation is a certain Evidence of Juſtification; this Vocation or Calling is the ſecond link that does unite thoſe two links of that golden chain together mentioned in that place, the firſt link is the foreknowledge of God, Gods Predeſtination; and then there is Vocation the next, after that Juſtification, and then Glorification; the firſt chain in the link is, that God from all Eternity predeſtinates ſome perſons to have their ſins pardoned; but there is Vocation comes in between Predeſtination and Juſtification, and after that Glorification: ſo that while I am giving Evidences of Juſtification here in this Text, I ſhall give Evidences of Predeſtination and Glorification too; for theſe are linkt altogether: Many People look only after Juſtification, they hope their ſins are pardoned, but they look not to any other link of the chain, as Calling and Vocation, whom he hath called, them he hath juſtified; but the queſtion then is, What is this Calling? What do you mean by that, how ſhall we know whether we be called or no? in 2 Pet. 1.10. he bids them there to give diligence to make their Calling and Election ſure: Mark, as here Predeſtination and Calling are put together, ſo their Calling and Election, ſays he, Give diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure: Election is firſt ſure in reſpect of God, but Vocation is firſt in regard of our ſelves; make that ſure and then you make Election ſure, Juſtification ſure, and Glorification ſure too; then what is Vocation? for anſwer to the Queſtion, Know, there is an outward call and an inward call; when God ſends the Miniſters of the Word to reveal the Goſpel, and the way of Salvation, that is no other but Gods calling mens ſouls from the ways of ſin and death to come into the ways of life; all that come to hear the ſound of the Goſpel preacht unto them; let them know, that is Gods call to ſinners to come in and repent; God calls to the Drunkard, the Unclean perſon, and all others that live in ſin to repent; when you come to hear the Word God calls you, and God requires of you, as you would have God to hear your cry when you are calling for mercy in the day of your diſtreſs, hear my call, now I call and cry in the Miniſtry of the Word; Would you have me to hear you when you cry to me? do you hear me now I am calling to you: O that People would underſtand the Miniſtry of the Word, that it is the call of God for ſinners to return and repent of their ſins, that they would look beyond man, and know that it is the voyce of God by them; and therefore it is a dangerous thing for People to neglect, reſiſt, or rebel againſt the Miniſtry of the Word; and there is ſome good hopes that God hath ſome ſouls in ſuch a place that he intends everlaſting good will unto, where he ſends the Miniſtry of the Word; God do's not uſe to ſend the call of the Goſpel to a place, but there are ſome ſouls to be called: And therefore
Secondly, Beſides the Outward Call, there is an Inward Call, and that is it the Apoſtle ſpeaks of: Many have the Outward Call of the Word to Faith and Repentance, and yet they periſh eternally: But thoſe whom God intends to ſave and hath love to indeed, he comes to them with an Inward Call, and this Inward Call of God is on this wiſe: God beholds the poor wretched ſinner going on in the ways of ſin, death, and perdition, and he comes to him by a ſecret and powerful voyce, ſpeaking to his very heart, O Sinner, conſider where thou art, What art thou a doing? Whither art thou a going? What is the end of thy way like to be? thou art going from God, from happineſs and life, to woful miſery and blackneſs of darkneſs, to the infinite gulf of eternal Perdition; O turn, turn, O ſinner out of theſe vile abominable dangerous ways, or elſe thou art undone for ever: Behold, here is the way of life ſet before thee; behold my Son ſent into the world for the Propitiation of thy ſin, and to bring thee into the ways of godlineſs, which is the way to eternal life; O turn ſinner into theſe wayes: Now this voyce of God calling to the Soul of a man or woman, it comes with power, it hath an over powering ſtrength in it, to prevail upon the heart; it is much like that ſecret voyce mentioned in Iſai. 30.21. And thy Ears ſhall hear a word behind thee, ſaying, this is the way walk in it, when you turn to the right hand, or to the left; 'tis a Promiſe of Gods mercy unto his People to convert them unto himſelf; thoſe that were only in an Outward Profeſſion, ſays God you ſhall hear a voyce behind you, ſaying, this is the way, turn in unto it; and ſo 'tis when God calls a ſinner from the ways of death and deſtruction; ſuch a ſinner hears a voyce behind him; it may be he has come many times to Sermons, and heard a voyce many times without him and before him; but never before, a voyce within him and behind him, an inward ſecret voyce ſpeaking to the ſoul, O ſinner turn out of thy ſinful ways; Why wilt thou die and periſh eternally? for God to come thus ſecretly, and to reaſon with the ſoul by a voyce behind it; and 'tis not bare reaſoning, but a voyce that hath a power and efficacy from God going along with it, that carries on this work in the ſoul, and cauſes the heart to liſten and to yield unto God; when God calls to the Soul to come into the ways of life, the Soul anſwers, Lord I come, and with a trembling frame of heart cries out with Saul at his Converſion, Lord, What wilt thou have me to do? No more now, what ſin will have me to do? and what this and that; and the other luſt will have me to do? No, now I ſee the ways of Life and Salvation are the only bleſſed ways; Now Lord, What would'ſt thou have me to do? Now Salvation is come to that Soul, and Reconciliation with Jeſus Chriſt; For whom he hath called, them he hath juſtified. Obſerve the efficacy of that call ſpoken of in Iſai. 30.21. Thine Ears ſhall hear a word behind thee, &c. and then follows the fruits of it, and ye ſhall defile alſo the covering of thy graven Images with Silver, and the ornament of thy molten Images of Gold, thou ſhalt caſt them away as a menſtruous Cloth; and ſhall ſay unto it, get thee hence; the ſins they before lived in was Idolatry, and their hearts were much taken with their brave Images over-laid with Silver and Gold; but when they heard the voyce behind them, they look't upon thoſe things they ſo much delighted in, that was ſo brave in their eyes before but as menſtruous cloathes, which are the moſt filthieſt things that can be, and caſt them away as filthy rags, with indignation, ſaying, get thee hence; as one that takes a rag in his hand, and looks on it and ſees it all filthy and defiled, preſently he throws it away with abomination, and ſays, get thee hence; ſo this is the call of God, when the Soul hears behind it a ſecret voyce that many hear not; it may be, many thouſands hear the outward voyce of the Miniſter telling them of the evil of ſin, and their abominations, and a poor Servant, or a poor Youth that ſtands in the midſt of the crowd, he hears a voyce behind him that others do not, a ſecret voyce, (beſides the general voyce) which is a prevailing voyce, that the ſoul falls down and yields preſently, before he goes out of the Church, and ſays, Lord this day thou haſt convinc't me of the evil of ſin, and thou haſt this day ſhewed me the way of life and ſalvation, Lord I come unto thee; though he ſaw nothing, and though no body elſe hear that voyce, yet there is a ſecret voyce of God unto the ſoul; though he ſtand in the midſt of the crowd and no body elſe hear it, yet at that inſtant pardon of ſin came to that ſoul, and reconciliation by Jeſus Chriſt: now when this comes into the ſoul, he will not let ſuch and ſuch ſins be there any longer, but ſays, Get you hence, I will have no more to do with ſuch and ſuch beloved luſts and Idols that I ſet my heart upon, Get thee hence; and thoſe men that God calls to himſelf, certainly when they hear this voyce behind them, though they now plead for Idolatry and Superſtition, and why ſhould not we do as our forefathers did? yet if once they come to hear this ſecret voyce of God, and God ſhew them the way of his Worſhip in the purity and beauty of it, they will ſay, get thee hence to thoſe things as vile things, get ye hence, I will have no more to do with you; this is the way in the ordinary call of God, and though God ſanctifie ſome from the womb, yet afterwards by a mighty work of the Spirit he diſcovers unto them what the ſoul is by nature; there is ſomewhat like this even in thoſe that are ſanctified from the womb, though God in an extraordinary way draw the ſoul out from ſin into the ways of life; but generally there are in the ordinary way of Gods working, theſe three or four voyces calling to the ſoul. 1. Says God to the ſoul, O ſoul thou art made for God, and for Eternity. 2. O ſoul thou art now in the ways of Hell, and of eternal perdition, and muſt of neceſſity periſh in it. 3. O ſoul, behold here are the ways of life and ſalvation reveal'd unto thee, and ſet before thee in the Goſpel of my Son. And laſtly, O ſoul come in, and thou ſhalt have favour and acceptation in my Son; theſe are the four voyces in Gods call; I do not ſay every one hears them plainly and diſtinctly, yet they do for the ſubſtance of them in the ordinary way of the diſpenſation of Gods grace: Every ſoul that God juſtifies they are thus called of God, and 'tis a prevailing call, that brings them in to ſubmit unto it: Again, concerning this call of God, becauſe the Scripture ſpeaks much of it, I ſhall ſhew a little further; mark it, That ſoul that once hears the call of God to bring it into the ways of life, that ſoul will evermore depend upon Gods call in all other things; if God hath called me out of the ways of death, into the ways of life in obedience to that call that my ſoul hath yielded too, I ſhall be evermore under the power of Gods call in all other things, let God call me to what he will, to what ſervice he pleaſes, to whatſoever difficulties and ſufferings he ſhall think meet, my ſoul is content, and ſays, Here I am, Lord ſpeak, thy ſervant hears. Now for a ſoul to be ſo under God, as to wait upon the call of God to any duty, ſervice, and imployment, that it dares not go about any thing but according to the call of God; this is a good Evidence that ſuch a ſoul hath been acquainted with that great call of God, that powerful call of God to bring him off from the ways of ſin into the ways of life and ſalvation. Further, thoſe that have been acquainted with this call of God, there is an anſwerable frame and diſpoſition in their hearts, to call upon the Name of God for aſſiſtance, direction, and a bleſſing on all they undertake; they delight now to repair unto God and call upon him; as God calls unto them, ſo they call unto him; for that is the way of God according to his work in the ſoul, he puts a gracious frame into the ſoul anſwerable to it: As in Election, thoſe whom he elects, when God calls them home he puts a gracious diſpoſition in their hearts for to elect him; as God chooſes the ſoul from the world, ſo the ſoul chooſes God above all things in the world, the ſoul anſwers to God: God ſets his heart on the ſoul, and ſays, I will chooſe thee for me; the ſoul again ſets its heart upon God, and ſays, I will chooſe thee for my God; as God calls the ſoul to come and live to him in the ways of grace, while he lives in this world; ſo the ſoul calls on God for his aſſiſtance, that he would give his help in unto him on all occaſions; and therefore the Scripture gives us this expreſſion for the whole worſhip of God, Rom. 10.13. Whoſoever calls on the Name of the Lord ſhall be ſaved; that ſoul that is acquainted with Gods call, that ſoul calls on God again: And by the way, thoſe that are thus called, are fitteſt for Church-Communion; I mention this, becauſe the word tranſlated Church comes from a Greek word that ſignifies to call out; that which in Scripture is uſually called a Church, ſignifies nothing elſe but this, a Company of People called out of the ways of ſin to the imbracing the ways of Godlineſs; ſo that the Church ſhould conſiſt of People called out of the ways of ſin, by the powerful and efficacious voyce of the Spirit of God; and they that are thus called have their ſins pardoned; you ſay, you hope God hath juſtified you; you read what God ſays, and what hath been preſented unto you; they who are called they are juſtified; then Calling, in order of nature, goes before Juſtification; this you will find in your own hearts, and if not, this you muſt do, when ever you come before God to hear the outward call, you muſt come with a waiting frame of heart to hear the inward call, and call upon God with ſuch a diſpoſition; ſay, Lord I have been taught that there is an outward call of thine in the Word, and an inward call, and I am going this day to hear thy Word calling me out of the ways of ſin, O that I might have together with that the inward call of thy Spirit, when ſhall I hear that ſecret voyce; this is the reaſon, though I have been convinced many times at the hearing of the Word, yet my ſin hath prevail'd againſt me, becauſe that inward ſecret powerful voyce hath not come to my ſoul; that is the firſt Evidence, whom he hath juſtified, them he hath called. 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Second Evidence is this, Whomſoever God pardons he receives into Covenant with himſelf; all pardoned ſinners are Covenanters with God: God pardons no ſoul but ſuch an one as he brings into the Bond of the Covenant with himſelf, that is the way of the conveyance of the grace of God for the pardon of ſin, to bring the ſoul into the Bonds of the Covenant; the Scripture is evident in this, that forgiveneſs of ſin is made a ſpecial fruit of the New Covenant, that is clear enough, Jer. 31.33. Behold, the days come, ſaith the Lord, that I will make a New Covenant with the Houſe of Iſrael, &c. what is the ſpecial end of that Covenant, I will forgive their Iniquities, and remember their ſins no more; But how does that come in? it comes in by way of Covenant, I will make a New Covenant; I will firſt receive them into Covenant, and then they ſhall have the fruit of this New Covenant, that their ſins ſhall be forgiven, and their iniquities remembred no more: The New Covenant is a myſterie to moſt people, and yet it is a certain truth, the pardon of thy ſin, and thy eternal good depends upon it; thou art one that God has brought into Covenant with himſelf, if thou beeſt or ever ſhalt be pardoned, as God will manifeſt to thy ſoul, that he hath through his Son tyed and bound himſelf to thee to be thy God, that whereas before thou wer't departed from him, and an enemy to him, yet now he is pleaſed to call thee to enter into a ſecond Covenant after thou had'ſt broken the firſt, and wer't caſt off by reaſon of that breach, God is contented to enter into a ſecond Covenant with thee, to be thy God in and through his Son; thou art to come in and joyn in this Covenant; for to a full Covenant there muſt be aſſent on both ſides, there muſt be a mutual ingagement of either parties; when God reveals this to thy ſoul, that though thou be by nature an Enemy to me, and haſt broken the firſt Covenant that I made with the Children of men, and art caſt off, yet be it known unto thee O thou wretched ſoul, I am content to enter into another Covenant with thee; there is a ſecond Covenant for life and ſalvation that I have made with poor man through my Son, and I require that thou ſhould'ſt come in, and give up thy ſelf in an everlaſting Covenant to make me to be thy God, and to cloſe with me and my Son in whatſoever I call thee to, in whatſoever thou haſt or can'ſt do to give up thy ſelf to the power of me and my Son; this thou muſt ingage and tye thy ſelf unto, in the ſtrongeſt Bonds that can be; this is the nature of the Covenant: we know there were two Covenants, and all the good of mankind in the firſt Covenant depended on this, his cloſing with the tearms of it: Now the tearms of the firſt Covenant was, Do this and live; but that is broken, and we have loſt our ability: Now the ſecond Covenant is, Believe and live; and the ſoul that God pardons, he brings into the Bond of the ſecond Covenant; it is brought to come and give it ſelf up to the Lord, and to be content to bind it ſelf with all bonds unto God, that he and he only ſhall be my God, as I deſire him to be mine, and his grace and mercy to be mine; ſo all that I have or can do, ſhall be his; I ſurrender up my ſelf, and ingage my ſoul to be his for ever, my Eſtate, Abilities, whatever I have, or can do, ſhall be his: Now put this to your own ſouls, you hope your ſins are pardoned: But hath God brought you into the Bonds of the Covenant? Hath God ingaged himſelf to you by his Word, to be your God? and on the other ſide, Are your hearts ingaged to him by the ſtrongeſt Bonds that can be; and if there be any other Bonds that are ſtronger to tye your ſouls to God; Can your ſouls ſay, the Lord knows I am content and willing to be ingaged; and that you will account it your happineſs to be tyed in the ſtrongeſt Bonds that can be? if it be ſo with thee? Now peace be to thy ſoul, thy ſins are pardoned: as on the one ſide, God hath made a Covenant with thee, ſo on the other ſide he hath brought thee to be in Covenant with him; then be of good comfort, thy ſins are pardoned.
Thirdly, Thoſe whoſe ſins God hath pardoned, he hath tranſlated them into the Kingdom of his Son; the Scriptures expreſs theſe things divers ways, and they have a diverſe conſideration in them: Now I ground this note out of Col. 1, 13, 14. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkneſs, and hath tranſlated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son; mark what follows, In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveneſs of ſins; forgiveneſs of ſin is the end of Gods tranſlating of us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, in giving Redemption through his Blood, even the forgiveneſs of ſin; ſo that whoſoever God hath given Redemption to through the Blood of Chriſt, even the forgiveneſs of ſin, that is, forgiveneſs of ſin being the ſpecial part of the Redemption we have by the blood of Chriſt, ſuch an one is tranſlated into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God; What is that you will ſay?
1. This notes a great change that there muſt be upon thoſe that are pardoned, becauſe the Scripture expreſſes it thus, they are tranſlated into another Kingdom, a Kingdom of the Son of God, the dear Son of God; it is dear mercy of God that tranſlates a ſoul into the Kingdom of his dear Son; it ſeems naturally we are in another Kingdom, and have another King beſides the Son of God, and have another Soveraign; 'tis certain we are ſo naturally, we are under the power of Satan, and in his Kingdom; but now when God comes to redeem a ſoul, and grant forgiveneſs of ſin, he tranſlates out of that Kingdom, and ſuch a ſoul refuſes to be a ſubject to Satan any longer, or a ſervant to his luſt any longer: but now Chriſt ſhall be my King, the Son of God by whom I expect Reconciliation, he ſhall be my King, and his Laws ſhall rule in my heart, and his Scepter ſhall ſway in my ſoul; now no more ſhall my own thoughts, counſels, opinions, will, and affections rule me, but Jeſus Chriſt ſhall be ſet up upon the throne of my ſoul, and he ſhall be my King; I before was led (a poor vile ignorant wretch) by the cuſtoms of others, and example of others, and what they required of me by their laws in the matters of his worſhip; but now Chriſt ſhall be my King, I will expect my law from him; and all obedience I do to man, it ſhall be in order to this Chriſt my King; this is a tranſlation into the Kingdom of God, when the ſoul feels the power of Chriſt ruling in him, and overſwaying him, and the ſoul looks up to Chriſt for its protection and proviſion, and deſires above all things in the world, to ſet up Jeſus Chriſt as his King in all the ways of his Government, both in his own heart, and the world too, and longs to hear that voyce, when it ſhall be ſaid, The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and Saviour J…ſus Chriſt, and he ſhall reign for ever and ever: Thus thoſe that have redempt on through the blood of Chriſt, even the forgiveneſs of ſins, they are tranſlated into the Kingdom of his dear Son; and as the Scripture ſpeaks, They have the Kingdom of God within them; that is an expreſſion of the Holy Ghoſt in the Goſpel. Now this you are to examine your hearts upon; What of the Kingdom of Chriſt you have within you? Do you live and walk as one that hath the Kingdom of Chriſt within you? Is Chriſt as King and Soveraign over your thoughts, words and actions? And do you look to him for the law of your thoughts, words and actions, and walk before him as your Soveraign Lord, depending on him to know his will continually, and fear and honour him as a King: If the Kingdom of Chriſt be in you, that is, if the Goſpel have an effectual work upon you; for the Goſpel in the power of it is ordinarily expreſt by the Kingdom of Heaven; when the Word comes to any place, the Kingdom of Heaven is ſaid to come; it would take up a great deal of time, to ſhew wherein the Holy Ghoſt calls the Goſpel the Kingdom of Heaven; but it is called the Kingdom of Heaven, becauſe it is the Kingdom of Chriſt that is Lord from Heaven, and Chriſt rules in it by the preaching of the Goſpel: But now, though it be the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Kingly power of Chriſt be in the preaching of the Goſpel, yet this does not prevail upon all ſorts; it is like a net that is caſt into the Sea, the meaning of it ſeems to be nothing elſe, but that the preaching of the Goſpel among a multitude of People, is like a net caſt into the Sea, wherein ſome are catcht, and others remain worldly, filthy, and good for nothing, that is the meaning of the Text, and not any warrant at all for mixt Communions; but only thus; where the Preaching of the Goſpel is, there are ſome fiſhes good and worthy to be received, and others that are to be caſt out: Now, as there is an external Kingdom, ſo there is an internal Kingdom of Chriſt within our hearts; Jeſus Chriſt himſelf ſets up his Throne in the hearts of every man and woman whoſe ſins are pardoned, that is a certain truth; and this day in the Name of God I pronounce unto you, that if your ſin be pardoned, Jeſus Chriſt hath ſet up his Throne in your hearts; and if you find any other Throne and Lord but Chriſt to rule you, know from God that your ſouls are yet in the gall of bitterneſs and the bond of iniquity, and your ſins are not pardoned; but that ſoul, who in the Preaching of the Goſpel can ſay, Bleſſed be God I have felt Chriſt come into my heart, and prevailed upon me; and now Chriſts Laws are the Laws I deſire to be ruled by; God knows I know but little of them, but I will labour to underſtand them better; therefore I come this day, that I might know more of the Law of God, and that Jeſus Chriſt might rule more powerfully in me than ever he hath done; if this be wrought in thee, I ſay unto thee in the Name of Chriſt, be of good comfort, thy ſins are pardoned, God will ſhew good unto thee when this world is ended; thou art one that Jeſus Chriſt hath brought into his Kingdom, and ſet up his Throne in thy heart, and therefore thou may'ſt be aſſured that he will take thee at laſt into his everlaſting Kingdom.
Fourthly, Where God forgives, he gives much; giving follows forgiving; God never forgives any, but he gives much to that ſoul whom he forgives: As in that caſe when the Apoſtles preacht the Doctrine of forgiveneſs and pardon of ſin, the Holy Ghoſt fell upon them; ſo certainly, where the Preaching of pardon of ſin hath power through the Miniſtry of the Goſpel over a ſoul; God gives much to that ſoul; and there are three things eſpecially that God gives preſently unto the ſoul whom he pardons, which have all been mentioned before in opening the bleſſedneſs of pardon of ſin; and therefore I will but mention them now to ſtrengthen this note of tryal.
1. Hath God forgiven thee? then he hath given his Spirit to inlighten thee in the great myſteries of Salvation; thou pleadeſt thou art ignorant, and art not Book-learned; if God have ſo great a favour for thee as to pardon thy ſin, he will give thee underſtanding in the myſteries of the Goſpel, Jer. 31.34. where God pardons ſin, they ſhall have this mercy to be taught of him.
2. God will give this unto thee, he will write his Law in thy heart; that is, he will work in thy heart a ſutable frame and diſpoſition to his Law; that thy heart and the Law of God ſhall be like two copies, that have the ſame things in them, and vary not one title from one another; there ſhall be a ſutableneſs between thy heart and the Law of God; not only to do that which God requires, becauſe I muſt do it; but becauſe I find it ſutable to the new nature beſtowed on me: he will write his Law in the heart; and therefore I pronounce before the Lord this day again, that whoſoever has his ſin pardoned, and his iniquities forgiven, that God hath writ his Law in the heart of that man or woman by the finger of his own Spirit; that heart of thine that was as a heart of ſtone, God will write his own Law thereon, as he did on the Tables that Moſes broke; though always thou haſt not a real ſight of it, yet ſuch a thing is there, and is a comfortable aſſurance of the pardon of thy ſin.
3. God gives healing mercies to cleanſe thee from thy ſin, Jer. 33.8. I will cleanſe them from their iniquities, and pardon all their ſins; cleanſing from ſin and pardon of ſin, they ever go together; if God pardon thy ſin, he cleanſes thee from ſin; do not look therefore only after pardoning mercy, but likewiſe after cleanſing mercy; thoſe whom God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder; pardoning and cleanſing God hath put together: God may beſtow other mercies, as health, ſtrength, and ſucceſs in outward things without pardon; but never cleanſing from ſin without pardon of it: and therefore if thou findeſt thy heart cleanſed, Peace be to thy ſoul, thy ſins are forgiven.
Fifthly, Beſides theſe, thoſe whom God pardons he puts a glory upon them; there is a glory put upon all pardoned ſinners; they are indeed glorious creatures in the eyes of God and Angels, yea, and there is a glory put upon them that the Saints of God are able to ſee; perhaps that glory is not ſeen by the purblind eye of the world that are in darkneſs; but thoſe that have their eyes in their heads, may ſee a glory put upon every ſoul that is pardoned, and for that, that Text is clear, Rom. 8.30. Moreover, whom he did predeſtinate, them he alſo called: and whom he called, them he alſo juſtified: and whom he juſtified, them he alſo glorified: 'tis not ſpoken only of that glory the Saints ſhall have in the higheſt Heavens, when they ſhall be in glory with Chriſt; but of that glory God puts upon the ſoul in this world, 'tis not ſaid, them he will glorifie; but them he hath alſo glorified: there is no juſtified ſoul but is a glorified ſoul, this is a certain truth in Divinity, That at that inſtant any ſoul is juſtified, at that inſtant he is glorified; in Jer. 33.9. there is an expreſſion ſomewhat like unto that, and it follows upon pardon of ſin; And it ſhall be to me a Name of joy, a praiſe, and an honour before all the Nations upon Earth, &c. that is, I will put glory upon them, and ſo they ſhall be to me a name of joy, a praiſe, and an honour before all the Nations in the world: you will ſay, How is that? What is the glory of a juſtified ſoul? certainly the ſoul that is juſtified is glorious; God puts a glory on it by thoſe glorious graces of his Holy Spirit that he endows the ſoul withal; there is no juſtified ſoul but hath the glorious graces of the Holy Spirit put preſently upon it, and ſo 'tis beautiful and glorious, yea the only glorious object that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt delights in in all the world: take the pooreſt ſoul in the world, God putting his Image upon it, there is a greater glory and luſtre on that ſoul than is on all the Heavens and the Earth beſides; take all other creatures in their greateſt glory, and God ſees not ſo much glory on them as on any one ſoul whom he hath juſtified; for ſo it is, Holineſs and the graces of Gods Spirit are called the glory of God himſelf, Rom. 3.23, 24. For we have all ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God; What is it to be deprived of the glory of God, but the loſs of that Image of God that man was made in: but when a man is juſtified, that glory of God is put upon him a freſh, upon his heart, his underſtanding, his will and affections, and that makes the Lord to delight to dwell with thee, converſe and have Communion with thee, becauſe of that glory that he hath put upon thee; ſo there is a glory alſo in the life and converſation; for on every ſoul that God juſtifies, there comes preſently a new luſtre upon their life and converſation: All thoſe that have lived in horrible wickedneſs and baſe courſes; now when they are changed, and they manifeſt the graces of the Spirit of God ſhining in their converſation through the whole courſe of their lives, in meekneſs, patience, humility, heavenly-mindedneſs, and the like; there is a luſtre on their converſations, to thoſe that are able to judge of it, they ſee it; and the world many times is dazled with it, they ſee a glory on them, and are convinc't, that certainly there is a work of God upon theſe men; and in their good moods they are wiſhing to die their deaths, and that their ends might be like theirs: the pooreſt ſervant, or child in a family, that was vile before, yet being juſtified, there is a luſtre in their converſations that convinces Parents and Governours, and makes them ſee an apparent difference between what they are now, and what they were before; though they contemn it, yet they know that God will own that difference that he has made to be his own glory, and will declare it one day that this was the thing that was glorious in his eyes: And therefore now would you know whether you are juſtified; Are you glorified? What glory of God is come into your hearts, and appears in your lives and converſations? Can you ſay, my life is ſo, though I have many weakneſſes, yet I hope ſomething of the glory of God appears in me? for ſo it muſt be; there is no ſoul God juſtifies, but God inables him to live ſo, as the glory of God ſhines in the converſation of ſuch a one: Now if theſe things be ſo, what cauſe have you to fear, you are not a juſtified perſon? but for the preſent, many times it doth not appear; for moſt of you darken the glory of God in your lives: you that are juſtified ſhould ſhew it forth more in your converſation among all with whom you have to do, and then what a beauty and Evidence of your Juſtification would it be unto you.
Sixthly, Thoſe whom God pardons, he makes them know what pardon means; thou hopeſt thy ſins are pardoned; Doſt thou underſtand, and know what hath been ſaid about it? certainly thoſe whom God pardons, he cauſes admiring thoughts in the ſoul of the excellency of this bleſſedneſs of the pardon of ſin; the ſoul is taken with the admiration of three things. Firſt, It admires at the freeneſs and the riches of Gods grace. Secondly, At the price that was paid for pardon. Thirdly, It admires at the wonderful good it is brought into, and that which the ſoul receives by this bleſſedneſs of the pardon of ſin; other things God may beſtow on men and women, and they know not the worth of them, and do not mind God in them; but when God beſtows pardon of ſin, he makes the ſoul have admiring thoughts of it, and to know what it is, Jer. 33.9. And it ſhall be to me a Name of joy, a praiſe, and honour, and they ſhall fear and tremble, for all the goodneſs and proſperity that I procure unto it; certainly if others ſhall do it, much more themſelves; thoſe whom God pardons he beſtows ſuch mercies upon, as that the ſoul ſhall even ſtand amazed with a trembling heart and an amazed ſpirit, to behold all the goodneſs that the Lord ſhews to it: Now, have your hearts been taken with it? you may know much of your Evidences if your hearts have been taken with admiring thoughts of it; for certainly when God pardons ſin, he doth it to magnifie his grace, and ſet out to Men and Angels in the infiniteneſs of it, what his grace can do to poor ſouls; if this be Gods end, as certainly it is, then it muſt needs be that thoſe whom God pardons, he gives ſuch grace as ſhall cauſe the ſoul that it ſhall have admiring thoughts of it; Has thy ſoul ſeen ſo much of the grace of God, that it admires at the greatneſs and goodneſs of it? be of good comfort, thy ſins are pardoned.
Seventhly, The more aſſurance God gives of pardon, the more the heart melts before God in mourning for the ſins that God has pardoned, according to the manifeſtation of Gods mercy in pardoning, ſo doth the ſoul by the work of Gods grace melt in holy mourning, even for thoſe ſins that God has pardoned: many think they muſt mourn for ſin to get pardon, but when they are pardoned, Why ſhould they mourn then? I have ſpoken to that before, that many mourn to get pardon; but I ſay, they mourn, becauſe they are pardoned: I manifeſt it thus, in this evidence I give of pardon of ſin; that according to the degree of knowledge the ſoul hath of pardon of ſin, the heart melts before God for all ſins that are pardoned, the 51. Pſal. is exceeding remarkable, David laments his ſin exceeding bitterly, but mark the Title of that Pſalm, To the chief Muſitian, a Pſalm of David, when Nathan the Prophet came unto him; after he had gone in to Bathſheba: Now would you know what Nathan did when he came unto David, you ſhall find if you read the ſtory of David's Adultery and Murther, 2 Sam. 12. Chap. it was to bring the news unto David of the pardon of his ſin; firſt Nathan convinces him of his ſin, that he ſhould do it before Iſrael, and before the Sun, and having convinc't him, he ſays further, the Lord hath put away thy ſin: Now a ſecure heart might go away, and ſay, all is well, I ſhall not dye, God hath pardoned my ſin, I need not be troubled any more about that matter: But mark the Pſalmiſt how he cries out to God, Have mercy O Lord upon me, and blot out all my tranſgreſſions, waſh me, purge me; and then he prays for reſtoring mercies for his broken bones, and then cries out for further aſſurance; the very grace of God that Nathan brought to him of the pardon of his ſin, that very grace of God did melt and break his heart ſo much the more; after God had ſent to him the pardon of his ſin, he mourned more than ever before; we never read that David was ſo much troubled for his ſin as in this 51. Pſal. that was after Nathan, had come unto him: Now if you find that at that time when God is pleas'd to come unto you in the Miniſtry of the Word, or in private to declare unto you the pardon of your ſin, and to give you the comfortable Evidence of it, that then your hearts are moſt devoted to mourn for them, and to melt before God, Be of good comfort, thy ſins are pardoned.
Eightly, Another note is this, that according to the degree of pardon of ſin, ſo all other graces grow; the knowledge and aſſurance of Gods love in Chriſt in the pardon of ſin, it cauſes all other graces to grow proportionably, as you have it in Epheſ. 3.19. about the knowledge of the love of God in Chriſt; mark the connection, he deſires That they might comprehend with all Saints what is the height, and depth, &c. and to know the love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge, and be filled with all the fulneſs of God; What is the love of Chriſt? the love of Chriſt is the procuring cauſe of the forgiveneſs of ſin bebefore God the Father; and when you know this, this will fill you with all the fulneſs of God: Mark, firſt It brings God in to the ſoul; And ſecondly, Fills the ſoul with God; And thirdly, Fills the ſoul with the fulneſs of God; And fourthly, Fills the ſoul with all the fulneſs of God; when you come to know the love of God in Chriſt, if any thing in the world will fill the ſoul with all the fulneſs of God, this will: many will ſay, they hope their ſins are pardoned; Do you ſo? then you know the love of God in Chriſt; for this is a ſpecial work of the love of God in Chriſt; to pardon ſin; now the Apoſtel ſays, when you come to know this, you come to be filled with all the fulneſs of God; What is the fulneſs of God? as faith increaſes with the reſt of the graces, ſo you grow fuller and fuller in Gods fulneſs; and ſo you grow more into a fuller aſſurance of pardon of ſin: now the ſoul can ſay, as I find more aſſurance of the love of God in his Son, ſo I find my ſoul more filled with this grace of the fulneſs of God Alas, when I was under the Law, God and I were ſtrangers, I felt little of God in me; but now I begin to know the love of God in the Goſpel, I begin to have my ſoul filled with fulneſs of God, not with chaff and droſs and filthy things, which heretofore my thoughts, will, and affections were filled withal; but now 'tis otherwiſe with me, my ſoul is now filled with all the fulneſs of God; certainly that ſoul that can ſay thus, may well go a way with that word of Chriſt ſpoken to the woman, Luk, 7.50. Go in peace, thy faith hath ſaved thee, Rom. 5.1. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of pardon of ſin, being juſtified by Faith, we have peace with God; that is, God revealing juſtification by Faith in Chriſt: it brings peace with it; and, by whom we have acceſs, and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God; and not only ſo, but we glory in tribulation, knowing that, &c. What knowledge is this? It's this, that we are juſtified by Faith and ſo come to have peace with God; How does this cauſe the heart to be inlarged? we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God, and not only ſo, but we are ſtrengthened and can glory in tribulation; our hearts grow up to that ſtrength, that whatſoever tribulations we meet withal, we are able to bear them with patience, and not only ſo, but to glory in them, we not only grow up to bear that which many cannot, but to rejoyce in them, that is more, and then to glory is above rejoycing: Now, Do you find that the aſſurance that you have of the love of God, brings ſtrength in to your ſoul, to inable you to rejoyce in hope of the glory to come? as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, let what will become of us for the preſent, what though the world ſcorn us, hate, perſecute us, yet we rejoyce in hope of the glory that is to come; and this makes us glory in tribulation; knowing, that tribulation, works patience; patience, experience; and experience, hope: Here's a working of ſeveral graces together, and this may help many a poor ſoul; O ſays the ſoul at ſuch a time, I had a great deal of aſſurance of pardon of ſin, and much joy thereupon; But have not Hypocrites joy? yes certainly, a Hypocrite may have wonderful raviſhments of ſpirit, and flaſhes of pardon of ſin, but yet there is ſomewhat wanting in other graces; but how ſhall I know that my aſſurance of pardon of ſin is right? thus, according to the degree you have of aſſurance of pardon, you have an anſwerable degree in the growth of other graces, as Humility, Patience, Heavenly-mindedneſs, Self-denyal, and the reſt, according as your faith grows, ſo you have a proportionable growth in all other graces; faith is as the root, and the more ſap there is in the root, the more will the branches grow: thoſe people that are ſo full of aſſurance, and never doubted, as they ſay; but as for other graces they are empty, as the Fear of God, Meekneſs, Patience, Self-denyal, Heavenly-mindedneſs and the like; certainly, if thy faith be ſo high, and thy other graces ſo low, thou haſt much cauſe to fear thy faith is not right, 'tis not the faith of Gods Elect, as the Scripture ſpeaks, it is not pretious faith; for according to the degree you have of that, all other graces will grow; you hope that your ſins are pardoned, How come you by it? the ſoul that hath true pardon of ſin, hath fetch't it from Heaven in a right way, in Gods own way; How is that? it is on this wi…e; the ſoul that ſees it ſelf loſt and undone through the guilt of ſin, God revealing his infinite riches of grace in the Goſpel, ſuch a ſoul ſeeing God on his Throne, holding out his Son, God-Man as Mediator to make an attonement, it by a mighty work of faith, cloſes with that glorious way of Reconciliation by the Son, that it ſees God the Father tender to him, and ſo fetches grace out of the Treaſury of Gods bounty, in the way of the Goſpel, in an Evangelical way that was before opened. Examine now, Have you fetcht out your pardon through the way of the Goſpel, that the ſoul by a mighty act of faith hath been willing to venture its ſelf and its eternal ſtation on the Son of God? Have you look't on Chriſt as a mighty Mediator, as one able to ſave you? then you have acted faith in a Goſpel way, and your ſins are pardoned: Again, Are you pardoned? then you are ſealed, that you heard likewiſe of; there is the Broad Seal of Heaven that ſtamps the Image of God upon the ſoul, as the Image of the King is on the Seal of the Kingdom; ſo the Image of God, the Broad Seal of Heaven is ſtampt upon the ſoul, which I mention that you may make uſe of it in examination.
Ninthly, Whomſoever God pardons, there will be an anſwerable work in thy ſoul unto the work of God in juſtifying thee; as in Election and Vocation, ſo in Juſtification; How is that? thus, that as God notwithſtanding all thy ſin, accepts of thee to his grace and love; ſo notwithſtanding all the trouble and afflictions that are in Gods ways, thou wilt accept of God and his ways; he accepts of thy ſoul notwithſtanding thy ſin, thou wilt accept of him and his wayes notwithſtanding all evils and afflictions that accompany company them; there are woful evils of ſin that accompany thy ſoul, yet God will accept of thee; ſo there are great evils in the ways of God, Afflictions that accompany them, yet thou wilt accept of them and think it reaſonable: What, ſhall God accept of my ſoul, notwithſtanding all the evil of ſin; and ſhall not I accept of Gods ways, notwithſtanding all the evil of affliction and trouble? certainly, the ſoul that is pardoned, cannot but anſwer God ſo far as this; Will God juſtifie me notwithſtanding my ſin? I will juſtifie God, notwithſtanding any trouble, affliction, difficulty, or ſufferings that may befal me in his ways, and I will juſtifie the ways of God; this is both an Evidence and a duty; God juſtifies our ſouls though they be very ſinful; we have cauſe to juſtifie Gods ways, though they be very troubleſom; if thou doſt not ſo, thou art none of Gods child; for wiſdom is juſtified of her Children: thou hopeſt thy ſins are pardoned, and that God will juſtifie thee; and wilt not thou juſtifie him? Does not thy ſin hinder Gods grace to thee; and ſhall trouble and affliction hinder thy glorifying God? O man! thou haſt too vile a heart, and too baſe a ſpirit, to be one of thoſe that God hath pardoned; if thou wert a child of Wiſdom, and one whom God hath pardoned, as God hath juſtified thee, ſo thou wilt juſtifie God: This note may meet with thoſe that in company hear Miniſters and the ways of God cryed out againſt, and yet have not a word to ſpeak to juſtifie God, perhaps Gentlemen and others ſpake ill of Gods ways, and thou ſtandeſt ſpeaking, and haſt not a word to ſay for God and his ways; Doſt thou think God hath juſtified thee, and doſt thou hear God and his People, and his Word reproached, and thou haſt not a heart to juſtifie God?
Tenthly and laſtly, Thoſe whom God pardons and forgives, he puts in them a merciful frame of heart to forgive others; and that upon Divine grounds: there is a kind of natural forgiveneſs: many will forgive, but it is as a Heathen forgives another; and it is a ſhame for many that profeſs themſelves Chriſtians, that they do not go ſo far; but you muſt forgive in a ſpiritual way, for that is the way that accompanies padon of ſin, to forgive, becauſe I have had more forgiven; ſuch a one hath offended me; but how much more have I offended the Lord; and if the Lord forgive me, ought not I to forgive him? you know in the Goſpel he that had ſo many Talents forgiven him, and afterwards went and took his Brother by the throat, how ill the Lord took it, that having forgiven him ſo much, he ſhould exact of his Brother the utmoſt farthing; Hath God forgiven thee thy ſin, which had he not, it would have everlaſtingly chained thee in torments, and wilt not thou forgive? for as it is an Evidence, ſo it is a duty and a part of Prayer in that divine Directory called the Lords Prayer, Matth. 6. Forgive us as we forgive; and in another place it runs thus, forgive, for we forgive; therefore thou can'ſt have no Evidence that God hath forgiven thy iniquities and pardoned thy treſpaſſes, except others be in thy thoughts forgiven too: I might have given divers Scriptures, but I mention it as a duty, that you that have any knowledg of your ſin pardoned, would make this as a ground to forgive your Brethren; ſay, Alas poor wretch, hath God forgiven me; was there ever ſuch a diſtance between my brother and me, as there was between God and me; and hath God forgiven, and ſhall not I forgive my brother? It is impoſſible a ſoul ſhould be made acquainted with the rich mercy of God in forgiveneſs of ſin, and have not a meek ſpirit to forgive his brother: Nothing can take away the rugged ſowrneſs and rigidneſs of one man towards another, but the Oyl of Gods grace in pardoning of ſin; and that coming once into the ſoul, makes the ſoul to be of a ſweet, mild, gentle, kind and tender frame: Obſerve this, you that have rugged natures, you ſay it is nature, and you cannot help it, if any thing change it, it is the mercy of God in pardoning thy ſin; is there not ſo much in the grace of God in pardoning thy ſin, as to change that rugged nature of thine? certainly there is: elſe thou haſt little hope that thy ſin is pardoned; therefore if God have pardoned thee, thou muſt go and do ſo likewiſe. I am perſwaded many of you hope't and longed for this *Note the ſigns were given forth in one Sermon.Sermon, and I deſired to be the larger, becauſe I would lay the Evidences full before you; here you have had the bleſſed man and woman deſcribed unto you, but there is but few of them, few can go away and ſay, as we have heard, ſo it is: But I hope divers of you can, it was for you that it was preached and ſent from Heaven that you ſhould feed upon it, and 'tis as needful as the bread you eat. But there is one thing more, that is very meet to annex to all that hath been ſaid for; without that, I am afraid there are many to whom the conſolation of this Text and Point belongs to, will go away with little comfort, becauſe they know not how to apply them; and that is to give ſome rules how to make uſe of theſe ſigns, and be able to apply them; and by the ſame rules you may come to know any other notes of Trial concerning your ſpiritual Eſtate, and to make uſe of them in any other particular whatſoever.