Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 15
SERMON XV.
Pſalm 130. Verſe 4. But there is forgivenneſs with thee—
I Am now drawing towards a cloſe of this great Point concerning the Remiſſion of Sins; having now ſpoken at ſome length to that which is more Doctrinal in it; (this day I purpoſe (the Lord aſſiſting) to fall upon that which is more particular: I have ſpoken to you, 1. Of the thing pardoned, Sin and iniquity. 2. Of the Author of pardon, God, with whom forgiveneſs is. 3. Of the nature of pardon, and what is imported in this forgiveneſs in the Text, and the laſt day in the afternoon, I came in the fourth place to ſpeak of the time when pardon of ſin is conferred, where ye heard, that neither are the ſins of the Elect actually pardoned from eternity, nor when Chriſt paid ſatisfaction to Juſtice for them on the Croſs, as Antinomians aſſert; neither are the Elect Juſtified and pardoned of all their ſins paſt, preſent and to come at Juſtification, as ſome Orthodox Divines incline to think; but their future ſins, or ſins to come after Juſtification, are not actually pardoned, till they be committed and repented of, and Chriſt fled into, and as the Fountain to waſh away their ſins, made uſe of.
I was cut ſhort by time from ſpeaking to another queſtion; That is, How pardon of ſin is conferred in Time, ſince the Apoſtle, Acts 3.19, 20, Tells of a blotting out of ſins to penitents, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord, when Chriſt ſhall come again to Judgment; I ſhall but touch a little on this, and ſhall go on; It is certain, that the blotting out of the ſins of the juſtified at the Day of Judgment, does not contradict their being pardoned now; nay more, There is no ſin blotted out at that great Day, or openly declared to be blotted out and pardoned, and the Elect aſſoiled from it; but theſe which are pardoned in this life; Only there are four things to be noticed in the blotting out of ſin then, that heightens the advantage of the blotting out of ſin here.
1. If we inſiſt on the words of the Text, there is there at that Great Day, a blotting out of ſin, not only in the guilt of it, but in the filth and pollution of it. Here (as ye heard) however Sanctification be taking ſin to task in every pardoned man, yet the tender man ſenſible of ſin cannot but be affected when he finds ſin in the pollution of it to remain, though it be not reigning, though it hath not the Throne; but then with the publick Declaration of pardon, there ſhall no blot of ſin, no ſpot, no wrinkle, nor any ſuch thing remain, Epheſ. 5.27. There ſhall no ſcar be left of theſe wounds, that ſin hath made, which the pardoned ſinner may bear about with him while he is here.
2. While the godly are here, though they get frequently pardon of ſin, yet they have ſtill need of new pardon; they muſt be pardoned over and over again, and as often as they get their daily bread, they muſt as often ſeek the pardon of their ſins daily; but the blotting out of ſin in that Day, ſhall be a Declaration of the Pardon of ſin ſo fully, that there ſhall be no need of a reiterat pardon; they will then ſin no more, nor be in hazard of ſinning, and will have no more need of the open Fountain, whereunto the pardoned man while he is here, muſt continually reſort with his foul feet to get them waſhen.
3. The pardon of ſin here is not only Tranſacted betwixt God and the ſinner, without the knowledge of the World; but it is oft-times keeped up from the ſenſe and feeling of the man that has gotten it. A man that is pardoned may be keeped in fears, as if he were not pardoned; a man that hath his Bonds taken off him, may be as if he were ſtill bound: But in that Day, the Pardon of Sin ſhall be publickly declared in the audience of Men, Angels and Devils; and the pardoned mans pardon will be proclaimed and perfected, in the ſenſe and feeling of the pardoned man, the Court of Heaven, and the Court of the Conſcience, will ſay both one thing, and there will not be a demur in the one, about what is paſt in the other, as now often there is.
And 4. Though ſin be pardoned, yet the effects and conſequences of pardon, are not at all times let out on the pardoned man here, he may be not only keeped under Deſertion, but he may be under Chaſtiſement on ſeveral accounts, (as I cleared to you before) though he may ſay (as the Apoſtle John ſpeaks, 1 Joh. 3.2.) Now we are the ſons of God, but he muſt add, it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be; but in that day, pardon ſhall not only be proclaimed, and perfected in the Conſcience of the man, but all the effects and conſequences of pardon, ſhall flow out like a River upon him; Then ſighing and ſorrow ſhall flee away, and everlaſting joy ſhall be upon his head, and in his heart; and theſe ſtripes that here were neceſſary for the back of fools, ſhall ceaſe, and his pardon ſhall be written in that bleſſed Sentence, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Thus ye ſee what is imported in that blotting out of ſin at the great day; and from it I ſhall ſhortly recommend to you two words in order to practice; one is, That this may be a ſtrong motive to you, to make pardon of ſin here ſure, when ye conſider that it hath ſuch bleſſed effects hereafter; the rich fruit and incomes of thy fleeing to Chriſt for pardon here, may ſeem to thee (as we uſe to ſpeak) to be far from the Sheaff; but there is a day coming, when the advantage of it will be made known to Men, Angels and Devils, their Conviction; what it is to have pardon for ſin? Thou that gets a pardon here, may be looked upon as an uncouth, unknown body but thou carries about with thee a Treaſure, that in that day will be found a Treaſure indeed. And therefore 2ly. Ye that are fled unto Chriſt for pardon, and have gotten pardon believed, and now and then ye are feeling ſome of the fruits of pardon, it ſhould quicken you to long for that day, wherein the effects, fruits and conſequences of that pardon will be fully diſplayed, and let out on pardoned ſinners. It it no wonder that a pardoned man long to be home, when he conſiders what a mercy pardon of ſin will be found to be, when it is laid in broad-band in that day.
But now I come to the 5. general Head I propoſed to be ſpoken to, and that is, To clear up to you the right method of coming to cloſe with pardon, and for attaining of pardon; I have inſiſted to tell you what a rich priviledge pardon of ſin is. Now any that are not ſtupid and ſenſeleſs, will ſay, how ſhall I be ſure of pardon, that I have cloſed with it, and win at it, and that I am not deluded in ſo great a concern? I have occaſionally hinted at the chief matter of theſe things, that I am to ſay upon this in the preceeding purpoſe, I ſhall now gather them together, and lay them in view before you, that ye may order your ſteps aright in cloſing with pardoning mercy; If I ſhould ſpeak to this in general, I find many things mentioned in Scripture to the obtaining of pardon, I find Faith, for we are ſaid to be juſtified by faith, and conſequently we are pardoned by Faith. Rom. 3.25. God hath ſet forth Jeſus Chriſt to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteouſneſs for the remiſſion of ſins. 2. I find Repentance often mentioned in this matter, Mark 1.4. John preached the baptiſm of Repentance for the remiſſion of ſins. The Apoſtles Doctrine was to preach repentance and remiſſion of ſins in his name. Luke 24.47. Peters Doctrine is, Repent ye, and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out. Act. 3.19. The counſel given to Simon Magus is, Repent of thy wickedneſs, and pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee, Act. 8.22. 3. I find alſo Confeſſion of ſin mentioned in order to pardon of ſin. Pſal. 32.5. I ſaid I will confeſs my tranſgreſſion unto the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin. And, 1 Joh. 1.9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs. 4. I find confeſſing and forſaking of ſin mentioned in order to pardon, Prov. 28.13. He that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſin ſhall find mercy. 5. I find prayer alſo required in order to pardon of ſin, Mat. 6.12. Chriſt bids the Diſciples pray, forgive us our debts, &c.
But that I may ſpeak to this purpoſe ſomewhat more diſtinctly, and ſo in effect take a view of this Text, and take in the 3d. thing I propoſed to be ſpoken to in it; I find that as the Apoſtle ſums up Chriſtianity, Philip. 3.3. as running upon three things, that like Letters on a Signet are drawn backward, that ye may ſtamp them forward in your practice. 1. That a man have no confidence in the fleſh. 2. That from that he be led to rejoyce in Jeſus Chriſt: And 3. That from that he be led to worſhip God in the ſpirit. So anſwerable to theſe three, the Scripture points at three ſorts of means or duties to be gone about in order to the obtaining of pardon; and wee'll find ſomewhat of all the three in the Text.
1. Something antecedent for preparation to pardon, anſwerable to that, verſe 3. If thou Lord ſhould mark iniquity who can ſtand? 2 Something required to actual cloſing with Chriſt for pardon on the back of that antecedent preparation, held out, verſe 4, But there is forgiveneſs with thee. And, 3. Somewhat required conſequentially as a fruit of pardon, whereby a man comes to know, and to evidence that he is pardoned, and to improve his pardon anſwerable to that which is ſubjoyned to forgiveneſs in the Text, that thou raayeſt be feared.
For the firſt of theſe, that is, That which is required antecedently to pardon, and as a preparation for it, I ſhall briefly reduce all that I would preſs upon you as to that, to four Heads. And the man that would be in a near capacity to get pardon on Goſpel Terms, would look well to all theſe four;
1. He would be a diligent watcher to prevent his falling in ſin, which he would not miſtake, this would ſeem rather to be required to prevent the need of pardon; but it comes in ſuitably to be adverted unto in order unto the obtaining of pardon, whoever eſſayes the ſeeking of pardon, will find that their ſtumbling in this ſtep is a great obſtruction to pardon, that they have not been watchful and careful to prevent ſin, a man that hath that to meet him in the Teeth, when he comes to ſeek pardon, that he hath ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs, That he adds drunkenneſs to thirſt, that he hath drunk in iniquity, as the ox doth water; He will have a harder pull for pardon, than a man that hath been watchful to prevent ſin, and in falling in ſin, hath been as the chaſt Virgin forced; that will be the firſt queſtion the Conſcience will put to him, how came ye in this poſture? whether voluntarly like a Ship going in her courſe, or like a tempeſt beaten Ship, through ſtreſs of Weather, forced to take the neareſt ſhore? whether were ye hurried and driven into ſuch a ſin by the violence of tentation, or was ye readier to tempt a tentation, than a temptation was to tempt you? O but that will be a ſad challenge in a mans way, in order to the obtaining of pardon; if he hath been a voluntar yielder unto ſin, and a committer of it with greedineſs: Nay more, a juſtified perſon, that upon the account of his juſtification, and being pardoned, doth walk more louſly or heedleſly, though he get his ſoul for a prey, he may lay his count to go by the gates of Hell to Heaven, that is, to be keeped at hard labour, in a fighting life with enemies, with his back on the City, and his face to his foes, till he lay down his weapons at the gates thereof; therefore in order to the obtaining of pardon, I recommend to you careful diligence to prevent falling in ſin, and conſequently thou would look well to the ſin of thy inclination, where thou art weakeſt, and guard againſt that, as a wiſe man that is over a Garriſon, will fortifie that part of the Wall that is weakeſt, where readily the Enemy will make an aſſault: ſo it would be thy care to guard againſt the ſin thou are moſt inclined to, double thy diligence to mortifie that, to pray againſt it, to watch againſt temptations that may caſt fire in that powder: Thou would alſo look well to the ſin of thy Calling and Station, the ſins of mens Callings being ſuch as they fall more readily into than others; And look well alſo to the Sins of the Time and Place thou lives in, to the Sins of the preſent Generation, wherein many are involved, and ſet a watch againſt theſe; theſe ſins, I ſay, ye would mainly watch againſt, the ſins of your inclination, calling, and time or place ye live in, not neglecting to watch againſt all ſins.
A 2d. Direction I preſs upon you, antecedent to the obtaining of pardon, is, That as ye would carefully watch to avoid and prevent ſin, ſo ye would be no leſs careful to examine your ſelves, and call your ſelves to account for ſins, into which ye have fallen; a man cannot repent for ſin, and cannot look for pardon of ſin, without previous examination, and finding out of the guilt for which he ſeeks pardon. It is true, Pſal. 19. No man can underſtand his errors, nor is it poſſible he can overtake all his eſcapes. Even as David who was no looſe walker, found them more than the hairs of his head, but that muſt not be made a pretence to neglect Examination, look to it, if this be your work, are there none of you who have been upon a back-tract of your way, ſaying, what have I been doing? where have I been? how is God pleaſed with my frame? with my walk and converſation? I fear there are but few that have had, and have this for their exerciſe; and that many follow the counſel of Alcibiades, that he gave to Pericles, who when he asked him, what he was doing, ſaid, he was troubled how to make his Accompts to the States, were I ſaid he in thy place, I would rather be troubled how I might not make my Accompt. I fear many make it their accompt to ſhun and eſchew Self-examination like Bankrupts that ſhun to compare their ſpending with their income and their ſtock, leſt they find themſelves Dyvors, which will have a ſad cloſe. But thou that would not provock God, muſt not neglect Self-examination, if thou do, and let thy condition run in confuſion, and go out of thy ſight, remember that word was ſung, Pſal. 50.21. Theſe things thou did, and I kept ſilence, but I will reprove thee, and ſet them in order before thine eyes. He will marſhel and rank your ſins before you, and give you a memory of them, to your terrour and affrightment.
But a 3d. Direction antecedently required in order to pardon, ſhall be this, That having Examined your condition, and found out wherein you are faulty, & guilty, ye muſt take a very ſerious and affecting look of ſins deſert, till it leave ſome impreſſions upon the heart; it is an eaſie matter for a man, who needs not a ſecret ſearch to find out his ſin, the skirts of his garment declare it, he may ſhut his Eyes and grope his Abominations. It is eaſie to find out theſe ſins, and to ſeek pardon for them, and there is an end. But O! deceive not thy ſelf, when thou haſt found out thine iniquity, thou muſt be in the Pſalmiſt's poſture here, verſe 3 If thou, Lord, mark iniquity who can ſtand? Thou muſt be affected with it, and ſhall I add, (while I am laying down a Directory for you to follow, in order to the obtaining of pardon, ſo as ye may not cheat your ſelves) to the end ye may walk ſickerly in this matter, I ſhall give you the impreſſion that found out guilt after Examination, ſhould leave upon a man in four ſteps; 1. He muſt not only not deny his faults (as too many do, with whom I do not trouble my ſelf, ſome being ſuch monſters, that they care not to deny their vileneſs and other abominations with perjuries, to hide them from the world) but he muſt not deny his ſin in the guilt and ill-deſerving of it, he muſt take with it and all it's aggravations, he muſt ſee it in its ſinfulneſs and dreadful deſert. A man that would have pardon from God, muſt not only know his Dittay, but he muſt paſs ſentence on himſelf, and judge himſelf, if he would not be judged for it. Thou haſt examined, thou haſt found out much ſin, but what thinks thou of it? as it is an offence done by a worm to the Majeſty of God. And haſt thou thought upon the Aggravations of thy ſin, from thy place and ſtation, from the many Means thou art under, from the many Mercies has been heaped on thee, obliging thee to the contrary? This is it thou ſhould be about, who would be affected with thy ſin, in order to pardon. But 2. This taking with, and aggravating of ſin, muſt not be an act of the Judgment only, but it muſt ſink down to the heart, many will dream of ſin, and of the ſinfulneſs of ſin, and will talk of ſin, and of the deſert of ſin, but paſs it over with words of that kind; but a ſight of ſin, and a thought of ſin, that is not heart-affecting, is a proclaiming upon the matter thy contempt of ſin; Thy ſight of ſin, and ſpeaking of it, muſt be like that of the Pſalmist here, it makes him in nettle earneſt, and to pour out a pathetick confeſſion of it: It muſt be a ſight and ſenſe of ſin, that bides not in the brain, but goes down to the bottom of thy heart, and affections, and makes thee cry out with Paul, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death! Thou can talk of ſin, and the demerit of it diſtinctly, and eloquently, but as men do of America, or ſome new found Land, they know not, but content not thy ſelf with that. The ſight of ſin in order to pardon, requires a heart-pondering and affecting. And I ſhall add 3. The ſight of ſin, and it's ſinfulneſs, muſt not be a ſimple affecting only at ſome times. Some cheat themſelves with that alſo, Take them at ſome times, O how are they affected! how mad will the drunkard call himſelf, after that throw his drunkenneſs he is diſtempered, and hath a ſore head and pained ſtomach? And what a monſter will a profane man ſometimes call himſelf, after a conviction or challenge of Conſcience, but bide till the next bout of a Temptation, and he and his ſin will be as homely as ever, The affecting of many with ſin is like a ſhower upon the ice in froſt, that wets it above, but brings not a ground thaw: Therefore where there is a right affecting with ſin, it muſt bring the Man with the Pſalmiſt here, to be reſtleſs under that burden, to ſee that there muſt be no ſtanding ſtill till he be relieved of it. The ſluggard may have his convictions of ſin, and deſires to be rid of it; But the man that ſees ſin in it ſelf, and the conſequences of it, and is rightly affected with it, he will ſee it to be his greateſt miſery, and conſequently that it muſt be his greateſt haſte to be delivered from it: Many of your convictions are falſe conceptions, ye are in pain with them, but ye do not follow them forth, but ſtiffle them, they never ſet you to your feet, as is ſaid of Ephraim, Hoſ. 13.13. He is an unwiſe ſon, he ſtayeth long in the place of breaking forth of children; it is a dreadful token to ſtick in the birth, and to ſtiffle Convictions, better thou had never had them (though that caſe be moſt dangerous alſo) than when thou haſt been under them to ſtiffle them, and ſet thy foot upon them, before thou get a true eaſe: And I ſhal add in the 4th. place, In this ſenſe of ſin, that is, when Souls are thus affected with ſin, as I have been ſpeaking, a pardon will be very precious, it will not be lookt upon as the ſcor…er doth, or as the Soldiers who ſaid to Chriſt, Hail, King of the Jews, and then buffeted him. O! a pardon to a moſt ſenſible ſinner, will be moſt glad news, and God on that account will be a matchleſs God, Micah 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, who pardons iniquity; He will be a bleſſed man whoſe ſin is pardoned. Pſal. 32.1. a good Lord that pardons his people, 2 Ch. 30.18. And ſo in the Text, he is to the Pſalmiſt, If thou, Lord, ſhould mark iniquity, O Lord, who ſhould ſtand? But the Back-note is, There is forgiveneſs with thee; for to a ſenſible ſinner, there being no remedy for ſin, but pardon, and no pardon of ſin, but from a gracious God; what wonder that pardon of ſin be very precious! and God on that account a matchleſs God.
But a 4th. Direction antecedent to pardon, is, That we ſtudy Repentance for theſe ſins, the pardon whereof we ſtudy and expect, that we may be in capacity for pardon; I ſhall not inſiſt now upon this Doctrine, or Direction, only let me intreat you to make it ſure work in this affair; I have laid your duty ſomewhat home to you, and I fear there is need, ye will take it all and more, and yet in the doing of it, my meaning is not, as if ye could produce theſe things called for, antecedent to pardon, of your ſelf, or that when ye are not come this length, ye ſhould bide away from Chriſt, no, ye muſt come to him for theſe antecedent qualifications, that ye may get pardon. But theſe are the true and faithful ſayings of God, and whoſoever they be that are not in this order ſeeking pardon, and yet think they are pardoned, they had need to look to it, that they have not a lie in their right hand; for this is the Scriptures method, wherein the Lord leads his own to pardon, and pardoneth whom he doth pardon. The Lord bleſs what ye have heard, for Chriſts ſake.