The Penitent Pardoned, Sermon 1 (3 of 3)

The Penitent Pardoned · Sermon 1 (3 of 3)

p. 73The point was this, That ſuch are the riches of Gods pardoning grace, that hee forgives his people the great ſins that are cloathed with many hainous and aggravated circumſtances. Now leſt any might abuſe this Doctrine, and ſuck poyſon from theſe flowers that are m…ſt ſweetly ſcattered up and down the Scripture, I ſhall labour ſo to handle the matter, as to keep off preſumptuous men that they be not emboldned in a wicked courſe of ſin. Therefore my uſe ſhall be to two ſorts of men,

Uſe. 1 Firſt of all, it ſhall bee directed to morall and civill honeſt men: if God doth forgive men great ſinnes▪ cloathed with many haino…s and aggravated circumſtances,Five conſiderations concerning leſſer ſins as Davids ſinne was, as Peters ſinne was, and Paul ſinnes were, then I have great hopes of pardon; mine are but ſinnes of an ordinarie incurſion, therefore I have hopes my ſinnes are pardoned, becauſe they have not been crying great ſins.

Firſt of all conſider, That God hath ſhewn as much p. 74diſpleaſure againſt ſmall and little ſins, as againſt greater and groſſer enormities: I will give you ſome inſtances.

Firſt of the neglect of Moſes to circumciſe his ſon; one would think that for forbearing the circumciſing of a childe when a man was in a journey and had urgent buſineſſe lying upon him, his buſineſſe ſhould have been a plea to excuſe him: yet for the bare omiſſion of that on the eight day, the Lord met him, and would have killed him, Exod 4. 24. And it came to paſſe by the way in the Ione, that the Lord met him, and ſought to kill him. Another time th… Pſalmiſt tels us of Moſes ſin in the wilderneſs, Moſes ſpake unadviſedly with his lips, onelyonly a raſh word: and what was the iſsue of that ſin? the Lord would never ſuffer Moſes to enter into the land of Canaan.

Another inſtance of Uxzah, one would thinke it but …mail thing for Vzzah to put his hand to uphold the falling Arke, it was out of a good intention, that the Arke ſhould not fall; yet, you know how the hand of God ſmote Uzzah for it.

So likewiſe of David, you would thinke it but a ſmall matter for a King to number his people; yet you know how many thouſands in Iſrael God did take away by the Plague for that very ſin: ſo that beloved, ſuppoſe thou haſt not fallen into hideous and hainous wickedneſſes, yet thou ſeeſt little ſins diſpleaſe God as well as great; becauſe ſin, though little, yet is againſt a great God, and little ſins diſpleaſe as well as great.

2Secondly,Pecc…ta minor is infaminae poſſunt eſſe major is culpae & reatus. That though groſſe ſins may carry a greater infamy, yet little ſecret ſins may carry a greater guilt in them to God. Beloved, the ſin of Angels, it was but a ſmall ſin, a ſpirituall ſin, onelyonly one ſin, and a ſin in thought too, not of act; yet you know that for that ſin God did tumble the Angels out of heaven. Indeed groſs ſins carry a greater infamy, but little ſmall ſins may carry as great a guilt.

3Third Conſideration is this, That ſmall and little ſins p. 75may be aggravated and cloathed with ſuch cricumſtances, as may make them great, two inſtances in Adams ſin, and Davids ſin.

Firſt, Adams ſin, you would account it a ſmall matter to eat an apple or ſome other fruit; but yet that ſmall fact of eating the forbidden fruit, was ſo cloathed with many circumſtances, which made it a great and grievous ſin: for,

Firſt, if you conſider the ſtate of Adam, he was not as we are; but Adam was a perfect and an innocent creature: and it is a greater evill for a perfect creature to ſin, then for us that are imperfect.

Secondly, Conſider the place where Adam was, it was in Paradiſe, and yet there to ſin.

Thirdly, Conſider the publickneſſe of his perſon, hee did not ſin for himſelf; but in his ſin we all ſinned: for a private man to ſin is an evill, but for a publicke perſon repreſenting other men, his ſin is other mens ſin.

Fourthly, How many aggravations were in the bowels of Adams ſin: there are ſix:

Firſt, There was unbliefe in his ſin, God did not tell them with an if, or an and, but told them peremptorily they ſhould dye.

Secondly, There was this aggravation, that Adam did believe the Devil, before God.

Thirdly, there was pride in this ſin; for ſaith the Devill, Ye ſhall be as Gods, and that pleaſed them; it was not enough to be man and woman, but they muſt be gods.

Fourthly, There was curioſity in that ſin. You ſhall be as gods knowing good and evil; now out of meer curioſity to know more then they did know, though they knew enough to make them happy and bleſſed, did they plunge themſelves into this ſin.

Fifthly, They were not contented with their condition.

6Sixthly and laſtly, There was murder in this ſin, for Adam kill'd himſelfe and all his poſterity; For by one man ſin entred into the World and death by ſin, Rom. 5. 12.Rom 5:12ſo that in him all p. 76have ſinned, and ſo all dyed: therfore Adams ſin was ſo cloathed with hainous aggravations, that made it very great.

Look on Davids ſin in numbring the people, it was a very ſmall ſin, and indeed interpreters juſtifie the fact, in it ſelfe it was no ſin for a King to number his Army; yet there were ſome circumſtances with which this fact was cloathed, that made Davids fact very ſinfull: there were ſix hainous aggravations in that fact of Davids numbring the people.

Firſt of all, there was pride and vain glory; this Toſtatus ſaith, that pride and vain glory was Davids ſin.

Secondly, There was carnal dependance in his ſin, he would number his people, that ſeeing how ſtrong he was he might depend on the multitude, this ſaith Zanchius was Davids ſin too.

Thirdly, There was covetouſneſſe in the ſin too. Zanchius ſaith this was Davids ſin. It is obſervable, that when in Iſrael the ſouldiers were muſtered, and the ſubjects numbred, there was a tax by pole, that every one ſhould pay, this was Davids ſin that he would needleſly number the people for covetouſneſſe ſake.

Fourthly, There was curioſity, for David did a needleſſe act; for what need David know every particular man in his kingdome. Ioab ſaid to David, 1 Chron. 21. 4. Why doth my Lord require this thing? why wilt thou muſter up thy forces in a time of peace? we are all true and loyall to thee: yet vain curioſity made David do it.

Fifthly, there was the ſin of ſacriledge, this Zanchius notes: for when the people were numbred, there was to be given for the uſe of the Sanctuary, halfe a ſhekel, as you have the ſtory, Exod. 30. 12. When thou takest the ſum of the children of Iſrael, after their number, then ſhall they give every man a ranſome for his ſoule unto the Lord, when thou numbreſt them, that there be no plague amongſt them, when thou numbreſt them, Verſ. 13. This they ſhall give, every one that paſſeth among them that are numbred, halfe a ſhekel after the ſhekel of the Sanctuary: compare this with Exod. 38. 25. And the ſilver of the p. 77that were numbred of the Congregation, was an hundred talents, and a thouſand ſeven hundred and threeſcore and fifteen ſhekels after the ſhekel of the Sanctuary, &c. David, ſome ſuppoſe, did defraud the Sanctuary of that mony.

Sixthly, In this ſin, there was an expreſs breach of Gods Law: this Deodat ſaith: for his Law was, the people ſhould not be numbred that were under 20 years, but only thoſe above 20 years, now David did number thoſe that were under 20 year. Exo. 30, 14 Every one that paſſeth among them that are numbred, from 20 years old and above, ſhall give an offering unto the Lord▪ Numb. 1. 3. From 20 years old and upward, all that are able to goe forth to war in Iſrael: Now David numbring thoſe that were under thoſe years, did tranſgreſſe the command of God. That is a third conſideration to you that ſay you never run into ſcandalous ſins: yet conſider, that little ſins may bee ſo aggravated by circumſtances, as that they become grievous: ſuppoſe thy ſin be ſecret luſt, and paſſion, and ſecret pride: thy ſins may have ſuch circumſtances, as to make them great: ſuppoſe thy ſins be againſt checks of conſcence they are great ſins, becauſe they are againſt Gods officer in man; Conſcience is Gods officer in thee, and Gods Regiſter, and Vicegerent in man; and for thee to controll thine own conſcience againſt the accuſations and againſt the convictions and checks of thy conſcience, though the ſin be but a ſmal trifie, yet it is very great; He that doubteth is damned, if he eats. The Apoſtle ſaith, it is no ſin to eat meat, but if thou thinkeſt it is a ſin to eat meat, and doſt it, thou ſinneſt againſt conſcience. If thy conſcience telleth thee that it is unlawfull to do this or that, and yet thou wilt venture on it, the Apoſtle ſaith, He that doubteth is damned, if he eats. If thou doeſt any any thing againſt the rebukes of conſcience, it is a great crime; becauſe conſcience is Gods Officer in thee: to eat meat, is but a trifle; the Queſtion was, whether they might eat meat offered to an idoll, the Apoſtle ſaith they might do it, I, but ſuppoſe conſcience in a man might ſay, I am perſwaded that if I ſhould eat this meat that p. 78was offered to an Idoll, I ſhould approve of Idolatary, then ſaith the Apoſtle, thou art damned if thou eat: to ſhew that if in ſo ſmall a thing as eating fleſh, then in other matters alſo; if thy conſcience telleth thee, that thou ſinneſt if doeſt it and yet doeſt it, thy little ſin is become a great ſin.

Secondly, the ſmalleſt ſin may be aggravated, if there be a complacency in thy heart to a ſmall ſin. A ſmall ſin that is indulged, is a more aggravating ſin then a greater ſin thou doeſt fall into with reſiſtance. It is very obſervable in Lev. 13. 12. And if a leproſie break out abroad in the skin and the leproſie cover all the skin of him that hath the plague, from his head even unto his foot, whereſoever the Prieſt looketh. Ainſworth admires and wonders what God intends by this Law: the meaning is, the leproſie betokens ſinne. Now if the leproſie, or the plague, or the ſmall pox; if it comes out into a ſcab, and comes into the fleſh, and ſtrikes outward, there is no diſeaſe within; but then there is danger when ſores ſtrike inward, and do not come out in the fleſh: this Law hath this uſe in it, if the leproſie were onelyonly on the skin, the man was not unclean, though there was ſin in his life, yet ſin was not in his heart: I, but ſaith God, if the ſcab be in ſight deeper then the skin, then pronounce him unclean; to ſhew, if ſin be in thy heart and in thy life too, though it be but a ſmall ſin, yet it is a ſin that will damn thee: If I regard iniquity in my heart, Pſal 66. 18. the Lord will not hear me. Therefore you that are morall men, that ſay, you thank God, that you have not broke out into groſſe ſins: conſider, though ſin be ſmall, yet your ſmall ſins may have ſuch circumſtances, as may make them very great, ſinning againſt your conſciences, or elſe ſin ſeiſing upon the heart.

4Fourthly, to morall men, that a great and groſſe ſinner may be pardoned, when morall men who never brake out into ſuch groſſe wickedneſſe, may live and dye in an unpardoned eſtate. I will give you tow inſtances, the one of the Phariſee, and the other of the young man in the p. 79the Goſpell.

Firſt of the Phariſee, in Luk. 18. I thanke God, ſaith he, I am no extortioner, no drunkard, no adulterer; I am not this nor that: the Phariſee▪ was a man that never broke out into ſcandalous ſins; what was the concluſion? ſaith Chriſt, that he that juſtified himſelf was not juſtified; but the Publican was juſt…fied rather then the Phariſee: the Publican that had fallen into extortion, by his office he was tempted unto much extortion, he was a wicked liver, and yet went away juſtified. O! a civill honeſt Phariſee▪ a Phariſee that never brake out into ſcandall, yet was not juſtified: a Pulican that was a known and infamous ſinner, went away juſtified.

2 The progidal ſonne that ran away from his father, ſpent all his ſubſtance, and went to live among hogs and ſwine, in this world, that is wicked men, yet this man a pardoned man. The young man who told Chriſt that he kept al Gods commands from his youth was an unjuſtified man, yet the prodigal that was riotous from his, youth & confeſſed his ſin, became a juſtified man, I am perſwaded the very intent of theſe Scriptures, is for this end; that civil moral men ſhould not preſume on pardon, meerly on their civil morality.

5Fifthly conſider, That what your ſins do want in regard of others mens in bulk and magnitude, you may make up in number. Suppoſe thou haſt not been a drunkard, an adulterer, an oppreſſor, yet thou haſt many ſmall ſins, thou haſt many ſecret and ſmall failings: now remember, many ſmall ſins may ſooner damn thee, then a few greater ſins, I may make uſe of that pertinent Scripture, in Jer. 5. 6. Wherefore a Lion out of the forreſt ſhall ſlay them, and a Wolfe of the evenings ſhall ſpoil them; a Leopard ſhall watch over their cities, every one that go…th out hence ſhal be torn in pieces, becauſe their tranſgreſſions are many, and their back-ſlidings are increaſed, Verſ. 7. How ſhall I pardon thee for this? &c. Becauſe their tranſgreſſions were many, therefore God comes with a queſtion, How ſhall I pardon? Beloved, Suppoſe thy ſins be not great, yet if p. 80they be many ſmall ſins, God may put this queſtion to you, How ſhall I pardon you? Let me tell a paradox, that ſmall ſins are as hardly yea more hardly pardoned, then greater ſins are. And the reaſon is, becauſe a man is not ſo apt to repent for ſmall ſins, as he will be for great, becauſe they are not ſo viſible, and therefore conſcience not ſo apt to do its office to put a man upon repentance; that is the reaſon of Chriſts ſpeech, Verily I ſay unto you, that Publicans and harlots ſhall goe to heaven before them, why? becauſe the Phariſees did depend upon their righteouſneſſe, and did not ſee their little ſmall ſins: a Publican, a harlot, that could not but by the light of nature ſee their extortion, their wickedneſſe, and harlotry, they ſhould go to heaven before them, Chriſt told them of their ſins and they repented of them. Therefore though your ſins be but ſmall, yet they may be many, and that will greaten your ſins: a many ſmall ſins may run thee into deeper arrearages unto God, then a few groſſer evils. As in Arithmetick many ſmal ſigurs put together amount to agreater ſum then a few great ones; So it is in reſpect of little ſins. O then let me perſwade you, that none of you would preſume on pardon, becauſe you have not fallen into greater and groſſer evils. Thus much for firſt branch of the Uſe.

Uſe. 2 The ſecond follows, and that is this. To thoſe that can ſay of their ſins as David did, Thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin, Conſiderations concerning groſſe ſins.ſins cloathed with many hideous and hainous circumſtances.

Firſt, ſomething by way of admoniſhment.

1Firſt conſider, though your groſſe ſins cannot bring your perſons into a ſtate of damnation, yet they will bring you into a ſtate of ſequeſtration; though they cannot keep thee from heaven, yet will they keep thee from comfort: God will ſuſpend and withdraw the manifeſtations of his grace; he will turn his ſmiles into frownes upon thee. Beloved this is ſad, a groſſe ſin will keep thee from the comforts and joyes of heaven, though it cannot keep thee from the poſſeſſion of heaven.

A child of God that ſins though hee bee not under ejection p. 81but of his heritage, yet he is under an interdiction thou mayeſt have a right to heaven, a right to ſalvation, yet God hath ſhut thee up that thou mayeſt not have the manifeſtations of a reconciled God towards thee; this is aſtoniſhment to thee.

2Secondly, to admoniſh thee, though thou beeſt pardoned; yet ſuch wofull commotions, ſuch diſmall fears, will ariſe in thy conſcience, that will make thee verily think thou art not pardoned. Beloved, if you fal into groſſe ſins, and repel the ſanctifying work of the Spirit, God will withdraw the comforting Work of the Spirit. The ſpirit of God is compared to a Dove; the Dove loves to bee in clean places, but if the houſe be naſty, the Dove goeth away, and will not ſtay there: Gods Spirit is like a Dove, it loves to have the houſe of thy ſoule kept clean; but if thy ſoul be filled with noyſome and naſty luſts, the Spirit of God will not deſcend on thee; the greater thy ſins are, the greater thy ſorrowes, anguiſh and tortures of thy conſcience will bee. Philoſophers ſay, the more vapours are drawn from the earth, the more the light and luſtre of the Sun is eclipſed: the more ſin doth ariſe from thy heart to thy life, the more thou darkeneſt the riſing of the Sun of righteouſneſſe, that glorious beams ſhall not reflect on thee: thy falling into groſſe ſins, may cauſe wofull commotions, & diſmal horrors in thy conſcience; Conſider, is not this grievous, thou pardoned ſinner, to think though this groſſe ſin may not damn my ſoule, yet before I dye it will torture my conſcience? If I do ſpeak to a troubled conſcience there is none in the world wil ſay, that the ſweetneſſe and pleaſure of ſin, can compenſate the anguiſh and torture of conſcience which ſmarteth for ſin.

3Thirdly, Conſider, thou that falleſt into a groſſe ſin, though a juſtifyed perſon; yet it will be a harder work and a longer time for thee to attain aſſurance of pardon then for other men: the deeper a wound is, and the longer it is feſtering and rankling, the harder and longer it will be before it be healed again. David did pour out a river of tears before God did pour in a drop of the p. 82oyle of joy and gladneſſe into his heart; David brake Gods Law, God broke his bones; therefore he prayed, Lord reſtore to me the joy of thy ſalvation, that the bones which thou haſt broken may rejoyce. It is worthy obſervation of what you read of Mary Magdalen a notorious ſinner, there was a woman which was a ſinner, that is, as ſome expound it, a knwn harlot, a known strumpet, ſaith Chriſt, her ſinnes which are many are forgiven her: but did Chriſt tell theſe words to Mary? no, Chriſt ſpake theſe words to Simon, in whoſe houſe Chriſt was at ſupper: mark the method, Divines make much uſe of this. Mary fell into a groſſe ſin, but Mary muſt not firſt know her own pardon; Mary was weeping for her ſin, and it was firſt revealed unto another that ſhe was pardoned; to ſhew, that when men fall into groſſe ſins, God doth many times hide comforts from them, other men ſhall have good hope of their pardon, more then they have of themſelves; let this be admoniſhment and a check to you to take heed of falling into groſſe evils; for God may keep you long without manifeſtation of pardon.

4Fourthly, to admoniſh thee, conſider, that thou doeſt run a very dangerous and deſperate hazard to venture upon the commiſſion of ſin upon preſumption of pardon: Wilt thou ſin, that may be as painfull to thy conſcience as the breaking of thy bones, becauſe Chriſt can ſet thee in joynt again? Wilt thou ſin and cut gaſhes in thine own fleſh, becauſe thou knoweſt the Bloud of Chriſt to be a ſoveraign balſam to cure thy wounds? for by his ſtripes we are healed.Direction to. great ſinners

I now come to give you ſomething by way of direction: Haſt thou been a man that God hath left to thine own hearts luſt? thou haſt not onelyonly ſin, but the iniquity of ſin, ſin aggravated; then,

Firſt take this rule, Labour in the reſidue of thy dayes to be as eminent in grace, as thou haſt been formerly notorious in ſin: have thy luſts been ſtrong? labour now, that thy affections may be ſtrong God-ward and Heaven-ward: has thy ſin been cloathed with many hainous circumſtances p. 83to make it great? let thy graces be cloathed with many holy circumſtances to make them great: though this cannot make a compenſation to the moſt High (for nothing thou haſt or doſt can recompenſe God for the wrong ſin doth him) yet is this ſomething by way of a Holy revenge on thy ſelfe; the more thou haſt been notorious in evill, thou ſhouldeſt labour now to be more eminent in good.

2Secondly, Haſt thou fallen into any groſſe and aggravated guilt? follow this Rule, Labour that the greater thy ſin and thy unkindneſſe hath been to God, thou expreſs now the greater love to Jeſus Chriſt for pardoning mercy: O labour thou that haſt great ſins pardoned, that thou mayeſt have great love iſsued out to Jeſus Chriſt; Chriſt did not ſimply aske Peter, Simon Peter loveſt thou me? out goeth higher, Peter doest thou love me more then theſe? there was this reaſon why Chriſt ſhold aske him this Queſtion, becauſe Peter had ſinned againſt Chriſt more then all the diſciples had, therfore Peter muſt love Chriſt more.

Do I ſpeak to any that have been taler by the head in ſin, then any of their neighbours have been? O! if thou haſt ſinned much, love much; the greater the ſin, the greater the pardon muſt be, and therefore on thy part the greater muſt thy love be to Jeſus Chriſt; this is held out plain in that familiar parable that Chriſt uſeth, Luk. 7. 41. There was a certain creditor, Which had two debtors, the one ought five hundred pence, and the other fifty. Verſ. 42. Aud when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both; Tell me therefore, which of them will love him moſt, Verſ. 43. Simon anſwered and ſaid, I ſuppoſe that he to whom he forgave moſt: and he ſaid unto him, thou haſt rightly judged. The meaning of this is, the two debtors are two ſorts of ſinners, he that owed a little ſum he could not pay his debt: though thou haſt but few little ſins, yet thou canſt not ſatisfie for it. He that owned much was a great ſinner, as Mary Magdalen: It may be God hath forgiven thee thy hundred of ſins, & thy five hundred of ſins: O make good this Parable p. 84that he that hath moſt forgiven him, love moſt, the greater thy ſin hath been, the greater thy love moſt bee. It is thus with Mary Magdalen, Luk 7. 47. wherefore I ſay unto thee, Her ſins which are many are forgiven her, for ſhee loved much. Her love doth hold proportion to her pardon; much pardon on Chriſts part, and much love on her part. O beloved let me here inculcate this on your thoughts: have any of you been great ſinners? have you been guilty of aggravated and hainous circumſtances? now finde that your love doth carry ſome proportion to your pardon.

3Thirdly hath God ſuffered thee to fall into the iniquity of ſin? obſerve this direction, the greater thy ſin hath been to God, labour that thy humiliation may be greater, that it may carry ſome proportion to the greatneſſe of thy tranſgreſſion. It is obſervable of what you read of three men in Scripture, of David, Manaſſes, and Peter, theſe all ſinned greatly; and their ſorrow and lamentation did carry proportion to their ſin, in ſome meaſure; Manaſſes ſinned greatly, and the Scripture ſaith of him, That he humbled himſelf greuly before the Lord. Peter did deny Chriſt ſhamfuly, and Peter went out and wept bitterly. You know David ſinned notoriouſly▪ and he mourned exceedingly, rivers of tears ran from his eyes, he watered his couch with tears: all this teacheth you, that the greater thy ſin hath been, the greater thy humiliation ſhould bee. An obſervable Law you read of in Lev. 11. 24, 25. And for theſe you ſhall be unclean, whoſoever toucheth the carkaſſe of them ſhall be unclean untill the Even. And whoſoever beareth ought of the carkaſſe of them ſhall waſh his clothes and be unclean until the Even, touching an unclean thing, a man was unclean; but if a man carried an unclean thing any length of time, then ſaith God he ſhall be unclean till Even, and he ſhall waſh his clothes. This law ſhews, that touching an unclean ſin, requires an humiliation; but if thou haſt born a ſin, and hugged a ſin in thy armes, then there is greater worke required of thee, he was to waſh his clothes, He that hath continued in ſin muſt waſh p. 85his heart by humiliation and muſt take more pains with his heart that hath fallen into a groſſe evil, then thoſe who have not fallen ſo foulely and frequently.

4Fourth Direction; In caſe thou expecteſt to have a high eſteeme of pardoning grace, labour thou to find out all the aggravated and hainous circumſtances in thy ſin. Do not fear that the ſeeing of the ſinfulneſſe of ſin will do you hurt: firſt look on pardon, and then look on the aggravation of thy ſin; this is the way to heighten Chriſt merrits, and greaten Gods mercy, and extoll Gods pardoning grace. It is notably mentioned of two men that were famous this way. It is reported of Euſebius, when he came to confeſſe ſin, he uſed theſe words, Lord there is none have ſinned, as I have ſinned, the Devil ſinned, Judas ſinned grievouſly, but none ſinned as I: The Devil indeed ſinned, but Chriſt never dyed for the Devill as he dyed for me, therefore my ſin is a greater ſin then the Devils: Judas ſinned greatly, but Judas never had the pardon I had; Achan ſinned too, but I ſinned further then he▪ O labour to finde out what aggravations there are that thy evils are capable of, that ſo thou mightſt come to magnifie and greaten the grace of God in thy eſteem. A famous ſtory of Auſtin, when God converted him, and ſmote his conſcience for the vanity of his youth;Aug. in his confeſſion. how doth he aggravate his ſin when he was a boy for robbing of an Orchard, he doth aggravate that ſin with many circumſtances. Firſt, I robbed an Orchard meerly out of vanity, not out of need, to ſteale for need is more tolerable, though not juſtifiable; but when he had enough, that was vanity; then it was not for the goodneſſe of the fruit, but meerly for the luſt of the eye: then I did not rob the Orchard alone, but I got others with me; then, it was an unſeaſonable time of night; then, he went to rob the Orchard after he had ſpent all the day in vain ſport, then, what they could not eat they gave to the hogs; then, ſaith he, I wronged and injured an honeſt neighbour that never did me wrong; O ſee how hee clothed that ſin with many hainous crimes and circumſtances, p. 86canſt not thou cloath thy uncleanneſſe, thy oppreſſion, thy extortion, thy unjuſt dealing, with hainous circumſtances? let me direct you a little in this rule.

Firſt, To aggravate thy ſin, conſider all ſins againſt the manifeſtation of Gods love are great, when God ſpeaks peace to thee, if thou ſhouldſt then return to fooliſhneſſe, Pſal. 85. 8. this greatnes ſin: it was an aggravation of Solomons ſin, that he ſinned againſt the Lord after God had revealed himſelfe twice to him, 1 King 11. 9. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, becauſe his heart was turned from the Lord God of Iſrael, which had appeared to him twice.

Secondly, It aggravates ſin, when you commit a ſin upon a ſlight temptation, for a man to ſin when he hath little or no provocation, that greatens ſin; What made the ſin of the Devil ſo great? it was this, that thoſe Angels had none to tempt them: for thee to follow the ſtews, for thee to follow thy luſts? when the Devil doth not tempt thee to doe it, when the provocation is meerly from thine own heart, this greatens a mans ſin; and thus in the Prophet Micah, that men ſhould ſell the righteous for ſilver, and the needy for a paire of ſhoes. O when thou ſhalt recollect and ſay, how have I diſhonoured God, how have I run the hazard of an immortall ſoul? when the Devil hath laid no temptation to me, this greatens ſins exceedingly.

A third thing to greaten ſin by is, when a man doth ſin againſt the checks and rebukes of his own conſcience; Conſcience ſaith, doe not ſin, doe not wickedly, and the man ſaith, I muſt, I muſt, I ſhall loſe all elſe. When Conſcience ſhall arreſt thee, and accuſe thee of ſin, and thou ſhalt ſtifle and put by all: this aggravates thy ſin.

Fourthly, The frequency of the acts of ſinne, to commit a ſin once is not ſo much, but to fall often into the ſame ſin, this greatens ſin.

Fifthly, Complacency of heart in ſin, when ſin is not onelyonly the ſin of thy practiſe, and of thy life, but thou delighteſt in ſin; if ſin be rivetted and rooted in thy heart, p. 87thou art unclean: canſt thou go to God, & ſay, Lord what grace is here land what mercy is here! that thou haſt pardoned great tranſgreſſions, and thoſe ſins that I can aggravate by many hainous circumſtances; I have read my pardon, and yet I have now blotted my pardon: canſt thou ſay, I have ſinned, and upon a very trivial occaſion and on a smal temptation, I am a drudge to the Devil on an eaſie temptation; when the Devill can draw thee by a ſilken thread to a ſin; O it is a great aggravation, when Conſcience arreſts thee for ſin, and thou wilt ſtill be ſtifling the cries of conſcience: would you greaten ſin, you are in a ready way to greaten mercy, & pardoning grace, that is a 4^th direction.

5Fifthly, If God doth out of the riches of his grace pardon aggravated ſins, take you heed, that when you have obtained great and gracious pardons for great and grievous ſins, you do not extenuate your ſins, do not ſay of your ſins as Lot of Zoar, Is not this a little one? doe not ſay of wilfull enormities as Jacob did. Peradventure it was an overſight, do not mince the matter, and doe not leſſen ſin, but greaten ſin. The reaſon why thou ſhouldſt not doe it, conſider firſt by extenuating ſin and making it ſmal and little in your eye, you will leſſen the greatneſſe of Gods pardoning grace: who will value the skill and Phyſick of a kitchin woman? That Phyſitian is valued that can cure a deadly and dangerous diſeaſe: when a mans ſpirits are gone, and ſtrength is conſumed, the Phyſician is prized: thou by leſſening thy ſin doſt leſsen pardoning grace.

2. By the extenuating thy ſin, thou doeſt leſsen the value of Chriſts bloud.

3. Thou wilt leſsen thine own repentance and humiliation: for what man will labour after great humiliation for ſmall tranſgeſſions? therfore there is a world of wrong done to thy own ſoule, when God hath pardoned great tranſgreſſions, if thou ſhouldſt extenuate and leſſen the greatneſs of thy evils,

Sixthly, Content not your ſelves with ſlight and ſuperciall repentance ſo falling into great and groſs evils, p. 88be not like Lewis the eleventh King of France, when he did an evill againſt his conſcience, he pulled off his hat and tooke his Crucifixe and cryed God mercy for what he had done; ſo many men, if they can but cry God mercy in ordinary and generall tearms, they think they have made a Compenſation to Divine Juſtice. And thus have I done with the ſecond branch of the uſe in theſe ſix particulars.

The third and the laſt branch ſhall be by way of Conſolation,Uſe 3. to troubled and perplexed Conſciences,Conſolations againſt great ſins. that by reaſon of their falling into aggravated and hainous ſins, do entertain doubtfull thoughts of their own pardon: five Conſolations I ſhall lay down to you from the ſcripture, who have repented of great and many ſins.

1Firſt, Conſider for thy comfort, that converſion and repentance for ſin before God, wipes off the ignominy and the infamy of thy former miſcarriages; ſuppoſe thou haſt been an ignominious notorious ſoul creature; yet repentance puts a vail over thy ignominious luſts.

2Secondly, Take this for thy comfort, that Jeſus Chriſt, doth manifeſt more love to thoſe men who have fallen into groſs ſin, after repentance and humiliation, then he did to any other ſorts of men in the world; It is obſervable of Peter. Peter did ſin more then all the Diſciples unleſs Judas that was the caſt-away; after Peter did humble himſelfe and repent of his denyall, Chriſt did ſhew more love to Peter then to all the other Diſciples.

Firſt, Chriſt appeared to Peter after his Reſurrection, before he appeared to any other, ſo Paul tels you in 1 Cor. 15. 5. And that he was ſcen of Cephas, and then of the twelve, there was love in Chriſt, Peter did deny but three daies before, and Peter muſt firſt ſee him.

Again, When Chriſt was riſen from the dead, he ſent a meſsenger to Peter particularly by name, Goe tell my Diſciples in generall, and tell Peter that I am riſen, Mark. 16. 7. But goe your waies, tell his Diſciples and Peter. Peter was crying, weeping and be wailing that he ſhould deny p. 89his Maſter, and ſaith Chriſt, Goe tell Peter that I am riſen.

3. Chriſt doth ſingle out Peter after he roſe from the dead, Chriſt hath more diſcourſe with Peter then hee hath all with his Diſciples elſe, Joh. 21. Thus you ſee that Jeſus Chriſt manifeſts love to thoſe ſinners that ſinned foully, after they have repented and are ſufficiently humbled for their ſin. Thus it is with Mary Magdalen after ſhe repented, what expreſſions of love doth Chriſt to her? Firſt, we read that hee caſt out of her ſeven Devils, Luk. 8. 2. Then he appeared firſt to Mary, ſhee was the firſt that ſaw him when he was riſen: Mark. 16. 9. Now when Jeſus was riſen early the firſt day of the week, he appeared firſt to Mary Magdalen. Again, Chriſt commanded, that where ever the Goſpell came to bee preacht, the fame of Mary ſhould be made known, Matth. 26. 1, 3. Verily I ſay unto you, whereſoever this Goſpell ſhall be preached in the whole world, there ſhall alſo this that this woman hath done, be told for a memoriall of her; what a great honour was this to Mary Magdalen? Thus it appears that God doth manifeſt to thoſe perſons that have ſinned the groſſeſt ſins, if afterward they ſhall have the more ſerious, and through humiliation, the cleareſt evidences, and the ſtrongeſt comforts.

Thirdly, Take this for your comfort; It is not the greatneſſe of that ſin thou committeſt, but onelyonly the hardneſſe and impenitency of thy own heart that can exempt thee from pardon. Divines doe generally ſay, that the reaſon of that ſaying in Scripture, All ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven, but the blaſphemy against the Holy Ghoſt ſhall not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come; It is not that there is not more merit in Chriſt to ſave then there is guilt in that ſin; but it is becauſe that man cannot, will not, repent of the ſin; Therefore that ſin cannot be forgiven, becauſe he cannot repent. Suppoſe thy ſin be blaſphemy, this doth not exempt from pardon. It is not the greatneſſe of thy ſin, but the Judiciall hardneſſe and finall impenitency of thy heart, that can exempt thee from pardon. when Peter preached to p. 90the Jewes that had a hand in crucifying the Son of God; yet ſaith he, repent and your ſins ſhall be blotted out, O what ſin could be greater then their embrewing their hands in the bloud of Chriſt? yet doe but repent and your ſins ſhall bee blotted out. It is not for want of great mercy on Gods part, and great merits on Chriſts part that men are unpardoned; but it is want of repentance on thine owne part.

4Fourthly, That no groſſe ſin committed by a juſtified perſon can make void his former pardon; A rule among the Shoolemen: the worke of God cannot bee made void or fruſtrated by the worke of man, Election is a work of God, Redemption the work of God, Juſtification the worke of God, which cannot be made void by the work of man; therefore if God hath elected thee, redeemed thee, juſtifyed and pardoned thee, the incurſion of groſſe evills cannot reſtrain thee of former pardon; It is true, ſinne may make void thy former comforts, thy former evidences; groſs ſins may lay waſt thy conſcience; but they cannot lay waſt the grace, and the mercies of God; herein you may be greatly comforted and eſtabliſhed.

5Fifthly, Take this for thy comfort, though thou doſt fall into groſſe and aggravated guilt, yet ſuch is the goodneſs and mercy of God; that he orders thy very falling into ſin to turn to thy good: I doe not mention this to any that they ſhould be imboldened to fall into ſin becauſe it may turn to good; O it is God that orders a mans fall for his good: A threefold good that God doth to his people out of their very ſins, God doth not onelyonly doe good to his people by their afflictions, but he doth good to his people by their very ſins.

Firſt, Sometimes God doth ſo order that the falling of a godly man into ſin, ſhall abate pride in his heart; men of great parts are apt to be proud, God many times will let ſtrong luſts attend ſtrong gifts, the more to abate and keep under the exaltation of ſpirit, therefore ſaith Paul, I have the meſſengers of Satan to buffet me, that I might not be exalted above meaſure; God doth many times to keep under pride, let a temptation looſe on a man, & ſo p. 91God doth him good that way. Auſtin ſaith, I am not afraid to ſay, that it is profitable ſometimes for good men to fall into ſin.

Secondly, It will prevent many other ſins; here is Gods great mercy, the putting of a man to pain takes away pain; God ſometimes ſuffers a man to ſin, that ſin might keep out another ſin; one ſin may be ſo ordered by God to keep out another ſin.

Thirdy, Falling into ſin ſometimes doth renew the work of repentance, the Lord ſometimes lets them ſleep that ſo he might awaken them by a greater humiliation, and to taſt the more of the bitterneſſe and fruit of ſin, here then is Gods goodneſſe to a ſinner, that by letting him fall into a ſin he doth thee good, and makes thee to renew repentance, and greatens humiliation in thy heart.

Now for the finiſhing of this ſubject,Caſes of Conſcience there are ſeven Caſes of conſcience that in this Doctrine are needfull to be reſolved.

Firſt, Whether God may forgive a man his ſin, and yet the man himſelfe not know it: here David had ſin forgiven him, and David did know it, I acknowledge, and thou forgaveſt: but whether may a man have ſin forgiven him, and yet not know he is pardoned? I anſwer, in the affirmative, that a man may have ſin forgiven him, and yet not know that his ſin is pardoned; though David did know his pardon at this time, yet he did not know his pardon at other times, Pſal. 51. Reſtore unto me the joy of thy Salvation. God broke Davids bones for his Adultery, and David was driven to ſhed a River of tears before God did pour in one drop of joy, Job 33. 10. Behold hee findeth occaſions againſt me, he counteth me for his enemy. Job thought that God was an enemy unto him: and you have not onelyonly the confeſſion of one man, but the doubts and fears of the Church in generall, Lament. 3. 42. We have tranſgreſſed and have rebelled, thou haſt not pardoned, we have rebelled, &c. Yet God had pardoned, and God had forgiven them; yet here was their fear and their doubt, they lay under ſuſpenſe of pardon; p. 92God may pardon a ſinne unto the Elect, and yet they not know that they are pardoned, and in the manifold Wiſdome of God there are divers reaſons for it; firſt by keeping them under a ſuſpenſe of pardon, they may ſympathize with and carry more tenderneſs of compaſſion towards them that are troubled in minde; it was one end of Chriſts ſufferings, his ſoule was in an agony and under a deſertion, crying, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? what was the end of it? it was for this, that Chriſt might carry more compaſſion, and more bowels of tenderneſſe towards perſons that are under deep deſertions; Let a ſcholar that ſtudies many things, read in a Booke, of the ſtorms and diſtreſſes that ſea-men are ſubject unto; yet by all he reads he cannot pity men in a ſtorm, if he have never been in a ſtorm himſelfe; let one read what the ſcripture mentions of the pangs of a woman in travell, ſhe cannot ſo compaſſionate a woman in travell, unleſſe ſhee hath had the pangs her ſelfe; ſo in Divine things, it is experience that makes men have compaſſion.

Secondly, It is for this reaſon, to raiſe up in mens hearts a higher eſteem of pardoning grace; things hardly come by, are highly ſet by; what is the reaſon that birds do chirp and ſing more ſweetly in the ſpring then in any other part of the year? it is for this, becauſe after the vaniſhing away of a long and tedious winter the refreſhing Spring comes in: Beloved, The Lord makes his people chirp and ſing in the ſenſe of pardoning grace, rejoycing in that the more, the longer the winter of deſertion hath been: when God lets them have long deſertion, then they doe the more rejoyce and ſing when pardons are attained: Men do then prize the ſhore, when they have been toſſed by a tempeſt on the ſea. Thoſe that have been toſſed on the waves of ſpirituall trouble, that have had a ſtorm and tempeſt in their conſcience, they will prize pardoning grace moſt.

Thirdly, God doth ſometimes pardon a mans ſin, yet not tell him of it; and it is for rebuke to him, becauſe p. 93he hath not lived in the exerciſe of grace: thou keepeſt back obedience from God, and God keeps back comfort from thee: this is a main reaſon why ſometimes God pardons a ſinner, and yet doth not tell him of it in his own conſcience. It is done in heaven, the pardon is written there; but it is not done in the conſcience, it is not written here: It is to give thee a rebuke, a check in thine own heart; ſurely I have not exerciſed grace, therefore ſurely God will not give me the comforting work of his Spirit: when thou art not much in grace, then thou ſhalt be but little in peace, it is juſt with God ſo to doe.

Fourthly, the Lord pardons a ſin when he doth not tell that it is pardoned; it is to make the repentance of men more viſible and ſatisfactory to the world that hath been offended by their ſin. The Lord will make the world ſee that if men will ſinne notoriouſly they ſhall ſmart bitterly; to make the world ſee that repentance is no ſlight worke, and to make peace with God, is not eaſie.

Fifthly, to make men to taſte the evils and bitterneſſe of ſin; ſhould a man that is notoriouſly wicked, preſently attain the ſenſe of pardon, it may be he would not taſt the bitterneſſe of ſin.

6. Another reaſon is this, to teach doubting Chriſtians that aſſurance is not eſſentiall to pardon, it is ſeparable from pardon, it is ſeparable from faith, therefore from pardon. A man may beleeve, yet know not that he doth beleeve: The Lord doth it for that end, to teach doubting Chriſtians that though they have not aſſurance, yet they may have faith; though they want the ſenſe of pardon, they may be pardoned: there cannot be fruit, but there muſt be a tree; yet there may be a tree, when there is no fruit; there may be grace in the heart, when there is no peace in the conſcience; to have peace is additionall to grace: now the Lord for theſe holy ends doth ſometimes pardon a ſin in heaven, when the pardon is not ſealed to the conſcience. Thus much for the firſt caſe.

p. 942A ſecond Caſe of conſcience is this, if God pardons a ſin, whether or no doth he afflict and puniſh men for it after it is forgiven? this is an uſefull queſtion: and the reaſon is, becauſe there are errors and miſtakes about it; miſtakes on the right hand and on the left. The Antinomians ſay that a pardoned ſinner is never afflicted for ſin; and ſay they, to ſay that a man whoſe ſin is forgiven is afflicted for ſin, doth derogate from the ſatisfaction and ſufferings of Chriſt. Then the Papiſts ſay, that men are afflicted and puniſhed for ſin, and that theſe puniſhments are for ſatisfaction to divine Juſtice, and they are meritorious: and on this ground they bottome Purgatory, that after a man is dead, he muſt for ſome years lye in Purgatory, to ſatisfie for ſome notorious groſſe ſin done in his life.

Now Beloved to keep you from ſwerving either way, I ſhall lay down the true genuine ſtate of this Queſtion, and reſolve it to you.

Firſt conſider this, That God doth not afflict any man but where ſin is, that is my firſt poſition. God doth not cruciate an innocent creature: indeed the Schoolemen have a queſtion, whether God by his ſoveraignty may torment an innocent creature; but that is but a nicety; but this is moſt certain, that God in the diſpenſation of his Judgements doth puniſh no man, but where ſin is, ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin.

Secondly, though God afflicts none ſinleſſe, yet ſometimes it may be for triall and not for any particular ſin; ſo was Jobs affliction, it was not for ſin, but for triall, to try Iobs grace.

Thirdly and chiefly, it is apparant from the Scriptures, that pardoned ſinners may be puniſhed for their ſins. Would not this be partiall for a father to beat the ſervant for a fault, yet not beat the child for a worſe fault? Now the Lord will not leave ſuch a plea as this in any wicked mans heart. In all the Kingdomes of the world, where ſword, where peſtilence, where famin, and where plagues have been, the good have fallen with the bad; p. 95the righteous have fallen by the ſword, as well as the wicked: the reaſon is, that the world ſhould not ſay that he is a partiall God. Now to ſatisfie and to eſtabliſh your thoughts in this point, I ſhall give you two expreſſe teſtimonies in the Scripture, that God doth puniſh his people for ſin, though their ſins be pardoned. The one is of David, 2 Sam. 12. 14. Howbeit, becauſe by this deed thou hast given great occaſion to the enemies of the Lord to blaſpheme, the childe alſo that is born unto thee, ſhall ſurely dye. I will puniſh thee in thy child, I will pardon thy ſin, yet I will puniſh thy ſin; ſo likewiſe in 2 Sam. 7. 14. 15. I will be his father, and he ſhall be my ſon: If hee commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men, but my mercy ſhal not depart away from him, &c. A promiſe to Solomon, I will be his father, and he ſhall be my ſon: but if he commit iniquity, I will chaſten him with rods. And the Pſalmiſt, when he quotes this expreſſion, referres it to all the godly, Pſal. 89. 31, 32. If they break my Statutes, and keep not my commandements; then will I viſit their tranſgreſſion with the rod, and their iniquity with ſtripes. It was not onelyonly true of Solomon, but it is ſpoken of all the Church, If they commit iniquity, I will chaſtiſe them with rods. See, here a Solomon may be chaſtned with rods if he commits iniquity: nay, not only one man, but all the Church, 3. 2. You onelyonly have I known of all the families of the earth, therfore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities. If God be ſevere, it is with his own people to make them ſmart for ſin: he may ſpare wicked men, and not puniſh them here, becauſe he hath his hell for them hereafter: but this ſhall be all the hell of a godly man, and all their puniſhment. I, but this is Old Teſtament, and thus the Antinomians take off, and evade this Scripture: but doth God ſo in the New Teſtament? Yes, in the New Teſtament, Rom. 8. 20, And if Chriſt be in you, the body is dead becauſe of ſin. He ſpeaks of the beleeving Romans that death on their bodies was becauſe of ſin. And then the Apoſtle ſpeaks to the godly Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11. p. 9629, 30. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation or judgement to himſelfe, not diſcerning the Lords body. For this cauſe many are weak and ſickly amongſt you, and many ſleep. Many godly men were ſick and weak for their prophaning the Lords Supper: and this is under the New Teſtament, that the Apoſtle ſaith, as approving the righteous judgement of God, let not us commit fornication, as ſome of them commited, 1 Cor. 10. Let not us fall as they fell, and many of them it is probable among the 23 thouſand were good men: The Apoſtle approves of Gods Judgement to bee righteous in that Act.

Only one objection againſt this.

Doth not the Scripture ſay, in Iſa. 53. That the chaſtiſement of our peace was laid on Chriſt? now if all thoſe chaſtiſments that were due to us for ſin, were laid on Chriſt, doth not this derogate from Chriſts ſufferings that hee muſt ſuffer too? doth not this intimate that Chriſts ſufferings were not ſatisfactory?

The Anſwer is eaſie.

That when we ſay, we ſuffer for ſin, and are puniſhed for ſin, underſtand it thus, there is a great deal of difference between our ſuffering for ſin and Chriſts ſuffering for ſin; we doe not ſuffer for ſin as Chriſt did, becauſe our puniſhments for ſin are not by way of ſatisfaction to Divine Juſtice, but onelyonly by way of caſtigation from Divine Juſtice: when God doth puniſh a pardoned man with ſome outward Judgement for ſin, it is no ſatisfaction, no compenſation: when the text ſaith, that our chaſtiſements are laid upon Chriſt: the meaning is, Chriſt ſuffers for ſin by way of ſatisfaction, he appealeth Gods wrath, he ſatisfies Gods Juſtice for the ſins that we have done: ſhould we loſe our bloud for a ſin, ſhould we give the fruit of our body for the ſins of our ſoule, yet this cannot make a compenſation for ſin: therefore it may well conſiſt that God puniſhed Chriſt for our ſins by way of ſatisfaction to his Juſtice, and may puniſh us by way of caſtigation, as a father his children.

p. 97Now to ratifie and ſatisfie your thoughts the more in this: that though God doth pardon a ſin, yet hee will puniſh for a ſin: take ſome reaſons for it.

Firſt, Becauſe wicked men that are puniſhed for ſin, would accuſe God of partiality and injuſtice, ſhould he puniſh them and not his own people for the ſame ſin: wicked men would account God partiall: but the wicked ſhall ſay, I ſee Gods own people are puniſhed in this life, more ſeverely then I am: the Lord doth it to vindicate the impartiality of his Juſtice, that he will not ſpare ſin where ever finds it.

A ſecond Reaſon is, Becauſe God doth command Magiſtrates to execute puniſhments in this life for ſin even upon good men; therefore if he commands a Magiſtrate to puniſh a good man for his ſin, ſurely he doth approve of their puniſhment. Suppoſe a good man ſhould commit adultery, he was to dye for it: ſuppoſe he ſhould commit murder, he was to dye for it; if God did command that p…nall puniſhment ſhould be inflicted on good men in this life, then ſurely he might doe it much more himſelf.

Caſe. 3 The third Caſe of Conſcience is this, Whether doth pardon of ſin, go before faith and repentance, or elſe follow after? I doe not ſpeak now of the priority of nature, but of the priority of time. This is a uſefull queſtion.

There are many Books in Print, made by ſeverall Antinomians that plead for this, and they ſay that repentance is not a condition to qualifie the ſubject to obtain forgiveneſſe, but onelyonly a ſigne to manifeſt that ſin is forgiven, and that a man is pardoned from all eternity, that before a man beleeves and repents, he is pardoned: which is a falſhood, for to a beleever the Apoſtle doth confine pardon. Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath ſet forth to bee a propitiation, through faith in his bloud, to declare his righteouſneſſe, for the remiſſion of ſins that are paſt, through the forbearance of God. For ſins that are paſt, thoſe ſins you have committed and have repented of, he gives you pardon p. 98for all them. He that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſin, ſhall fiade mercy, and he that doth not ſo, ſhall not find mercy. He that hideth his ſin ſhall not proſper.

I anſwer to this query, that God doth pardon ſin after a man repents and beleeves, not before: and to give you a proofe for this: Firſt, I ſhall give you the grounds from the Scripture: then abſurdities that would follow if this were not ſo.

1Firſt from the Scripture, Obſerve, that the Scripture doth limit and confine pardon to a repenting ſtate. Act. 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your ſin may be blotted out. No blotting out of ſin without repentance, Repent that your ſin may be blotted out. Act. 26. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveneſſe of ſins, and an inheritance among them that are ſanctified by faith that is in me. So that till thou beeſt turned from darkneſſe to light, untill thou beeſt turned from Satan to God, thou haſt not received forgiveneſſe of ſins: mark the antecedent word, hee opens their eyes, &c. therefore God expreſly doth tye forgiveneſſe of ſin to repentance: and ſo in Joh. 1. 9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithfull and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſſe. There is firſt a confeſſion, this is a part of repentance, and then forgiveneſſe.

2Secondly, there is no promiſe in all Scripture, that God will pardon a ſin before repentance for ſin: but there are many promiſes that God will pardon when they doe repent, Jer. 23. 8. And I will cleanſe them from all their iniquity whereby they have ſinned againſt me, and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have ſinned, and whereby they have tranſgreſſed againſt me. Many promiſes, that when men repent of ſin they ſhall have …in pardoned: but there is never a promiſe that hath any ſhew, that before a man repents he ſhall have pardon.

Thirdly, the Scripture doth lay all men under a ſtate of wrath and condemnation, till they beleeve and repent p. 99unleſſe ye repent ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh, Luk. 13. 5. I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. Epheſ. 2. 3. Among whom alſo we had our converſation in times paſt in the luſts of our fleſh, fullfilling the deſires of the fleſh, and of the minde, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, Verſ. 12. that at that time ye were without Chriſt, being aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the covenants of promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the world. No hope of heaven, no hope of pardon in an unconverted ſtate. Now by the ſufferings of Chriſt, wee receive pardon; a man unrepenting, is a man without Chriſt, therefore ſurely without pardon. Therefore the Antinomians doctrine doth bolſter men in profaneneſſe: ſaying (in a manner) to a drunkard, go on in drunkenneſſe, for God hath pardoned thee from all eternity: but I ſay, Repent therefore, that your ſins may bee blotted out. There are not onelyonly theſe expreſſe teſtimonies in Scripture, and reaſons grounded thereupon; but manifold and groſſe abſurdities that would follow if you ſhould deny this truth. This would follow then, that there is no difference between a converted man, and a man unconverted: and is not this groſſe to ſay that there is as much comfort to a man before he is converted, as to one after he is converted?

2Secondly, if a man is pardoned before he beleeves and repents, then this deſtroyes Juſtification by faith, being juſtified by faith we have peace with God. Now juſtification is a pardoning of ſin, is Gods gracious act, and not imputing ſin unto you; when the Scripture ſaith, I am juſtified by faith, and the Antinomian ſaith, I am juſtified without faith, where lyes the error? Now then to ſay that a man is pardoned before he beleeves and repents, is in expreſs terms to contradict the Scripture, when the Scripture ſaith, he is juſtified by faith.

The Antinomians have this evaſion, ſay they, a man is pardoned before he beleeves, he is actually pardoned; but when he beleeves, then he hath manifeſtation of pardon. p. 100On this evaſion, another groſſe error will follow; for by this reaſon faith is no more inſtrumentall to juſtification, then as it is declarative to a man that he is juſtified: whereas the Scripture ſaith there is more uſe of faith, for faith is an inſtrument actually to lay hold on Chriſt for pardon; the grace of love to Chriſt, the grace of humility, the grace of ſelfe-deniall, and the grace of mortification; theſe do evidence and declare a pardoned ſtate as well as faith: this is to deſtroy the main uſe of faith, and makes faith of little or no uſe in Juſtification.

4Again, another abſurdity will follow, to ſay that a man before he repents is pardoned, it is as much as to ſay, before a man be in Chriſt, he is pardoned: this is falſe, for without Chriſt there is no pardon. I might run over many abſurdities that would follow in denying this orthodox point.

Object. 1 There is one ſtrong Objection, which is this.

Anſw. 1 Doth not God love a man from all eternity? and doth not the Scripture ſay, that we were choſen in Chriſt before the foundations of the world were laid? Now God electing of us, or loving of us, is Gods pardoning of us; if God doth love a man before he was born, then ſure God doth pardon a man from eternity. To argue from Gods love to actuall pardon, is as great an abſurdity as to argue, that becauſe God did purpoſe from all eternity to create the world, therefore the world was created from eternity. God decrees to pardon from all eternity, God executes this decree when thou art converted, God doth manifeſt this, that he hath pardoned thee, when he doth give thee the aſſurance of his love. Antinomians make onelyonly the decree and the manifestation, and leave out the execution of it.

Secondly, obſerve this, That when we ſay that God doth love a man from all eternity, you muſt not underſtand it, that it is a love in purpoſe: and Divines do give this ſolid and uſefull diſtinction in it, that there is a twofold love in God, there is a love of purpoſe▪ and a love of complacency or delight: the love of purpoſe is in God p. 101towards elect men from all eternity, that is, a love where God hath a purpoſe in time to doe a ſoule good: but a love of complacency and delight in God, is not in God till he be converted: before converſion, God hath not a love of delight, for there is nothing in thee that God ſhould take delight in: At that time ye were children of wrath: God doth not love an elect man with the love of complacency, till hee be converted, untill he doth repent and beleeve.

Object. Another objection is this.

Doth not God pardon a man before hee beleeves, and repents, then what ſay ye of young Infants which cannot actually beleeve or repent, you will not be ſo cruell to ſay that all Infants go to hell.

Anſw. 1 I anſwer, I am farre from thinking that all Infants go to hell:This cavill is brought by the Papiſts againſt juſtification by faith. I beleeve that Heaven is as full of Infants as any other rank of years in the world; yet this plea will make nothing for thoſe that plead for juſtification before repenting and beleeving, this is onelyonly ſpoken of juſtificacation and ſalvation of Infants without actuall beleeving.

Thirdly conſider, that there is a great difference between the ſtate of an Infant, and of men grown to years: the ſcripture tels you,Rom. 10. 15.Rom 10:15 that faith comes by hearing, that is in men grown in years they muſt get their faith in an ordinary way by hearing the Word preached: but this rule holds not for young Infants, becauſe they are not capable of underſtanding, they wanting the uſe of reaſon, and God expects no more from them then he gives ability: faith comes by hearing, faith the ſcripture: but ſaith the Antinomian, what need I hear, what need I pray, for a man may have pardon without all? But conſider, that though children cannot exerciſe faith, yet children may have habituall faith, as Divines ſay, children may have grace ſeminally, though they cannot have the exerciſe of grace. Thou canſt not tell, ſaith Solomon, how the bones of a childe grow in the womb, therefore much more how God by a ſtrange and a powerful manner can implant and impreſſe grace in the heart of a ſucking babe; p. 102yet there is grace in elect children: in an elect child there is ſeminall grace, and habituall grace. As there is ſin ſeminall in a childes nature, that before a childe can act ſin, it hath ſin; ſo by the ſame reaſon, they are capable of grace, you that will deny grace to children, will fall into the Pelagian error, that a childe hath no ſin: but a childe hath a depraved nature, a nature enclining to ſin; therefore when it comes to years, though it ſhould never ſee a ſin cōmited, yet would it ſin: a child cannot act grace cannot act faith & repentance, that is true, but a child may have grace habituall;Mat. 10. 16.Matt 10:16 therefore Chriſt took children in his arms and bleſt them, ſurely they muſt be gracious children; ſuch children are pardoned: we know not how to expreſs their faith, but they have an habituall faith. And thus much for the anſwering of that third caſe of conſcience.

4The fourth Caſe to be handled, is this, Whether it be conſiſtent with the ſtate of pardon to commit often the ſame groſſe ſin over and over again? It is needfull to touch upon this caſe, becauſe it perplexeth troubled mindes. I ſhall ſpeak to this point two wayes.

Firſt, by way of comfort.

5Secondly, by way of Caution,

Firſt, by way of Comfort.

The firſt anſwer is this, That it is clear by an induction of particular inſtances in Scripture, that pardoned men have fallen often into the ſame ſin, this is moſt clear.

Firſt, if you referre it to ſpirituall ſins, to evils that are of daily incurſion, evils that are inward and ſpirituall, ſpirituall pride, diſtempered paſſion, omiſſion in duties; a pardoned man may many times fall in ſuch ſins as theſe.

2Further, it is clear by induction of inſtances in Scripture that a pardoned man may fall into groſſe ſins, oftentimes into the ſame ſin: ſome inſtances, one is of Ioſeph, it was a groſſe ſin for Joſeph to ſwear an heatheniſh Oath, by the life of Pharoah, Gen. 42. 15. Hereby ye ſhall bee proved, by the life of Pharaoh ye ſhall not go forth hence except your youngeſt brother come hither. Send one of you p. 193and let him fetch your brother, and ye ſhall be kept in priſon that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or elſe by the life of Pharaoh ſurely ye are ſpies. Yet the Jewes were ſo well inſtructed, and had ſuch prohibitions againſt ſwearing, one ſhould thinke that they ſhould not be guilty of ſo groſſe an evill; yet Joſeph being in Pharoahs court among heathens, he ſwore twice by the life of Pharoah. And thus you read of Jehoſaphat, he fell twice into the ſame ſin, he made a league with Ahaziah King of Iſrael, he loved them that were enemies to God, 2. Chron. 20 35, 36, 37. And after this did Jehoſaphat King of Judah joyn himſelfe with Ahaziah King of Iſrael, who did very wickedly: And he joyned himſelf with him to makſhips to go to Tarſhiſh: and they made the ſhips in Ezion Geber. Then Eliezer the ſon of Dodanah of Mareſhah propheſied against Jehoſaphat, ſaying, becauſe thou haſt joyned thyſelfe with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works: and the ſhips were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarſhiſh. Twice he ran into the ſame ſin. If there were no more ſpoken of Sampſon in the New Teſtament, then in the Old, it were queſtionable whether he was a good man or no: but what read you of Sampſon? You read of him firſt of al, that he maryed a heatheniſh woman, which was againſt Gods command. Nay, he fell to the ſame ſin when the Philiſtims killed her, then he maryed a whore, chap. 16, 1. then went Samſon to Gaza, Jud. 15. 6.Judg 15:6and ſaw there an harlot, and went in unto her. Nay again, you ſhall finde him fall three times into the ſame ſin. He did three times tell a lye, one after another; when Daliah came to inveagle him on the inſtigation of the Philiſtims that ſhe ſhould learn where Sampſons ſtrength lay: firſt ſaith Sampſon, If they bind me with ſeven green withs, that were never dryed; then ſhall I be weak, and be as another man. But when he was bound, he broke the withs as one would break the thred in two when it toucheth the fire: then ſaith ſhe, why haſt thou deceived me and told me a lye? then hee told her againe, If thou wilt binde me with new ropes that p. 104were never uſed, then I ſhall be weak like another man: but he broke the ropes. Nay, he tels her a third lye, he ſaid unto her, If thou weaveſt the ſeven locks of my head with the web, then my ſtrength will goe from me, and this ſhe did alſo, and his ſtrength remained. But the fourth time hee told her truth, ſaith he, If I bee ſhaven, then my ſtrength will go from me, and I ſhall become weak, and be like another man: and ſhe cauſed the ſeven locks upon his head to be ſhaved off, and his ſtrength went from him. I ſpeake this to a perplexed conſcience;Heb. 11. 32.Heb 11:32 that good men may be ſo overborn, that they may frequently act over the ſame ſin again and again.

Then Peter that did lye thrice as Sampſon did, Peter did deny Chriſt three times with an oath and a curſing.

Therefore this ſhould be ſomething to ſtay the doubting and deſponding heart, that not only ſins of an unavoidable infirmity, ſecret ſpiritual ſins, but alſo ſins that are more obnoxious to infamy and ſcandal, good men have fallen into, and yet have been pardoned.

3Another anſwer, that Jeſus Chriſt Chriſt bids us to forgive our brother that ſins againſt us in one day ſeventy times ſeven; Luk. 17. 4.Luke 17:4if Jeſus Chriſt cals for this at our hands, who have hardly a drop of bowels, ſurely God that hath a ſea and a vaſt Ocean of mercies, can forgive a ſin, and will forgive a ſin, though it be often reiterated.

Thus much for the anſwer to that queſtion, as to the comfort of troubled ſouls.

Now by way of Caution, that this comfort the ſcripture gives be not abuſed.

1The firſt Caution is this, That though it be poſſible a man may fall often into the ſame ſin; yet it is not uſuall ſo to doe; it is a note that Mr Hilderſham hath on Pſ. 51. touching Davids foul ſin. I doe not read of any expreſſe example in all the Scriptures of a godly man falling oft into the ſame groſſe ſins after repentance, and after humiliation for that ſin. Obſerve this further, that though it be poſſible, yet it is but very rare, and though there be inſtances that ſome men have done ſo, yet there p. 105are not more plentifull inſtances that good men have not done ſo, I will give you a few inſtances. Jehoſaphat entred into a ſinfull league with Ahaziah as he had done before with his father, but when the Prophet rebuked him; read the ſtory, 1 King. 22. He had ſinned a once with his father, but he would not ſin a ſecond time with his Son, ſo that, here you ſee a good man would not ſecond time joyn with an Ahaziah; So likewiſe you have the inſtance in Judah, that was in father in law to Thamar, Gen. 28. 26. And Judah acknowlegded them and ſaid; ſhe hath been more righteous then I, becauſe that I gave her not to Shelah may ſon: and he knew her again no more. It was not again done, he knew her again no more, ſo as Divines do uſually urge it; Noah was drunke, but never but once, and that before he knew the ſtrength of the grape. David was adulterous, but never but once: This therefore ſhall be one caution.

2Secondly, Take this caution, that you might not bee emboldned to run often into the ſame ſin; if a man doth often commit the ſame groſſe ſin, it argues a greater ſtrength and prevalency that ſin hath over him then all other ſins. Phyſitians ſay, that a diſeaſe that a man doth often relaſpe into, argues the ſtrength of theſe peccant humours that feed the diſeaſe; if thou often falleſt into luſts, it argues the prevalency of a luſtfull temper.

In the third place, Relapſes into the ſame groſſe ſin, are very dangerous and deadly ſymptomes of a man in a loſt condition, I do not ſay, they are ſuch ſymptoms that infalibly conclude a man to be an unpardonable man; I may ſay as Phyſitians ſay of a relapſe into the ſame diſeaſe; the ſecond time is more dangerous then the firſt; the reaſon is, becauſe the firſt ſickneſſe feeds on the ill humours, but relapſe into the ſame ſickneſs feeds on the vitall ſpirits: Beloved, the falling and relapſing into the ſame ſin is a dangerous ſymptome, it is a clear ſymptome of the prevalency of that ſin. It is worth your notice what ſymptomes, the Lord doth give of the plague of leproſie p. 106for the Prieſt to judge that diſeaſe by, Levit. 13. the firſt ſymptome was when the hair was turned white in the fore; Divines accommodate that to a continuance in ſin to old age, that argues you are unclean Lepers. Another ſymptome was, when there was raw fleſh in the ſcab; Divines accommodate that unto a man being adventurous to ſin againſt a raw, a troubled and a wounded Conſcience. A third ſign of the plague of leproſie was, when after the ſore was healed, there ſhould a new ſcab ariſe in the place thereof: thus when after thou haſt healeda ſin, by vows, by faſting and prayer, by holy purpoſes in Chriſts ſtrength, and after the healing the ſame ſore breaks out, and the ſame luſt breaks in upon thee, this is a dangerous ſymptome.

4Fourthly, that you might not be adventurous on ſin, and ſo acuſe this comfort: conſider, that falling often into the ſame ſin, doth more harden the heart then any thing in the world, habituating and indulging a mans ſelfe into the ſame road of wickedneſſe; there is nothing in the world doth more harden the heart, then when the ſame ſin hath an uſual inroad into thy conſcience & life, then all tenderneſſe and remorſe of conſcience wil be taken away; I ſpeak meerly on this ground, that ſeeing you have inſtances that men may often fall into the ſame groſſe evils, yet let theſe four conſiderations keep you from abuſing this comfortable point. I, but you will ſay, if I do fall often into the ſame ſin, what may be to ſtay my heart up that I may be in a pardoned ſtate for all this? I ſay this to you, though thou doſt fall often into the ſame ſin; yet if thy conſcience bears thee witneſſe thou doſt exerciſe the ſame grace often in oppoſition to the ſame ſin, thou mayeſt have a great deal of comfort that thou art in a ſtate of pardon.

Caſe. 5 The fifth caſe follows.

But whether may a godly man that is pardoned pray for pardon of ſin? Antinomians account this to be needleſs; they account all prayer for pardon to be onelyonly in this ſenſe; to wit, of pardon, and a manifeſtation of pardon.

p. 107Anſw. Firſt, though it be true, that God doth not call a man to pray for thoſe things that are perfectly done ſo as never to be done again, as election and creation; yet God doth command us to pray for thoſe things that are ſtill a doing, I am not to pray to God to create the world, it is perfectly done, I am not to pray for Election, it is ſo done as never to be done more. I am not to pray for the incarnation of Chriſt, Chriſt is come into the fleſh, but though I am not to pray for theſe things that are ſo fully and perfectly done; yet I am to pray for thoſe things that are ſtill adoing, pardon of ſin is an act of God that is ſtill in doing, therefore the Apoſtle referrs pardon, Rom, 3. 24, 25. Being juſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt, whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his bloud, to declare his righteouſneſſe for the remiſſion of ſins that are paſt, through the forbearance of God. And as ſin is remitted and repented of, it is pardoned; therefore that reaſon is not valid to take off men from praying for pardon of ſin, the Scripture doth expreſs it, I acknowledged my tranſgreſſion and thou forgaveſt. Math. 6. 12. and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters. That Plat-form according to which we are to model our prayers, the Antinomians would evade the Text and pretend, that in that Text and ſuch Scriptures we onelyonly pray for a ſenſe and manifeſtation of pardon in the conſcience, and not for actuall exhibition of pardon in regard of God.

To take off this, firſt, the next words in the Petition, are to be taken for a reall forgiveneſſe, not a forgiveneſſe in ſenſe and feeling; for conſider the whole Petition, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſſe againſt us; there can be no reaſon ſhewen why the firſt part of the Petition ſhould be taken for ſenſe and feeling of forgiveneſſe, and the other ſhould not be taken ſo.

Secondly conſider this, that in the ſame ſenſe you muſt underſtand a ſin to be forgiven, as in Scripture language it is ſpoken not to be forgiven; a ſin is ſaid not to be forgiven when there is an actuall guilt lies upon a man; p. 108a guilt abiding upon the perſon of a wicked man that is not taken away, Mat. 12. 32. And whoſoever ſpeaketh a word againſt the ſon of man, it ſhall be forgiven him, but whoſoever ſpeaketh againſt the Holy Ghoſt, it ſhall not bee forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. They that underſtand forgiving only in ſenſe and feeling, muſt underſtand this clauſe, not forgiving onelyonly in ſenſe and feeling, and ſo no reall guilt to lye upon the man: ſo that,

It is againſt the nature of forgiveneſſe to be only forgiving ſin in a mans own conſcience.

Caſe. 6 A ſixt caſe is this, Whether when a man in ſuing for pardon, ought to make any difference between great ſins and ſmall ſins. The Stoicks ſay all ſins are alike, and there is no difference; It is true, in regard of the object, all ſins are againſt God; yet when you come to beg pardon for ſin, according as your ſins are greatned, you are accordingly to behave your ſelves in ſeeking for pardon: God can pardon great ſins as well as ſmall, in regard of God there is no difference, nor in regard of the merits of Chriſt; but yet in your behaviour in ſeeking for pardon of ſinne you are to make a great difference between the greatneſſe and the ſmallneſſe of your evils: For conſider, the ſcripture makes a difference between ſins; therefore we muſt doe ſo; The Scripture compares ſome ſin to Camels, and ſome to Gnats; The Scripture compares ſome ſin to beams, and ſome to motes, ſome ſins as talents, and others but as pence, and in Amos there is mention made of mighty ſins Amos 5. in John of greater ſins, Joh. 19. 11. Jeſus anſwered, Thou couldeſt have no power at all againſt me, except it were given thee from above; therefore he that delivered me unto thee, hath the greater ſin. It is true, every ſin deſerves hell, yet there is more of the puniſhment of hell inflicted on ſome ſinners then others, the reaſon why I ſpeak of this caſe, is to let you know, that as God hath ſuffered any of you to fall into aggravated and hainous evils, ſo he requires more of you then of other men. Conſider, That God requires of you more humiliation p. 109then he requires of other men: In the Law you read that if a man toucht the unclean thing, he was unclean till evening, but if a man bare an unclean thing he was to waſh his cloths, to ſhew that the touch of ſin requires humiliation; but the bearing of a ſin in thy boſome, thy continuing in ſin requires more work then meerly the touch of ſin; Peter wept bitterly for his deniall, he did more for that ſin then for an ordinary ſin. So that you are to conſider, that though in regard of Chriſt there is no difference between a great ſinne and a ſmall; as the red Sea could drown Pharaoh and his hoſt as well as a ſingle man; ſo Chriſts blood can drown a huge hoſt of ſins; but yet you muſt encreaſe your humiliation on the aggravation of your guilt; thus much for the ſixth caſe of Conſcience.

Caſe. 7 The ſeventh is this;

What are thoſe great and hainous circumſtances that doe greaten ſin; that ſo I may ſee whether I have aggravated my ſin or not; here are theſe circumſtances which do aggravate and greaten ſin.

Anſ. 1 Firſt, Sinning againſt the frequent manifeſtation of Gods love to thy ſoule, this greatly aggravates ſin; this did aggravate Solomons ſin,1 Kin. 11. 9.1 Kgs 11:9 1 King. 11. Solomon was the beloved of the Lord, yet he provoked him to anger, after he had appeared to him twice.

2Secondly, To ſinne againſt the rebukes and checks of thine own Conſcience, doth greaten ſin, Jam. 4. 17. Therfore to him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is ſin. It is ſin to another man that doth not know it; but to him that knoweth it, it is a greater ſin; this Chriſt refers to and ſpeaks of Judas that would betray him; and yet knew that he was the Son of God: What, my Diſciples to betray me! his ſin was the greater, Conſcience is Gods Officer in man; it is a greater fault to ſtrike a Conſtable then an ordinary man out of Office; for thee to ſin againſt the rebukes and checks of Conſcience, aggravates ſinne.

3Thirdly, To ſin againſt Gods judgements upon other men, is an aggravated evill; for thee to ſin when God p. 110hath given thee warning of ſin from other mens blood; this did aggravate Belſhazzars ſin, Dan. 5. 22. 23. And thou his ſon, O Belſhazzar, haſt not humbled thine heart, though thou kneweſt all this; But haſt lifted up thy ſelfe againſt the Lord of heaven, &c. Thou that knoweſt how a man is plagued for his uncleanneſſe; thou that knoweſt how a man is plagued for riotous living, yet thou wilt live riotous, and thou wilt live adulterous, that thy ſin is the greater, thou ſinneſt againſt the monument of the eie, as well as againſt the warning of the eare.

4Fourthly, Sin againſt Gods judgements upon our ſelves, doth weighten ſin; this did aggravate Abaz ſin, 2 Chron. 28. 22. And in the time of his diſtreſſe, he did treſpaſſe yet more againſt the Lord.

5Fifthly, To ſinne againſt mercies is an aggravation of ſin, 2 Sam. 12. I delivered thee out of Sauls hand, I gave thee thy Maſters houſe, I gave thee the houſe of Iſrael, and if all this had been too little for thee, I would have moreover given thee ſuch and ſuch things; Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed? &c. What thou ſinne David, and haſt been loaden with a heap of mercies? this greatens thy ſin.

6Sixthly, It greatens ſin, when the ſinne is immediately againſt God, 1 Sam. 2. 25. If one man ſin againſt another, the Judge ſhall judge him; but if a man ſin againſt the Lord, who ſhall intreat for him? If a man ſinnes againſt God, O who ſhall plead for him?

7Seventhly, To ſin againſt the motions of Gods ſpirit, aggravates ſin, when the ſpirit of God ſhall in thy Conſcience perſwade thee that thou wouldſt not follow ſuch wicked waies as thou art walking in; when the Spirit of God ſhall come and wooe thee to be reconciled, to alter thy courſe, and to walk in better paths; when not only the voice of conſcience, but the motions of Gods Spirit ſhall be ſtifled, this aggravates ſin: Hence it is that Scripture in ſetting out the wronging and withſtanding the ſpirits motion, whether to good, or from evill, doth aſcend by gradations: ſometimes it is called quenching the ſpirit;1 Theſ. 5. 19.1 Thess 5:19 Quench not the Spirit; a higher degree, there is a p. 111grieving the Spirit, Eph. 4. 30.Eph 4:30when there are frequent acts to withſtand divine motions, that is a grieving the Spirit. And then there is an higher aggravation then this, that is, reſiſting the Spirit, Act. 7. 51. Ye ſtiffe necked, and uncircumciſed in heart and eares, yee doe alwaies reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt, as your Fathers did, ſo do ye: This is cauſed by pertinaciouſneſſe in withſtanding the ſpirits motion. And then the ſcripture ſpeaks of vexing the ſpirit, Iſa. 63. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy ſpirit, therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and fought againſt them: This is not only by one ſingle act; but when continually throughout thy courſe, thou haſt a wilfull and a gainſaying heart againſt all the motions of Gods ſpirit within thee: Muſt not this be a great evill in thee, when thou doſt quench, grieve, reſiſt, and vex the ſpirit? all theſe circumſtances muſt needs aggravate and greaten thy ſin.

8Eightly, Sin is aggravated when thou doſt frequently fall into the ſame ſin.

9Ninthly, Sin is aggravated when it is done in a way of complacencie, that it is not onelyonly acted by thee, but loved by thee, the acting of a ſin, is not ſo much as a loving of ſinne.

10Tenthly, Sin is aggravated when it is done by eminent and publick perſons, whoſe example draw other men to ſin, and this did aggravate Jeroboams ſin, 2 Kin. 17. 21. For he rent Iſrael from the houſe of David, and they made Jeroboam the ſon of Nebat King, and Jeroboam drave Iſrael from following the Lord, and made them ſin a great ſin. Thou that haſt ſinned a ſin, and art a publick perſon, thy ſins are other mens ſins, thine is a greater ſin then another mans ſin is; for every act that thou haſt done, will be an imboldning and encouragement of others to do the like.

11It aggravates ſin, when God doth puniſh other men for thy ſin, this makes the ſins of Rulers to be great ſins, becauſe for their ſins God may puniſh the people, as for Davids ſin in numbring the people, there did thouſands of Iſrael die of the plague; when thou ſinneſt in thy family, God may puniſh all the houſe for that ſin, this you ſhall p. 112find an aggravation of Abrahams ſin, Gen. 20. 9. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and ſaid unto him, What haſt thou done unto us, and what have I offended thee, that thou haſt brought on me and on my Kingdome a great ſin? thou haſt done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

12Sin is an aggravated ſin when it is done by a man that lives under much means of grace; where the Goſpell is preached, where ſin is reproved, there to live in a way of wickedneſſe,Mat. 11. 31.Matt 11:31 greatens thy ſin: that made a woe to be pronounced by Chriſt, againſt Chorazin and Bethſaida, becauſe they had the Goſpell, it ſhould be worſe with them then with Sodom and Gomorrah.

13Sin is aggravated, when they are againſt many vows, purpoſes, and prayers, and many holy reſolutions, thou addeſt perjurie to thine iniquitie, and that aggravates thy ſinne.

Oh then admire the riches of Gods pardoning grace, that he forgives ſins cloathed with many aggravated circumſtances; O then what remains? there are two things to be done by you:

Firſt, If at any time you find that you are under theſe aggravations, that you can call your ſins the iniquity of ſin; O then you ſhould admire and magnifie the multitude of Gods mercy, that great ſins cannot out-vie Gods mercy, but Gods mercy out-vies thy great ſins, Magnifie pardoning grace the more; Paul ſaith, 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was before a blaſphemer, and a perſecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, &c. O do thou ſay ſo, I have been thus vile and thus wicked, I have thus abounded in ſin, yet through the abundance of grace and love, I have obteined merciemercy. O let this inhance the value of Chriſts blood.

Secondly, Labour to greaten thine own graces; haſt thou been notorious in ſin? why ſhouldſt not thou be great in humiliation, great in repentance.

And thus I have by the good hand of God in theſe Sermons, handled two Doctrines to you, the one touching Davids penitentiall act confeſſing ſin, and the other of Gods gracious act, The Lord forgave him the iniquity of his ſin.

FINIS.