The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 4

The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant · Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 4

p. 437CHAP. IV.

Doctr. 2 THat although the ſins of perſons have been exceeding great, yet when theſe perſons become the people of God in Covenant, even thoſe ſins alſo are forgiven them, (from all your filthineſs, and from all your Idols Great ſins are forgiven to the people of God in Covenant.will I cleanſe you) forgiveneſs reache… to the greateſt ſins which the people of God have been guilty of; this aſſertion

1. I ſhall clear from the Text it ſelf.

2. From other Scriptures.Proved.

3. Demonſtrate by ſome Arguments and Reaſons.

4. And then apply it unto our ſelves.

SECT. I.

1. THE Text clearly holds out the Aſſertion; for God doth give here By the text.inſtances of two great kinds of ſins: One againſt the ſecond Table, (all your filthineſs) and the other againſt the firſt Table, (all your Idols) in the one, is implied the great injury done unto our Neighbour; and in the other, the great injure done unto God, yet God promiſeth to forgive both.

I will ſpeak ſomething of both theſe ſins, and ſomething of the greatneſs of them both, which yet God promiſeth, &c.

Firſt, From all your filthineſs) that word (filthineſs) is ſometimes taken What is meant by filthineſs.for any ſin; every ſin is a pollution, and uncleanneſs, a filthineſs, therefore the Apoſtle ſaith; (2 Cor. 7. 1.) Let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of the fleſh and spirit; there are bodily ſins which the Apoſtle here calls the filthineſs of our fleſh; and there are ſpiritual ſins ariſing from, and acted in the ſoul, p. 438which the Apoſtle here calls the filthineſs of the ſpirit. Sometimes that word (filthineſs) is taken reſtrictively, for bodily pollution or uncleanneſs; when the bodies of men and women are defiled and polluted, and do defile and pollute themſelves, Several kinds of it. Beſtiality.of which in Scripture you finde ſeveral ſorts and kinds.

1. Beſtiality; that foreign, abomination not to be named, it is confuſion; you read of this ſin in Lev. 18. 23. and of the puniſhment of it with death, Lev. 20. 15, 16.

2. Sodomy; of this horrid ſin, and the puniſhment thereof, you read in Sodomy.Lev. 20 13. This is not only a ſin, but alſo a recompence of other ſins, and for which God gives men over to a reprobate mind, Rom. 1. 27, 28. and for which he deſtroyed thoſe five Cities with fire from heaven, Gen. 19. 24, 25.

3. Inceſt; ubi ſervatur ſexus, ſed non gradus; it is the ſin cum agnata Inceſt.or cognata, with a kinſwoman of the fathers or the mothers ſide, (yea, and with ones fathers wife) ſee Lev. 20. 17. (and with ones brothers wife)

4. Fornication, which is between ſingle perſons.Fornication. Adultery.

5. Adultery, which is uncleanneſs between perſons married to others, or when one of them is married to another, and yet defileth himſelf with a ſtranger; ſome of theſe ſins of uncleanneſs are ſo horrid, that they are ſaid to be againſt nature, yea, againſt corrupt nature; the very natural light in natural conſcience condemns and oppoſes them; and the reſt of them (as fornication and adultery) the Scripture ſets them out as very odious in the eyes of God, and very foul tranſgreſſions, and extreamly pernicious; in them you may read ten things concerning Ten things concerning theſe.…heſe ſins.

Firſt, That they are the expreſs fruits of a vile and naughty heart; out of the heart proceedeth fornications, adulteries, ſaith Chriſt, Matth. 15. 19. The works of the fleſh are manif… which are adultery, fornication, uncleanneſs, laſciviouſneſs, Gal 5. 19.

Secondly, The Apoſtle reckons them up amongſt the moſt deteſtable ſins which the moſt loathſome Gentiles were guilty of, who were filled with all unrighteouſneſs.

Thirdly, They are ſo vile ſins, that Chriſtians may not once name them (without deteſtation) Epheſ. 5. 3. But fornication and all uncleanneſs, let it not be once named among you, as becometh Saints.

Fourthly, They are ſuch ſins as are repugnant unto, and inconſiſtent with Chriſtian ſociety; Chriſtians muſt not entertain fellowſhip with perſons guilty of them. 1 Cor. 5. 11. If any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, &c. with ſuch an one, no not to eat.

Fifthly, They are ſins (eſpecially adultery) against the three perſons of the Trinity.

1. Againſt God the Father, who created the man and the woman, and married them to each other, and ſaid, they two ſhall be one fleſh, Gen. 2. 24. Now by adultery they are ſeparated whom God hath joined together, and made one; yea, God hath made Marriage a reſemblance of Chriſt and his Church, Epheſ. 5. but adultery brings contempt upon this reſemblance of union.

2. Againſt God the Son; Jeſus Chriſt hath payed a price for our bodies, as well as for our spirits; and upon that account we are to glorifie him in both, 1 Cor. 6. 20. nay, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, Ʋer. 15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Chriſt? Now to alienate Chriſts purchaſe from Chriſt, and to beſtow it upon an Harlot, and make the members of Chriſt, the members of an Harlot, (as every adulterer doth) is exceedingly injurious unto Chriſt. Shall I take the members of Chriſt, and make them the members of an Harlot? God forbid? ſo the Apoſtle, in ver. 15.

3. Against God the Holy Ghoſt. 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt? and Chap. 3. 17. If any man defile the Temple of God, him ſhall God deſtroy; for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are.

p. 439Sixthly, Of all ſins theſe are the moſt brutiſh, making perſons like the beaſts; and therefore in Scripture unclean and adulterous perſons are compared to beaſts. To the Oxe, Prov. 7. 22. He goeth after her as an Oxe to the ſlaughter. To the Horſe, Jerem. 5. 8. They were as fed Horſes, every one neighed after his Neighbours wife: and Jer. 13. 27. I have ſ…en thy adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdneſs of thy whoredomes, &c. To the Dog, Deut. 23. 18. Thou ſhalt not bring the hire of an Whore, or the price of a Dog into the houſe of the Lord. By Dog here is meant an unclean, adulterous perſon; An perſona Canina ego? replied Abner to Iſhboſheth, (am I a perſon like a Dog?) who charged him that he lay with his fathers Concubine, Rizpah, 2 Sam. 3. 8.

Seventhly, Adultery in ſome reſpect is worſe than many other ſins againſt our Neighbours; it is a very great ſin to ſlander the name of our Neighbour, and to bear falſe witneſs againſt him; it is very bad by theft to take away the goods of our Neighbour; it is yet worſe to kill and take away the life of our Neighbour; but adultery is (in ſome reſpect) more ſinful than any one of theſe. v. g. In all theſe ſinnings, the perſon ſinning brings a guilt only upon himſelf; for when he defames another, though he caſts reproach on him, yet he makes him not guilty; and in ſtealing from another, though he brings loſs to him, yet he makes him not guilty; and when he kills another, he brings death to him, yet he makes him not ſinfully guilty; but in adultery, there is a mutual conſent to ſin, and a mutual contract of guilt; and although the one party ſhould repent, and ſo eſcape wrath, yet the other party repenting not, hath a ſoul which (for this ſin) muſt be caſt into hell.

Eighthly, They are ſuch ſins, for which God himſelf will judge the offender, though poſſibly they may eſcape the hands of men. Hebr. 13. 4. Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge; and verily God hath ſeverely judged perſons for theſe ſins, even in this life. The Old World was drowned for them, Gen 6. 2, 3, &c. Sodom and Gomorrah were deſtroyed by fire, Gen. 19. Twenty and foure thouſand deſtroyed with the plague, Num. 25. 9. The Tribe of Benjamin was almoſt extinguiſhed, and rooted out upon this account, Judg. 19. 28. The Land of Canaan ſpued out her Inhabitantt for them, Lev. 18. 28. How often doth God make theſe ſins (in this life) a puniſhment unto thoſe who are guilty of them? by cauſing unto themſelves moſt loathſome and irkſome, and incurable diſeaſes, ſuch as make them odious to others, and a ſhame and burden to themſelves.

Ninthly, They are ſuch ſins as (many times) do bring with them an univerſal loſſe and ruine.

1. To our name. Prov. 6. 33. A wound and diſhonour ſhall he get, and his reproach ſhall not be wiped away.

2. To our eſtate. Prov. 5. 10 Leſt ſtrangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy labours be in the houſe of a ſtranger, Job 31. 11, 22. it roots out all our increaſe.

3. To our health. ib. ver. 11. And thou mourn at the laſt, when thy fleſh and thy body are conſumed.

4. To our conſciences. Prov. 7. 23. till a dart ſtrike through his liver, &c. The great terrors of conſcience (uſually) ariſe from theſe ſins. Job 24. 17. If one know of them, they are in the terrors of the ſhadow of death.

5. To our ſouls; and as unto them you ſhall find three very ſad expreſſions in the Word of God.

1. That they are the way to hell. Prov. 7. 27. Her houſe is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death: and Prov. 9. 18. Their gueſts are in the depths of hell.

2. That they deſtroy the ſoul. He that committeth adultery with a woman, deſtroyeth his own ſoul, Prov. 6. 32.

3. That they exclude from the Kingdome of God; nor adulterers, nor fornicators, nor effeminate, nor defilers ef themſelves with mankind ſhall inherit the Kingdome of God, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10.

p. 440Tenthly, They are ſuch ſins as whereof perſons cannot eaſily repent; they do exceedingly diſpoſe the ſoul to hardneſs and impenitency, they darken the mind and infatuate the judgement, and harden the heart, and ſo make the ſinners condition almoſt deſperate. Hoſe. 4. 11. Whoredom and wine take away the heart. Prov. 2. 19. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. None (i. e.) very few repent of theſe ſins: For her heart is ſnares and nets, and her hands are bands, Eccleſ. 7. 26. All theſe things do abundantly ſhow what an exceeding great ſin the ſin of uncleanneſs is; yet God hath pardoned them unto his people; Lot was pardoned: and Davids adultery was pardoned, and the fornications and adulteries, and effeminateneſs, and Sodomies of the Corinthians were pardoned: 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were ſome of you, but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Secondly, From all your Idols] Having ſhewed the greatneſs of the ſins of uncleanneſs, I now proceed briefly to ſhew unto you the greatneſs of the ſin of Idolatry, the greatneſs of that ſin.Idolatry; This people have ſinned a great ſin, and have made them gods of gold, Exod. 32. 31. And you ſhall find it very great;

Firſt, By Gods ſingular detestation, and loathing of Idolatry and Idols: Idols are frequently in Scripture called abominations, 1 King. 11. 5. Solomon went after By Gods ſingular deteſtation of it.Milcom the abomination of the Amorites. Verſe 7. And he built an high place for Chemoſh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. Idolatries are called abominable Idolatries, 1 Pet. 4. 3. which the Learned call Epithetum perpetuum & non diſtinguens; ſee Acts 15. 20. That they abſtain from pollutions of Idols, foreign, Contaminations, filthineſſes, defilements: Therefore Idols are called dunghill-gods, ſtinking, filthy, and defiling.

Secondly, By Gods ſpecial warnings of his people against this ſin of Idolatry. Jer. 44. 4. Do not this abominable thing which I hate. Deut. 18. 9. When thou art come By Gods ſpecial warnings.into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou ſhalt not do after the abomination of theſe Nations. Deut. 4. 23. Take heed unto your ſelves, leſt you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God which he made with you, and make you a graven image, the likeneſſe of any thing which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. 1 Cor. 10. 14. Flee from Idolatry. 1 Joh. 5. 21. Keep your ſelves from Idols.

Thirdly, By the grievous threatnings of Idolaters; read at your leaſure, Deut▪ 32. By grievous threatnings.15. He forſook God. Ver. 16. they provoked him to jealouſie with strange gods. (and ver. 19. and when the Lord ſaw it, be abhorred them.) and ver. 20. and I will hide my face from you, and ver. 22. A fire is kindled in mine anger, and ſhall burn to the loweſt hell. ver. 23. I will heap miſchief upon them, and will ſpend my arrows upon them. ver, 24. they ſhall be burnt with thunder, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter deſtruction. ver. 25. The ſword without, and terror within ſhall deſtroy, &c.

Fourthly, By the unparallel'd judgments on Idolaters; God hath given the bill By unparalleld judgements on Idolaters.of divorce and broken them in pieces, and rooted them out of their dwelling places, and ſcattered them over all the earth, and perſecuted them in his wrath, untill he hath deſtroyed them from off the face of all the earth.

Fifthly, And beſides all this, he hath ſhut the dore of heaven againſt Idolaters, and threatens them with no leſs then hell and damnation, and the lake that burns The dore of heaven is ſhut againſt them.with fire and brimſtone.

Sixthly, But once more conſider the nature or effect of this ſin of Idolatry; it is ſo every way contrary to Gods glory of which he is moſt tender, Iſa. 48 11. The nature or effects of this ſin.and Iſa. 42. 8. and will not give it to graven images: It is the changing of his glory (They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beaſts, and creeping things, Rom. 1. 23.) and the ſordid abaſing of his glory to imagin any creature capable of that excellency, and of that worſhip which belongeth to God; and verily we do no leſs p. 441than make the creatures to be God, when we do conferre on them that worſhip which is proper unto God, or ſuppoſe ſuch excellencies to be in them, which are to be found only in God.

It is the exceeding provocation of God, Hoſ. 12. 14. Ephraim provoked him to anger moſt bitterly; therefore he ſhall leave his bloud upon him. Idolatry is therefore often called adultery, and Idolaters are ſaid to commit adultery with ſtocks and ſtones; what greater offence and provocation in a wife than to forſake her husband, and to play the adultreſs with ſtrangers? the Lord for this ſin of Idolatry hath utterly forſaken people, he would be their God no more, nor would he own them for his people any longer. Nevertheleſs though this ſin of Idolatry is ſo exceedingly high and provoking, yet God hath pardoned it unto his people: He pardoned it to Abraham, Solomon, to all the Churches of the Gentiles; to thoſe of Rome, to the Corinthians, Epheſians, Galatians.

Thus you ſee the Aſſertion evinced from the Text.

Secondly, I ſhall in the next place evince it from other places of Scripture, that From other Scriptures.God will forgive the greateſt ſinnes, &c. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Who was before a blaſphemer, and a perſecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy. O what ſins were theſe? blaſphemy, perſecution, injuriouſneſs, even to baniſhment and death! but I obtained mercy: In Acts 3. 14. And ye denyed the Holy One, and deſired a murderer to be granted unto you. ver. 15. and killed the Prince of life. yet Acts 44. Many of them which heard the Word believed, and the number of men were about five thouſand. Iſa. 1. 18. Though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow; though they be red as Crimſon, they ſhall be as wooll.

Thirdly, Let us ſee it further demonſtrated by ſome Arguments.Arguments to demonſtrate it. God is great in mercy.

1. God is great in mercy; Who is a strong God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and paſſeth by the tranſgreſſion of the Remnant of his heritage! Micah 7. 8. Grave eſt quod habeo, ſed ad Omnipotentem confugio, ſaid Auſtin. Infinite mercy can forgive great iniquity.

2. The ſatisfactions of Chriſt are great aad full; ſo that by them grace did Chriſts ſatiſfaction is great.ſuper abound: He undertook the whole ſtate of the ſins of Gods people; ſins great and ſmall, many and few, …gnorance and knowledge, all their iniquities, and all their treſpaſſes, and all their tranſgreſſions: and did ſatisfie the Juſtice of God fully, and to the utmoſt, ſo that in him there is plenteous Redemption: The obedience of Chriſt is as much above our ſins, as his perſon is above our perſons.

3. When the Lord calls upon people to repent, as therein he deals with them to leave and forſake all their ſins, great and ſmall (he excuſes them in no one God calls us to repent of great ſins, and promiſeth pardonſin) but of all ſinnes he preſſeth them to forſake their great ſins; ſo to draw and encourage them to this repentance he doth hold out his promiſe of pardon indefinitely of all their ſins; this Covenant makes no diſtinction at all twixt ſmall and great: God (uſually) inſtances in the greateſt ſins.

4. God by the Goſpel gathers of all ſorts into his kingdom; The notorious God gathers all ſorts of ſinners.ſinners as well as the civil ſinner (Mary Magdalen as well as Lydia, Saul as well as Nicodemus) great ſinners as well as ſmall offenders. But unleſs God would pardon great ſinners, the Goſpel cannot invite all ſorts of ſinners: For when you preach it to perſons guilty of great ſins, alas ſay they, mercy belongs not to us, and what have you to do to preſs upon us to believe? ſuppoſe we ſhould believe, yet we ſhall not be ſaved, God will never juſtifie and pardon us, &c.

5. God brings great ſinners into Covenant, Publicans, Harlots; and when God brings great ſinners into Covenant in a perfect league of love and peace.God brings any (actually) into the Covenant, there is a perfect league of love and peace made between them; a mutual reconciliation and relation; therefore he pardons their great ſins: For unleſs theſe were pardoned, ſuch a league of love and peace would be impoſſible: Perſons are not perfectly reconciled, whileſt the p. 442greateſt matters of difference do continue.

6. Son, ſaid Chriſt, be of good comfort, thy ſins are forgiven thee, Matth. 9. 2. Every juſt…fied perſon hath cauſe of rej…ycing.Every juſtified or pardoned perſon is in a comfortable condition, he hath cauſe of joy and rejoycing: But if God did not pardon their great ſins, as well as the reſt of their ſins, their condition would not be comfortable at all, but moſt miſerable, and full of juſt horror and fear, &c.

7. God hath made uſe of the great ſins of perſons to humble them; and will he not God makes uſe of great ſins to humble mennow make uſe of his great mercies to pardon them? all our humbings are wrought by the Spirit, in a reference unto mercy: when God intends to make us veſſels of mercy, he doth firſt make us broken veſſels: Acts 2. 37. Pricked in their hearts. Ver. 41. then believed. Acts 9. 6. Trembled. Chap. 16. 29. And when he intends to break and humble the heart of a ſinner, uſually he makes the Conſcience of him to apprehend and to lay hold of ſome of the greateſt and worſt of his ſins. Pauls Conſcience took hold of his perſecuting of Chriſt, and the Jaylor of his injuriouſneſs to the Apoſtles; Zacheus on his exaction, and Mary Magdalen on her adultery. God layes on us the ſenſe of our great ſins, to make us ſee the great need of mercy, and to confeſs the greatneſs of mercy in the pardoning of ſuch great ſins, and to quicken earneſt prayers for mercy.

8. God hath great glory in the pardon of great ſins: Who, is a God like unto thee, &c? Mich. 7. 19. q. d. there is not ſuch a merciful and gracious God in all the God hath great glory in the pardon of great ſins.world. Prov. 25. 2. It is the glory of God to conceale a thing. Prov. 19. 11. It is the glory of a man to paſſe over a tranſgreſſion. So Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have ſinned, and whereby they have tranſgreſſed againſt me. Ver. 9. And this ſhal be to me a Name of joy, and praiſe, and honour before all the Nation. This was his glory: Exod. 34. 7. Keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin, &c.

9. God would have his people to pray for the forgiveneſs of their great ſinnes: God would have his, people to pray for pardon of great ſins.Hoſe. 14. 2. Take away iniquity and receive us graciouſly; and they have prayed for the forgiveneſs of their great ſins: Pſal. 25. 11. For thy Name ſake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity for it is great. And they have prevailed, Exod. 32. 32. Therefore certainly he will forgive their great ſins: For whatſoever we ask according to his will, and in Chriſts Name, he will do it for us.

SECT. II.

1. Ʋſe DOth God promiſe to pardon the great ſins, yea the greateſt ſins of his people! Hence we may be informed of the unſpeakable goodneſs Information of the unſpeakable goodneſs of God to his people In not taking advantage againſt us.of God to his people.

Firſt, That he takes not advantage againſt them; he ſeeks not occaſions to fall off from them: if he did, then ſmall offences would ſerve the turn; our daily failings would have broken up all communions betwixt him and us; much more would our great tranſgreſſions have raiſed up a partition wall, and cauſed his ſoul to abhor us: Pſal. 103. 10. He hath not dealt with us after our ſins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Great tranſgreſſions are great provocations, and great injuries, and great diſhonours unto God; yet you ſee he promiſeth to paſs them by, to pardon them; therefore certainly he takes no advantage againſt us, he doth not mark iniquities and what we have done amiſs.There are no ſmall matters God doth for us.

Secondly, That they are no ſmall matters which he doth for us: There are two things which God doth for his people which are not ſmall favours.

1. One is the giving of Chriſt unto them, and the giving of them unto Chriſt.

2. The other is the forgiving of their great ſins: Moſes reputes this work as p. 443the fruits of his great power, and of his great mercy; Numb. 14. 17. I beſeech thee let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou haſt ſpoken, ſaying, ver. 18. The Lord is long-ſuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and tranſgreſſion. ver. 19. Pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatneſs of thy mercy. And ſo doth the Apoſtle, in Epheſ. 1 17. He puts this upon the account of the riches of Gods grace, wherein (ver. 8.) he abounds towards us. Was it a ſmall thing for the King (in Matth. 18. 23, 24.) to forgive the ſervant who owed unto him ten thouſand talents? What is the deſert of any one ſin, even of the leaſt of our ſins? death, and wrath, and curſe, and hell; what then is the puniſhment and recompence meritoriouſly belonging to us for our great tranſgreſſions? yet God forgives them, &c.

Thirdly, That his love is very great, and very firm, and ſure unto his people; His love is very great and firm.and never to be taken off and removed; why ſo? becauſe he forgives all the ſins of his people, and the great, and the greateſt ſins of them. If any thing breaks off the love of God, it muſt be ſin (for that he hates, and that is the only provocation of him) and if any ſin doth it, it is likely that a multitude of ſins will, (daily and continual offences) and if any of theſe will, it is moſt probable, that great and high ſinnings will cut the knot aſunder. But you ſee it is not the multitude of ſins, nor yet the magnitude of ſins which ſeparates the people of God from the love of God, but he will pardon all their ſins, yea the greateſt of their ſins; therefore his love is fixed, and never to be changed: For if theſe will not alter it, nothing elſe ſhall, or can.

Fourthly, That God takes away all grounds of deſpair from the hearts of his people: There are but three principal grounds of deſpair;God takes away the grounds of deſpair.

1. O my ſins are ſo many, that there is no hope of mercy.

2. O but my ſins are ſo high, and ſo great, that God will never forgive them.

3. O but though God can and will forgive many ſins, and great ſins; yet he will not forgive my great ſins: My ſin, ſaid Cain, is greater than ſhall be forgiven, Gen. 4. Now God anſwers all theſe Arguments and Grounds of deſpair which poſſibly may ariſe in the hearts of his people; For

1. He promiſeth that he will forgive all their ſins, and will caſt them alſo into the depth of the ſea.

2. He promiſeth to forgive their great ſins; though they have been as ſcarlet, and red like crimſon, and though adulterers, and though idolaters, &c.

3. This promiſe he himſelf doth make, with reſpect unto every one of their perſons, as you may ſee here in the Text, and in other Scriptures; So that there remains no ground at all of deſpair for them: Indeed there may be matter enough for their humiliation, but none for deſperation.

SECT. III.

2. Ʋſe. DOth God promiſe, the forgiveneſs of all ſins, yea of the great ſins of his people? Then let all the people who are ſenſible of any great Make out for the pardon of great ſins.tranſgreſſion, ſpeedily and ſeriouſly make out unto the Mercy-ſeat for the pardon of their great ſins.

For the managing of this Uſe, I will

1. Premiſe a few Concluſions.

2. Lay down ſome Directions, what is to be done to get the pardon of great ſinnes.

3. Diſcover ſome Signs and Evidences by which one may know that even his great ſins are forgiven.

p. 444Firſt, The Concluſions which I would premiſe (as Motives to get the forgiveneſs Concluſions premiſed.of our great ſins) are theſ….

Firſt, Even the people of God may be guilty of great tranſgreſſions, both before The people of God may be guilty of great ſins.their converſion, and alſo after their converſion.

1. Before their converſion, ſcarce any of them but have been guilty; wh… ſoule ſins were thoſe Corinthians guilty of, before God had called them by his grace? even of drunkenneſſe, and idolatries, and adulteries, and Sodomies; and Paul himſelf, who ſeemed ſo unblameable in his converſation, yet what great ſins ſtood he guilty of? He was mad in perſecuting the Saints, he had his hand in the blood of Stephen, he was conſenting to his death; nay, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt areſted him, and accuſed him, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? Acts 9. 4. Epheſ. 2. 3. Among whom alſo we had our converſation in times paſt, in the luſt of our fleſh, fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh and of the mind. Titus 3. 3. We our ſelves were alſo fooliſh, diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, living in malice and envy, hatefull, and hating one another.

2. After their converſion, they have alſo been guilty of great ſins. Noah of drunkenneſs, Gen. 9. 21. Lot of drunkenneſs and inceſt with his own daughters, Gen. 19. 35, 36. Solomon of abominable Idolatries, 1 Kin. 11. 6, 7. and David of adultery and murder, 2 Sam. 11. 4. 12. 9. And a thouſand to one but moſt of us have been guilty of ſome great ſin or other, either for the kind of it, or for the circumſtantial aggravations of it, either of Omiſſion, or of Commiſſion: ſo that we all have cauſe to look after the forgiveneſs of great ſins.

Secondly, Their great ſins do diſhonor God as much, nay more than the great ſins of others. 2 Sam. 12. 14. By this deed thou haſt given great occaſion to the enemies Their great ſins diſhonor God as much, if not more than others.of the Lord to blaſpheme, &c. Rom. 2. 24. The Name of God is blaſphemed among the Gentiles through you. Yea they do exceedingly provoke God to withdraw his comfortable preſence of joy from their ſpirits, and to ſpeak bitter things unto them, and to correct them with a ſtrong and exemplary chaſtiſement, and to ſuffer them to be buffeted by Satan with very heavy and diſtracting temptations: upon this accout alſo they have reaſon to look after the forgiveneſſe of their great ſins.

Thirdly, Apprehenſions of their great ſins as unpardoned muſt needs fill their hearts with marvellous fears, and their Conſciences with unutterable unquietneſſes The apprehenſion of theſe ſins will fill their hearts with fears.and burdens; as in Davids roarings, and his complaint of broken bones. There is (I think) not any one perſon whoſe great ſins have not (at ſome time or other) returned upon him, and deeply wounded him. Great ſins (of all other) are certain terrors unto the Conſcience; and of all great ſins, theſe are ſo. 1. The ſins againſt nature. 2. Thoſe of groſſe uncleanneſs. 3. Thoſe of blood and murder. 4. Thoſe of compact with the Divel. 5. Thoſe of blaſphemy. 6. Thoſe againſt the workings of Conſcience. 7. Thoſe againſt the Goſpel. 8. Preſumptions. 9. Relapſes. Any of theſe, and any other great ſins of which one hath been guilty, they ſit heavy upon the Conſcience, and do make dreadful work there, and do often ariſe with exceeding terror and diſtraction, ſo that the ſoul ſinks under the guilt of them, &c.

Fourthly, There is nothing whatſoever which can allay and quiet Conſcience troubled, and troubling for the guilt of great ſins, but the preſence or (at leaſt) Nothing can allay thoſe fears, but the ſenſe or hope of pardon.the hope of forgiveneſs of them: No earthly thing can quiet conſcience in that condition; David wanted not for them, and yet he roared all the Day long, and his bones waxed old, and his moiſture was turned into the drought of ſummer, Pſal. 32. 34. Nay (let me ſpeak a bold word) there is nothing in God which can do it, but this merciful and gracious nature to forgive: If the diſtreſſed ſinner looks on his Juſtice, he falls down confounded; if he looks on his holineſs, O he is of purer eyes than to behold ſinne! if on his power, O it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! Nothing but mercy anſwers this diſtreſs, or p. 445gives eaſe to this pain and trouble: Be mercifull unto me, O God, ſaid David; God be merciful to me a ſinner, ſaid the Publican; Take away iniquity ſaid the Church: Beloved! In all ſorts of diſtreſs, there is but one thing which is a proper relief: In ſickneſs, health is the only help; in hunger, bread is the only help; in thirſt, water is the only help; in pains, eaſe is the only help; and ſo under the guilt of ſin, mercy is the only help: This is life, this is deliverance, this is all.

Fifthly, Though your ſins have been, or are very great, yet there is hope of mercy, Though your ſins be great, yet there is hope of mercy.and that for you; which may appear briefly by four particulars.

1. The promiſe of God reaches (as you have heard) to the pardon of great ſins.

2. The inſtances or acts of mercy, they are recorded, grants of grace and mercy to great tranſgreſſions: You know thus they have paſſed to David, to Solomon, to Mary Magdalen, to Peter, to Paul, to the Corinthians: As great ſins as yours hath God pardoned, yea and perhaps greater ſins than yours.

3. God is still of a merciful nature; he is as able, and as ready to forgive as ever; the Fountain is as full, and as open; Although the Lord hath ſhewn mercy to many and great ſinners already, yet he reſerves and keeps mercy for thouſands, nay for a thouſand generations. You are not the firſt great ſinners, nor yet the laſt great ſinners, on whom he hath, or on whom he will ſhew mercy; his mercy endures for ever.

4. He calls upon ſuch as have been guilty of great ſins, to leave their ſins, and to come in unto him; and hath aſſured them that if they do ſo, he will forgive their great ſins. Iſa. 1. 10. Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom, and ye people of Gomorrah. Ver. 15. Your hands are full of blood. Ver. 16. Waſh you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings before mine eyes, ceaſe to do evil, ver. 17. learn to do well, &c. Ver. 18. Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord; though your ſinnes be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow, though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool. Jer. 3. 1. They ſay, If a man put away his wife, and ſhe go away from him, and ſhe become another mans, ſhall he return again unto her? ſhall not that Land be greatly polluted? but thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again unto me, ſaith the Lord. Ver. 5. Will he reſerve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end; behold thou haſt ſpoken and done evil things as thou couldeſt. Ver. 7. And I ſaid after ſhe had done all theſe things, turn thou unto me, but ſhe returned not. Ver. 12. Return thou back-ſliding Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, and I will not cauſe mine anger to fall upon you, for I am mercifull, &c.

Secondly, I now proceed to lay down ſome Directions, what one ſhould Directions how to get the pardon of great ſins.do who hath been guilty of great ſins, to get the pardon of them.

I will propoſe unto you no other Courſe or Practice than what you may read in the Scriptures, that ſome have taken who have been guilty of great ſins, and have thereupon found mercy in the pardoning of them.

Queſt. Whats that? will you ſay.

Sol. You ſhall find

Firſt, That they have been greatly humbled, and have greatly mourned for Be greatly humbled for them.their great ſinnings, and then God did ſhew them mercy in the pardon of thoſe 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. Chap. 13. 1. In that day there ſhall be a Fountain opened to the houſe of David, and to the inhabitants of Jeruſalem for ſinne, and for uncleanneſſe. Jer. 31. 19. I was aſhamed, yea even confounded, becauſe I did bear the reproach of my youth. Ver. 20. I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord, Pſal. 6. 6. I am weary of my groaning, all the night I make my bed to ſwim, I water my Couch with my tears. and (you know the Lord forgave his great ſins.) Luk. 7. 38. Mary Magdalen p. 446ſtood at the feet of Chriſt behind him weeping, and began to waſh his feet with tears. Ver. 48. And he ſaid unto her, Thy ſinnes are forgiven thee. Peter went out and wept bitterly for his great ſin, and that ſin was forgiven. And Paul fell down and trembled for his great ſins, and they were pardoned. In all theſe inſtances you ſee great mourning for great ſins, and gracious pardon for them; Go you and doe likewiſe, and you ſhall find friendſhip.

Secondly, That they have cordially and really forſaken their great ſinnes; they durſt not continue in them, but have loathed themſelves and their abominations, Cordially forſake them.and have caſt them away: Ez…a 9. 14. Should we again break thy Commandements, and joyn with the people of theſe abominations? Iſa. 30. 22. Ye ſhall alſo defile the covering of thy graven Images of ſilver, and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold, then ſhalt thou caſt them away as a menſtruous cloth; thou ſhalt ſay unto it, Get thee hence! Ver. 23. Then ſhall he give the rain of thy ſeed, &c. Hoſ. 14. 8. Ephraim ſhall ſay, What have I to do any more with Idols? I have heard him and conſidered him. I am like a green firre tree, from me is thy fruit found. Judg. 10. 16. And they put away the ſtrange gods from among them, and ſerved the Lord. Acts 3. 19. Repent and be converted that your ſinnes may be blotted out. Thus did David, thus did Manaſſe, thus did Mary Magdalen, thus did Paul, and the Prodigal, and thereupon did find mercy: Such were ſome of you, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified, &c. Lookſt thou for mercy to pardon great ſins, and yet ſtill goeſt on in thy treſpaſſes! &c.

Thirdly, That they have earneſtly prayed unto the Lord for the forgiveneſſe of their Earneſtly pray for the pardon of them.great ſinnes: Exod. 32. 31. O this people have ſinned a great ſinne, and have made themſelves gods of gold. Ver. 32. Yet now if thou wilt forgive their ſinne; and if not, blot me I pray thee out of the book which thou haſt written; ſo Moſes prayed. Pſal. 25. 11. For thy Names ſake O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great. Dan. 9. 5. We have ſinned and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled by departing from thy precepts. Ver. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies, and forgiveneſſe, though we have rebelled againſt him. Ver. 19. O Lord hear; O Lord forgive! O Lord hearken and deferre not for thy Name ſake. Ver. 18. We do not preſent our ſupplications unto thee for our righteouſneſſe, but for thy great mercies. Luke 18. 13. And the Publican ſtood a farre off, and would not lift up ſo much as his eyes to Heaven, but ſmote upon his breaſt, ſaying, God be mercifull unto me a ſinner. In theſe Prayers for the pardon of great ſinnes, you may eſpy four Ingredients.

1. That they have come from broken hearts, ſenſible of their greatneſs.

2. That they have come from humble hearts, ſenſible of their own unworthineſs.

3s That they have been ſent up with believing hearts.

4. That they have been plyed and followed with earneſt, and ſervent, and importunate hearts which would have no denial, and all of them found acceptance.

Fourthly, That they have pleaded with God upon ſuch grounds which have alwayes Plead with God upon prevailing grounds.been prevalent with God for the obtaining of the forgiveneſs of their ſins.

1. For his mercies ſake: Pſal. 51. 1. According to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my tranſgreſſions. Pſal. 6. 4. O ſave me for thy mercies ſake.

2. For his Chriſt ſake: Epheſ. 4. 32. Even as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you: Therefore when of old they would have their ſins pardoned, they offered ſacrifices, and blood was ſhed and poured out, which Typified the blood of Chriſt that was ſhed for the remiſſion of ſins: For without ſhedding of blood is no Remiſſion, Heb. 9. 22.

3. For his Promiſe ſake: Numb. 14. 17. I beſeech thee, ſaid Moſes, let the power p. 447of my Lord be great, according as thou haſt spoken, ſaying, (Ver. 18.) The Lord is long-ſuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and tranſgreſſion. (Ver. 19) Pardon I beſeech thee the iniquity of this people, according to the greatneſs of thy mercy, and as thou haſt forgiven this people from Egypt even untill now.

Fifthly, They have patiently waited upon the Lord, untill that he hath ſhewed them Patiently wait till he ſhew mercy.mercy. Pſal. 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will ſpeak; for he will ſpeak peace unto his people, and to his Saints. Iſa. 30. 18. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judgement; bleſſed are all they that wait for him. Ver. 19 He will be gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he ſhall hear it, he will anſwer thee. Theſe are the ways which great ſinners (yea, which the people of God being guilty of great tranſgreſſions) have taken to get the forgiveneſs of them, and in which ways God hath met them with his pardoning mercies; and if in the like caſes we do thus follow the Lord, he will be merciful and gracious unto any of us, though greatly ſinning and guilty.

Thirdly, Having ſhewed unto you what courſe is to be taken for to get the pardon Evidences of the pardon of great ſins.of great tranſgreſſions, I ſhall now deliver unto you ſome ſigns or evidences by which one may certainly know that God hath forgiven his great ſins.

There are ſix Evidences of this.

Firſt, There always goes a great change with the forgiveneſs of great ſins; A great change accompanying it.It is a great queſtion whether Juſtification be before Sanctification; whatſoever may be diſputed for the priority of nature, yet it is agreed there is no priority of time; for as ſoon as any ſinner is juſtified and pardoned, he is changed and ſanctified the blood and the water go together; as ſoon as any one is in Chriſt, he is forgiven, and there is no condemnation unto him, Rom. 8. 1. And ſo as ſoon as any is in Chriſt, he is a new creature; old things are paſt away, and all things become new, 2 Cor. 15. 17. What an unclean perſon was Mary Magdalen before ſhe was called to Chriſt, and found mercy? and after mercy was obtained, what an eminent Chriſtian was ſhe? what a violent and injurious Perſecutor was Paul in times paſt? and when he obtained mercy, what an admirable and exemplary Chriſtian was he? Of all the changes incident to ſinners, the greateſt change appears in the greateſt ſinner received to mercy and forgiveneſs; there are two conſpicuous changes in them.

1. The greateſt inward change; the ſins which he formerly loved more than his ſoul, he now doth hate more than hell; (he once out faced the Word, and now trembles at it.)

2. The greateſt outward change; the worſt ſinner (being received to mercy) proves the choiceſt Chriſtian; he is now as notable in a gracious walking, as he was (once) notorious in a licentious living, exemplary in both reſpects, and in both wayes and courſes.

Note. Secondly, A ſecond Evidence that God hath forgiven our great ſins, is our great Great love to a forgiving God.love to a forgiving God; this note Chriſt himſelf giveth, Luke 7. 47. Her ſins which are many are forgiven her, for ſhe loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the ſame loveth little. Chriſt brings there a Parable of a Creditor, who forgave two debts; one of them a great debt, and the other a leſſer debt; hereupon he demands of Simon the Phariſee which would love him most? who anſwered, I ſuppoſe he to whom most was forgiven; this he applies to the woman there forgiven (much was forgiven her, and therefore ſhe loved much) he ſpeaks not of a love an…cedent to pardon, but of a love following it: 1 John 4 19. We love him, becauſe he loved us firſt. Ver. 10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and ſent his Son to be the propitiation for our ſins. And indeed none can love God, but ſuch who can by faith ſee him a merciful, pardoning, and reconciling God in Chriſt.

p. 448Thirdly, A moſt tender fear to offend and grieve the Lord any more. Pſal. 130. A tender fear to offend God.4. There is forgiveneſs with thee that thou mayſt be feared. Hoſea 3. 5. They ſhall fear the Lord and his goodneſs. It is wonderful to obſerve the ſingular frame of ſpirit in a converted and pardoned ſinner from what it was in former times; heretofore he feared not the moſt curſed Oaths, but now he fears an idle word; heretofore he feared not the moſt beaſtly practice of uncleanneſs, but now he fears the very thoughts, and mental imaginations of it; heretofore he could omit all good duties, now he fears to neglect the leaſt; he hath found ſo much good, ſo much mercy at the hands of God, and taſted of ſo much gracious goodneſs, that he would not willingly offend him in any thing in any part of his life; a tender heart hath taſted of tender mercies.

Fourthly, Exceeding zeal for God, who hath ſhewed him great mercy, and Exceeding zeal for God.for Chriſt (for whoſe ſake) God hath forgiven all; the greateſt ſinners have ever been moſt zealous; before they have obtained mercy, they have been moſt zealous for what was evil; and after they have obtained mercy, they have been moſt zealous for what is good. How zealous was Paul? even beſides himſelf for Chriſt; actively zealous; I laboured more abundantly than they all, 1 Cor. 5. 10. And paſſively zealous; I am ready, not to be bound only, but alſo to dye at Hieruſalem for the Name of the Lord Jeſus, Acts 21. 13.

Fifthly, Great compaſſions; Oughteſt thou not to have had compaſſion on thy fellow-ſervant, as I had compaſſion on thee? There are no men ſo merciful, as Great compaſſions.thoſe ſinners to whom God hath ſhewed moſt mercy; there is a three-fold compaſſion in them.

1. A pitying compaſſion of all ſinners, eſpecially of great ſinners, grieving, bewailing, praying.

2. An helping compaſſion, eſpecially to thoſe unto whom he hath been the occaſion or cauſe of great ſins, even pulling them out of the fire, weeping, intreating, inſtructing them with meekneſs, if peradventure God will give them repentance. David after the pardon of his great ſins, then ſaith he, (Pſal. 51. 13.) will I teach Tranſgreſſors thy ways, and ſinners ſhall be converted unto thee.

3. A forgiving compaſſion; bearing much, and forgiving much, as God for Chriſt ſake hath forgiven them.

Sixthly, True peace and joy, which flow only from forgiving mercy. Luke True peace and joy.7. 48. Thy ſins are forgiven. Ver. 50. Thy faith hath ſaved thee, go in peace. Rom. 5. 11. We alſo joy in God through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom we have now received the atonement.

There is a two-fold peace in a ſinner.

1. One ariſeth from ſtupidity, and depends upon an ignorant and ſeared conſcience, as a ſick man is quiet while he ſleeps.

2. Another ariſeth from faith, which ſeals to the goodneſs and truth of the promiſe, and cauſeth the ſoul to reſt in that good and faithful Word, that God for Chriſts ſake will indeed forgive their great ſins; a peace that follows faith, is a right peace, and a right teſtimony that ſin is forgiven. 1 John 3. 21. If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.

So there is a two-fold joy.

1. Of preſumption, which is ungrounded and raſh, irrational and irreligious; a joy that a mans ſins are pardoned, and yet no Word of God hath ſaid it; only his own heart ſaith it, and with that joy there is (at the ſame time) conjoined ſinful, ſenſual joy in ſome luſt or other.

2. Of the Holy Ghoſt; a joy which comes fr… the Holy Ghoſt, and depends likewiſe upon faith in Chriſt: By whom we do receive the atonement; this joy doth exceedingly enlarge the heart to God, and fills it with ſpecial complacencies and delights in God, and ſweet communions with him, &c. ſuch a peace in conſcience, and ſuch a joy in God, are the very fruits of his grace and love, and mercy.

p. 449SECT. IV.

Ʋſe 3 THE next Uſe ſhall be of Caution, that we take heed, leſt we abuſe and pervert this gracious promiſe of God, touching the forgiveneſs of great ſins; Caution. Abuſe not this gracious mercy.either by continuing under the guilt of former tranſgreſſions, or by adding new guilt in the commiſſion of more great iniquities. O ſay ſome wild Atheiſts, God is ſuch a merciful God, that he will forgive any ſin, yea, the greateſt ſins, (adulteries and idolatries, and drunkenneſs, and blaſphemers) and therefore we will continue in theſe ſins, we will not be curbed and reſtrained, but will take our delights, and give over our ſelves unto laſciviouſneſs, to work all uncleanneſs with greedineſs, Epheſ. 4. 19.

To prevent ſuch preſumptions, and deſperate inferences in all that hear of Gods Six antidotes againſt preſumption.great mercifulneſs to pardon great tranſgreſſions, give me favour to lay down fix Concluſions or Antidotes.

Firſt, Such preſumptuous inferences are expreſly contrary to the goodneſs and Such inferences are contrary to Gods goodneſs.intention of Gods great mercy. Pſal. 130. 4. There is forgiveneſs with thee, that thou mayſt be feared: He doth not ſay▪ There is forgiveneſs with thee, that we may therefore boldly go on in ſin, but that we may fear to ſin any more. Rom. 2. 4. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and forbearance, and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance? Rom. 6. 1. Shall we continue in ſin, that grace may abound? God forbid: q. d. Thou doſt utterly m…ſtake and pervert the aime and intention of Gods mercy in ſparing of thee, and forbearance to puniſh and deſtroy thee; alas, it is not that thou ſhouldeſt therefore continue in ſin, but that thou ſhouldeſt repent of ſin. Beloved, there is no Attribute of God which can be an encouragement to ſin, but every one of them is a ſtrong reaſon to tu…n us from ſin; he is holy, and of purer eyes than to behold ſin, therefore we ſhould not ſin; he is juſt and righteous to recomp…ce the ſinner according to his ways, therefore we ſhould not ſin; he is mighty in Power, and of great Might, able to make good, and to execute all the judgement which he hath threatned ſinners with, therefore we ſhould not ſin; he in much patience bears with us, and forbears to deal with us according to our ſins, therefore we ſhould not ſin; and he is merciful and gracious, ready to forgive, therefore we ſhould not ſin; not therefore we will continue in our ſins; not therefore we will multiply and adde ſin to ſin.

Secondly, As God is merciful in pardoning great ſinners, ſo God is juſt in condemning God is juſt as well as merciful.great ſins; and as he hath, and will glorifie his mercy in forgiving and ſaving ſome great ſinners, ſo he hath and will glorifie his juſtice, in judging and damning ſome other great ſinners; therefore do not preſume to go on in great ſins, becauſe God hath promiſed to forgive great ſins. Exod. 34. 6. The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious. Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin. Here you ſee his mercy declared, that he will forgive the great ſins of ſome perſons; but then read on, and you ſhall finde his juſtice, that he will puniſh the great ſins of others.—And that will by no means clear the guilty, viſiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the childrens children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. You read that ſome of the Corinthians were juſtified and pardoned, who had been guilty of adultery and Sodomy. 1 Cor. 6. 9. And ſo you read of others that were damned for thoſe ſins. Jude, ver. 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them in like manner giving themſelves over unto fornication, and going after ſtrange fleſh, are ſee forth for an example, ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Thirdly, There was never any great ſinner whom God pardoned, nor is there Never was any great ſinner pardoned, but he repented.any great ſinner whom God doth promiſe to pardon, but he hath repented, and he muſt repent of his great ſins.

p. 4501. Conſider the great ſinners whom God hath pardoned, as they were great ſinners, ſo they were great penitents. David was guilty of great ſins, but he repented of them all; he repented of his murder, and he repented of his adultery, and he repented of his pride in numbring the people. Manaſſes was an exceeding great ſinner (hardly any the like, 2 Chron. 33. from ver. 1. to ver. 11.) but he repented of his great ſins; he beſought the Lord his God, and humbled himſelf greatly before the God of his Fathers, Ver. 12. And prayed unto him, and he was intreated of him, Ver. 13. And he reformed all again; for he pulled down, and put away all his Idolatry, Ver. 15. And he did ſet up the true worſhip of God again, and commanded Judah to ſerve the Lord God of Iſrael, Ver. 16; &c.

2. Conſider the great ſinners whom God doth promiſe to pardon, certainly you ſhall find that promiſe to paſs upon terms of repentance; not elſe. Iſa. 1. 16. Waſh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well. Ver. 18. Come now, 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 wool. Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out; what their great ſins were, you may read in Ʋer. 14. They denied the holy One. And Ver. 15. Killed the Prince of life; and if they would have theſe ſins blotted out, they muſt repent of them.

Fourthly, God hath threatned unto great ſinners (on whom his mercy hath God threatens eternal wrath to them that repent not.not wrought repentance) eternal wrath, and a peremptory privation of mercy, with inevitable deſtruction unto them who have preſumed to go on in their ſins; for the firſt of theſe, ſee the known place of the Apoſtle, Rom. 2. 4. Not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance. Ver. 5. But after thy hardneſs, and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up to thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God: For the latter of theſe, ſee that ſmart place in Deut. 29. 19. And it come to paſs, when he heareth the w…ds of this curſe, that he bleſs 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 unto 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.

Fifthly, A going on ſtill in great ſins, if it be any ſure testimony at all, it is Perſiſting in great ſins, if any teſtimony at all, it is rather that God will not pardon.rather that God will never forgive you, than otherwiſe; why ſo, will you ſay? becauſe

1. There is no promiſe of mercy to any that goes on in his great tranſgreſſions, but refuſeth to hearken, and to return; in ſuch a condi…ion and courſe no promiſe.

2. There are dreadful threatnings of God againſt ſuch who ſhall go ſtill on in their treſpaſſes. Pſal. 68. 21. And God ſhall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy ſcalp of ſuch a one as goes on ſtill in his trespaſſes. Iſa. 65. 20. The ſinner being an hundred years old, ſhall be accurſed. Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy.

3. Your going on ſtill in ſinning (unleſs the Lord be infinitely and extraordinary merciful towards you) will render you utterly uncapable of forgiving mercy; for

Firſt, This courſe of ſinning is that which doth deſperately harden your hearts, and fear your conſciences, that no dealing whatſoever can make p. 451any impreſſion upon you toward Repentance.

Secondly, The Lord doth uſually give up ſuch ſinners to their own hearts luſts, and to a reprobate mind and ſoul.

Sixthly, Though (poſſibly) ſome few ſinners (who have for a long time continued Though a few ſuch obtain mercy, yet they are hardly perſwaded of Gods mercy.in great tranſgreſſions) may obtain mercy, yet they ſhall find it a very difficult work to be perſwaded of Gods mercy to their ſouls. Pſal. 6. 3. My ſoul is alſo ſore vexed, but O Lord how long?

My Reaſons are theſe.

1. Becauſe the threatnings of God are ſo many, and ſo expreſs againſt great ſins, (eſpecially againſt the continuing in them) that it will not be eaſie to over-ballance theſe threatnings of God with the promiſe of God.

2. Becauſe the truth of repentance is very apt to be much queſtioned by great ſinners, when yet indeed they do repent; they do conceive (and that rightly) that for extraordinary ſinnings, extraordinary repentance is required; but they feel ſuch a hardneſs, ſuch a deadneſs of heart, O they cannot repent! And let me tell you, if any great ſinner be in diſpute about the truth of his Repentance, he will alſo be in diſpute about the apprehenſion of mercy.

3. Becauſe of all ſins whatſoever, great ſins do incline us (under the clear apprehenſion of them) to deſpair: You ſhall find this experimentally true, that the more deſperate people have been in ſinning, they are more apt to deſpair, when conſcience ever ſets upon them for their ſins. The guilt of great ſins will be heavy and bitter, and the woundings for great ſins will be ſharp and deep; always (for them) there falls in the ſenſe of Gods great wrath, and the fear of Gods great judgement, and the inſtances of the great puniſhments of God inflicted on great tranſgreſſions; and with all theſe, Satans great and ſubtile temptations, all which are powerfully apt to ſink the ſinner with deſpair; and then this is clear, that the more apt any ſinner is to deſpair, the leſs apt is the ſinner to cloſe with pardoning mercy; nay, it falls off the more from the hope of it.

4. Becauſe the Lord is pleaſed to hold up the manifeſtation of his love a long time, from thoſe that have a long time ſinned againſt the offers and calls of his love and mercy; thereby teaching great ſinners how unworthy they are to taſte of his goodneſs, and warning other great ſinners not to preſume of any eaſie enjoyment of mercy. And you ſhall find it a hard work to ſettle and perſwade the conſcience of a great ſinner about mercy, when the Lord doth (after many ſeekings) ſtill hold up the manifeſtations or ſenſible expreſſions of his favour and mercy towards him.

5. Becauſe it is a very difficult thing to act faith under the ſenſe of great tranſgreſſions; leſſer iniquities do many times check and keep down our confidences, much mort do great tranſgreſſions, &c.

SECT. V.Caſes of con…ience. What a troubled ſinner ſhould do that can find no parallel inſtance of the like ſin forgiven; Anſ…ered. Troubled ſinners look after inſtances of like ſinners pardoned.

BEfore I paſs away from this Point of Gods pardoning great ſins, I would ſpeak to a few Caſes or Scruples of conſcience with which ſome are, or may be troubled.

Queſt. 1. What that troubled ſinner ſhould do who hath been guilty of ſome great ſin, for which he cannot finde any one parallel inſtance of forgiveneſs in all the Scriptures, (i. e.) that ever God did forgive any that were guilty of that ſinne.

Sol. To this very ſadly diſtreſſing Caſe, I would deliver theſe ſix Anſwers.

Firſt, It is true, that a perſon convinced of, and really troubled with the ſenſe of any great ſin, doth look after, and will not eaſily be ſatisfied in conſcience p. 452without a parallel inſtance in the Scripture of ſome ſinners in the like condition of guilt with himſelf, whom yet God did pardon; but did ever any ſin as I have ſinned? and did God ever pardon any who have ſinned as I have ſinned? or had their ſin all thoſe aggravations (though God hath pardoned them) as my ſin hath? can you give me any one clear record or pattern of the ſame?

There are two reaſons which draw a troubled ſinner thus to ſearch, and thus to enquire.

1. One is, becauſe he thinks that what God never did in a way of mercy, he will never do.

2. Another is, becauſe he thinks that the apprehenſion of great mercy paſt in a caſe parallel with his, will be a quicker help to his hope and faith, that God may likewiſe forgive his great ſins, even as he hath forgiven the ſame to others.

Nevertheleſs (under favour be it ſpoken) this is not ſo regular a way, Yet this is not ſo regular, nor ſo ſure a ground of hope.nor yet ſo ſure a ground for hopes of mercy; for

1. If inſtances and precedent patterns of former mercy were neceſſarily to be look't at as grounds for hopes in us of the like mercy, then the firſt tranſgreſſors, they that had been firſt in the guilt of great tranſgreſſions muſt have deſpaired of forgiveneſs; for no pattern, example or inſtance of the like was ever found before; but mercy was pleaſed to make them the pattern of mercy for others; as Paul ſpeaks of himſelf in 1 Tim. 1. 16. Howbeit for this cauſe I obtained mercy, that in me firſt, Jeſus Chriſt might ſhew forth all long-ſuffering, for a pattern to them which ſhould hereafter believe on him to life everlaſting. The Lord himſelf would have put us upon that way of ſearching records and inſtances, before we ſhould look up unto thi… promiſe by faith.

2. Theſe inſtances of mercy will not (abſolutely) quiet the troubled conſcience; but notwithſtanding them, the fire will ſtill burn, and the torments and fear will abide in ſtrength, and that upon a double account.

Firſt, Though God ſhew mercy to a great tranſgreſſor in the like kind, yet he hath not ſhewed mercy to every one in that kind; ſo that ſtill the ſinner is troubled, But will God ſhew mercy to me?

Again, that a like great tranſgreſſor I find hath had a great change wrought in him; O but this I cannot find or diſcern in my ſelf. Ergo. So then troubled ſinners do (uſually) look after inſtances and examples of pardon, before they do look up to the promiſes of mercy; but this is not ſo regular, nor ſo ſure a way to raiſe faith, as I ſhall preſently ſhew unto you.

But ſecondly, Though you cannot finde a powerful inſtance, yet poſſibly there Though you cannot finde a parallel inſtance, yet inſtances in the ſame kind may be found.may be found inſtances of tranſgreſſors in the ſame kind of ſinning, whom God hath formerly pardoned; though you cannot find them, yet they may be found in the Scriptures: Suppoſe your great ſin hath been

1. Extortion, you may read that forgiven in Zacheus.

2. Drunkenneſs, you may read that forgiven in Noah.

3. Theft, you may read that forgiven to the Penitent Thief on the Croſs.

4. Whoredome, you may read it forgiven to Mary Magdalen; and adultery, it was forgiven to David.

5. Incest, you read it forgiven to Lot, and to the inceſtuous Corinthian.

6. Sodomy, you read it forgiven to ſome of the Corinthians.

7. Murder, you read it forgiven to David.

8. Idolatry, you read it forgiven to Solomon, and alſo to ſome of the Corinthians.

9. Blaſphemy, why, all manner of ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven, &c. Matth 12 31.

p. 45310. Apoſtaſie; Return thou back-ſliding Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, and I will not cauſe mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful, Jer. 3. 12.

11. Scoffin and mocking of the Goſpel, and the Miniſters thereof, yet ſome of theſe heve been forgiven, Act. 2. 13, 38. and 17. 32, 34.

12. Denying and forſwearing of Chriſt; yea and that after knowledge and faith, yet pardoned unto Peter; poſſibly the great ſin (which lies ſo heavy upon the Conſcience) may be ſoon one of theſe, and then you ſee a parallel inſtance as you do deſire.

But 3ly, admit you read not of a particular perſonal example, yet if you do May not inſtances of pardon of ſins that exceed yours ſerve the turn?read of any instance of forgiving mercy to any ſinner whatſoever, whoſe great tranſgreſſions do not only equal, but farre exceed that or thoſe of which you are guilty, may not that ſerve you? Surely it is not impoſſible that thy great ſins may be forgiven, if mercy hath paſt an Act of grace in forgiving ſome ſinners their great tranſgreſſions.

Object. O no! no mans ſins were ever greater than mine, &c.

Sol. Well; but what if I produce one whoſe ſins have been ſuch, that thy heart will be amazed at, and dread to think of being guilty of ſuch tranſcendent iniquities? my inſtance ſhall be in Manaſſeh, of whom you may thus read, 2 Chro 33. 2. He did evil in the ſight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the Heathen whom the Lord hath caſt out before the children of Iſrael. Ver. 3. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his Father had broken down, and he reared up Altars for Baalim, and made Groves, and worſhipped all the Hoſt of heaven, and ſerved them. Ver. 3. Alſo he built Altars in the houſe of the Lord, whereof the Lord ſaid, In Jeruſalem ſhall my Name be for ever. Ver. 5. And he built Altars for all the Hoſt of heaven, in the Courts of the houſe of the Lord. Ver. 6. And he cauſed his children to paſſe through the fire in the valley of the ſon of Hinnom: Alſo he obſerved times, and uſed Inchantments, and uſed Witchcraft, and dealt with a Familiar ſpirit, and with Wizards; he wrought much evil in the ſight of the Lord to provoke him to anger. Ver. 7. And he ſet a carved image (the idol which he had made) in the houſe of God. Ver. 9. So Manaſſeh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jeruſalem to erre, and to do worſe than the Heathen, whom the Lord had deſtroyed before the children of Iſrael. Ver. 10. And the Lord ſpake unto Manaſſeh, and to his people, but they would not hearken. Are not theſe ſinnes greater than thy ſinnes? Such high Idolatries, ſacrificing of Children to the Divels. Yet this greateſt of ſinners that you read of in the old Teſtament, upon his deep repentance found mercy; as Paul who called himſelf the chiefeſt of ſinners in the New Teſtament, did likewiſe obtain mercy, &c.

Fourthly, Under the ſenſe of (incomparably) great ſinnings, the buſineſs is not Under the ſenſe of great ſinnings, the buſineſſe is not to debate, but to repent.to debate, but to repent: Not what great ſins you or others have committed, and whoſe great ſins God hath pardoned, but to obtain an heart from God to repent of thoſe ſins; for though ſins be leſſer ſins, a ſinner ſhall be damned for them, if he repent not: Though ſins have been exceeding great, yet they ſhall be forgiven upon repentance.

You demand what a great ſinner ſhould do, who can find no inſtance of mercy to any under the ſame guilt with himſelf! I anſwer plainly;

1. He ſhould do what God calls upon him to do (and what he hath called upon other great ſinners to do) and that is to repent: Let the wicked forſake his way, &c. Iſa. 55. 7. Repent and be converted, Act. 3. 19. Put away the evil of your doings, Iſa 1. 16.

2. He ſhould by faith lay hold on the promiſes of mercy by Chriſt to a repenting ſinner: To diſpute who hath found mercy, is the leaſt of your buſineſs, but do you repent, and you ſhall quickly ſee mercy in a promiſe to your own ſouls, although you cannot find Inſtances of mercy unto others

p. 454Fifthly, Though you cannot find particular and anſwerable inſtances, yet in caſe Though you cannot find inſtances, yet in caſe of Repentance you ſhall find promiſes.of Repentance you may, and ſhall finde ſufficient promiſes (which are proper grounds for your faith to work on) to anſwer your conditions: All manner of ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven unto men, but the blaſphemy aganiſt, &c. Matth. 12. 31. Certainly this promiſe will reach your ſin, be it never ſo great, unleſs it be the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and that ſin you are not guilty of, becauſe you are repenting of your ſin, whereas it is impoſſible to renew thoſe (who are guilty of that ſin) unto repentance, Heb. 6. 6.

Sixthly, And let me tell you one thing more; That as when God forbids any kind of ſin, he doth therein forbid the particular individual branches of that ſin: So (if I do not exceedingly miſtake) when he doth promiſe to forgive a ſin in any kind, that promiſe of forgiveneſs will extend to any one particular or diſtinct ſin of that kind; be that particular ſin never ſo hainous, v…g. When he promiſeth to forgive uncleanneſs indefinitely upon the repentance of a perſon, this promiſed forgiveneſs is appliable to the moſt vile and horrid wayes of uncleanneſs, of which a perſon hath been guilty: But I have ſaid enough to this Scruple.

Whether the firſt work of a ſinner be to repent or to believe:2. Queſt. Whether in caſe of great tranſgreſſions, the first work which concerns the ſinner, be to repent of his ſin, or firſc to believe that God hath forgiven his ſin, or rather will do ſo?

Anſwered. Sol. Truely I think that whatſoever we may (Theoretically) argue in ſuch a caſe, yet (practically) he that is wounded in Conſcience for any great ſin, hath little leaſure or ability to keep Rank or File; I mean thus artificially to conſider the Method or Order of Spiritual actings: But one while he thinks on ſin, and another while on mercy; when on his ſin, then with great fears; and when on mercy, then with great doubts. That he ſhould repent, he knows; that he may preſently believe, he queſtions; and to ſpeak plainly, he can neither well repent, nor yet well believe; a third work ordinarily preſſeth him, which is of a troubled; and troubling Conſcience.

But yet if you would have me ſpeak my thought to this Nicity, rather than Caſe of Conſcience, I ſhould ſay,

Firſt, As to experience; trouble and tears, and fears, and ſighes, and groanes are (uſually) the immediate workings and iſſues of great ſinings:

Secondly, As to the command; Repentance is the firſt work which God layes out for the great ſinner; This generally you read preſcribed both in the Old and New Teſtament, 2 Chron, 7. 14. Iſa. 1. 16. Iſa. 55. 7. Ezek. 18. 21. and Luke 24. 47. Act. 2. 38. Act. 3. 19. And truely it will be no eaſie work to clear out, that a man can or may believe, that God (according to promiſe) will forgive him his ſins (though very great) whiles he yet remaines impenitent.

Thirdly, As to the order of practice; I would preſcribe both of them to be firſt; The ſinner ſhould repent firſt, and the ſinner ſhould believe firſt; and that he may do both firſt, he ſhould pray for both firſt. A believing Repentance, and a Repenting Faith; ſuch a Repentance which is accompanied with Faith; and ſuch a Faith as accompanied with Repentance: And verily in this caſe, if the Faith be right, it is not without Repentance; and if the Repentance be right, it is not without Faith: you cannot rightly repent unleſs you have Faith to ſee ſome mercy; neither can you confidently believe unleſs there be ſome Repentance. I beſeech you whiles others are a diſputing which of theſe ſhould appear firſt, do you earneſtly and ſeriouſly beg of God for grace to act them both.

What that ſinner ſhould do who cannot find a heart to repent or believe.3. Queſt. But there is another Caſe which is more real, and more to purpoſe, viz. What that ſinner ſhould do, who upon the commiſſion of ſome great ſin, cannot find a heart either to repent, or to believe? the heart is become hardned, and no workings can be raiſed either of mourning for the ſin poſt, or of believing for mercy future!

p. 455Anſwered. Sol. This is unto the ſinner a very dreadful caſe; becauſe

1. God ſeems to deal with him in a plain judicial way, and in a forſaking manner, denying unto him the preſence and power of his Spirit, to raiſe him out of the depth of his ſin and miſery into which he hath plunged himſelf.

2. God ſeldom leaves a ſinner thus, but where the ſinner hath preſumed to commit ſome great tranſgreſſion againſt ſome ſpecial actings of knowledge and Conſcience. Nevertheleſs to the caſe propounded,

Firſt, Let the ſinner in this condition conſider whether no penitential, and no believing operations at all are to be found in his heart: whether he doth not (at leaſt) Conſider whether there be no penitential and believing operations at all to be found.with a ſad and troubled heart conſider into what a condition he hath (by his great ſinning) brought himſelf! whether there be not ſome judgings and abhorrings of himſelf, and ſome deſires after a Spirit of mourning and believing.

Secondly, this ſinner ſhould acknowledge it as a great and righteous judgement of God upon him for his ſinning; And that the Lord may for ever withdraw from Acknowledge it a righteous judgement of God upon himhim, and utterly leave him, becauſe he hath thus preſumptuouſly ſinned againſt him: Never let him open his mouth againſt God, but juſtifie and clear him as moſt righteous, and condemn himſelf as moſt unthankfull, and unworthy that ever the Lord ſhould look on him any more: That he ſhould thus (againſt light and warnings, and reluctancies of conſcience, and againſt mercy, and love, and perhaps experience) preſumptuouſly venture to offend and provoke God.

Thirdly, If under all the d…ſtinct Conſiderations of this ſinning, and his free confeſſions unto God, and his ſelf-judgings, no tenderneſs yet appear, and no Uſe private helps of Conference and Prayer, with godly and experienced Miniſters and Chriſtians.ſpecial workings yet ariſe, and no hope of mercy; then let him conferre with ſome godly and well experienced Miniſters and Christians (if there be a meſſenger with him, an Interpreter, one among a thouſand, Job 33. 23.) to pity his ſoul, and to ſhew him his way, and to open counſel unto him, and to poure out his heart in prayer to the Lord for him. The fervent prayers of the Righteous are effectual and prevalent, Jam. 5. 16. and ſhould be called in for help in ſuch a caſe: And when all of them joyn together and cry mightily unto God, O Lord, in the midſt of judgement remember mercy; Lord deal not with this ſinner according to his ſinning againſt thee: Lord! do not forſake him and leave him; Lord! return in mercy to his ſoul; a…d renew him again unto repentance; for thy Name ſake, for thy Chriſts ſake do not abhor him, but heal his back-ſlidings, and be merciful unto his back ſlidings! I te…l you that ſuch joynt and earneſt prayers of the people of God, are ſeldom denyed by God.

Fourthly, If yet no ſpiritual working can be revived, but his heart like the Shunamites Repair to ſome ſoul-ſearching and quickning Miniſtry.child, which for all that Gehazi could ſay or do, ſtill remained dead, ſo this mans heart, for all that private helps can do, ſtill remains hard and unaffected; then let him think on, and repair to ſome ſoul-ſearching and quickning Miniſtry, which God doth (ordinarily) bleſs, to break down a preſumptuous heart, and to lift up a contrite heart; to pierce and wound a hard heart, and to comfort and revive a troubled heart: Who can tell what the Lord will, or may do in and by his own Ordinance? eſpecially when a poor …nner comes directly for that end to receive impreſſions from God? and renouncing all his own power▪ (as well he may, for it utterly fails him) offers up his heart (ſuch as it is) unto the Lord to be created (as it were) again, and new mou…ded, and formed, and quickned. O Lord! I doubt I have loſt all ſince my ſinning againſt thee (oh that ſinning againſt thee!) I can neither find thee, nor my ſelf; Repentance ſeems to be dead, O I cannot grieve or mourn! and Faith ſeems to be dead, and I cannot believe or truſt! Lord! may I come to thee! may I look up to thee! may I call upon thee! may I hope in thee! thou canſt yet do me good, wilt thou ſo! O that thou wouldeſt make thy power to appear, if yet thou wilt not make thy grace to appear! I have caſt my ſelf down, and I cannot p. 456raiſe my ſelf; I have hardened my heart, and I cannot ſoften it; I have weakened every grace, and I cannot quicken any one again: yet O Lord, thou canſt do all this; thou canſt convince, and humble, and turn, and raiſe, and renew: I bring my heart to thee, do with me what ſeemes good in thine eyes, only take not thy Spirit from me; by thy Spirit breathe ſome life into this dead heart; I have lived a preſumptuous ſinner, yet O Lord, let me not dye an hardened, and impenitent, and unbelieving ſinner!

Fifthly, If after all this, nothing appears of change in thy hard heart, then ſet Set ſome time apart for faſting and prayer.ſomeſolemn time apart for faſting and prayer to humble thy ſoule, and to ſeek the face of God: And indeed this is convenient and neceſſary in this caſe; for extraordinary ſinnings do require extraordinary humiliations; and God gives in, and comes unto us upon ſuch extraordinary ſeeking, when he holds off upon ordinary and common addreſſes: The Word of God tells us ſo much, and experience ſeals and bears witneſs thereunto. And therefore let nothing hinder or divert thee from this work; not that this kind of ſervice hath any kind of merit in it, but that 1. God expects it if we would have peace after great ſinnings. And 2ly it ſhews how much the heart is diſpleaſed with itſelf, and truly longs to be raiſed and reconciled. And 3ly God is uſually found in this way, and returns again, and ſhews compaſſion, and forgives ſins, and ſubdues iniquities. And withall remember three things about this work.

1. Be not diſcouraged though at the beginning thou findeſt thy heart very hardened, and dull, and ſtraitned, yet ſtill hold on, and before the end of it, thou ſhalt find it altered into ſome mournings, and meltings, and hopes of mercy, and gracious anſwers.

2. Faſten all thy hopes on the Lord Jeſus; pray, and ask in his Name, and truſt in his Name for thy pardon, and for thy recovery, and reſolve plainly to wait, and hearken what the Lord in his time will ſpeak to thee, and do for thee.

3. Apply thoſe promiſes which do eſpecially reſpect thy …ad condition: What are thoſe, will you ſay? They are 1. the promiſe of ſoftening a hard heart. 2ly The promiſes of healing a back-ſliding heart. 3ly The promiſes of pardoning great tranſgreſſions; you have them all expreſſed in the Word. Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the heart of ſtone, and will give them an heart of fleſh. Hoſe. 14. 4. Iſa. 1. 18. I will heal their back ſlidings. Though your ſins be as ſcarlet, I will make them as white as ſnow.

p. 457EZEK. 36. 25.

Then will I ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean, &c.

YOU have heard already from this Verſe two things. One was the Quality of the mercy promiſed by God unto his people, and that was the forgiveneſs of their ſins. The other was the Quantity of that promiſed mercy, reſpecting partly the multitude of their ſins, and partly the magnitude of their ſins (From all your filthineſs, and from all you Idols will I cleanſe you.)

Now there remaines yet a little more which God doth promiſe about the forgiveneſs of the ſins of his people, and that is expreſſed in the words which I have read unto you (I will ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean.

Object. For it might be objected, How it is poſſible, that our ſins which are ſo many, and which are ſo great, ſhould be forgiven us? what can be found to appeaſe Gods juſtice for them, and to take them away, ſo that they ſhall never be imputed unto us? and how may we be aſſured or aſcertained concerning this?

Sol. The Anſwer is made in the Text (I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and What is meant by ſprinkling clean water upon them. The blood of Chriſt. The particular application of his blood.you ſhall be clea… by which expreſſion two things are meant.

1. The blood of Chriſt, which is the effectually meritorious reaſon of the forgiveneſs of the moſt, and of the greateſt of the ſins of the people of God.

2. The particular application of the blood of Chriſt unto them, with an aſſurance that it was ſhed for their ſins. Both theſe doth the ſprinkling of clean water import: You read in the Moſaical Law of divers Ceremonial ſprinklings.

1. Of the blood of the Paſchal Lamb, Exod. 12. 7.

2. Of the blood of the Bullock, Levit. 16. 14.

3. Of the blood of the red Heifer, Numb. 19. 4. And of the clean water with hyſop, ver. 5.

4. Of the blood of the burnt-offering, and peace-offering, with which the people were sprinkled: Exod. 24. 8. And Moſes took the blood and ſprinkled it on the people; and ſaid, Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you: All this the Apoſtle ſummes up in Heb. 9. 19. Moſes took the blood of Calves, and of Goats, with water, and ſcarlet, wooll, and hyſop, and ſprinkled both the book and people. By all theſe is meant the taking away of ſin by the ſhedding of the blood of Chriſt; and the applying of the blood of Chriſt to the people of God, that is meant by ſprinkling. Hence you read, Iſa. 52. 15. He ſhall ſprinkle many Nations. Heb. 12, 24. The blood of Chriſt is called the blood of ſprinkling. 1 Pet. 1. 2. We are elected (and ſaved) through the Sanctification of the Spirit, and ſprinkling of the blood of Jeſus Chriſt. Now from all this, there are two Propoſitions obſervable.

1. That the blood of Chriſt is the Cauſe, and it is the only Cauſe for which the people of God have their many and great ſins pardoned (that is the clean water which makes us clean.)

p. 4582. That the Lord will, and doth make a particular Application (even to the Conſciences of his people) touching the forgiveneſs of their ſins by the blood of Chriſt: (He will ſprinkle that clean water upon them.)