The Gospel New-Creature, Treatise 1 – Treatise 2
THE GOSPEL New-Creature. THE FIRST TREATISE, Diſcovering The weight of the Pardon of Sin, the Spirits Conviction of Sin, and the Souls emptying and reducing into nothing in its ſelf.
PSAL. 25.11.
For thy Names ſake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great.
IN this Pſalm, you have David's ſins laid-in with weight upon his Conſcience, and in the deep ſenſe of their guilt, pleading with God about mercy and pardon; The ſenſe of that one great ſin, in the matter of Uriah, (meant ſpecially in the Text) brought-in the ſenſe of other ſins of his youth upon him, as is uſually Gods way in humbling a ſinner: and at ver. 7. you have him at the feet of God, begging as for his life, as to the remiſſion of them all; Remember not the ſins of my youth, nor my tranſgreſſions; According to thy mercy, remember thou me, for thy goodneſs O Lord; And here at the Text, for thy Names ſake O Lord, &c. That which I deſign to lay before you from the words, is to open to you, and preſſe upon you, the weight, and bleſſedneſs of a pardoned condition, that you may be awakened to it, while the day of mercy laſts, and may indeed be in very good earneſt about it, till, through infinite grace, you may obtain it, and live and dye in the ſweet and bleſſed peace & comfort of it, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
That which I intend to give out from hence (through the Spirit of grace aſſiſting) is but as praevious and preparatory to the opening of a juſtified eſtate, and the New Creature in Chriſt; That (if God will) your conſciences may be brought to a thorough awakening, a ſpiritual ſight and conviction of ſin, and a ſelf-emptyneſs, which is the good and ſafe way of a Soul to Jeſus Chriſt; which from this Scripture take, in theſe plain Obſervations.
Obſ. 1. That great and weighty concernment that ſhould moſt of all take up the thoughts of the hearts of poor ſinners, is that their ſins may be pardoned.
2. Such who come to God by Jeſus Christ, to have their ſins pardoned, they look upon them as great ſins. — for it is Great.
3. The great reaſon of Gods pardoning a ſinner, and the Plea that a poor ſinner hath with God, is, that God will pardon for his own Names ſake.
1. To begin with the firſt propoſition, viz.
That great and weighty thing that ſhould moſt of all take up the thoughts of the hearts of all the Children of men, is, that their ſins may be pardoned.
This may be evinced from the frame of bleſſed David's ſpirit, and other the pardoned ones of the Lord up and down the holy Scriptures, exerciſed with ſuch a violence and importunity with the Lord, in this matter of the Pardon of their ſins, as if they had no other thing, beſides what conduced thereunto, to beg of God in the world, and all that God gave them in the world, (as indeed it is not) were nothing without it, therefore you have them thus wraſtling with God about it. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my tranſgreſſions, Pſal. 51.1. If there be any mercy in heaven, let a poor guilty ſoul have a drop of it; yea David layeth a kind of violence upon God, Pſal. 65.2.— As for our tranſgreſſions thou ſhalt purge them away, thou ſhalt do it, I cannot, must not, will not be denyed this, thou ſhalt do it for me. So Moſes interceding for the people, Exod. 39.9. If I have found grace in thy ſight, Oh Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go amongſt us, (for it is a ſtifnecked people) and pardon our iniquity and our ſin, and take us for thine inheritance; with what vehemency of heart doth Moſes cry, if I have any favour with thee, let it be layd out this way, Oh Lord, let my Lord, &c. Otherwhiles, when the bleſſed ſenſe of a pardoned condition is upon their hearts; Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſions is forgiven: Bleſſed man, or woman, as ever he was born! Bleſſed He, and onelyonly bleſſed, and fully bleſſed, and for ever Bleſſed, whoſe ſins are pardoned! And then admiring the bleſſed God in ſuch riches of grace, as to pardon ſinners; Who is like to thee a God pardoning iniquity? Micah. 7.18. Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, &c. Neh. 9.17. Pſal. 103.1.2, 3, 10. Bleſſe the Lord oh my ſoul, and all that is within me, bleſſe his holy name! why? what had the Lord done? ſee verſe 3. Oh, who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who forgiveth, and forgiveth All great ſins as well as leſſe; ſins of nature as well as life; ſins before converſion, and ſins ſince converſion; ſins of knowledge, as well as of ignorance; for David was under all theſe, yet All, All, All, forgiven; and that freely too, onelyonly becauſe the Lord is gracious, verſe 8. and ſo forgiven them, as never to come before him any more. As far as the Eaſt is from the Weſt; ſo far hath he removed our tranſgreſſions from us, verſe 12.
I ſhall hint ſome Reaſons of the Truth, why it is, that the pardon of ſins doth, or ſhould, ſo greatly take up the hearts of ſinfull creatures.
Reaſons 1. The pardon of ſin ſhould thus greatly take up the hearts of all that indeed expect pardon, becauſe twas the greatest thing (if I may ſo ſpeak) that ever took up Gods heart, how a ſinner might be pardoned. He laid forth more of his wiſdome and goodneſſe about it, then in the making of the Heavens and the Earth; The framing of the New Covenant, the giving out of his eternall Son Jeſus Chriſt, God manifeſted in his fleſh, ſuch a glorious way of reconciling juſtice and mercy through the death of Chriſt, (the choiceſt piece of divine wiſdom that ever was brought forth) they were all converſant about, and their proper tendency was about this great and weighty concernment, how, and that a ſinner might be pardoned; when Moſes had that bleſſed enterview and parley with the Lord, Exod. 33. & 34. and Moſes getting nearer and nearer to God, who was glimpſing out a ray of glory upon him, breakes out, Shew me thy glory. I will, ſaith God, I will ſhew thee what way of glory I moſt deſign to my ſelf among the Sons of men, — I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will ſhew mercy on whom I will ſhew mercy. And as if this had not been enough (the heart of the bleſſed God was ſo infinitely taken with it) Chap. 34, 5, 6. The Lord comes nearer to him, deſcended in a Cloud, and ſtood with him there; and, as if meerly to have ſpoken what he had before ſaid to Moſes namely, That he ſhould have mercy, had not been enough, at verſe 6, He proclaimes it, and makes it as his proper Name, and moſt glorious Title, The Lord, The Lord God, Mercifull and Gracious, &c. verſe 7. forgiving iniquity, &c. As if forgiving iniquity were the great deſign of glory he had upon the world; his heart moſt affected and taken up with it; This is the firſt reaſon; poor ſinners ſhould have their hearts moſt taken up about the pardon of ſins, becauſe the heart of the infinite wiſe and bleſſed God is moſt taken up about it.
2. The pardon of ſin ſhould ſo greatly take up the heart of a poor guilty ſinner, becauſe, Nothing, is a a Bleſſing to a man till his ſins are pardoned, but All a curſe. The Scripture is well known that proves it, among many, Deut. 28.15, 16. If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to obſerve to do all his Commandments, and his Statutes which I command thee this day that all thoſe curſes ſhall come upon thee & overtake thee; Curſed ſhall thou be in the City, & curſed ſhalt thou be in the field, Curſed ſhall be thy basket & thy Store. Curſed ſhall be the fruit of thy body, & the fruit of thy Land, the encreaſe of thy kin, & the flocks of thy ſheep, Curſed ſhalt thou be when thou comeſt in, &. curſed ſhall thou be when thou goeſt out, the Lord ſhall ſend upon thee curſing, vexation, and rebuke in all that thou ſetteſt thine hand unto for to do, &c. Now that ſoul that doth not hearken to the voice of God, according to the tenour of the New-Covenant, to come unto Jeſus Chriſt, to have his ſins pardoned, to have the ſpirit given him to walk before God in all his wayes, is in an unpardoned condition, and ſo liable to all theſe curſes; now, under the old Teſtament God did more uſually come forth in viſible ſtroakes of puniſhment upon outward mercies: but under the New Teſtament, his judgements (ſpecially upon ſuch as are under the Goſpell) are more ſpirituall, (as bleſſings to his people run in a more ſpirituall way) as in curſing them with hardneſſe and blindneſſe of heart, having reſiſted the truth, but yet though ſuch outward curſes are not ſo viſibly and frequently executed, (though ſometime they are) yet unpardoned, unconverted ſinners enjoy not their outward good things as a bleſſing, but they ſerve but to further their damnation, if their hearts are not (through infinite grace) made ſoft, and turn unto the Lord that they may be pardoned. Now, to have outward mercyes, and be hardned in an impenitent eſtate under them, is a farr greater curſe, then to have them ſmitten or imbittered from the Lord, though with the heavieſt hand. This is the 2d. Reaſon of the point: Every thing is a curſe, (while ſuch) to an unpardoned ſinner; therefore tis of the greateſt weight to have his heart taken up about it.
3. The perſon of an unpardoned ſinner is hated of the Lord, therefore the weight of it is very great; Pſal. 5.5. Thou hateſt all workers of iniquity. All, be they what they will, high or low, rich or poor, God hates them; and while they are workers of iniquity, they are certainly unpardoned; what they may be in the decree of God, is nothing to that ſinner in this condition: while he is a worker of iniquity, he hath no ground for any other apprehenſion of God, unles he turn in unto him; Now, what a dreadfull thing is it, to be hated of that great and righteous God, a drop of whoſe wrath is able to ſcortch the ſoul with unſpeakable torment; yet ſuch is the condition of a wretched unpardoned ſinner: therefore tis his great concernment to look to it, &c.
4. While a ſinner is unpardoned he is under the law. What that is, I ſhall, if God will, further diſcover; He ſtands bound over to the moſt exact fullfilling of it, under the penalty of Hell, bound to make God ſatisfaction to the utmoſt, upon the leaſt breach; and being under tranſgreſſion of it, is under wrath and condemnation, if he abide ſo, without remedy. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, but All condemnation to thoſe that are out of Chriſt Jeſus, as all unpardoned ſinners are; therefore tis a condition above all others to be weighed and conſidered, and not to be reſted in, one moment.
5. Neither the Prayers, nor Alms, nor any other duty of an unpardoned ſinner are; at all, accepted with the Lord. This, wretched ſinners will not admit of, but think if they perform any duty to God, he accepts of it, and that indeed it makes an atonement for their ſins; Take that one eminent place in Eſa. 1.15. Though you make many prayers, yet I will not hear you; mark it, you that think becauſe you make, or ſay, as you ſtyle it, many good prayers, ſure God hears you; No, ſaith God, I will not hear, why, ſee verſe 16. they were not waſhed from their ſins, therefore the Prophet calls them, to come to the Lord that they might be pardoned, verſe 38. Tis true, when a poor ſinner hath his heart ſmitten for ſin, and comes to the Lord, upon the account of promiſes, of grace and pardon through Jeſus Chriſt, with full purpoſe of heart to cleave unto the Lord, and ſo begs for pardon, and all things that do accompany pardon and ſalvation, then God hears his cryes at the very firſt breathing of his ſoul; Lam. 3.56. but not till then, doth God regard the multitude of his Prayers, Alms, Worſhip, Keeping conſcience to men; therefore certainly if nothing be accepted with God, till in a pardoned condition, ſuch an eſtate requires great and deep thoughts of heart of it.
6. Upon all this, it will follow. That an unpardoned ſinner will have no other word from the Lord Jeſus Christ, at his coming, but, Go you curſed; Everlaſting darkneſſe, and wrath and woes and all miſery muſt be his portion for ever. If he dye in his ſins, Joh. 8.29. his ſoul muſt be eternally damned without all Remedy; Live and dye unpardoned, and be damned unpardoned: When Jeſus Chriſt ſhall be come, neither he himſelf, nor Saint, nor Angel, will or can ſpeak one word, for a ſoul that dyes unpardoned, though the ſoul ſcreek out for a drop of mercy; it will be anſwered with nothing but the Ecchoes, of the ſcreekings of other deſperate ſouls, ready to be hurled with it, into the ſame everlaſting burnings; no eye to pitty there, though Miniſters and Saints did warn, invite, weep, mourn, pity, when on this ſide the grave, yet at the great Judgment, it will not be ſo. No, nothing but upbraidings of Devils, for neglecting Goſpel-grace, and refuſing the termes of pardon, and for groſſe ſecurity; This will be the portion of every unpardoned ſinner, that neglects the day of his ſalvation; Therefore the pardon of ſins requires the deepeſt thoughts of heart, and can never be made too ſure to a poor ſinfull Creature.
Uſe 1. If the pardon of ſin be of ſo great and infinite weight, how doth this meet with the wretched deplorable careleſneſſe of a world of ſouls in this day, that think of nothing leſſe then whether their ſins are pardoned, that will hear of nothing that may call this great matter into queſtion, or way awaken them to it, Oh how many poor ſouls, (I fear too many of you, though ſo often and earneſtly preſt to it) that were never before the Lord mourning after the pardon of your ſins? What a leight matter would it be to be pardoned, if there ſhould be no more in it, not care about it, then moſt ſinners, that call themſelves Chriſtians, make about it; Ah, ſinners, why do you make no more ado, no more matter of it; why ſo ſenſleſs of that, which is alone worthy all the thoughts of thy heart; if thou ſhouldſt live a million of years to diſpatch this one thing, to get thy ſins all pardoned. You that are Elderly people have a large reckoning, ſpecially upon your account of ſinning againſt Goſpell-light and grace; make haſte, what you do, do quickly, lay hold on eternall life: the ſun is ready to let upon you, and wo with you, as ever you were men and women, if you fail of a good, and ſure diſpatch of this one corcernable thing, your ſins being pardoned; And you that are younger, take heed leſt the day of grace, ſet upon you, and you be given up to your own hearts luſts, and no word that is ſpoken from God or man, ſhall ever reach you; Oh tremble at tryfling with convictions and light, but begin to honour the Lord Jeſus, and bow unto him, and wait for the promiſed effuſion of his ſpirit, and the joy of the Lord ſhall be the joy of your youth, and the love of the Lord will be very ſweet and precious to you.
2d. Exhort. Oh then let every ſoul of us be deeply affected with this weighty matter; let your ſouls ſay within you, Oh the dreadfulneſſe of an unpardoned condition? what tongue can expreſſe it? to have all my ſtore, (little or much), houſe, corn, cattle, all, under a curſe, and enjoy it as a curſe, and onelyonly to further my eternall damnation! to be hated of the great God, and not loved, to be under all the condemnation of the Law! where ever I read of wrath and wo, it belongs to me; to have not one of my prayers, or any thing elſe, accepted of the Lord! to be in a condition of expecting nothing from Jeſus Chriſt at his coming, but go ye curſed; when I ſhall ſee ſo many bleſſed ſouls that took paines for Heaven, enter into the Kingdome, and my ſelf ſhut out! Wo is me if I ſpeak peace to my ſoul in ſuch an eſtate, one moment more; Awake my ſoul, Awake. Away in to the bleſſed God for mercy, pardon, grace, Chriſt, his blood, ſpirit, holineſſe, eternall life; I will go, (the Lord helping me) and cry in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul for them all; and if 'twere poſſible to weary the Lord with the cryes of my poor ſoul, I will do it, till he have mercy upon me, and bid me go in peace; The gracious God ſhall as hardly deny me, as ever he did any poor ſinner that lay bleeding at his feet for mercy and grace from heaven, to heale a poor condemned ſoul; Oh what have I been doing in the world all this while? get a little ſomething, and my ſins unpardoned; in daily danger of dying in them, and ſo be loſt without all remedy for ever; Oh! ſuch will be the great thoughts of heart about the pardon of ſins, when the Lord ſhall ſpeak to a poor ſinner, and the Conſcience ſhall be thoroughly awake about it.
Oh! let me yet, in the name of the Lord, argue out this matter with thee. Be ſerious for once, and ponder it in thy heart, what is health or wealth? what is it to have ſomething about thee in the world, & lay up yearly, & thou go deeper in debt with the juſt God every day? What if all the world be at Peace with thee, and God thy enemy, and hate thee, as thou haſt been ſhewed? What if all the world ſay of thee, Bleſſed; if God, and his holy Word of truth, pronounce thee Curſed, becauſe thy ſins lye upon thy ſoul, and the Spirit of grace is not upon thee▪ Ah! poor Creature, Do not, do not, let thy ſins lye upon thy precious ſoul any longer, do not be contented to be a child of Gods wrath any longer; Oh! do not, thou poor careleſſe ſoul, if there be a ſpark of pity in thee; Do not, as the Devil flatters, reſt in this, and ſay, I hope better, and I hope 'tis better with me, and I hope I am or ſhall be pardoned, and ſo fall aſleep till thou drop into hell. You that think it an eaſie common matter to be pardoned, know not what it is, you have yet no part in this bleſſedneſſe.
Saith a poor convinced ſoul, 1. 'Tis a great matter that any ſinner in the world is pardoned, much more, ſuch a one as I, if ever I attain to it.
2. Souls that get pardon, do make it their greateſt care to be aſſured of it, they do not leave the matter at ſixes and ſevens, and put it off with bidding the heart, hope well, but they labour after a Goſpel-aſſurance of it.
3. Such ſouls will labour to ſee that nothing be wanting that muſt accompany pardon of ſin, and a ſtate of ſalvation. Heb. 6.9.
4. They try all their pretences to pardon and grace, over and over; and will take nothing upon truſt from their hearts, or the Devils flatteries, or the flatteries of carnal Miniſters; but ſearch and prove, and lay their hearts under the Word and Spirit, till it be ſealed by the Holy Ghoſt, and that they are wrought of God for this ſelf ſame thing, and that he hath given them the Earneſt of the Spirit. 2 Cor. 5.5. Well, therefore ſay in thy heart, in good earneſt, Oh! it hath not been ſo with me, I have been careleſſe, I thought well of my ſelf, I nere queſtioned this weighty matter to purpoſe. Oh! the Lord give me grace, to take pains in the uſe of means, to be violent for Heaven. Oh! I will not reſt (Oh! let me not) till I am aſſured indeed that my, my, ſins are done away and Chriſt is mine. Go, and ſay, and do it, and the God of all grace and might be with thee in it.
But yet further, to preſſe the weight of this matter upon thy Conſcience, that thou mayeſt go off thoroughly convinced, and reſolved to purſue effectually the compaſſing of this ſo great a bleſſing, of getting thy ſoul in a pardoned eſtate. Do but weigh with me the matchleſs bleſſedneſs of ſuch a condition, and me-thinks, thy heart ſhould not but be taken with it.
1. Conſider, Pardoned ſouls become the dear Children of God, ſee Eph. 1.5. &c. Having predeſtinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jeſus Chriſt unto himſelf, according to the good pleaſure of his Will, to the praiſe of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved: in whom we have Redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſſe of ſins, &c. The glorious grace of Adoption comes in upon the forgiveneſſe of ſins; therefore Chap. 5.1. the Apoſtle further hints this ſo bleſſed a priviledge; Be ye followers of God, as dear Children; and Gal. 4.5. the Apoſtle gives it out as the great and bleſſed fruit of Redemption, — that we might receive the Adoption of Sons. Oh! to be tranſlated from being amongſt the children of wrath, to be numbred among the dear Children of God, to come under the protection, care, tender love of God as a Father; What ſoul would not be reſtleſſe till he attain unto it?
2. Pardoned ſouls have acceſs to God; Eph. 2.18.3.12. In whom we have boldneſs and acceſs, with confidence, by the faith of him. Heb. 4.16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. This is the bleſſedneſs of pardoned ſouls, they have free acceſſe to God, as a Child to a Father, to ſpeak and plead to the Lord; As ſoon as ever they come before the Lord, they are admitted into his preſence, and God's eye and ear is towards them, and they muſt have their errand, either in kind, or as good, or a better thing given to them. This is another ineſtimable good of bleſſed pardoned ſouls.
3. As they are Gods dear Children, and have free acceſs to him; ſo when once he hath freely and fully pardoned them, he loves them with an infinite, unmixt, unchangeable Love. Behold what manner of love is this, &c. 1 John 3.1. The Lord can as freely let out love, full love, to his pardoned ones, as if they had never ſinned, becauſe he never looks upon them out of Chriſt; when God takes a poor ſinner to himſelf, he doth not barely and meerly pardon him, and ſave him from wrath, and no more, (as earthly Princes pardon many whom they love not) but God ſets his Love upon them, and it can never enter into his heart to hate them. He that loveth me, ſaith Chriſt, ſhall be loved of my Father, Joh. 14.21. And if God afflict them, 'tis to make them better, more like unto himſelf, to beſtow more grace upon them, Heb. 12.10. and Gods Love to his bleſſed children is like himſelf, Infinite, unmixt, everlaſting. This is another infinite bleſſing of pardoned ſouls, to be thus loved by their God.
4. Pardoned ſouls are brought into a justified state, from which they ſhall never fall. Thus runs the tenour of the New Covenant, the bottome of all this bleſſedneſs; I will remember their ſins no more, Heb. 8.12. — No more, Words of a ſweet and bleſſed ſound, to whom they are ſpoken by the Holy Ghoſt, that when poor ſouls that have come to Jeſus Chriſt, in a Goſpel way, for pardon, and have pleaded, and taken hold of promiſes of grace for that end, and yet ſometimes unbelief is ſtirring. Oh! will not God, one time or other, call back to remembrance all my former iniquities, and charge them upon me? No, ſaith the Lord, it ſhall never enter into my heart, I will remember them No More; Bleſſed words, and bleſt condition indeed. Ah! who would be without it?
5. Pardoned ſouls, ſhall be kept in the hand of the Lord in all their wayes, 1 Pet. 1.5. His Love, Fear, Lawes, Power, Spirit, ſhall be in their hearts, that they ſhall not fall from him, Jer. 32.40. And I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me; He preſerveth the ſouls of his Saints; He keepeth the feet of his Saints. Pſal. 97.10. 1 Sam. 2.9. yea, he will keep them from evil, and nothing ſhall befall them but for their good. Rom. 8.28. And if they fall, the Lord humbles them, heals them, takes them up again, puts new ſtrength into them, and his kindneſs muſt not depart from them.
6. Pardoned ſouls are Gods Heirs; Gal. 4.7. Rom. 8.15. &c. Heirs of God through Chriſt, and joyntheirs with Christ, Heirs of all his Promiſes, of an incorruptible inheritance that never fadeth away, reſerved in Heaven for them. 1 Pet. 1.9. Though the Lord give them no inheritance of earthly poſſeſſions, yet they are his ſpecial Heirs of the heavenly inheritance. Not the pooreſt believer in the world, but may ſay with a heart full of bleſſed and humble rejoycing; Though I am worthleſs in my ſelf, and am ſo accounted in the world, yet through infinite grace, I am one of the richeſt Heirs in the world; a Co-heir with Chriſt, of an exceeding eternal weight of glory.
Uſe 1. If ſuch, and more then is or can be named, be the bleſſedneſs of pardoned ſouls, Ah! what poor ſecure ſinner (that muſt alſo be everlaſtingly damned without it) would miſs of it? Say ſinner, inſtead of being curſed, hated, damned, and that for ever, for ever, (for as is mercy and love to pardoned ones, ſo is wrath to ſuch as miſs of it, for ever) I ſay, inſtead of that, which any heart but what is plagued with hardneſs, would melt and tremble at, to become a dear child of God, and have free acceſs to God, be loved of God, for ever juſtified, no ſin for ever remembred againſt thee, every thing befall thee for good, and be an Heir of God, and be even as bleſſed as God can make thee, and that for ever. Ah! where's the ſinner that would be without this? Who would ſleight that word of the Lord that would teach you, and lead you to this bleſſedneſs? Who would deſpiſe, or neglect the day of grace, now while within the reach of it? Who would run a dreadful hazzard of being given up of God, if you thus trifle with a Goſpel of ſalvation? Ah! the good Lord pity you that do thus; you are fit to be mourned over had we hearts to do it, with tears of blood. Yet once more, Awake, awake, you careleſs ones, before bodies drop into the grave, and ſouls into hell. Oh! do not do not take pleaſure in ſoul-murder; do not put off the one, only, main, neceſſary work, and leave it undone, till it may be impoſſible to have it done. Tell me in good earneſt, Canſt thou well be without the pardon of thy ſins here and for ever? Soul, thou mayſt well enough be without much Land, and much mony, and many great friends, and yet be well, exceeding well contented, nay better, if thou haſt Chriſt and grace then with them. But ſay canſt thou, canſt thou well be without the pardon of thy ſins? Canſt thou well live and dye hated by the great and righteous God? Canſt thou well be where the fire is never quenched and the worm never dyes? Say, canſt thou well miſs the preſence of the ever bleſſed God to all eternity? Are damned ſcreeking Spirits good company for ever and ever? Away, away ſinner to the bleſſed God, betake thy ſelf (put it not off an hour longer) to crying, repenting, mourning to God for free pardon, for Chriſt, for the Spirit, and look up to the Lord to give thee a heart to do it, wait humbly, and carefully on the Goſpel of grace preached; and yet, though thou haſt hitherto been idle, thou mayeſt attain to this bleſſedneſs, as well as the bleſſedſt Saint in the world, if thou wilt be ſerious, diligent, earneſt, (as ſo weighty a matter requires) about it. The good Lord give thee a heart to do it.
2 Do not reſt in falſe evidences, falſe hopes of pardon. Many ſinners might ſeem to have got pardon, and gone well to Heaven, if they had not vainly and fooliſhly hoped ſo. Oh reſt in nothing, and never reſt without it (as I have preſſed thee in love) till thou canſt ſay, from a well grounded Goſpel-evidence, wrought forth with fear and trembling, Now I have the bleſſedneſs that accompanies pardoned ſouls: Now, oh now (rejoyce with me bleſſed ſouls) I am, I am a child of God, I have acceſs to the bleſſed God, and my ſoul pleads with him every day. Ah now, God, my God, doth love me; Now I am juſtified, in a ſtate of juſtification, from which my God will never let me fall. Ah, my ſins, though great ſhall be remembred no more, no more; I ſhall be kept, ſafely kept, in all my waies; If I fall, the Lord will take me up, and I ſhall not utterly fall; however, it is, or may be with me as to the world and the things of it, I am rich (though poor, worthleſs, nothing in my ſelf,) with all the riches, unſearchable riches of my Chriſt, I am an Heir of God; I need nothing. Oh, the ſweetneſs, peace, joy, contentment, Heaven of ſuch a bleſt, & for ever bleſt condition! Now tell me ſinner (and let it ſtick with thee till thou art got well to Heaven) is not, is not, the pardon of thy ſins the work of the greateſt weight before thee on this ſide the grave? which is that I firſt promiſed thee to prove to thy Conſcience from the firſt Obſervation.
3. I might from hence inſiſt to ſtir up poor ſouls, who have been awake for Heaven, and have been, and are crying and waiting for the pardon of your ſins, to be in this matter with all your might, becauſe you ſee 'tis wonderfully weighty and concernable to you, beyond all imaginations; get your doubts, and fears and miſgivings of heart well removed; ſee from whence your doubts do ariſe, and follow them home to your hearts, and then be with the Lord much, and in his Word and Ordinances, till the Lord make it clear day in thy ſoul, and thou walk in a ſweet ſpirit of Adoption before him.
4. Let pardoned ones, whom it hath coſt much, as to means to get it made good to you, make much of your comfort, and do not Triflle it, nor ſin it away; and keep the ſenſe of a pardoned condition warm and lively upon your ſpirits, and then you will love the Lord much. Luke 7.47. Lord thou haſt forgiven much, as much as to any; Oh let me, let me love, love much, very much.
Conviction of ſin and ſelf-emptineſs.
THe ſecond Conſideration we obſerved from the words, and propoſed to be opened, was this;
Obſ. 2. Such who come to God to have their ſins pardoned, they look upon them as great ſins.
Pardon my iniquity for it is great, &c. The Original word as well ſignifies Many, as Great, my ſins are great and many, Many great ſins lye upon me, pardon, Oh pardon them, oh Lord, &c.
Thus you have this bleſſed man David in ſeveral Pſalms, aggravating his ſin, Pſa. 38.4. Mine iniquities are gone over my head, and are a burden too heavy for me to bear; against thee only have I ſinned. Pſa. 51. So bleſſed Paul, Jeſus Christ came into the world to ſave ſinners whereof I am chief; That ſin by the Commandement might become exceeding ſinful. Rom. 7.13. So Peter at the firſt glimpſe of Chriſt, and a word from him, falls upon his knees, cryes out, Depart from me, for I am a ſinful man, &c. Luke 5.8. So the Publican, God be merciful to me a ſinner, a great, vile, ſinner, nothing elſe but a ſinner: So the Prodigal, Father, I have ſinned againſt Heaven, and in thy ſight, &c. Luke 18.13. ct 15.21.
In the opening of this Point, firſt I would ſhew, Why, ſuch as come in a right way for pardon, do look upon their ſins as great ſins.
2. How they come to ſee them ſo.
3. When a ſinner may be ſaid to have ſeen his ſins ſo great, as a pardoned ſoul ſhould do.
Firſt, Sinners that come to God for pardon and find it, do look upon their ſins as great ſins, becauſe againſt a great God, great in power, great in juſtice, great in holineſs; I am a worm, and yet ſin, and that boldly, againſt a God ſo great; for a worm to lift up himſelf againſt a great and infinite God; Oh this makes every little ſin great, and calls for great vengeance from ſo great a God.
2. Becauſe they have ſinned againſt great patience, deſpiſing the goodneſs, forbearance, and long-ſuffering of God, which is call'd, treaſuring up of wrath, Rom. 2.4, 5. Oh, ſaith a poor abaſed ſinner at Gods feet, How have I wearied the patience of God? I have not wearied thee, ſaith God, but thou haſt been weary of me, and haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſins, and wearied me with thine iniquities. Eſay 43.23, 24. Oh, this is an humbling and heart-breaking word to a poor ſoul before the Lord; this makes his ſin appear great indeed. I have wearied the bleſſed God with my ſin, and yet he calls upon me that he may pardon me, ver. 25. of the ſame Chapter. This greatens ſin to purpoſe to a poor ſoul that hath abuſed much patience.
3. Sins do appear great, becauſe againſt great mercies. Oh againſt how many mercies and kindneſſes do ſinners ſin againſt, and turn all the mercies of God into ſin! Oh, ſaith a poor ſoul, drawing near to God, I turned all the mercies of the Lord againſt him, took his mercies and fought againſt him with them, and ſerved the Devil and my luſts with them; If God will come and account with me for them, how ſhall I anſwer him?
4. That which greatens ſin in the eyes of poor ſinners that cry for pardon, is, that they have ſinned against great light, light in the Conſcience; this heightens ſin exceedingly, ſpecially to ſuch as are under Goſpel-means: and is indeed the ſin of all in this Nation; there's nothing more abaſeth a ſoul then this, nothing makes it more difficult to believe pardon, when humbled for it: therefore 'tis, that many poor ſouls fear they have ſin'd the unpardonable ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, becauſe they have ſinned againſt knowledge and light, which though while they are humbled before the Lord, it cannot be that they have ſo ſinned unpardonably; yet in as much as 'tis the ſin that borders next upon the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, it much greatens ſin to a poor ſoul under the ſenſe of it. Such a ſinner is ſaid to reproach the Lord, Numb. 15.30; 31. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is ſin; James 4. laſt. To him it is ſin, that is, great ſin, of which God will take the ſevereſt account: Therefore ſuch as have the profeſſion of Chriſtianity, and the knowledge of the Word in ſome meaſure, and yet go on unpenitently in ſin, they are the greateſt ſinners in the world, & will have the greateſt damnation; And this circumſtance in ſin makes, or ſhould do ſo, ſuch ſouls that never lived in notorious ſins be under deep abaſement, becauſe, though their ſins were not ſo groſs, as many others, yet they were againſt great light, and knowledge, which makes every little ſin, continued in, great in the account of God, and great in the account of the ſinner, when he comes before the Lord in the ſenſe of it. Oh, I pleaſed my ſelf in ſins that I knew to be ſins, and was convinced by the word of God of them; yet I went on, and loved them;
5. Continuance in ſin, much greatens ſin to a poor ſoul that is after pardon; ſpecially ſuch as are not very early converted. God will wound the hairy ſcalp of ſuch a one that goeth on ſtill in his treſpaſſes. Pſal. 68.21. Oh, I added ſin unto ſin, ſaith a poor ſoul, ſpending the choiſe time of my youth in ſin, when I might have been getting the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, and honouring of God. This lay cloſe upon David's ſpirit, as appears in this 25th. Pſa. 7. Oh remember not the ſins of my youth, &c. Yet we do not find that Davids youth was notoriouſly ſinful; but in as much as he ſpent not his youth to get knowledge, and to ſerve the Lord fully, 'twas his burden and complaint before the Lord; much more ſuch whoſe youth was ſpent in nothing but vanity, prophaneſs, lying, ſwearing, prophaning of the Sabbath, ſports, paſtimes, exceſs of riot, and the like, when God layes it in upon their conſciences, muſt be grievous and abominable to their ſouls.
6. Multitudes of ſins do make ſin appear great; this made David cry out for multitude of mercies, Pſa. 51. and Pſa. 40.12. Innumerable evils have compaſſed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, ſo that I am not able to look up; they are more then the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me. One ſin, but a ſinfull thought, is worthy of a thouſand hells, much more, multiplyed, numberleſs, infinite ſins, in thought, words, walkings, calling, worſhip, in all I have done, I did nothing elſe but ſin: therefore the leaſt ſinner in the world is a great ſinner, when God lays his account before him.
7. Another thing that greatens ſin is, that it was againſt purpoſes and reſolutions of forſaking ſuch and ſuch ſins; and yet all broken, ſometimes againſt ſolemn vowes, againſt prayers: this conſideration upon many a poor ſoul ſticks hard, and layes low, and makes his ſin grievous indeed, that againſt purpoſes, vowes, prayers, he ſhould return to his ſin; this makes him cry out, Oh my ſin is great, great indeed, Doth, will, the Lord pardon ſuch a wretch? &c.
8. Sin appears great when ſeen by a poor ſoul, becauſe it was reigning ſin, Rom. 5. & 6. Sin reigned to death, &c. Oh, ſaith a poor humbled ſinner, I did not only commit ſin, but I was the ſervant and ſlave of ſin, I obey'd ſin as a lord, and that willingly, I obey'd it in the luſts thereof; where God, Chriſt, his Spirit, Word, Law, ſhould have dwelt and reigned, there ſin and luſts bore ſway, and had the command of my ſoul. A little ſin when a reigning ſin, is a great ſin. All that ſin can do is but to rule the ſinner, and ſo it doth the leaſt ſinner that is under it, though it break not forth into groſſe notorious actings againſt the Lord, and this doth much greaten it.
9. Sin in the fountain makes it great; As it may be ſaid, there is more water in the fountain, then in the pools and ſtreams it makes; becauſe there is a continual iſſuing and flowing out of it, which is able to make far greater ſtreams: ſo ſin in the nature, in the heart, is there as in the fountain, and therefore 'tis more there than in the breakings forth of it in the outward man; ſo that, though a ſinner in his youth hath been reſtrained from many great ſins, yet in as much, as ſin in the fountain was as full as in any ſinner in the world, though reſtrained & pent in, (which the ſinner was not beholding to his own heart for) it renders him a great ſinner before the Lord, when ſavingly enlightned. The want of this conſideration makes outwardly righteous perſons not look upon themſelves as great ſinners; they ſee and feel not ſin infinite in the fountain of it, which moſtly greatens it, above all the actings of it in life.
10. A ſinner drawing nigh to God for pardon, ſees his ſin as great, becauſe thereby he was led captive by the Devil at his will; He that committeth ſin is of the Devil, 1 John 3.8. comitteth ſin, ſo as in a ſtate of ſin, under the power of ſin, and not born of God; why, ſuch a one is of the Devil, under the power of the Devil; of the Devil and not of God; and this becauſe of ſin, which gives this dominion to the Devil. Oh, ſaith a poor Creature, I that was the creature of God, and ſhould have lived to him, lived to the Devil, and the ſervice of him; and took part with him, againſt Chriſt, his Word, his Saints, and was an enemy to them: this greatens my ſin before the Lord.
11. Sin appears great, becauſe great is the wrath of God againſt ſin; ſinners are ſaid to heap up wrath, Rom. 2. and they are called the Children of wrath. God to manifeſt his diſpleaſure againſt ſin, is fain to powre out everlaſting wrath upon an unpardoned ſinner, to leave the ſinner under endleſs torment of ſoul and body. God hates nothing but ſin, and for ſin, and ſo hates it, that infinite endleſs wrath muſt be the vengeance of it. Oh, when God gives a ſinner a glimpſe of this! Oh the greatneſs of every little ſin to deſerve ſuch wrath! How ſhall I flee from and eſcape the wrath to come? who can ſtand before ſuch wrath, who can bear it?
12. The way of any ſinner's deliverance from ſuch wrath, ſhews ſin to be exceeding great, in the price and ranſome that is paid for the ſalvation of him from his ſins, the price of the blood of the eternal ſon of God. How great was ſin, how ſinful and damnable the nature of it in the eye of the righteous God, when juſtice could not be ſatisfied but by ſuch a way? Oh, ſaith a poor ſoul that comes for pardon, what a damnable thing is ſin, which was once nothing to me, that redemption from it is at ſuch a rate! God had no greater a price to give, then what he layd down to ſave a wretched ſinner from his ſin. Oh, 'twas great ſin that muſt crucifie the Lord of life and glory: therefore doth my ſoul hate it.
13. Laſtly, This conſideration alſo greatens ſin, in- as much as a poor creature hath drawn and tempted others to ſin with him, ſpecially ſuch as have lived more vainly & looſly, & it lies hard upon many a poor ſoul after thorough conviction. Oh, how many have I drawn to ſin, not only by my example, but encouragement and perſwaſion, that may be now in hell for ſuch ſins, or are under a ſtate of impenitency, and hardned by me. Oh this is an abaſing conſideration, to a poor convinced, humbled ſinner, when God ſmites his heart with it.
Uſe 1. Before we go further, let us labour to apply this to the conſciences of all. I have ſhewed you, the matter we are upon, is the weightieſt that ever took up Gods heart, the pardoning of a ſinner; and therefore, how ſhould it ſwallow up the hearts of poor undone ſouls that are ſo infinitely concern'd in it (I beſeech you therefore, lay to your hearts what hath been ſpoken as to the greatneſs of ſin; And conſider, If ſouls that come to God by Chriſt for pardon, ſee their ſins as great ſins, and 'tis their great trouble that they cannot ſee them greater;
Firſt then, This may ſerve to take off that woful deceit of heart, and deluſion of the Devil of poor careleſs ſouls that dream of pardon, and yet never in any meaſure thus ſaw their ſins as great; This ſhews the heart was never touched of God, never ſmitten for ſin as yet; This is the way indeed of unpardoned ſinners, they are leſſening their ſins to God and themſelves, finding out circumſtances to leſſen them, of others tempting them, and the Devil, and the like, and, many or moſt of men or women allow themſelves in the ſame, or they were overtaken, or the like; they think they can eaſily pacifie God again, and that God makes not ſo great a matter of it; thus a deceitful heart and a cheating Devil juggle together, and ſooth Conſcience in a damnable peace; And ſuch ſouls call their great reigning ſins their infirmity, and God will not be ſo exact, as ſome of the Preachers make him; here's a ſinner riverted in a curſed eſtate. But now take a ſoul whom God (as I ſhall ſhew) hath made ſenſible of ſin, and the weight of pardon, and comes to the feet of the Lord for it; 'tis quite otherwiſe. Oh, my ſins, wretch that I was and am, were little ſins to me before, but now they are great ſins; I called it my infirmity to lye, ſwear, profane the Sabboth, allow my ſelf in any exceſs; but now I ſee 'twas reigning ſin, ſoul-damning ſin, great, oh great ſin; Oh that I am out of hell! Oh the patience of God! Is there mercy for ſuch a wretch? What a wonder will it be if I get to Heaven? How great will that mercy be that pardons me?
2. Therefore, in the ſecond place, examine how it is with you? and whether you have had ſome ſuch workings of heart; Have you been before the Lord in David's poſture, Oh, mine iniquity is great, Oh I have ſinned againſt a great God, wearied great patience, turned great mercies into ſin. Oh I have ſinned againſt great light, How ſhall I be pardoned? Sins continued in, and multiplyed from my youth up, and theſe againſt ſerious purpoſes, under the reign of it; there's an infinite fountain of all evil within me. If I have been any way reſtrained, no thanks to my own heart for it. Oh, ſaith a poor ſoul, I was led by the Devil, befool'd by the Devil, ſerved the Devil againſt God; And now, what can I challenge at the hands of God? What belongs to me but wrath, great wrath, everlaſting wrath, infinite wrath? If one ſin deſerves a thouſand hells, what do innumerable tranſgreſſions do? If mercy be not infinite, how ſhall I look up to God, or how ſhall God look down upon me? Oh, I ſay, let your Conſcience anſwer; hath it been thus, in ſome good and real meaſure, though not ſo deep as your ſoul deſires. I know there are degrees, and I alſo know till God come to let out Himſelf in ſuch a way as this, that ſin is ☞ great, and greater in mine eye then ever, we make but ſlight work of it in out ſpirits: want of this makes many in theſe dayes run away with pleaſant notions of Grace, Chriſt, Light, (though bleſſed be the Lord for ever, for the more glorious Revelation of all theſe, but I ſpeak of abuſes) but ſin was never great by the appearance of God, and ſo they wanton with ſuch notions which at laſt weare off, and ſo they come to nothing, but a reproach to the Goſpel.
3. In the third place, therefore, let it ſerve to exhort ſinners to look back upon your lives, even from your youth up: you may find one more of the diſcoveries mentioned of the greatneſſe of ſin, that you will fall under; ſpecially ſuch as have bin given to the profaneſſe and vanities of the age you live in, lying, ſwearing, profaning of the Sabbath, to riot, ungodly paſtimes and ſports, reviling the godly, or other more ſecret wickedneſſes and pollutions; any of which may be ſpeak thee in a ſtate of ſin and wrath, joyned with thy living in the neglect of known duties, upon which neglect God hath pronounced a curſe, as the neglect of ſecret or Family-prayer, Jer. 10. ult.
Or if thou haſt not been engaged in groſſe ſins, but haſt bin ſober and well carriaged from thy youth up, yet thou mayſt be ſtill in a state of ſin, but go a little more ſoberly to hell, and in more danger of being damned in thy civill ſober carriage then great ſinners; with which thou art apt to compare thy ſelf, and ſeeing thy ſelf not ſo bad as them, thinkeſt all is well; But remember well, what hath bin proved, that ſin is greater in the Fountain, then the ſtreames, though it make a greater noiſe or ſhew to others in the ſtreame of ones life; thou haſt a Hell in thy nature, an infinite fountaine of any wickedneſſe, that ever any of the Sons or Daughters of men did commit, An Idolater, An Adulterer, A Murderer, A Sodomite, A devil in thy heart and whole frame, thy nature; In a word, one ſin, which thou callſt little, reigning but in thy heart, and cheriſhed there is enough to ſend thee to hell, as if thou wert the veryeſt reprobate living. Remember, the ſame Paul, that thought himſelf a blameleſſe man, Philip. 3.6. afterwards cryes out, of exceeding ſinfulneſſe, Rom. 7.13. yea the greateſt, the chief of ſinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. But I hope to meet with thee, and with thy conſcience, as to this conviction, more hereafter.
The next inquiry will be, when a poor ſoul may be ſaid to be under ſuch a diſcovery of the greatnes of ſin, as may lead him to get pardon through Jeſus Chriſt.
1. One diſcovery I have named already; which is, ſuch a ſoul doth not go about to leſſen his ſin, but greaten it to his greater abaſement; tis his fear he doth not ſee his ſin great enough, to lay him low enough before the Lord.
2. When ſuch a ſight and diſcovery of ſin, it begets trouble upon the ſpirit; In Pſal. 38. you have David under a great diſcovery of ſin, and he cryes out, there is no rest in my bones, becauſe of my ſin, I am troubled, I am bowed down, I go mourning all the day; ſuch a trouble, that will not admit of peace and healing but from Jeſus Chriſt, till it can take hold of Jeſus Chriſt in a promiſe of grace and pardon, and come to him, and cloſe with him, to be juſtified and Sanctified by him and in him; as I am at large to ſhew, if God will. I ſpeak this, becauſe there is a trouble for ſin, that often ends in a more dangerous peace: many poor creatures have for a time bin troubled for ſin, and they have made one ſhift or other to quiet themſelves, it may be leave their ſins, and do a little ſomething more, but never come in a Goſpel way to Chriſt; which I am alſo (through grace) to evidence in the diſcovery of a falſe converſion. However, ſo it is, that every ſoul that is unbottomed from a falſe peace, a peace in ſin, or his duties, he comes under trouble, more or leſſe, in and for his ſin, as he gets to pardon.
3. God ſmites a ſoul for ſome ſpeciall particular ſin; Jer. 3.13. Only acknowledge thine iniquity that thou haſt tranſgreſſed against the Lord thy God, and haſt ſcattered thy wayes under every green tree, &c. Generall acknowledgment of ſins, comes to nothing, 'tis the the note of a Hypocrite; but particular ſins lying upon the ſoul, ſpeak forth ſpirituall convictions, when joyned, I mean, with other workings of heart we are now ſetting forth.
4. As God ſmites, ſo the ſinner is in particular confeſſion before the Lord, loads his heart with ſin, till it breaks.
Object. But who will not confeſſe himſelf a ſinner, you will ſay?
Anſw. Truly few, in a Scripture ſaving ſenſe; A word or two more to this; That confeſſion of ſin before the Lord is a duty, and ſuch as hath the promiſe of forgiveneſſe of ſin, (the iſſue of all we are driving at), ſuch places of Scripture will clear, Pſal. 32. I acknowledged my ſin 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; Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his ſins ſhall not proſper, but he that confeſſeth and forſaketh them, ſhall find mercy; If we confeſſe our ſins he is faithfull and juſt, to forgive us our ſins, 1 John 1.9. This being a duty to which ſo bleſſed promiſes are annexed, 'tis of much concernment to ſouls that are very ſerious about forgiveneſſe to have it ſtated aright, according to Scripture and ſaving Experience.
There is a confeſſion of ſin, that doth not entitle to the promiſe; which a hypocrite may reach to; ſo Pharaoh, Exod. 9.27. I have ſinned this time, the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked; here's confeſſion but no pardon; ſo Judas, Math. 27.3, 4. I have ſinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood; ſo Saul, 1 Sam. 15.29. I have ſinned, for I have tranſgreſſed the Commandement of the Lord; Here are verball inforced confeſſions when the hand of God was upon them, and yet did not end in mercy.
The confeſſion of a Hypocrite proceeds only from judgment felt or feared; but that which is ſincere and ends in mercy & pardon, goes upon better grounds.
1. As firſt, Confeſſion that hath the promiſe of pardon, is accompanied with hatred of ſin. So in that bleſſed draught of the new Covenant, Ezek. 36. I will ſave you from your uncleanneſſes, &c. verſe 29. and verſe 31. Then ſhall you remember your own evil wayes, and your doings that were not good, and ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Then, when God comes in a way of mercy and pardon, then, God will make them remember their wickedneſſes, that they had even forgotten, and had thought that God had forgotten them alſo: they thought they were good ways before, but now the Lord ſhews them they were not good, and they loath themſelves: ſin is not onelyonly a terrour, but a loathſome thing to them, hateful to the ſoul that is under this conviction.
2. Whence, ſecondly, Saving confeſſion reſpects the pollution of ſin. They ſhall loath themſelves, &c. That thou mayeſt remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, becauſe of thy ſhame, when I am pacified towards thee; In that 38. Pſal. David is in ſelf-loathing; this doth ariſe (as preſently I ſhall ſhew) from a glimpſe of Gods holineſs, which I humbly conceive, ☞No reprobate in the world doth reach to; to loath ſin becauſe it makes him an unholy Creature.
3. It followes therefore that ſuch confeſſion drives ſin to the root, to the fountain, there ſees it moſt abominable, odious, infinite. So David, Pſal. 51.5. I was ſhapen in iniquity, &c. A Hypocrites confeſſion ends in outward groſſe ſins, from terrour onelyonly, and reacheth not to heart-ſin, pollution of nature; and if he can reach to reforme ſuch outward groſſe ſins, he hath done, as he thinks, the utmoſt, but never comes to loath, (and ſo to mortifie, through the ſpirit), ſin at the root: but ſincere ſouls, touched by the holy Ghoſt, with a ſaving ſenſe of ſin, do drive ſin home to its originall, to its root, in the univerſall corruption of heart and nature, and there the ſevereſt edge and indignation againſt it, is let forth.
4. Brokeneſs of heart for ſin is an effect of ſuch confeſſion, Pſal. 51, 17. Iſa. 61.1. & 57, 15. And this ariſeth upon ſenſe of Gods patience, goodneſs, love; As hatred of the pollution of ſin, ariſeth from a ſight of Gods holines; Pharaoh cryes out, he had ſinned when he ſmarted with puniſhment, but was ſtill under the plague of his hard heart, Exod. 9.27, & 34. There is indeed, a kind of brokenneſſe that the hammerings of terrour, by puniſhments, or by the word, may worke, which may a little wear and rough-hew the heart, and yet go no further, but yet leave the heart under its naturall hardneſſe, but now that which is the ſpirits ſaving work kindly melts the heart, makes it ſoft, and ſo it can powre out it ſelf to God, as a thing melted, in heart-melting confeſſions; at leaſt, the poor ſoul, mourns over the hardneſſe of its heart, oh that I have thus ſinned, and yet my heart will not break? bleſſed be every ſtroak, and every word of God, and every Ordinance, that, though grace, breaks my heart more; A ſincere ſoul ſets a high price upon brokenneſſe, and yet reſts not in it, &c.
5. Such confeſſion that hath the promiſe is accompanied with ſoul-abaſement; He that humbleth himſelf, ſhall be exalted, Luke 18.14. ſpoken upon the Publicans acceptance with God in his confeſſion, under brokeneſſe, ſmiting upon his breaſt, and deep abaſement, not lifting up his eyes to heaven: So that great promiſe, 2 Chron. 7.14. If my people ſhall humble themſelves, and pray and ſeek my face, and turn from their wicked wayes, then will I hear from Heaven, & will forgive their ſins; This a work of the narroweſt ſearch of any other. I intend, if the Lord will, to ſpeak to this more diſtinctly and fully, in another diſcourſe. Only now a word of ſuch a humiliation as is joyned with ſuch confeſſion, that hath the promiſe of pardon, which is the ſcope we drive at.
1. When the ſoul is in confeſſion, and under the Lords humblings in order to pardon, The poor Creature acknowledgeth himſelf infinitely unworthy that ever the Lord ſhould caſt a look upon him, or give out mercy and pardon to him: This concluſion is fixed upon the ſoul, and the ſoul falls down abaſed in the ſence of it, what ever the Lord do with me, I will lay my mouth in the duſt, I am worthy of nothing from the Lord, but a thouſand Hells; this quiets the heart in ſome meaſure, what ever the pleaſure of the Lord be towards him.
2. As the poor ſinfull Creature is worthy of nothing, ſo he will give glory to God, if God never pardon; God is never the leſſe righteous, or holy, wiſe, or good, if he never let out one drop of mercy upon ſo vile a Creature: yet he is a God bleſſed for ever; Thou art holy, ſaith David, Pſal. 22.3. But I am a worme, and no man, verſe 6. A worm ſit for God, and man to tread upon, and yet muſt not riſe up againſt God, nor ſay to him, what doſt thou? no Man: I have un-man'd my ſelf with ſin, I am duſt and vanity it ſelf, vile duſt; that's my make, my frame: oh I muſt give glory to his juſtice, though I periſh for ever.
3. The poor Creature hath no good, no not the leaſt, to procure pardon, or to move God to pardon, Pſal. 14.3. Saith, a poor humbled ſoul treating for pardon, if mercy and pardon muſt come forth upon termes of my good, having or doing any thing, but what hath infinitely ſin enough in it to damn me for ever; aſſuredly to Hell I muſt: No, ſin enough to ſend a world of ſouls to Hell, but not a drop of good to move the Lord to mercy. If God give our mercy upon a ſight of good, I exſpect not a drop from him.
4. It followes from hence when a ſinner comes humbled, he comes as nothing elſe but a ſinner: Luke 18.13. God be mercifull to me a ſinner: one, thats nothing elſe but a wretched ſinner, for ſo the Publican means it, as in a contrary frame to the Phariſee, who thanks God that he was not ſo bad as many were, though the Phariſee no doubt would acknowledge ſome ſin, but now the Publican is All a ſinner, in as bad a condition as any ſinner in the world: ☞ Here's a touchſtone: poor ſouls in theſe dayes, they hope they have not ſo much need of Chriſt, as many great ſinners, they be not nothing elſe but ſinners, they have or do ſome good; The diſcuſſion of this, will be the next diſcourſe, only now a word more; Know ſinner, that one ſin ſtrikes off all thy pretended good, as ſhall at large, through mercy, be proved to thee: ſtick to one drop of good in thee or from thee, when thou comeſt for mercy and pardon, and thou loſeſt all: oh to be wholly condemned, wholly unrighteous, wholly a ſinner, is a great work; tis the moſt diſtinguiſhing conviction of any other. While a man hath any thing to live upon, he is not fit to beg; ſo while a ſoul hath a drop of any thing, that in his own ſenſe, may the more admit him to pardon, he cannot have it. Take it thus: If one came to your doors and beg, and he hath good Cloaths on his back, and he ſhould ſay, I have good Cloaths on my back, I have ſomething of my own, therefore I pray Give me: would you not anſwer, if you have ſomething of your own, & are pretty well cloathed, why ſhould you beg; tis not for you to come and ask almes? But if a poor naked wretch come, and ſay & cry: oh I am a poor creature, a poor naked deſtitute creature, I have nothing, all's gone, I have loſt all, pray cover me, pray feed me, out of great pity; you will look upon ſuch a poor wretch, and do ſomething for him, if you have any bowels; So, if a ſinner, (as that Phariſee did) come and ſay, Lord I have done this and this, I have not been ſo wicked as many, I do ſome good, therefore pardon; that therefore will make the Lord ſend thee away without mercy: no ſaith God, live upon what thou haſt, if thou haſt any thing; Oh ſinner thou art not fit to beg, (to beg mercy and pardon) till thou haſt juſt nothing of thy own: which the naturall pride of thy heart will very hardly come off to.
5. In the way of mens tribunalls of Juſtice, and Courts of life and death; If a Malefactor be condemned by the Law, and he yet plead, Though I am proved a thief or a murderer, yet I have kept the reſt of the Law, I have broken no Law of the Nation that deſerves death beſide, ſhall not this rather juſtify me, then this crime condemn me; No, ſaith the Judge, That's nothing to us, though thou haſt kept the Law in other things, thou muſt dye by the Law, as a trangreſſour of it, for this thou haſt done: why then, ſaith the condemned perſon, I muſt plead all mercy. Juſt ſo it is at the tribunal of God; comes a poor ſoul that is convinced he hath ſinn'd, oh but ſaith he in his heart, I have kept the Law in many or moſt things, will not that commend me to God? will not God look upon my good more then my evil? No, ſaith God in his word, thou haſt broken the Law, and thou art curſed, therefore the Law can ſhew thee no mercy, I can take no notice of any of thy pretended keeping of it in any other thing; oh then, muſt a poor ſinner ſay, then it muſt be all, all of mercy, if I am ever pardoned; this may be enough to diſcover ſuch a humiliation that follows confeſſion that hath the promiſe of pardon, and doth alſo further evidence the main point, which is to ſet forth, when a Sinner ſo ſees his ſin, as great ſin in order to pardon.
6. One thing more, which I ſhall but mention; ſuch a confeſſion of ſin as hath the promiſe of mercy, is accompanied with a firm reſolution, through grace, to forſake ſin, every ſin, in heart and life; He that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſins, ſhall find mercy, Prov. 28. as before. Mark well that famous promiſe, Eſay 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon; here's forſaking wayes and thoughts; ſins of heart and life, and not a forſaking or leaving of ſome great ſins, but forſaking and warring againſt a ſinfull diſpoſition, ſinfull thoughts, and not onelyonly a mere leaving of ſin, but a returning to the Lord, which he cannot do, if held under the love of but one ſin; and a turning to God only upon the account of free mercy, and then God abundantly pardons: A good word ſuited to a poor ſoul, under the ſenſe of ſinning abundantly, therefore need of abundance of mercy and pardon.
Uſe 4. Therefore the next Uſe will be, of Examination: Have you bin under ſuch a trouble, as before opened, about ſin and the pardon of it? ſuch a trouble that would not be quieted but by claſping about Jeſus Chriſt; hath the Lord ſmitten you with the deep ſenſe of a particular ſin, your boſome ſin, and thereby bin brought to a deep ſenſe of the evil of all ſin? Have you been upon your knees, your faces, in as particular a confeſſion as your could, hating, loathing, ſin and your ſelves in it? Oh have you driven ſin to the root, the fountain! oh there's a Hell of it within? Say, do you know what it is to have broken hearts under the weight of ſin, and the ſenſe of the patience, grace, and love of God, held forth to you in Jeſus Chriſt. Do you know what ſoul-abaſement is, acknowledging in confuſion of face, that you are worthy of nothing from the Lord for ever? not ſo much as a glimpſe of mercy, a good look from him, becauſe you have ſo ſinned againſt him? Have you glorified God though he never pardon you? and is he holy and bleſſed, though you are baniſhed from him for ever? Have you been ſo reduced to ſee that there's not the leaſt atome of good to commend you to the Lord? and ſo layn down as nothing elſe but a ſinnerr before him? Thouſands of ſins to damne thee, but not a drop of righteouſneſſe to cover thee; and ſo creep to the ſeat of mercy, infinite, free mercy? yea haſt thou ſeen and felt the difficulty of ſuch a ſelf-emptines, that thou wouldſt rather part with all thy ſinne, then thy righteouneſſe; yea rather be righteous and holy, than be humble and empty; ☞ A poor ſoul would take up from ſin, upon conviction of the damnableneſſe of it, and be more righteous and holy, but to be reduced firſt to Nothing, nothing elſe but a poor, vile, unrighteous, weak, empty creature, and ſo to Chriſt; here the pride of heart ſticks. Now ſoul, be narrow and cloſe in the ſearch of this; for faile here, and fail in all. But I intend a larger diſcourſe to further this Conviction.
Uſe 5. Let it exhort you that have never bin under any trouble about your ſin and the pardon of it, that you do dot ward off, and get from under ſuch convincing, ſearching, words that may trouble you: many poor ſinfull Creatures reſolve they will never hearken to ſuch a word as ſhall trouble them; and cannot bear ſuch preaching as would trouble their conſciences; One word with you; Why ſoul, Haſt thou bin diſhonouring God, abuſing his patience and mercy, tranſgreſſing his holy Commands, ſlighting his grace, and yet thou muſt not be troubled for it? wilt thou have thouſands of ſins upon thy ſoul, unpardoned, and tread upon the brink of Hell every ſtep thou goeſt, and not be troubled about it? It ſeems then thou reſolveſt not to trouble thy ſelf much about that petty buſineſſe (as thou makeſt it) of being damned for ever, or ſaved for ever? No, nothing about ſin, guilt, pardon, heaven, and hell, muſt trouble thee? Alas, poor deluded creature, what a care is there to get to hell peaceably; for never any one got to heaven ſo, that was never troubled about getting his ſins pardoned: Away, away with ſuch a curſed peace, and let it now trouble thee that thou haſt put off this work ſo long, that ſin and thy ſoul have bin at ſuch a peace ſo long. Be now at a profeſſed war againſt it, and take part with the Lord and his word, that is teaching thee how yet to arive at the bleſſed haven of peace, not with ſin, but with the bleſſed God, againſt whom thou haſt ſo greatly ſinned; Oh look unto him to ſmite a hard ſecure heart, to ſtrike at a boſome helliſh luſt, for whoſe peace thou haſt ſo long, and ſo fooliſhly contended: yea go in ſecret, and fall down before the great God, particularly confeſſing and ſhaming thy ſelf, haring, loathing, humbling, till thou cry out, as David here, Oh pardon; what a great matter tis for any poor ſoul to be pardoned? Now, great mercy for a great ſinner, or I am loſt for ever. Out-ſinned pardon thou haſt not, if thou comeſt in this poſture to God for it.
But you may further enquire, how doth God bring a poor ſoul to this paſſe, to ſuch a deep ſenſe of ſin, ſuch a ſight of himſelf, ſo as to be thus before the the Lord, in ſelf-loathing, and abaſement. I intend alſo, if God will, a fuller and ſet-diſcourſe as to this matter: Only now a word; (1.) When a ſoul is brought to this paſſe, God lets out an appearance of himſelf in meaſure, upon a poor creature, ſuch a glimpſe of light and purity, that makes the creature fall down, and cry out, oh I am vile, vile as the duſt I tread on? (2.) God gives out his ſpirit in the word, which convinceth, and ſearcheth the ſoul, ſhewes it its condition, ſtate, ſin, the damnableneſſe and pollution of it, the greatneſſe of it, as was ſhewed: The ſpirit opens the holineſs and ſpirituality of the Law, Rom. 7.9. and ſhewes the ſinner as in glaſſe what he is; The ſpirit gives a ſight of Jeſus Chriſt peirced with the ſins of ſuch as will come unto him, Zach. 12.10. Theſe do cauſe loathing and bitterneſſe upon the ſoul of a poor ſinner, drawing near to the Lord for pardon.
Therefore 'tis great wiſdome to be where God ſpeakes, where God appeares, where God gives out his ſpirit, which is uſually in the word preacht powerfully, among the Saints meetings; or ſetting thy ſelf in ſecret to muſe and ponder about an eternall condition, or when the afflicting hand of God is upon thee; do not ſay, I am not ſo great a ſinner as to make ſo much a do about pardon, or heaven, if that be thy temper, thou art the moſt likely to be in the road-way of hell, in a peace that will end in woes and ſorrows, of any ſoul in the world. Oh wait for Gods appearance, and every little ſin will be great, a hell of ſin within thee, though outwardly civil and ſober; wait for the Spirit in the Word, and go, and pray for it. 'Tis one thing to know ſin by the Letter of the Law, which commands this, and forbids that, and another thing to know, ſee, feel ſin, and the infinite evil of it, the exceeding ſinfulneſs and pollution of it, by the conviction of the Spirit; ſo as to ſee it moſt in the fountain, in thy nature, and there loath and bewail it, becauſe it makes thee unclean, and unholy, and unlike God, and unfit for God and holy communion with him: which is the way and moſt certain evidence of the Spirits ſaving conviction of ſin, (as diſtinguiſhing from that which a hypocrite may have) and carries a ſoul to the fountain opened, Zach. 13.1. that its iniquity may be thoroughly cleanſed.
Uſe 6. If ſinners that come to God for mercy & pardon ſee their ſin as great, then it will alſo follow that great ſinners may be pardoned & ſaved; You that are great ſinners, old ſinners, Oh hearken to this, you are yet within the reach of grace, and mercy, and pardon, if you will come to Jeſus Chriſt for it, the greatneſs of your ſin is no barr to you; but, if you fail of pardon, 'tis becauſe you will not come to Chriſt for it, and accept it upon Goſpel-terms; you will not have pardon with a new heart and new life; or you make a ſlight matter of pardon, or you think 'twill come of courſe; or you are afraid to enter into a ſerious review and debate with your ſelves, becauſe your ſins are ſo great, they will terrifie you, or take you off your pleaſure and peace of your minds, and joy in the world; Away, away, with any of theſe pleas; though, thou haſt ſinned much, greatly, long, with all thy might, come to Jeſus Chriſt, & thoſe great ſins are no more before his blood to waſh them away then the leaſt ſin (if any be little) that ever was committed and pardoned, Eſay 1.18. Do not hence ſay ſecurely, Oh 'tis well, that great ſinners may be pardoned, I ever thought ſo, what need ſo much ado? Do not thus harden thy ſelf, and make ſuch a curſed uſe of ſo bleſſed a truth; but therefore come in, lay down thy weapons with which thou haſt been fighting againſt God; Wilt thou hold up rebellion, and yet cry pardon? Is it equitable thou ſhouldſt expect it? No, fall down at the feet of that God againſt whom thou haſt ſo greatly ſinned, in the poſture hath been ſhewed thee; and then though ſin hath abounded, yet grace doth much more abound, Rom. 5. laſt. Great ſinners have become great Saints, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were ſome of you? who were they? Idolaters, Adulterers, Revilers, Sodomites, &c. and ſuch like. You that have been ſuch like, God may have as much glory in your pardon, as he hath had diſhonour by your ſin: only be not ſuch a Devil to thy ſelf, as to turn thy back upon it, and when thou haſt thus long rebelled, to tell God, he muſt ſtay thy leaſure for thy acceptance of his pardon, thy ſins are too ſweet to leave as yet; I tell thee, ſoul, and I have ſhew'd it, that Gods pardons coſt him dear, and are precious; and if thou deal thus, they may be lockt up in Heaven from thy wretched ſoul to all eternity. Who, but a deſperate wretch, but would take mercy and grace from Heaven, that may make him bleſſed for ever, when God offers it, by his dear Son, let thy ſins be never ſo great? why, wretched man, or woman, Haſt thou not done God wrong enough already,! but muſt thou ſtay yet longer in thy curſed ſin, and wrong him yet more? Haſt not done enough already to damn a thouſand ſouls, but wouldſt do more, and make as ſure of hell as thou canſt? I beſeech thee, ſinner, great ſinner, young or old, do not put me off, nay, do not put the Lord off, with a pardon in his hand, a promiſe of grace ready to be ſealed by the Holy-ghoſt; if thou wilt now, from thy ſoul, readily ſay, why then, be it ſo, Lord Jeſus I come to thee; If the tearms be leaving all this deceitful ſin, and to be made like unto thee, be it ſo, I accept of it, tear my luſts from my heart, I have ſerved them long enough, too long; Oh now, if there be any mercy in Heaven let me have it, ſave me, (not in,) but from my ſins; Oh Lord, for they are great, great indeed; I will, ſaith the Lord, and he ſpeaks it in Ezek. 36.29. I will ſave you from all your uncleaneſſes; 'tis as much as if the Lord ſhould have now ſpoken it from Heaven: mark every tittle in ſuch a promiſe! Now thou cryeſt, Oh, will, will the Lord ſave? I will, ſaith the Lord; Oh but, will he ſave me from ſuch uncleanneſſes, yea, from uncleanneſſes; what from All? yea, from All thy uncleanneſſes; fall down and Adore, and cry out, Oh grace, free, rich, infinite, glorious grace; admire Angels, Saints, ſinners, Behold one of Gods wonders, A great ſinner ſaved.
Uſe 7. And ſo ſeventhly, it may ſerve to exhort bleſſed ſouls brought into a ſtate of peace and pardon, ſtill to keep an eye upon the greatneſs of mercy; If mercy were not great, how could any ſin be forgiven? Thus this bleſſed man David, is breathing forth, Bleſſed is he whoſe iniquities are forgiven, Oh bleſs the Lord, Oh my ſoul, who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Oh how great is thy mercy towards me, and thou haſt delivered my ſoul from the loweſt hell: So ſhould pardoned, called, redeemed ſouls ſee themſelves call'd and taken out of hell it ſelf: out of a hell of abominations, pollutions, wrath, under which they were faſt held by the powers of darkneſs. Say, did ever ſuch a ſoul get to Heaven? ſhall I not be the wonder of Heaven and hell, how I got to Heaven, and eſcaped that wrath in which thouſands that were better then I are now plunged? there's no other reaſon but becauſe mercy is great, greater then the greatneſs of ſin; with which I ſhall conclude the ſecond Point, namely, When ſinners come on to find pardon, they ſee their ſins great.
Obſ. 3. The great reaſon of Gods pardoning a ſinner; and the plea that a poor convinced ſinner hath with God, is, that he will pardon for his own Names ſake.
For thy Names ſake, Oh Lord, pardon &c.
That is, not for any worth that is in a poor creature, not for my ſake, but for thy own glories ſake, thy mercies ſake; grace and mercy will be hereby glorified. God gets himſelf a Name by the pardoning of a poor ſinner, that Name which he proclaims to Moſes, Exod. 34.6. — The Lord merciful, and gracious, &c. Now, God hath given forth the ground of this plea in the New Covenant, where his Name is thus made moſt glorious. And when He had given forth a brief and bleſſed draught of the tenour of the New Covenant, Ezek. 36.21. &c. The Lord gives out this as the great reaſon, often mentioned, why he would take ſuch a way of making another Covenant, where in he wills all, undertakes all, does all, works all, as reſolved it ſhould be a Covenant, and a way of grace that ſhould ſurely hold: he gives out this, I ſay, as the ground of all, I had pity for mine own holy Name, ver. 21. Thus ſaith the Lord God, I do not this for your ſakes, but for mine holy Names ſake, ver. 22. I will ſanctifie my great Name, ver. 23. And when the Lord had ſhewed what he would do for the poor Jewes in ſpecial, and ſo for all ſinners taken into Covenant with him, that he would ſprinkle clean water upon them, cleanſe them from their ſins give them a new heart, put his Spirit upon them, write his Laws in their hearts, and ſo take them to be his people, he again concludes with the ſame ground as before, that all this was ſtill for his own Name, ver. 32. Not for your ſakes do I do this, be it known unto you, &c. And yet, that he would as certainly and fully do it, as if all the engagements from man in the world had been upon him, as undoubtedly make good every part and article of the Covenant, he adds, ver. 36. I the Lord have ſpoken it, and I will do it; you may ſafely abide by it; Neither ſhould his grace and power come hardly from him (as poor doubting ſouls ſurmiſe) as if 'twere as much as ever the Lord could do, to give out mercy and grace to poor ſinners; but, ſaith the bleſſed God, in another place upon the ſame account, having given out the promiſes of grace in the New Covenant, Jer. 32.37. and ſo on, He ſubjoyns,— I will do it with my whole heart, and my whole ſoul; mark it, poor ſouls, with my whole ſoul, will I pardon you, love you, never turn away from you to do you good, and never ſuffer you to turn away from me. If poor weak ſouls (for whoſe ſake I put it) ſhould here ask, What is this Covenant, what do you mean by it? I have at large opened this to you; only, a word here. God at firſt; when he made man, agreed with man to be his God, to give him life for ever; upon theſe tearms, that man would keep the Law that God gave him, which God alſo writ in his heart, and 'twas a Law that would have given all glory to the Creator, preſerved the creature in a holy and bleſſed order, and been a bleſſing to the whole Creation; but man tranſgreſſing here, the bleſſed God, from his own good pleaſure, for his Names ſake, gives out another Agreement, or Covenant, provides in it tearms of reconciliation, for the firſt breach of the firſt Covenant, ſends his eternal bleſſed Son Jeſus Chriſt, to be a Mediatour of this new agreement, gives him Commiſſion to offer it to all, and that freely; and to let the World know, that if any ſinner in the world, never ſo great, come and put up his plea, make his claim, enter his claim, accept of this Covenant and new agreement with God, accept of the tearms of it, give up himſelf mutually to God back again; then will God be his God, and that upon better tearms then before with Adam, pardon, own, love, bleſſe, unite to himſelf, never ſuffer him to fall, mercy built upon an unmoveable foundation, The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, 2 Tim. 2.19.
This briefly is the meaning of the New Covenant, upon which all our mercy is built; now from firſt to laſt, from the firſt to the top ſtone of it, from Election to Glory, all is done and made good for the Lords own glorious Names ſake. Souls elected, the Covenant tranſacted between God and Chriſt, Jeſus Chriſt ſent, the ſinner called, forgiven, juſtified, ſanctified, adopted, kept, glorified, All for his Names ſake; See the promiſes running thus, in moſt places, Eſay 43.25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions. Why? for my own ſake; Purge away our ſins for thy Names ſake. Pſa. 79.9. This is the bottome of all.
Now, becauſe the further clearing of this bleſſed truth is my deſign, through grace, in the next diſcourſe; I ſhall ſpeak but a word more by way of uſe only.
Uſe 1. If it be thus, that what ever God gives out to poor ſouls, is for his own Names ſake, that this is the plea a poor ſinner hath; let it then be for your information and inſtruction, that you have no other plea to be heard in Heaven but this, (the plea of Jeſus Chriſt being upon the ſame bottom) Dont make a ſorry pile of carnal duties and works, and ſay for the ſake of theſe, Lord do me good, and pardon where I have failed; the Lord may ſend fire from Heaven to conſume thee and them, becauſe of their pollution, and that 'tis a curſed offering, but never hear thee, and bleſſe thee upon ſuch a plea; No, no, ſay in thy ſoul, and that from full conviction, If ever I have any thing from God on this ſide hell, it muſt be for his own Names ſake; I expect, I plead, I wait, upon no other ground.
Uſe 2. If the Lord's Names ſake be the only plea for grace, then let poor ſinners drawing near to God by Jeſus Chriſt be perſwaded that 'tis a good plea, and moſt acceptable before the Lord. Now this is the way of the heart of poor creatures, from rooted ſelf-love & pride; we think, if God could give out good unto us for our ſakes it were ſomething; if there were any thing to be beheld in us that were commendable to the Lord, I could go with ſome confidence; but ſeeing 'tis thus, that I am nothing elſe but vile before him, how can I go to him? with what face? or, how can he give out unto me? Sinner; be as low as thou wilt or canſt; but reaſon not ſo with thy ſelf. If God can as freely, as fully do thee good, all good, for his own Names ſake, and hath thereby the more glory by it; Why ſhouldſt thou ſo ſtand upon thy tearms with God, and not be as willing, as contented, to accept of mercy, all mercy, for Gods own Names ſake, as well as for thy ſake? 'Tis thy pride, be it known unto thee ſinner, as humble as thou thinkeſt thou art, and not thy lowlineſs; know, for thy comfort, God can more readily, eaſily, do thy ſoul good, upon the tearms he now is, for his own ſake; and ſo the thing be done, thy ſoul pardoned, bleſſed, ſaved, and all ſhall end in everlaſting love upon thee, let the Lord have all the glory, though thou haſt nothing to boaſt of for thy own ſake. And yet alſo know, that when the Lord ſaith, he doth it for his own ſake, he doth not exclude that he hath no reſpect and love unto thee; but that the great and higheſt motive with God was, and is, his own Name, his own glorious grace, why he ever had a thought of good to an undone creature; that there was no motive in the creature, unleſs miſery, which is no glory; but all is done, given, eſtated upon ſouls, undone, poor ſinners freely, for his own ſake.
3. Let it exhort ſouls to make uſe of this plea, therefore, and that with great, though humble confidence; It never failed poor ſouls ſince the world was, that made uſe of it: when they were low and helpleſs, and eyed and pleaded mercy for mercies ſake, they had it, and never went away but bleſſed.