Gospel Remission, Treatise · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Of Exhortation to ſeek after Pardon of Sin, with Cautions and Rules, how, and what we are to do.
I Am now come to a uſe of Exhortation, and it concerns us all, either thoſe that are not pardoned, or thoſe that have aſſurance of the pardon of their ſins; for there is none that have aſſurance but may make uſe of it: Chriſt taught his Diſciples to pray daily for the forgiveneſs of their treſpaſſes, as well as for their daily bread; and what we are to pray for, we are to ſeek after; ſo that it concerns all; bleſſedneſs is deſirable to all, it is as natural for man as a reaſonable creature to deſire bleſſedneſs as it is for the fire to burn; only here's the great miſtake in the world, all would have it, but they look not for it in the right way: Now after all that has been ſaid, that thou may'ſt not have ſlight thoughts of the pardon of ſin, and ſay, I hope they are pardoned, and the like; I ſhall ſpeak to awaken thee: ſuppoſe thou wer't now ſet on the brink of the infinite Ocean of Eternity, and the bottomleſs Gulf were ready to devour thee, and the Records of Heaven were opened, and there ſhewed thee that thy ſins were not cancelled, but remain upon the file? What thou would'ſt then do, do it now; for this is our time, and this is the great work of our lives, not to cumber our ſelves about many things, but about this one thing, to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling; this is the great work to ſeek to ſecure this bleſſing of the pardon of our ſins, which is the foundation of all; in the obtaining of it we obtain all bleſſings; it ought to be our chief care, and we ought to lay out our chief ſtrength and indeavours in ſeeking of it; and if God would be pleaſed to put his hand to your hearts, and turn the ſtream of your thoughts and indeavours, the very turning of your hearts after this buſineſs is a great mercy; there is ſo much bleſſedneſs in it, as not only the obtaining of it, but the very motion of the heart this way is worth all the world, in Act. 2. we read, there were many thouſands that had their hearts pricked at hearing the Word preached, and they cryed out men and brethren, What ſhall we do to be ſaved? O that there were a diſpoſition in the hearts of men to cry thus; we ſee it is our bleſſedneſs if we have it; and if we have it not, we are all curſed for ever; What ſhall we do to get it? Mar. 10.17. we read of one came running after Chriſt, ſaying, What ſhall I do to be ſaved? O that your hearts were now in ſuch a frame to come running after Chriſt, ſaying, What ſhall we do that our ſins may be pardoned: but before I come to any thing elſe, it is neceſſary by way of caution or proviſo to ſay three or four things.
Firſt, This; that although I muſt ſeek after God for the pardon of ſin, yet know there is nothing in a natural man that is or can be acceptable; all his endeavours have not that in them that can gain him acceptance with God: But then to what purpoſe are we to endeavour to do any thing? yes, we muſt be ſtriving after the pardon of ſin, although without Chriſt we can do nothing; and a bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit, yet it is to purpoſe that we be doing, for God likes well the exerciſe of the work of common gifts; though they are not ſaving, and to eternal life, yet God likes the exerciſe of them ſo far as there is any thing good and commends them; when that young man came to Chriſt, Mar. 10.21. Chriſt look't upon him and loved him, though not with ſuch a love as to ſave him and bring him to eternal life, yet God did diſcover love to ſuch a one; therefore it is to ſome purpoſe that a man ſhould put himſelf on doing what he can, if it be only for that. 2. It is to ſome purpoſe that the heart be ſtirring after God and Chriſt, becauſe hereby we ſhall evidence that we are not ſo negligent of God and Chriſt, and the things of eternal life as we were before. 3. It is to ſome purpoſe, for in the ſtirring of the common works of Gods Spirit, God many times comes in with ſaving works; for God works not upon men as upon ſtocks or ſtones, but God puts them on by ſtirring up the common works of his Spirit, and at that time when they are moſt in ſtirring, it is Gods uſual way to come in with the ſaving works of his Spirit; therefore it is not to no purpoſe that we are putting on poor creatures to do what they can.
The ſecond Caution is this, That whatſoever any one doth in ſeeking after Chriſt before he has union with Chriſt, it is not to be reckoned on as the condition of the Covenant of Grace or a Goſpel-work; there are no preparatory works for the receiving of Chriſt, that are the condition of the Covenant of grace; though they be ſuch things as we muſt follow after, yet they are not the condition of the Covenant of grace: Now that that is the condition of the Covenant of grace ſanctifies him that hath it, and follows upon our union with Chriſt; though God uſes to carry on the ſoul in the way of legal terrors, humiliations, and the like; yet theſe are not the work of the Covenant of grace; and therefore this may help many a poor ſoul about terrors of Conſcience and humiliations; that are troubled that they never had thoſe degrees as others have; why as they do not prepare and fit thee for Chriſt; ſo the want of them is no hinderance to the receiving of Chriſt.
The third Caution is this that follows on the other, That though you put your ſelves upon the uſe of all means to the receiving of Chriſt, yet take heed you do not reſt in any of thoſe preparatory works, there's a great deal of danger in that; many ſouls miſtake, and it is to be feared it is in this, the reſting in ſomething that they have done; it may be God has awakened their Conſciences, and they fall upon working, upon humbling and reforming themſelves, and here they reſt; but this is a miſtake, you muſt not reſt until you find you are in Chriſt, and until there be an union with Chriſt and your ſouls; the work is not therefore done becauſe you are humbled and reformed, and run another courſe to what you did before. for Rom. 9.16. 'Tis not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy; not of him that willeth, that is, that hath ſome good affections to it; nor of him that runneth, that is, though his endeavours be never ſo ſtrong, yet 'tis not of him neither: many think they have peace in their ſouls upon their good deſires and endeavours; when their hearts are mightily ſtirr'd, and they wonderfully inlarged, then they make no queſtion but all is done, and they quiet their hearts with that, and think there is no further work to be done; but it is not ſo; Not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy; though we muſt; will, and we muſt run, yet there may be running and ſtriving to enter in, and yet not enter; this is a very great point, to let us ſee all of us what need we have of the free grace of God in pardoning of our ſin.
Fourthly, Though God does not tie himſelf to come in to pardon upon theſe preparatory works going before, yet it is worthy of the utmoſt endeavours of any ſoul in the world, that there is a poſſibility of the obtaining of it; though God tie not himſelf to give pardon on thoſe works, yet there is enough in it to require the utmoſt endeavours of any one to be laid out, could we do ten thouſand times more than we can, even the very poſſibility of obtaining pardon, is worth the calling forth of all our ſtrength; know that the very poſſibility of having ſin pardoned, is enough to ſet all your hearts a work to ſeek after it, though God do not tie himſelf to come in then and pardon; tis not thus, that God would have his creature ſeek unto him, and then all ſhould be left unto that ſeeking; no, for if that were granted, that God did foreſee ſomething that his creature would do, and upon that he would give him pardon, then all the world would be ſaved; but all the world do not what they can; if God had tied himſelf to come in then when men do what they can, all the world might be ſaved; but it is not ſo: God hath left it ſo that he will have his creature (do what he can) to relie upon him; and when he doth come in, then he enters into the greateſt and ſtrongeſt bonds that can be to do his creature good; but I come to inforce the Exhortation for to ſeek after the pardon of ſin.
Queſt.You will ſay, How muſt we ſeek it? and what is to be done?
Firſt,Anſw. In the ſeeking pardon of your ſins ſet your ſelves as in the preſence of God, and put this upon your ſouls; I am now looking after the pardon of ſin, but how do I do it? does my heart work ſo in it as that I can ſatisfie my own Conſcience in the work I do? that it is ſuch a work, that may teſtifie my high reſpect to God from whom I ſeek it; is it ſuch a work as manifeſts that I am ſenſible, it is a buſineſs of the moſt infinite concernment that I have in all the world; and am I ſenſible of the infinite Power and Majeſty of God as one that is infinitly above me; when you ſeek after pardon, you muſt do it ſo, as that you may be able to ſatisfie your Conſciences that your ſeeking is ſuch a work as does hold forth the glorious greatneſs of that God that you are ſeeking after; many pray ſlightly, as God be merciful to me, and mumble over a few words, and have done; does this hold forth that they have ſuch an apprehenſion of the greatneſs of the power of that God they ſeek after, ſurely no; thats the firſt.
Secondly, If thou wilt ſeek after pardon of ſin, it muſt be ſuch a ſeeking as may teſtifie that thou doſt prize thy life here in this world above all things elſe in it; becauſe God gives thee time in it to ſeek after him; Is thy ſeeking ſuch that manifeſts the time of thy life is given the for this very end? if you were ſenſible of this, you would ſeek it in another manner than you do; you would ſeek it as a condemn'd man ſeeks his pardon; for certainly, every man is a condemn'd man, and the time of your life is like a condemn'd mans time, between his condemnation and execution: Now does your ſeeking teſtifie and witneſs that you ſpend your time, and that your hearts are ſo ſtir'd in ſeeking pardon, as that it holds forth you account your lives pretious, and uſe it for the ſame end, to get the pardon of your ſin, if a condemn'd man have time to ſeek a pardon two or three days; and he followes drinking, playing, and the like, certainly none would apprehend this man ſpent his time, as if it were given him for to get his pardon; look upon the courſes and lives of moſt men; and are they ſuch that does teſtifie they live to that very end, to ſeek pardon? if men were ſo ſenſible of it, as they ſhould, they would cry and weep, and lament unto God for the pardon of their ſins, and ſo carry it as would teſtifie they prize their lives at a high rate for this end, that they may ſeek the pardon of their ſins.
Thirdly, It muſt be done ſo, as that you may have this teſtimony in your Conſciences, that you never ſought after any thing in the world ſo as you ſought after this; though it was never ſo an important occaſion, yet there is nothing after which your endevours have been ſo powerful as after this; I appeale to you in this place; is the work of your ſouls after pardon ſo? as that in your own Conſciences you can ſay, if any buſineſs ever took up my heart, this hath, if ever my ſpirit was up in any thing in the world it is in this; certainly, unleſs it be ſo, you have not done that that God requires of you.
Fourthly, You muſt ſo do it as apprehending God is ready to be gone, and to turne away from you; you muſt ſo ſeek after him, as apprehending, for ought you know, that God is juſt a going away; and if thou haſt it not now, 'tis uncertain whether thou ſhalt ever have it; the ſoul muſt cry as a poor Malefactor does when the Judge is on the Bench, he cries all that while; but when he is ready to riſe, and is going off, then he cries mercy, mercy; when he thinks, if he let him go, then he ſhall never ſee his face more; he cries then to purpoſe; ſo ſhould it be with every ſoul that underſtands the danger of loſing of it; you ſhould ſo ſeek after it, as looking on your ſelves ſtanding before God the Judge of all the World, having the ſentence of death out againſt you, yet for the preſent God is looking on you, and admits of you to look on him; but ſo as apprehending God ready to turn aſide, and you know not whether ever he will grant you ſuch an opportunity of ſeeing him any more; O then if a man would ſeek after God as ready to turn aſide from him, and for ought he knows, he ſhould never ſee him more: Certainly, if you know the evil of ſin, and the bleſſedneſs of pardon of ſin; What a deep impreſſion would ſuch an apprehenſion make upon your hearts.
Fifthly, So ſeek after it as that thou may'ſt teſtifie thou would'ſt ſanctifie the great Name of God in it; I do not ſay thou can'ſt do it, but thou muſt endeavour after it, and deſire that that which thou doſt may have ſome reſemblance to it; there is no work that ever God did from all eternity, that hath ſo much or more of his Name in it, than this work of the pardon of ſin hath; this is a poſitive work of God, and is for this end to declare his Name; the works and Counſels of God about this was the greateſt thing that ever God did; you heard much concerning the glory of God in this work, in the opening of the Doctrine: Now what I put you upon in the uſe is this, That in ſeeking pardon of ſin, know you are are ſo to endeavour after it, as your endeavours may hold forth the apprehenſions your ſouls have of the great Name of God: certainly this ſanctifies Gods Name when we perform it ſo, when there is a work upon our ſouls ſuitable in ſome meaſure to the excellent and glorious Name of God that appears in ſome meaſure in the work that we are converſant about: as ſuppoſe it be the ſpeaking of any attribute of God, then I ſanctifie Gods Name, when there is that reverential reſpect to God in reference to ſuch an Attribute; ſo when I give God praiſe for a mercy, I ſanctifie Cods Name when there is a work upon my heart ſuitable to that glorious Name of God that appears in that mercy beſtowed on me; ſo if I ſeek after God for a bleſſing, then I reverence Gods Name, when there is ſuch a diſpoſition in my heart, that is ſomewhat ſuitable to the glorious Name of God that appears in that bleſſing: ſo in endeavouring to ſanctifie Gods Name in ſeeking after pardon of ſin, thou doſt it then, when there is ſuch a frame in thy heart as may hold forth to Men and Angels, that this work of thine hath ſome kind of ſuitableneſs to the glorious Name of God that appears in it; this is to ſanctifie the Name of God, and this is a great work; this is the great thing for which thou waſt made; and this is the great thing for which the counſels of God, yea the deep counſels of God were ſet a work from all eternity: Now the diſpoſitions of our ſpirits muſt be ſuch, as may manifeſt the great end, the wiſdom and counſels of God had in it, and therefore it muſt be a great work that muſt manifeſt that; for certainly thoſe whom God pardons he makes them underſtand what pardon means. Now th…n, if thy ſeeking be ſuch as that thou knoweſt what it is thou ſeekeſt after, then it muſt hold forth alſo that thou doſt underſtand the Name of God is exceeding glorious in it; and then as thou doeſt apprehend this, ſo accordingly thy heart will work after it; and therefore when you are alone, and you find your hearts working this way, ſay, What do I do? Do I ſo call upon him, and ſeek after him, as that this work of mine declares to God and my own Conſcience I ſeek for it ſo, as that I may manifeſt the glorious Name of the great God is in it? certainly if I do not do it thus, I take Gods Name in vain.
Sixthly, Further, you muſt ſeek after it as if you were now to anſwer for all your ſins before the Lord, as you would wiſh you had done it then, ſo do it now; I put it to every one of you; Have you not been on your ſick-beds, and in your apprehenſion neer unto death; hath not God wakened your Conſciences, and you have been afraid upon the account of your ſins; what kind of temper your ſouls have been in then, know it concerns you every day in the whole courſe of your lives to have the ſame apprehenſions as you had at that time; do now as then you would have done: certainly thou doſt not underſtand what pardon of ſin means, if thou doſt not ſeek it thus.
Seaventhly, Do it as thou thinkeſt in thy Conſcience the damned ſouls in Hell would do if God ſhould give them a poſſibility, What would they do if God ſhould proclaim unto them a poſſibility of pardon? what would they do? divers things you may conceive they would do; and here it comes up fully to my hand to put you upon it, …o ſay, O! what ſhall I do? Were we to preach to them in Hell, do you think that there is any one of them but would mightily cry to the God of Heaven; 'tis not like that any one of ſuch an Auditory but would mightily cry to God, if the great counſels of God concerning pardon of ſin were preacht to them; and will not every one of you now mightily cry to God for it? certainly if they would do it in Hell, Why ſhould not you do it now; that which you think they would do, not with a few ſlight vain expreſſions, do you do now with all your might.
Eightly, Do this: ſo ſeek after it as to deſire if it were poſſible that you might bring as much glory unto God, as he would have had of you if he ſhould have damn'd you for ever; this is an excellent frame of ſpirit though you do not know it, but though you do not, yet you ſhould put your ſelves upon ſuch a kind of work and God may come in; you cry out for pardon, but never cry out for Gods honour, O what ſhall become of the honour of God that he hath loſt by me, and the diſhonour I have brought to him, ſay, O Lord I have diſhonoured thy Name, O that I might ſo honour thy Name as I have diſhonoured it; O Lord thou mighteſt make up thy honour in my eternal damnation; but O Lord, I would if I could do any thing that might make up that diſhonour that I have brought by my ſin, if I could do any thing that thou mighteſt have any honour in, I would do it: for a cloſe, I ſhall put this for a conſideration to you; whatſoever you would do upon any ſuppoſition, ſuppoſe your danger were as great as ever it was in all your lives, what you would do then do it now; you muſt do all that can be done by a creature: Now if you would do more on ſuch a ſuppoſition as this, after all thoſe Sermons you have heard of the evil of ſin, and now of the great bleſſedneſs of the pardon of ſin, if you do not do what a creature is able to do, How can you look for pardon of ſin in the face of God? and therefore what you would do on any ſuch ſuppoſition, do now, though thou ſhouldeſt not get pardon; ſuppoſe ſuch a thing as if thou wer't now ready to be damn'd, yet is it not better to do it, than not to do it? Having ſpoken of theſe general things, I come now more garticularly to the other part of the Queſtion, What is to be done?
Firſt, This is to be done, be ſure thou takeſt off thy heart from all other imaginary bleſſedneſs; certainly there is no man in the world but hath ſomewhat elſe his heart was running out after; now thou muſt get off thy heart from that thing whatever it be; it may be thy heart was ſet upon friends, or upon pleaſures of the fleſh, and thou thoughteſt thy ſelf happy the more thou had'ſt liberty for thy luſt, and the like; now thou muſt be convinc't that thou haſt fed upon aſhes, and haſt not been able to ſay there is a lie in my right hand; but God hath now ſhewed me there is a lie, and I have look't for happineſs elſe where; but now I ſee it is not there to be found, win thy ſoul fully to this; O my ſoul art thou taken off from all other things, hath God convinc't thee that thou may'ſt have honours, riches, pleaſures, and yet be a Reprobate, wo unto me for the time that I have loſt, I have laid out my time and mony for another bleſſedneſs, that is no where to be found but in the grace of God.
Secondly, Let Conſcience have free liberty to ſhew thee thy ſins, and charge them upon thee, yea to accuſe and condemn thee, and do thou help thy Conſcience; when Conſcience accuſes and condemns, then do thou condemn thy ſelf; if thou would'ſt be pardoned, then give Conſcience ſcope and liberty; 'tis very dangerous when God begins to ſtir the hearts of men and women, to make any ſtop or give any check to Conſcience there, the wiſeſt courſe is to give Conſcience liberty, for it will have liberty one day to accuſe and condemn you; Why will you not now give it liberty? Conſcience will one day bring all thy evil deeds before thee and accuſe thee; now let it accuſe and condemn thee, and certainly if thou doſt ſo, thou art in a very good way to come to have abſolution of thy ſins in thy Conſcince now; for at the great day the Books ſhall be opened: Now bring as it were a day of Judgment upon thy ſelf, contract the Throne of God into your own hearts, and call for the Book of Conſcience, and ſay, Conſcience? What ſay'ſt thou againſt me that I may get it blotted out now, that it may not be read againſt me at the day of Judgment?
Thirdly, Be willing to own all thy ſins, confeſs, diſcover them with all the heart-breaking circumſtances and aggravations thou canſt poſſible, the Lord knows thy ſins whether thou confeſſeſt them or not; but God will have thee to come and lay them open, God will have thee to come and charge thy ſelf with them: 'tis a very good thing to open Conſcience freely before the Lord, not in a ſlight way, but in a way of anguiſh and bitterneſs of ſpirit bewailing them, and crying by way of Prayer and Petition againſt them.
Fourthly, Be willing to accept of the puniſhment of ſin, ſay, O Lord, as thus I do charge and acknowledge, bewail and cry out of my ſin; ſo here I am Lord, ready and willing to accept of the puniſhment of my ſin, and the ſoul that is in this frame is in a comfortable way of pardon of ſin.
Fifthly, Reſolve to avoid ſin whatever come of it, at that very time when thou art ſeeking pardon, of ſin be ſure to reſolve never to ſin again, for know, that for ought thou knoweſt, the very next ſin thou committeſt may make God come upon thee for all thy former ſins. And then
Sixthly, Caſt out whatſoever is gotten by falſe ways, make reſtitution, as Zacheus did, Luk. 19.
Seaventhly, Be ſure that thou be put off with nothing elſe but pardon of ſin; never reſt keeping thy ſoul always in a waiting frame, looking up to God for pardon: To all theſe things I ſhall add, that all theſe muſt have reference to the great work of the Son of God, when you cry out, What ſhall we do? though I have ſpoken of divers things, yet know all is with reference unto Chriſt the Son of God, God-Man; look upon him as the head of the ſecond Covenant offering up himſelf for our ſins, let thine eye be upon him, and as thou giveſt thy Conſcience liberty to charge thy ſins upon thy own ſoul, ſo charge them upon Chriſt the head of the ſecond Covenant; have an eye to him for the diſcharge of them; Doſt thou vomit up thy ſin by confeſſion, and cry to God for pardon? remember that thou cry to him through the mediation of Jeſus Chriſt; look upon him that muſt make up the breach, reſtore thee to favour, and remove the curſe: in every work be ſure thou eye Chriſt, and make uſe of theſe rules ſo, as may further the venturing of thy ſoul upon Chriſt; except thy ſoul riſe to this, to work thee to Chriſt, all the other is but a natural work, though as I ſaid before, that thou ſhouldeſt let Conſcience condemn thee, and that thou have anguiſh of ſpirit, know all theſe are but natural works, any further then they ſerve in reference unto Chriſt: And now I have ſhewed you what you are to do, What is it that you will do? will you ſet up your reſolution, that through the grace of God in Chriſt, whatever hath been told you, you will ſet about the ſame, then happy are you; but if you do it not, it may be you may wiſh you had done it when ſin lies heavy on you; then you will cry that God would be merciful to you, but then God and Conſcience will ſay, I warned you at ſuch a time, in ſuch a place, and were not you there put in a way to ſeek after pardon; What did you do after you went away? the next day you went among your Companions, and were as drunk and as wicked as ever before; if it be ſo, then trouble will be upon you; it may be ſome poor creature that ſat in the ſame pew with thee, had a heart to ſeek pardon, and is abſolved before men and Angels, and at the day of Judgment ſhall ſit at Chriſts right hand, and thou that heardeſt the ſame Word, and haſt neglected it, now comeſt to have thy ſoul for ever lie under the weight and burden of thy ſins: God forbid that there ſhould be ſuch a difference made; thou haſt heard the way, ſeek after the pardon of thy ſin; let it not be in vain that all theſe Sermons have been preach't unto you, Act. 10.43. when they preach't about pardon of ſin, it ſays to him give all the Prophets witneſs; O that you might come in and give witneſs that this day remiſſion of ſin was preach't unto you; O that while you hear this Word, the Holy Ghoſt might fall upon you, that you might have your hearts fired with ſtrong reſolutions, to ſet about this work in the power of the Holy Ghoſt, and reſt not in any thing on this ſide of a pardon: Now I come to give you ſome incouragements, and they will work two ways, either draw you to Chriſt, or for ever ſtop your mouths, that you ſhall have nothing to ſay againſt him. I ſhall name fifteen incouragements unto you.