Defensive Armor Against Four of Satans Most Fiery Darts, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
What Deſpairing Souls ſhould do. They ought to conſult the Phyſician, if no Bodily Diſtemper gives a riſe to ſuch dark Thoughts. What Buſineſs they have with God: No Argument ſufficient to warrant Deſpair. Sometimes none pleaded. The uſual Arguments pleaded, From our many Sins. The greatneſs of them. Our Inveterateneſs in them. Our Sinning againſt the Holy Ghoſt. None of theſe ſufficient. The greatneſs of the Sin of Deſpair ſhewn, in what it implieth; what it is attended with, and produceth. 4. Other Directions for Souls thus tempted.
THus far I have diſcourſed you, in order to the prevention of theſe Aſſaults. Poſſibly as to ſome this Counſel may come too late; they may already find in their Souls Thoughts tending to Deſpair. The next Queſtion is, What ſhall theſe do? Or indeed rather, what ſhall be ſaid to, or done for thoſe, for their Support, Relief, or Deliverance? I know but three things that can be done for ſuch a Soul: 1. The Firſt is, With the Phyſician of the Body, who is Gods Ordinance; the Means he hath appointed by which he healeth our Bodies. 2. The Second is with God, who alone hath a Power paramount to Sathan, and alone can find, a way to our Hearts, and make powerful Impreſſions upon them. 3. The Third is with the Party Tempted, to perſwade him or her, of the unreaſonableneſs of the Temptation; the contrary Revelation of the Will of God in Scripture, and the uſe of Means, Natural, Moral, and Religious, for the ſupport of him or her ſelf; and the bringing him or her ſelf out of this horrible Pit. Under theſe three Heads I ſhall bring my whole remaining Diſcourſe upon this Argument. 1. The firſt thing, I ſay, is to be done in this Caſe, relates to the Phyſician. It is a thing that we find very difficult, to perſwade Souls under theſe circumſtances to believe; nay, many others too, leſs knowing Chriſtians, that there is any thing of Bodily Diſtemper in the caſe: But there is nothing more true, nothing that is more ordinarily experimented. God forbid that we ſhould think that all Deſpairing Thoughts and Expreſſions, are the Effects of a Natural Cauſe, a diſordered Body or Head. The contrary is evident, but that in many they are ſo; I was about to ſay, that in the moſt they are ſo; and that where they are not ſimply and ſingly the Effects of thoſe Cauſes, they are yet highly advantaged and improved by the Concurrence of ſuch Bodily Diſtempers, is moſt evident, to thoſe who have any Experience in theſe things, either from what they have found in themſelves, or obſerved from their converſe with, and miniſtring unto, thoſe that have lien under theſe great Burthens. And there can be no greater Argument for this, then the frequent Experiences we have of Perſons, that in the beginning of theſe Diſtempers have had them removed, by the uſe of Natural Means: Not that God is to be neglected, for admitting theſe Fits of Deſpair, to be but the products of a Natural Cauſe, by the ill influence that ſome diſordered peccant Humours of the Body have upon the Mind; diſpoſing it to Fears and Jealouſies, Suſpicious Diffidence, and Diſtruſt. Yet it is God that muſt heal us, by his giving a Bleſſing upon Means; but the Queſtion is not about the Principal Efficient Cauſe in the Cure, which muſt be God; but concerning the Means to be uſed, and in the uſe of which God is to be ſought, and his Aſſiſtance expected. Therefore, I ſay, the firſt thing to be done in theſe Caſes, is conſulting with the Phyſician, about the Health of our Bodies, and that with an Able and Experienced Phyſician; for it is an exceeding weighty Caſe, with reference to our Good and well Being. Nor ought any Means to be neglected, which ſuch a one ſhall direct for bringing our Bodies into a right Order; not yet to be uſed without ſolemn Applications to God; begging both his Direction of them, and his Bleſſing upon them. Nor ought this to be delayed, for none knoweth the Effects of ſuch Diſorders as theſe, and how quick a growth ſuch Beginning Diſtempers oft times have. But this is one of the firſt things I ſhould adviſe in ſuch a Cauſe as this is.
2. Secondly, Such a Soul hath alſo a greal deal of buſineſs to do with God: The Nature of which muſt be determined, according to what it findeth to have given the firſt riſe and cauſe to theſe Thoughts: If it findeth that ſome Bodily Diſtempers hath given the firſt riſe and cauſe to theſe dark and ill concluding Thoughts: Our buſineſs with God lies, 1. In begging Gods Direction of us unto the Uſe, and Bleſſing upon us in the uſe of ſuch Means, as are proper, and he will Bleſs unto the Healing of us, and the Deliverance of us from ſo great a Burthen; that he who miniſtreth unto us, may not have a miſcarrying hand. 2. That he would pleaſe to command the Means uſed to exert and put forth that Vertue which he hath created in them for the producing that Effect we deſire, and for the obtaining of which we make uſe of them. 3. That in the mean time he would pleaſe ſo to influence and to ſupport our Souls, that our Bodily Diſtempers may have no ſuch ill Influence upon our Minds, as to be occaſions to us of diſhonouring God, by entertaining any unworthy Thoughts of the Divine Majeſty, Mercy, and Goodneſs. If we find that theſe black and dark Thoughts ariſe in us, or in any others, from any other Cauſe, whether our own Reflexions upon our former Sinful Courſes, or ſome particular guilt of Sin upon us: Our Buſineſs is ſtill with God by Prayer, for it is he alone, that can Pardon Sin, that can give Eternal Life and Salvation, and that can beget in the Soul a lively Hope, as to ſuch Pardon, and obtaining Eternal Life and Salvation; that can Bleſs any Spiritual Means to be uſed in order to the obtaining of any of theſe; but here the matter of Prayer and of our Petitions to God, muſt be of another Nature. That which the Soul in this Cauſe hath to do with God, is 1. To confeſs its Sin unto God, and to begg of God a broken and contrite Heart, that it may confeſs and bewail its Sin as it ought to do: When ſaith David, Pſal. 32. v. 3, 4. I kept ſilence, my Bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long; for day and night thine hand was heavy upon me: my moiſture is turned into the drought of Summer. I acknowledged my Sin unto thee, and mine Iniquity I have not hid; I ſaid I will confeſs my Tranſgreſſions unto the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the Iniquity of my Sin. 2. He hath a further Work with God; viz. To begg of him the Pardon of his Sin, and the begetting in his Soul a lively Hope in his Mercy and Godneſs. It is God, 1 Pet. 1. 3. The Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which according to his abundant Mercy, begetteth the Soul to a lively Hope, by the Reſurection of Jeſus Chriſt from the Dead, to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in the Heavens for us. 3. Thirdly to begg of God a Bleſſing upon all Means in order to this end, whether the reading, or the hearing of the Word, or any Spiritual Conference with Miniſters, or knowing and experienced Chriſtians, who are able to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon for the Relief of Souls that are weary and heavy laden with the ſenſe of their Sins.
3. A third Work to be done for the Relief of Souls under this fore Temptation, is with the Perſons themſelves that are Tempted; and that is, to perſwade them, or for ſuch poor Souls to perſwade themſelves, of the unreaſonableneſs of thoſe concluſions which they make againſt themſelves. Now upon this ſuffer me to inlarge a little in an endeavour to demonſtrate the little force that can be in any Argument, that ſuch a Soul can bring againſt it ſelf in this Caſe; and in ſhew-you the exceeding ſinfulneſs of this Sining of Deſpair, in the firſt place let me deſire ſuch a Soul to Conſider; 1. That there is no Argument ſufficient to warrant it to caſt away all Hope in God, as to the pardon of its Sin, and the obtaining Eternal Life and Salvation through Chriſt. The one of theſe dependeth upon the other. For if there be no Argument ſufficient to convince ſuch a Soul, that its Sins ſhall never be forgiven, there can be no Argument ſufficient to convince it, that it ſhall certainly be Damned; or that it is a Reprobate: for Pſal. 32. 1. Bleſſed is he whoſe Iniquities are forgiven, and whoſe Sins are covered, and to whom the Lord imputeth not Tranſgreſſion. A Pardoned Sinner cannot Periſh, that is certain: If therefore no Reaſon can be brought ſufficient to prove that God will never Pardon me; none can be brought ſufficient for me to conclude from it, That God will not Save me.
1. Sometimes Souls under theſe Circumſtances, will plead no Argument at all, onelyonly they have ſuch a fixed Impreſſion and Perſwaſion upon their Hearts they know it, they are ſure of it, &c. and this is all you can get from it. But as the Apoſtle ſaith in another Caſe, Gal 5. 8. This perſwaſion cometh not from him that calleth you. Impreſſions upon our Spirits are no Oracles, nor muſt be taken for Arguments: Impreſſions or Perſwaſions are either from the Holy Spirit of God, or Perſwaſions hatcht up in our Souls by their own Powers; or they are from the Evil Spirit: Impreſſions indeed from the Spirit of God cannot deceive, they are infallible, but ſo are not theſe: Can (think you) this Perſwaſion be from him that every where in his Word calleth upon Men, to Sinners, to all ſorts and degrees of Sinners, to Repent and Beleeve, to waſh themſelves and make themſelves Clean; telling them that if their Sins were as Scarlet, they ſhall be as Snow; if as Crimſon, they ſhall be as white as Wooll; that he will have Mercy upon them, and abundantly Pardon them? Jſaiah 55. 6, 7. Can he that calleth Sinners, all Sinners that are weary and heavy laden, to come unto him, Promiſing them Reſt for their Souls? I ſay can they poſſibly think that he hath perſwaded them that they ſhall never obtain Pardon? It muſt therefore remain, that theſe Perſwaſions in whatſoever Souls they are found, muſt either be bred in the Soul from its own Corruption, or brought into the Soul by Satan. Let them be from which of theſe two Cauſes they will, they are very far from being certain and infallible. The Heart of Man is deceitful above all things, and the Devil was a Liar from the Beginning. Time was, it is poſſible, when the Devil drove a quite contrary Deſign, and ſang a quite other Song, to incourage the Soul in a courſe of Sin; ſuggeſting to it, that Pardon was an eaſie thing, and might be obtained without difficulty; however he hath changed his Note now, he is purſuing but the ſame Deſign, that is, the Ruin of the Soul, though it be by a quite contrary Method. But it is not always that a Soul under this Temptation talketh at this irrational rate, ordinarily it hath ſomething to ſay, though nothing ſufficient to build ſuch a Concluſion upon; and as I hinted to you before, all that the Devil, or a Mans own Heart can ſay in the caſe, is either, 1. That our Sins are too many to be forgiven. Or, 2. That they have been aggravated with ſome circumſtances, to that degree, that they cannot be forgiven. Or, 3. That the time is paſt, we have gone on in them too long to be forgiven. Or, 4. That we have committed ſome particular Sins of too deep a dy to be waſhed out. If we can but drive out the Devil from theſe Refuges, we ſhall leave him nothing to ſay to a Soul to advantage this Temptation.
1. As to the Firſt, That our Sins are too many to be forgiven. This Suggeſtion either hath no bottom at all, or if it hath any, it muſt be this: That the Promiſes of Grace, and the Forgiveneſs of Sins, are limited to a certain number of Sins; for if they be not, upon what colourable pretence doth the Devil endeavour to baffle the Hope of any Soul, by whiſpering to it, That its Sins are too many to be forgiven; if God hath no where ſaid, he will not pardon a multitude of Sins, to what purpoſe, or upon what pretence ſhall a Soul Deſpair, becauſe of the multitude of its Iniquities? But where in the whole Book of God ſhall a troubled Soul find any line to this purpoſe: A Souls hope for Pardon dependeth upon the Word of God, and in reaſon muſt not the Limitations (if any be of that hope) be found in the Word of God too; or are they not in all reaſon to be rejected, as the Fictions of our own Hearts, or Figments of our grand Adverſary the Devil? Where the Word of God limiteth not the Will of God, upon what grounds do we limit it? Methinks in this caſe the whole Trinity ſpeaketh unto us, in the Language that St. Paul ſpake to the Corinthians, in another Cauſe; 2 Cor. 6. 11, 12. Oye, Corinthians (ſaith he) our Mouth is opened unto you, our Heart is inlarged: You are not ſtraitned in us, you are ſtraitned in your own Bowels. Some thinks the Holy Trinity ſpeaketh to us in the whole tenor of the Sacred Writing, O you troubled Sinners, you Deſpairing Souls, our Mouth is opened to you, to call thoſe that have abundantly ſinned to our abounding Mercies. Our Heart is enlarged, you are not ſtraitned in me (ſaith the Father of Mercies) I have infinite Mercies, Mercies as the Sands which is on the Sea-ſhore. You are not ſtraitned in me (ſaith the Son) I have an infinite Value and Vertue in my Blood; it is ſufficient in it ſelf for the Expiation of the Sins of the whole World, and every individual Man and Woman in the World. You are not ſtraitned in me (ſaith the Holy Spirit) I after a multitude of Sinnings, ſtand yet at the door of your Hearts and knock, and cry, if any Man will open, he ſhall come in and ſ…p with me; yea, let them do what in them lieth, I am ready to add my Efficacy, to give Faith, and to give Repentance, and this after a multitude of Sins. You are not ſtraitned in me, where then are Sinners ſtraitned? Oh they are ſtraitned in their own Bowels. They cannot find in their Hearts to conſider their ways, to humble their Soul for their ſins, to leave them, and to turn unto God: Thus are they ſtraitned in their own Bowels, and they will not come to Chriſt that they might have Life.
2. Secondly, To this Suggeſtion doubtleſs we are to oppoſe what the Scripture ſpeaketh of, the multitude and abundance of Divine Mercies, Pſal. 134. 18. If I ſhould count them (ſaith Holy David) they are more in number than the Sand. So Iſaiah 55. v. 6, 7. Let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, unto his God, for he will abundantly pardon. Thus you often read in Scripture, of a multitude of Mercies, tender Mercies in God; Pſal. 5. 7. I will come into thy Houſe in the multitude of thy Mercies. So Pſal. 51. 1. Have Mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindneſs; according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies, blot out my Tranſgreſſions. So Pſal. 69. 13. Mercy in God is but one thing, it is the Goodneſs of God looking upon one in Miſery, and helping and relieving him: what do we read of a multitude of Mercies, certainly it either ſignifies Gods multiplied Acts of Goodneſs, which are ſeveral Branches ſpringing out of the ſame Root of Goodneſs and Mercy; or elſe the term is uſed, to ſignifie unto us, that there is a Goodneſs in God proportionated to the multitudes of Sin and Miſery that are in us. To what end do we read of multitudes of Mercies in God, if it were not to relieve us groaning under multitudes of Sins.
3. Again conſider, It is the ſame thing with God to pardon multitudes of Sins as few; yea, he never pardoneth the Sins of any one Soul, but he pardons a multitude. God muſt vail his Juſtice, and deny himſelf in his Vindicative Juſtice to pardon one Sin. There is no one Sin, but hath a kind of infiniteneſs in it, or rather contracts an infinite Guilt; for every Sin which we commit, is againſt an infinite God, againſt infinite Juſtice and Goodneſs; and nothing but infinite Goodneſs can remit it and paſs it by. And an infinite Remiſſion as eaſily extendeth to a multitude of Sins as to a few; ſo that as that good Prince ſaid unto God in the recognition of his Power, It is eaſie with thee to ſave by many as by few. So we may ſay in the caſe before us, It is as eaſie with God to ſave from many, from the guilt of many, many thouſands of Sins, as from the guilt of a few; eſpecially (which I ſhould have put in) conſidering there is alſo an infiniteneſs in the foreign, in the Redemption Price that is paid; if indeed that had been ſcant, ſomething might have been colourably objected; but that is commenſurate to the Goodneſs that is in God. The Perſon that died for our Sins, was God-man, an infinite Perſon; his Blood was of infinite Vertue, as to Satisfaction. Indeed the Papiſts ſtrain a great deal too far, to ſay, That the leaſt Drop of Chriſts Blood was ſufficient to ranſome a World. That is an idle Monkiſh Hyberbole, for there muſt be a powring out of his Life, ſo much of his Blood ſhed, as ſhould have determined his Life: But that there is a Nuda Sufficientia (we are not ſpeaking now of the Sufficientia Ordinata, how far Chriſt ordained it to be ſufficient) but that, I ſay, there was a bare and naked Sufficiency in the Death of Chriſt; for more than it ſhall ever be applied to. This muſt be granted by all, who will acknowledge an infiniteneſs in Chriſts Perſon. Nor yet ſhall the Papiſts from hence augment their Churches Treaſury to the value of a Farthing. Chriſt never left the Redundancy of the Vertue of his Death to humane Diſpoſal: the Vertue of his Blood (as to all thoſe who ſhall by it have any Benefit) was ordered and diſpoſed of from before the Foundation of the World; even from the time that the L…mb was firſt ſlain in Gods Eternal Counſels. Let them look to anſwer the Papiſts in this Point, who maintain Univerſal Redemption in the latitude of it. But I add farther under this Head, That God never pardoneth Sin to any Soul but he pardoneth a multitude. It is true, there is not a parity in Men and Womens Sins, either as to the quality or quantity; but, I ſay, God never pardons any but multitudes of Sins: The Righteous falleth ſeven times in a day. Sin is in every Soul, and it may ſay, Our Name is L…gion, for we are many. If multitudes of Sins could not be pardoned, no Sinner could be pardoned.
2. Temptation. But then, ſaith the Tempter, or the tempted Soul (if you will) Ah, but my Sins have received very high and great Aggravations: I have ſinned againſt Light, againſt Love; I knew I ought not to do what I did; I was warned by Miniſters, checkt by my own Conſcience, otherwiſe moved by the Spirit of God. I had Mercies above thouſands of others; I ſinned againſt all, &c. To which I anſwer.
1. This is indeed a very ſad circumſtance, a load of this nature doth often lie very heavy upon the Conſcience; and a guilt of this nature, requireth a further and deeper Humiliation, Confeſſion, Contrition; but the Queſtion is, Whether ſuch Sins be capable of a Pardon, yea or no? If they be capable of Forgiveneſs from a gracious God, all this is no ground for thee to Deſpair, and caſt away Hope; refuſing to be comforted.
2. If they be not capable of Pardon, it muſt be ſo determined in Scripture. Now the Revelation of God in his Holy Word, hath no where determined, that no Perſon that hath ſinned againſt his Light ſhall be forgiven: and we ought not to conclude to our own Prejudice and Diſcouragement, as to an Act of God, what he hath no where in his Word revealed.
3. Thirdly, There is no Sinner pardoned, but hath ſinned againſt his Light and againſt Love; ſo that the Queſtion ſeemeth not to be about the Thing, but about the Degree: not whether one who hath ſinned againſt Light and Love can be Pardoned, but whether one who hath ſinned againſt ſo much Light, and ſo much Love, can be forgiven; and it will be very hard for thee to aſ…ign Sinnings againſt ſuch Degrees of Light and Love, as none ever ſinned againſt and were ſaved. There are in Scripture great inſtances of Pardoned Sinners, who yet ſinned againſt great Degrees of Light and Love too. Take but the inſtances of David and Peter; David was a Man of much Light, he was, you know, one of the Pen-men of Holy Writ; he was a Man much beloved of God, he is ſtiled, The Man according to Gods own Heart: God mindeth him of how much he had done for him, taking him from the Sheep-folds, and making him King over Iſrael and Judah; giving his Maſters Crowns, Houſes and Wives; yea, and (as he tells him) was ready to have done greater things for him; againſt all this he ſinned in the matter of Bathſheba, and in the matter of Uriah: It is true, this coſt him many Tears, many Prayers, yet he obtained Mercy. Peter was a Man of great Light, and had been made the Object of great Love; Chriſt had ſaid to him, Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock will I build my Church; yet this Peter curſed and ſware, and denied his Maſter, and after this, when he had gone out and wept betterly, Chriſt remembred him; and I doubt not but you believe Peter is in Heaven. Thou canſt not ſay, that thou haſt ſinned againſt greater Light, or greater Love, than theſe two eminent Saints in Glory ſinned againſt. To have ſinned out our Light indeed, that is, to ſuch a degree as we have no more Checks, no more Rebukes of Conſcience, this is very ſad, and the Interpretations of it be to the Enemies of God. To be paſt Feeling, that is ſad, but by thy Trouble and Complaining it appeareth that is not thy Caſe: but it is plain that many have ſinned againſt Light much Light, and againſt much Love too, whom God hath from the infiniteneſs of his Mercy forgiven and rereceived up to Glory.
3. Temptation. But will ſuch a Soul ſay, It is true, had I in time turned unto God there might have been hope, but alas, time is paſt; time is paſt with me: had I turned to God in my Youth, but I am in the declining part of my Life; God hath ſaid, His Spirit ſhall not always ſtrive with Man. The Fig-tree was Curſed after Three years in vain expecting Fruit. God hath a long time been looking for Fruit of my Soul, and hath found none: I have ſinned wilfully, after I had received the Knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth now (I fear) no more Sacrifice of Sin, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgement and fiery Indignation, which ſhall devour the Adverſaries; Heb. 10. 26, 27. To which, I ſay,
1. This is indeed a very ſad and bitter Reflection, and I deſire that ſuch Complaints as theſe, when we hear them, may be ſanctified, to all that have time before them, to take heed how they miſpend it and trifle it away; but where this Counſel is too late, the Queſtion that we have in hand, is, Whether there be a ſufficient Warrant for a Souls Deſpair.
2. The ſadneſs (Secondly) of this Caſe is aggravated, from the appearances of Scripture for this Temptation. It is generally held by Divines, That as Countries and Nations have their Periods of Grace, ſo particular Perſons have their Days of Grace too, and Periods, beyond which Gods Spirit ſhall not ſtrive with them; and it appeareth by that Text, Heb. 10. That there is a wilful Sinning after the Knowledge of the Truth, after which there will remain no Sacrifice for Sin. But what that degree of wilful Sinning is, and how it muſt be circumſtanced, that is another Queſtion? But to ſpeak more directly to the Temptation.
1. In the firſt place, I would have thee ſcriouſly conſider, Whether the Freeneſs of Divine Grace in the Remiſſion of Sins, be duly thought of by thee, who objecteſt thus againſt thy ſelf. Take heed thou haſt not ſome Thoughts within thee, that thou ſhouldeſt recompence God by thy future Holineſs, for thy paſt Provocations; and whether that which diſcourageth thy hoping in God, and looking up unto him for Mercy, be not a proſpect that thou art not like to have time enough to make this Recompence: If thou haſt any ſuch Thoughts as theſe, thou doſt not well attend to the Promiſe of Pardon, which runs thus: I will blot out thy Tranſgreſſions for mine own Name ſake, and we have Redemption, even Forgiveneſs of Sins, through his Blood. The end which God aimeth at in the Forgiveneſs of any Souls Sin, is his own Glory, the glorifying of the riches of his Grace, not receiving the Homage of an Holy Life, though that be thy Duty, and what God requireth of thee, yet, I ſay, that is not Gods great and ultimate end. He will have Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and extend, Compaſſion to whom he will extend Compaſſion. The Conſideration upon which God doth it, is the Price paid, and Satisfaction given by the Blood of his Son. It is not for our ſake, nor for our future Works ſake, but for his own Name ſake, and for his dear S…n's ſake; that he granteth unto any, Pardon and Forgiveneſs of Sin. Now although the time of thy Life yet to come, in probability will not be commenſurate to the time of Life, which is paſt and ſpent in Sinning and Diſhonouring God; yet why may not the great God glorifie the Riches of his Grace, in the free Forgiveneſs of thee? Why may he not exalt the Blood of his Son, in waſhing thy Soul?
2. Secondly, It is not for us to know times and ſeaſons, which are in Gods Power onelyonly. It is true, God ſeemeth to have revealed, that every Soul hath a ſet time, beyond which be will ſhew it no favour; and that this is not onelyonly the end of our Life, but may be ſometime before our dying day; but we know not what time that is, and therefore it is raſhneſs, for any Soul to conclude my time is paſt. Where have we any Directions from the Word of God to fix any ſuch time, or to conclude it as to any period of time? We know the Maſter of the Vineyard called to ſome to come and Work in his Vineyard at the 11th. hour, and we know alſo that the Thief upon the Croſs was told in the laſt hour of his Life, that he ſhould that Night be with Chriſt in Paradiſe. Secret things belong unto God, Revealed things onelyonly to us and to our Children. Unleſs we had ſome certain Rule to determine the Time to us, we have no Reaſon to determine it our ſelves, to diſcourage us from what his Word commandeth us as our certain Duty.
3. Thirdly, Suppoſing there be an heart found in us to be ſorry for our Sins, humbled for them, and to turn from them to God, and to accept of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and his Salvation tendred unto us in the Goſpel; it is certain our time is not yet paſt: The Reaſon is, becauſe the promiſe of Pardon and Salvation is made unto ſuch. So that no Soul hath reaſon to conclude there is no hope for him in God; but that Soul that laboureth under impenitency, and hardneſs of heart, and findeth in it ſelf a reſolution yet to go on in its ſinful courſes: And therefore you ſhall obſerve in that dreadful Text, Heb. 6. the Apoſtle ſaith of them that have been once enlightened, and have taſted of the heavenly Gift, and the Powers of the World to come, and have been made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, &c. if they fall away, it is impoſſible they ſhould be renewed again by Repentance; if they could Repent, it were not impoſſible they ſhould be Pardoned or obtain Eternal Life and Salvation; but it pleaſeth not God to renew them by Repentance: if thou findeſt an heart to Repent, to bleed for Sin and turn from it, there is no Reaſon for thee to Deſpair, or to conclude it is too late for thee It is a true ſaying, That True Repentance. is never too late; for it always hath the Promiſe of Pardon and Forgiveneſs annext.
4. Fourthly, as to that Text Heb. 10. 26. If we ſin wilfully after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins. It is not to be underſtood ſtrictly as the words ſeem to ſound, as if it concerned all Perſons that ſin againſt their Light and Knowledge, but onelyonly of ſome degrees of wilful ſinning; for all the Sons and Daughters of Men would be in a ſad ſtate, if there were no Sacrifice for ſin remaining for any, that after the receiving and owning of the Truth, did in any degrees knowingly and wilfully ſin againſt God: But this alſo appeareth by the Con…ext, and the Text, Heb. 6. to which this is apparently paralel; 1. It ſpeaketh of Adverſaries v. 27. 2. Of ſuch as trod under foot the Son of God, and counted the Blood of the Covenant, with which he was ſanctified, an unholy thing. It is apparent he ſpake of Chriſtians that made a total open Defection from the Doctrine of the Goſpel to Judaiſm. This is that which v. 26. He called the forſaking the aſſembling themſelves together; forſaking the Communion of all Chriſtians; and a malicious contempt and deſpiſing of Chriſt, and of his Blood; counting it an unholy thing. The Truth which he here ſpeaketh of, is undoubtedly the Truth which he had before opened in this Epiſtle; wherein he had enlarged in a Diſcourſe to prove, that Chriſt was truly God, and truly Man, and the true Meſſias ſhadowed out by the Jewiſh High Prieſt. Now ſaith he, if a man ſin wilfully, that is, having owned and acknowledged and profeſſed this Truth, afterwards reject it, deny it, apoſtatiſe from the profeſſion of it, leaving the Aſſemblies of Chriſtians, ſhall joyn himſelf to the Aſſemblies of thoſe who are the Adverſaries of Chriſt, and continue and maliciouſly go on in that apoſtacy and defection: What ever Remedy he may dream of finding in the Jewiſh Sacrifices, he will indeed find that there is none of their Sacrifices will do him good, nor will Chriſt expiate for him; ſo there will be no Sacrifice for his Sin. This I take to be much of the ſenſe and import of that Text, according to which it will not much concern one in thy Circumſtances.
4. Temptation But will ſome Soul ſay, There is a Sin that ſhall never be forgiven (our Saviour hath told us ſo, Math. 12. 31. Mar. 3. 28.) Saint John calls it a Sin unto death: The Apoſtle (admiting thoſe two Texts, Heb. 6. 6, 7. and Heb. 10. 26, 27, 28. be to be reſtrained to that) ſaith of it, that thoſe who are guilty of it, cannot be renewed by Repentance, and that there remaineth no more Sacrifice for it. I have committed that Sin, and therefore I know there is no hope for me, I have nothing to do but to look for that fiery Indignation which is to devour the Adverſaries. Thus ſpeaks the Tempter: Thus after him doth the poor Soul ſpeak that is Tempted. To which I Anſwer,
1. It is very unreaſonable for thee to conclude that thou haſt ſinned the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, the unpardonable Sin, till thou canſt tell what the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt is; if thou canſt not tell what it is, how canſt thou tell that thou haſt committed it: Now it is not like that thou ſhouldeſt be able to determine a Queſtion which hath exerciſed ſo long the greateſt Divines, and yet remains not determined by them, at leaſt not agreed in by any conſiderable conſent. Some make it a Sin of which we are not now capable, the d…nial of the Divine Nature of Chriſt, after they had ſeen his miraculous Operations, which God alone could do; and Reviling, Reproaching, and Perſecuting him; notwithſtanding all they had ſeen in him or heard from him. And it is plain, this is that which Chriſt in thoſe Texts of the Goſpel doth primarily and immediately ſpeak of: But thoſe Texts in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews cannot be thus interpreted; yet what this ſpecifical ſin is, is not agreed amongſt the beſt Divines.
2. Secondly, Many of thoſe from whom we hear theſe complaints, apparently have not Light enough, I mean not knowledge enough, to be under the guilt of this Sin; for that is apparent from Heb. 6. that whatever this ſin be, it muſt be the ſin of knowing enlightened Perſons, ſuch as have been once enlightened; as have taſted of the Heavenly Gift: So that ignorant Perſons cannot be under this Guilt they muſt be knowing Perſons, and ſuch as have made a Profeſſion.
3. Thirdly, It is alſo thus far agreed, That there muſt be a Total and Final Falling away from the Profeſſion of Faith, which Men have made, and this muſt …e conjoyned with Malice expreſſed in Words, or Deeds, or both; ſuch as may …e interpreted, a doing deſpight to the …pirit of Grace, a trampling under-foot the …lood of the Covenant, an accounting it an unholy thing, a Crucifying Chriſt a-freſh.
4. Fourthly, There muſt be a Perſeverance in this Apoſtacy and Blaſphemy, to the end without Repentance, or it cannot be this Sin: for the Apoſtle ſaith of ſuch as commit this Sin, that it is impoſſible they ſhould be renewed again by Repentance: and Chriſt ſaith, That it ſhall never be forgiven. Now it is certain any Sin that is repented of, may and ſhall be forgiven. I muſt confeſs, when I conſider what woful Apoſtacies ſome in the days wherein we live, have made from the Doctrine of Godlineſs, and what Blaſphemies come from their Tongues and Pens, againſt the Operations of the Spirit; imputing that to Melancholick Fancies and Dreams, and to Impreſſions from the Devil, which are from the Holy Spirit of God, and its Impreſſions▪ Teachings and Operations; and when I alſo conſider with what an heat, and paſſion of Madneſs, many are carried out i… Perſecuting the Servants of God, and th… in an age ſo ferrtile of means, that they either have known, do know, or may know other things: My Heart akes and trembleth for many poor Souls, and I cannot but fear, many more than we are aware of, are under this tremenduo… Guilt; nor know I how they can evince the contrary, but by a timely ſenſe of their Sins, Repentance, and Sorrow of Heart for them, and taking a new courſe; but yet I ſay final Impenitency muſt go to make up this Sin; which unleſs thou findeſt, thou haſt no Reaſon, as to it, peremptorily to conclude againſt thy ſelf: The Evidence of this truth often puts the Tempter to his laſt ſhift, and we hear often the poor Tempted Soul ſaying thus,
5. Temptation. Ah! This, this is my caſe, I know I have not ſo ſinned, but if I could Repent, if I could Believe in Chriſt, I might be Pardoned, I might be Saved, but I have not Repented, I do not Repent; my Heart is harder than the neather Milſtone; I weep and howl indeed for my Plagues, I ſee I am a poor undone Creature, that makes me complain, and wring my hands, but I ſee nothing of the evil of my Sin, I ſhed not a tear upon that account, nor cannot, therefore there is no hope.
1. It muſt be acknowledged that both Repentance and Faith is the Gift of God, and naturally no Man hath a Power to the one or to the other; Acts 11. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 25. and Faith is not of our ſelves, it is the Gift of God; Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. The Queſtion is not therefore (taking Repentance in a full and proPer ſenſe) whether thou canſt Repent or Believe, but whether God hath wrought, or will yet work in thee a power truly to Repent and Believe: And how doeſt thou know, that God will not do that? For thou canſt not conclude, ſuppoſing God hath not done it yet, that he will not do it before thy dying hour.
2. Poſſibly thou mayeſt be miſtaken in thy determining that God hath not done it, from a miſtake concerning the true Nature of Repentance; a ſenſe and ſorrow for Sin are but the out-works of it: True Repentance lies in the Souls diſplicence to Sin, and hatred of it, and readineſs to take a Revenge upon it ſelf for it, and Reſolution and endeavour againſt it for the time to come. I know it is not impoſſible that a Soul under ſuch Horrours as theſe, may not have any true ſenſe of Sin or Hatred of it, but even Blaſpheme God, becauſe of its Horrours, Terrours, and Affrightments; but let me tell you, the Inſtances of Souls are very rare, that are under great Terrours and Affrightments for Sin; ſo a… to conclude there is no hope: and yet at the ſame time Love, Delight, in ſuch Sins, take pleaſure in them, and deſire but occaſions to commit them. I would ask thee ſeriouſly under theſe Terrours for ſome Sins thou haſt committed, doeſt thou not from thine heart wiſh thou hadſt not committed them? Couldſt thou not even tear thy fleſh, that ever thou ſhouldeſt be ſo far betrayed by the Luſts and Paſſions of thy depraved Heart? Wouldeſt thou now do the like again? What doth this ſpeak but Repentance, ſo far as it can be judged of under thy preſent Circumſtances? Indeed it is poſſible all this may be, and yet a Soul recovered out of theſe ſad Circumſtances, may again return with the Dog to its vomit and the Swine to the wallowing in the mire again; but this is not what at preſent thou canſt conclude, to hinder thy Souls Hope and Confidence in the Mercy and Free-grace of God.
3. But admit thou canſt not ſatisfie thy ſelf that thou haſt Repented or Believed, yet may not God yet give thee an Heart to Repent and Believe? What hindreth? Or if he may, what hindreth thy hope in the Mercy of God? Nay if thou doeſt what in thee lyeth, I dare aſſure thee that God will not be wanting in the Aids and Aſſiſtances of his Grace: But I have ſaid enough to evince the firſt thing that I propo…ed, That there is no ſufficient Reaſon, conſidering the Covenant of Grace, and Gods Revelation of his Mind in the Goſpel, for any Soul to Deſpair. The Iſſue of which is this, That a Soul thus ſinning, Tranſgreſſeth without a Cauſe, and a Reaſonable Soul in this acteth not according to Principles of Reaſon, or any juſt Concluſion drawn from Goſpel Promiſes, or Principles. This is the firſt thing.
2. A Second thing which I would offer to ſuch a Souls Reflection, is the greatneſs of the Sin of Deſpair. Preſumption is a Sin, but yet Deſpair ſeemeth to be a far greater Sin: To Evidence which, I ſhall deſire you to conſider, 1. What it Implieth. 2. What muſt Accompany it. 3. What better Conſequents it hath.
1. It Implieth and carrieth along with it, a denial either of the Power of God; Or of the Goodneſs and Mercy of God; or, thirdly of his Truth and Faithfulneſs. 1. Of the Power of God, It was laid to the charge of the Iſraelites, That they limited the Holy One of Iſrael; Pſal. 78. 41. They ſaid, Can God bring us Water out of the Rock? And Can God give us Meat in the Wilderneſs? Thou ſayeſt, Can God Pardon ſuch a Sinner as I have been? Can God give Repentance? Can God give me Faith in Jeſus Chriſt? What is this, but to limit the Almighty? The unbelieving Noble Man, of whom you read in the Book of Kings, when the Prophet fore-told that Food ſhould by the next day be at ſo cheap a Rate; ſaid, If God would make Windows in Heaven, the thing could not be: The Prophet told him it ſhould be, he ſhould ſee it, but he ſhould not Eat of it; and the Chapter telleth you he ſaw it verified, he ſaw it the next day, but he was trodden to Death by the Multitude. Sarah laughed (it was a laughter of unbelief) when the Angel told her ſhe ſhould have a Son: God puniſhed it gently in her, but more ſeverely in Zachary, that would not believe that his barren Wife ſhould have a Son; he was ſtruck Dumb: What doeſt thou do leſs than Queſtion the Power of God? If God can forgive Sins, why mayeſt thou not hope? If he can, even in the laſt hour give Repentance unto Life; why ſhould a living Man not hope? Ah! but ſaith this Soul, No, no, I do not doubt but God can do it, but he will not do it.
2. Secondly, Is not this to deny the Lords Goodneſs and Mercy? God hath exalted his Mercy above all his Name; when God proclaimed his Name to Moſes, Exo. 34. you ſhall find there 8 or 9 Expreſſions, all but one (which will by no means clear the Guilty) ſignifying the Goodneſs, and Mercy of God (which hath made a very Learned Interpreter (v. De Dieu ad Loc.) doubt whether we have truly Tranſlated that Phraſe:) God triumpheth more in this than in any other part of his Name; he hath choſen to be exalted in his Arttribute of Mercy, he hath exalted it above all his Name: Now this is that Artribute, the Glory of which Deſpair Robbeth God of. Preſumption denieth him the honour of his Truth, of his Juſtice, and Judgment, which indeed he ſtileth his Work, but his ſtrange Work, as that which floweth not from himſelf; but is as it were forced from him by a meritorious Cauſe in the Creature. Mercy is the proper and natural Work of God, flowing meerly from himſelf without any Cauſe in the Creature. This is that, the Honour of which Deſpair denieth unto God, nor is it to be freed from a queſtioning the Power of God alſo; for although (as thou pretendeſt) thou doeſt not Univerſally queſtion the Prerogative and Power of God to Forgive Sins, yet thou denieſt his Power to Forgive thy Sins, yea the Sins of any who are in the like Circumſtances of ſinning with thee: for unleſs thou canſt charge him (with whom there is no reſpect of Perſons, with a particular Malice, or Ill Will to thee) in ſaying God cannot, nor will not, Pardon thy Sins; or there is no hope for thee: thou denieſt not onelyonly the Power of God as to the Pardon of thy Sins, but the Sins alſo of any other whoſe Circumſtances of ſinning are as great as thine are: Now ſeemeth it to thee a light thing, O Chriſtian, to deny the Divine Goodneſs, and to ſet Limits to Infinite Mercy.
3. Thirdly, This Sin always carries with it alſo A denial of Gods Truth, and Faithfulneſs. He hath told thee, Mat. 12. 31. That all Sin and Blaſphemy, wherewith any ſhall Blaſpheme the Son of Man, ſhall be Forgiven: That if thy Sins were as Scarlet, they ſhall be as Wooll; if as Crimſon, they ſhall be as White as Snow: No, ſayeſt thou, I have Sinned, I have Blaſphemed, and it ſhall not be Forgiven: I have Scarlet Sins, and God will not make them as Snow. I have Crimſon Sins, and God will not make them as Wooll. What is this, but to put the lie upon God, to deny his Truth and Faithfulneſs, to ſay he hath ſaid it, and he will not do it; he hath ſpoken it, but it ſhall not come to paſs? But ſome will ſay it to me after this rate of Arguing, God ſhould ſave all Men and Women breathing: Theſe words are nomore ſpoken to me than to any other. I Anſwer, I do not urge theſe great and precious Revelations of the Divine Will, as grounds for Sinners to conclude that they ſhall be Saved, Pardoned, and Saved, without any more a-do; but onelyonly as general grounds of Hope that there may perhaps be Mercy found with God for us; and as Aſſurances on the part of a gracious God, that if we miſs of Pardon, and Eternal Life and Salvation, the fault ſhall not be juſtly charged on God, he is ready to forgive; but in our ſelves, who will not Repent, nor leave our Sins and turn unto God; who will not come unto Chriſt that we might have Life; ſtill it remaineth the duty of us that would obtain this Pardon, to confeſs its Sins and forſake them, and to believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: but the Deſpairing Soul throws all the blame of its miſcarriage upon God, and ordinarily, doth not ſay, I do not Repent, I cannot Repent; therefore there is no hope, but there is no Mercy in God: God cannot, or God will not Pardon me now, I ſay. This is an Impeachment, as of the Power of God, to forgive to the utmoſt, and of Chriſt to ſave to the utmoſt, ſo of that Goodneſs, and Grace, and Mercy of God, yea, and of the Truth, and Faithfulneſs of God. Beſides, What a Compariſon doth the Soul make here, betwixt finite and infinite; betwixt which two there is no proportion: Let thy Sins be what they will or can, they can be but finite, The Mercies of God are infinite. The Sea is but a finite Creature, yet what can you imagine ſo great that the Sea will not ſwallow up and cover, that it ſhall not be ſeen any more. It is a Similitude which God himſelf doth ſometimes make uſe of, by it to expreſs the plenty of his Forgiving Mercy. See that excellent Text, Micah 7. 18, 19. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth Iniquity, and paſſeth by the Tranſgreſſion of the Remnant of his Heritage; he retaineth not his Anger for ever, becauſe he delighteth in Mercy: He will turn again, he will have Compaſſion upon us, he will ſubdue our Iniquities, and thou wilt caſt all their Sins into the depths of the Sea. Now Deſpairing Concluſions, That there is no Hope in God, that our Iniquities are too many, or too great, to be forgiven; give God the Lie as to this. It is no more than the Scripture ſaith, 1 John 5. 10. He that believeth not God, maketh God a Liar, becauſe he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son; and this is the Record, that God hath given to us Eternal Life; and this Life is in his Son.
2. Secondly, This Sin, as it implieth theſe things, ſo it is always attended with Unbelief in Gods Promiſes, and with very hard and unworthy Thoughts of God. By Unbelief, here I underſtand, the Negation of a Truſt and Confidence in God, and the Promiſes he hath made of thoſe good things concerning which the Soul Deſpaireth. So that what ever can be ſaid in aggravation of the Sin of Unbelief, is highly applicable in the aggravation of this Sin; for Deſpair ſpeaketh the higheſt degree of Unbelief imaginable. It is one thing for a Soul not to truſt in God, another thing to conclude, That he is not to be truſted in as to my Soul, that there is no hope for me in God. This ſpeaketh the higheſt degree of Unbelief that we can imagine.
2. Beſides, it neceſſarily carrieth along with it, very hard and unworthy Thoughts of God. The Soul cannot think reverently and worthily of God, when it is rooted in ſuch Thoughts as theſe, that although he be a God that Pardoneth Iniquities, Tranſgreſſions and Sins, yea, abundantly Pardoneth, yet he will ſhew it no Favour, but adjudge it to an Everlaſting Miſery and Torment; nay, it is hard to conceive how ſuch a Soul ſhould forbear wiſhing that there were no God, that the Being of God were annihilated.
3. Then in the laſt place, The Effects of this Sin of Deſpair, muſt needs be very ſad; for as a Lively Hope of obtaining any Good, quickeneth the Soul to the uſe of all thoſe Means which Reaſon dictateth, as probable Means for the obtaining what we deſire; ſo the Deſpair of obtaining any ſuch Good, quite deadneth the Heart, and taketh it off all Thoughts of uſing Means to obtain that which it concludeth with it ſelf impoſſible to be obtained. This is manifeſt upon the Experience of all ſuch Souls as at any time are under any Fits of Deſpair: They cannot be perſwaded to hear Sermons, to Pray, to Read; in ſhort, not to uſe any Means of Grace and Salvation. So that a greater Sin can hardly be imagined than this Sin of Deſpair is. Oh that thoſe would think of this, who find in their Souls any Motions, Temptations, or Inclinations towards it. That they would think how much Diſhonour God hath from this Sin above others.
3. Again, Certainly it muſt be advantage to ſuch a Soul, to reflect upon thoſe great Preſidents of Free Grace, which we have upon Record in Holy Writ. Let them remember the inſtance of St. Paul, who ſaith of himſelf, That he was a Perſecutor, he was a Blaſphemer and Injurious, but yet he obtained Mercy; 1 Tim. 1. 13. The inſtance of David reſtored again to the joy of Gods Salvation, after the guilt of Adultery and Murther. Of Peter, who received kind Looks from Chriſt, after he had thrice denied his Maſter, and that with the addition of Curſing and Swearing, that he did not know him. Of Mary Magdalen, out of whom the Lord had caſt out Seven Devils. Let ſuch a Soul think of theſe great inſtances, and of thoſe who Crucified the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Acts 2. 36, 37, 38. yet at Peters Sermon were pricked at the Heart, encouraged by the great Apoſtle to Repent and be Baptized, in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the Remiſſion of their Sins; and had the Promiſe of receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghoſt.
4. O let no ſuch Soul neglect the Reading or Hearing of the Word of God, that is the Proximate Object of our Hope. God is indeed the primary and proper Object, none can give Remiſſion of Sin or Eternal Life but God; but by the Word, and from the Revelation of the good will of God in his Word, we come to Hope in God. I look therefore upon that as a great Conqueſt, which the Devil hath gotten over a Soul Deſpairing, when he hath perſwaded it not to hear, not to read the Word; that is indeed to omit the Means by which its Darkneſs ſhould be diſpelled, and a true and lively Hope ſhould be begotten in it.
5. To all theſe ſhould be added Faſting and Prayer, the Efficacy of which depends on this, That it is Gods Work to beget the Soul to a lively Hope, through the Reſurrection of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; 1 Pet. 1. 3. It is true, a Soul in theſe Fits is not very fit for Prayer; how ſhall it Pray in Faith? But yet I would not have it wholly to neglect Prayer. But let it call in the Help of godly Miniſters and Chriſtians; let it ſend for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray for it.
6. I ſhould have added before, I ſhall now cloſe this Diſcourſe with it, Let ſuch a Soul be often whetting upon it ſelf, and let others be ſuggeſting to it, the moſt liberal Promiſes of Free Grace and Pardon, and the greateſt Preſidents of Forgiving Mercy, which the Scripture affordeth. And let there be frequent Repetitions of them upon and to the Soul; poſſibly though at the firſt or ſecond offer, they may not ſtick to the Soul, nor the Soul take any Comfort from them, yet at laſt they may. But ſo much ſhall ſerve to have ſpoken to this Black and exceeding Dangerous Temptation.
FINIS.