Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 9
SERMON IX.
Pſalm 130. Verſe 4. But there is forgivenneſs with thee, that thou mayeſt be feared.
I Have now broken in a litle upon this great Article of of our Creed, the remiſſion of ſins, The great Goſpel-news, the glad tidings of the Goſpel of peace to them that are in the Pſalmiſt's poſture, in the third verſe, that there is no ſtanding before God, marking iniquity in ſtrict juſtice, according to the Covenant of Works. I am as yet detained on the firſt head, that I propoſed to be ſpoken to on this Subject, that is, the conſideration of that which is pardoned, it is iniquity, as in the preceeding verſe, ſin or tranſgreſſion, let it be called by whatſoever name it will, and as to this, I ſpake to theſe things. 1. That all have ſin. 2. That ſin is a Debt and Burden, which they who take a right look of, will ſee great cauſe, will deſire to be rid of it. That ſin being ſuch a debt or burden, the unpardoned man, if he get a right look of his own condition, he will find himſelf in a wofull plight, and 4. That ſin being ſuch a debt, as can only be done a way by pardon, and ſuch a burden as puts the unpardoned man in a woful plight? It follows, that it is good news, the beſt of all news, to a ſenſible ſinner, That there is pardon for iniquity in God, When a man hath ſaid. verſe 3. If thou, Lord, ſhouldeſt mark iniquity, who can ſtand, that he may add. verſe 4. But there is forgivenneſs with thee: And here ye may remember, that it was cleared, how the leaſt ſins needed a pardon; As alſo how the greateſt ſins for nature, number, or other circumſtances, are pardonable & that ſenſible ſinners needed not be troubled with that ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, ſeing their very flying to the remedy of ſin in Chriſt, is a ſufficient evidence, that it was not in them. I was the laſt day cutſhort by time, from ſpeaking a word to theſe perſons, whoſe ſins are pardonable. And this I wold now ſpeak to, before I go to the other Heads, I propoſed to be ſpoken to; And the ground of that which I would ſay of them, whoſe ſins are pardonable, I ſhall take it from that pattern of Prayer, Mat. 6.9.—12, Father, forgive us our debts. They are Children who may come to God for pardon of ſin; and to open this a litle, I ſhal ſpeak to theſe three from it. 1. It would be remembred, that theſe who are not Children, muſt come and become children in the due order, that they may attain to the priviledge of pardon; when Children only are allowed to beg pardon of ſin, it ſecludes none who are unpardoned, from coming to God, through the elder brother Jeſus Chriſt, that they may be put among the Children by Adoption, for, Iſai. 55.7. Let the wicked man forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto Lord, and he will have mercy vponupon him, and to our God, for he will aboundantly pardon, or multiply to pardon; and Ezek. 33.15.16. When the wicked man reſtores the pledge, gives again that which he had robbed, doth walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not die, none of the ſins he hath committed, ſhall be mentioned unto him; There ſhal be no more word of them; which (as I ſaid the laſt day, when I ſpake from theſe words) leaves a ſad check and ground of dittay, at the doors of Rebels, to whom the Fountain for Sin and Uncleanneſs is keeped open, and they have pardon in their offer, but will not follow the right method of obtaining mercy and pardon. They will not come and be children, but continue rebels ſtill; And it leaves alſo a caution and a check to many, who, if any thing be hinted at of their faults, will claim to pardon, and yet they will not give up themſelves to be Children, they would live Rebels, and yet be pardoned. But ye would come to be made Children, who in Faith would pray, Forgive us our ſins.
A 2d. Word which I would ſay from this, is, That as Children are dayly falling in ſin, ſo their dayly ſins are pardonable; There were many dangerous and damnable errors in the ancient Church, concerning the ſins of Church-members, that come here to be reproved. Some who looked upon the ſins of Church-members, as the old Gnoſticks, the Progenitors of the Libertines did, they held that ſins in godly perſons conſiſted only in opinion, that regenerat men do what they would, if they ſhould commit the moſt vile and abominable Acts, they were not ſins in them. This is nothing but corrupt principled monſtruous prophani…y, or monſtruous prophanity rooted in a corrupt principle; and thoſe that would hold themſelves out of that fearful gulf, they would beware of the Antinomian principles, as that God ſees no ſin in Believers, that his Law is not to be the Rule of their walk, that they need not repent, &c. For Libertiniſme is but a new Edition of Antinomianiſm in Folio. Others again acknowledged ſin to be in the godly, but they ſlighted repentance, and therefore, when ſcandals fell out in the church, they did not require any acknowledgment of their Offence, who had fallen in theſe ſcandals, but while they were reiking in theſe abominations, they entertained Church-communion and fellowſhip with them. This was a turning of the Grace of God into laſciviouſneſs, and it is the reſult in part of that Antinomian principle of the remiſſion of ſins, from all Eternity; ſo that according to their opinion, Repentance was not required inorder to pardon of ſin, but for intimation of pardon. And there were a 3d. ſort, ſuch as the Novatians, who looked ſo on groſs ſins after Baptiſm, as though they would ſeclude them from pardon on repentance, nor would they ſeclude ſuch ſinners from making profeſſion of their Repentance, yet they would not abſolve them, nor admit them to Church Communion, and fellowſhip, particularly in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, but left them to God, to make of them what he pleaſed. Now in oppoſition to all theſe, is the truth I am upon, we confeſs ſins after the receipt of Great mercies, are very hainous, Ezra 9.14. Should we again break thy commands, and joyn in affinity with the people of theſe abominations? wouldeſt thou not be angry with us, till thou hadſt conſumed us? Judges 10.13. Ye have forſaken me, and ſerved other gods, therefore I will deliver you no more. And ſin in particular after regeneration, is ſo much the more hainous, that God hath been gracious; therefore the Apoſtle having ſpoken of the abounding grace of God, where ſin had abounded, Rom. 5. At the cloſe, he begins the next Chapter, with theſe words, What ſhall we ſay then? ſhall we continue in ſin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How ſhall we that are dead to ſin, live any longer therein? He abominats that after regeneration, there ſhould be a relapſing in ſin, yet the Text here intimats, thereis forgivenneſs with God, for the iniquities of Godly men; and the Pattern of Prayer Mat. 6. Tells the Children, that they may go to God, and ſeek the forgivenneſs of ſins, which ſayes, they would be dayly ſinning, and God would allow dayly pardon on them in the due order; and conſequently, it was horrid cruelty in the Novatians, to ſeclude ſuch as fall in ſins after Baptiſm, from Abſolution and Church-fellowſhip, and they would not pardon, where God did pardon, which made Conſtantine at the Council of Nice, to ſay to Acleſus their Biſhop. I ſee no other of it, but ye would make a Ladder to go to Heaven your alone, and would have one with you. I confeſs the godly are not to be hugged under their failings, but their failings are rather to be aggredged, yet upright Walkers, as they are moſt tender in their Converſation, ſo are they moſt charitable in paſſing Judgment upon others, though they have their failings.
But there is a 3d. word I would ſay from this, and that is to clear, whether all ſorts of ſins in the godly, are pardonable? This is a caſe that hath troubled the Learned, and may trouble tender Conſciences, whether, when a man hath repented a ſin, and found the bitterneſs of it, and hath found God's favour and pardon intimat upon his repentance, he may again fall into that ſin, and get it pardoned over again. A caſe, I ſay, that ſome who are tender, may be troubled with, when they have fallen in ſin, and thereafter have found it bitter, and have been at God, confeſſed it, and believed pardon, and yet they have been over-hailed in the ſame ſin over again. This I confeſs, before I ſay any thing to it, is a ſad caſe, it's ſad to ſee folks, after regeneration, and taſting of the Grace of God, falling in the ſame Sins again; and it's yet ſadder to ſee a perſon, after he hath been ſmarting for it, running back to that very folly; particularly if it be an out-breaking Sin, and the Learned could hardly find an inſtance in Scripture of that relapſing in Sin in the Godly; it's true, Peter did thrice deny his Maſter, and Lot was twice drunken, and twice fell in Inceſt, but none of theſe were after Repentance, and intimation of Pardon; for Peter was keeped in the hurry of the Temptation, till his Sin was thrice out with him; and ſo it was with Lo…, yet I ſhall give two words for clearing the caſe. 1. That … regeneration makes not the Saints perfect, ſo neither do I ſee a ground, that a Saint his repenting for a particular fault ſhould keep him from a relapſing in that fault, and needing of pardon. It is true, Pſal. 85.8. God's ſpeaking of peace to his people, is with a caution, That they turn not ogaîn to folly; But to ſay, if Repentance be true, a man will not fall in that folly he hath repented, it is not Scriptural: Regeneration is our initial Repentance, and if that do not prevent falling in Sin, it is no wonder, that a particular Act of renewed Repentance do it not, all the Repentance grief or ſorrow that a perſon hath attained to for Sin, is but a creature, that except God concurr, cannot keep him from falling in ſin; and God hath not made an abſolute promiſe, ſo to concur with a penitent, that he ſhall not again fall in the ſame Sin. How often doth a penitent, when he hath repented to day of his paſſion pride, wandering of mind in duty, &c. fall in the ſame Sins to morrow; and if he may notwithſtanding of Repentance, fall into leſſer faults, why may he not after Repentance fall in groſſer; we find alſo godly men after their repenting for their failings, falling in groſſer out-breakings. David after he had repented his falling in trouble, and his uſing ſinful ſhifts to be out of it, fell in theſe groſs and ſcandalous ſins, of Adultery and Murther; and he that fell in theſe ſins after repentance, for other eſcapes, why might he not after repentance have fallen in theſe ſame ſins over again? if the grace of God had not prevented it; for though Repentance for particular faults, leave behind it an impreſſion of the bitterneſs of theſe ſins, and make them to be loathed, which will make it more improbable, they will be relapſed in, yet it is not impoſſible, otherwiſe true Repentance being for all ſin, it ſhould prevent relapſing in any Sin.
A 2d. word which I ſhall ſay for clearing the caſe ſhall be this, that as true repentance is not to be meaſured, by relapſing in ſin, ſo it is contrary to Scripture to determine, that relapſing in ſin after Repentance is unpardonable, It's not the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, and therefore pardonable. Iſai. 55.7. Our God will multiply to pardon; Even as often as the ſinner repents, and comes aga…n to him, to ſeek pardon, were it till ſeventy times ſeven times, as he bids us forgive others, when they ſin againſt us, Matth. 18, 22. and Hoſ. 14.4. He hath promiſed to heal backſlidings. Now theſe are after Repentance, when his people fall back in the ſame ſins, out of which they have been recovered by Repentance; and for inſtances of this, ye ſhall only ponder theſe two. One is, 2 Chron, 18. Jehoſaphat his joyning in affinity with Achab, for which he is reproved by a Prophet, Ch. 19.2. And his Repentance is apparent in the reformation he fell about. And yet Chap. 20.35. He falls in the ſame Sin, in joyning with Achaziah, to make Ships to go to Tarſhiſh in Eziongeber, which were broken, for which he was alſo reproved, repented, and was pardoned. Another inſtance is that of Jonah, A man that fled from the preſence of the Lord, when ſent to Niniveh, and is brought to Repentance for that ſin in the belly of the Fiſh. Chap. 2, Yet he falls in the ſame ſin. Ch. 4.2. Not in fleeing away from God, but in repining at his mercy, and in his opinion, declaring it was needleſs to go to Niniveh, and juſtifying his former fleeing away: Theſe are two clear inſtances of relapſing in ſin after Repentance and Pardon for it. This I would not have abuſed. I may have occaſion hereafter to ſpeak to what prejudice relapſing in ſin brings with it; as that it will bring former pardon in queſtion, and under debate, and though a penitent may be pardoned, yet it's dangerous to bourd with ſin, after God hath ſpoken peace to return to folly, and to proclaim, that all the bitterneſs folk have found in ſin is nothing; only I cannot conceal the truth of God, from any that may be under a Temptation; that having repented ſuch and ſuch ſins, they have relapſed in them, and therefore, as they queſtion their Repentance; ſo they think they are to expect no more pardon: ye have it cleared from Scripture, that theſe are but Temptations, That God would multiply to pardon upon repentance, Iſai. 55.7 And though folks have played the harlot with many lovers, and among hands have rewed their wandrings, they may return again unto the Lord, Jer. 3.1. Now I have done with the firſt general head of this Doctrine, concerning the remiſſion of ſin, To wit, the conſideration of that which is pardoned.
I proceed to the ſecond general Queſtion, and that is, anent the Author of pardon, or who it is that pardons iniquity, even God, There is forgivenneſs with thee, ſays the Text, That is, (as I exponed in the entry) it's thy property, in oppoſition to all pretenders, it's thy Property and Prerogative, when both the Law and the Conſcience have condemned, to pardon and forgive Sin. This is a truth that was held faſt in the Jewiſh Church, when it was moſt corrupt; Therefore Mark 2.7. When Chriſt pardoned the man ſick of the Palſie, The Scribes ſay. Why doth this man ſpeak blaſphemies? Who can forgive ſins, but God only? And it's one of God's Titles, [Exod. 34.6, 7. That he forgives iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin:] and he taketh it to himſelf, as his Prerogative, [Iſai. 43.25. I, even I am he, that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions;] and Matth, 9.2, &c. Chriſt, in curing the Palſie man, paralels the pardoning of his ſins with the healing of his diſeaſe, as proofs of his Deity: ſhewing, that both were alike difficult, and proved him to be God. I muſt here clear a ſeeming difficulty, that is, That pardon of ſin is attribut to others, both Miniſters and private perſons; It's attribute to Miniſters, as John 20.—23. As the Father hath ſent me, even ſo ſend I you, receive ye the holy Ghoſt, whoſoever ſins ye retain, they are retained; and whoſoever ſins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; But certainly it's God only can looſe a man from everlaſting wrath due to him for ſin, and it's the Word of God only can declare whom God will pardon. Only (as Ambroſe ſayes well) Miniſters are Judges in the matter of pardon; but without any abſolute Authority in that matter. And for clearing of this, ye would diſtinguiſh betwixt the external Court in the Church, and the internal Court in the Conſcience. In the external Court in the Church, Miniſters have a power from Chriſt to remit ſcandals to ſcandalous perſons, upon their ſerious profeſſion of Repentance, to take in a man that hath fallen in a ſcandalous ſin, upon the profeſſion of Repentance, and to remit the ſcandal. In the …nternal Court of the Conſcience, Miniſters have a Miniſterial power upon ſcandalous ſinners their repentance, Miniſterially to declare, they are pardoned upon their Repentance, & they walking according to their Commiſſion, [Whoſe ſins they bind on earth, ſhall be bound in heaven, and whatſoever they ſhall looſe on earth, ſhall be looſed in heaven,] Mat. 16.19. and 18.18. But Miniſters, ex pleni…udine poteſtatis (as the Pope ſpeaks) have not an abſolute and illimited power to pardon whom, and when, and as they will. They are but Delegats, and muſt walk according to their Commiſſion, in pardoning of ſin, or rather pronouncing pardon of ſin, neither have they power of pardong ſin upon conditions of their own deviſing, ſuch as Pennances, Pilgrimages, viſiting of Rome in the year of Jubile, &c. where (to mark it in the by) the Papiſts method in this is prepoſterous; They firſt pardon, and then enjoyn pennance, and ſuch things as Chriſt hath not preſcribed; Neither muſt they take Money, and diſpence with Repentance, a fruit of Faith, upon which pardon is promiſed. This is but a cheat, to hold their Ki…chen reeking. Caeſar Borgia, the Son of Alexander the ſixth, when he had loſt an hundred thouſand Crowns at the Dice, he paſſed it in a ſport, ſaying, Thoſe are the ſins of the Germans, that is, they had been purchaſed for the remiſſion of their ſins. Again it is attributed to privat perſons; and for privat Perſons their pardoning of ſin, the Scriptures ſpeaks clearly to it, as in that patern of prayer, [Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our debts, as we alſo forgive our debtors] ſo Eph. 4.32. [Forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven you,] and Col. 3.13. (Forgive one another, if any man have a quarrel againſt any, even as Chriſt forgave you, ſo alſo do ye. But private perſons forgiving of ſins, is the forgiving the injuries done by mens ſinning to them; rules anent which I may meet with ere I have done with this Theme. But though a privat perſon is bound to forgive injuries done againſt them; It is ſtill with a reſervation of God's intereſt, and the ſinner muſt count to God; notwithſtanding from all which (to reſume) it's clear, whatſoever hand man hath in forgiving ſin, God is the principal Creditor, whoſe Law is violat, whoſe Majeſty is offended, whoſe Juſtice muſt be ſatisfied, and therefore it's his property and prerogative to forgive ſins, and louſe from the obligation to wrath that ſin deſerves.
In making uſe of this, I ſhall not digreſs to deal with Papiſts, who in receiving pardons from their Prieſts, uſe not a judgment of diſcretion, whether the perſons pardoning them, be acting according to their Inſtructions, and according to their own principles; for if they did, they might be eaſily nonpluſ'd. They put the power to give indulgences intirely in their Pope, and aſſert that their Prieſts are Commiſſion at by him to diſpenſe them, but they can only have a humane Faith concerning that Commiſſion; For beſide that the Popes Power to do ſo, is upon many accounts queſtionable; They ask, how we know the Scripture▪ to be the word of God? we might ask them, how they know the Pope (who muſt give theſe Indulgences to be the Pope?) That he is a Chriſtian, and hath gotten Baptiſm? For according to their own principles the Pope is no Pope except he be Baptized? Now they cannot certainly know their Pope is baptized, that being one of their grounds, that Baptiſm is not adminiſtred, except the intention of the Prieſt go along. Now they cannot be certain that the Prieſt, who baptized the preſent Pope, hath had an intention to baptize him while he went about that Action, therefore they cannot be certain of any pardon this preſent Pope ſhall give them, nor can they have any thing but a humane Faith, as to the pardon of their ſins. But the Judgment of God is viſible upon them for not receiving the truth inlove, God hath been provocked to give them up to ſtrong deluſions to believe lies, and (ſhall I add further?) It's a plague, and a ſnare to prophane men, that walk in the imagination of their own heart, adding drunkenneſs to thirſt, that they have this woful ſhift, get them a a Prieſt, and let them have an Abſolution, and then they are as ready to take in a new ſwack of ſin, as ever they were; this is the woful cheat that follows theit way, if folk walked like a principle of Conſcience, they were to be pitied, but when profligat men run that way, they drive their carnal intereſt, or have a ſleeping God to their Conſcience, under all their abominations: But paſſing this, and leaving particular Inferences till the afternoon. I ſhall give you theſe three words. 1. If God be the only pardoner of ſin, they make a very blind block, that pardon themſelves for all their faults, that is, who can commit all ſorts of iniquities, and caſt them over their thumb when they have done; Thou that does ſo, ſhall know that God only is the pardoner of ſin ere long, and that thy pardon will not ſtand. 2. It leaves a ſad check on all them, that ſatisfie themſelves with the plaudites of the world, Why? they are good folk, cryed up and commended of their neighbours; if they have done wrong, they will confeſs it, make reparation, or reſtitution, but what is all that, if God pardon thee not? though thou ſhould get never ſo many to hugg thee, or aſſoil thee, ſo long as God the only pardoner of iniquity doth not aſſoil thee. And 3. It leaves a ſad check alſo on them that care not to diſpleaſe God, to pleaſe Men; and O! what ſnares to men are theſe, that give themſelves to be pleaſures of men, with diſpleaſing of God. They make no bonds of any ſins, if they can pleaſe them they are obliged to. But thou that doſt ſo, will find thou haſt made an ill bargain, when the reckoning comes; for they cannot forgive thy ſin, when thou ſtands before God; neither will thou get men for thy Interceſſors, God only is the pardoner of iniquity, and therefore they make a very fooliſh bargain, who to pleaſe any, ſtand not to diſpleaſe God.