The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 2 · Section 6

The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant · Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 2 · Section 6

p. 380SECT. VI.

Ʋſe 2. DOth God promiſe forgiveneſs of ſins unto his people? Is it one of the firſt mercies by him promiſed unto them? Then let us every one be exhorted to get a capacity of the forgiveneſs of our ſins.Get a capacity of forgiveneſs.

Beloved, it is true, that God can and doth forgive ſins, and will do ſo; but yet he will do this in that way, and in that order which he hath preſcribed in his own Word; we may not ſay, Why, I am a ſinner, and therefore God will forgive me: (as if one ſhould ſay, I am a debtor, therefore the Creditor will releaſe me; and I am an offender, and therefore the Judge will abſolve me:) Nor may we p. 381ſay abſolutely God is a merciful God, and therefore he will forgive me; for as God is a merciful God, and may therefore forgive; ſo he is a righteous God, and therefore he may condemn. Nor may we ſay that God promiſeth forgiveneſs of ſins, therefore our ſins are forgiven; for as God promiſeth mercy, he contracts that promiſe of mercy unto his own people: and as God ſaith he will mercifully pardon, ſo he ſaith likewiſe that he will not be merciful to any wicked tranſgreſſor, Pſal. 59 5. And he will not ſpare the audacious ſinner, who promiſeth peace unto himſelf though he adds drunkenneſs to thirſt, Deut. 29. 19, 20.

Now becauſe this Uſe is of the greateſt conſequence and neceſſity for us, who ſtand in need of this vital and ſoveraign mercy, the forgiveneſs of ſins, therefore I will diſcourſe of three poſition… concerning it.

1. Some ſinners do erroneouſly make and take ſome things for a certain capacity of forgiveneſſe of their ſins, which abſolutely is not ſo.

2. Some ſinners do certainly put themſelves out of a capacity of forgiveneſs.

3. Some ſinners are in a right capacity of Gods promiſe of the forgiveneſs of their ſins.

Some plead for a capacity of pardon upon falſe grounds. As Gods mercifulneſs,Firſt, Some ſinners do erroneouſly take theſe things for certain grounds, that they are in the liſt and compaſſe of forgiveneſs of ſins which (abſolutely) conſidered cannot be ſo. e. g.

Firſt, God is of a very merciful nature, ready to forgive, and his mercy is over all his works, and he will not deſtroy his creatures, he did not make us to damn us, therefore my ſins ſhall be forgiven!

Anſwered. Sol. This cannot be a ſure ground to build on, that we are within the compaſs or capacity of forgiveneſs of ſins, becauſe

1. By this Reaſon, the Divels alſo may conclude the forgiveneſs of their ſins, for God is of a merciful nature, and ready to forgive, and his mercy is over all his works.

2. By this ground no ſinner ſhould be damned, but every ſinner ſhould be ſaved. For if every man hath his ſins pardoned, then no man ſhall be damned (to have ſins pardoned, is to be diſcharged from condemnation) but if this were a ſtrong and ſufficient inference, Sins are pardoned becauſe God is of a merciful nature; then every ſinner ſhould have his ſins pardoned.

3. Though mercifulneſſe be natural to God, yet the diſpenſation or collation of mercy is voluntary and Arbitrary; forgiving acts of mercy do not flow from God in that way as effects do flow from natural Agents (in a way of neceſſity) as the Sun neceſſarily gives out light, and fire neceſſarily breaths out heat: But as effects flow from voluntary and free Agents; Rom. 9. 15 I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compaſſion on whom I will have compaſſion: So then it will not follow, Your ſins are forgiven, becauſe Gods Nature is mercifull; for forgiving mercy is not a neceſſary effect of that Nature, but a voluntary effect thereof.

4. Beſides Juſtice is as natural to God as mercifulneſſe is, he is (Eſſentially) as juſt as he is merciful, and he doth intend the gloryfying of his Juſtice upon ſinners as ce…tainly as he doth the glorifying of his mercifulneſſe: Rom. 9. 22. What if God willing to ſhow his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long …uffering, the veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction! Ver. 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the veſſels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory! Here you plainly ſee a will and purpoſe in God to ſet up the glory of his Juſtice in the deſtruction of the veſſels of wrath, as well as the glory of his mercifulneſs in the ſalvation of the veſſels of mercy: Exod. 34. Keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſions and ſins, and that will by no means clear the guiliy: Here alſo you find that mercifulneſs is ſo attributed to God, as that juſtice likewiſe is preſerved in him; though his merciful nature in forgiving doth extend to thouſands, yet it doth not extend to all: For he likewiſe p. 382profeſſeth that he will by no means clear the guilty. Mercy hath a double conſideration.

Firſt, as in the nature of God.

Secondly, As in the promiſe of God, which ſheweth whom he will forgive; and therefore

5. It would be your wiſdom, not abſolutely to ſit down with this notion that God is merciful; but reſpectively to ſearch out unto what ſorts of perſons he doth promiſe himſelf to be a merciful God in forgiving their ſins: For in his promiſes you may as certainly diſcern the will and extent of his mercy, as in his threatnings you may eſpy the purpoſe and intent of his wrath; and if you did ſo, you ſhould preſently find that forgiving mercy is promiſed, and intended only for believing and repenting ſinners. Prov. 28. 13. Iſa. 55. 7. Acts 3. 19. Acts 10. 43.

Object. And whereas it is objected, that (Pſal. 145. 9.) the Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Sol. This place is not for your purpoſe; for

1. When he ſaith that the Lord is good to all, this is ſpoken only as to his general Providence, whereby he doth good to all ſorts of creatures, man and beaſt in their ſuſtentation and preſervation.

2. When he ſaith that his tender mercies are over all his works; if you take all his works for the whole Creation, and his tender mercies for forgiveneſs of ſins; (unto which forgiveneſs is aſcribed, Pſal. 51. 1.) then it cannot with any ſenſe he affirmed that forgiveneſs of ſins extends to the whole Creation; for this were to make beaſts and trees, and the elements, and heavens to be ſinners; but when he ſaith that his tender mercies are over all his works, either this is ſpoken in an abſolute ſenſe, that all his works do taſte of his kindneſs, bounty and pity; or in a comparative ſenſe, that of all the works of God, his mercies are the higheſt and chiefeſt, they are above or over all of them, none like to them.

Object. But God did not make us to damn us?

Sol. No, nor yet to ſin againſt him, but to ſerve him.

Secondly, A ſecond ground upon which ſome do conclude that they are within the compaſs and capacity of the promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins, is this, that God is a gracious God, forgiving ſins freely; ſo indeed doth that word ſignifie, Coloſ. 2 13. Gods graciouſneſs;Having forgiven you all trespaſſes, foreign, freely forgiven; and Luke 7. 42. He freely forgiveth them both.

Hence they conclude that God ſtands upon nothing, requires nothing, but without any more ado will forgive the ſins of men, as it were of courſe.

Anſwered. Sol. And yet by your favour God in his Word doth ſay, Acts 3. 19. Repent and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out. Gal. 2. 16. We have believed in Jeſus Chriſt, that we might be juſtified by the faith of Chriſt.

But conſider,

Firſt, The graciouſneſs of God in forgiving of ſins, ſtands in oppoſition, not to the means which God hath preſcribed to enjoy forgiveneſs, but unto our merits and deſerts of forgiveneſs; God forgives ſins freely and graciouſly, (i. e.) without any merit or deſert of ours. Iſa. 43. 25. I even I, am be that blotteth out thy tranſgreſsions for mine name ſake; but God doth not forgive ſins freely, (i. e.) without our repenting and believing; for theſe he doth require of us, that we may receive the forgiveneſs of our ſins.

Secondly, When God is ſaid to forgive ſins freely, the meaning is not that he forgives every ſinner in the world, (freeneſs notes the means, not the extent of forgiveneſs) with ſuch a free unlimited largeneſs he doth not forgive; but the meaning is, that all thoſe ſinners who are forgiven, they are freely forgiven; God doth not put them upon any perſonal ſatisfactions; nor doth he agree with them p. 383for any work of theirs, as a cauſe or deſert of the forgiveneſs of their ſins. Jer. 3. 12. Return thou back-ſliding Iſrael, ſaith the Lord; and I will not cauſe mine anger to fall upon thee? for I am merciful, ſaith the Lord. Ʋer. 13. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou haſt tranſgreſſed against the Lord thy God, &c. Therefore take heed that you deceive not your ſelves with a confidence that your ſins are forgiven, becauſe God is gracious, and forgives freely; for God is gracious to whom he will be gracious, and they whom he graciouſly forgives, are only the people of his Covenant, even believers and penitents.

The death of Chriſt for all;Thirdly, A third falſe ground upon which ſome do abſolutely conclude the forgiveneſs of their ſins, is the death of Chriſt, that he ſhed his blood for the remiſſion of ſins, and that he dyed (as to that purpoſe) for all and every one; therefore their ſins (amongſt the reſt) are unqueſtionably forgiven.

Anſwered. Sol. That Jeſus Chriſt did ſhed his blood for the remiſſion of ſins is moſt true, he himſelf hath delivered it: Matth. 26. 28. This is my blood which is ſhed for the remiſsion of ſins; but that his blood did procure an actual remiſſion of ſins for every ſinner in the world, this is moſt falſe; for Chriſt himſelf hath ſaid, Mark 16. 16. He that believes, ſhall be ſaved; and he that believes not ſhall be damned. Joh. 10. 15. I lay down my life for the ſheep. Joh. 8. 24. If ye believe not that I am he, ye ſhall dye in your ſins; and the Angel to Mary, Mat. 1. 21. Thou ſhalt call his Name Jeſus, for he ſhall ſave his people from their ſins.

But for your help and direction in this point, take my mind in theſe three concluſions.

1. That there was a neceſsity for Chriſt to ſhed his blood, that ſo our ſins might be forgiven. Hebr. 9. 22. Without ſhedding of blood there is no remiſsion.

2. His death did purchaſe the forgiveneſs of ſins. Epheſ. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſs of ſins.

3. This remiſſion purchaſed, though illimited as to the ſins forgiven, yet it is limited as to the perſons forgiven: 1. By the Decree of God to the Elect. 2. By the Covenant. 3. And by the intention of Chriſt. 4. And by the Goſpel to whoſoever believes that the ſhedding of his blood for the remiſſion of ſins, did ſo illimitedly procure the ſame. That every ſinner in the world enjoys the fruit thereof, (whether he believes or not, or whether he repents or not) as I know no man living of ſo wicked an opinion, ſo the Scripture delivers no ſuch matter, but the quite contrary. Luke 24. 47. That repentance and remiſsion of ſins ſhould be preached in his Name among all Nations. Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witneſs, that through his Name, whoſoever believeth in him, ſhall receive remiſsion of ſins. Acts 13. 38. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveneſs of ſins. Ver. 39. Then Peter ſaid, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſsion of ſins. Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteouſneſs for the remiſsion of ſins that are paſt. It is true, that remiſſion of ſins hath foundation in the blood of Chriſt, as in a meritorious cauſe, but our enjoyment of that merited and purchaſed remiſſion takes in faith and repentance; for neither God nor Chriſt ever intended nor promiſed the application thereof unto any, but ſuch as believe and repent; therefore do not venture abſolutely upon this, that Chriſt dyed for the remiſſion of ſins, therefore your ſins are forgiven; for as God did ordain the death of Chriſt as the meritorious cauſe of forgiveneſs of ſins; ſo did he ordain that all who have the benefit thereof, ſhould repent and believe.

Fourthly, A fourth falſe ground from which ſome do (abſolutely) conclude that their ſins are forgiven, is this, their ſins are but ſmall and little ſins, which The ſmalneſs of ſin.God marks and regards not, and will never take notice of, but will paſs them by; p. 384indeed if they were guilty of great tranſgreſſions, then they had reaſon to doubt whether they were within the compaſs of forgiveneſs promiſed, but alas their ſins are ſmall, &c.

Anſwered. Sol. For anſwer unto this deceit, remember theſe four particulars.

1. No ſin is ſimply little or ſmall.

2. Thoſe ſins are not little or ſmall, which people do (ordinarily) count ſo.

3. God hath ſeverely expreſſed himſelf againſt perſons for thoſe ſins which we look on as ſmall ſins.

4. This very conceit that ſins are little, and are paſt by in courſe, may loſe a man the forgiveneſs of his ſins.

Firſt, No ſin is ſimply or abſolutely little or ſmall, though comparatively (when we ſet on ſin by another) we find them to be of different magnitude; ſome to be great abominations, and others to be leſſer tranſgreſſions, yet abſolutely no ſin is little; but as there is a greatneſs in the leaſt mercy, ſo there is a greatneſs in the leaſt ſin; for every ſin whatſoever is a tranſgreſſion of the royal Law, and it is committed againſt a great God; ſin is to be conſidered as to the object, as well as to the act; how were ye not afraid to ſpeak againſt my ſervant Moſes. Every ſin doth expoſe to a great curſe, even the curſe of the Law; Curſed is every one who continues not in every thing that is written to do it: Is that a ſmall offence which may coſt a man his life? nay, it cannot be taken off but by the death and blood of Chriſt, there is an infinite offence and merit in any ſin; you read in the Moſaical Law that the blood of the beaſt was to be ſhed for the expiation of ſins of ignorance and inadvertency, which did ſignifie the ſhedding of the blood of Chriſt for the expiation of the leaſt ſins; and ſurely that offence may not be reputed little or ſmall, which cannot be put away but by the death of the Son of God.

Secondly, Thoſe ſins are not little or ſmall which people (ordinarily) do count ſo; people do look on it as a very ſmall offence.

1. To omit praying and reading in their Families; but God threatens to poure out his wrath upon the Families that call not upon his Name, Jer. 10. 25. Though this be ſpoken of the Heathens, yet it is much more true of Chriſtians.

2. To paſs by Chriſt offered unto them; but the Scripture ſaith, He that believes not, ſhall be damned; and that he ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, Mark 16. 16.

3. To deſpiſe the Miniſters of Chriſt; but Chriſt ſaith, He that despiſeth you, deſpiſeth me, Luk. 10. 16.

4. To come unworthily to the Lords Table; but the Scripture ſaith, He that eats and drinks unworthily, doth eat and drink damnation to himſelf, 1 Cor. 11.

5. To be proud, and ſpeak lies; but the Scripture ſaith, that a proud look, and lying tongue, are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 6. 16, 17.

6. To speak idly and vainly; but Jeſus Chriſt ſaith, Matth. 12. 36. That every idle word that men ſhall ſpeak, they ſhall give an account thereof in the day of judgement; for by thy words thou ſhalt be juſtified, and by thy words thou ſhalt be condemned.

7. To wound the name of others behind their backs, whiſperingly and cunningly, and privately; but the Scripture ſaith, Deut. 27. 24. Curſed be he that ſmiteth his neighbour ſecretly.

8. To give way to wicked thoughts, and ſins of heart; but the Scripture ſhews that theſe are no ſmall ſins. Acts 8. 22. Pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

9. To make mention of the Name of God vainly and raſhly, and irreverently, p. 385on any occaſion in ordinary diſcourſe, O God! O Lord! but the Scripture doth not look on this as a ſmall ſin. Exod. 20. 7. Thou ſhalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltleſs that takes his Name in vain.

10. To profane the Sabbath by buying and ſelling; but God threatens to ſend a fire for this, Jer. 17. 27.

Thirdly, God hath expreſſed himſelf very ſeverely againſt perſons for thoſe ſins which we (perhaps) look upon as ſmall. Adam eating of the forbidden fruit, it loſt him Paradiſe, and brought an exceeding miſery on mankind. Ʋzzah did but put out his hand to ſtay the Ark, and he dyed for it on the place. Ʋzziah would be medling with the Prieſts office, and he was immediately ſtruck with a leprofie to the day of his death, 2 Chron. 26. 19, 21. Korah, Dathan and Abiram miſliked the authority of Moſes and Aaron, and the earth opened her mouth, and ſwallowed them up. Ananias and Sapphira for a lye are ſtruck dead.

Fourthly, This very conceit that ſins are ſo little and ſmall, that God will paſs them by in courſe, may loſe a man the forgiveneſs of ſin; for it is a means

1. Of carnal ſecurity.

2. Of impenitency.

3. Of neglect of Jeſus Chriſt.

4. To implore God by prayer for the forgiveneſs of ſins like the proud Phariſee, who ſought not for mercy, and miſſed of mercy, becauſe he took no notice of his ſins at all; the greateſt ſin is pardoned upon repentance; the leaſt ſin will damn without repentance.

Secondly, I now come to the ſecond poſition, which is this; That ſome do put Some put themſelves out of a capacity of forgiveneſs.themſelves out of a capacity of the forgiveneſs of their ſins; and there are eight ſorts of theſe perſons.

1. They who ſin the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt.

2. They who will not repent and forſake their ſins.

3. They who delay and defer Repentance.

4. They who do repent feignedly and hypocritically.

5. They who do not believe on Chriſt, and refuſe to be his.

6. They who do abſolutely deſpair.

7. They who do reſt on their own works as reaſons and cauſes of the forgiveneſs of their ſins.

8. They who are unmerciful and unplacable, and will not forgive others who treſpaſs againſt them.They who ſin the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt.

Firſt, They do put themſelves out of a capacity of forgiveneſs of their ſins, who do ſin the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt. Matth. 12. 31. All manner of ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt ſhall not be forgiven unto men. Ver. 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 be forgiven him neither in this world, nor in the world to come: Here you find it expreſly and peremptorily delivered from the mouth of Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, that the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt ſhall never be forgiven.

Queſt. But will ſome of you ſay, What is this ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt What that ſin is.which never ſhall be forgiven?

Sol. It is a wilful and malicious, and reproachful oppoſition of the Goſpel, attended with a total and final Apoſtacy from it, after and againſt the clear convictions of the Holy Ghoſt.

Firſt, It is an oppoſition of the Gospel; the Goſpel muſt be preached, and the Goſpel muſt be oppoſed by ſuch as hear it, elſe it is not the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt; they therefore who are charged with this ſin, are ſaid to hate the light, p. 386Joh. 3. 20. and to hate Chriſt, and to hate the truth, Joh. 15. 25. and to be diſobedient unto the Goſpel, and to be a gain-ſaying people, Rom. 10. 21. and to reject the Corner ſtone, Acts 4. 11. and to refuſe to hear, Acts 13. 46. and to put the Word from them, who reſiſt the truth, and contradict it, 2 Tim. 3. 8. as you may read of the Phariſees, and other of the Jews.

Secondly, It is a peculiar kind of oppoſition, not of ignorance, not of inadvertency, not of paſſion; but

1. A wilful oppoſition; therefore they who commit this ſin, are ſaid to ſin wilfully; (Hebr. 10. 26. If we ſin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſin.) A man ſins wilfully, when the reaſon of his ſinning reſts ſolely in the perverſeneſs of his will, though his judgement be diſarmed of all Apology, and his conſcience be convinced, yet he will ſin and oppoſe the Goſpel, becauſe he will do ſo.

2. A malicious oppoſition; it ariſeth from a bitter hatred againſt Chriſt, and rage againſt the truth; therefore they who ſin this ſin, are ſaid to offer, or do deſpite unto the Spirit of grace, Hebr. 10 29. as if they did ſin on purpoſe to vex and affront the Spirit of God.

3. A reproachful oppoſition; hence it is affirmed of theſe ſinners, that they ſpeak evil of the ways of Chriſt, and blaſpheme his Word: The Jews were filled with envy, and ſpake againſt thoſe things which were ſpoken by Paul, contradicting and blaſpheming, Acts 13. 45. that they mock at Jeſus Chriſt, Matth. 27. 41. The chief Prieſts mocking him, with the Scribes and Elders, &c. Ver. 29. When they had platted a Crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and a Reed in his right hand, and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, ſaying, Hail King of the Jews; ſo Acts 2. 13. Others mocking, ſaid, theſe men are full of new wine. And they are ſaid (in Hebr. 10. 29.) to tread under foot the Son of God, and to count his blood an unholy thing. How amazing is this reproach? and thus is it with all who ſin the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt; the precious blood of Chriſt, his holineſs, his truth, his commands, his ways, his ſervants are the objects of their mockings, and ſcorns, and reproaches.

Thirdly, This oppoſition is made againſt Chriſt and the Goſpel, after and againſt the clear Convictions of the Holy Ghoſt. They who ſinne this ſin,

1. Have had ſuch a light in them as to know Jeſus Christ, Joh. 9. 41. Jeſus ſaid unto them, If ye were blinde, ye ſhould have no ſin; but now ye ſay we ſee, therefore your ſin remaineth. Joh. 7. 28. Ye both know me, and whence I am. Hebr. 6. 4. who were once inlightened. They that ſin this ſin, do know that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, and the Redeemer, and that there is ſalvation in him, and in no Name but his, and that the way which he preſcribes for ſalvation, is the true way of life; and after all this, they crucifie the Son of God afreſh, and put him to an open ſhame.

2. The Holy Ghoſt hath not only illuminated their minds, but hath alſo raiſed them to a kind of approbation of Christ and his truths, and his ways; ſo that they have taken upon them the profeſſion of Chriſtianity, and ſide with the Goſpel for a time.

3. By the operation of the Holy Ghoſt, they have attained unto ſome ſpiritual taſte and experience, as you may ſee, Hebr. 6. 4. Have taſted of the heavenly gift: Ver. 5. And have taſted of the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come.

Fourthly, And yet after all this they fall away, Hebr. 6. 6. Reject Chriſt and his truths, and ways, and will go on in the ways of their ſinful and worldly luſts. This is that ſin which ſhall never be forgiven; not only becauſe God is pleaſed to ſhut the door of mercy againſt it, but alſo becauſe perſons guilty of this ſin, do thruſt themſelves into ſuch a deſperate hardneſs of heart, and p. 387they reject Chriſt in whom alone pardon is to be had; that (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Hebr. 6. 6.) It is impoſſible to renew them again unto Repentance.

2. Secondly, They do put themſelves out of a capacity of the forgiveneſs of their ſins, who will not repent of their ſins; (i. e.) who will not forſake them, They who will not repent of their ſins.but will ſtill perſiſt and continue in them, though they be convinced, though they be reproved, though they be threatned, though they be aſſured of the inconſiſtence of forgiveneſs with impenitency. This point will manifeſtly appear upon a threefold conſideration.

1. Of Gods profeſſed reſolution, contrary to the preſumption of mercy in the impenitent ſinner; indeed this ſinner preſumes to promiſe mercy unto himſelf, though he goes on in his ſins, but the Lord proteſts that he ſhall have none. Deut. 29. 18. Lest there ſhould be among you a root that beareth gall and wormewood. Ver. 19. And it come to paſs when he heareth the words of this curſe, that he bleſſe himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to adde drunkenneſs to thirſt. Ver. 20. The Lord will not ſpare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealouſie ſhall ſmoak against that man, and all the curſes that are written in this book ſhall lie upon him, and the Lord ſhall blot out his name from under heaven. Ver. 21. And the Lord ſhall ſeparate him to evil, out of all the Tribes of Iſrael, according to all the curſes of the Covenant that are written in this book of the Law: So Pſal. 50. 21. Theſe things haſt thou done, and I kept ſilence; thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch an one as thy ſelf; but I will reprove thee, and ſet them in order before thine eyes. Ver. 22. Conſider this ye that forget, leſt I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

2. Of Gods reſtriction of his promiſe of forgiveneſs only upon condition of repentance; only to ſuch as forſake their ſins; where do you find it otherwiſe in the whole Bible? Iſa. 1. 16. Waſh ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings, ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well;—Ver. 18. Come now, let us reaſon together, though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be white as ſnow. 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people ſhall humble themſelves, and pray, and ſeek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their ſins. Iſa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

3. Of Gods peremptory ſentence in caſe of impenitency. Exod 34. 7. that will by no means clear the guilty, (i. e.) the impenitent; in abſolving he will not abſolve, (i. e.) whoſoever finds mercy, they ſhall not. Ezek. 18. 21. Caſt away from you all your tranſgreſſions, for why will ye dye O houſe of Iſrael? Pſal. 63. 21. God will wound the head of ſuch an one as goes on still in his wickedneſſe. Luk. 13. 3. Except ye repent, ye ſhall periſh. Jer. 13. 10. This evil people which refuſe to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their hearts; Ver. 14. I will daſh them one againſt another, even the father and the ſon together, ſaith the Lord; I will not pity, nor ſpare, nor have mercy, but deſtroy them. Eccleſ. 8. 13. It ſhall not be well with the wicked. Iſa. 65. 20. The ſinner dying an hundred years old, ſhall be curſed, then certainly not forgiven. O think of this, you who ſtill go on in the hatred of holineſs, in profaning of the Sabbath, in drunkenneſs, in whoredom, in pride, in lying, in any ungodly courſe, who mock at reproof, and deſpiſe inſtruction, who flatter your ſelves with hopes of forgiving mercy: Be not deceived, for God is not to be mocked; for whatſoever a man ſowes, that ſhall he alſo reap, Gal. 6. 7. and Rom. 2. 6. God will render to every man according to his deeds. Ver. 8. Indignation and wrath. Ver. 9. tribulation and anguiſh upon every ſoul of man that doth evil.

p. 388Thirdly, They do put themſelves out of a capacity of forgiveneſs of their ſins, who do delay and defer their work of repentance. When ſome ſinners are convinced They who delay the…r repentance.of the inconſiſtence of mercy with impenitency, and of the neceſſary preſence of repentance for forgiveneſs; then ſeeing it muſt be ſo, and mercy cannot be otherwiſe had, they will repent, but not yet; hereafter they will, when they are ſick, and when they are old and near to death; and what mean you to do for the preſent, til the time of ſickneſs, or age, or death? is it not that you ſerve your ſins, and take your delights and pleaſures? and when you can no longer enjoy them, then you will give over your ſins, and then God muſt give down your forgiveneſs. Simile. As if a Malefactor ſhould ſay, I will ſteal, and kill a few years more untill I be taken, and then I will leave thoſe courſes, and the Judge ſhall pardon me: O what a cheat and deceit is this? 1. To think that we have repentance in our power. 2ly To think that we have forgiving mercy at our command. 3ly To love, and ſerve, and live in our ſins for the preſent, and to promiſe unto our ſelves the forgiveneſs of our ſins at the laſt? But wilt thou know and underſtand, O vain man! that he who defers to repent, is in the mean time impenitent? and he that reſolves only (for hereafter) to leave his ſins, reſolves alſo (untill that time) to keep his ſins; and he that reſolves to keep his ſins, doth for lying vanities forſake his own mercies: He that will not preſently repent, doth put himſelf out of a preſent capacity of mercy; and he who puts himſelfe out of a preſent capacity of mercy, may by going on in his ſins ſo harden his heart, as to put out himſelf from a future capacity of repentance. The promiſe of forgiveneſs is to him who doth repent or forſake his ſins; it is not to him who defers to repent, and ſaith he will do ſo hereafter: O how fooliſh is the ſinner who might be preſently forgiven upon a preſent repentance, and yet will hazard his ſoul to the loſs of mercy upon a preſumption of future repenting! Surely thou doſt not prize the great mercies of God in the pardon of thy ſins, who doſt put off that bleſſed mercy, to enjoy a little longer thy curſed luſts! To day if you will hear his voice, put it not off till to morrow; for 1. It is a queſtion whether late repentance be true. 2ly You (at leaſt) will queſtion it. 3ly And whether God will give it at the laſt. 4ly Eſpecially when we put it off to the laſt.

Fourthly, They do put themſelves out of a capacity of the forgiveneſs of their ſins, who do preſently repent, but it is fainedly and hypocritically, not cordially They who repent preſently but fainedly.and really: Jer. 3. 10 Her treacherous ſister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but fainedly, ſaith the Lord. Pſal 78. v. 4. They returned and inquired early after God. Ver. 36. Nevertheleſſe they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongue. Ver. 37. For their heart was not right with him.

Now they do repent fainedly, who 1. Spare their beloved ſins. 2. Who put them off with a purpoſe to reſume them again.

You have many perſons who in the times of ſickneſs, or of danger, or of loſs, or of fear of death, or of terror of conſcience will forbear their ſins, will cry out againſt their ſins, will pray and beg for mercy; and as ſoon as hope, and eaſe, and ſafety appears, they do return again with the dog to his vomit, and with the ſwine to the wallowing in the mire, 2 Pet. 2. 22. They forget their terrors, and tears, and prayings, and reſolutions, and profeſſions, and are worſe in wayes of wickedneſs than heretofore; Their righteouſneſſe is as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that paſſeth away. To theſe God may ſpeak as in Hoſe. 11. 12. Ephraim compaſſeth me about with lyes, and the houſe of Iſrael with deceit. They think to circumvent and deceive the Lord with penitential pretences, but indeed they do deceive their own ſouls; for God ſearcheth the heart, and trieth the reins, and his eyes are upon the heart, and upon the truth: and it is juſt that they ſhould be deceived with the fancy of pardon, who think to deceive God with the ſhadow of repentance: He who is but hypocritically good, is really wicked; p. 389and he that repents fainedly, and falſly, doth but provoke the wrath of God more againſt his ſoul, &c.

Fifthly, They do put themſelves out of a capacity of forgiveneſs, who remain They vvho remain unbelieving.unbelieving, whoſe hearts are not ſubdued and brought in to Chriſt by the Goſpel, will not conſent to take him for their Head and Lord, and will not ſerve Chriſt in his commands, will not ſuffer him to reign over them, to ſet up his kingdom in them, nor to deſtroy his enemies in them. Beloved, mark what I ſay unto you, be you what you will, if yet you remain unbelievers, your ſins ſhall never be forgiven. Suppoſe you be great or mean perſons, rich or poor perſons, learned or ſimple perſons, covetous and civil perſons, and juſt perſons, Papiſts or Proteſtants, of this or that Opinion for Doctrine or Government, if you believe not on Chriſt as well as profeſs Chriſt, if your hearts will not conſent to match with Chriſt; if there be any ſin, or any thing of the world which lies nearer your heart than Chriſt, which holds it off, and keeps it from Chriſt, you are now unbelievers, and your ſin ſhall not be forgiven: 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son, hath not life. Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth not, ſhall not ſee life. but the wrath of God abideth on him. Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth not ſhall be damned.

Sixthly, They alſo do put themſelves out of a capacity of forgiveneſs, who do They vvho deſpair of mercyabſolutely despair of mercy: Iſidore ſaid right, Deſperare eſt in infernum deſcendere, to fall into d…ſpair, is to fall into hell, where there is perfection of miſery without any hope of mercy.

Here conſider a few Particulars.

1. It is one thing to doubt and fear, and queſtion whether God will be merciful unto our ſins; and it is another thing to deſpaire of his mercies: one may fear and doubt of mercy for his ſins, who yet doth not abſolutely deſpair of mercy; fear and queſtionings about mercy may ariſe from infirmity, Pſal. 77. 9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious! hath he in anger ſhut up his mercies! Ver 10. I ſaid this is my infirmity; but abſolute deſpair of mercy ariſeth from abſolute infidelity, and it is a peremptory concluding againſt all the powers and goodneſs of mercy in God: My ſinne (ſaid Cain) is greater than may or can be forgiven, Gen. 4. 13.

2. Again, there is a paſſionate and tranſient deſpaire; And there is a ſetled and permanent deſpaire; The one is total, but not final; the other is total and final; In times of ſtrong temptation, and Gods deſertion, and our own melancholy, and troubles of conſcience, one may poſſibly conclude there is no hope of mercy, and his ſins are ſuch as exceed either the power, or elſe the purpoſe of Gods mercy; but this dark and ſad conceit falls off again from the ſoul upon conference upon better information, upon prayer, upon hearing the Word, and upon clear conſideration of the Covenant of grace, and the terms of it, and of the riches of Redemption by Chriſt; this kind of deſpair doth not prejudice you in the capacity of forgiving mercy: but then there is a ſetled and permanent deſpair which is total and final, wherein the ſoul is ſwallowed up, and for ever lies under water and never riſeth more with any hope of poſſible mercy, conceiving of the guilt of ſin ſo ſuperlatively, that neither the merits of the blood of Chriſt, nor the riches of mercy in God can or will reach to the forgiveneſs of it. This poor ſinner puts himſelf out of all capacity of forgiveneſs, and that upon a treble account.

1. The infinite diſhonour which he puts upon Gods throne of grace and mercy; he gives reproach and the lye unto God who ſaith he is rich in mercy, and delights in mercy.

2. His utter incompliance with Chriſt; and riches of all Goſpel invitations, promiſes and aſſurances.

3. The confirming of his heart in impenitency, ſeeing there is no hope of mercy.

p. 390Seventhly, they likewiſe do put themſelves out of a capacity of the forgiveneſs They who rely upon their own righteouſneſſe as the cauſe of forneſſe.of their ſins, who do reſt and rely upon their own righteouſneſs and good works as the cauſe of forgiveneſs. 'Tis true that you muſt be holy, and righteous, and do good works, and walk in them, and abound in them; But if you rely on them as the reaſons and cauſes why God will forgive your ſins, you will certainly loſe the forgiveneſs of them: For

1. What is this but to ſet up a Covenant of Works, and to look for life by the Law, and Juſtification by ſomething of our own? and what ſays the Scripture to this? Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of the Law there ſhall be no fleſh juſtified in thy ſight. Tit. 3. 5. Not by works of righteouſneſs which we have done, but according to his mercy he hath ſaved us. Gal. 3. 10. As many as are of the work… of the law, are under the curſe, for it is written, curſed is every one, &c.

2. This is to take away the Crown from Chriſt; and it is to make Chriſt to die in vain, to loſe the end of ſhedding his blood for the remiſſion of ſins: the Scripture ſaith, Acts 4. 12. There is no ſalvation in any other, for there is no other Name under heaven given among men whereby we muſt be ſaved: but you will have it in your own name. Matth. 26. 28. This is my blood which was ſhed for the remiſſion of ſins. 1 Joh. 2. 2. He is the propitiation for our ſins. Eph. 1. 7. In his blood we have redemption, the forgiveneſs of ſins. Gal. 5. 4. Chriſt is become of none effect unto you, whoſoever of you are juſtified by the Law, ye are fallen from grace: therefore take heed what you do, and how you place your confidences for the remiſſion of your ſins; you muſt neither renounce good works, nor muſt you rely on them, but only on Chriſt for pardon, elſe you debar your ſelves of all benfit by Chriſt.

Eighthly, Laſtly they do put themſelves out of a capacity of the forgiveneſs of their ſins, who are unmerciful, implacable, revengeful, and will not forgive others They who will not forgive others their offences done againſt themſelves.their offences, and treſpaſſes, or wrongs done againſt themſelves.

Queſt. You will ſay this is ſtrange Doctrine, that God will not forgive me, if I do not forgive others!

Sol. 1. Nay it were more ſtrange that thou ſhouldeſt expect forgiveneſs, who wilt not forgive thy brother! but peruſe the Scriptures, Matth. 18. 32. O thou wicked ſervant, I forgave thee all that debt (ten thouſand talents, ver. 24.) becauſe thou deſiredſt me. ver. 33. Shouldeſt not thou alſo have had compaſſion on thy fellow ſervant, even as I had pity on thee? ver. 34. And his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormenters, till he ſhould pay all that was due unto him. v. 35. So likewiſe ſhall my heavenly Father do alſo unto you, if you from the heart forgive not every one his brother their treſpaſſes. Math. 6. 15. If you forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your heavenly father forgive your treſpaſſes.

2. Again, ſee the expreſs command for this by Chriſt, in Luke 17. 3. If thy brother treſpaſs againſt thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. ver. 4. And if he treſpaſs againſt thee ſeven times in a day, and ſeven times in a day turn again unto thee ſaying, I repent, thou ſhalt forgive him.

Thirdly, I now proceed unto a third Poſition and Concluſion, viz. That there Who are in a right capacity of pardon. Such as do truely repent. Four things demonſtrate this Scripture exhortations.are ſome who are in a right capacity, and may ſafety lay hold on, and own the promiſe of the forgiveneſſe of their ſins.

Firſt, All who do truely repent of their ſins; there are four things will demonſtrate this unto us.

1. Scripture exhortations to repent, that ſo our ſins may be forgiven. Ezek. 18. 30. Repent and turn your ſelves from all your tranſgreſſions, ſo iniquity ſhall not be your ruine. Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt for the remiſſion of your ſins. Act. 3. 19. Repent, and be converted that your ſins may be blotted out.

2. Expreſſe promiſes that our ſins ſhall be forgiven upon our repentance p. 391Expreſſe promiſes.2 Chro. 7. 14. If my people ſhall turn from their evil way, then will I forgive their ſin. Prov. 28. 13. Whoſo confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſins ſhall finde mercy. Ezek. 18. 21. If the wicked will turn from all his ſins which he hath committed, and do that which is lawful and right, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not die. ver. 22. All his tranſgreſſions which he hath committed they ſhall not be mentioned unto him.

3. Aſſurance of the forgiveneſs of ſins upon repentance, though they have been Aſſurance of the pardon of great ſins upon repentance.very great and hainous. Iſa. 1. 16. Waſh ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings, ceaſe to do evil: ver. 17. learn to do well. ver. 18. Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord, though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow, though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wooll.

4. Expreſſe Records and Instances of forgiveneſs unto ſuch as have repented: Expreſs inſtances.2 Sam. 12. 13. And David ſaid unto Nathan, I have ſinned againſt the Lord; and Nathan ſaid to David, the Lord hath alſo put away thy ſin. Jer. 31. 18. I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf; and Turn thou me and I ſhall be turned, &c. Ver. 19. Surely after that I was turned I repented; and after that I was inſtructed, I ſmote upon my thigh, I was aſhamed, yea even confounded becauſe I did bear the reproach of my youth, Ver, 20. Is Ephraim my dear ſon? is he a pleaſant child! for ſince I ſpake against him I do remember him ſtill; therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord. Luk. 7. 38. And ſhe ſtood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to waſh his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kiſſed his feet, and anointed them with oyntment. Ver. 47. Wherefore I ſay, her ſins which were many are forgiven, &c. v. 15. 18. I will ariſe and go to my Father, and will ſay to him, Father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee; Ver. 19. and am no more worthy to be called thy ſon, &c. Ver. 20. and he aroſe and came to his Father; but when he was yet a great way off, his Father ſaw him and had compaſſion, and ran and fell upon his neck and kiſſed him.

Queſt. But here ſome may reply, It is granted that all who do truely repent are within the compaſs of the promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins, and many do think How one may know he doth truely repent.that they do truely repent of their ſins; but how may one know that he doth truely repent, that ſo he may ſafely conclude the forgiveneſs of his ſins?

Sol. I thank you for the propounding of this doubt; for the clear reſolution whereof I ſhall thus deliver my ſelf;

1. I ſhall ſhew unto you the integral part of Repentance (i. e.) thoſe particular Branches of which true Repentance doth conſiſt, and unto all which forgiveneſs of ſins is promiſed.

2. I ſhall ſhew unto you the right qualifications of thoſe particular parts of Repentance, that ſo you may know whether you do truely Repent or no.

Firſt, For the firſt of theſe, you do know (as I ſuppoſe) that there are three The integral parts of repentance. Contrition.parts of Repentance, viz.

1. Contrition or grief of heart for ſins committed, which is called ſometimes godly ſorrow, 2 Cor. 7. 10. and ſometimes a contrite ſpirit, Iſa. …6. 2. and a broken and contrite heart, Pſal. 51. 17. and ſometimes the afflicting of our ſoules, Levit. 16. 29. and ſometimes the humbling of the heart, 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people ſhall humble themſelves, &c. Lam. 3. 20. My ſoul hath them ſtill in remembrance, and is humbled within me: and ſometimes a mourning, Zach. 12. 10. And they ſhall mourn as, &c. and ſometimes a weeping, Mar. 14. 72. And when he thought thereon he wept.

Firſt, There is no man a penitent ſinner, but he is a mourning ſinner; his ſoul is No man is a penitent ſinner, but a mourning ſinner.grieved, his heart is diſpleaſed, and humbled for his ſins: If the heart be hardned, it is impenitent; if thy ſins which have grieved and troubled God, do not trouble and grieve thy ſoul, thou art an impenitent and hardened ſinner; much more art thou ſo if thy ſins be the matter of thy delight and rejoycing: And on p. 392the contrary all penitent perſons are mourning perſons; Judg. 2. 4. The children of Iſrael repented, and the people lift up their voice and wept. 1 Sam. 7. 6. They repented, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. Pſal. 6. 6. David repented, and watered his Couch with his tears. 2 Chro. 32. 26. Hezekiah Repented, 2 Chron. 33. 12. and humbled himſelf for the pride of his heart. Manaſſes (as ſome think) repented, and he humbled himſelf greatly before the God of his Fathers. Jer. 31. 18, 19. Ephraim repented, and Ephraim bemoaned himſelf, and ſmote upon his thigh, and is even confounded. Luke 7. 38. Mary Magdalen repented, and ſhe wept, and waſhed the feet of Chriſt with tears. Luk. 22. 62. Peter repented, and he went out and wept bitterly. 2 Cor. 7. 9. The Corinthians repented, and they were made ſorry after a godly manner.

Secondly, Thus you ſee that all truely penitent perſons are broken-hearted Mourning perſons for ſin, are in a capacity of pardon.perſons, and mourning perſons for their ſins; and now ye ſhall find that all theſe perſons are within the capacity of the promiſe of forgiveneſſe of ſins: Zach. 12. 11. In that day there ſhall be a great mourning in Jeruſalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo. Zach. 13. 1. In that day there ſhall be a fountain opened to the houſe of David, and to the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, for ſin and for uncleanneſſe. Jer. 31. 18. I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf, &c. Ver. 20. I will ſurely have mercy upon him. Mark the place, Ephraims heart is troubled for ſinning, and Gods bowels (ſo are his mercies ſtiled) are troubled for Ephraim; Ephraim (like a penitent Childe) falls a weeping, and God (like an indulgent Father) falls a bemoaning of him. I am grieved, and troubled, and aſhamed at my very heart that I have thus ſinned againſt thee, ſaith Ephraim. O peace, refrain thine eyes from tears, ſaith God to Ephraim; I cannot refrain my mercies from thee; Lo this is thy pardon for thy ſins: Pſal. 51. 17. The ſacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit; and why is a broken ſpirit called ſacrifices of God? Is it not for the acceptableneſs of it unto God? and is it not becauſe as upon ſacrifices ſins were put away, ſo upon contrition of heart for ſins, there comes out the forgiveneſs of ſins? Iſa. 57. 15. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble ſpirit, to revive the ſpirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones: And can the contrite heart be revived without forgiveneſs of ſins? Matth. 5. 4. Bleſſed are they that mourn, for they ſhall be comforted. Surely this is ſpoken of ſpiritual mourning (of mourning for ſin) for can you ſay of any other mourning beſides theſe, that they are bleſſed! and their bleſſedneſs lies in this, that they ſhall be comforted; and what comfort is that which a mourning ſinner looks upon as bleſſedneſs? why none bu… that in Iſa. 40. 1, 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people ſaith your God; ſpeak ye comfortably to Jeruſalem, and cry unto her that her iniquitie is pardoned.Confeſſion of ſins.

2. The ſecond part of Repentance is confeſſion of ſinnes which flows out of a contrite heart: I ſpeak not of a formal, verbal, empty confeſſion (we are all ſinners, God help us, &c.) but of ſuch a confeſſion of ſin as ariſeth from a true and full ſenſe of ſin, when the tongue ſpeaks out of the abundance of a troubled ſpirit, ingenuouſly and humbly acknowledging iniquities and tranſgreſſions, and judging himſelf worthy of wrath, and unworthy of mercy, &c.

This confeſſion you ſhall find in Repenting ſinners, and thoſe perſons ſo confeſſing, under the capacity of the promiſe of the forgiveneſſe of their ſinnes.Repenting ſinners confeſſe their ſins.

Firſt, You ſhall find Repenting ſinners confeſſing their ſins. Ezra 9 6. O my God; I am aſhamed, and bluſh to lift up my face unto thee, my God▪ for our iniquities are increaſed over our head, and our treſpaſs is grown up unto the heavens. Ver. 10. And now O our God, What ſhall we ſay after this? for we have forſaken thy Commandments, &c. Pſal. 51. 3. I acknowledge my tranſgreſsions, and my ſin is ever before me. Ver. 4. Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned, p. 393and done this evil in thy ſight. Dan. 9. 4. I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confeſsion, and ſaid, O Lord the great and dreadful God, &c. Ver. 5. We have ſinned, and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgements, &c. Ver. 8. O Lord, righteouſneſs belongeth unto thee, but unto us confuſion of face, as at this day. Luk. 15. 18. I will ariſe, and go to my Father, and will ſay unto him, Father, I have ſinned againſt heaven, and before thee: Ver. 19. and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, &c.

Secondly, Now theſe penitently confeſſing ſinners you ſhall expreſly find And are under the promiſe of forgiveneſs.to be under the promiſe of the forgiveneſs of ſins. I Joh. 1. 9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins. Pſal. 32. 5. I acknowledged my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I ſaid, I will confeſs my tranſgreſsions unto the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſinne, Selah.

3. The third and laſt part of Repentance, is converſion, or turning from Converſion from ſin to God.ſin unto God. Ezek. 33. 11. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil wayes. Repenting in Scripture is (to this purpoſe) ſtyled a putting away of ſins. Iſa. 1. 16. and a caſting away of our ſins. Ezek. 18. 31. and a forſaking of our ſins. Prov. 28. 13. and a departing from iniquity, 2 Tim. 2. 19. and a turning: to repent of ſin, and to continue in ſin, are a contradiction; as if you ſhould ſay, that a man leaves his ſins, when yet he holds them faſt, and will not let them go.

Two things you alſo read of this part of Repentance.

1. One, That truly penitent perſons do forſake their ſins, they turn from Penitent perſons forſake their ſins.them, they put them away. Iſa. 30. 22. Ye ſhall defile the covering of thy graven images of ſilver, and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold; Thou ſhalt caſt them away as a menſtruous cloth; Thou ſhall ſay unto it, Get thee hence. Hoſ. 14. 8. Ephraim ſhall ſay, What have I to do any more with Idols? Judg. 10. 15. And the children of Iſrael ſaid unto the Lord, We have ſinned, Do thou unto us whatſoever ſeemeth good unto thee. Ver. 16. And they put away the ſtrange gods from among them, and ſerved the Lord. Job 34. 31. Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more. Ver. 32. That which I ſee not, Teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. Jonah 3. 8. Let them every one turn from his evil way. Ver. 10. And God ſaw their works, that they turned from their evil way.

2. The other, That they who do penitentially turn from their ſins, are They who turn fr…m ſin, are under the promiſe of pardon.under the promiſe of forgiveneſs, of ſin. Prov. 28. 13. Whoſo confeſſeth, and forſaketh his ſins, ſhall finde mercy. Many men confeſs their ſins, who yet do ſtill love to keep their ſins, and therefore ſhall miſs of mercy; but the way for mercy is, to forſake their ſin, as well as to confeſs ſin. Iſa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and let the unrighteous forſake his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Thus have I opened unto you the integral parts of Repentance, which doth certainly bring us within the capacity of the promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins.

Secondly, I ſhall now proceed to handle the Qualifications of every one of The right qualifications of thoſe parts of Repentance.theſe parts of Repentance, by which you may know that you do in truth act every one of them▪ and conſequently are under the promiſe, &c. And the rather do I inſiſt on this, becauſe many perſons do think that they are ſorry for their ſins, and do think that they do rightly confeſs their ſins, and do think that they forſake their ſins (and thereupon do preſume upon forgiving mercy) whereas really they are ſtill under the love and power, and ſervice of their ſins, and do not repent at all; all which you ſhall find (in every part which I have mentioned) clearly inſtanced in Scripture.

p. 394Firſt, For mourning and weeping, and afflicting the ſoul; perſons have acted ſomething in this way, and yet have not repented in truth, and therefore have miſſed of forgiveneſs. Mal. 2. 13. This have ye done again, covering the Altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying, inſomuch that ye regarded not the offering any more. All this was but hypocriſie; for notwithſtanding all theſe tears, they dealt treacherouſly every one againſt his brother, Ver. 10. And profaned the holineſs of the Lord which he loved, and married the daughter of a ſtrange god, Ver. 11. Iſa. 58. 3. Wherefore have we faſted, and thou ſeeſt not? Wherefore have we afflicted our ſouls, and thou takeſt no knowledge? Ver. 5. Is it ſuch a Faſt as I have choſen? a day for a man to afflict his ſoul? &c.

Secondly, For confeſsion of ſins, ſome have done this, and yet they have not rightly and penitentially done this. Exod. 9. 27. Pharaoh ſaid, I have ſinned this time, the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked; ſee what a confeſſion is here! but then ſee, Ʋer. 34. when Pharaoh ſaw that the rain and the hail, and the thunder were ceaſed, he ſinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his ſervants.

Thirdly, For turning from ſin, ſome have pretended thus far, and yet have not truly acted therein. Pſal. 78. 34. When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned, and enquired early after God. Ver. 35, 36. Nevertheleſs they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongues. Ver. 37. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfaſt in his Covenant. Jer. 2. 20. Of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burſt thy hands, and thou ſaidſt I will not tranſgreſs; when upon every high hill, and under every green Tree thou wanderedſt, playing the harlot. Thus you ſee that ſome have pretended to all the parts of Repentance, and yet have not acted up to any one part in truth. Therefore I will now deliver unto you the right qualifications of all thoſe parts of Repentance, that ſo you may know whether you do truly repent of your ſins, and conſequently are under this moſt comfortable promiſe of the forgiveneſs of your ſins.

Firſt, The qualifications of penitential grief, or mourning for ſinnes, are The qualifications of penitential mourning for ſin. It is a ſupernatural grief.theſe.

1. It is a grief which is ſupernatural, and wrought in us only by the Spirit of God; it doth not ariſe from the ſtrength of any natural principle in our own hearts, as worldly ſorrow doth; (in which one may abound who hath no grace at all, and for which he needs not to pray at all) but this ſorrow is given from God, and is ſought by us from him. Job 23. 16. God maketh my heart ſoft. Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the heart of ſtone, and will give you an heart of fleſh. Zach. 12. 10. They ſhall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourn, &c. You may eaſily mourn for worldly loſſes, and under worldly diſtreſſes, and melt, and weep, as Davids men did, who wept untill they had no more power to weep: 1 Sam. 30. 4. And yet under all theſe floods of grief, the perſon may not be able to ſhed one tear of godly ſorrow for his ſins, becauſe this comes from another kind of Spring, and is raiſed upon other Motives and Conſiderations; it will coſt you many convictions, and many meditations, and many earneſt ſupplications, and attendances on the Word, to get this Fountain ſet open in your hearts.

2. It is a grief which is ſincere for ſin as ſin; ſin as ſin is a tranſgreſſion A ſincere grief for ſin as ſin.of the Law of God, a provocation of God, a diſhonour unto God, a ſeparation and withdrawment of God, a defilement and pollution of the ſoul; and in a reſpect (ſolely) unto theſe conſiderations of ſin, doth truly penitential mourning break forth in the ſoul; though no hell to damn me, though no conſcience to torment me: Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight, ſaith David, Pſal. 51. 4. I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou p. 395preſerver of men? Job 7. 20. One may be troubled for ſinning becauſe of puniſhment from man, or of puniſhment from God, feared or inflicted; but this is not a trouble for ſin as an offence to God, but as an offence to our ſelves.

How we may know that we grieve for ſin as ſin;Quest. But now the ſcruple is, How he may know that he doth grieve for ſin as ſin, and only for ſin?

Anſwered. Sol. He may know it:

Firſt, By the acting of grief for ſin, when there is an univerſal ceſſation of puniſhment; though conſcience ceaſe to torment, and the hand of God is drawn off, and there is no fear of man what he can do, yet the heart is humbled, and mourns ſtill for offending of God.

Secondly, By the riſing of grief for ſin, upon the Aſſurance and Certificate of peace and reconciliation with God, of which the more certain evidence is given into the ſoul, the more ſorrow and grief breaks forth out of the ſoul for ſinning againſt ſuch a God.

Thirdly, By the extenſion of grief, not only for our own ſins, but alſo for the ſins of others, the puniſhment of whoſe ſins reacheth not to us, but yet the diſhonour by theſe ſins doth reach unto God, which therefore doth cauſe our hearts to mourn. Pſal. 119. 136. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes, becauſe they keep not thy Law.

3. It is a grief which is very high and great; the Scripture ſeems to make It is a grief very high and great.it a ſuperlative ſorrow, calling it a great mourning, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Ʋalley of Megiddo, and a bitterneſs, as one is in for his firſt born, Zach. 12. 10. And my bowels are troubled within me, mine heart is turned within me, for I have grievouſly rebelled, &c. Lam. 1. 20. and David watered his couch with his tears, Pſal. 6. 6.

Queſt. You know it is a queſtion whether grief for ſin ought not to be the higheſt and chiefeſt; in quem dolorem.

Sol. For the reſolution of which, they …ſtinguiſh of grief of paſſion, and grief of the will, which is a diſpleaſure of the heart with it ſelf; perhaps another kind of grief may be higher in a paſſion; but grief of heart for ſin, is the higheſt for diſpleaſure, and alſo for duration; when that Land-flood is gone, yet then the River of godly ſorrow ſtill runs; My ſin is ever before me, ſaid David, Pſal 51. and yet his Abſolom (for whom he took on ſo paſſionately) was not ever before him.

4. It is a grief which is vertual; godly ſorrow worketh Repentance, 2 Cor. It is a grief which is vertual.7. 10. He who truly mourns for ſin, his heart doth hate ſin, and ſeparates from ſin, and ſinful ways; and it becomes more holy and godly; and he fears to ſin againſt his God any more; thus it is not with any falſe grief whatſoever.

5. Laſtly, It is ſuch a grief, under which the ſoul ſeeks comfort from God, It is a grief under which the ſoul ſeeks comfort from God.and nothing can relieve the ſoul ſo grieving, but the voice of joy and peace from God. Pſal. 51. 12. Reſtore unto me the joy of thy ſalvation. Pſal. 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will ſpeak; for he will speak peace unto his people, &c.

The qualifications of penitential confeſſion.Secondly,The qualifications of true penitential confeſſion of ſins.

There are five Ingredients in penitential confeſſion.

The acknowledgement of ſin from a deep ſenſe of ſin.1. It is the acknowledging of our ſins from a deep ſenſe or feeling of them, and our miſery by them: Penitential confeſſion is the language of a ſenſible and troubled ſpirit; Simile. like a ſick mans opening of his eſtate to the Phyſitian, O here lies my grief, my pain, my diſtemper, my danger, and I fear my death; ſo here in penitential confeſſion of ſins to God, out of a tender and troubled feeling of them, a repentant ſinner cries out, O Lord, this is my heart, and this hath been my life; thus have I lived, and thus have I ſinned, and thus and thus have I diſhonoured thee; O I am aſhamed and confounded, &c.

p. 3962. It is a ſelf-judging acknowledgement of our ſins, that for them we are A ſelf judging acknowledgement.unworthy of the leaſt mercy, and moſt worthy of the greateſt judgement. I am not worthy to be called thy ſon, Luk. 15 19. not worthy to be called an Apoſtle; confuſion of face belongs to us, Dan. 9. 8. And thou art just in all that is brought upon us; thou haſt done right, but we have done wickedly, Nehem. 9. 33.

3. It is an ingenuous acknowledgement of our ſins; not hiding or concealing An ingenuous acknowledgement.the greateſt and worſt, nor extenuating or leſsning any one ſin in the nature or deſert, or circumſtances of it; nor afflictions devolving or throwing our ſins upon others, (as Adam did upon his Wife, and ſhe upon the Divel) but it is a clear Inditement, Accuſation, or Charge againſt our ſelves before God. I have ſinned againſt heaven, and before thee, ſaid the Prodigal, Luk. 15. 18. I was a bluſphemer, and a perſecutor, and injurious, and of ſinners the chief, ſaid Paul, 1 Tim. 1. 13, 15.

4. It is a fiduciary acknowledgement of our ſins, it is joyned with ſome A fiduciary acknowledgement.degree of faith; for it is made to God not as to a Judge only, who condemns upon the Parties confeſſion; but as to a Father, who knows how to pity and forgive the mourning and repenting childe, who begins to accuſe and condemn himſelf. Hoſea 14. 2. Take with you words, and turn unto the Lord, and ſay unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciouſly. Deut. 9. 8. O Lord, to us belongeth confuſion of face, and becauſe we have ſinned against thee. Ver. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveneſs, though we have rebelled againſt him. Lord, I am a ſinful creature, but thou art a merciful God! I deſerve wrath, but thou canſt ſhew mercy; I am unworthy of any mercy, but thou forgiveſt ſins freely: and thou haſt promiſed forgiveneſs unto them who confeſs their ſins; O forgive me all my ſins for Chriſts ſake.

5. Laſtly, True penitential confeſſion (which ſhall obtain forgiveneſs of ſins) It is attended with deſire, of humbling, and endeavors of reforming.is attended with deſires of humbli…, and endeavours of reforming. When a Patient layes open his diſeaſes to the Phyſitian, it is for this purpoſe, that the Phyſitian would cure them; as the poor man having related unto Chriſt the grievous diſtempers of his child, requeſted, Mark 9. 22. But if thou canſt do any thing, have compaſſion on us, and help us: So when a penitent perſon confeſſeth his ſins to God, it is alwayes accompanied with earneſt deſires, O Lord, heal theſe diſeaſes of my ſoul, heal my pride, and heal my vain-glory, and heal my filthineſs, and heal my impatience, and heal my unbelief, and heal my worldlineſs; as David with the confeſſion of his ſins, joyned this petition, Pſal. 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right ſpirit within me. Nay moreover, the right confeſſion of ſins, is attended with the real endeavour of reforming our ſins; therefore Solomon puts theſe together, He that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſins, ſhall finde mercy, Prov. 28. 13. And this was the practice of, the children of Iſrael, they joyned Reformation with their Confeſſion, and good came of it unto them, as you may ſee, Judg. 10. 15. We have ſinned. Ver. 16. And they put away the ſtrange gods from among them, and ſerved the Lord, and his ſoul was grieved for the miſery of Iſrael.

Thirdly, The qualifications of the right turning from ſin, which puts us within The qualification of a right turning from ſin. A cordial turning.in the capacity of the promiſe of forgiveneſs of our ſins.

Firſt, It is a cordial turning. Joel 2. 12. Turn ye, even to me, with all your heart. Deut. 30. 10. If thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoul. 2 Chron. 6. 38. If they return to thee with all their heart, and with all their ſoul. Ver. 39. then hear thou from the heavens their prayer, and their ſupplication, and forgive their ſins, &c. Here are ſingular expreſſions to ſet forth the life and truth of penitential turning from ſin; viz. To turn with the heart, and with all the heart, with all p. 397the heart, and with all the ſoul; What may theſe expreſſions mean and ſignifie?

There are two things principally intended in them.

1. One is a reality of turning; for he doth indeed repent, whoſe heart repents; and he doth indeed turn from his ſins, whoſe heart doth turn from ſin; if the heart turns not, the repentance is but feigned and hypocritical: Suppoſe you ſhould for awhile lay ande your ſins, you may therein ſeem unto men to repent; but if you ſtill love your ſins, and hold them faſt, and will not part with them, you are ſo far from repenting in the ſight and account of God, that he looks upon you as plain hypocrites, who pretend only to forſake your ſins, when indeed you are the ſervants of ſin, and intend not at all to fo…ſake them. Well then, to turn from ſin with the heart, is to have an heart giving a Bill of Divorce unto our ſins, breaking the league with ſin, caſting it off for any more love and obedience, &c.

2. Another is, a perfection or fulneſs of turning; that doth the turning with all the heart, and with all the ſoul, and with the whole heart, ſignifie; as when ones whole h…art is ſet upon an object, or is employed in any ſervice; the meaning is, that every faculty of the ſoul is unitedly and concurrently engaged to that object, and in that ſervice: I have ſought thee with my whole heart, ſaid David, Pſal. 119. 10. (i. e.) Not any one faculty of my ſoul, but is drawn out, and exerciſed in that work. So to turn from our ſin with the whole heart (with all the heart, and with all the ſoul) is to have every faculty drawn off from ſin, and diſintereſted of ſin and (as it were) outing and diſcharging it ſelf thereof, all of them agreeing and conſenting to courſe it away; viz.

Firſt, The underſtanding ſaith, I will never give way to any deceitful motions of ſin any more, nor to any delightful contemplation of it any more; I will not count it as pleaſure or profit, but ſhall eſteem of it as indeed it is, an object every way to be hated and rejected.

Secondly, The Judgement turns away from it by diſapproving and diſallowing, and condemning of it; I will never reaſon and plead for it more; I will never contrive or deviſe to gratifie it more; I will never make pretences and ſhifts to colour it any more: O it is the greateſt evil, the only diſhonour of God, the only cauſe of the death of Chriſt, and the only danger and damnation of the ſoul.

Thirdly, The conſcience turns away from it; O ſaith conſcience, ſin hath been the thorn in my eye, and the arrow in my ſide, it hath wounded me, and made me reſtleſs, and filled me with bitterneſs, I will give warning againſt it, I will threaten aganſt it, I will trouble and vex you for it.

Fourthly, The will turns away from it in reſolution and purpoſe; I will never obey ſin any more in the luſts thereof; I will never give over till I find the vertue of Chriſt to crucifie and mortifie them.

Fifthly, And every affection of the ſoul turns away from ſin in true repentance.

1. Love ſaith, I will never embrace thee more.

2. Deſire ſaith, I will never long after thee more.

3. Delight ſaith, I will never take content in thee more.

4. Hatred ſaith, I will never be reconciled with thee more.

5. Fear ſaith, I will watch, leſt the ſoul be ſurprized by thee any more, and I will flye all occaſions, &c.

6. Grief ſaith, I will mourn and lament, becauſe the ſoul hath been beguiled by thee.

7. Hope ſaith, I will look up to Chriſt, that the poor ſoul may at length get victory over thee, &c. This is indeed to turn from ſin with the whole heart, and this is the way (certainly) to find forgiveneſs of our ſins; whereas if the heart ſtill retains ſin, and cleaves unto it, our repentance is but feigned, notwithſtanding all the profeſſions we make againſt it; yea, if any one part of the ſoul continue an harbour and refuge to ſin, you do not truly turn from ſin; perhaps you do ſometimes for bear ſin but yet you love ſin; perhaps you are ſometimes troubled for ſinning, p. 398but yet you will keep ſin; perhaps your judgement condemns your ſins, but yet ſtill your affections run after your ſins; why, this is not a true penitential turning from ſin, &c.

Secondly, It is an univerſal turning, a turning from all ſins. Ezek. 18. 30. Repent, A Univerſal turning.and turn your ſelves from all your tranſgreſsions. Ver. 31. Caſt away from you all your tranſgreſsions. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of the fleſh and spirit. Pſal. 119. 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way. Ver. 128. I hate every falſe way. Epheſ. 4. 22. Put off concerning the former Converſation, the Old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful luſts. Iſa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forſake his way. There are four ſorts of men in the world:

1. Some turn from no ſin; theſe are profane, Epheſ. 4. 19.

2. Others ſeem to turn from ſome ſins only; theſe are hypocrites.

3. Some who turn from one ſin to another, from prodigality to covetouſneſs.

4. And ſome there are who turn from all their ſins; and theſe are true penitents. Beloved, Mark what I am going to ſay unto you; Every true penitent

Firſt, Looks on the reaſons of turning from ſin, as univerſally binding his ſoul; by the ſame reaſon he turns from any one ſin, he ſees reaſon to turn from every ſin. Do you turn from one ſin, becauſe God forbids ſin? why, by the ſame reaſon you are obliged to turn from every ſin: Do you turn from any one ſin, becauſe it is a tranſgreſſion of the holy and righteous will of God? why, by the ſame reaſon you are engaged to turn from every ſin: Do you turn from any one ſin, becauſe thereby you do offend and diſhonour God? by the ſame reaſon you turn from every ſin: Do you turn from any one ſin, becauſe of the curſe which God threatens for that ſin? why, by the ſame reaſon you are to turn from every ſin; for the curſe reacheth to every ſin.

Secondly, Again, Every penitent perſon is a converted perſon, (elſe he were not penitent) and every converted perſon is ſanctified throughout; he is a new creature; there is a new nature of holineſs diffuſed and ſpread over his whole ſoul; and that new nature of holineſs is contrary to all ſin, as light is to all darkneſs, and heat to all cold; and delivers up the whole heart to God; and this could not be, unleſs it did turn the heart from all ſin.

Thirdly, There is in every penitent, a true hatred of ſin; they hate the thing that is evil, and they loath their abominations, Pſal. 79. 10. Now hatred is univerſal, it is of the whole kind; Simile. he who hates a Toad, becauſe it is a Toad, hates every Toad; and he who hates a man becauſe he is holy, hates every holy man; and ſo he who hates ſin becauſe it is ſin, he doth hate every ſin; and if he hates ſin, he turns from ſin.

Fourthly, He knows that it is in vain to turn from ſome ſins, and not from all ſins; for

1. This is but hypocriſie to ſpare any known ſin, Job 20. 13.

2. Sin ſtill remains in dominion; one ſin ſet up in the love and ſervice of it, really maintains the dominion of ſin; His ſervants we are whom we obey, Rom. 6. 16.

3. That ſin will be your ruine and damnation; for

Firſt, It certainly keeps your heart from cloſing with Chriſt.

Secondly, It continues you Impenitent.

Fifthly, Would you have God to forgive you ſome of your ſins only? why, any one ſin unforgiven, will undo and damn you; you would have every ſin to be forgiven, and is it not juſt then that every ſin ſhould be forſaken?

But no man turns from every ſin;Object. But will ſome object, If a man repents not, unleſs he turns from every ſin, then there is no man in the world who repents: For in many things we offend all, Jam. 3. 2. And who can ſay My heart is clean? Prov. 20. 9. And there is no man who liveth, and ſinneth not, 1 Kings 8. 46.

Anſwered. Sol. For anſwer unto this, Know, that turning in a penitential way from ſin, doth not conſiſt in this, that no ſinful quality doth remain any longer in the ſoul; nor in this, that a perſon never commits any ſin more, concerning which both the places alledged do ſpeak; but it doth conſiſt,

p. 3991. In the alienating of the heart from all ſin; the heart is turned from the love of all ſin, and from all willing ſubjection unto ſin.

2. In the deteſtation of the will; the heart hates all ſin, and will not enter into a league of friendſhip with any ſin.

3. In the reſolution of the ſoul, purpoſing never willingly to tranſgreſs any more.

4. In the careful endeavour of the ſoul to leave all former ſinful courſes, and to walk (for ever) in nea…neſs of obedience, and in all well pleaſing before the Lord.

5. In the declining of all known occaſions and inducements to ſin, a ſhunning and avoiding of them, &c. And can a man be judged truly penitential, who fails in any one of theſe? or goes contrary unto them? Therefore look well to your ſelves; for if there be any one way of wickedneſs wherein you walk, and which you will not forſake, you are no truly repenting perſons, and you will loſe the forgiveneſs of your ſins.

But it is but ſome one ſmall ſin wherein we take delight;Object. O but will ſome reply, It is ſome one ſmall ſin wherein we take delight, and we hope that God will ſpare us in that; as for any other ſin, we are content to forſake and turn from it, but we cannot leave that ſin; Suppoſe it be the ſin of whoredom, or fornication, or drunkenneſs, or ſwearing.

Anſwered. Sol. Do you call theſe ſins ſmall ſins? Read the Scriptures concerning them, and the perſons guilty of them. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor Abuſers of themſelves with mankind. Vet. 10. Nor Thieves, nor Drunkards ſhall inherit the Kingdom of God. Eph. 5. 5. This ye know, that no Whoremonger, nor unclean perſon hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Chriſt, and of God. Ver. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for becauſe of theſe things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of diſobedience. Zach. 5. 3. This is the curſe that goeth forth, Every one that ſtealeth ſhall be cut off on this ſide; and every one that ſweareth, ſhall be cut off on that ſide.

Secondly, Suppoſe indeed that thy particular ſin (comparatively) were a ſmall ſin, yet thy love of that ſin, and delight in it, makes that exceedingly hainous, and thy condition very dreadful. Is there any thing which God hates but ſin? and which he hath forbidden but ſin? and againſt which he hath revealed his wrath but ſin? and muſt this be the only object of thy love and delight? this which his ſoul abhors, which ſo diſhonours, and provokes, and grieves him, O what a condition is this? to delight in that which diſhonours thy God? to love that which grieves and provokes God? As Saul ſaid to Jonathan, Do I not know that thou haſt choſen the ſon of Jeſſe to thine own confuſion? 1 Sam. 20. 30. So ſay I, Doſt thou not know that thou loveſt that which will be thy damnation? is there any thing which will damn a man but ſin? and is there any thing which will more certainly do it, than the love of ſin? and is there any thing more inconſiſtent with the nature and practice of true Repentance, than to ſet the heart on ſin?

Thirdly, Of all ſins whatſoever, the ſins which we have loved and delighted in are to be forſaken, if we will approve our ſelves true penitents, and within the hopes of pardoning mercies; becauſe 1. Nothing keeps up the power and dominion of ſin, ſo as the love of ſin doth. 2. And nothing continues us in the way and courſe of ſin, ſo much as the love of ſin, &c. 3. Nothing makes us more preſumptuous in ſinning, than the love of ſin. 4. And nothing makes us more to neglect and ſlight the warnings and threatnings, and calls of God, than the love of ſin. 5. And nothing doth more harden the heart in the way of ſin, than the love of ſin. 6. And nothing doth more hinder our hearts to cloſe with Chriſt, than the love of ſin. 7. Nothing doth more provoke God, and render us more obnoxious to the wrath and curſe of God.

p. 400Fourthly, There is not a clearer evidence of true Repentance, than (in time) to forſake o… beloved ſins, and to walk in ways contrary to them; I have kept my ſelf from mine iniquity, Pſal. 18. 23. This is the laying of the Axe to the root of the Tree, this is indeed a change of the heart; and other ſins will eaſily fall off, if beloved ſins be really renounced.

But we have been accuſtomed to ſuch a ſin, and cannot leave it;Object. But yet ſome will reply, There are ſome ſins unto which we have been ſo accuſtomed, that do what we can, we cannot leave and forſake them; Will not God pardon us unleſs we come off from them?

Anſwered. Sol. To this I anſwer.

1. Be the ſin what it may be, if you ſee it to be a ſin, and the way to be ſinful, it muſt be forſaken if we will have mercy.

2. Of all ſins whatſoever, the ſins of cuſtome are to be repented of, cuſtome is no plea, but an aggravation; for a cuſtome of ſinning is a long courſe and time of ſinning; a long time of ſinning againſt God, although he hath exerciſed much goodneſs and long-ſuffering towards the ſinner, which ſhould have led him to repentance; it is high time for ſuch a ſinner to conſider and fear, and return, leaſt the Lord give him up unto a ſeared conſcience, and a reprobate mind, and never treat with him more, but break out into wrath againſt him.

3. Although you cannot forſake any ſin by your ſtrength, yet you may be enabled to forſake the accuſtomed ſinning by the ſtrength of God, to whom you muſt pray to turn you, that you may be turned from ſin. This work is very difficult, but not impoſſible; perhaps impoſſible; to you, but yet not impoſſible unto God, who can break the cords and chains a ſunder, and ſay to the Captives, Go free, and to them who have been long dead, Live and riſe.

I but I ſhould be undone if I ſhould leave ſome ſins;Object. It is once more objected, But I cannot live, I ſhould be undone if I ſhould turn from every ſin; and ſhould I not ſometimes ſell on the Sabbath, and ſometimes lye and forſwear, and cheat, and cozen people, my trade ſhould fall, and cuſtome be gone, and I go a begging; This is a ſtrange plea, you ſhould be undone unleſs you commit thoſe ſins by which you are undone; but

Anſwered. Sol. To this let me thus anſwer.

1. There is no man whom God puts in a lawful Calling, that hath any reaſon at all to uſe any ſinful way to uphold and maintain himſelf; why ſo? becauſe God hath abundantly undertaken to provide for him, and to bleſs him, whiles he conſcientiouſly walks and labours in his Calling. Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God, Walk before me, and be thou perfect; q. d. Trouble not thy ſelf for other things, only be thou upright, and I (who am the Almighty God) will take care for thee. Pſal. 37. 3. Truſt in the Lord, and do good, ſo ſhalt then dwell in the Land, and verily thou ſhalt be fed. Hebr. 13. 5. Let your Converſation be without covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as you have; for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee.

2. Sinful ways are no ways to live or thrive by, but expoſe to curſe and ruine. Jer. 17. 11. As the Partridge ſitteth on Eggs, and hatcheth them not; ſo he that getteth riches, and not by right, ſhall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end ſhall be a fool. Micah 6. 10. Are there yet the treaſures of wickedneſs in the houſe of the wicked? And the ſcant meaſures which is an abomination. Ver. 11. Shall I count them pure with the wicked ballances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? Ver. 12. The Inhabitants have spoken lyes, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths. Ver. 13. Therfore will I make thee ſick in ſmiting thee, in making thee deſolate becauſe of thy …ns. Ver. 14. They ſhall eat, and not be ſatisfied. Ver. 15. Thou ſhalt ſowe, but thou ſhalt not reap; thou ſhalt tread the Olives, but thou ſhalt not anoint thee with oyle. 1 Theſ. 4. 6. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, for that the Lord is the avenger of all ſuch.

3. Suppoſe thy trading ſhould fall, it were much better to be piouſly poor than to be wickedly rich; to have a little eſtate, and a good conſcience, than a large eſtate with a guilty conſcience; to loſe the world, and to ſave the ſoul, than to gain the whole world, and to loſe a mans ſoul, &c.

p. 401Thirdly, The third Qualification of a true penitential turning from ſin, is this, It is a conſtant and continued turning from ſin: And thus alſo it ſtands in oppoſition It is a conſtant and continued turning from ſin.unto hypocritical turning which wants depth, for it is not with the heart; and which wants bredth. for it is not from all ſins; and which wants length, for it is not conſtant and ſtedfaſt, but inconſtant, and unſtedfaſt, and quickly off; come ſay they in Hoſe. 6. 1. and let us return unto the Lord; but ver. 4. O Ephraim, what ſhall I do unto thee! O Judah, what ſhall I do unto thee! for your goodneſſe is a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Hypocritical turning from ſin ariſeth from a deceitful heart, and from mutable grounds and circumſtances, and therefore it is compared to a deceitfull bow, Hoſe. 7. 16. And to a dogge who returns again to his vomit, 2 Pet. 2. 22. But he who truely repents, doth ſo turn from ſin, that he never returns to his ſins again. The Iſraelites were charged never to return the way to Egypt any more, Deut. 17. 16. So the Repenting ſinner he never returns to the houſe of bondage, to the ſervice of his ſins any more, Rom. 6. 2. How ſhall we that are dead to ſin, live any longer therein! Pſal. 85. 8. But let them not return again to folly. Hoſe. 14. 8. What have I to do any more with Idols? therefore repenting is ſtiled a ceaſing to do evil, Iſa. 1. 16. And caſting away of ſinne as a menſtruous cloth, ſaying, Get thee hence, Iſa. 30. 22.

But we have often ſinned ſince we have endeavou…ed to turn from ſin:Object. But now will ſome of you reply, You break all our hearts by this Doctrine: For if this only be the true penitential turning from ſin, never to return to ſin any more, we are then all of us deceived in our repentance; for we have often committed ſin, ſince our hearts have been afflicted for our ſins, and have endeavoured to forſake our ſins; yea perhaps have committed the ſame kinde of ſins.

Anſwered. Sol. I make no queſtion but this is a very ſerious Objection which is made by you, and it doth deſerve a ſerious anſwer, becauſe indeed it may be an Objection from con…ence it ſelf ſomething troubled about this qualification of true turning from ſin, and fearing the ſincerity of repenting.

For anſwer therefore unto this great Scruple,

1. I ſhall lay down ſome Conceſſions.

2. I ſhall ſtate out unto you the right meaning of that continued and ſtedfaſt turning from ſin, which is the certain evidence of true repentance.

The Conceſſions or things which I would grant are theſe.Some Conceſſions. A true Penitent may ſin again.

Firſt, A perſon may be a true penitent, and although he be ſo, yet poſſibly he may ſin again; did not David truely repent of his murder? and yet after that he ſinned again in the numbring of the people; did not Paul truely repent? and yet he complaines, (Rom. 7. 19.) The evil that I would not, that I do. What penitent is there upon earth, who doth not fear leaſt he ſhould ſin, and who doth not may times grieve becauſe he hath ſinned again! Nay if we did every day ſurvey our walking, ſhould we not every day find juſt cauſe to renew our tears and our repentance? Prov. 24. 16. A juſt man falleth ſeven times and riſeth again. Luk. 17. 4. If he treſpaſs againſt thee ſeven times, in a day, and ſeven times in a day turn again unto thee, ſaying I repent, thou ſhalt forgive him. And what did the continual burnt-offering which was to be made day by day, import but a daily ſinning and expiating of it? &c. Numb. 28. 3.

Secondly, A perſon may be a true penitent, and (poſſibly) he may relapſe or A true Penitent may relapſe into the ſame kind of ſin again.fall into the ſame kind of ſin again: as that is a Relapſe into ſin when one doth (after ſome recovery) fall back into the very ſame ſin, either for courſe or act: we read this in Abraham, and in Lot, and in Peter, and in other true ſervants of God, they have been overtaken with the ſame ſins into which they did formerly fall. It is true, that they do not relapſe in ſuch a manner as wicked men do, neither in reſpect of willingneſs, nor of choice, nor of affectection, nor of courſe, nor of quietneſs, nor of continuance, nor of worſeneſs; but yet as to the very nature of relapſing, they have been overcome with p. 402the ſame ſins: 1. Partly from their own weakneſs. 2. Partly from their own worldlyneſs. 3. Partly from the ſtrength and ſubtilty of temptations from Satan.

Note. But notwithſtanding all this, the Penitents turning from ſin, is a continued and ſteadfaſt turning, becauſe

1. His habitual purpoſe not to ſin, ſtill continues the ſame: I ſaid I will take heed to my wayes that I ſin not with my tongue, Pſal. 39. 1.

2. His habitual deſire is that he may not ſin: Pſal. 119. 133. Order my ſteps in thy Word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Ver. 5. O that my wayes were directed, &c. Ver. 10. O let me not wander from thy Commandments. Ver. 36. Incline my heart unto thy Teſtimonies, and not to covetouſneſſe.

3. His habitual endeavour ſtill continues not to ſin: Pſal. 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in in mine heart, that I might not ſix againſt thee: and Pſal. 18. 23. I have kept my ſelf from mine iniquity, and Pſal. 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy ſtatutes alwayes unto the end. and ver. 115. Depart from me ye evil doers, for I will keep the Commandements of my God.

4. His hatred remains firm againſt ſin, although ſometimes he doth ſin: The evil that I hate, that I do, Rom. 7. 15.

5. His ſtedfaſt and continued path, or way, or courſe of life, is quite contrary to ſin: Iſa. 26. 7. The way of the juſt is uprightneſs. Job 23. 10. He Knoweth the way that I take. Ver. 11. My feet have held his ſteps, his way have I kept and not declined. Ver. 12. Neither have I gone back from the Commandement of his lips.

Secondly, Therefore for the right ſtating of the Penitents continued or ſtedfaſt The right ſtating of the penitents turning from ſin. It ſtands in oppoſition, not to every new act of ſin: But to the former courſe and way of ſinfull converſaſation. Not to an unwilling captivity; But to a willing ſubjection.turning from ſin; Remember

Firſt, It ſtands in oppoſition, not to every new particular act of ſin (for that cannot be expected in this life: not ſuch a Repentance as a man ſhall never ſin any more, no more than ſuch a Faith as that a man ſhall never doubt any more) but it ſtands in oppoſition to the former courſe or way of ſinful converſation; (i. e.) He who truely turns from ſin, he never doth return any more to that ſinful way in which formerly he lived and walked; it ſhall never (henceforth) be his Path, his Trade, his Courſe: How ſhall we live any longer therein? Rom. 6. 2.

Secondly, It ſtands in oppoſition not to an unwilling captivity by ſinne; (Paul himſelf complaines that he was brought into captivity to the Law of ſin, Rom. 7. 23.) but unto a willing ſubjection, and a willing ſervice of ſin any more. The repenting perſon never yields himſelf a ſervant any more unto any ſin; he never ſaith that this, or that, or any ſin ſhall be my Lord, my King, my Maſter, unto which I will yield obedience willingly in its commands and luſts: No, but as in the ſtate of impenitency we were the ſervants of ſin; ſo in the ſtate of repentance we do become the ſervants of Righteouſneſs: See Rom. 6. 17, 18, &c. Therefore though the penitent perſon doth many times ſin, yet he never returns any more to the former ſervice of ſin.

Thirdly, It ſtands in oppoſition, not to every ſuddain and indeliberate ſurpriſal Not to any ſuddain and deliberate ſurprizal:by ſin, or to ſin, but in oppoſition to all or any affectionate and deliberate renewing of any league of friendſhip with ſin any more: The penitent perſon may and doth ſin; but it is one thing to ſin, and it is another thing to love ſin; it is one thing to be overtaken with a violent temptation, and it is another thing But to an affectionate renewing of the league with ſin. Not to falling into ſin: But to reſting in it.to take ſin into the affection and heart, to love it, and embrace it, and delight in it again.

Fourthly, it ſtands in oppoſition, not (ſimply) to falling into ſin; but (modally) to reſting in ſin, for that as Solomon ſpeaks the juſt falls ſeven times, yet he riſeth up again; And even this that he will by no means lie in any ſinful act (but ſtill riſeth with renewed Repentance) this ſhews that his heart is fixed.

p. 403Therefore Beloved, let us ſadly and ſeriouſly conſider of theſe things which do ſo intimately diſcover the truth of that Repentance, upon which God hath promiſed the forgiveneſs of ſins, that we deceive not, and undo our ſelves at the laſt.

There are three things which foliſh and preſumptuous ſinners do make out only in their own fancies.

1. One is a God of their own, all of mercy, and nothing of juſtice.

2. Another is, a Faith of their own, a confidence however that they ſhall be ſaved, without any doubt or fear.

3. A third is, a Repentance of their own, which is, I am ſorry, and I forgive all the world, and God be merciful unto my ſoul: But be not deceived, there is more in true Repentance than moſt of us do imagine; This let me faithfully aſſure you of, that,

1. If your hearts be not broken with ſhame and ſorrow for ſin paſt.

2. If your hearts hate not every preſ…nt ſin.

3. If your hearts fear not to ſin for the future.

4. If notwithſtanding your profeſſions (nay perhaps your vows) in times of ſickneſs, or danger, or agonies of conſcience to leave your ſins, you do return again unto the ſame courſe of drunkenneſs, of whoredom, of ſwearing, of Sabbath breaking, of lying, of ſtealing, of worldlineſs, of pride, of maliciouſneſs, of any known ſin, ſo that you project for it, love it, ſerve it, defend and continue in it; aſſuredly you are no true penitents; and if you ſhould live and dye in ſuch a condition, you will never find God to be merciful unto you in the forgiveneſs of your ſins. And on the contrary, though you have been formerly great tranſgreſſors, even notorious ſinners, if now God hath given unto you hearts to ſee, and to bewaile your ſins, and humbly to confeſs them, and to turn from all your wicked wayes with a real purpoſe of heart never to walk in any path of ſin, but in all the paths of Righteouſneſs, God will certainly and accordingly to his many promiſes, forgive you all your ſins. And thus have I finiſhed the firſt ſort of perſons who are within the compaſſe of promiſed forgiveneſs; I ſhall now proceed unto a ſecond ſort, viz.

Secondly, All who do truely believe in Jeſus Chriſt, are undoubtedly within the All who do truely believe in Jeſus Chriſt are within the promiſe of pardon.promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins: And for the clear opening of this Concluſion, I will briefly ſpeak unto three things.

1. There is a neceſſity of Faith, for to enjoy the Remiſſion of our ſinnes.

2. That Faith muſt be true Evangelical faith.

3. That true Faith may be weak or ſtrong, and whether weak or ſtrong (if it be true) it hath a certainty of forgiveneſs of ſins annexed unto it.

Firſt, There is a neceſſity of Faith for to enjoy the remiſſion of our ſins: There is There is a neceſſity of ſaith for pardon.a neceſſity of the preſence of Faith, and there is a neceſſity of the uſe and exerciſe of faith.

1. A neceſſity of the preſence of Faith: As repentance muſt neceſſarily be preſent, A neceſſity of the preſence of faith.if you would have your ſins forgiven; ſo faith muſt be neceſſarily preſent in you, if you would enjoy the forgiveneſs of your ſins. Put ſuch a ſuppoſition that, Repentance might be in a perſon without Faith, I dare affirm that the ſins of that perſon ſhould not be forgiven;

Object. Why, will you ſay, have you not already proved ſeveral promiſes of forgiveneſſe upon Repentance!

Sol. True, I have done ſo; I have cleared iti that Remiſſion of ſins is promiſed upon repentance, but not upon repentance as ſeparated from faith; but as repentance is required, ſo is faith required for the forgiveneſſe of ſins: Neither Faith without Repentance, nor Repentance without Faith, but both of them as inſeparable Qualifications in every perſon whom God will pardon; Nay and it is very convenient or p. 404uſeful to make compariſons between theſe two graces, in reference unto the forgiveneſſe of ſins; I humbly conceive that it might eaſily be demonſtrated, that of the two Faith hath the neareſt relation, and is of the ſtronger neceſſity, and of more immediate approach to the forgiveneſs of ſins than Repentance, although both of them are neceſſarily required. But I ſhall not go that way to work, I will only demonſtrate the neceſſity of Faith in us for the forgiveneſs Five things demonſtrate it.of our ſins; and there are five things which will do that.

Firſt, The precept of Faith, in reſpect to our forgiveneſſe; faith is expreſly The Precept of Faith.commanded. 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment, that we ſhould believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt. And it is enjoyned and commanded us, if we would have our ſins forgiven: Acts 13. 38. Be it known unto you, that through this Name is preached unto you the forgiveneſſe of ſins. Ver. 39. And by him all that believe are justified. Believe and thou ſhalt be ſaved, Acts 16. 30.

Secondly, And the promiſe of forgiveneſſe of ſins upon the condition of Faith: The promiſe of forgiveneſs upon condition of Faith.Acts 10. 43. Whoſoever believeth in him ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins: And truely if we do ſeriouſly conſider the matter, we muſt acknowledge that faith is the only condition of the Covenant of grace, wherein God becomes our God, and we become his people; and by which (therefore) we become heirs of all the promiſes of God, and conſequently of the promiſe of the forgiveneſs of ſins; none are the children of God, and heirs of the Promiſes but by Faith.

Thirdly, It is expreſly taken in to the juſtification of a ſinner: So taken in, that by no other means he can be juſtified, and by this only he muſt be juſtified: It is expreſly taken in to the juſtification of a ſinner.Rom. 3. 28. We conclude that a man is juſtified by Faith, without the deeds of the Law. Gal. 5. 4. Chriſt is become of none effect unto you, whoſoever of you are juſtified by the Law, ye are fallen from grace. You know that the forgiveneſs of our ſins is only in our juſtification, and that the juſtification of a ſinner is (as to him) only of grace (being juſtified freely by his grace) Rom. 3. 23. And that the ſinner is juſtified by faith, and by faith only, that ſo it may be of grace; and therefore there is a neceſſity of faith for the pardon of ſins, &c.

Fourthly, It is impoſſible to finde remiſſion of our ſins out of Chriſt, foraſmuch No remiſſion out of Chriſt.as his blood (only) was ſhed for the remiſſion of ſins. Matth. 26. 28. And in him only we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſſe of ſins. Epheſ. 1. 7. …nd him only hath God ſet forth to be a propitiation, and to declare his righteouſneſſe for the remiſſion of ſin, Rom. 3. 25. And it is as impoſſible to enjoy Chriſt without Faith, which is the only grace (on our part) to receive Chriſt, to joyn us unto Chriſt, and by which Chriſt doth dwell in us. Now if we cannot have the forgiveneſs of ſins, but we muſt firſt have Chriſt, and we cannot have Chriſt but by faith, there is then a neceſſity of faith for the remiſſion of ſins.

Fifthly, If for want of Faith, we ſhall certainly loſe the remiſſion of ſins, then the preſence of faith is neceſſary for the forgiveneſs of ſins (this Conſequence For want of Faith we loſe the remiſſion of ſins.cannot be denied by any rational Chriſtian) but the want of faith will certainly loſe us the forgiveneſs of ſins; three places will clear that. Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth not ſhall be damned. Joh. 3. 36. He that believes not, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Joh. 8. 24. If ye believe not that I am he, you ſhall dye in your ſins, If for want of faith we dye in our ſins, ſhall not ſee life, ſhall be damned, have the wrath of God ſtill abiding on us, then for want of faith we do certainly loſe the remiſſion of our ſins (for theſe are utterly inconſiſtent with remiſſion) but you read, that for want of faith we ſhall dye in our ſins, &c. Ergo, there is a neceſſity of the preſence of Faith for the forgiveneſs of our ſins.

p. 4052. As there is a neceſſity of the preſence of faith, ſo is there a neceſſity of the uſe or exerciſe of Faith for the remiſſion of ſins: For as in the Covenant of works A neceſſity of the uſe and exerciſe of faith.actual obedience was neceſſary to enjoy the life then promiſed, ſo in the Covenant of grace actual believing is neceſſary to enjoy Chriſt and forgiveneſs purchaſed by him, and promiſed in him.

Now there are two acts of faith (eſpecially) required in every one who would enjoy the forgiveneſs of his ſins.

1. One is an Act of acceptance.

2. The other is an Act of reliance on Chriſt only for that forgiveneſſe promiſed.

Firſt, An Act of acceptance, his ſoul muſt be brought into Chriſt, acknowledge An act of acceptance.and conſent to receive him, and whole Chriſt with the whole heart. If a man think thus, I will have my ſins forgiven me, but I care not for Chriſt, my heart cannot comply with him, his Commands are too ſtrick, and his wayes are too holy for me, I cannot yield to be his upon ſuch terms as he requires! Let me tell you plainly and faithfully, you ſhall never have your ſins pardoned; why? becauſe the forgiveneſs of ſins is promiſed upon this condition, if you do believe and receive Chriſt. You may as well ſay, that you will be ſaved for ever in heaven, but you will not believe, you will not receive Chriſt, you will not be his. No no, a Communion in what he hath purchaſed cannot poſſibly be without a precedent union with himſelf; all the Benefits, and all the Priviledges by Chriſt, are communicable only unto them who are Chriſts; to them there is no condemnation, but, &c.

Secondly, Beſides this Act of acceptance of Chriſt, there muſt be alſo an An act of reliance.Act of reliance on Christ, and on him only for the forgiveneſs of your ſins: Put the caſe you do repent of your ſins; yea put the caſe tha… …ou do by faith receive Chriſt; if now you do rely on your Repentance, and on your Faith, or on any other thing beſides Chriſt for the forgiveneſs of your ſins, you will certainly loſe the forgiveneſs of them. If you ſhould ſay, God will forgive me for my tears ſake, for my grief ſake, for my confeſſion ſake, for my turning ſake, for my believing ſake, but not for Chriſts ſake, you will certainly miſs of pardoning mercy, becauſe all forgiveneſs of ſins unto us, is for Chriſts ſake: Epheſ. 4. 32. Forgiving one another, as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you. 1 Joh. 2. 12. Your ſins are forgiven you for his Name ſake. So then there is a neceſſity of ſuch an act of faith as to rely only on Chriſt, as the reaſon of the pardon of your ſins (i. e.) to truſt on his Righteouſneſs, on his Redemption, on his blood only, as the All ſufficicient, and as the effectual reaſon of your forgiveneſs, &c.

Secondly, The ſecond thing which I would ſhew unto you is, what that Faith is What that faith is that is ſo neceſſary.which is ſo neceſſary for us, if that we would enjoy the forgiveneſs of our ſins. For as to the foreign of Repentance, we generally grant it for a truth, that men muſt repent i… they will have their ſins forgiven; ſo as to the foreign of faith it is generally granted that men muſt believe; and if they do truely believe, their ſins ſhall be forgiven. But the difficulty is what this faith is which intitles us unto, and really aſſures remiſſion of ſins: And great reaſon there is to clear this, becauſe of the general confidence in men that they have faith, and becauſe of the ordinary ſelf-deceit of men contenting themſelves with a falſe faith, and becauſe of the dreadful hazard and loſs upon ſuch a miſtake.

Therefore rightly to ſtate out unto you this great Point (upon which our life or death depends) lend me your patience and attention while I briefly diſcourſe upon four Concluſions.

1. All men have not faith.

2. All faith brings us not to a certain remiſſion of ſin, although there is a faith which doth ſo.

p. 4063. Some men may think they have that faith which doth entitle them unto remiſſion of their ſins, but yet they are deceived.

4. That faith which is neceſſary unto the remiſſion of ſins, and infallibly attains it, may be clearly made evident unto us for the truth of its preſence in us.

Firſt, All men have not Faith; So the Apoſtle expreſly, 2 Theſ. 3. 2. Who hath believed our report! So the Prophet, Iſa. 53. 1. He came amongſt his own, All men have not faith.and his own received him not. Joh. 1. 11. Though he had done ſo many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him, Joh. 12. 37. And there are four things do demonſtrate this.Four things demonſtrate this. The ignorance in many men.

1. The ignorance in many men, the know not Chriſt the Lord of glory: How ſhall they believe on him, of whom they have not heard? Rom. 14. So ſay I, how ſhall they believe on him whom they have not known? though knowledge may be without Faith, yet it is impoſſible there ſhould be Faith without knowledge?

2. The careleſneſſe in many men about the offer of Chriſt, and the invitations of Christ; they make light of them, Matth. 22. 5. an know not the day of Their careleſsneſs about the offer of Chriſt.their viſitation. Luke 19. 44. And follow their worldly pleaſures and profits, neglecting Chriſt, and the great things of Chriſt, Luke 14. 18, 19, 20.

3. The oppoſition of Jeſus Chriſt; We will not have this man to reign over us, Luke 19. 14. Let us break his bonds aſunder, and cast away his cords from The oppoſition of Jeſus Chriſt.us, Pſal. 2. 3. All day long I have ſtretched my hand unto a diſobedient and gainſaying people, Rom. 10. 21.

4. The obstinate perverſeneſſe of will in the refuſing of Chriſt: ye would not, Matth. 23. 27. Ye will not come to me, Joh. 5. 40. They have both ſeen, and hated both me and my Father, Joh. 15. 24.

Secondly, Though ſome men have faith, yet all Faith doth not bring us to All Faith doth not bring us to remiſſion of ſins. A Diabolical Faith.the certain remiſſion of ſins. There are five ſorts of Faith which may be had, and yet no remiſſion of ſins is annexed to any one of them,

1. A diabolical Faith: The Divels believe and tremble, Jam. 2. 19. They believe that there is a God, and that that wrath which he hath threatned them; ſhall inevitably befall them, and thereupon they tremble; ſuch a kind of Faith many have who do utterly deſpair of mercy, and are without hope.

2. A meerly Hiſtorical Faith, which is an aſſent unto the Word of God as true, and there it reſts: many do firmly believe revealed truths, who yet never A meer Hiſtorical Faith.embrace the goodneſs of thoſe truths; they doe believe that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, that he was ſent into the world to ſave ſinners, that he died for ſinners, that he made peace by his blood, that there is remiſſion of ſins to be had by him, that whoſoever believes and repents ſhall be ſaved. All theſe Points they do believe to be certain truths, becauſe the Word of God ſaith ſo; and yet for all this their hearts are not drawn to receive Chriſt, nor to love him, nor to ſerve him, without which there is no benefit to be had from Chriſt.

3. A temporary Faith; Luke 8. 13. They on the Rock are they which when they hear, receive the Word with joy, and they have no root, which for a while believe, A temporary Faith.and in time of temptation fall away, Luke 8. 13. A man may go far, as to hear the Goſpel, and to receive it (to own it in ſome ſort) and that with joy (he may be ſomewhat taken with the newneſs of it, or with the ſweetneſs of it) and he may thereupon believe that it ſets out the true way of life, and thereupon may make a profeſſion of Chriſt and the Goſpel, and come into an outward communion in the Goſpel; and yet this mans faith may not be ſound, which Chriſt ſhews in two particulars. 1. It wants a root, and it is but ſuperficial, it doth not root in the heart in Chriſt, nor doth it flow from Chriſi as a Root or living Principle. 2. It wants conſtancy or duration, it is not fixed on Chriſt for p. 407Chriſt alone, but for ſome ſelf advantages, and therefore in time of temptation it withers and falls off: Now that Faith which neither roots us nor ingraffs us into Chriſt, nor keeps us faithful and ſteadfaſt to Chriſt, is falſe faith, and therefore ſhall miſs of the forgiveneſs of ſins.

4. There is a verbal Faith, a Faith which con…ſts only in profeſsion, and words A ve…bal Faith.without any vital fruits and manifeſtations of truth and power: Jam. 2. 14. What doth it profit my brethren, though a man ſaith he hath Faith, and have not works? can Faith ſave him? The Apoſtle in that place taxeth the vanity of empty and boaſting Profeſſors, who talked much of their Faith, and truſted for great matters by it; alas (ſaith he) you deceive your ſelves much in your Faith; there is a Faith which will indeed profit and ſave, but the faith of which you boaſt will not do ſo; for your faith is but a dead faith: If it were true, it would appear in love and good works (as the living Tree doth in fruits) but there is no ſuch working faith in you.

5. And laſtly, there is a preſumptuous Faith; which is nothing elſe but a phantaſtical A preſumptuous Faith.faith: The ſimple believeth every word, Prov. 14. 15. Ver. 16. The Foole rageth and is confident: So is it with the man who hath preſumptuous faith, he believeth every word, Chriſt is his and died for him, and his ſins ſhall be forgiven, and his ſoul ſhall be ſaved, and yet the foole rageth and is confident: He is a wicked man, and lives wickedly, ſwears, and lies, and whores, and breakes the Sabbath, and derides holineſs, and will not obey the Goſpel of Chriſt, and yet he is confident; he hath no Scripture grounds at all for his confidence; nay there is clear ground for him to believe the wrath of God if he repent nor, &c.

Thirdly, Some men do think that they have that true Faith which doth entitle to Some men think they have true Faith, but …e dece…ved.remiſſion of ſins, but they are deceived. Beloved, ſelf-deceit is very natural and common, that a man may think himſelf to be in a very good eſtate when he is in a very wicked eſtate; and a man may think he hath every grace requiſ…te to ſalvation, when indeed he hath not any one of them; he may deceive himſelf about repentance, and about faith, and about love, &c. For there is no true grace, but there is alſo a counterfeit of that grace which may look like it, but it is not ſo; Ahab humbled himſelf, and ſo did Hezekiah, but his humbling was of another ſort: David repented; and ſo did Judas; but Davids repentance was of another kind than his; Simon Peter believed, and ſo did Simon Magus, but Peters faith was another kind of faith than his.

There are three Grounds or Reaſons upon which men may and do deceive Three grounds o… this deceit.themſelves that their Faith is the true Faith which ſhall bring Remiſsion of ſinnes unto them, when really their Faith is not that Faith unto which forgiveneſs is promiſed.

1. They finde ſome things which are the Ingredients of true Faith, which yet are They finde ſome ingredients of Faith which are but common ingredient.but common ingredients, which another faith may have that gives not title unto forgiveneſs of ſins. As ſuppoſe knowledge and aſſent unto heavenly truths: theſe are in that faith which gives us the Remiſsion of our ſins (though not as giving that Remiſsion) and theſe may be in a faith which ſhall never bring you to the Remiſsion of your ſins.

2. They finde ſome affections like unto thoſe which come from true faith: Some And ſome affections ….ſuddain joyes, and delights, and deſires upon hearing the Word, and yet theſe are not thoſe joyes which do flow from faith, but are ſuddain and tran…ent Raptures, flowing only from their own ſelf-deceiving perſwaſions, and not from any certain knowledge of union with Chriſt.

3. They finde ſome kinds of conforming of themſelves unto the Word in matters And ſome … to the Wor….of practice, reforming and doing many things, and yet this is not that conformity and that obedience which flows from true faith; For it is not internal, but only external; and it is not univerſal, but partial; Let the ſame word ſtrike a… a ſeparation p. 408'twixt their hearts and their beloved ſin, and preſſe them to a ſtrictneſſe of holy walking, their Faith will not be able to bring them up to a ſubjection therein unto the will of Chriſt.

4. Theſe things being premiſed, I now come to ſet out before you that Faith What that Faith is which will certainly get the remiſſion of ſins. Faith well ſeated.for the truth and quality of it, which will certainly get you the remiſſion of your ſins. That Faith

Firſt, It alwayes follows ſpecial contrition and humiliation for ſin: For Faith cannot act on Chrſt as a Saviour untill I finde my ſelf a ſinner, needing him to be my Saviour; and therefore the ordinary uſual way of the Spirit, is to convince of ſin, and to lay us low in the ſenſe thereof (and to break down all our high imaginations and ſelf confidences, that we come to ſee no hope but in the free grace and rich mercy of God in Chriſt) before he conveyes Faith into our ſoules: Luk. 3. 5. Every mountain and hill ſhall be brought low, &c. Ver. 6. and all fleſh ſhall ſee the ſalvation of God. Acts 16. 29. He came in trembling and fell down. ver. 30. and ſaid, Sirs, what muſt I do to be ſaved? ver. 31. and they ſaid, believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and thou ſhalt be ſaved.

2. Is wrought in us only by the power and mighty working of the Spirit of Chriſt; Faith rightly cauſed.So the Apoſtle in Epheſ. 1. 19. called there the exceeding greatneſs of his power, and the working of his mighty power: The Spirit of Chriſt doth accompany and actuate the Goſpel, and it ſets it on upon the heart (for the truth and goodneſs of it) with ſuch Majeſty, Authority, and Efficacy, that the poor ſinner is not able to reſiſt and withſtand the precept of Faith, but is made willing and ready, and yields up his heart to receive the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Thirdly, It is alwayes raiſed by Evangelical offers and premiſes; when the Lord And well grounded.works faith indeed, and draws the heart to believe on Chriſt, the heart takes ground and encouragement for this from the Offers, and Invitations, and Commands of the Goſpel; Come unto me, ſaith Chriſt; this is his Commandement that we ſhould believe. And from the Promiſes; He that believes ſhall be ſaved. Come unto me and I will give you reſt, &c.

Fourthly, In true Faith the whole heart or ſoul is carried out unto Chriſt: True believing is a believing with all the heart; the whole heart yields unto Jeſus Chriſt; And unites the whole heart to whole Chriſt.the underſtanding admires at the glory, and at the kindneſs, and goodneſs, and love of Chriſt; the judgement is filled with choiſeſt thoughts, and higheſt eſtimations of Chriſt, None like Chriſt, and none but Chriſt; the will falls in with Chriſt freely, readily, fully; O Chriſt, thou art my chiefeſt good and bleſſedneſs; and Chriſt hath all the affections of deſire, love, delight, and joy; theſe are taken up and filled with Chriſt, &c. Faith brings in all to Chriſt.

Fifthly, True Faith ſincerely ſets up all Chriſt; takes and ſets up Chriſt as our Prieſt for Expiation of ſins, Reconciliation, Interceſſion, and him alone; and as It ſincerely ſets up all Chriſt.our Prophet to teach and inſtruct us; and as our King to rule us, to deſtroy his enemies in us, to give us Laws, to receive obedience from us.

Sixthly, True faith eternally unites the heart to Chriſt; neither earthly preferment It eternally unites to Chriſt.on the one ſide, nor perſecutions and diſcouragements on the other ſide can ſeparate the heart of a true believer from Jeſus Chriſt.

In a word, true faith (which hath the promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins) doth not only know Chriſt, but approves of Chriſt; not only approves of Chriſt, but receives Chriſt; not ſome of Chriſt, but all Chriſt; not with ſome part of the heart, but with the whole heart; not for a time, but for ever; not upon our conditions, but upon his own conditions; not occaſionally and upon an exigence, but freely and upon choice; not only for ſafety, but alſo for ſervice; nor only for profeſsion, but alſo for union and communion. It matcheth us to Chriſt as a Wife to the Husband; it unites us to Chriſt as Branches to the Vine; it joynes us to Chriſt as Members to the head. Beloved, this is that faith which is neceſſary for the remiſsion of our ſins: If you have not a Faith produced by the mighty p. 409working of the holy Ghoſt; if you have not a faith planted in a broken heart; if you have not a faith grounded on Goſpel-offers and promiſes; if you have not a faith which brings in all your heart to match with Chriſt; if you have not a faith which receives whole Chriſt in all his offers; if you have not a ſaith for ſervice on your part, as well as for benefit on Chriſts part; if you have not a faith which will conform you to Chriſt, as well as apply Chriſt to you, it is but a counterfeit faith; and as it gives you no intereſt in the perſon of Chriſt, ſo it will never intitle and convey unto you any forgiving mercy and ſalvation by Chriſt.

Thus you ſee what that Faith is which is neceſſary for the forgiveneſs of ſins: Now a word to the third Particular, viz.

Thirdly, That true Faith (which intitles to the forgiveneſs of ſins) it may True faith may be either weak or ſtrong.be either weak or ſtrong: Compare believer with believer, there is this latitude in true faith; therefore you read of great faith in ſome, and of a little faith in others; of ſome whom Chriſt ſtyles his lambs, and others his ſheep; and John calls ſome young men, others little children, and others fathers; there are different meaſures of faith amongſt believers, 1. Partly from the different impartings of the Spirit, who is a free and wiſe cauſe; and from partly 2. The different means and helps which conduce to the improvement of faith; and 3. Partly from the different Age and times of faith; ſome have been long in Chriſt, in others Chriſt is but newly formed; and who can expect that babes newly born ſhould have that ſtrength and ſufficiency as men have who are grown to a riper age? yea, and the ſame faith is in the ſame perſon firſt but weak and tender, but as the bruiſed reed, but as the ſmoaking flax, &c.

Fourthly, Bur then in the laſt place, (which ſhall cloſe up this Diſcourſe) Whether it be ſtrong or weak, if it be true, it intitles to pardon.whether the faith be ſtrong, or whether it be weak, if yet it be the true Goſpel faith, (of which I have ſpoken) it hath a certainty of the forgiveneſs of ſins promiſed and annexed unto it. The Scripture expreſly clears this Concluſion, Acts 10. 43. Whoſoever believes in him, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins. Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth in him, is not condemned; why then he is abſolved or pardoned. 1 John 2. 12. I write unto you little children, becauſe your ſins are forgiven you. Acts 13. 39. By him all that believe are juſtified. Iſa. 53. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

And there are five clear Demonſtrations of this.Five Demonſtrations of it. Every believer is in the Covenant.

Firſt, Every believer (whether ſtrong or weak) is in the Covenant; God is their God, and they are all of them his people; he is their father, and they are all of them his children. Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Chriſt Jeſus. Now every one in Covenant hath the expreſs promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins. Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their ſin no more.

Secondly, Every believer is in Chriſt, and Chriſt is in him; Chriſt dwelleth in And in Chriſt, and Chriſt in him.our hearts by faith, Eph. 3. 17. and Gal. 3. 28. ſpeaking of all ſorts of believers, he ſaith, Ye are all one in Chriſt Jeſus.

Now the Scripture affirms ſix things of all who are Chriſts.

1. That they have l…e. 1 Joh. 5 12. He that hath the Son, hath life.

2. That there is no condemnation to them, Rom. 8. 1.

3. That they ſhall never periſh, but have everlasting life, Joh. 3. 16.

4. That in his blood they have redemption, even forgiveneſs of their ſins, Eph. 1. 7.

5. That Chriſt bears their ſins, 1 Pet. 2. 24. and did put away their ſins by the ſacrifice of himſelf, Hebr. 9. 26.

6. That Chriſt is made unto them (and that of God) righteouſneſs and redemption, 1 Cor. 1. 30.

Thirdly, The promiſe of forgiveneſs is made to the believer as a believer; They have the promiſe of forgiveneſs as believers.not as a ſtrong believer, for then none but ſtrong believers ſhould be forgiven; nor as a weak believer, for then none but weak believers ſhould be forgiven; but to the believer as a believer, and therefore to every believer whether ſtrong or weak.

p. 410Fourthly, All believers have the like and equal advantage (by vertue of All believers have an equal advantage.their union with Chriſt) in all things purchaſed by Chriſt, which are of a neceſſary reſpect to their ſafety and ſalvation. I ſay of a neceſſary reſpect to theſe; whatſoever is neceſſary to deliver from hell, and whatſoever is neceſſary to bring to heaven, in that doth every believer ſhare alike; therefore every believer is ſanctified, becauſe without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord; and therefore every believer is juſtified, becauſe only they are glorified who are juſtified; and ſo every believer hath his ſins forgiven, becauſe pardon of ſin is neceſſary to ſalvation; otherwiſe he muſt be damned for his ſins, and never ſhall ſee life.

Fifthly, Shall I adde one Argument more? If there were any believer who Elſe ſome believers …uſt …e in the ſame condition with unbelievers.ſhould not have his ſins forgiven, Then ſome believers might be in the ſame condition with unbelievers, both unpardoned, and both under condemnation; but this cannot be; for Chriſt hath plainly differenced the ſtate of the believer and of the unbeliever thus, Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth on him, is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already. Ver. 36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlaſting life; and he that believeth not the Son, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

And thus you have heard theſe two Concluſions manifeſtly cleared from the Word of God; viz. That

1. Every truly repenting ſinner is within the promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins.

2. Every truly believing perſon is alſo within the ſame promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins.

And on the contrary, you have heard it alſo cleared, 1. That no impenitent perſon, 2. That no unbelieving perſon hath any promiſe of the forgiveneſs of ſins.

What ſhould theſe truths work on all us who have heard the teſtimony of God given in ſo abundantly for them? I will tell you what impreſſion they ſhould make upon us.

Firſt, We ſhould all of us fear and tremble, leſt we ſhould come ſhort of ſuch a mercy which doth ſo nearly, and ſo eternally concern us, as the forgiveneſs of our ſins.

Secondly, Be no more ſo averſe unto the Doctrine and Practice of Repentance and Faith.

Thirdly, We ſhould with all carefulneſs and ſeriouſneſs, and ſpeedineſs ſearch our hearts, and try our ways, whether we have attained the grace and practice of true Repentance; and whether true juſtifying faith be in us yea or no; eſpecially conſidering the general courſe of men is impenitency and unbelief; and our own courſes of life have been like that of other men, a walking (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) in laſciviouſneſs, luſts, exceſs of wine, revellings, banquettings, and abominable Idolatries, 1 Pet. 4. 3. Fooliſh, diſobedient, deceiving, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another, Tit. 3. 3. And perhaps (as the Apoſtles fear was of many of the Corinthians) we have not repented of the uncleanneſs and fornication, and laſciviouſneſs which we have committed, 2 Cor. 12. 21.

Fourthly, We ſhould be moſt importunately fervent with the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, from whom alone every good and perfect gift doth come; that he would grant unto us (as he did unto thoſe Gentiles) repentance unto life, Acts 11. 18. and that it may be given unto us (as once unto the Philipians) to believe, Phil. 1. 29.

Fifthly, We ſhould more diligently and reverently attend the preaching of the Word, by which God doth put forth his power and his grace for the working of Repentance and Faith in us. Luke 11. 32. The men of Nineve repented at the preaching of Jonas. Epheſ. 1. 13. In whom ye alſo p. 411truſted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of your Salvation.