Gospel Remission, Treatise · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of Pardoning Mercy, being a work that all the three Perſons in the Trinity are ingaged in.
7. Argument.BLeſſed is the man whoſe Iniquities are forgiven, becauſe as there is no one thing hath taken up the heart of God more than this; ſo this is a work that all the three Perſons in the Trinity are ingaged in nothing more, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt; as to inſtance.
1. For God the Father, in Iſai. 43.25. he challengeth this as his own glory, I even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for my Names ſake, and will not remember thy ſins; it is his Prerogative, I am he, God glories in it as a peculiar, belonging to none but himſelf, Exod. 33.18. Moſes deſired to ſee the glory of God, and God promiſed to make all his goodneſs paſs before him; and Exod. 34.6. he proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-ſuffering and abundant in goodneſs and truth, keeping mercy for thouſands; and then to the point in hand, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin, here's the glory of God; Would you have a demonſtration indeed, that Gods heart was ſet upon this as the greateſt work that ever was done? take it in this, that the very thoughts of effecting this by the death of his own Son, made God very well pleas'd and delighted with his death; ſurely then his heart was much ſet upon it; for rather than he would not effect it, he would part with his own Son: Never was there ſuch a hideous thing as the death of the Son of God; and therefore if there were any delight to be taken in it, & that God the Father took delight in it; there muſt be ſome great thing to ſweeten it, ſuch an horrid thing as the death of the Son of God had need have ſome great thing to ſweeten it; what now ſweetned this to God the Father, that his own Son ſhould be put to death? Why? nothing but this, that hereby ſinners might come to be redeemed, juſtified and pardoned, nothing elſe would ſweeten it to God the Father, but this does, Iſai. 53.10. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him; and again, the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall proſper in his hand; the Scripture ſays, God takes no delight in the death of a ſinner; and yet God did take delight in the death of his Son, it pleaſed God to ſee his Son bruiſed: when God the Father ſaw his Son under his wrath, ſwetting drops of water and blood under the curſe of the Law, it pleaſed God well; certainly then there muſt be ſome mighty thing that muſt ſweeten this, and make the death of his own Son a delightful object to him; Why? the very thing that did it was this, that Chriſt being made a curſe, he thereby did redeem us from the curſe, procur'd the pardon of our ſins, and reconciled us unto God; and this very thing ſweetned the death of the Son of God unto God the Father, therefore the heart of God was much in it.
2. For Chriſt, What was the buſineſs that brought him from the Fathers boſome, made him content to take our nature upon him, to ſuffer, and to be a man of ſorrows, ſo as to delight in it? there was a kind of delight to Chriſt in induring the wrath of God; for with deſire (ſays Chriſt) have I deſired to eat this Paſsover, becauſe it was the Preparation to his Death and Sufferings of the wrath of God, in all the fruits and effects of it for the ſin of Man; and when Chriſt came to inſtitute the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and to give his blood for the remiſſion of ſins, the Text ſays, He gave thanks; What did he give thanks for? ſurely the thing for which he gave thanks for, (upon which the Supper of the Lord is called the Euchariſt, from the Greek word that ſignifies Thanksgiving;) was this, that by his death Remiſſion of ſins ſhould be obtain'd: when Chriſt was to die & ſuffer all the wrath of God that was due for our ſins, Chriſt bleſſed God & thanked God the Father for it: ſurely there muſt be ſome great matter to ſweeten it; that he ſhould be ſo affected as to bleſs God the Father for that that coſt him his life, and yet he did: Mark what it is that ſatisfies Chriſt for all this, Iſa. 53.10. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, and his ſoul was made an offering for ſin: all was laid upon Chriſt; Well, but what did Chriſt look for for all this? Verſ. 11. He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul and ſhall be ſatisfied; that that ſhall ſatisfie Chriſt for all his pains, labour and ſufferings, ſhall be to ſee of the travel of his ſoul; What is that? What is the travel of Chriſts ſoul? What? Why by his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many; as if Chriſt had ſaid, this is the very thing my Soul travels for, in all that I have done or ſuffered in all my life, that I might but bring this great buſineſs to paſs, to juſtifie ſome ſouls, to get the ſin of thoſe poor ſouls that are thine Elect pardoned, and their perſons juſtified: this my ſoul travels for, and oh Father let me but ſee this, the travel of my Soul, and I am ſatisfied: Chriſt accounted it worth all the travel of his Soul, in all he did and ſuffered, that he might juſtifie ſome ſouls, as if he had ſaid, he would have no other boon from his Father but only this; Father if thou wilt but recompence all my travel with this, I ſhall for ever account my ſelf that I am ſatisfied, and have enough: How ſhould we be ſatified with Chriſt, when Chriſt accounts the pardon of our ſins ſatisfaction enough? Shall Chriſt ſay, notwithſtanding all my ſorrows, let thy ſin be pardoned, and I have enough? Wilt not thou now ſay; and let me have Chriſt and I have enough? Chriſt ſays to God the Father, let me have thoſe ſouls pardoned, and I have enough; Oh then do thou ſay, let me have Chriſt and I have enough: Surely Chriſt is enough to ſatisfie thee, when the pardon of thy ſin is enough to ſatisfie him.
3. As the heart of God and Chriſt, ſo the heart of the Holy Ghoſt is in this buſineſs too; the great work the Holy Ghoſt hath to do in this world, and the great buſineſs for which he was ſent, it is to convince poor ſouls of the righteouſneſs there is to be had in Chriſt for Juſtification, Joh. 16.8, 9, 10. Chriſt will ſend the Comforter; and firſt he will convince the world of ſin. 2. Of righteouſneſs: What is that? that is, when the Spirit comes, he will clear it up unto believers, and convince them that the righteouſneſs that they muſt have to ſtand righteous before God in, is the righteouſneſs of Chriſt alone; and this is a mighty work of the Spirit of God, and a work that would never have been done, had not he come to have done it; it is ſuch a great myſtery that we ſhould be righteous by anothers righteouſneſ, that it is above the reaſon of all Men and Angels; all Men and Angels were never able to fathom this infinite depth, it is above their apprehenſions that ever we ſhould come to be righteous in Chriſt, and very few yet where Chriſt is made known, are convinced of it: Thoſe men that take up Religion in a natural way, they never are convinc't of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, it is a riddle and a myſtery to them; only thoſe few ſouls whom God intends eternally to ſave, the Spirit of God is ſent unto them from the Father and the Son to clear it unto them, that the righteouſneſs wherewith they muſt ſtand righteous before God, is the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt; this is the great work of the Spirit of God, and he comes on purpoſe to enlighten you in this great point, and to witneſs this great Truth unto you, Heb. 10.15. Whereof the Holy Ghoſt is a witneſs, for after that he had ſaid before, this is the Covenant that I will make, &c. verſ. 17. Their ſins and iniquities will I remember no more, as the Principal part of the Covenant, and of this the Holy Ghoſt is a witneſs: This great Truth of the forgiveneſs of Sins the Holy Ghoſt comes to bear witneſs of, and ſeal this to thy Soul, that thy ſins are forgiven; this is the great work of the Holy Ghoſt, after believing to ſeal up the forgiveneſs of ſin: and this is one great reaſon why the Holy Ghoſt hath the Title of Comforter, becauſe as he comes to convince of ſin, ſo alſo to witneſs and ſeal up forgiveneſs of ſin to the ſoul: And indeed, as it ſhews the excellency of the mercy of forgiveneſs, becauſe the Holy Ghoſt is ſo much in it; ſo the greatneſs of it, that muſt have ſo high a Perſon to witneſs it: and indeed, the Soul is not ſatisfied until it have this ſpecial witneſs of the Holy Ghoſt; 'tis true, there may be probable arguments drawn by ſigns of Gods love unto us; and the Holy Ghoſt may come in thoſe ſigns: but beſides that, there is the immediate witneſs of the Holy Ghoſt: to limit him to witneſs by ſigns only, is more than any man can have warrant for; and this I ſay further, that all the ſigns of Gods favour that we can have, will not ſatisfie the ſoul until there be this ſpecial work of the Holy Ghoſt ſealing and witneſſing the favour of God unto us; 1 Joh. 3. there are many ſigns of Gods favour in that Chapter, Verſ. 9. He that is born of God doth not commit ſin. And Verſ. 19. Hereby we know we are of the Truth, and ſhall aſſure our hearts before him; and he that keepeth his Commandemen…s, dwelleth in him, and he in him, that's another ſign, and Verſ. 24 but the concluſion of all is this; Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us; it is the Holy Ghoſt muſt convince & ſatisfie the ſoul, of Gods love: many there are that would fain have their ſins pardoned, and would fain have ſome ſigns of it; and perhaps I may hereafter give ſome ſigns. But now know, that all the ſigns in the world will not ſerve to quiet the heart, but that it may return again to its former doubts, till God come to pacifie the ſpirit by the witneſs of the Holy Ghoſt; for it is ſo great a matter, where once the Soul underſtands the infinite breach made between God and it by ſin, that it muſt needs be more than an ordinary work to aſſure the Soul of Gods Reconciliation to it, and nothing can do it ſatisfactorily but the Holy Ghoſt; he muſt come to the Soul to aſſure it of this thing: perhaps the caſe of a poor Soul is thus; Suppoſe a Priſoner in Goal lies bound in fetters for ſome great offence againſt his Prince; and ſome friend comes and tells him there is hope of pardon; Oh, ſays he, 'tis too good news to be true; well, another comes to the grate of the Priſon, and tells that he hears from the Court, the King hath ſealed Pardons, and put ſuch a ones name in, this is ſome comfort; but yet this frees him not from fears and doubtings. But now, ſuppoſe the Favourite of the Prince come from the King himſelf, one that is of the Kings Bed-chamber, and one to whom the King opens his whole ſoul, and nothin… …he King doth but he is acquainted with it; he comes to this poor man, and bids him be of good comfort, I come from the King, and bring you a Pardon from him, ſhews it him, and ſays there it is, take it; Oh this revives his ſpirit, when ſuch a ſpecial Meſſenger is ſent unto him: ſo in this caſe I may compare all ſigns to be like ſome friend or other, that goes by the grate, and ſpeaks of the happineſs of ſuch a man that he is pardoned; but the ſoul is under ſuch blindneſs and fears, by reaſon of the guilt of ſin, that God knows it is no eaſie matter to perſwade it of pardon: But now God for the comfort of thoſe that he intends good will unto, ſends his own Spirit that lies in his own boſom, and knows all his ſecrets, to declare the mind of God, and to ſay to ſuch a ſoul, Peace be to thee, thy ſins are forgiven; now this ſatisfies the ſoul.
But it may be here objected, How may I know it is the Spirit of God that witneſſes, and not my own fancies or deluſions of Satan.
I anſwer, as we know the Sun by its own light, ſo we may know the Spirit by its own teſtimony; and though there be may ſome ebbs, yet it will riſe again; there is ſuch a witneſſing work of the Spirit, by a kind of ſweet and ſecret intercourſe between God and the Soul, whereby God over-powers all doubts and fears; though I do not ſay, every one hath it in a like ſenſible meaſure; yet this I ſay, when this full aſſurance comes, although there may be doubts and many queſtions before in the ſoul, for fear of being deluded, (for certainly many are deceived and deluded) yet then the Spirit over-powers all doubts and fears, and witneſſes to the Soul its own work: Do not you ſay, becauſe ſome are deluded with fancies, that there is no witneſs of the Spirit; when as there is ſcarce any point in the Goſpel the Scripture ſpeaks more about than this of the witneſs of the Spirit: indeed they that judge of the myſteries of the Goſpel by Humane Reaſon, and underſtand no further than that reaches too, and that are little acquainted with thoſe converſes that are between God and a believing Soul, they may ſlight this witneſs of the Spirit; but you muſt know, there is not any Soul that has aſſurance he ſhall go to Heaven, but it is wrought on by a high ſupernatural and myſterious way; and if there were no other way to evidence this to the Soul but by ſome ſigns, this would be no higher evidence than by way of reaſon: But we are to know, as great is the myſtery of godlineſs, God manifeſted in the fleſh, ſo alſo great is the myſtery of godlineſs, God juſtified in the Spirit; God juſtified in the Spirit is a great myſtery, Chriſts Incarnation is a great myſtery, ſo is a Believers Juſtification as well as Chriſts Incarnation; ſo alſo the witneſs of Juſtification is a great myſtery; and therefore I beſeech you look up higher than for ſuch ſigns as Reaſon may reach unto, and beg of God to reveal this unto you, that thou may'ſt have the witneſs of the Spirit of God to teſtifie unto thee that thy ſins are pardoned. Now bleſſed is the man, whoſe iniquities are forgiven, ſeeing God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt is ſo much in it.