The Parable of the Prodigal, Part 7

The Parable of the Prodigal · Part 7

p. 156LUKE 15. 20

And he aroſe and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father ſaw him, and had compaſſion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kiſſed him.

Theſe words contein in them two parts,

1. The real practice of Repentance; which conſiſts not in a bare Reſolution, but in a ſincere Execution (I will ariſe, ſaid the Prodigal) this was Motus volentis; (and he did ariſe,) this was opus penitentis. I will go to my father; and here [He aroſe and came to his father.]

2. The comfortable iſſue of real Repentance [But when he was yet a great way off, &c.] Wherein you have conſiderable, 1. The quick obſervation of this penitents Father, [His father ſaw him, yea, when he was yet a great way off:] Even in this ſenſe God ſees our thoughts afar off; God many times is unwilling to ſee the ſinner, but he is at all times very willing to eſpy the penitent. 2. His preſent commiſeration, [His father ſaw him, and had compaſſion on him] Wicked men look on a penitent with deriſion; penitent perſons p. 157look on themſelves with abomination, but God looks on them with compaſſion: he looks on the penitent ſinner with a pitiful affection: When Ephraim repented, and turned, My Bowels (ſaith God) are troubled for him, I will ſurely have mercy on him: As ſoon as ever the Prodigal looks back, mercy looks out. q. d. Ah! is he returned indeed? I pity him, I will receive him, I will forgive him. 3. His gracious acceptation expreſſed in three particulars;

1. One of ſpeedy readineſs: [The Father ran] The Son doth go, the Father ran. Mercy hath not only a quick eye, but foot alſo; it poſts, it ſpeeds, it runs to embrace a penitent: God is very ſlow to puniſh a ſinner, but he is very ready to relieve and accept of a returning ſinner.

2. A ſecond, Of wonderful tenderneſs: [The Father fell on his neck] To have looked on him, was it not enough? to have given order for his uſage, had it not been well? to have taken him by the hand, had it not been too much? but the Father did more then all this [He fell on his neck.] Divine mercy will not only meet a penitent, but embrace him. That ſinner whom the hands of juſtice would have everlaſtingly confounded, if he be penitent, the arms of mercy will lovingly claſp, &c.

A third, Of ſtrong affectionateneſs: [And kiſſed him] Here are eyes to behold the returning Son, and an heart to pity him, and feet to meet him, and armes to embrace him, and lips alſo to kiſs him: Naked mercies are not enough (in Gods account) for a true penitent, he muſt have ſealed mercies too. God doth not think it enough that he is reconciled unto hm, unleſs alſo he doth teſtifie and make it known that he is ſo.

There are many excellent Propoſitions obſervable out of theſe words. v. g.

That the very Initials of true Repentance are ſeen by God: Doct. 1. The very Initials of true Repentance are ſeen by God.The penitent Prodigal was in the way, but yet it was a great way off; and his Father ſaw him, and had compaſſion, I ſaid, I will confeſs my trangreſſions unto the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin, Pſal. 32. 5. Vox n…ndum in ora erat & Auris Dei in corda erat, So. S. Auſtin in Locum. Iſai. 66. 2. To this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite ſpirit, and trembles at my word. Repentance may be conſidered in three degrees, 1. In the Impreſſion of it: ANd this is when ſo much grace p. 158is implanted, as to turn the heart. 2. In the expreſſion of it: and this is, when ſo much Grace appears, as to enter into a new path, and do new works. 3. In the progreſſion of it: And this is, when a greater Victory is obtained over our ſins, and appears in our courſe of new obedience. Now the Initials of true Repentance, I conjecture, to conſiſts partly in the Converſion of the heart; when the mind, and will, and affections are healed, and turned: and partly, in the reformation of the life; when the perſon out of an hatred of ſin, and love of God, ſets upon another courſe of obedience, and ſervice. It is juſt like a Ship, that is going out, or like a Shop that is newly ſet up; things are very raw, there is much droſs with the little Silver; a little health, and much lameneſs; a great journey, and but a few ſteps; the work is rather in deſire, and much in complaints; and though perhaps little be done, yet all is heartily endeavoured to be done; this I call the Initials of Repentance.

There are ſix things ſhew that Repentance is begun in truth. Six things ſhew Repentance is begun in truth. Condemnation.1. One is Condemnation: When the judgement looks upon all ſin after another manner then formerly, ſentencing it as the moſt vile, and accurſed of all evils, and no ſin (knowingly) finds favour. 2. Another is Averſation: When the will flies, Averſation.and ſhuns it, as that, which is moſt contrary to all goodneſs, and happineſs. 3. A third is Wearineſs: When the Soul is as Wearineſs.weary of Sin, as any Porter can be of his Burthen, or as a ſick-man is of his Bed. Pſal. 51. 17. The ſacrifices of God, are a broken ſpirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe. 4. A fourth is Lamentation: That the Soul cannot yet be rid of Lamentation.the unruly motions, and inſolencies of ſin; It is grieved, that Life and Death, Hell and Heaven, Grace and Sin ſhould thus be together. 5. A fifth is Reſiſtance, or conflict: The Soul doth Reſiſtance.uſe the beſt means it can, to ſeparate more from ſin, and all ſinfull wayes, and to walk only in all holy pathes, in the pathes of righteouſneſs. And the ſixth is an active Inctination, to obey God in all things; a thirſting and ſtriving, an aiming, a writing after the Copy.An active Inclination.

And there are four things, which do ſhew that Repentance is Four things ſhew that Repentance is but begun. Impotency.but begun, it is only initial. 1. One is Impotency, or weakneſs of operation: When the penitential parts do move and ſtir, yet like a child, who begins to go very feebly. There is as much p. 159appears in the courſe, as declares another ſpring or principle, and rule, by which the Soul ſtrives to walk, but the performance is very tender and feeble; like a young Tree that hath but tender branches, and ſmall fruit: The perſon doth mourn, and confeſs, and pray, and live, and obey, but with weakneſs. 2. A ſecond is efficacy of Temptation: When Temptations do eaſily Efficacy of Temptation.beſet and diſcourage the Soul; as when the Tree is but a young plant, the Winds to toſs it, and make it reel; ſo when Temptations do, as it were, drive the Soul, and are apt to raiſe quick fears, and diſcouragements: Oh! I ſhall be overcome again, I ſhall hardly hold on, I cannot well ſee how I ſhall be able to perform, and preſerve in theſe wayes which I have choſen. A third is the Validity of preſent Corruption; which though it be truly hated, and bewailed, yet it is very apt upon occaſions to aſſault and Validity of preſent Corruption.prevail; when every little ſtone is apt to make one ſtumble, it argues that the ſtrength is weak. 4. Neceſſary preſence of many helps: When a Man cannot go, but with two Crutches; and a Child muſt lean upon many props, and a penitent upon many ſenſible encouragements.

Now that theſe Initials of Repentance are graciouſly accepted The Doctrine proved. God reſpects the truth as well as the degrees of Grace.of God, may be thus manifeſted. 1. The Lord doth reſpect the truth of Grace, as well as the degrees of it, every quality as well as the quantity. Are not thine eyes upon the truth? The Goldſmith hath his eye on the very thin raies of Godl, as well as on the great knobs and pieces; Grace is excellent and amiable at the loweſt, though then admirable when at higheſt. 2. The main thing that God looks upon, is to the heart; (My Son, give me thy God looks moſt at the Heart.heart:) All that is done, if the heart be not in it, it is of little or no eſtimation with God; but if the heart be right, this the Lord prizeth exceedingly, and ſo much, that for its ſake, he paſſeth by many infirmities. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart. &c. 2 Chro. 30. 19. Now in the Initials of Repentance, the heart is ſet right; it is ſet on God, and towards God in truth. 3. Even the Initials of Repentance are his own Gifts (ſpecial gifts of his bleſſed Spirit) it is he that worketh The Initials of Repentance are his Ciſt.in us to will and to do, Phil. 2. 13. The ſpirituall will, and the ſpiritual deed (though both be imperfect) yet are they the genuine effect of Gods own ſpirit; ſparks out of his fire, works of his own hands: Now as in the Creation, God looked upon all p. 160that he made, and ſaw that it was good, he liked it well. So is it in our Renovation; all that good which God works in us, he doth accept and approve, he doth not deſpiſe his own image, which though it ſhine more fairly in progreſſive Repentance, yet is it truly ſtampt in our initial Converſion. 4. T…at which comes This Springs …om faith.not only from a perſon, having faith, but from faith it ſelf, that the Lord will graciouſly accept. For as our actions do not pleaſe him without faith (it is impoſſible without faith to pleaſe God:) So on the contrary, when the actions do come from faith, they do pleaſe the Lord. Abels Sacrifice preſented in Faith, did pleaſe him, when Cains preſented without faith, was not regarded; faith puts a value and acceptance on our actions. But even initial Repentance comes from faith; the perſon is by faith united to Jeſus Chriſt, from whom he hath received ſtrength and grace to forſake his ſins, and to become a ſervant of righteouſneſs. 5. The Lord hath ſaid, that he will not deſpiſe the day of ſmall things; nor quench the ſmoaking flax, nor break the God will not de…p…ſe …he Day … …mall thingsbruiſed reed: What Husbandman doth deſpiſe the little plant which he hath ſet? Or what father doth deſpiſe the little child he hath begoten? Why! that God who hath appointed all the meanes and ordinances, to cheriſh, and prop, and comfort, and nouriſh, and perfect the initials of Repentance; doth not he graciouſly accept of it? have we not reaſon to believe that he doth countenance theſe beginnings, who preſently makes all proviſion for the nurſing and ſupplies of it?

To make ſome Application of this. 1. It convinceth the common obloquies and aſperſions caſt upon religion and religious courſes to Ʋſe 1. Conviction of that aſperſion, that if we begin to be penitent farewell all Comfort.be meer injuries and falſities. viz. that if once you begin to be religions and penitential, then farwel all comfort; as if the grave of ſin were the Reſurrection of Griefe; or of neceſſity, men muſt be everlaſtingly penſive, if once truly, and ſeriouſly penitential: But this is falſe, no courſe ſo good, ſo comfortable, as the penitential; mercy to invite you, mercy to receive you, mercy to pardon you, and mercy to ſave you. As ſoon as ever we begin to be good, and to be penitent, and are entred into the way of new obedience, preſently the merciful eye and favour of God is upon us; mercy looks after us; and though we have been foul Tranſgreſſours, and have now but the very ſeeds and implantations of repentance (mixt p. 161with exceeding imperfections) yet the Lord will benignly and graciouſly accept of us, and love us.

And as it doth convince that errour, of the ſadneſs of entring Ʋſe 2. And o… that errour of the auſterity of God towards Penitents.into a good courſe; ſo alſo another errour, of the auſterity and harſhneſs of God towards poor Penitents, as if nothing would pleaſe the Lord but quantity, and great meaſures of Grace. Oh, if I had ſo much ſorrow for ſin! if I had ſo much hatred! if I had ſo much power over my corruptions! Why! it were well if thou hadſt, and thou doeſt not well, if thou ſtriveſt not beyond all the meaſure of grace which thou doeſt attain: But then to think, that onelyonly great grace is in grace with God, and not little grace; Repentance grown, and not Repentance begun; that God will not look on drops, but rivers; not on weakneſs, but ſtrength onelyonly; that a poor, contrite, broken, troubled ſoul, which prizeth grace above heaven, and hates ſin above hell, but yet is troubled with the preſence of much corruption, and is apprehenſive of manifold wants in all kinds of grace, that the Lord will never look upon ſuch a thin, new, weak Chriſtian, unleſs with auſterity and diſtance: Why do we thus belie the Lord? and falſifie the graciouſneſs of the Almighty? who doth ſo love holineſs, and delight in the converſion of a ſinner, that as ſoon as ever the ſinner begins truly to repent, the Lord hath thoughts of mercy and peace for him, he is obſerved and accepted, (Ananias is preſently ſent to Paul,) meſſengers of peace are preſently diſpatched, Patents of mercy are ſealed for him.

And thirdly, It doth juſtly abaſe that unworthy, proud, and cenſorious harſhneſs and ſtrangeneſs, which many (who would take Ʋſe 3. It diſcovers the proud harſhneſs of men towards ſuch as come ſhort of themſelves or others.it ill, if they be not in your opinion ſet up in the higheſt form of Piety,) do ſinfully or fooliſhly expreſs, either in condemning, or in contemning ſuch as fall very ſhort (in the penitential work) of others, or of themſelves; yea, and will ſhun tender ſociety with them, till they ſee ſome further perfections and ripeneſſes. Alas, what do we! by what rule do we walk? whoſe example do we look upon? We muſt be wiſe, it's true; and what wiſdome is it to leave tender buds to the froſt, which we might have covered and enlarged with heat and warmth? I beſeech you, let us pauſe a while: 1. Are all in our Family Men? Are there not ſome Children, perhaps new-born Babes? Are all in the Flock ſtrong Sheep? are there not ſome Lambs (perhaps) p. 162newly yeaned? Are all the Stars in the Heaven of the ſame magnitude? ſome are greater, others are leſs, yet all in the Heavens. Do you deſpiſe Children? reject the Lambs? or ſlight the Moon, becauſe of her ſpots, and leſſer light than that of the Sun? Why! we read of the like diſparity in the heavenly courſe: St. John tells us of Fathers, and of Young-men, and of Chidren too, yea, and of Babes; and Chriſt adviſed Peter's reſpects, as well unto the Lambs, as unto the Sheep. 2. Were not we Beginners once our ſelves? Was our Sun at the top? our Gold ſo exquiſitely pure? did not we then need compaſſions and helps in times of infancy, weakneſs, conflicts, temptations? What is our preſent ſtrength, but ſome help to former weakneſs? Time was, we could hardly go or ſtand, although now we can walk and run: What a childiſhneſs is it, for the Artiſt in Grammar to ſlight the Youth who is now ſpelling his Letters, when this was the firſt Line of his own Learning, the firſt ſtep whereby he went to his height? 3. And did God deſpiſe us in our beginnings? Did not he gently lead thoſe that were with young, and carried the Lambs in his arms? as the Prophet ſpeaks. How often hath he laid our fainting and weak ſouls to the breſts of conſolation? comforted us in our fears? ſtrengthened our feeble hands? anſwered our doubts? 4. Nor doth he now ſlight them, whom he tenderly owns upon the very entrances into a new and holy courſe, ſees them afar off, and hath compaſſion: Why then do we ſo ſlight and neglect them, and put them from us, who have as good a God as our ſelves, (and if we be good,) the ſame, the ſame Chriſt, and alſo the ſame truth and reality of Repentance? And is not Minimum Chriſti amabile? But they are indiſcreet? Surely, they are no true penitents that are very fools: No man ſo wiſe as he who is wiſe for his ſoul. But they have many failings? And not one of them approved, all bewailed. But they come ſhort in Duties, alas they are very ſhort? In expreſſions, which the vileſt hypocrite may excel in; not in affections, which the true penitent onelyonly abounds in. Therefore repent of your pride and ſtate: Seeſt thou a penitent higher than thy ſelf, honour him, and imitate; ſeeſt thou a penitent lower than thy ſelf, honour and cheriſh him: God will meet him with much mercy, do thou meet him with much love and pity. Ten Evidences of True Repentance, though Initial.And take theſe Ten Evidences, that a mans Repentance is true, p. 163though weak; and real, though but initial. 1. He is much Much in Grief, though little in Strength. He hates ſin, though he cannot be rid of it. Conflicts with ſin, though he cannot conquer it. He will not be its ſervant, though its Captive. He cries for help though not delivered He muſt have God reconciled, though he queſtions it. He would obey, in all things though he falls ſhort He prizeth more grace, though he enjoy little. He holds up his purpoſes. He mourns for what he wants. Ʋſe 4. For Comfort to ſuch as have the Initials of Repentance.in Grief, though little in Strength: He will grieve for ſinning, though he ſhould never be damned for ſin; and ſin is his daily grief, as it is his daily temptation. 2. He hates ſin, though he cannot be rid of it: His ſoul loaths not onelyonly the actions, but nature alſo of ſin. 3. He conflicts with ſin, though he cannot conquer it; is an Enemy to it, though not a Conquerour over it, though much aſſaulted by it; fears Sin more than Hell. 4. He will not be a Servant, though ſometimes he is forced to be a Captive: His Will and Love are unconquerable. 5. He cries out for help, though he be not yet delivered; O Lord, help: Laments his condition, becauſe ſo peſtered with ſinfull motions. 6. He muſt have God reconciled, though he much queſtions it: He muſt have Chriſt, and Mercy, &c. 7. He would obey God in all things, though he falls very ſhort of it. 8. He prizes more Grace, and ſtrives after it, though he enjoyes very little of it. 9. He holds up his purpoſe to walk with God, though he be not able, in every thing, and at all times, to make it good. 10. What he wants in the heights of Repentance, is made up in the depths of Humbleneſs and Mournfulneſs.

A fourth Uſe of this Point ſhall be for Comfort and Support, to ſuch as have though but the initials of Repentance in them: The fountain of Godly ſorrow drops, though but a little, and the journey of an holy life is but begun; they have newly (within theſe few dayes) ſet the firſt foot in the paths of God. What ſhall I ſay to ſuch perſons? Surely,

1. Let them not be diſcouraged at all: Though it be but a little A little Grace, if true,grace, Repentance newly planted and begun; yet if it be true Grace, 1. It is worth a who…e world: One mans Soul is worth Is worth a whole world.the World, much more is Grace; Grace (even in the leaſt degree of it) is of an invaluable allay: The Lord hath ſhewn thee mercy indeed, if he has beſtowed any grace on thee; it is more worth than if he had given thee all the Kingdomes of the World; more, in reſpect of Excellency, and in reſpect of Conſequence. 2. As little as it is, it is as much as ever any Penitent It is as much as any Penitent had at firſt.had at the firſt. 'Tis true, our improvements of Grace are very different in the courſe of our lives, but the habitual implantations of grace are alike and equal: Thou haſt as much now as ever any had at firſt, who are now gone to heaven. 3. As p. 164little as it is, it ſhall pull down, and work out the ſtrongeſt ſin that ever did cleave unto thee; though not at once, yet by degrees; a This little will be victorious.beam of Light which appears in the morning ſeems no great matter to deal with all the darkneſs in the ayr, yet depending upon ſuch a ſtrong principle and fountain as the Sun, it doth by degrees chaſe away, &c. 4. As little and as weak as it is, it It ſhall not ceaſe till it bring thee to heaven.ſhall never ceaſe, till it hath brought thee to heaven: The Ark and many toſſings, and thy weak Grace ſhall have many aſſaults; but thy weak Grace is in the ſure hands of a ſtrong God, who by it will make thee more than Conquerour, through him that loved thee. 5. As weak as it is now, it ſhall be ſtronger and It ſhall grow ſtronger and ſtronger.ſtronger: God hath but begun his work in thee, the which he will finiſh; the Foundation is laid, but the Covering is to come: The ſeed is but ſown, which will ariſe and ſpread; the fire kindled, which will be blown and flaming: God doth not leave any gracious work, until he hath made it glorious; and having given truth, will alſo enlarge it to a juſt meaſure, ſufficient for thy ſoul, and place, and ſalvation.

2. Nay, let them be encouraged and rejoice: Even a little They have matter of rejoycing.Grace may be juſt cauſe of great joy. The Mother rejoyceth much if the Child be born: Though your Repentance wants much, in reſpect of gradual perfection; yet being real and true, 1. All the ſins that you have committed, are pardoned: The promiſe of pardon or remiſſion of ſins, preſently and aſſuredly opens Their ſins are pardoned.to every true Penitent; as ſoon as the wicked forſakes his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and turns to the Lord, he will have mercy, and abundantly pardon. He who doth more perfect and poliſh his repentance, it is confeſſed, that he hath the more aſſurance and comfort of his pardon; but the right unto, and grant of pardon, immediately appertains to a perſon upon the very entrance of his repentance. Now pardon of ſins is a teſtimony of Gods higheſt Love, and therefore a cauſe of moſt exceeding joy. 2. If you ſhould now die, you ſhould If he ſhould now die, he ſhould be ſaved.be ſaved. The firſt fruits you know were a pledge of the full harveſt; though you have but as it were the firſt fruits of Repentance, yet theſe are ſure pawns of fulleſt glory. Godly ſorrow worketh repentance of ſalvation. Chriſt ſaith, Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit; for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven, Matth. 5. 3. Though you have but ſome lower, weaker ſtock of Graces, ſo that p. 165you are in your own opinion poor, ſcarce worth any thing, or enjoying of any thing, yet the weakeſt Chriſtian ſhall have an Heavenly Kingdome. 3. Your perſons are dear unto God. Jer. 31. 18. I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf; Is Their perſons are dear to God.Ephraim my dear ſon? is he my pleaſant child? &c. So Iſa. 66. To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite ſpirit. 4. Your weak ſervices are accepted: God hears your Their weak ſervices are accepted. God will paſs by many infirmities.groans, conſiders your ſighs, puts your tears into his bottel. 5. By reaſon of that reality in your repentance, the Lord will paſs by many infirmities and imperfections: Infirmities ſhall not hinder, where a reality of Grace and Repentance is begun. They in the time of Hezekiah did truly repent and prepare before the Paſſover; and though they were very defective, yet the defects did not prevail to hinder the effects and acceptance of their ſervice. I will ſpare them, as a man ſpareth his own ſon that ſerveth him, Mal. 3. 17. How indulgent is the tender father to the obedient child, though he can do but very little, and very weakly? Where the Lord ſeeth that the heart is rightly ſet; O Lord, I would not offend thee; O Lord, I would obey thee; then he is very mercifull to paſs by our failings, and to accept of our weak beginnings, and very weak endeavours.

Now I come to a ſecond Propoſition, which is, That God is Doct. 5. God is very ready to ſhew all kinds of mercy to the truly penitent.very ready and quick to ſhew all kinds of mercy to the true Penitent. I ſaid I will confeſs, and thou forgaveſt me.

You ſee here in the Text, what tender, what affectionate, what ſpeedy, what free mercy is ſhewed to the returning Prodigal (His Father ſaw him afar off, and had compaſſion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kiſſed him.) What could he do more? There is a great difference twixt Gods coming to puniſh a ſinner, and his coming to ſhew mercy to a Penitent: (Tardus ad vindictam,) when he is to inflict puniſhment, then he walks and deliberates, as it were, there is a kind of ſtrife within him; How ſhall I give thee up, O Ephraim? how ſhall I deliver thee up, O Iſrael? how ſhall I make thee as Admah? how ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together, Hoſ. 11. 8. He is ſlow to wrath, Nah. 1. 3. but then he is velox ad miſericordiam, ſwift, quick and ready to ſhew mercy. He runs here in the Text to accept of the penitent Prodigal. As ſoon as ever Ephraim ſaid, I repented, Jer. 31. 19. inſtantly it follows, I will ſurely have mercy upon him ſaith the Lord, v. 20. I have ſinned, p. 166ſaith David; Nathan hath it in Commiſſion preſently, 2 Sam. 12 13. The Lord hath done away thy ſin. The Prophet Eſay, c. 30. 18. hath a ſingular phraſe; The Lord will wait that he may be gracious unto you. He doth even watch, and liſten, and hearken for the firſt hint and occaſion to ſhew mercy; I hearkened and heard, Jer. 8. Why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael! Ezek. 18. 31. What an expreſſion is that? q. d. Lo here's mercy for you, if you will but leave your ſins: I pray you draw not confuſion on your ſelves; mercy is better than wrath, turn you and live; do not refuſe mercy: I ſtand not upon what is paſt, ſo that you will repent, I had rather ſhew you mercy.

For the opening of this excellent Aſſertion, premiſe theſe particulars. 1. What it is to ſhew mercy. 2. What it is to be ready and quick, &c.

1. To ſhew mercy to a Penitent, imports many things, v. g. What it is to ſhew mercy.Pitifull Compaſſion, Acceptance into Grace and Favour, abundant Pardon, withdrawment of Wrath and Evil, collation of any Good; all this is ſhewing of mercy; when God doth pity a man, bring him into favour, remit offences, take off judgments, pour down bleſſings; thus is the Lord ready to do to the true Penitent, if a man repents (indeed) of his ſins. The Lord, 1. Will pity him: God will pity him.He will have compaſſion on us, ſaith the Church, Mic. 7. 19. and will pity him as a Father doth the Child, Pſal. 103. 13. 2. Will accept him into favour: (i.) He will be Accept him into favour.reconciled unto him, and will be highly well pleaſed with him; He ſhall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him, and he ſhall ſee his face with joy; ſaid Elihu, Job 33. 26. When they in Iſa. 1. did ceaſe to do evil, and learn to do well, Come now, ſaith the Lord, and let us reaſon together: q. d. We are now very good friends, all is well, I love you, I am pacified towards you. 3. Will pardon him: (i.) Pardon him.diſcharge him of all the guilt, that it ſhall not be redundant; he will blot out his iniquities, and remember them no more; and though they be ſought for, yet they ſhall not be found, Jer. 50. 20. If the Jer. 31. 34.Jer 31:34wicked forſake his ways, and his thoughts, God will abundantly pardon him, Iſa. 55. 7. 4. Will withdraw his wrath: And Withdraw his wrath.therefore it is ſaid, that he reſerves not wrath for ever, and it is but for a moment: He breaks off the ſhackles and bolts, Mic. 7. 18. Mine anger is turned away from him, ſaith God of penitent p. 167Iſrael, Hoſ. 14. 4. Laſtly, Will beſtow any Covenant bleſſings upon him: If you conſent and obey, you ſhall eat the good Beſtow bleſſings upon him.of the Land, Eſa. 1. 19. And Hoſ. 2. 21. The Lord will hear the heavens, and the heavens ſhall hear the earth, and the earth ſhall hear the corn and the wine, and all theſe ſhall hear Jezreel.

2. To be ready to ſhew mercy, is oppoſite to dulneſs and ſlowneſs, and imports a ſpeedy aptneſs, and quickneſs, and chearfulneſs. There is a four-fold readineſs in this kind. 1. One is of apprehenſion, which conſiſts in a quick obſervation of the A four-fold readineſs to ſhew mercy. In Apprehenſion.miſery and need that a ſinner lies under: Such a readineſs to mercy there is in God to a penitent ſinner. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf, Jer. 31. 18. Ephraim did grieve for ſin, was much troubled, and aſhamed, and confounded, (Alas, I have ſinned, I have offended the Lord:) Well, ſaith God, I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf; q. d. I take ſpecial notice of him. Or as he expreſſeth it in Hoſ. 14. 8. I have heard him, and obſerved him. 2. Another is of Commiſeration, (that is) In Commiſeration.God takes the condition of the Penitent to heart. He doth look on him with tender affections, (my bowels are troubled for him, Jer. 31. 20.) As when a Parent beholds a Child falling down and begging for acceptance with flouds of tears, this goes to the very heart of him, it ſtirs his affections, &c. 3. A third is In Reſolution.of Reſolution: I will ſurely have mercy upon him. The nature of God doth preſently incline him to paſs by offences, and to accept of the Penitent, to think thoughts of peace and mercy towards him. 4. A fourth is, of Expreſſion: (i.) the Lord is very ready, not onelyonly to intend mercy, but to manifeſt it unto Of Expreſſion.the penitent perſon; and therefore as ſoon as ever any ſoul doth repent, God doth ſend unto him by the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, and aſſures him by all his loving promiſes, that there is mercy for him. Iſa. 40. 1. Comfort ye my people. Act. 2. 39. The promiſe is to you, and to your children. 'Tis thus ſpoken preſently upon their Repentance. The Promiſes of Pardon are Letters Patents of Graciouſneſs, and are ſealed by the very Truth of God, and left open for any penitent perſon to behold Gods abundant mercy to forgive him, and to accept of him.

3. God is not onelyonly ready to ſhew mercy to the Penitent, but all God is ready to ſhew all kinds of mercy.kinds of mercy. You may read in Scripture of ſeveral qualifications p. 168(as it were) of mercy; 1. There is Free mercy; which is an acceptance of, and a remiſſion or diſcharge, without any Free mercy.deſert in the party receiving; though he hath no…hing to deſerve mercy, nay, though he hath enough to deſerve wrath, yet the Lord will freely forgive him; ſuch a kind of mercy hath God for the Penitent; and therefore he ſaith of ſuch, I will love them freely, Hoſ. 14. 4. and that he forgives them for his own ſake, Eſa. 43. 2. There is Abundant mercy: God is Abundant mercy.ſaid to be rich in mercy, to be plentifull in compaſſion, to have manifold mercies, even multitudes of mercy, and to pardon abundantly. Though the penitent hath many ſins to be pardoned, and many neceſſities to be ſupplied, yet the Lord is very ready to multiply pardons unto him; not to forgive ſome ſins onelyonly, but all the ſins committed: It is not the quantity of ſins for number, nor the quality of ſins for kind, nor the aggravations of ſins by circumſtances, which hinders mercy, if a a man be penitent; but though the ſins were as red as Scarlet, they ſhall be as white as Snow; and though they have been like Crimſon, they ſhall be as Wool, Eſa. 1. 18. 3. There is Tender Tender mercy.mercy: Tenderneſs conſiſts in an eaſineſs of Compaſſion, and forward willingneſs to help. The tender Mother eaſily draws out the breſts. Such a tenderneſs of mercy is there in God to the Penitent; he is moſt willing to forgive, he rejoyceth to ſhew mercy, and doth it with his whole heart. Nor doth he upbraid and grieve the ſinner when he ſheweth mercy; but in the ſhewing of mercy, onelyonly ſhews mercy; he will forgive ſins, and never mention them any more to the forgiven Penitent. 4. There is Sure mercy: A penitent perſon may be Sure mercy.unſure of many things of his earthly comforts, of his worldly friends, of his own life; but of two things he may be ſure, of Heaven hereafter, and of Mercy preſently; as ſoon as ever his heart is taken off from ſin, his faith may look on mercy: Though he hath reaſon to be grieved for ſins, yet he hath no reaſon to doubt the pardon of his ſins; for that God who hath promiſed to pardon abundantly, hath alſo ſaid, I will ſurely have mercy on him, Jer. 31. 20. 5. There is Loving and Reviving mercy.reviving mercy, ſuch as takes off the turbulency of the Conſcience, ſettles, and compoſeth, and ſpeaks peace unto it, and admirably refreſheth it by the impreſſion of Divine conſolations. p. 169even ſuch mercy is God ready alſo to give to the penitent, even to bind up their bruiſed ſpirits, and to give them beauty for aſhes, the oyle of joy for mourning, and the garment of praiſe for the ſpirit of heavineſs. Iſa. 61. 1, 2. He will create lips of peace, and words of comfort, Speak comfortable to Jeruſalem, ſay unto her, that her ſins are pardoned. Iſa. 40. ….

But why is God ſo ready to ſhew mercy to the penitent perſon? Sol. There are reaſons, partly reſpecting God, and the penitent. Reaſons of it.1. In reſpect of God. 1. It is his nature to be the Lord, the Lord God, gracious, merciful, abundant in goodneſs and truth, forgiving iniquity, In reſpect of God. It is his nature.tranſgreſſion, and ſin; therefore called a Father, and the Father of mercies, a Husband, Friend, Phyſician: Every nature is apt to produce, or ſend out ſuch acts as lye within it, and are ſuitable unto it, The Fire is apt to heat, and the Sun to ſhine, and the Water to moiſten: The liberal man, it is his nature to be apt to give, and the courteous man to ſpeak kindly; the nature of the Lord is merciful, and therefore no wonder, that he is ready to ſhew mercy. 2. It It is his Promiſe.is his promiſe to ſhew mercy to the penitent; his nature is ready to pity any man in miſery, and to offer him mercy and help; but beſides this, he is ready to make good his promiſes, he hath paſſed his holy word of truth, that he will have mercy on the penitent; the promiſes are ſo many that I cannot mention them, See Iſai. 55. Ezek. 18. &c. 3. It is his delight to ſhew them It is his Delight.mercy; he delighteth in mercy. Mic. 7. 18. What any delights in, that he is ready to do; there is nothing more facile to action, or more abundant in action, or more unweariable in action, then delight; delight is no burden: when God ſhews mercy, he is doing that, wherein he delights. Two things God delights in, One is, a penitent ſoul (there is joy in heaven for his converſion,) and another is, to ſhew mercy to that Soul. Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have ſinned againſt me. v. 9. And it ſhall be to me a name of joy. 4. It is his glory: is it the glory It is his glory.of a man to paſs by an offence, and is it not the glory of a God mercifully to paſs over tranſgreſſions? you get by it, and God gets by it. Iſai. 30. 18. Therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you; there be many things which do exalt God, (ſet his glory on high;) our humility doth it, our faith doth it, and his own mercies do it. Jer. 33. 9. This ſhall be to me a name of joy and praiſe, and an honour before all the nations of the earth; p. 170who ſhall hear all the good that I do unto you. When he pardons a ſinner and ſhews him mercy, why now he gets him a Name; Who is a God like unto thee, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin? God gets him a name three wayes; ſometimes by Omnipotent acts, as when he works wonders: never was the like ſeen in Iſrael. Sometimes by Vindictive acts, as when he over rules and confounds the great enemies of his people; ſo he got him a name upon Pharaoh. Sometimes by his Gracious acts, as when he pardons a ſinner. Paul ſets it down for all poſterity to look on that mercy which was ſhewed unto him. The Lord gives the Penitent mercy, and hereby he gets unto himſelf much Glory. 5. His love is great to Penitents, and therefore his mercy is ready His love is great to Penitents.for penitents: his general Love, his Philanthropie inclines him thus far as to reveale mercy, and to offer mercy, and to beſeech by mercy, even the unkindeſt Impenitents, Why will ye dy? turn and live: When ſhall it once be? O then what muſt his ſpecial love produce? if he be ready to ſhew mercy to enemies, is he not ready to ſhew it to ſons? If to Rebels, ſurely then to friends? if to them that diſobey him, how much to them who do humble themſelves at his footſtool? who repent, for whoſe ſouls he gave the blood of his Son?

Secondly in reſpect of the penitent themſelves, God is very ready In reſpect of the Penitent.to ſhew them mercy. 1. There is nothing in the World that they need like mercy: It is the only Plaiſter for their wound, and They need nothing like mercy.Anchor for their Ship; if they have not mercy, they are undone. Uſually there is in every condition ſome one thing, which the heart of man doth moſt need; if he be ſick, then health; if poor, then ſufficiency; if dejected, then comfort; Chriſt tells Martha of one thing that was neceſſary: and David he hath one thing to deſire of the Lord; and the penitent perſon he hath one needful requeſt too, O that God would be merciful to me a ſinner, ſo the Publicane. 2. If God were not ready to ſhew mercy Elſe he might be ſwallowed up with Deſpaire.to the penitent, he might be ſwallowed up with deſpaire. Iſa. 57. 16. I will not contend for ever, neither will I be alwaies wroth, leſt the ſpirit ſhould fail before me: Do your know what belongs to a wounded Conſcience, to the ſence of ſin and the wrath of God? how great, how ſharp, how bitter? Is it a ſmall thing, think you, to dwell with everlaſting burnings? to ſee nothing but ſin, and Hell? No, No, the Lord knows what the ſeverity of his wrath p. 171is, and he knows what the Impotency of the ſoul is, and he knows what the terrour of a troubled conſcience is, how it ſinks, and cracks if no hope of mercy appears; and therefore he is very ready to ſhew mercy to the penitent, leſt deſpair ſhould overwhelm them: deſpair is ready to riſe in two caſes; One is when there is exceeding tenderneſs and ſenſibleneſs of ſin; Another is, when there is a long abſence and improbability of mercy; for what hath the ſoul now to reſt on, and to ſupport it? Now off all perſons living there are none ſo ſenſible of ſin, as true penitents; (we may ſay of other people, as the Apoſtle did, the reſt are hardned) and of all penitent people, they are moſt tender in conſcience, and apprehenſive of ſin, and fearfull about mercy, who are newly converted from a ſinful way: O how hard is it to keep them above water, to perſwade them that any mercy belongs to them? and therefore the Lord is ready to ſhew them mercy, that their ſpirits might not fail before him, nor be overwhelmed with deſpair.

Is the Lord ſo ready to ſhew all kind of mercy to the penitent? Ʋſe 1. Inſtruction.Thence may we be inſtructed unto two things. 1. To the approbation. 2. To the application of our ſelves to a penitentiall Courſe.

1. To the Approbation of a penitential Courſe: Why are ye ſo To approve of a penitential courſe.averſe, and accuſe, and condemn it? They have a ſaying, that Finis dat amabilitatem Mediis: the end doth make the means lovely, it doth give ſpirit and encouragement to the uſe of means. Repentance is in it ſelf a moſt excellent and peculiar grace, a ſingular gift of God, and therefore deſirable; But beſides that (Behold thy ſon liveth, &c.) it brings the ſoul to partake of mercy (of the choiceſt mercy in God) pardoning mercy, which is of moſt immediate concernment and influence to the everlaſting ſalvation of man: nay, it brings mercy and ſalvation preſently, This day is ſalvation come unto thy houſe: 'Tis granted, many perſons do accuſe a penitential courſe of much vexation, and ſadneſs, and grief, as if it were the grave of all delight (whereas indeed it is only the ſepulchre of our Luſts, and of luſtful pleaſures.) And others cry out upon the difficulty of it, as if it were an heavy yoke, and an intolerable burden. But judge not of duties by the opinion of ignorant and graceleſs men; nor by the folly and error of your own ſinful and inexperienced hearts. No, p. 172but judge of them by what the Word pronounceth of them, in themſelves, and by their ends. Is Salvation a deſireable thing? is mercy an excellent thing? Why, then Repentance muſt be an excellent thing, which brings us unto mercy, and unto Salvation.

Object. But there muſt be brokenneſs of heart for ſin, and there muſt be a diligent endeavour to leave all ſin, and there muſt be ſtrict care to walk with God.

Sol. And what of all this, It is as if thou ſhouldeſt ſay, O but I muſt not be wicked, I muſt become a new man, I muſt leave that which will damn me, I muſt hink well of ſuch a courſe as will bring me to find ſaving mercy with God; there cannot be a worſe eſtate and more fearful end then Impenitency, and there cannot be a better and more ſoul-ſaving eſtate then Repentance.

2. To the quick application of our ſelves to a Penitential courſe: Apply your ſelves to a nitential courſe.I beſeech you at length, if there be any underſtanding in you, any ſenſe in you, any credence of a hell and heaven, any belief of a God or happineſs, ſeriouſly conſider with me that, 1. You muſt periſh for ever, if you have not mercy: If Mercy does not ſave you, Juſtice muſt damn thee; what ſhall become of thy ſoul, if thy ſins be not pardoned? they cannot but be condemnation unto thee, without gracious and merciful Remiſſion. Therefore new, ſaith the Lord, turn unto me, &c. Joel. 3. 12. & Heb. 3. 15. Whiles it is ſaid to day, harden not your hearts. Repentance is a preſent duty, Now God commands every one to repent, Act. 17. 30. 2. Are you ſinners, or are you not? if you be not ſinners, then I confeſs you need no pardoning mercy; but if you be ſinners, then mercy muſt be your plea and anchor: Save me for thy mercies ſake, and blot out my tranſgreſſions, according to the multitude of thy mercies, ſaith, David, Pſal. 6. 51. Ah wretches that we are! we are ſinners by Nature, and ſinners by Life; who can ſay, My heart is c…e…n? We lie down in our ſins every moment; ſo that we need mercy, much mercy, all mercy. 3. Ʋnleſs you do practically repent, (.i.) indeed for ſake your ſinful wayes, and walk in newneſs of obedience, you ſhall never have mercy; Except you repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh, ſaid Jeſus Chriſt. It is the unchangeable Decree of God, and the revealed pleaſure of God, that no man ſhall have his mercy but the Penitent: It were an p. 173unreaſonable thing, that he ſhould have mercy to pardon ſin, who will not have an heart to leave ſin. I know very well, that the Lord is very rich in meaſure, and delights in mercy, and is ready to ſhew mercy, and is able to pardon abundantly; God forbid that any ſhould ſtraighten the Mercy Seat at all. But O thou vainly preſumptious ſoul, look over all the Bible, read it often, and tell me, where doeſt thou find, that God will be thus merciful to any one ſinner, but him who is truly penitent? It is not to him who is civil, but penitent; it is not to him that ſaith he is a ſinner, but who doth forſake his ſins; this is he that ſhall find mercy. 4. Yea, and conſider one thing more; how utterly inexcuſable you Thou art Inexcuſable if thou do not Repent.and before God and men, if you doe not repent: ah! what a ſad and ſhameful appearance wilt thou make before the Lord, when he ſhall at the laſt day judg thee for all thy ſinfulneſs? when thou ſhalt be ſet in the preſence of Chriſt, and Angels, and men, and devils; And the Lord ſhall ſay, This is the perſon to whom I have offered the ſaving blood of my ſon, and all my pardoning mercies, if that he would but have left his ſinful wayes. Thy own conſcience will condemn thee for ever, that ever thou ſhouldſt exalt the luſt of thy ſin before the mercy of God; yea, the very Devils will cry ſhame of thee; they may ſay, If we had had ſuch mercy offered, we could not have been worſe then have refuſed it; thou hadſt mercy offered to pardon thee, and yet thou wouldeſt go on in thy ſins. Know, O man, thouart inexcuſable before God, thou canſt make no apology at all. Two things let them be for every ingraven in your breſts; One is, that if mercy will not bring in your ſouls to repentance, nothing will do it; I affirm it, that if you were in hell it ſelf, the to…ments of it wo…ld not incline you to repent, if the mercies of God now upon earth will not prevail with you: Another, if mercy do not lead you to repentance, there remains nothing but a fearfull expectation of the fiery indignation of God; thou art as ſure to be dam…ed as thou now liveſt, if thou doeſt not repent thee of thy ſins.

A ſecond Uſe ſhall be of Caution: Since the Lord is ſo ready to Ʋſe 2 Cau…, K…p not … from Repentance by deſpairing o… Mercy.ſhew all mercy to the penitent, therefore take heed that you keep not off from repentance by deſpairing of mercy. There are three ſorts of ſinners: Some whoſe hearts are hard…ed as the Adamant, through an habitual itera ion by ſin, and … infl…med affection unto ſin; who like that unjuſt Judg fearing neither God nor man, ſo they are ſenſ…ble p. 174neither of the vileneſs of ſion, nor of the goodneſs of mercy; Some whoſe hearts are mollifyed, graciouſly altered, have ſeen the evil of their wayes, and forſaken them, and are turned unto the Lord, ſeeking him with mourning, and with ſupplication, to whom the Scepter of Mercy hath been graciouſly ſtretched forth, and they have effectually touched that Scepter with believing hearts, and are returned with much peace and joy unſpeakable: Others there are twixt both theſe; they are not ſo low as the firſt, for their conſciences are awaked and troubled; nor yet ſo high as the laſt, for they cannot believe any mercy will reach unto them; their ſouls cannot diſcern any intention of mercy towards them, and all the promiſes of mercy ſeem to them as reſtrictive, nay, as excluſive proclamations, denying unto them (though grantting unto others) the priviledg of their Books, and the P…alm of mercy, and ſo are apt to deſpair; mercy ſeems to them a far off, and ſlow, and long a coming. Therefore now, to ſuch perſons who are awakned in their conſciences, to ſee the vileneſs of their ſinful ways, and their loſt condition; my advice is, by no means to deſpair of mercy.Reaſons againſt deſpair. Deſpair is a very heinous Sin.

Reaſons why I thus adviſe are theſe. 1. Deſpair is a very heinous ſin; It is one of the higheſt impeachments of Gods greateſt glory and delight: there is nothing wherein God doth more magnifie himſelf in the eyes of the world, or more glory in, then to ſit upon his mercy-ſeat: Now deſpair is not every diminution, and eclipſe of mercy, but it is (in its kind) a very extinction of all the love, and kindneſs, and mercifulneſs in God; it gives, 1. The lye to the promiſes. 2. Reproach to Gods nature; and particularly to the attribute of mercy, that it is not, 1. Kind enough. 2. Willing enough. 3. Full enough. 4. Free enough. 2. It is a ſore enemy to Repentance; of no hope of mercy, then no care to repent, I can but be damned. 2. And The moſt uncomfortable ſin.then it is the moſt uncomfortable ſin: Other ſins afford ſome (though ungrounded and poor) contentment either in profit or pleaſure: But deſpair being the grave of mercy, it is alſo the very night, and funeral of all comfort; and, as S. Auſtin ſpake of an evil conſcience, that is true of deſpair, It is its own torment; for taking the ſoul off from all remedy, it muſt neceſſarily afflict it with the moſt exquiſite ſenſe of fear and horrour. 3. Satan is very apt to fall in with an awakened conſcience, and there to aggravate Satan is very apt to draw us to deſpair.ſin above all meaſure, thereby to incline it to deſpair of mercy; p. 175if he cannot make us dye in a ſenſeleſs Ca…m, his next aim is to make us periſh in an unquiet and deſpairing ſtorm; either to undervalue our ſins, and ſo to ſlay us with ſecurity; or elſe to undervalue mercy, and ſo ſink us with diſtruſt. 4. Yea, and no A newly awakned conſcience is apt to it.conſcience is more propenſe to ſuſpect divine …avour, and to credit falſe ſuggeſtions, then a newly awakened conſcience: Indeed while our hearts are totally ſeared, and paſt feeling (much ſin being not at all felt) here is an eaſie ground to delude our ſelves, that mercy will quickly bend unto us, who do take our ſelves to be good enough, and not much to need it; but when many ſins ſhall be laid to our charge, and great ones too, with that wrath which a juſt and holy God hath threatned, and we feel the burnings of the wrath begun with us; I aſſure you, it will be moſt difficult to withhold that Soul from deſpairing of mercy, which at once ſees much guilt, and feels much wrath. 5. There is infinite There is infinite mercy in God.mercy is God: It is his nature, and he can forgive iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin; Eſt in miſericordia divina, divina Omnipotentia; Therefore this I ſay unto you, any of you, whoſe conſciences God has awakned to the ſight and ſenſe of your ſins (whether by the Miniſtry of his Word, or of his rod) as you deſire not utterly to caſt diſhonour, extreemeſt diſhonour to God, and to draw the ſaddeſt, and yet moſt fruitleſs anguiſh, on your own ſpirits; and yet again, as you tender the welfare of your Souls, your everlaſting ſafety, by repentance and faith; do not deſpair of finding mercy with God, but come in unto him by ſolid repentance, and you ſhall find him, even unto you a God ready to forgive iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin.

Ob. Yea, but though the Lord be merciful, yet is he juſt, he I, but God will not clear the guilty.will by no means clear the guilty, Exod. 34. 7. I have refuſed mercy; I cannot pray; I cannot be heard or anſwered! How then can I? I, who have ſinned ſo much, now expect any mercy! Sol. To this I anſwer briefly: There are two kinds of ſinners, whom God will not clear. One is, Who do not ſee their ſins, yet love them. Another, Who do not ſee their ſins, and yet go on in them. AnſweredPſal. 11. 5. The wicked, and him that loveth violence, his ſoul doth hate. And Pſal. 68. 21. He will wound the head of ſuch as ſtill go on in their wickedneſs. If you be ſuch ſinners, who do ſee your ſins, and will love them, and not forſake them, be confident, that remaining thus, there remains nothing for you, but an expectation p. 176of wrath and juſt judgment from the righteous God: But if you ſee your ſins, and deſire to repent, to bewail them, to forſake them with all your heart, to turn from your evil wayes; why! the Lord hath mercy for you, he is very ready to pardon and accept of you: If we confeſs our ſins, 1 Joh. 1. 9. he is faithful to forgive us our ſins.

Obj. But do ye not read the threatnings of God? as Jonah 1. 3. Yet fourty dayes, and Ninive ſhall be deſtroyed. Sol. Remember one thing as a Preſervative, that all Gods threatnings againſt our ſins, are to be underſtood in ſenſu compoſito, as the ſchools ſpeak, viz. thus, if we continue im…enitent, and not otherwiſe; not in ſenſu diviſo, if we return from them: like a Kings proclamation of death, if the Traitors do not lay down their Weapons, but if they do, he offers and aſſures them of his pardon.

Obj. I, this is it! I had mercy offered in the Kings Proclamation, I did not yield when mercy w…s tendered.if I would lay down my Weapons; but I did not yield when mercy was tendered: If I had repented, when God formerly offered me mercy, there had been hope; but I continued in ſin, where grace abounded, and ſince mercy was offered; therefore now too late, in vain. Sol. To this alſo, let me give anſwer. 1. Indeed it Anſwered.was thy duty to have repented, upon the very firſt propoſal of grace and mercy; and it was thy ſin (at all) to ſtand out, yea, and thy ſinnings contract a deep guilt by commiſſion after the tender of divine mercy, (ſin is more ſinful, where the offer of mercy is more plentiful.) But ſecondly, Though the precedent refuſals of mercy make the courſe of ſin more guilty, yet they do not make the condition of the ſinner to be hopeleſs, and utterly uncapable of mercy: For 1. Mercy is able to pardon, even ſins againſt mercy; as it is the antidote for ſins againſt the Law, ſo likewiſe the ſalve for ſins againſt the Goſpel: There is ſo much mercy in God, as can rejoice againſt judgment, yea, and that can rejoice over ſins againſt mercy too; my meaning is, that Gods goodneſs is ſo natural to him, and great, that it can paſs by the evils, againſt his goodneſs, and kindneſs. 2. And that, God is willing and ready ſo to do, it may appear by this, that he continues his invitations, and offers of mercy, though formerly neglected; How often would I have gathered thee? ſaith Chriſt of Jeruſalem: and let it yet alone one year, of the Tree. And then know that this is certain; as long as God continues a ſuit of mercy unto thee, neither is the date of thy mercy expired, p. 177nor doth thy former refuſal juſtly prejudice thy preſent right to or acceptance of mercy. If the King renews his Proclama ion of favour to thoſe who have formerly deſpiſed it, it is now lawfull and ſafe for them to come in and accept of it: But ſince thy former refuſal, God hath, as it were, renewed the Embaſſage; He hath ſent other ſervants unto thee, to proclaim unto thee Mercy, if thou wilt return; yea, and hath aſſured thee, that he will pardon all former rebellions in all kinds; if now thou wilt hear his voice, thou ſhalt live, and not die: Therefore now turn unto the Lord; this day doth Mercy beſeech thee to leave thy ſins, and ſaith, If thou wilt forſake them, I am thine.

Object. But ſurely the Lord hates me, and hath no delight towards God hates me, and will deſtroy me. Anſwered.I have been a vaſſal of ſin, and now muſt be a veſſel of deſtruction. Sol. Ah fooliſh and ſenſleſs ſinner, who pleaſeſt thy ſelf with the arguings of an unbelieving ſpirit; Doth God hate thee! or doth he delight in thy deſtruction! Had this been ſo, what wants there that hou hadſt not been irrecoverably ſent to the place of the damned long ere this? How eaſily could he, (if he had delighted in thy confuſion and deſtruction) ſtruck thee at once? Doeſt thou not ſee, that when thou waſt mad in renewing thy ſins, then did his repentings kindle within him? When he had juſt, and many, and ſtrong occaſions and provocations, yet he hath ſpared thee to this day; would he have done ſo, had he deſired to have deſtroyed thee? 2. And what is the end of all this patience and forbearance? Doeſt thou ſo ill interpret it an intention of revenge, which is altogether a fruit of his great mercy? No, no, it is not thy deſtruction, but thy repentance and converſion which he delights in: See Ezek. 33. 11. Not the ruine of thy perſon, but corruptions: He delight not in the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould turn from his wickedneſs and live.

Object. But I cannot repent, and I cannot turn mine own I cannot repent. Anſwered. I cannot pray Anſwered.heart. Sol. Pray unto him, Turn me, and I ſhall be turned. Object. But I cannot pray. Sol. Sigh then, and grieve; pray that you may pray, and mourn becauſe you cannot mourn. And therefore leave theſe falſe ſurmizes of God, and ſinfull, fooliſh, unworthy reaſonings; ſet upon the work of repentance indeed, and thou ſhalt quickly find, that God is ſo far from hating thee, that he will meet thee with loving kindneſs, and great mercies.

p. 178Object. O no, never ſuch a ſinner as I have been a ſinner above meaſure ſinfull, ſo wholly ſinfull, ſo onelyonly ſinfull, ſo continually Never ſuch a ſinner as I have been.ſinfull. To this alſo a word. 1. Greatneſs of ſinning it not an abſolute impediment to Gods readineſs in pardoning; for as much as great ſinners are called upon to repent, as well as leſſer Anſwered.ſinners; and if the duty of Repentance concerns them, then there is a capacity of mercy for them. 2. God doth upon repentance promiſe to pardon great ſinners. Ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well, Iſa. 1. 16. Come now, and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord. V. 18. Though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow; though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wooll. Iſtiduo colores ſunt valde tenaces & manſivi quibus intelligitur peccata quantumque ſint gravia ex genere & habituata ex conſuetudine, divina gratia purgabuntur, ſaith Lyra well upon that place: Yea, though they have been peccata ſanguinea, ſo S. Jerome upon the ſame place. 3. Great ſinnings, upon repentance, have found greater mercies: Adam's ſin, very great, (whether you conſider it formally or cauſally,) yet upon repentance, mercy pardoned it, David's ſin of murther, (it was a crying ſin,) and of adultery, (it was a wounding ſin;) yet, upon his repentance, both pardoned by mercy. What ſhould I ſpeak of Manaſſes in the Old Teſtament, or of Paul in the New? 4. The greater ſinnings ſhould ever prove the quicker reaſons of repentance, and not be made the cauſes of deſpair, or more ſinning: If thy ſinnings had not been ſo high, it had been better; but being ſo, thy remedy is not an addition of a worſe ſin, or a continuance in the ſame ſins, but to pray unto the Lord to turn thee, and to forgive thee.

Object. Why, I have prayed, and yet I can get no mercy, not I have prayed, and yet can get no mercy.ſee any hopes or appearance of mercy; therefore, ſurely God will not be ſo ready to ſhew me mercy. Sol. This is a ſore Objection, and uſually troubled Conſciences are enthralled with it, Anſwered.and many times receive great diſcouragement becauſe of the ſilence of mercy to their tears and prayers: But let us ſee how we may inſtruct and ſupport perſons in this caſe. 1. God is ready God is ready to hear prayer.to hear prayer. Pſal. 65. 2. O thou that heareſt prayer. Before they call, I will anſwer; and while they are ſpeaking, I will hear, Iſa. 65. 2. Of all mens prayers, he is moſt ready to hear the prayer of afflicted Moſt ready to hear the prayer of the affl…cted.perſons. Pſal. 18. 27. Thou wilt ſave the afflicted. Pſal. 22. 24. He hath not deſpiſed nor abhorred the afflictions of the afflicted, p. 179neither hath he hid his face from them; but when he cried unto him, he heard him: Of all the Prayers which he is ready to hear, there are none which he doth more feelingly and compaſſionately tender, than the Prayers of afflicted people, eſpecially ſuch as are inwardly afflicted in their ſouls and conſciences for their ſins. No people are more apt to fear that the Lord doth not hear their Prayers, and yet no Prayers doth God ſooner hear than theirs; for as much as the Lord doth exceedingly delight in the ſacrifices of a broken ſpirit, and he is full of pitifulneſs and bowels towards them; I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf, Jer. 31. 18. When Ephraim ſmote upon the thigh, and was confounded and aſhamed, why! you know the Lord could not contain his affections; Is Ephraim my dear ſon? is he a pleaſant child? for ſince I ſpake againſt him, I do earneſtly remember him ſtill: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord. David, you find him much afflicted and diſtreſſed in his ſoul, Pſal. 32. 3, 4. he did no ſooner acknowledge his ſin, but God did expreſs his mercy, v. 5. The like you may ſee of him, in Pſal. 6. 1, 2. compared with v. 8, 9. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping, the Lord hath heard my ſuplication, the Lord hath received my Prayer. So true is that of the Prophet, Iſa. 30. 19. He will be very gra…ious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he ſhall hear it, he will anſwer thee. But then know we, that there may be ſometimes God doth not preſently make known his Mercy. Reaſons of it on our parts.ſome ſpecial Reaſons, why the Lord doth not preſently make known his mercy to the troubled and ſeeking ſoul. The Reaſons may be either on their part, or on Gods part.

1. Quick mercy muſt firſt ſee quickned fervency: Though God be ready to hear their Prayers, yet there may be ſome reaſons, Quickned fervency may be wanting.why he doth not preſently give them ſenſible tokens that they are heard. If you pray for pardoning mercy, as Auſtin did for repentance; if you pray with a careleſs, dull, flat, formal, neglecting ſprit, not eſteeming of Gods mercy and favour as your lives, nay, above your lives; if you ſeek not the Lord in this with all your hearts. Pardoning mercy is the greateſt mercy for the ſoul, and muſt be deſired with the greateſt affections of the ſoul, with cries, with importunities: If you do not mightily wreſtle with him, as David in Pſal. 6. and as Daniel in c. 9. p. 180No marvel that cold Suits have ſlow Anſwers; though you be afflicted in your conſciences, yet if thoſe inward afflictions cannot raiſe the price of mercy, and ſet a ſtronger edge upon your affections, if the burnings of your conſciences do not kindle flames of affections for mercy, you may wait for your anſwer.

2. As it muſt be a quickned affection which muſt find quick mercy, ſo it muſt be a pure affection. I will that men pray every Or a pure affecction.where, lifting up pure hands, 1 Tim. 2. 8. Art thou ſure that no iniquity cleaves unto thee, and is an impedit to thy ſuit for mercy? Thou art troubled with the groſſneſs of ſome one of thy ſins, but doeſt not thou connive at the ſhreds of the ſame ſin? the limbs of it afflict thee, but do not the leaves and the twigs hang on ſtill? If we do not purely and entirely put off our ſins, why ſhould we complain, that God doth not let down his mercy? If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me, Pſal. 66. 18. If you favour your known ſin, in any part, or the leaſt degree of it, where now hath God promiſed to ſhew thee favour or mercy? Or ſuppoſe thou ſhakeſt off one crying ſin, and yet retain ſome other ſin; put off one ſervant, and take another; be troubled for one tranſgreſſion, and yet live in another; is this repentance? Thou doeſt not change thy courſe, but thy ſin, and how then canſt thou expect mercy? But if thou prepare thine heart, and ſtretch out thine hands towards God, and …utſt iniquity far from thee, then ſhalt thou lift up thy face without ſpot, ſaid Zophar, Job 11. 13, 14. If thou thus return to the Almighty, and putſt away iniquity, Job 22. 23. thou ſhalt make thy prayer unto him, and he ſhall hear thee, v. 27. As your prayers muſt be ſervent, ſo they muſt be the fervent prayers of a righteous man, which do prevail much: Not that he who prays muſt have no ſin, but that he muſt love and connive at none.

3. Thy heart is troubled with the guilt of ſin, but doth it morn Doeſt thou mourn for the vileneſs and fithineſs of thy ſin.for the viteneſs and filth of thy ſin? Thou ſeekeſt for a Cordial, but doeſt thou pray for Salve too? Vehement thou art for Mercy, but what for Grace? Where guilt onelyonly troubles, it may make me earneſt for mercy to eaſe me, that is involuntary; would not be troubled but is troubled becauſe he is troubled: But where the filthineſs of ſin troubles me, now I do not onelyonly importune in prayer, but mourn alſo, and amas deſirous of healing as I am of pardoning, this is voluntary; he would mourn, p. 181and mourns becauſe he can mourn no more: If thou ſeekeſt the Lord with a mourning heart, as well as with a troubled heart, the fountain is ſet upon for tranſgreſſions and ſins, Zach. 13. 1. and if the fountain be opened for thee, it cannot be long ere mercies will ſwim unto thee.

4. And with what faith haſt thou prayed? Thy troubled Conſcience With what faith haſt thou prayed?would trouble thee if thou didſt not pray, and therefore haſt thou prayed to give it a little quiet, as we do a crying child the breſt to ſtill it: What things ſoever ye deſire, when ye pray, believe that you receive them, and ye ſhall have them: Haſt thou, and doeſt thou conſider and ponder the promiſes of Gods mercy made over the penitent perſons? Haſt thou conſidered of his mercifull nature, tender love in and through Chriſt? of his commands to broken and afflicted ſouls to come unto him for Balm and Oyl? Haſt thou found how proper his mercifull promiſes are to thy condition? (every way good and convenient;) and doeſt confeſs this word of promiſe a gracious and a good word? and judgeſt him to be faithfull who hath promiſed, and thy ſelf unworthy of mercy? and thereupon, in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, haſt bended thy heart and knees to the God of mercy, truſting through him to find grace and mercy to help in time of need, and thoſe his promiſes to be Yea and Amen to thy ſoul through Chriſt? Joh. 14. 13. Whatſoever ye ask in my Name, that will Ido. According to your faith (ſaid Chriſt to the blind men, Matt. 9. 29.) ſo be it unto you. Alas! thy prayers have not found the way to Gods Mercy-ſeat all this while, becauſe they have not had faith for their Guide; if our Meſſenger loſe their way, no marvel if we ſtay long for an anſwer.

Laſtly; Why haſt thou called home the Embaſſadors, thoſe prayers Haſt thou not called home thy prayers.of thine which were Leigers at Heaven? In a fit of proud impatience, and fruitleſs vexation, and bold preſumption, thou haſt limited the holy One of Iſrael to a day: And if at ſuch another prayer God did not ſenſibly anſwer thee, thou wouldeſt and haſt reſtrained ſeeking of him. What doeſt thou mean to beg, and yet to preſcribe? Alas! that there ſhould be ſo much pride yet in an heart, which we would think humbled as low as Hell! That it ſhould profeſs it ſelf to deſerve a thouſand damnations, and yet quarrel with God, for not being quick in a preſent expedition of mercy! Thou art too p. 182quick with God. Judge how theſe anſwer one the other: O Lord, I do not deſerve the leaſt mercy, I deſerve never to find mercy; and yet if the Lord doth not preſently ſhew me mercy, I will not ſeek unto him any more. As you muſt get humbled hearts, ſo you muſt get humble hearts; He hears the deſires of the humble. Your Prayers muſt be patient, as well as …ervent: Mercy, pardoning mercy, is worth the waiting for: It is the moſt excellent of mercies, and moſt ſure to the patient Petitioner; Pſal. 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. Bleſſed are all that wait for it, Iſa. 30. 18.

Or there may be Reaſons on Gods part, why he doth a while Reaſons on Gods part. God ſuſpends mercy. To give us ſome taſte what it is to provoke him.ſuſpend or hold up the demonſtration of his mercy to a troubled ſoul and ſeeking. 1. To give us ſome taſte, what it is to provoke him, and ſin againſt him. Jer. 2. 19. Thine own wickedneſs ſhall correct thee, and thy back-ſlidings ſhall reprove thee: know therefore, and ſee, that it is an evil and a bitter thing, that thou haſt forſaken the Lord thy God. As we have had years to bath our ſelves in the delights of ſin, ſo we muſt have ſome minutes to taſte the proper fruits, the bitterneſs of ſin: Thou wouldſt not believe the Gall and the Wormwood, &c. Lam. 3. 2. To alienate or work off our affections wholly from ſin; which now is ſo To alienate our affections from ſin.deadly a ſting, ſo ſmart a wound, ſo noiſome a priſon, which fills us with ſuch horrible terrours, and coſts us almoſt our lives to obtain pardon and mercy: Thou wouldſt not eaſily part with ſin. Who would love ſin any more, which 1. raiſeth ſo great terrours, 2. utterly depriveth of mercy, 3. or hinders it, and makes it ſlow to anſwer. 3. To abaſe us more in our own eyes, To abaſe us the more in our own eyes, that we may exalt his mercy.that ſo his mercy may exalt us, and we may exalt his mercy; to value the excellency of mercy, to confeſs our unworthineſs of mercy, to enlarge our deſires of mercy. 4. Nay, not onelyonly to exalt his mercy, but retain his mercy; not eaſily forfeit the excellency and ſweetneſs of mercy, by any future ſinning. The That we may retain his mercy.Church which had much adoe to find Chriſt, ſhe then caught him, and would not let him go. The pardoning mercies of God ordinarily yield us moſt ſweetneſs, and abide in their ſtrength To make us an Inſtance of mercy, and Inſtrument of comfort.with us, after deepeſt humiliations, and difficulteſt fruitions of them. 5. Perhaps the Lord will make thee a great Inſtance of mercy, and a great Inſtrument to comfort others; and therefore p. 183ſuffereth thee to lie a long time in darkneſs and ſilence, and at length will relieve thee.

Object. Yea, but how ſhall a troubled ſoul be ſupported in the How ſhall not be ſupported in the interim?the interims, until mercy, pardoning mercy doth come, and prayers therein be anſwered fully. Sol. I anſwer to this alſo; 1. If thou canſt not have comfort to feed on, yet thou haſt duty to work on: If thou haſt not comfort, look to duty.Every Chriſtian may either find it an Autumn to gather fruit, or elſe a Spring to ſet it. It is a great mercy that thou art at the gates of Mercy; it is a great mercy, 1. to enjoy, 2. to beg, 3. to wait for mercy; a comfort, to have ſuch an heart to come ſo near to mercy; thou haſt a time to ſearch thy heart more, and to review thy eſtate, and to peruſe thy prayers, to mend and continue all. All which are but thy improvements in grace, and will eventually prove the enlargements of thy mercy and peace. No man can make a better progreſs in his repentance, but he doth thereby prepare for the greater, for the ſweeter, for the longer mercies. 2. Though you have not experience to ſupport you, yet you have faith. Though thou haſt not experience, yet thou haſt faith.It is written, and ſealed, though not delivered as yet, Whoſoever doth truly repent, (mourn for ſin, forſake it, endeavour to walk with God, &c.) though he have not the joy of his pardon in his conſcience, yet he hath the aſſurance of his pardon in the promiſe. Now Gods Word ſhould ſupport us as much as Gods Teſtimony; his Word ſhould be as good to our faith, as his Teſtimony is ſweet to our ſenſe and feeling. 3. The dawnings of pardoning mercy The dawnings of pardoning mercy may ſupport.(which are riſing upon you) may alſo ſupport you: Though you cannot read your Pardon under the Broad Seal, yet you may find it paſſing the Privy Seal. For 1. Upon your humble praying for pardoning mercy, you do feel your conſciences more quieted and ſetled and revived with better confidence and expectation of mercy. 2. You find your hearts more enflamingly reſolved, that you will never give over; you will now follow on to know the Lord and his mercies. It was a ſign (anciently) that God regarded prayers, when …ire came down upon the ſacrifice, as 1 Kin. 18. 24. 2 Chro. 7. 1. ſo is it a ſingular argument that God accepts of your prayers for mercy or grace, when upon your prayers he doth enlarge and enliven you more earneſtly to ſeek him in thoſe kinds. If God doth himſelf hold up thy ſuit, he will not long hold off his anſwer; when we will have no Nay, then, Be it unto thee as thou wilt. If he prepare thine heart, he will at length incline his …ar.

p. 184And fell on his neck and kiſſed him.] You have ſeen already, the Eyes of Mercy to eſpie a returning Penitent, and the Feet of Mercy, its ſpeedy pace to meet a returning Penitent, the Father ran; and of the Bowels of Mercy, He had compaſſion on him. In all which, we have diſcovered that ſingular readineſs which is in God to ſhew mercy to a true Penitent. Now there yet remain, 1. The Arms of Mercy, Amplexus miſericordiarum, [And he fell on his neck.] 2. The Sealings of all this mercy, though not verbally, yet moſt ſignificantly expreſſed towards the returning Prodigal, [and kiſſed him.] What they ſay of Scire, that though we do know, yet this ſatisfies us not, unleſs another doth know Niſi t… ſcire ho… ſciat alter.that we do know; the ſame is true of Love and Mercy; though we have loving affections and mercifull intentions towards any, yet this is not enough to the party, unleſs he be made to know the ſame. Therefore here are ſingular expreſſions, as well as admirable intentions; the Box of Ointment is opened; Joſeph cannot contain himſelf, but cries out, I am Joſeph: The Father of the Prodigal doth forgive and accept of him, and teſtifies all this, by falling on his neck and kiſſing of him. There be divers Kiſſes: Not to ſpeak of the Kiſs of Subjection and Reverence, which David calls for, Pſal. 2. 12. Nor of the Kiſs of Incivility and Filthineſs, the whoriſh kiſs, of which Salomon ſpeaks, Prov. 17. 13. Nor of the Kiſs of Falſhood and Treachery, Judas-kiſs, Matth. 26. 49. Nor of the Kiſs of Courteſie, common to all friends, the Heathens uſed it, as Xenophon and Herodotus relate: Nor of the Kiſs of Charity, uſed among the primitive Chriſtians, eſpecially before the Lords Supper. The Kiſs in the Text is a Kiſs of Merciful Affection; and it is given unto the Prodigal by his Father, in ſignum Reconciliationis, that He and his Father were now friends, and in a ſtate of love and kindne…s: In ſignum Pacis, to take off all fears and doubts, all was exceeding well; and in ſignum Laetitiae, to intimate unto him, what a welcome child he now was. His Father was not more grieved at his ſinfull departure, but he is now much more gladded at his penitential return.Doct. God is not onelyonly reconciled, but manifeſts himſelf ſo to be unto the P… nitent.

The proper Obſervation from this I conjecture is, That God is pleaſed, not onelyonly to be reconciled, but alſo to manifeſt and declare himſelf as one reconciled to penitent people. Joh. 14. 21. I will love him, and manifeſt my ſelf unto him. Rev. 3. 20. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will ſup with him, p. 185and he with me. Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to …at of the hidden Manna: and I will give him a white Stone, and in the Stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, ſaving he that receiveth it. Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghoſt which is given unto us. This is a Propoſition of deep conſequence, and alſo of ſome difficulty, and therefore muſt be the more warily opened and attended. Some things premiſed. Gods R…c…nciled favour is demonſtrable to a …itted ſoul.For the ſenſe and meaning of it premiſe theſe particulars:

1. That Gods reconciled favour is a thing demonſirable to a fitted ſoul; (.i.) it is not beſides the nature of Divine favour, to open it ſelf ſo that it may be apprehended, no more then it is againſt the nature of Light, to reveal it ſelf. Nor is it beyond the capacity and proportion of a penitential ſoul tobe cognoſcitive, (i.) to be able to look on, and know Divine favour. In Univerſali, the Papiſts and others do grant, as, That God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf: but more then this, I affirm in particulars, There is not only a Notional knowledge in the general, but there may be an Experimental knowledg in particular of Divine favour. By this, ſaith David, I know thou favoureſt me. And S. Paul of Chriſt, Who loved me. God hath actually manifeſted his love and favour to his people of old; Son, be of good comfort, thy ſins are for given thee, Mat. 9. And Rom. 8. Paul had it, and all the Saints had it: And he doth manifeſt it, and will manifeſt it to all true penitents. But then,

2. There is a double manifeſtation of his favour; One is Natural, A double Manifeſtation of his favour. Naturall.and this is when God doth imprint ſuch qualities on the ſoul, which are the ſole fruits of a reconciled Love, as when he beſtowes on it the ſanctifying graces of his Spirit; Another is Formal, wherein he doth evidently make over the goodneſs of Formall.his Love, (i.) make us directly to know that he doth love us, and is reconciled unto us: which is done two wayes, either, 1. By the Teſtimony of the Word apprehended by faith; 2. By the Teſtimony of his Spirit, cauſing in us an expreſs evidence and ſenſe of Gods love, as a witneſs, and as a ſeal. Now one of theſe wayes God is pleaſed to manifeſt his reconciled favour, or to evidence it unto the penitential ſoul, and ſometimes both.

3. The time which God taketh to declare or make known (in a The time of this manifeſtation is a…b…trary.more formal way of evidence) his reconciled love unto the penitential ſoul, is not neceſſary and determinate, but arbitrary p. 186and free. It is not reſtrained to the very birth or hour of our Converſion, nor limitted to any one part of time after it more then an other. But God is pleaſed differently to make himſelf known, and his loving favour known. Lydia partaked of Joy as ſoon s the partaked of Grace; but with other Chriſtians it may be, perhaps, as with Simeon, that their eyes do not ſee their Salvation till near their death in the latter end.

4. The meaſure of Gods diſpenſation in this particular, is alſo The meaſure of Gods Diſpenſation of it is very different.very different and various: …very Penitent hath not one and the ſame degree that another hath; and he who hath moſt of it in evidence, hath it but mixt and imperfect. A Declaration there is to every penitent ſoul that God loves it, but not equall, nor abſolute.

5. This Declaration of Divine Love, though it be very comfortable, This Declaration is ſeparable at leaſt in the ſence of it.yet it is very ſeparable, eſpecially in the ſenſe and feeling of it: For it is (for the duration of it) an effect of meer favour, which is let out ad Bene placitum only, and it is not an eſſential to the Chriſtian condition, therefore it may go off. So that this is the ſum of the Propoſition, That Gods reconciled favour is a thing which may be known, and God is pleaſed to make it known to all penitents either Naturally or Formally, at ſome time or other, in ſome meaſure or other, ſo long as he himſelf ſhall judge beſt.

The Reaſons where of are theſe: 1. His promiſe is not only to Reaſons of it. Gods Promiſe is to make knowne his love to them.love his people, but likewiſe to make known his love to them; not only the affection, but the declaration of it is in promiſe, Ezek. 34. 30. They ſhall know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the houſe of Iſrael, are my people, ſaith the Lord God. 2. It is the thing which the penitential people of It is the thing which Gods people deſire.God do exceedingly crave and deſire. Pſal. 4. 6. Lord lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me. Pſal. 4. 6. Lord lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me. Pſal. 17. 7. Shew thy marvellous loving kindneſs. Pſal. 106. 4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour thou beareſt unto thy people, O viſit me with thy ſalvation. Pſal. 119. 132. Look upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou uſeſt to do unto thoſe that love thy Name. Cant. 1. 2. Let him kiſe me with the kiſſes of his mouth, for thy love is better then Wine. Now I pray conſider two things, that, 1. The prayers which God commands his people to make. 2. The things which God promiſes to grant: where promiſes p. 187are made, and commands are made, there if prayers be made, God will fulfil them. The manifeſtation of Gods favour is that which the people of God are commanded to ſeek; (Seek ye my …ace, Pſal. 27. 8.) and God hath promiſed to declare his loving favour to them, and therefore if they ſeek it, he will. 3. It is the thing which they do exceedingly need: Though not ſim-ply It is the thing which they Need.to their eſſe, yet reſpectively to their Bene eſſe. The loving kindneſs of God it is their life, and it is the Joy of their ſalvation, and it is their reviving, it is the binding up of their wounds, the ſetling of their fears, the ſtrength of their ſoul, the peace of their conſcience, the anchor of their ſhip, the Ark of reſt▪ 4. The Lord will grant unto his people, even in this life, the God will give his people here the firſt fruits of a Glorious life.firſt fruits of their glorious life: though hereafter they ſhall ſee him face to face, yet here they ſhall know him as through a Glaſs; here they ſhall taſt how good he is, that they may more earneſtly look after a full and Beatifical fruition of him. 5. And likewiſe to let them know the difference twixt a ſinful, To let them know the difference twix… a ſinful and penitential courſe To diſtinguiſh twixt the pleaſures of ſin and the joy of the Holy Ghoſt.and penitent courſe; in the one they ſhall know how juſt he is in wrath, to hate, and puniſh ſin; in the other how gracious, and merciful he is, to comfort, and revive a penitent. 6. Yea, yet more, he doth declare his reconciled favour to them that they likewiſe may diſtinguiſh twixt theſe poor, falſe, miſerable, jollities, and pleaſures, which they had by ſin; and twixt thoſe ſoul reviving tranſcendently affecting comforts, unſpeakeable joies, unconceivable peace which ariſe to them, upon the knowledg of God reconciled to them in and through Chriſt: That there is not that juice, that ſupport, that delight, that ſingularity of contentment in any way, as in a good way; nor the like life and ſpirit to be drawn from any ſinful or earthly ſprings, as from the goodneſs and kindneſs of his loving favour: that a God reconciled is the only happineſs of the ſoul.

Doth the Lord manifeſt unto penitential perſons his reconciled Uſe Satisfy not your ſelves without the ſeales of Gods favour.favour? Then you who take your ſelves to be converts and penitents, ſatisfie not your ſelves, be not contented until you find the SEals and tokens of Gods favour. You have (I know) his Word and Bond for your reconciliation, and your condition really is the ſtate of reconciliation; you do love the Lord, and the Lord doth love you: But yet advance ſomwhat farther, ſtrive to find the kiſſes, the gracious expreſſions and evidences from God, that he is reconciled unto you.

p. 188The Motives to excite you hereto, are many and forcible. Motives. The differences twixt God and you have been very great.1. The differences twixt God and you have been very great and high, ſuch as have much provoked the Lord; and they have been of long continuance, ſuch as have deſerved ten thouſand Hells: No… why will you not ſtrive to make it out of doubt that God hath pardoned you, and is in Chriſt graciouſly reconciled unto you? If there have been differences betwixt us and a man of place, we will uſe all the means to take up the controverſie, and get a releaſe of all things; how much more having to do with God?

2. This Reconciled Love is worth the ſuing out: No love like Reconciled love is worth the ſuing out.it; partly, becauſe it doth ſo immediately concern the ſoul of a Chriſtian. It is a love which accepts of a ſinner, and makes the ſinner accepted; it is more to him then the Princes pardon to a Traitor: Indeed, it is his paſſing from death to eternal Life. What ſhould become of a ſinner; if the Lord were not reconciled to him? If the Lord be his enemy and holds diſtance, the ſoul can never ſtand before him in Judgment: Farewel Peace, farewel Heaven without it. Partly, becauſe it is the choiceſt & chiefeſt Love that God doth beſtow: There is no one whom he doth imbrace with the love of friendſhip and reconciliation, but Elect perſons, and ſuch as he intends for Glory. Therefore this Love is called, the ancient Love, great Love, Eph. 2. and the free Love, and the Love of his choſen, and a Love which is ſure, and a Love which neither Powers, nor principalities, nor world, nor life, nor death, nor things preſent, nor things to come, can extirpate or aboliſh. You may partake of his common Love, and the common effects of that Love, yet you may be his very enemies, and veſſels of wrath. Partly, becauſe it frees you from the ſoreſt fears, and ſharpeſt torments. You know that there are no troubles like thoſe in Conſcience, nor fears like thoſe concerning our eternal Conditions. What… if I be one whom the Lord hates? what if I ſhould dye, and then be damned? what if I be not in favour with the Lord? what if ſuch or ſuch a ſin be not yet pardoned? Now the evidence that God is reconciled to you, doth ſilence theſe fears, and eaſes the conſcience of theſe tormenting ſuſpicions: The Lord is my light (ſaid David, Pſal. 27. 1.) whom ſhall I fear? And, I will lay me down in peace, Pſa. 4. 8.

3. It is one of the moſt admirable comforters of the ſoul in any condition. It comforts the ſoul in any condition.If your condition be proſperous, why, the aſſurance that God is reconciled unto you, makes all your outward comforts the more p. 189comfortable unto you: It is like health to a good complexion, which ſprinkles it over, and inamels the face with a fair beauty; or like the light to colour, which unveils and diſcloſeth all their art; or like the dew to the herbs, which makes them the more fragrant; when a man can ſay, I have all things, and God is reconciled to me too; I have ſuch a Lordſhip, and the King is my friend too; ſuch honours, friends, eſtate, and the Lord hath accepted of me too, and I know that all is pardoned; is not this a comfort, when all is pleaſant on earth, and all is right in heaven: whereas, if the Lord be not reconciled to a man, what avails all the world? If your conditions be calamitous, yet the aſſurance that God is reconci…ed to you, is an admirable cordial. You read in Mat. 9. 2. Of a man ſick with a dead Palſey, (a diſeaſe which exceedingly dejects the ſpirits;) Chriſt comes unto him, and gives him a Cordial; what was it, think you? why this, Son be of good comfort, thy ſins are forgiven thee. You will think this an improper comfort to a man in ſuch a diſeaſe, but it was not; the aſſurance that our ſins are pardoned, and that God is reconciled, revives, and cheers up the heart, nothing more. So S. Paul ſpeaks of Tribulation, Di…reſs, Perſecution, Famine, Nakedneſs, Peril, Sword, Yea, of Death it ſelf, Rom. 8. 35, 36. and addeth. v. 37. In all theſe things we are more then conquerours: he made light of them all, they were as nothing. How ſo? whence came this? why! from aſſurance of Gods love; for (ſaith he, v. 38, 39.) I am perſwaded, that neither death nor life, nor any Creature ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lard. If your condition be pious, this evidence is the main thing which makes it moſt comfortable; all the habits of graces are no actual comforts, unleſs they become evident; and ſo far do they comfort you, as they are true and real evidences of Gods reconciled love and favour unto you.

4. It will be an unſpeakable ſtay unto you in death; you know It will be a ſtay in Death.the day of death will ſhortly overtake every one of us: Here is no abiding City; and what temptations may befall us then, we cannot aſſure our ſelves; we know not what Satan or conſcience may raiſe up againſt us: When our ſouls are ready to depart, then either to be determinate; God is not yet reconciled to me, (that juſt God, before whom I muſt immediately appear to anſwer, and make accounts;) or to be indeterminate; It may be, I p. 190am reconciled, it may be I am not, I never had any ſolid evidence of it; how diſtracting a thing is this, that the ſoul, one minute hopes the beſt, and preſently, it doubts the worſt? Now I think I ſhall go to Heaven; and by and by, I fear leſt I ſhall be caſt into Hell: But if you had obtained to an evidence of Gods reconciled favour unto you, that the Lord had pardoned all the ſins of your life, and had graciouſly accepted of you in Chriſt, though death it ſelf appears, you would not much be moved. I know that my redeemer lives, ſaid Job c. 19. And we know, that if our earthly houſe be diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe eternal in the heavens, (ſaith the Apoſtle) 2 Cor. 5. 1.

5. It is of all the moſt quickning and forwarding thing to the It is the moſt Quickning in duty.heart, for the performance of all ſorts of holy duties: We oftentimes complain, what dull and ſlow hearts we have to Prayer; were we more aſſured that God is reconciled to us, we ſhould quickly find hearts more affected, and more enlarged for Prayer; though we be afraid, and flye from an angry and juſt God, yet we would …hye in, and ſpeed unto a reconciled, and gracious God. Pſal. 63. 1. Thou art my God; (here he diſcerns that whereof we ſpeak. ſc. God reconciled;) and then it followes, early will I ſeek unto thee. Again, we wonder at our liſtneſſes of our ſpirits to the word, that we do not mind it, long after it, affect it more; were you more aſſured of Gods love, being more affected with him, we ſhould certainly grow more affected with his word. They, in 1 Pet. 2. 2. muſt deſire the ſincere Milk of the Word, as new born Babes (.i.) with much eagerneſs, and delightfulneſs; but how might this apprehenſion be wrought in them. Why! v. 3. If ſo be, that you have taſted, that the Lord is gracious, q. d. a taſt (an experience, an aſſurance) that God is your gracious God, that is it which will whet an edge and appetite after the word; I ſay no more but this, you will ſerve the Lord with more willing hearts, and cheerful, then ever you did in all your lives, if ſo be you could get aſſurance that God is reconciled.

6. It makes your hearts moſt confident on God in evil times; It makes us Confident in evill times.when afflictions are upon you, when dangers ariſe, when diſtractions are in the world, when any near calamity breaks in; theſe are like Land-floods, which carry away all, or like the deluge in Noah's time, which exceeded all the mountains, ſo do theſe drown all the vain hopes, and confidences of evil men, that are not reconciled p. 191to God; they know not in the world what to do, they have no heart to go in unot God, for their conſciences now tell them plainly, that they are in the eſtate of enmity, and wrath. But even now, though the foundations of the earth be ſhaken, the aſſured perſon, who knows God is reconciled to him, knows alſo that his foundation of love ſtands ſure and firm, and through all, does he make his addreſs unto the God of his mercies, and ſhall find acceptance with him.

7. Laſtly, It is that which will wonderfully inlarge your graces; It will wonderfully inlarge our Graces.the Apoſtle delivers it in the general, that the knowledg of the love of Chriſt, is a means by which we come to be filled with all the fulneſs of God. Eph. 3. 19. See but Luke 7. 38. You ſhall find that much was there forgiven; the woman, though a great ſinner, was graciouſly reconciled; what followes on this, ſhe loved much, ſhe wept much, ſhe humbled her ſelf much, her affections to Chriſt; her tears for her ſins, her humility of ſpirit, all of them are ſet down as exemplary copies; this is it, which will make the light of our Moon, to be as the light of the Sun; and our light of the Sun, as the light of ſeven dayes.

You may perhaps reply unto me, this evidence that God is reconciled to us (which is ſo excellent in it ſelf, and produces ſuch effects) were a very heaven upon earth, if we could attain unto it. But what means ſhould we uſe, that we may at length enjoy it: Means to attain it.I con…ecture thus, that the means of obtaining it, are twofold, Internal, External. The Internal means are three, viz. Conſcience, the Spirit of God, and Faith; for all theſe have in them a reflexive, and an evidencing virtue or power.

1. Then, you muſt get your conſciences renewed: Conſcience, Get your Conſciences renewed.abſolutely conſidered, hath a reflexing power, it can look on our natural acts and conditions; but it muſt be conſcience renewed, which muſt teſtifie of the ſpiritual eſtate, and that God is reconciled to you. The teſtimony or evidence of conſcience renewed, is (you know) ſyllogiſtical, and nothing elſe but the eccho of the word, v. g. whoſoever truly repents of ſin, the Lord is reconciled to him; this is the propoſition of the word, as you may read in Hoſ. 14. 1, 2, 3. They are deſcribed, as acting the parts of true penitents; and then v. 4. I will love them freely: So Jer. 31. 19. Ephraim is turned, and repents, and then v. 20. Ephraim is a dear child, and a pleaſant Son; he is earneſtly remembred, and ſure mercy is his; p. 192(.i.) Ephraim is reconciled, and dearly loved of God. Here renewed conſcience aſſumes, But I do unfainedly repent, I do truly mourn, and forſake ſin; and now with aſſurance, it concludes by way of evidence and teſtimony, Therefore the Lord is reconciled unto me, he doth freely and ſurely love me. Obj. But it is objected, Conſcience may be deceived; it may aſſume without ground, and ſo deludingly conclude the matter. Sol. I grant that conſcience may be erronious in its grounds, but conſcience as renewed, and concluding as a renewed conſcience, will not delude you, nor err; for conſcience renewed, concludes not upon an empty imagination, but upon a ſolid examination of the heart and life. It finds that integrity in the heart, and that uprightneſs in ordering the life, which doth anſwer the word of God; And reading that the Lord loves the upright, and that he will ſhew his ſalvation to him that orders his converſation aright: Now upon ſearch, finding this habitual and actual uprightneſs, it concludes, Surely I am the perſon whom the Lord loves, and to whom he is reconciled.

2. You muſt get the ſpirit of God: The Apoſtle in Rom. 5. 5. Get the ſpirit of God.ſaith, that the love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghoſt; ſo that if ever you would know the love of God unto you, you muſt have the ſpirit of God: the ſpirit of God hath many operations given unto him, as that he inlightens the mind, humbles the heart, ſanctifies it, and then that he ſealeth and comforteth it; and as theſe effects, ſo the order of them is obſervable; he doth not firſt of all ſeal or aſſure, and then inlighten, and then ſanctifie, and then humble; but he firſt inlightens, humbles, ſanctifies and converts the ſoul, and then aſſures and comforts it: Peruſe Rom. 8. you ſhall find, that the witneſs of the ſpirit that we are the children of God, v. 16. followes the ſpirit of bondage, and of adoption, and of ſupplication, v. 15. and the quickning of the ſpirit, v. 11. and a leading of the ſpirit, v. 14. So that if ever you would be aſſured that the Lord is reconciled to you, you muſt get his ſpirit convincing, humbling, renewing, and leading you; ſo much evidence as you have of holineſs, ſo much aſſurance you may build on of Gods reconciled favour unto you. Obj. But here alſo it is objected, we may thus be cozened with Enthuſiaſms, taking a fond dream and deluſion, for a witneſſing or teſtimony of Gods ſpirit. Sol. I anſwer, this is a fond and ridiculous exception; for the ſpirit of God (as S. Ambroſe ſpeaks) can neither deceive, nor be deceived. p. 193The ſealing or aſſuring teſtimony of Gods Spirit, is never Nudum nor Nudatum teſtimonium; but as it is a ſeal to a deed drawn, (I mean an heart firſt written over with renewing graces;) ſo in the ſealing, it alwayes produceth more tender and lively operations of holineſs, in all good works.

3. Laſtly, If you would get aſſurance of Gods love reconciled unto your ſouls, you muſt get Faith. Faith is the eye, by which we Get Faith.look on God, and it is that light, by which we ſee God looking on us: How did Simeon ſee Chriſt to be his Saviour? Or Paul know that Chriſt loved him, but by Faith? There are two wayes by which Faith can and will bring the ſoul to ſee or know God reconciled unto it: One is, by and in Chriſt; there is no ſeeing of a reconciled God, but in a Mediator, and therefore Chriſt is called ſo often our Peace, our Atonement, our Reconciler: The other is, by and through the Promiſes, which is therefore called the Covenant of Grace; q. d. ſets forth, and preſents God unto us, as graciouſly reconciled. If you have ſo much faith as will bring you to Chriſt, to know him, to embrace and accept of him, to rely on him, you may with ſafeſt confidence conclude and be perſwaded, that God is your reconciled God: For God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf.

2. The external means of obtaining aſſurance are: 1. Conſcionable External means. Diligent Application of our ſelves to the Word.and diligent application of our ſelves to the Word. The word of God is both the inſtrument of our Regeneration, and of our Conſolation; and is not only productive of faith, as it is an adherence, but able alſo to produce it, as it is an evidence: and therefore, as you read that faith in acceptance depends on the word, Rom. 10. 17. ſo we read that faith in aſſurance flowes likewiſe from it. 1 Joh. 5. 13. Theſe things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life. And as the Word is oftentimes called a Word of Faith, ſo it is ſometimes called a Lip of Peace. Iſa. 57. 19. q. it produceth an aſſurance from which that peace doth flow. 2. And to the Sacrament. The Sacrament hath, I confeſs, many To the Sacrament.ends; and it is (as the Word of God is) an Organ or Inſtrument of the Divine ſpirit, for much good unto believing ſouls. Among the reſt, it hath a ſingular virtue to breed aſſurance of Gods love, and therefore it is called, a Seal in Ro. 4. 11. In it Chriſt Jeſus (in whom God is reconciled) is moſt diſtinctly repreſented in his Paſſion, as making peace by his blood for our ſouls: In it the ſame Chriſt Jeſus is p. 194particularly offered and applyed unto us, with all the benefits and efficacies of his perſon: Take, eat, this is my body which was given for you, 1 Cor. 11. 24. As if God ſhould ſay, As ſurely as I give thee this bread and wine, ſo I give thee my Son, and the purchaſe of his death, even reconciliation, and pardon, and mercy. A believing celebration of the Sacrament is a moſt admirable means to remove our doubts, and to eſtabliſh our hearts with an Fervent and patient Prayer.aſſurance that God is reconciled unto us. 3. Fervent and patient Prayer; prizing the favour of God, as David did, Pſal. 63. 3. Hungring and thirſting after it, as he hid, Pſal. 106. 4, 5. And thus continuing to ſeek with diligence, being withall tenderly careful in our hearts and wayes to pleaſe the Lord; we ſhall have the deſires of our Souls crowned with the teſtimonies of his love here, and with the full glory of his face, and favour hereafter.