Select Sermons, Title page 2 – Title page 3

Select Sermons · Title page 2 – Title page 3

THE HEART-SMITTEN SINNER'S SVITE FOR PARDON.

By IER. DYKE Miniſter of Epping.

PSAL. 21.1. For thy names ſake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquitie; for it is great.

Rogandus eſt deus ut nos aſpiciat: avertat autem faciem ſuam a peccatis noſtris ut deleat ea. Quae enim non aſpicit, delet, & quae deleverit ea a memoria ſepelientur, Ambroſ. Lib: de Apolog. David. cap. 8.

LONDON, Printed by Tho: Paine, for Iohn Rothwell, and are to be ſold at the Sun in Pauls Church-yard. 1640.

p. 155THE HEART-SMITTEN SINNERS SVITE FOR PARDON.

2 SAM. 24.10.

And now I beſeech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy ſervant.

WEE read in theſe two Books of Samuel, that Davids heart twice ſmote him; once 1 Samuel 24. and another time in this 2 Samuel 24. there before, here after the Lord had ſet him upon the Throne of his Kingdome; there for cutting off the skirt p. 156of Sauls garment, here for the numbring of the people, And Davids heart ſmote him, ſaith the Text, after that hee had numbred the people: Which ſmiting of Davids heart here, is, me thinks, moſt like to the ſmiting of Moſes when hee ſmote the Rocke, Numb. 20.11. whereupon the water came out abundantly; ſo here Davids heart had no ſooner ſmote him, but the water came out abundantly: hee thereupon,

1Firſt, confeſſing his ſinne, when hee ſaid unto the Lord, I have ſinned greatly in that I have done: Wherein you ſee;

Firſt, peculiarity in reſpect of the object perſon to whom hee made confeſſion, which was not Gad (though a Prophet, and his Seer) but the Lord: And David ſaid unto the Lord, I have ſinned.

Secondly, Particularity in reſpect of the object thing, the ſinne hee made confeſſion of, when hee ſaid unto the Lord, I have ſinned in that I have done.

Thirdly, impartiallity towards himſelfe p. 157the delinquent in the thing And David ſaid unto the Lord, (not I have ſinned only, or I have ſinned in that I have done, but I) have ſinned greatly.

Secondly, upon ſuch his confeſſion, 2hee falls immediately to deprecation, and begging pardon of ſinne; the ſecond thing that his hearts ſmiting of him wrought upon him here. And now I beſeech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy ſervant.

Where you ſee the ſubſtance of his deprecation is the taking away of his iniquity. Take away, that is, Lord pardon and forgive the ſinne of thy ſervant. His heart ſmites him, his conſcience accuſes and prickes him, and hee falls to begging of pardon and forgiveneſſe. Whence learne;

Firſt, Doct. That the onelyonly thing that can give eaſe and quiet to a ſmiting, accuſing, troubled conſcience, is the pardon and forgiveneſſe of ſinne. Nothing can eaſe and quiet a troubled and a ſmiting heart, but pardon of ſinne. As nothing can trouble and pinch the conſcience but p. 158ſinne, ſo nothing can eaſe the conſcience but pardon. Pſal. 32.1, 2. Bleſſed is hee whoſe tranſgreſsion is forgiven. Why is hee bleſſed, and how appeares it that hee is bleſſed? Hee anſwers to both, ver. 3, 4, 5. and ſhewes the truth of it in his owne experience. All the while my ſinne was unpardoned I was in wofull miſery: The very marrow of my bones was dryed up, I was ſo full of paine I could not forbeare roaring. And why? ſee Pſal. 38.8. J have roared by reaſon of the diſquietneſſe of my heart. Yea, I was in continuall miſery, not onelyonly now and then by fits had I pangs that made me roare, but I roared all the day long, I could have no eaſe. But I acknowledged my ſinne, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſinne. And then when thou pardonedſt me I had preſent eaſe, then the aches, pinches, panges and tortures of my ſpirit were preſently abated: And therefore bleſſed is hee whoſe tranſgreſsion is forgiven. For bleſſed is he that hath eaſe and quiet from the troubles of conſcience: and pardon of ſinne it is that p. 159will doe that, as I can witneſſe by mine owne experience. All the while my ſinne was unpardoned, I was as a man on the racke; but when my ſinne was forgiven, then had my ſoule eaſe and refreſhment. All implies that the onelyonly thing that can eaſe the conſcience, and diſcharge it of its trouble, is the pardon and forgiveneſſe of ſinne. Reaſons are theſe:

Firſt, the onelyonly way to remove and take away an evill, any paine, is to remove and take away the cauſe and the ground of it. So long as the cauſe remaines of any evill, what ever courſes men take, the evill remaines ſtill. If a man have a thorne in his foot, it puts him to a great deale of paine, it ſwells, and is full of anguiſh. Now let a man annoint his foot, let him lap it up, and keepe it warme, let him ſit ſtill and not walke upon it, yet all the while the thorne is in his foot hee hath no eaſe, but it akes, and throbs, and vexes a man ſtill for all this. The onelyonly way to helpe a man to eaſe is to remove the cauſe of the ſorrow, p. 158duplicate page p. 159duplicate page p. 160to get the thorne pluckt out, to get that drawne forth. So when a mans conſcience is in trouble, and diſquiet, a man may uſe playſters of eaſe, may ſeeke to quiet his ſpirit with merry company, good fellowſhip, following his pleaſures, following his buſineſſe, hee may be padling with theſe playſters and poulteyſes that men in the world ſeeke eaſe by; but yet ſo long as the thorne is in the heart, ſo long as guilt is in the conſcience, all theſe ſlabberments will never eaſe the paine. There is no way to eaſe the paine of the heart, but to plucke and draw the thorne out of the heart, to get guilt out of the conſcience. Now nothing can plucke the thorne out of the heart, but onelyonly pardon of ſinne. Pardon of ſinne pluckes out the thorne, and ſo gives eaſe. Marke Davids phraſe, Take away the iniquity of thy ſervant, and ſo Hoſ. 14.2. Take away all iniquity. Pardon of ſinne is the taking of it away, the taking of guilt out of the conſcience. And nothing can take away iniquity but pardon: And therefore p. 161pardon taking away iniquity, that is the onelyonly thing, that can give a ſmiting conſcience eaſe: Then the conſcience is at eaſe when the weapon is taken away with which conſcience ſmites. Now it is nothing but guilt, that puts a weapon into the hand of conſcience to ſmite withall. When the weapon is taken away, then conſcience cannot ſmite; and when the conſcience cannot ſmite, then a mans ſpirit is at eaſe.

Pſalme 38.3. There is not any reſt in my bones becauſe of my ſin; when a man hath a grivous ach and paine in his bones, it ſo afflicts and tortures him that he can take no reſt, lay him upon never ſo ſoft a bed, yet his aking bones will not let him take any reſt. But the way to bring a man to reſt, were to take a courſe to take away that paine out of his bones: If that ach and paine were out of his bones, hee might reſt. So here, ſinne in the conſcience makes the bones full of reſtleſſe paines, There is no reſt in my bones becauſe of my ſinne. It breakes the bones, Pſal. 51. It not only p. 162dryes the bones, Pſal. 38. and puts bones out of joynt, but it breakes the bones, and ſo no wonder that upon ſinne there is no reſt in the bones: But now if ſin were taken away, the bones would ſoone be at reſt. And therefore pardon of ſin taking away ſin, which cauſes the reſtleſneſſe of the bones, is the onelyonly thing to procure reſt in the bones.

Pſalme 38.4. My ſinnes are as an heavie burthen, they are too heavie for mee. A man that hath an heavie & weighty burthen upon his backe, can have no reſt till the burden be taken off his back, though hee may ſeeke to eaſe himſelfe by ſitting down, by leaning, yet ſo long as the weighty burden is upon his back, he can have no eaſe, ſtill hee is under the pinch, and preſſure of it. But the onelyonly way to give his backe eaſe, is to remove the burden, and to take it off. Sinne is a heavie and a preſſing burden, that is ready to breake a mans backe. Now the only way to give a mans back eaſe, is to remove this burden, and to take it off. Now pardon of ſinne is the p. 163removing of it, Prov. 30.8. Remove farre from me vanitie and lies. and Pſal. 103.12. So far hath he removed our tranſgreſsions from us. And therefore pardon being the removing of the burden, and the removing of the cauſe of the paine, it is the onelyonly thing that gives the back eaſe. Matth. 11. Come unto mee all yee that are heavie loaden, and I will eaſe you. How? I will remove and take off the burdens that lye ſo heavie upon your backes. But how doth Chriſt remove the burdens? By the pardon of their ſinnes; ſo that the onelyonly thing in the world to eaſe a burdened Conſcience, is the pardon of ſinne. Sinne wounds the conſcience. The body being wounded is payned, and put to ſmart. But oyle and balme powred into the wounds eaſe their ſmart and throbbing. And pardoning mercy that is the balme of Gilead that gives eaſe to a wounded conſcience, that aſſwages the throbbings and ſmart which is cauſed by ſin.

Secondly, Reaſ. 2 all trouble and diſquiet of conſcience is from the feare and apprehenſion p. 164of wrath. The clouds that are in Gods face cauſe the ſtormes that are in the conſcience. That as in that caſe hee ſpeakes, Pſal. 104.19. Thou hideſt thy face, they are troubled: So in this caſe, when God hides his face and his favour, and men ſee nothing but anger and diſpleaſure, yea it may bee ſee hell and damnation, then the conſcience is troubled and diſquieted. Then a man ſuckes the gall of Aſpes, and then the Vipers tongue ſlayes him, Job 20.16. The trouble of conſcience ariſing therefore from the dread and apprehenſion of Gods anger and diſpleaſure, the onelyonly thing that can eaſe the conſcience, is the hope and ſenſe of Gods favour; let but God give a man a good looke, but ſmile lovingly upon him, and that favor of God eaſes the conſcience of all trouble, Prov. 16.14, 15. The wrath of a King is as the meſſengers of death; ſo Gods wrath much more, and when meſſengers of death come, how is a mans heart troubled and diſquieted: But a wiſe man will pacifie it. And what if it p. 165be pacified: Then, in the light of the Kings countenance is life: So when God lifts up the light of his countenance, then there is life, and then the conſcience is full of peace and eaſe. I but when is it that the light and Sun-ſhine of Gods face breakes out thus? That is done in the pardon of ſinne: When ſinne is pardoned then comes peace and comfort, Matth. 9. Be of good comfort, thy ſinnes are forgiven thee. That is the onelyonly thing that can comfort the conſcience, and eaſe it, becauſe that is an infallible evidence of Gods favour. Pardon of ſinne never comes but out of love and favour. Outward mercies a man may receive from an angry God, but pardon of ſinne never comes but from favour and love. And therefore pardon of ſinne being the evidence of a God reconciled, ſhewing a man the light of Gods countenance, is the onelyonly thing that can eaſe the trouble of conſcience.

Thirdly, ſinnes are debts. And a 3man that is in his guilt, is in his debt, and ſo in danger before God. Now a p. 166man that is deepely in debt, cannot be without much trouble of heart. It may be he may make a ſhift, and ſet a face upon it before men: I but yet the thoughts of his debts give him many a ſecret nip, many a cloſe pinch. He may ſet up an high ſayle, and brave it out in apparell, but yet for all this his debts vex him, and many a night hee takes but little reſt, becauſe ſtill the thoughts of his debts trouble him. Now when a man is in this trouble of heart, and diſquiet of ſpirit with his debts, there is no way for a man to have his heart eaſed, but either to get his debts paid, or to get his debts pardoned. And if they be ſuch, as hee is never able to pay, then no way to eaſe him of his cares and feares, but to have his debts pardoned.

Now a ſinner is in debt to God, and when conſcience is troubled about theſe debts, what ever face a man may ſet upon it, yet his heart will be miſerably troubled about his debts; hee will live in a continuall feare of being arreſted by Gods anger, of being p. 167drag'd by the throat to hell: For ſuch debts they are, as a man can never pay, Luc. 7. Two debtors that had nothing to pay: So therefore there is no other way to give a mans conſcience eaſe, but by the pardon of his ſinnes, becauſe that is the pardoning of his debts: Therefore pardon of ſinne is called blotting out iniquity, Pſal. 51. It is the drawing croſſe lines over all our debts, it is the blurring out all our ſinnes in Gods debt-booke. Pardon of debts is the onelyonly way to eaſe a diſquieted debtor, pardon of ſinne is the pardon of debts, and therefore the onelyonly way to eaſe our conſciences.

To teach us in trouble of Conſcience and under the ſmitings of heart, what courſe to take for eaſe and peace, viz. to make out preſently as David does for pardon of ſin, make haſt to God, and ſue for pardon, and give God and thy ſelfe no reſt, till thou haſt got thy pardon. If thine heart ſmite thee, and thy conſcience pinch thee, fall preſently to this courſe, I beſeech thee O Lord take away the iniquitie of thy p. 168ſervant. As Solomon ſpeakes in the caſe of ſuretieſhip, Prov. 6.1, 5. So doe thou, If thou haſt ſinned, and thy conſcience have ſtricken thee with the hand, doe this now my ſon, and deliver thy ſelfe from the painful and ſmarting buffetings of thy conſcience. So humble thy ſelfe, and make ſure thy friend, ſee and humble thy ſelfe by confeſſion, and by begging, and getting thy pardon, make God thy friend, and make him thy ſure friend, and do this quickly, as verſe 4, 5. This is the onelyonly way to get eaſe, this is the only way to get reſt in thy bones. It is ſtrange how men in paine of Conſcience will ſharke for eaſe, and try all concluſions, before they will take the right courſe to come, and ſue to God for eaſe by pardon. The Prodigall was in want, Luke 15. why doth hee not ſo ſoone as he is pincht goe to his Father? no, hee will try other concluſions firſt. Hee joynes to a citizen, it may bee he may finde helpe that way: Hee will keepe ſwine, it may be he may fil his belly with the huskes: But when he hath done all, p. 169that will give him no eaſe, hee muſt come to this at laſt, I will goe to my Father, I will goe beg mercy; And he never finds eaſe, till he be in his fathers Armes, in his Fathers houſe, till his Father kiſſes him and cloathes him. So men in trouble of conſcience are loth to make out to Gods pardoning mercy. Some will try what company will doe, ſome will try what pleaſures will doe, it may bee they may drinke away their trouble, and drowne it that way; it may bee they card and dice it away; it may be they may; it may bee they may hauke and hunt it away; it may be ſuperſtitious penance, a pilgrimage, a Popes pardon will doe the deede, it may be, multitude and variety of imploymēt may take off the heart ſo, that it ſhal not beat leaſure to trouble them with accuſations and torments. How vaine are all theſe: This is nothing but arrand ſharking: All ſuch courſes will not doe. It is in that caſe as in that, Hoſ. 5.13. When Ephraim ſaw his ſickneſſe, and Juda ſaw his wound: then went Ephraim to the Aſſyrian, and ſent p. 170to King Jareb; yet could hee not heale you, not cure you of your wound. So when men ſee their ſpirituall ſickneſſe, and feele the wounds of conſcience, the ſmart and the anguiſh of them, then go they to this ſhift, and that, to this ſharking courſe, and that; they go to their merriments, companions, ſports, plaies, imployments, ſuperſtitions, and yet can they not heale them, nor cure them of their wounds; their wounds bleed ſtill, ſmart ſtill, their conſciences throb with anguiſh ſtill, and for all this, as with them there, verſ. 14. Conſcience is as a Lion unto them, and roares and teares ſtill. Men muſt come to God for pardon at laſt if they wil have eaſe. And were not a man as good come at firſt, and ſave ſo much loſt labour? Had not the Prodigall as good have come to his father at firſt, as to goe the furtheſt away about?

Sin leaves a ſting in the conſcience. When a man is ſtung with an Hornet, it afflicts the place with a great deale of anguiſh. And what will a man doe in ſuch a caſe? The firſt thing hee will p. 171doe for his eaſe, is to plucke out the ſting, the Hornet hath left behinde: For if a man apply medicines for eaſe, yet if the ſting be ſtill ſticking in his fleſh, medicines are in vaine. So when the conſcience is ſtung, and throbs, and rages, the way is firſt to plucke out the ſting out of the conſcience. Nothing can take away the ſting out of the conſcience, but pardon: Pardoning grace onelyonly can fetch that out; therefore when thy conſcience is ſtung, and doth paine and vex thee, let that be the firſt thing, and let is bee done ſpeedily too, to ſeeke to God for the pardon and remiſsion of thy ſinne. That will take out the ſting, and when the ſting is out, there will follow preſent eaſe.

Secondly, marke what Davids ſuite Doct. 2 to God is, Take away, I beſeech thee, take away the iniquity of thy ſervant. Learne then, what is a maine thing that concernes every ſinner to looke after, and labour for; A maine thing that above all others a ſinner ſhould looke after, and take thought, and care for, is p. 172the pardon and remiſsion of his ſinnes. Our Saviour in the forme of prayer by him preſcribed, teaches us to pray but ſixe petitions; and amongſt thoſe ſixe, the fift is forgive us our treſpaſſes, and obſerve with what petition it is coupled, Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us. Two things may be there obſerved. 1. Firſt, hee ſubjoynes petition for pardon to petition for bread. 2. Secondly, hee couples and conjoynes them. In the three firſt petitions one petition is ſubjoyned to another, but not conjoyned to the other. Hallowed be thy Name, thy Kingdome come, &c. hee ſaith not, And thy Kingdome come, And thy will be done. But here theſe are coupled, Give us, &c And forgive us. And this to teach us, that there is as great neceſſity of pardon for eternall life, as of bread for temporall. That we ſtand in as much need of a forgiving God for our ſoules as of a giving God for our bodies: So alſo that wee ſhould bee no leſſe thoughtfull and carefull for pardon of ſinne, than men are for bread: That p. 173wee ſhould beg as hard, and toyle as hard for the pardon of ſinne, as for bread to maintaine life.

The Lord, Hoſ. 24.2. preſcribes his people a prayer, and that hath but two petitions, and this is not onelyonly one of them, but the firſt of them, Take away all iniquity, and give us good. Agur put up but two petitions to God, and theſe were the petitions that he meant to put up to his dying day, Prov. 30.7. Two things have I required of thee, deny them mee not before I dye, that is, two things I have beg'd, and will not leave begging to my dying day; and one of theſe two, and the firſt of theſe two things that he would beg to his dying day, was the pardon of his ſinnes, v. 8. Remove farre from me vanity and lyes: As if he ſhould ſay, Lord be mercifull unto mee in the pardon of my ſinnes. So that there is no thought nor care that ſhould take up a mans time and paines all his life long, as this, how to get the pardon of our ſinnes. It is the greateſt mercy that can be ſhowne us. It is true that wee live wholly upon p. 174mercy; that we have a being it is mercy; that wee have any comfortable being it is mercy; mercy that we have food to put into our bellies; mercy that wee have clothes to put upon our backs, mercy that we are freed frō many ſorrowes, ſadneſſe, and heavy croſſes that others lye under; all is mercy: but yet lay all together, and they are nothing to the mercy that is in pardon of ſinne; that is the greateſt mercy that can be ſhewed: Pſal. 51.1. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my tranſgreſsions. See then, that it is mercy that muſt blot out tranſgreſſions, nay it is tender mercy; nay it is a multitude of tender mercies that blots out and forgives ſinne. And therefore it being ſo great a mercy, our cares ſhould be ſuitable and proportionable to it. The greater the mercy is, the greater ſhould a mans care be to get a ſhare in that mercy.

Ʋſe 1 Firſt, if pardon of ſinne be a thing of ſuch concernement, the maine thing that a ſinner ſhould looke after, then let us make it our great care, and the p. 175great endeavour of our lives to get the pardon of our ſinnes. It is wofull to ſee our negligence and ſecurity in this point. What is there in all the world that concernes men to looke after more, and yet what is there, that men looke after leſſe than the pardon of their ſinnes? No care, no thought, no time, no paines too much, or enough for getting goods, riches, and the neceſſaries of this life, but how rare and infrequent are mens cares & thoughst for the pardon of ſin. All our cares are waſted, and expended upon theſe trifles, but for this one thing that is neceſſary, ſcarce one ſerious thought in the whole yeere. Who will ſhew us any good? that ſtring men harpe upon. But who will ſhew us the way to get the pardon of our ſinnes? that's a queſtion rarely asked.

It is too true, that men have not that care for their ſoules they have for their bruit beaſts, for their very Hogs and Dogges, Luc. 14.5. Which of you ſhall have an Aſſe or an Oxe fallen into a pit, and will not ſtraight way pull him p. 176out: Nay, if it were a Swine, nay if a Dogge, hee ſhould be pul'd out, and pull'd out ſtraight way. Such care and ſuch compaſſions would wee with haſte ſhew unto theſe vile and baſe creatures. But how often doe mens ſoules fall into the pit, even into the pit of Hell and Death by their ſinnes? and yet no care nor compaſſion to pull them out, much leſſe to pull them out ſtraightway: But for any care or conſcience is taken there, their poore ſoules may lye and rot in the pit. A miſerable thing, that a man ſhould ſhew more care and pitie to his Swine, than to his ſoule. It being therefore the maine thing a ſinner ſhould labour for, to get his ſinne taken away, be we exhorted in Gods fear to make this our maine care: Spend leſſe time and care upon the world, upon your profits and your pleaſures, ſquander not out your cares, time and paines upon theſe vanities, theſe nothings. Spend ſome time, ſpend ſome care, ſome paines upon your poore ſoules, in getting their ſinnes pardoned.

p. 177Let Job's thoughts be ours, Job 7.20, 21. So ſay wee, Alas I have ſinned, and am a guilty perſon before God, What ſhall I doe unto God? What courſe ſhall I take that my ſinne may be pardoned? Oh Lord that I had an heart to ſeeke out for my pardon! Sayes Job, And why doeſt thou not pardon my tranſgreſsions, and take away mine iniquity. Hee ſpeakes as if hee had beene thoughtfull and painefull about that buſineſſe, and wonders that after all his endeavour, hee cannot get his pardon ſealed; As if hee ſhould ſay, Lord what is the matter that I cannot get my pardon. Now, if many of us ſhould put Jobs queſtion to God, and ſay, And why doeſt thou not pardon my tranſgreſſion, and take away mine iniquity; might not God anſwer us, And why doeſt thou not ſeeke for thy pardon, and why doeſt thou not labour for the taking away of thine iniquity. Why ſhould I pardon your iniquity, that take no care for your pardon? Why ſhould I forgive your iniquitie, that ſeeke not for the forgiveneſſe of it: Let p. 178us therfore make it a matter of greater care and thoughtfulneſſe than ever yet wee have done.

Martha, Martha, thou cumbreſt thy ſelfe about many things, but one thing is needfull; and thou takeſt not the care for that thou ſhouldeſt doe. So it may be ſaid of moſt men: We cumber our ſelves with thoughts for food, for rayment, for our ſelves, and for our children, for our backes and our bellies, for wealth and for riches, and all theſe cares are but cumbers. But there is one thing neceſſary, one thing ſo neceſſary, as that ye are undone, and periſh for ever unleſſe you get it, viz. The pardon of your ſinne, and as if it were a trifle, a matter ſcarce worth the looking after, as if it were that which hung upon every hedge, you never minde it, nor once looke after it.

That therefore men may bee awakened out of this groſſe ſupine negligence, and be ſtirred up to looke after this ſo great a matter; Conſider theſe motives following:

p. 179Firſt, our very life lyes upon it. Every ſinner in his guilt, having his ſinne unpardoned, let him be what he will, hee is no better than a dead man. That as God ſpake to Abimelech, Gen. 20.3. Behold thou art but a dead man for the woman which thou haſt taken. So, behold thou art but a dead man, and a dead woman for the ſinne which thou haſt committed, if thy ſinne be not pardoned. An unpardoned ſinner is but a dead man, Epheſ. 2.1.5. Wee uſe to ſay of a condemned perſon, that hee is a dead man: But now when a mans ſinne is pardoned, then hee hath his life; as when the King gives a condemned man his pardon, wee ſay hee gives him life. Our Juſtification is called Juſtification of life, Rom. 5.18. A maine part of our Juſtification is the pardon of ſinne: So that pardon of ſinne it is our life. I ſaid unto thee in thy blood, live, &c. Ezek. 16.6. and Epheſ. 2.5. Wee which were dead in ſinnes hath hee quickned, made alive. How come wee to be made alive? for by grace wee are ſaved: God of his free p. 180grace hath pardoned us our ſinnes, and thus are wee quickned that are dead. Now if our life lies upon our pardon, and wee be no better than ſo many dead men without it, doth it not concerne us to looke about us, and to get our pardon? Is there any thing of that concernement that our life is? Therefore as Moſes in that caſe urges them, Deut. 32.46, 47. And hee ſaid unto them, ſet your hearts unto all the words which I teſtifie among you this day, which yee ſhall command your children to obſerve to doe all the words of this Law. For it is not a vaine thing for you: becauſe it is your life, and thorow this thing yee ſhall prolong your dayes in the land whither yee goe over Jordan to poſſeſſe it. So in this, ſet your hearts upon this buſineſſe, and make it the greateſt of all your care to get pardon of ſinne; it is not a vaine thing, nor a trifling buſineſſe, it is your very life. If yee get not your pardon yee dye, yee periſh, yee are undone unto eternity. When a man is condemned to dye, if he have any friends that can doe any thing with p. 181thoſe about the King, hee ſets them all on worke, and there is great mediation, great and earneſt ſuing, no paines nor coſt ſpared, riding and poaſting to and againe. Now what is the reaſon of all this adoe? Becauſe the mans life lyes upon the Kings pardon, if that buſineſſe be not plyed and effected, the man dyes, and is ſure to be executed: And therefore life lying on it, no marvell hee beſtirres himſelfe, and ſets his wits and his friends on worke with all their might. It is our caſe if ſinne unpardoned, wee are but dead men, and undone men, our life lyes upon Gods mercy in our pardon: And our life lying upon it, how doth it concerne us to beſtirre our ſelves, and to give our hearts no reſt till wee have prevailed with God for this favour, the taking away of our iniquity. Our life ſtands in our Salvation, our life ſtands in our Redemption, our life ſtands in our Reconciliation to God: And all theſe ſtand in the pardon of our ſinnes. Our Salvation ſtands in it, Luc. 1.77. Where the end of John p. 182Baptiſts going before the face of the Lord is ſaid to be, To give knowledge of ſalvation unto his people, by the remiſſion of their ſinnes. As a man is ſaid to bee ſaved when the Kings pardon comes. Our Redemption ſtands in it, Epheſ. 1.7. In whom wee have redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſſe of ſins. We may talke of Chriſts blood, and redemption by him, but redemption wee have none, and benefit of Chriſt wee have none, till wee have the pardon of our ſinnes. Our Reconciliation with God ſtands in it, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Chriſt reconciling the World, not imputing their ſinnes. And therefore ſince our Salvation, our Redemption, our Reconciliation ſtands in it, our life ſtands in it: And ſince our life lyes upon it, it ought to be our greateſt care above all things to get the pardon of our ſinnes.

Secondly, it is the in let to all other mercy, and that which uſhers in all other good, Hoſ. 14.2. Take away all iniquity, and give us good. They muſt pray for good to be given. I but your p. 183iniquities with-hold good things from you, Jer. 5.25. Therefore their firſt petition is, Take away all iniquity: So that wee can looke for no good to be given, till ſinne be forgiven: And when ſinne is forgiven, then that is removed that with-holds good from us, and then way is made, and the paſſage cleered for the entrance of good. And therefore when God intends any mercy or a ſpeciall good to a people, hee firſt makes way for it by the taking away their iniquity: Hee prepares a way for his bleſſings by the pardon of our ſinnes: So when God intended the mercy of peace and liberty to his Church, deliverance from the ſorrowes, ſee what hee doth withall, Iſa. 40.1, 2. Speake comfortably to her that her warfare is accompliſhed, all her troubles and afflictions ſhall have an end. I but alas, might they ſay, wee have ſo many ſinnes, and ſo great guilt upon us, that wee cannot hope to have that comfort. Therefore ſee what followes, an anſwer to that objection, That her iniquity is pardoned; As if hee ſhould p. 184ſay, I will take away your iniquities, and ſo make way to that mercy; your ſinnes ſhall be pardoned, and ſo ſhall be no hindrance to you. And ſo when the palſey man came to bee healed, what was it that made the way to that mercy. So ſoone as Chriſt ſees him, hee ſayes not Sonne be of good comfort, thy palſey is cured, but Be of good comfort, thy ſinnes are forgiven thee, and then when that is done, then Ariſe take up thy bed, and walke: The pardon of ſinne made way for the cure of his palſey And ſo David makes that the in-let of his bodily health, Pſal. 103.3. Who forgives all thine iniquities, who heales all thy diſeaſes. Davids diſeaſes were healed, and what made way for the healing of them, who forgives all thine iniquities. Pardon of ſinne makes way for this bleſſing. See Iſa. 38.17. where King Hezekiah confeſſeth it had made way for the ſame to him; Behold, ſaith hee, for peace I had great bitterneſſe, but thou haſt in love to my ſoule, delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou haſt caſt all my ſinnes behinde thy p. 185backe. Nay, for health to an whole Land, Iſa. 33.24. The inhabitant of the Land ſhall not ſay, I am ſicke. The Land ſhall be free from contagious, infectious, peſtilentiall, epidemicall diſeaſes. That's a great bleſſing, but what ſhall make way for ſuch a mercy? The people that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their iniquity. And therefore when David ſets himſelfe to praiſe God for being a God that heard prayer, hee makes this the ground of it, Pſal. 65.2. Bleſſed be thy name that haſt heard my prayer. Oh, how could God heare thy prayer when thou hadſt many ſinnes, which covered God with a cloud, that thy prayer ſhould not paſſe thorow, as Lam. 3.44. Anſw. It is true, verſ. 3. Mine iniquities had prevailed againſt mee, and they had kept good things from mee, and brought evill things upon mee; but yet for all that God heard my prayer, and to make way for hearing my prayer, As for our tranſgreſsions thou ſhalt purge them away, and ſo make way for hearing prayer, and doing mee good.

p. 186This ſhould be a ſtrong motive to us, to get our ſinnes taken away, and pardoned. Wee ſtand in need of good to be given us daily. To have the Goſpel and peace continued, it is a wonderfull great good and happineſſe, to have the land healed, and the plague removed, and ſtayed from riſing and ſpreading, it is a good wee begge of God, and faine would have it. There is a way to have it, and to have God give us this good, but men doe not, will not take the courſe to get this good. If our ſinnes were pardoned, God would give this good of the continuance of the Goſpell, and peace: If our ſinnes were pardoned, God would give this good of good and ſeaſonable weather; would give this good of healing the Land, and ſtaying the plague. Now then, as we would have God doe theſe things for us, ſo let us get the pardon of our ſinnes. We pray for theſe mercies, if wee would have them, let us take heed that our iniquities prevaile not againſt us: And as wee would not have our iniquities p. 187prevaile againſt our prayers, ſo let our firſt care be to have them purged away, and pardoned. Wee may pray for ſuch mercies as wee neede, wee may pray for the ſtaying and removing of the plague till our hearts ake, and we ſhall never prevaile, ſo long as our iniquities prevaile againſt us: And they will prevaile againſt us to bring on the plague, and other judgements, if wee doe not get them pardoned. So long as the people of the Land have not their iniquities forgiven them, wee cannot looke for it that the inhabitants of of the Land, of the Citie, ſhould not ſay we are ſicke. But ſo long as wee get not ſinne pardoned, ſo long as that reignes untaken away, ſo long we ſhall ſay wee are ſicke, that our Townes and Cities are ſicke of the plague of peſtilence; Behold, I will bring it heatlh and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveale unto them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cleanſe them from all their iniquity whereby they have ſinned againſt mee: and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have ſinned, p. 188and whereby they have tranſgreſſed againſt me, Jer. 33.6.8. That's the way to get health and cure.

Thirdly, it is that which ſeaſons and ſweetens all other mercies, comforts and contentments wee enjoy, which makes all mercies ſweet, which makes all comforts ſavoury. The want of pardon imbitters all comforts, and makes a mans ſoule abhorre them all. Looke upon a man that is in diſtreſſe of conſcience, under the ſenſe of Gods anger, and in feare of condemnation; what joy and contentment takes that man in any thing hee hath, wife, children, houſes, lands, wealth, riches, what comfort takes hee in them all? It is with a man in this caſe, as it was with that of Haman, Eſth. 5.11, 12, 13. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the King had promoted him, and how hee had advanced him above the Princes, and ſervants of the King. Haman ſaid moreover, Yea, Eſther the Queene did let no man come in with the King unto the banquet that p. 189ſhee had prepared but my ſelfe, and to morrow am I invited unto her alſo with the King. Yet all this availeth mee nothing, ſo long as I ſee Mordecai the Iew ſitting at the Kings gate. All gave him no content ſo long as Mordecai ſate at the Kings gate. So here, though a man have all theſe comforts, and be up to the chin in them all, yet will a mans conſcience that wants pardon, be working and ſpeaking thus if it be awakened, I have ſuch and ſuch comforts, yet all this availes me not, ſo long as ſinne lyes before the doore, ſo long as my ſinne lyes unpardoned. I ſtand in a ſtate of guilt and wrath, and what know I but I ſhall goe to Hell, and bee damned, and ſo long as my condition is ſuch, what am I the better for houſe, land, wife, children, what tell you me of riches, and wealth, and theſe trifles, when Gods curſe and vengeance hangs over my head, and is ready for ought I know to fall upon mine head every moment, and to arreſt me, and drag me to hell, there to be in torment for ever? But then mercies are mercies indeed, p. 190then they are ſweet indeed, when they come ſwimming to us in the ſtreame of Chriſts blood, when they come with a pardon in their hand. Behold, ſayes David to Ziba, Thine are all that pertained to Mephiboſheth; Take thou all his lands; and ſee how hee anſwers, 2 Sam. 16.4. I humbly beſeech thee that I may finde favour in thy ſight, &c. As if hee ſhould ſay, I had rather have the Kings favour than the Lands, what good will the Lands doe mee, unleſſe I may have the Kings favour. So in this caſe, it is the favour of God in the pardon of ſinne that ſugars all outward comforts. See Iſai. 40.1, 2. Comfort yee my people, &c. Say unto her that her warfare is accompliſhed. Is that all? No, And that her iniquity is pardoned. It is a comfort to have peace, liberty, freedome from enemies, moleſtations and oppreſſions; I but then it is a comfort indeed, and then it is ſweet indeed, when it comes with the pardon of ſinne. When the conſcience hath peace with God, then there is comfort, great comfort in p. 191outward peace. So when the palſey man came to Chriſt, hee came for cure, and it had beene a great mercy to have had his health and recovery from that diſeaſe. But marke, Chriſt ſayes not, Be of good comfort, thou ſhalt have thine health, that hee tells him after hee ſhall have, but be of good comfort thou ſhalt have thy pardon. To teach, that then health and recovery is a ſweet comfort, when a mans ſinne is pardoned. Give us our bread, forgive our ſins, teaching us, that there is little comfort in having bread without pardon; and that, that which makes bread comfortable and ſweet, is when it comes with pardoning mercy. A man that lyes in priſon and is a condemned man, cloath him with rich apparell, feed him with delicious fare, let him have the ſweeteſt Muſicke, yet ſo long as he is a condemned man, and lookes every houre to be fetcht out to execution, all this gives him no content: His heavy heart puts the Muſicke out of tune, takes away the relliſh of his dainty foode: But if now a pardon might p. 192but come from the King to ſuch a man, this would make the Muſicke ſweet, the fare pleaſant indeed: Nay, though hee had nothing but bread and water, yet a pardon would ſo rejoyce him that hee would thinke his bread and water good cheere, it would turne his water into wine. This is the merciemercy that crownes all other mercies, it is a crowning and the chiefe of all other. David, Pſal. 21. Had a crowne of pure Gold ſet upon his head. But when David comes to bleſſe God for all his benefits, Pſal. 103. Bleſſe the Lord, &c. Hee ſayes not, which hath ſet a crowne of pure gold upon thine head, but verſ. 4. Who crownes thee with loving kindneſſe and tender mercies. Hee bleſſes God for crowning him with mercy, tender mercy; for ſetting, not a crowne of gold, but a crowne of mercy upon his head. But how did hee ſet it on his head, verſ. 2. Who forgives all thine iniquity. Pardoning mercy is crowning mercy, and David more joy'd in that than in his crowne. A crowne without pardon is but a crowne of thornes. p. 193Davids greateſt comfort is in his crowne of loving kindneſſe and tender mercies.

Fourthly, it is that which fits for duty, for the duties of praying, hearing, 4receiving of the Sacrament. A man is never fit for any duty till his ſinnes be pardoned. So long as a man ſtands guilty before God, as hee doth till ſin be pardoned, all his duties are turned into ſinne. That's an heavie imprecation, Pſal. 109.7. Let his prayer become ſinne. But marke the ground of it, and how it comes about. When he ſhall be judged let him goe out guilty, and let his prayer become ſinne. When therefore a man ſtands guilty, then his prayer becomes ſinne; and every man whoſe ſin is not pardoned ſtands guilty. The perſon being in his ſinne, hee turnes his duties into ſinne. Not only the plowing of the wicked is ſinne, Prov. 21.4. but the praying of the wicked is ſinne. Plowing is an honeſt worke, and praying is an holy worke; but ſinne unpardoned marres both plowing and praying, turnes the honeſt worke p. 194of plowing, and the holy worke of praying into ſinne. It is bad enough, and ſad enough, that a man ſinnes when hee ſweares, that his oathes are ſinnes, how much more ſad is it, that a man ſinnes when hee prayes, that his prayers are ſinnes. That is the ſad condition of every man who ſtands guiltie, and hath not his ſinne pardoned.

The end of all duties is communion with God: And a man is never fit for a duty, till hee be fit to have fellowſhip and communion with God: And a man is never fit for fellowſhip and communion with God, till his ſinnes be pardoned, and ſo never fit for duty, till ſinne be pardoned. There is no fellowſhip and communion to be had with God, ſo long as there is a ſeparation betweene God and us. Now a mans ſinnes unpardoned, ſet God and us at a diſtance, make a ſeparation betweene God and us, Iſa. 59.1, 2. Behold the Lords hand is not ſhortened, that it cannot ſave: neither is his eare heavie, that it cannot heare. But your iniquities p. 195have ſeparated between you and your God, and your ſinnes have hid his face from you that he will not heare. As if hee ſhould ſay, therefore ye pray and God heares you not, yee pray and yee have no fellowſhip with, nor anſwer from God, becauſe your ſinnns are upon you, and they being unpardoned ſeparate betweene you and God, and they hide his face from you; In vaine doth a man ſeeke communion with God, when ſeparated from him: Sinne unpardoned makes the Lord a ſeparatiſt, he will not joyne with us, nor have any fellowſhip with us in any of our duties. Till ſinne be ſeparated from us, God will ſeparate, and then ſinne is ſeparated when it is pardoned, and when pardoned then fit for duty, becauſe then ſo qualified as God will have communion with us.

Wee are never fit for duty till wee can ſo doe duty, that wee may expect good from duty: Then fit for prayer, the Word, the Sacrament, when ſo qualified as that we may receive good from God in them, and by them: And p. 196that is then when wee have our iniquities taken away, Hoſ. 14.2. Take away all iniquity, and give good. Why pray wee but that God may give good by that ordinance? Why heare wee but that God may give good by that Ordinance? Why receive wee the Sacrament, but that God may give good by that Ordinance. I but if wee will receive good by theſe, wee muſt be fit to pray, heare, receive, let us be qualified aright, and God will give good. But what is that qualification? Take away all iniquity, and give good. Therefore men doe theſe, and no good is given them, becauſe they firſt take not a courſe to have iniquity taken away: Prayer would give good, preaching would give good, and the Sacrament would give good, if wee would come fitted for theſe duties; and this is the maine thing that muſt firſt be had to fit us, the pardon of ſinne.

No duty is accepted till a mans perſon be: No mans perſon is accepted ſo long as he is in his guilt: hee is in his guilt that hath not ſinne pardoned; p. 197but when ſinne is pardoned, then guilt is taken off; when guilt is taken off, then a mans perſon is accepted; when a mans perſon is accepted, then his duty is accepted: A man is never fit for duty till hee be ſuch an one as may be accepted, and can never be accepted till his ſinnes be pardoned. When a man comes to God in any holy duty, and comes in his guilt, in his ſinnes, Satan is preſently ready to put in a barre againſt him, and to lay his ſinnes in his diſh, that God may not regard him. Lord here is a man prayes, heares, receives, Lord reſpect not his ſervice, let him have no acceptance, nor anſwer from thee. I but why Satan? Lord hee is a ſwearer, a drunkard, uncleane, covetous, hee hath committed ſuch and ſuch ſinnes, and the guilt of them yet lyes upon his ſoule: And wilt thou have communion with guilty ſinners? Art not thou a God of purer eyes then to behold iniquity? And this is a ſtrong plea, and will carry meate in the mouth of it, ſo long as ſinne is unpardoned. There is no way to enervate Satans p. 198pleas, but by getting ſinne pardoned; that is it alone which will take off the edge of all his accuſations. Our prayers will never be of force, ſo long as his accuſations be of force: His accuſations will be of force, and will enfeeble the prevailing of our prayers, ſo long as ſinne is unpardoned: But when once ſinne is pardoned, then God hath to anſwer Satan with all. It is true Satan that this man that now prayes, &c. hath committed ſuch ſins as thou accuſeſt him, and thoſe ſinnes of his deſerve that hee ſhould be rejected, but yet thoſe ſinnes of his ſhall not prejudice his prayers, nor be any ſtopping to my bleſſing, for I have pardoned all thoſe ſinnes of his, they are all taken away and forgiven. Doe but conſider that place, Zech. 3.1. There is Joſhua ſtanding before the Angel of the Lord, that is, before Chriſt; ſtanding, that is, miniſtring in, and executing his office, offering up ſacrifices and prayers for the people. And at the very ſame time Satan is ſtanding there alſo, and ſtanding at his right hand to reſiſt p. 199him, to be an adverſary to him, that is, hee was there ready to hinder and fruſtrate his prayers by putting in accuſations againſt him. What was the ground of his accuſations? Wherein lay their ſtrength? That appeares, verſ. 3, 4. Now Ioſhua was cloathed with filthy garments. That is, he was guilty of divers ſinnes, as verſ. 4. opens it, And hee anſwered, and ſpake unto thoſe that ſtood before him, ſaying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he ſaid, Behold, I have cauſed thine iniquity to paſſe from thee, and I will cloath thee with change of raiment. Now Chriſt is willing to accept Ioſhua, and to regard him in his ſervice. I but, Lord, ſayes Satan, hee is in his filthy garments, hee is defiled with the guilt of his ſinne. Therefore that Chriſt may make way for the prevalencie of Ioſhua's prayer, ſee how hee anſwers, Take away his filthy garments. And hee ſayes unto Ioſhua, I have cauſed thine iniquity to paſſe frō thee, &c. Ioſhua, thy ſins are pardoned, and ſo thy prayers ſhall ſpeed, and ſhall prevaile againſt all Satans p. 200reſiſtance and accuſations: Out of which paſſage wee may obſerve theſe particulars:

1Firſt, that whenever man comes to pray to God, and performe that duty, Satan will ſtand at his right hand to reſiſt him. Joſhua cannot ſtand before Chriſt, but Satan will ſtand at his right hand.

2Secondly, that the …ine ſtrength of Satans accuſations lyes in the guilt of our ſinnes. Sinne unpardoned is that which puts validity into his reſiſtances.

3Thirdly, that when ſinne is pardoned, and filthy garments taken away, then a mans prayer prevailes, findes acceptance, and proves too ſtrong for Satans reſiſtances. A pardoned ſinners prayers are too ſtrong for all the devils in hell with their accuſations.

So that all this conſidered, what a motive ſhould it be to make us get our pardon. As wee would not have all our duties to be turned into ſinnes; as wee would have communion with God in them all; as wee would get p. 201good by, and in them all; as wee would have our duties accepted, and prevalent; as wee would bee fit to pray, &c. ſo get the pardon of our ſinnes. What a ſad thing is it to loſe all our endeavours, to loſe our prayers, hearing and receiving; all is loſt, and is loſt labour, if wee come unfitted to them. Every man that is unpardoned, is unprepared; every unprepared man doth but loſe his labour in all his duties and performances.

Fifthly, it is that which exceedingly 5fits a man to ſuffer, and to beare the croſſe: It is that which every one muſt reckon upon, that will be Chriſts, to take up the Croſſe. It is but a delicacy that men dreame of, to divide Chriſt and his Croſſe: A man cannot take one, but hee muſt reſolve to take up the other. Now no man can ſuffer unleſſe hee be fit for it, and well prepared for the ſervice. It is not an eaſie thing to ſuffer, there is a great deale of patience, of courage, of reſolution and Chriſtian magnanimity of Spirit required in him that will ſuffer for p. 200duplicate page p. 201duplicate page p. 202Chriſt and the Goſpell. A man that is fearefull, a coward will never ſuffer. Hee that will ſuffer, muſt be free from cowardiſe of ſpirit. Now there is nothing ſo cowes a mans ſpirit as the feare of Hell and damnation. Many a man could looke death in the face, that dares not looke Hell in the face. Many a man that ſhrinkes not at dying, yet ſhrinkes at damning, that quailes the ſtouteſt courage in the world. And there is nothing that puts a man more in the feare of Hell than guilt, the want of the pardon of ſinne. And nothing that makes a man feare Death more, then when through death hee ſees Hell, when hee ſees the gates of death open into Hell; and then a man ſees Hell through death, when hee apprehends his ſinne unpardoned; and ſeeing Hell through death, hee is ſo affrighted at the ſight of Hell, that if hee can ſhift it hee will not dye, but will redeeme himſelfe from death upon any termes: Hee will doe any thing, yeeld to any thing, be of any Religion, p. 203of any faith, rather than ſuffer death for the true Religion, becauſe if hee dye, his ſinnes being unpardoned, hee knowes there is no way but Hell for him. Thus doth ſinne unpardoned unfit a man to dye for Chriſt, an unpardoned ſinner dreads the fire, becauſe it may but prepare him for a worſe fire in Hell.

But now when a mans ſinne is pardoned, and his conſcience diſcharged of the guilt, his heart is quit of all feare of Hell and damnation: Hee ſees the gates of death open into Heaven, into happineſſe. And Death is not dreadfull nor terrible at all when the doore opens that way. There is nothing ſo animates a man, ſo ſills his heart with courage and reſolution, as pardon of ſinne doth. That is it which alone makes a Chriſtian Souldier valorous, that takes paleneſſe out of the cheekes, whiteneſſe out of his Liver, cowardiſe out of his heart; ſuch have their feete ſhod with the preparation of the Goſpell of peace, as it is Epheſ. 6.15.

As therefore wee would doe God p. 204ſervice, and his Cauſe honour, as wee would be able to be good Souldiers, and reſolute couragious Champions for Chriſt and his cauſe, which is the greateſt honour in the world, ſo get that taken away that takes away all courage, Take away the iniquity of thy ſervant, for that will take away the courage and reſolution of thy ſervant, get that off which will cowe thy Spirit, the guilt of thy ſinne. Get the pardon of thy ſinne, Get thy feete ſhod with the preparation of the Goſpell of peace. If once thine heart have the peace of the Goſpels working, have peace from thy pardon, it will make thee looke upon priſons, ſcourges, rackes, ſtrappadoes, gibbets, ſtakes, fires, as at ſo many flea-bitings: It will make a man have an heart like David, his heart was as the heart of a Lion.

6Sixthly, it is an excellent and ſpeciall preparative for death. There is no man but muſt die, and there is nothing ſo much concernes a man, as to be fit, and prepared to dye. It is appointed to all men once to dye, and after death comes p. 205judgement, Heb. 9. After death comes Judgement, and as a mans death is, ſo is his judgement, As the tree falls ſo it lyes: Such as a mans death is, ſuch is his doome. If a man dye with his ſinnes pardoned, then hee is judged to life; if a man dyes without pardon, then his judgement is without mercy, hee is judged to death, and ſentenced to Hell. Inaſmuch therefore as a man is never fit to dye comfortably, and happily, till death ſhall make way for him into Heaven, and a man cannot looke for any entrance into Heaven till hee be pardoned his ſinne, therefore till a mans ſinne be pardoned, hee is never fit to dye. See how Job ſpeakes, Iob 7.21. Why doeſt thou not pardon my ſin, and take away mine iniquity; As if hee ſhould ſay, Oh Lord be not hard to be entreated, let mee prevaile with thee for the pardon of my ſinne. But why is Iob ſo earneſt for the pardon of his ſinne? See what followes, for now ſhall I ſleep in the dust; As if he ſhould ſay, Now Lord I am upon the point of death, and looke for no other but p. 206to dye; and alas, how ſad will my condition be, if I ſhould dye without my pardon. Since I muſt dye, Lord fit and prepare me for a comfortable death by the pardon of my ſinne.

Then is a man fit to dye, when the time after death ſhall prove a time of refreſhing: Times of refreſhing come after the pardon of ſinne, Act. 3.19. Repent, ſaith Peter to the men of Iſrael, and be converted, that your ſinnes may be blotted out, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord. And then the times after death are times of refreſhing, when the times before death are times of remiſsion. Hee hath prepared himſelfe well for death, that hath taken order that the time after his death, ſhalbe a refreſhing time; and that order onelyonly hee takes, that before his death hath taken order for the pardon of his ſinnes.

Then a man is fit to dye, and never till then, when the ſting of death is taken out, ſo as death can doe a man no hurt, when death ſhall not be deadly to him. There is a ſpeech, Apoc. 2.23. p. 207I will kill her children with death. Some men are kill'd with death, they doe not onelyonly dye, but they are kill'd with death, Death proves deadly to them. All men dye, but all men are not killed with death. As a godly man ſaid that hee did agrotare vitaliter, ſo godly men they doe mori vitaliter: When a man can dye ſo, then hee is fit to dye.

Now whence is it that death becomes deadly? 1 Cor. 15.56. The ſting of death is ſinne. Sinne onelyonly makes death deadly. That which armes death to doe hurt, is ſinne. It is as in that caſe, Apoc. 9.10. The Locuſts there had a power to hurt men with their Scorpion-like tailes, and their ſtings in thoſe tailes, and their power was to hurt men five moneths. So death hath a power to hurt men, but that power is from men themſelves; Sinne it is that gives this power to Death to doe a man hurt.

In Death there be two things:

Firſt, the hand of Death, which is the power it hath over all men, it hath p. 206duplicate page p. 207duplicate page p. 208an hand to lay upon all; good and bad. Hoſ. 13.14. I will ranſome them from the power of the grave: I will redeeme them from death. Pſal. 49.15. But God will redeeme my ſoule from the power of the grave; for hee ſhall receive mee. All men muſt come into this hand of death. Now it is ſin that gives Death this hand: But yet this hand is not deadly, it but ſeparates ſoule and body, and but for a time. At the Reſurrection that hand of death ſhall be cut off, Hoſ. 13.14. O death I will be thy plague: O grave I will be thy deſtruction.

2Secondly, the ſting of death. That is the power it hath of delivering men over to the curſe of God and eternall wrath: And it is this ſting that makes it deadly. It may ſtrike a man with the hand, as it doth all godly men, and yet not be deadly, but then deadly when it ſtrikes with a ſting, and makes way for a mans ſeparation from God for ever. And this power ſinne onelyonly gives death. It is ſinne unpardoned and unforgiven that gives death this power p. 209to deliver a man over to wrath, to carry him in chaines to Hell. This is to be killed with Death. Now a man can never be fit to dye, but when he is willing; And never can hee bee willing, ſo long as hee ſees Death with a ſting. The onelyonly way to fit a man for death, ſo as to be willing to dye, is to get out the ſting. The way to get out the ſting, is to get ſinne pardoned; pardoned ſinne makes death without a ſting, and then it is not terrible. A Fly makes as great an humming as a Bee, and yet wee feare not a Fly as a Bee, becauſe a Fly hath no ſting. Wee are fit to dye when wee feare not Death.

This of all other ſhould make us very ſollicitous for our pardon. Death is the King of terrours, and it is a ſad thing at the time of death to have the heart full of feares, the conſcience full of horrours, to have death looke gaſtfully in our faces. Get pardon, and free from all this.

Dye thou muſt, that's once. Now if one ſhould come and tell us, you ſhall p. 210dye in a Gaole, you ſhall dye in a ditch, wee ſhould thinke it a ſad hearing, it would ſound dolefully in our eares. I but there is a ſpeech of Chriſts to thoſe, Joh. 8.21.24. that ſounds more dreadfully then the former, Yee ſhall dye in your ſinnes. It is a ſad thing to dye in a Gaole, to dye in a ditch, but this is the ſad thing indeed, yee ſhall dye in your ſinnes. In a Gaole, in a ditch a man may dye, and yet goe to Heaven, but the man that dyes in his ſinnes, a dead Dogge is better then he, It had beene good for that man that hee had never beene borne. To dye in ones ſinnes, it is to drop downe right into Hell. It is dangerous to live in ones ſinnes, becauſe a man may dye in them, but it is more dangerous to dye in them, becauſe no way but Hell with ſuch a man. Take heede what ever ye doe, and looke to it, that when you come to dye, yee doe not dye in your ſinnes. And the way not to dye in your ſinnes, is not to live in your ſins, but to get the pardon of them while yee live. This is the happineſſe of a p. 211man whoſe ſinnes are pardoned, that being once pardoned as hee will not live in them, ſo being once pardoned hee ſhall never dye in them. It is a ſweet thing to dye as Stephen did,Act. 6.56.Acts 6:56 to ſee Heaven opened, &c. to dye with the ſenſe of Gods love and favour. Some when they dye they ſee Hell opened, and the Devils ſtanding about their beds ready to drag them to the place of torment: It is hideous dying ſo: which of theſe two deaths would wee now chooſe? If yee would not dye the laſt, get ſinne pardoned, that yee may not dye in your ſinnes. None can at their death, with Stephen, ſee Heaven opened, that have not firſt gotten their ſins pardoned,

It is impoſſible that a man ſhould have peace and comfort in his end, that dyes without ſinne taken away and pardoned. When death once arreſts a man, then conſcience if it be awake will bring in and lay to a mans charge all his ſinnes, and Satan will be buſie to lay on loade, and to affright a man with Hell and damnation. If a debtor p. 212be arreſted and caſt into priſon, it is no ſooner heard of, but every creditor comes in and brings in his ſeverall actions, and loades him with executions. Such is the caſe of an unpardoned ſinner at his death. So ſoone as death doth arreſt him, Satan comes in, conſcience comes in, yea and God himſelfe comes in, all come in with their actions againſt him, and what peace or comfort can there be in ſuch a condition. But if ſinne before-hand be pardoned, all this trouble is prevented, and a man dyes in peace. It is a rule that ſuch as are about dying perſons live by, that when a man is dying, nothing ſhould be done that might trouble him in his departure, that there be no ſhrieking or crying out, none will offer to pull off the clothes, to plucke away his bed from under him, becauſe they will have him dye quietly, wee will not have a dying man diſturbed and diſquieted. Now how much more ſhould every one have a care, that when hee comes to dye, hee may dye quietly, that hee may not p. 213heare the cryings and ſhriekings out of conſcience, nothing will diſturbe a dying man as will they. If then men would goe quietly out of the world, let them get the pardon of their ſinne: If that be not pardoned, there is little hope of departing in peace.

Queſt. Since therefore it is a thing ſo much to be looked after; how may a man get his iniquity taken away, and pardoned.

Anſw. Two things muſt be done to get pardon.

Firſt, wee muſt be taken off from 1ſuch falſe principles as make us regardleſſe of pardon, that keepe us from looking after, and labouring for pardon. Two falſe principles there are that kill endeavours after pardon, and make men careleſſe in looking after it. Firſt, that it is an eaſie thing to be had at pleaſure, a man may have it with a wet finger at any time when wee will, that it may be had at the low rate of a Lord have mercy upon mee, when there is ſcarce breath enough in a mans body to ſpeake theſe five words. Secondly, p. 214that it is an impoſſibility to get pardon of ſinne, and that it is a thing cannot be had. Both theſe principles, though contrary to each other, make men careleſſe in looking after pardon, and in taking paines to get iniquity taken away. Who will be anxious, ſollicitous, induſtrious? who will take care and paines all the dayes of his life to be getting that, hee may have when he will for five words ſpeaking? Who againe will beſtow time and paines about that which hee conceives impoſſible to bee effected. No man will ſet a teame of horſe to remove a feather, becauſe when hee liſt hee can remove it with a ſlight puffe of his breath: No man alſo will ſet a teame of horſe to remove a mountain, becauſe he knowes it is an impoſſibility: So that whileſt men either conceive it ſo eaſie to bee had, or ſo impoſſible to be had, it layes a bed all cares and endeavours after pardon. Therefore on the contrary we muſt know theſe two things. Firſt, that it is not ſo eaſie a thing to get pardon, as men imagine; it is an hard p. 215thing to get pardon. Secondly, that, though it be hard, yet it is poſſible and may be had. It is hard, yet poſſible; it is poſſible, and yet hard; and hardneſſe of obtaining and poſſibility, are the two quickners of cares and endeavours, to obtaine any good thing.

Firſt, then wee muſt learne that it is 1not ſo eaſie a thing to get a pardon, but that the worke is a difficult, and an hard worke. A worke that a man muſt tug, and ſweat at, that will coſt him a great deale of care, a great deale of trouble and contention of ſpirit, a great deale of paines and diligence, before it can be brought about.

That it is not ſo eaſie a thing as men dreame of, to get the pardon of ſinne, appeares by that ſpeech of Peters to Simon Magus, Act. 8.22. Repent thee of this wickedneſſe, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Hee doth not intimate an impoſſibility of getting his pardon, for then why ſhould hee preſcribe him a courſe to ſeeke it; if hee had meant it had beene impoſſible, p. 216in vaine had hee adviſed him to repent; but his meaning is to ſhew him that his pardon would not eaſily be had, but that it would bean hard, a very hard thing, though a poſſible thing to be obtained; As if he ſhould ſay, I will not deny but it is poſſible, but yet if thou wilt ever have it, it will coſt thee tugging and ſweating for it.

Simon Magus indeede was naught, and therefore his pardon might ſeeme the harder to be gotten, but yet if wee looke upon good men, wee ſhall finde that they have found it hard enough to obtaine. See how David labours and wreſtles for it, Pſal 51.1, 2. Have mercy, &c. blot out. Waſh mee. Cleanſe me. This iteration, and ingemination of his ſuite, that hee thus pulls and tugs for it, implies how hard hee found it to get pardon. Leſſe labour and contention of ſpirit would have ſerved the turne if it would ſo eaſily have beene had.

See how difficult a work Job found it, Job 7.20, 21. I have ſinned, and p. 217what ſhall I doe unto thee, O thou preſerver of men! I have done what I can to get my pardon, and I am willing to do any thing in the world, what ſhall I doe more than I have done? And why doeſt thou not pardon my tranſgreſsion, and take away mine iniquity? Hee had done what hee could, hee had confeſſed, prayed, hee had laboured and ſtriven with all his might, and as yet hee could not get his pardon and the aſſurance of it. Job then found it not ſo eaſie a matter to get pardon, as many doe imagine it to be.

Prov. 30.7, 8. Agur would beg for his pardon, and labour to get that even to his dying day. It is a thing, a worke that will take up all a mans life, it will finde him buſineſſe to his dying day, to get the pardon of ſinne. It is a mans whole life time, well ſpent too, if hee ſpeed in that buſineſſe. Alas, if it were a work ſo eaſily done as many dreame, what needed Agur have ſpent ſo much time about it? why could hee not follow the world, and follow his luſts, and take his pleaſure as hee ſaw good, p. 218and then when hee was ready to dye, when hee was at his laſt gaſpe, have fetcht his pardon from Heaven, with a Lord have mercy upon mee? why ſayes he not, One thing I would have of thee, which I will beg when I dye, when I am dying, Remove from mee all my guilt? No, Agur knew that pardon was not ſo eaſily purchaſed, hee knew it was a great worke, and an hard work and therefore would be ſure to take time enough to doe it; hee ſaw it was worke enough for his whole life; and therefore would not make it his worke at his dying day, but till his dying day. This one thing ſhewes the difficulty of the pardon of ſinne, to conſider what God doth on his part. On Gods part, for our pardon is required.

1Firſt, not onelyonly mercy and grace, but great and wonderfull grace and mercy, Pſal. 51.1. Mercy, tender mercies, multitude of tender mercies, Pſal. 86.5. Ready to forgive. I but it is out of mercy that hee forgives. And what will any mercy ſerve the turne? p. 219No, ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy. So that unto forgiveneſſe is required, not onelyonly mercy, not any ordinary and common mercy, but plenty of mercy. The Apoſtle ſpeakes of the riches of Gods grace, and Epheſ. 2.1. You hath hee quickned, who were dead in treſpaſſes and in ſinnes. But whence was it? verſ. 4. From God who is rich in mercy. Therefore to the pardon of ſinne is required not only grace and mercy, but riches of Grace, riches of Mercy. And God in the pardon of a ſinner, layes forth the riches of his mercy, the riches of his grace. When a rich man gives a poore man an almes, hee gives him ſomewhat of his riches, but brings not out his whole riches, layes not out his treaſures upon him. Riches is an abundance of things pretious. But now God in pardoning a ſinner layes out his treaſures and riches, Epheſ. 2.7. That hee might ſhew the exceeding riches of his grace. Now ſome pence, ſome ſhillings are not ſo hard to be had, common mercies of food and rayment, preſervation, theſe be but p. 220penny mercies, ſhilling mercies, but pardon of ſinne that is riches of Grace: And it is not ſo eaſie to get riches of mercy in pardon, as it is to get the penny mercies of food and rayment. Is it thinke wee ſo eaſie a thing to get multitude of mercies, plenty of mercy, riches and treaſures of grace which are to be brought forth, and laid out in the pardon of ſinne?

Secondly, not onelyonly power and 2might, but his infinite power, his Almighty power, Pſal. 99.8. Deus fortis, &, condonans eis, not onelyonly is hee a mercifull God forgiving, but hee is a ſtrong God in forgiving, not onelyonly his infinite mercy, but his infinite power is required, and hath a concurrence in the pardon of ſinne. And therefore ſee Pſal. 86.5.8. No God like him, no works like his; as being of God, of that infinite power as to pardon ſinne. And therefore hence that ſame Mich. 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and paſſeth by the tranſgreſsion of the remnant of his heritage? hee retaineth not his anger for ever, becauſe hee p. 221delighteth in mercy. So that to pardon ſinne is as great a worke as to ſhake heaven and earth, yea as to make heaven and earth. Is it an eaſie thing to ſhake heaven and earth? It cannot be done but by an Almighty power; becauſe it cannot be done but by an Almighty power: Therefore it is not an eaſie worke; and therfore by the ſame reaſon no eaſie worke to have ſinne pardoned, becauſe an Almighty power is required thereto.

So then, wee ſee that it is no ſuch eaſie thing to get pardon. Now theſe things are not ſpoken to diſcourage and diſhearten men from ſeeking pardon, but to quicken and awaken men to take paines for it. Slothfull and lazie endeavours will never get things that be hard and difficult. The harder things are to be gotten, the harder muſt men labour to get them. There is no diſcouragement in the difficulty of obtaining pardon, becauſe though it be hard, yet,

Secondly, it is poſſible, and the worke 2feaſable. All the paines in the world p. 222will not effect impoſſibilities. But though things be hard and difficult, yet ſo long as poſſible, there is roome for, and encouragement to endeavours. There is therefore a poſſibility of pardon. David that ſo ſtruggles for it, Pſal. 51.1, 2. Hee elſe-where bleſſes God for it, Pſal. 103.2, 3. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule, (ſaith hee) and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diſeaſes. And ſo that iniquity for which hee had beg'd pardon ſo hard, Pſal. 51. was then forgiven: So that the work was done hardly, but yet it was done. Pardon came hardly, but yet it came. There was a time when David roared was diſquieted in his ſpirit, and hee could have no quiet, Pſal. 32.3, 4. But yet there came a time when David could ſay, Thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſinne, verſ. 5. Hezekiah chatters like a Crane, or Swallow, mournes as a Dove, his eyes faile with looking upward, Iſa. 38.14. But verſ. 17. Thou haſt caſt all my ſinnes behinde thy backe. David here prayes that God would take away his iniquity. p. 223It is idle to pray for impoſſibilities, if it had beene an impoſſible thing, it had beene weakely done of David to have prayed for that which could not have been. Prayer is grounded upon promiſes, all things promiſed are things poſſible. So then, though it be an hard thing, yet being poſſible, it being a poſſible thing, yet an hard thing, Let it make us ſhake off both all ſlothfulneſſe out of a conceit of eaſineſſe, and all deſpondencie of ſpirit out of a conceit of the impoſſibility of obtaining it.

Secondly, theſe falſe principles removed, 2ſet upon the meanes by which it may be had. And they are theſe:

Firſt, Faith in the blood of Chriſt. There is no pardon to be had without 1blood. It was the Doctrine of the legall Sacrifices, Heb. 9.22. Almoſt all things are by Law purged with blood, and without ſhedding of blood is no remiſsion. And it is not any blood that will ſerve the turne, not the blood of Bulls and Goates, Heb. 10.4. It is not poſsible p. 224that the blood of buls and goats ſhould take away ſinnes. David then might under the Law hauehave ſoone had his iniquitie taken away: nor yet the blood of men. God neuer appointed men to be ſacrificed as the Heathens did, and as the Idolatrous Iſraelites did, Pſal. 106.37, 38. becauſe as impoſsible for mans blood, as goates blood to take away ſin but it muſt bee the blood of God. Act. 20. that is the blood of the Lord Chriſt who is God. Remiſsion of ſin is to be had alone by the blood of Chriſt. It is his blood that waſhes from ſinne, Apoc. 1.5. yea it is his blood that waſhes white, Apoc. 7.14. God promiſes to give a white ſtone to him that overcomes, Apoc. 2.17. to give the pardon of ſinne. A man muſt be waſhed in Chriſts blood, and waſhed white in that before hee can have that white ſtone given him. It is then Chriſts blood that takes away iniquity.

But now this blood takes not away unleſſe this blood be applyed. It waſhes white, but yet there muſt be waſhing before there can be whiteneſſe. p. 225Therefore the Apoſtle ſpeakes not onelyonly of blood, but of the ſprinkling of the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1, 2. It is not enough that there be the blood of Chriſt, and that hee hath ſhed it, but there muſt be beſides the ſhedding of it, the ſprinkling of it. Chriſts blood was ſhed upon the Croſſe, and yet all mens ſinnes are not pardoned; and what is the reaſon? Becauſe though his blood were ſhed on the Croſſe, yet that blood is not ſprinkled upon their hearts and conſciences: And pardon muſt be had, not onelyonly from blood ſhed, but from blood ſprinkled. Therefore David prayes, Pſal. 51. Purge mee with hyſope; it was the blood that purged, but yet it was the hyſope that ſprinkled the blood: It muſt be ſprinkled blood that muſt be purging blood: So it muſt be Chriſts blood ſprinkled upon the conſcience that muſt take away iniquity. Well, but how comes Chriſts blood to be ſprinkled upon the conſcience? It is true that Chriſt ſprinkles his blood upon a ſinner, Eze. 36.25. I will ſprinkle cleane water upon p. 226you, and yee ſhall be cleane; and Iſa. 52.15. So ſhall hee ſprinkle many Nations: but yet it is as true, that a ſinner muſt beſprinkle himſelfe alſo. Wee muſt not ſhuffle off all to Chriſt, and ſay, It is hee that muſt ſprinkle us with his blood, and if hee will but ſprinkle me, then my ſinne ſhall be pardoned. But if wee will have our iniquity taken away, wee muſt beſprinkle our ſelves. Lay theſe two Texts together, Apoc. 1.6. Hee hath waſhed us from our ſinnes in his own blood. Apoc. 7.14. They have waſhed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe. So that not onelyonly Chriſt waſhes, but they alſo themſelves waſh with Chriſts blood: And therefore it is that men are called upon to waſh themſelves, Iſa. 1.15. Waſh you, make you cleane. It is cleere therefore that ſome way men muſt have an hand in waſhing and ſprinkling themſelves with Chriſts blood, if they will have pardon.

But now, how may a man waſh and beſprinkle himſelfe? That is done by faith and by beleeving in Chriſt. p. 227Therefore Rom. 3.25. through faith in his blood. Faith is the hand of the ſoule, and the ſoule by faith puts her hand into Chriſts blood, puts her hand into the wounds of Chriſt, takes there of his blood, and beſprinkles her ſelfe, and waſhes, and wrinces off her guilt and defilement. Faith taking Chriſts blood, and beſprinkling the ſoule with it, applying it unto the conſcience, thereby is iniquity taken away, and pardoned.

Zech. 13.1. Chriſts blood is a fountaine opened for ſinne, viz. to take away ſinne and iniquity. God opens that Fountaine, and there is an healing vertue in that Bath to purge and cure the ſoule from guilt. But now though there be an healing vertue in the Bath, yet a man cannot be healed unleſſe hee will goe into the Bath. When the Angel moved in the waters at the poole of Betheſda, there was ſome healed, but not every one that was diſeaſed, but hee that firſt ſtept in. Men might have lyen long enough in the porches of Betheſda, looking on the water and motion p. 228and ſtill have beene as leprous and filthy as before, but hee that would be healed muſt ſtep in, muſt plunge himſelfe into the poole. So Chriſts blood that fountaine is opened to take away ſinne, but it is not lying by the fountaine, nor looking onelyonly upon the fountaine, but it is ſtepping into the fountaine, and wrincing, and waſhing in that fountaine that takes away ſinne. Now faith is that by which a man goes into that fountaine, by which hee waſhes and wrinces himſelfe in that fountaine, by which hee plunges and douzes himſelfe in the poole, and ſo gets off his guilt.

Hence it is that in Scripture we are ſaid to have pardon by faith, Act. 13.38. Through this man is preached unto you, and ſo offered unto you, the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes. I, it is offered to us in him, but how ſhall we come by it? verſ. 39. And by him all that beleeve are juſtified from all things, &c. Matth. 9.2. hee ſeeing their faith, viz. The palſey mans as well as the other, ſaid unto the ſicke of the palſey, Sonne be of p. 229good comfort thy ſinnes are forgiven thee. Luc. 7.48, 49, 50. And hee ſaid unto her, thy ſinnes are forgiven. And they that ſate at meate with him, began to ſay within themſelves, Who is this that forgiveth ſinnes alſo? And hee ſaid to the Woman, Thy faith hath ſaved thee, goe in peace. There is then the way to get iniquity taken away. Faith layes every beleevers ſinnes upon Chriſt, as upon the ſcape goate, and he as the ſcape goate beares and carries them away into a land of ſeparation. Thus then remiſſion is had by blood, by the blood of Chriſt, by his blood ſhed, by his blood ſprinkled upon us, by faith in his blood, by faith ſprinkling and waſhing us with the blood, by faith applying his blood and merit to our ſelves. So then, if wee would get ſin taken away, wee muſt get faith in Chriſts blood, and ſtrive, and wreſtle hard to beleeve. It is a very hard thing to beleeve in Chriſts blood. A great many thinke it eaſie to beleeve in Chriſt, and the truth is, that it is eaſie to beleeve as they doe, they come eaſily p. 230by their faith that it may well be queſtioned whether they come honeſtly by it or not. As therefore wee ever deſire to have our ſinnes pardoned, ſo never give wee our ſoules reſt till wee have gotten true faith indeed. So long as you live and goe on in your unbeleefe, it is impoſſible to have the pardon of ſinne. Hee that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him, Joh. 3. ult. There is no pardon ſo long as under wrath. So long as in unbeleefe, ſo long under wrath, Tit. 1. To the unbeleeving all things are unclean, their conſciences being defiled. So long then as a man is in unbeleefe, ſo long hee is defiled, becauſe ſinne being not pardoned the guilt thereof defiles his conſcience and his perſon. How many be there that have had the pardon of ſinne preached to them, and offered to them in the Goſpel in the Name of Chriſt, and yet to this day their ſinnes are upon them, and not taken away? And what is the reaſon of it? Becauſe they are not ſprinkled with Chriſts blood. And why not? Becauſe they p. 231want an hand of faith to take the blood of Chriſt which is ſhed, and to ſprinkle it upon their owne conſciences. And ſo for want of faith they have all their ſinnes lye unpardoned upon their ſoules.

Secondly, repentance for ſin. There 2is no pardon to be had without repentance. As there is a faith unto life, Joh. 6.47. Hee that beleeveth on mee hath life: And a juſtification of life, Rom. 5.18. So there is a repentance unto life, Act. 11.18. And as the Lord Chriſt is a Saviour, ſo hee is a Prince, Act. 5.13. And to what end is hee both? A Prince and Saviour for to give repentance to Iſrael and forgiveneſſe of ſinne. Hee indeede gives forgiveneſſe of ſinne, but hee alſo gives repentance, yea and hee gives repentance that he may give pardon: And where hee intends the latter, hee workes the former. David begs to have his iniquity taken away. God hee promiſes to take away another thing, Ezek. 36.26. I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh. It is a ſure thing that they p. 232that will have iniquity taken away, muſt have the ſtony heart taken away; they that will have the ſting taken out of their heart, muſt have the ſtone taken out of their heart, hee gives repentance and remiſsion of ſinnes, when he gives remiſsion hee takes away the ſting, when hee gives repentance hee takes away the ſtone; and he firſt takes away the ſtone before hee removes the ſting. And therefore Chriſt joynes both theſe together in the commiſsion hee gives his Apoſtles, Luc. 24.47. And that repentance and remiſsion be preached in his Name. They that preach remiſſion in Chriſts Name, and preach repentance in his Name, they muſt firſt preach repentance before they preach remiſsion. All to teach that they muſt have repentance that will have remiſſion, and that repentance is a ſpeciall meanes to get the pardon of ſinne.

And therefore wee ſhall ſee that the promiſes of pardon are made to repentance, that when God promiſes to give pardon of ſinne to any hee promiſes p. 233it to ſuch as are ſo conditioned and ſo qualified with repentance. Zech. 13.1. There is the promiſe of a fountaine that ſhall be opened for ſinne, that is, to take away the ſinne of Judah and Jeruſalem. I, but that fountaine is yet unto the Jewes a ſealed fountaine, their iniquity is not taken away, they yet lye under their guilt: But yet there is a promiſe of a day when that ſealed fountaine ſhall be broken up, and ſhall be opened. But what day is it? In that day. In what day? It hath reference to that which goes before in the former chapter. See verſ. 10, 11. &c. They ſhall looke upon me whom they have pierced, that is, they ſhall beleeve in Chriſt whom they crucified, And upon it they ſhall mourne for him, &c. They ſhall repent for that ſinne of the rejection of Chriſt, and the murder of him, In that day there ſhall be a great mourning in Jeruſalem, &c. And in that day ſhall a fountaine be opened to the inhabitants of Jeruſalem. In that day then that Jeruſalem ſhall mourne, in that day ſhall the fountaine be opened p. 234to Jeruſalem for ſinne. Oh that mine head, ſayes Ieremy, were as a fountaine of teares. When their heads and hearts ſhall be opened as a fountaine of teares to mourne for their ſinnes, then ſhall the fountaine of Chriſts blood be opened for their ſinnes. When they ſhall waſh themſelves in the fountaine of teares of repentance, in that day will God waſh them in the fountaine of Christs blood. The day of repentance is the day of pardon, in that day a ſinner repents, in that day God pardons, and takes away iniquity.

There is no queſtion but the Lord lives by his owne rule which he gives us to live by. The rule hee gives us to live by is that Luc. 17.3, 4. If hee repent forgive him, if hee treſpaſſe againſt thee ſeven times, yet if he ſay, I repent, you ſhall forgive him. As upon a brothers repentance wee muſt forgive, ſo upon our repentance God will forgive: Repent and thy brother muſt forgive, and repent, and God will forgive. Alas what are our mercies to the mercies of God? Gods mercies are an Ocean, p. 235a boundleſſe bottomleſſe ſea of mercies, our mercies are but ſmall drops out of this Sea. Now if God do binde us that have but poore, ſmall, and a few drops to be thus mercifull, as upon repentance to forgive them, then ſurely the Lord whoſe mercies are as the waters of the Sea, that cover the earth, upon our repentance will give us pardon, or elſe our drops ſhould do more than his Sea, and hee ſhould binde us to doe more with our drops of water, then hee will doe with his whole Sea. Surely as mans power, wiſdome, juſtice, cannot exceed Gods, ſo neither can mans mercies and compaſſions goe beyond his. He that will have a treſpaſſer againſt man pardoned upon his repentance before man, hee will pardon a treſpaſſer againſt God upon his repentance before him.

To this purpoſe alſo are thoſe promiſes, Iſa. 1.16, 17, 18. Come now, &c. Now: When? Waſh you make you cleane, &c. and then come, and though your ſinnes be as Scarlet, &c. Scarlet is p. 236a deepe dye, a dye that will hold, a dye that will not eaſily be fetcht out, not eaſily made white: And yet God promiſes to turne ſcarlet colour into ſnow colour, ſcarlet into white. It is eaſie to turne white into ſcarlet, but not ſo eaſie to turne ſcarlet into white. And yet God will doe it. Hee will waſh them with the ſcarlet blood of Chriſt, and that ſhall turne their ſcarlet into white. Other blood dyes and ſtaines what is waſhed in it, but Chriſts blood takes out ſtaines, and makes white, Apoc. 7.14. Theſe are they which came out of great tribulation, and have waſhed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe. I, but when will God thus change their ſcarlet white, when will hee take away their iniquity? Then when they were waſhed and made cleane, &c. Upon the condition of their repentance hee would give them the pardon of their ſinnes. And upon the ſame condition is the ſame promiſe; Iſa. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him returne p. 237unto the Lord, and hee will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for hee will abundantly pardon; hee will multiply to pardon.

And wee finde that God upon ſuch condition hath made good his promiſe, Pſal. 32.5. I acknowledged my ſinne unto thee: and mine iniquity have I not hid: I ſaid, I will confeſſe my tranſgreſsions unto the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſinne. That is, I did repent and humble my ſoule in the confeſsion of my ſinne, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſinne: Not that repentance fetches in pardon by way of merit, as monie buyes pardons at Rome, nor yet that repentance layes hold on pardon, which is the worke of faith alone. But for two reaſons pardon followes upon repentance.

Firſt, Becauſe the faith that lookes on Chriſts blood, lookes at the ſame time on its owne ſinne, and every beleeving ſinner is at the ſame time a repenting ſinner, Zech. 12.10. They ſhall ſee him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourne. So that faith not p. 238onelyonly ſees Chriſt, but ſees him pierced, pierced by its owne ſinne. They not onelyonly ſee Chriſt pierced, but Chriſt who they themſelves have pierced: They ſee him, and mourne: Faith lookes upon him with a mourning eye. The faith that lookes upon Chriſt is a repenting faith, and never repents and mournes more, then when it lookes moſt on Chriſt. So that repentance being ſo neceſſary attendant upon faith, therefore the promiſe of remiſsion is made to repentance.

2Secondly, the want of aſſurance of pardon doth no leſſe diſquiet the heart then the want of pardon it ſelfe. Now ſuppoſe a man upon his faith have his pardon, yet hee cannot bee aſſured of it till hee doe repent. Upon repentance God gives the aſſurance, and ſeales it to the conſcience: And therefore upon repentance it is that pardon is promiſed.

So then, would wee have the pardon of ſinne, would wee have iniquity taken away? See then what is to be p. 239done. As thou wouldeſt have pardon, ſo fall cloſe to the taske of repentance: So humble thy ſelfe for thy ſinnes, mourne and be in bitterneſſe of ſpirit; judge thy ſelfe and turne from thy ſinnes, and God will then ſhew mercy to thee in thy pardon. So long as thou liveſt and lyeſt in thy ſinnes, and goeſt on in thine impenitency and hardneſſe of heart, thou canſt not have the pardon, nor the hope of pardon of thy ſinne.

You have many that hope their ſins are pardoned, and that God hath taken away their injquity; and why ſo? Why they thanke God they beleeve in Chriſt, and that with all their hearts. It is well if they doe ſo. But yet they that will have pardon muſt repent as well as beleeve: You thanke God you beleeve, but in the meane time where is your repentance. Though I had all faith ſo as I could remove mountaines, and yet have not love, I am nothing, 1 Cor. 13.2. So in this caſe, though thou hadſt all faith ſo as thou couldeſt remove mountaines, yet if you want repentance, p. 240in this caſe thou art nothing; thou haſt not, nor canſt have any pardon at Gods hand. Thou ſayeſt thou beleeveſt, and therefore thou hopeſt thou haſt thy pardon. I, but the faith that helpes to pardon, is a repenting and a mourning faith. Thy faith is no ſuch faith. Thou ſayeſt thou beleeveſt; I, but yet thou art a drunkard, a ſwearer, an uncleane, a covetous perſon. Thy faith is a ſwearing faith, thy faith is a drunken faith, thy faith is a whoring faith, a covetous faith. Now doeſt thou thinke that a whoring, drunken, ſwearing faith, is a faith that will help thee to the pardon of thy ſinne? No ſuch matter. In that day a fountaine ſhall be opened for ſinne, Zech. 13.1. But in what day? They ſhall ſee him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourne and be in bitterneſſe. Not ſimply in that day when they have a faith to ſee him, but in that day when they ſhall ſee him, and mourne for him; the promiſe is not made to any faith, but to a mourning faith, to a repenting faith. Doe but marke that paſſage, Act. 8.13. p. 241Then Simon himſelfe beleeved alſo, yea and was baptized, and continued, and kept company with Philip. Here was a faith that Simon Magus had: But ſee verſ. 22. Repent thee of this thy wickedneſſe, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee, and verſ. 23. Therefore there is a faith that men may have, and yet they may be guilty of wickedneſſe, there is a faith that men may have, and yet be in the gall of bitterneſſe, yet be in the bonds of iniquity: And ſuch a faith will not ſerve for pardon, but if men will have pardon, they muſt repent of their wickedneſſe: The faith that muſt helpe to the pardon of ſinne, muſt be a repenting faith. And though thou talke of faith, whileſt thine heart akes, yet if thy faith be not a mourning, repenting faith, thy ſinnes are not pardoned, thine iniquity is not taken away, Apoc. 2.17. To him that overcomes I will give a white ſtone, that is, I will give him the pardon of his ſinne, as a white ſtone was a token of abſolution and diſcharge to a man queſtioned for his p. 242life. So long as men live in their ſins, they are all blacke and filthy, they are Ethiopians in their blacke skins. Doe you thinke that God will give the white ſtones to ſuch as have blacke ſoules? They muſt be white that will have the white ſtone. How ſhall men become white? Dan. 11.39. They ſhall be afflicted, that they may bee brought to repentance, and ſo be made white. Repentance makes white, and when men are made white by repentance, then God gives them the white ſtone, ſeales to them the pardon of their ſinnes. Therefore as ever wee deſire to get the pardon of ſinne, ſo be wee humbled, and repent for ſinne.

Ʋſe 2 Secondly, if pardon of ſinne bee a thing ſo much to be looked after, and of ſuch concernement, then give thy ſoule no reſt till thou haſt gotten aſſurance of the pardon of ſinne, and till thou knoweſt that thy ſinne is taken away. For God doth not onelyonly pardon ſinne, but God aſſures a ſinner of his pardon, not onelyonly gives but ſeales a p. 243pardon, and this is properly the white ſtone, the ſeale and token of abſolution and pardon. What is a man the better for a pardon if he know it not? A condemned Malefactor may have a pardon, but ſo long as hee knowes it not, he is in as much feare and perplexity of ſpirit, as another Malefactour that hath none: There is no difference betweene them in regard of quiet and peace of ſpirit. Therefore the Lord not onelyonly pardons ſinners, but when hee pardons them, hee makes it known unto them, and aſſures their conſciences of it, that ſo they may not onelyonly have pardon, but peace and joy of ſpirit. Doe but conſider that Text, Zech. 3.3, 4. Joſhua was there cloathed with filthy garments, and ſtood before the Angel, before Chriſt; and verſ. 4. Chriſt ſpeakes twice, hee ſpeakes to them that ſtood by, and to Ioſhua himſelfe. To them that ſtood by, hee ſaid, Take away the filthy garments from him. It is my will and pleaſure that Ioſhua's ſins be taken away and pardoned. That's happy for Ioſhua: But is that all? No, p. 244he ſpeakes a ſecond time. And unto him he ſaid, not only unto them that ſtood by, but unto him, unto Ioſhua hee ſaid, Behold I have cauſed thine iniquity to paſſe from thee. So that Chriſt doth not onelyonly pardon a ſinner, but gives the pardoned ſinner aſſurance of it. There is not onelyonly a ſentence of abſolution pronounced in the Court of Heaven before thoſe that ſtand before Chriſt, but a ſentence of abſolution pronounced in the Court of Conſcience. Hee not onelyonly ſayes to them that ſtood before him, Ioſhuaes ſinne is pardoned, but hee ſayes to Ioſhua himſelfe, and unto him he ſaid, Ioſhua thy ſinne is pardoned, as to the palſey man, Be of good comfort, thy ſinnes are forgiven thee. Therefore ſhould we not onelyonly labour for pardon, but for the knowledge of it, for thereupon lyes our peace and comfort.

Queſt. How may a man know then that his ſinne is pardoned.

Anſw. Beſides the ſecret teſtimony and witneſſe of Gods Spirit ſealing a mans pardon to him in the very p. 245acts of holy duties and Ordinances, it may be knowne by theſe things:

Firſt, by the mortification of ſinne, 1and the taking away the reigning power thereof. There is in ſinne a double power: There is a condemning power, and there is a commanding power, by w^ch it rules and reigns in a mans heart, ſo as hee is under the obedience of it. There is the guilt of ſinne, and there is the dominion of ſinne, that by which it rules in the hearts and lives of men: of the firſt yee have mention, Rom. 3.19. That all the world may become guilty before God. Of the ſecond, Rom. 6.14. Sinne ſhall not have dominion over you. The guilt is the damning power, and the dominion is the reigning power. Now David here prayes, Take away the iniquity of thy ſervant; that is, pardon my ſinne. Now pardon of ſinne ſtands in the taking away of the damning and condemning power, and when a man knowes that the damning and condemning power of his ſinne is taken away, then hee may know that his ſinne is pardoned. But how ſhall a p. 246man know that the damning power of ſinne is taken away? Then is the damning power taken away when the reigning power is taken away: Then is the condemning power taken away when the commanding power is taken away: Then is the guilt taken away, when the dominion is taken away. Whereſoever ſinne is pardoned, it is ſinne ſubdued, it is ſinne mortified, it is ſinne forſaken, and caſt off: So that if a man know his ſinne to be mortified, ſubdued, and know himſelfe delivered from the reigning and commanding power of it, hee may be confident in it that hee is delivered from the damning power of it.

Juſtification is called the Juſtification of life, Rom. 5.18. As it is a Juſtification of life, ſo it may be called a juſtification of Death. A juſtification of life to a mans perſon that is pardoned, a juſtification of death to a mans ſinne when hee is pardoned, becauſe upon the juſtification of a mans perſon followes neceſſarily the mortification of a mans luſts: And ſo pardoned ſinne p. 247is deaded ſinne. Sinne no ſooner loſes the Sword to kill, but it loſes the Scepter to rule: and therefore if the Scepter be loſt, the ſword is loſt. If the dominion be mortified, the guilt is certainely pardoned, for all dominion flowes from guilt, and it is the condemning power that enables ſin with a commanding power: So that if the commanding power be taken away, it is a ſure ſigne that the condemning power is taken away, for otherwiſe the commanding power would remaine in full force and ſtrength.

See Mic. 7.18, 19. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and paſſeth by the tranſgreſsion of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, becauſe he delighteth in mercy. He will turne againe, he will have compaſsion on us: he will ſubdue our iniquities, and thou wilt caſt all their ſinnes into the depths of the Sea. Marke then where God pardons iniquity, and caſts ſinnes into the depths of the Sea, there hee alwayes ſubdues iniquity: And therefore p. 248where iniquity is ſubdued, there iniquity is pardoned.

Lay together thoſe two Texts, Rom. 11.26. He ſhall turne ungodlineſſe from Jacob, that is, hee ſhall take away and pardon the ſin of Jacob. But now Iſa. 59.20. the words lye otherwiſe, VntoUnto them that turne from tranſgreſsion in Iacob. This diverſifying of the words teaches thus much: That where ungodlineſſe is turned from men, there men are turned from ungodlineſſe; where mens perſons are juſtified, there mens luſts are mortified; where God gives men pardon of ſinne, there God gives power againſt ſinne: And ſo alſo where God hath given power, there God hath given pardon; and where men are turned from tranſgreſſion, there ungodlineſſe is turned from them.

Rom. 6.14. Sinne ſhall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law, and ſo under guilt, but ye are under grace, you have your ſinnes pardoned through the grace and mercy of God. See then, that ſo long as under p. 249the Law, and under guilt, ſo long under the dominion of ſinne. That when under grace and ſinne pardoned, then ſinne hath no dominion. And that therefore when men are not under the dominion, under the commanding power of ſinne, that that is a ſure ſigne they are under Grace, their ſinnes are pardoned, and they are freed from the condemning power of them.

Doe but marke that Text, Levit. 13.22, 23. If it ſpread much abroad in the skin, then unclean, it is a plague. To teach, that if ſinne reigne, then a man is not pardoned, hee muſt be pronounced uncleane. But in the next verſe. If the ſpot ſtay in his place, and ſpread not, it is a bile, and the Priest ſhall pronounce him cleane. Strange that a man ſhould have a ſpot, and a burning bile, and yet be pronounced cleane. Why ſo? Becauſe it ſtayes in its place, becauſe it ſpreads not. To teach, that though men may have luſts and corruptions, which are ſpots in the ſoule, yea burning biles, yet if they ſpread not, reigne not, they are not imputed, p. 250they are pardoned. Therefore where the reigning, ſpreading, commanding power of ſinne is gone, there the condemning power is alſo taken away.

Wouldeſt thou then know whether thy ſinnes be taken away or no? Looke into thine heart, into thy luſts, into thy life. Are thine iniquities ſubdued: Art thou turned from tranſgreſſion: Art thou free from the dominion of thy luſts? Luſts thou haſt, but yet they are but burning biles, they be ſpots, but they ſtay in their place, they doe not ſpread: Are thy luſts mortified? be of good comfort, thy perſon is juſtified. Is the commanding power taken away? be of good comfort, the condemning power is taken away. This ſayes unto thee, as Chriſt to Ioſhua, I have paſſed by thine iniquity. But by this may many ſee that their ſinnes are not pardoned. If pardoned, why under the power of habituall covetouſneſſe, drunkenneſſe, uncleaneneſſe? How is it that thy looſe luſts have ſuch command over thee. Thy p. 251luſts ſubdue thee, they are not ſubdued, therefore not pardoned. The ſpot ſpreads much abroad in thy skin, it is not a large bile, it is a plague. Thou art undone, thou art in thy guilt, thy ſinne is unpardoned.

Apoc. 1.5, 6. They who are waſhed in Chriſts blood are made Kings and Prieſts. They that are pardoned, have their iniquities ſo ſubdued, that they reigne over as Kings, and ſacrifice the bed of ſinne in mortification as Prieſts. But now if ſinne and luſt be the King, and that reigne over thee, that be the King and thou be the ſlave and the drudge, then art thou not waſhed in Chriſts blood, then are not thy ſinnes pardoned. Take it for a ſure truth, that ſinne unmortified is ſinne unpardoned. Sinne in the throne is ſinne unforgiven.

Secondly, By the ſanctification of a 2mans heart and ſpirit. When God takes away iniquity, hee furniſhes that man with all ſanctifying graces of his Spirit. Zech. 3, 4. I have cauſed thine iniquity to paſſe from thee. There is the p. 252pardon of ſinne, And J will cloath thee with change of rayment, I will furniſh thee with the graces of ſanctification. That as Ezek. 16.9, 10, 11. Then waſhed I thee with water: yea, I throughly waſhed away thy blood from thee, and anointed thee with oyle. I cloathed thee alſo with broidered worke, and ſhod thee with Badgers skin, and I girded thee about with fine linnen, and I covered thee with ſilke. I decked thee alſo with ornaments, and J put bracelets upon thine hands, and a chaine on thy necke. So in this caſe. So that whereſoever a man findes true ſanctifying grace in his heart, it is an evidence that his ſinnes are pardoned. The love of Chriſt, and the love of God it is a grace of ſanctification, and therefore it is a ſigne of pardon of ſin. See Luc. 7.47. Wherefore I ſay unto thee, Her ſinnes which are many, are forgiven, for ſhe loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the ſame loveth little. Where the particle, for, is not cauſall, not ſhewing the cauſe of her remiſſion, but onelyonly a ſigne of her remiſſion, verſ. 39. The Phariſee p. 253findes fault with Chriſt for ſuffering a ſinner to be ſo familiar with him. Chriſts anſwer is, ſhee is no ſinner. He proves it, becauſe her ſinnes were forgiven her; but how proves hee that? For ſhe loved much: As if hee ſhould ſay, This grace of love is an evidence that declares her ſinne is pardoned. So 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. Who was before a blaſphemer, and a perſecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, becauſe I did it ignorantly, in unbeleife. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant, with faith and love, in Chriſt Jeſus. Therefore as love to God, ſo love to our brethren, and delight in their communion and ſociety is made a ſigne of pardon.

Zech. 3.9, 10. I will take away the iniquity of that Land, in one day. The iniquity of that Land, that is, the guilt of the Churches iniquities, for by the Land of Canaan was typified the Church or people of God; and this I will doe in one day, that is, by the alone and all-ſufficient ſacrifice of p. 254Chriſt offered up once for ever. In that day, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, ſhall ye call every man his neighbour under the Vine, and under the Fig-tree. In that day, namely, when as the people of God ſhould by that onelyonly ſacrifice ſo offered up to God for ſinne, through the alone juſtification of faith, come to enjoy the true ſpirituall and inward peace themſelves, then ſhould they expreſſe ſo much love and charity towards others, as to call in them who were unconverted, to come and partake of the ſame good with them.

By this try: Is thy love to God, and to Chriſt, and to his Saints? A good ſigne. But on the contray, the unholineſſe of mens hearts and lives, argues how it is with them. To have ſinne pardoned, is to be under grace, Rom. 6.14. For yee are not under the Law, but under Grace. Can a man bee under Grace, and have no grace? Can a man bee under Grace, and graceleſſe? Certainely, graceleſſe p. 255perſons are not under Grace, have not their ſinnes pardoned. Such have never yet aright ſought for, much leſſe obtained the taking away of their iniquity.

FINIS.

THE RIGHT EATING AND DIGESTING OF THE WORD.

By IER. DYKE Miniſter of Epping in Eſſex.

HEB. 4.2. The Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

ROM. 6.17. But ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine, which was delivered you.

Auguſt. in Pſal. 141. Enarrat. Unde admoneamus charitatem veſtram, ut ea quae audiendo tanquam ventre memoria conditis rurſus revolvendo & cogitando quodammodo ruminetis.

LONDON: Printed by Tho. Paine for L. Fawne and S. Gellibrand at the brazen Serpent in Paules Church-yard. 1640.