Two Discourses, Sermon 2 · Application 1
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1. Instruction.
This Doctrine manifests the Power of the Gospel.
Nothing shows more the heavenly Authority of the Christian Religion, and the Divine Efficacy of the Word, than the sudden Conversions of notorious Sinners. That a man should enter into the Church a Tyger, and return a Lamb.
'Tis this little Stone which is instrumental to lay Lusts more Giant-like than Goliah, groveling in the dust.
That Paul, mad with Rage against the Christians, should after an Arrest in his Journey embrace a Religion he had hated. A Pharisee changed into a Preacher. A Persecutor commence a Martyr. That one of eminent Parts, in favour with the Sanhedrim, should fly from a Preferment expected, and patronize a Doctrine contemned in the world, and attended with Poverty, Misery, cruel Scourgings, and Death.
Whenever you see such Effects, take them as new Credentials from Heaven, to maintain the Credit of the Word, and to assert the Authority of that Conclusion Paul lays down, Rom. 1.16. That it is the power of God unto salvation. God gains a reputation to the Gospel, and the power of Christianity, that can in a moment change Persons from Beasts to Men, from Serpents to Saints.
2ly. Groundlesness of Despair.
Despair not of others, when thou dost reflect upon thy own Crimes, and considerest, that God never dealt with a baser Heart in the World than thine was. Was not Paul as unlike to prove a Convert, as any Relation of thine that wallows in his blood? Who would have thought that Onesimus should run from his Master, and be catched in Christ's Arms?
Neither despair of thy self. Shall any Soul in anguish, and cover'd with penitential Blushes, think it self cast out of the Riches of God's affectionate Grace? Shall any Man so much blaspheme the merciful Bowels of Jesus Christ, as to fly to a Knife, a Halter, or a deep Well for succour? Though thou wert in Hell, David tells thee God is with thee, even there in his Essential presence; yea, though thou wert Hell it self; for where the Devil dwells, that's Hell: Yet if the Soul throbs, fighs, groans under it, his infinite Grace will break down the door, and come in upon thee. And we know, that neither she that had seven Devils, nor he that had a Legion, were strong enough to keep out Christ.
2ly. Comfort.
If God has made thee of a great Sinner the Object of his Mercy, thou may'st be assur'd of,
1. Continuance of his Love. He pardon'd thee when thou wert an Enemy, will he leave thee now thou art his Friend? He lov'd thee when thou hadst raz'd out in a great measure his Image and Picture, which he had set in thy Soul; will he hate thee now, since he has restor'd that Image, and drawn it with fresh Colours? He justified thee when thou wert ungodly, and will he cast thee off, since he hath been at such pains about thee, and written in thee a Counterpart of his own divine Nature in the Work of Grace?
Were his Bowels first mov'd when thou hadst no Grace? and will they not sound louder since thou hast Grace?
Would the Father embrace his Son, when his Garments smelt of Draff and Swine? and will he cast him off, after he hath put upon him a Royal Robe?
Will Pharaoh's Daughter pity Moses, when he was in a filthy pitchy Ark? and will the Charitable Lady scorn him when he is dress'd?
2ly. Supplies of his Grace.
Thou hadst a rich Present of his Grace sent thee, when thou could'st not pray for it; and will he not much more give thee whatsoever is needful, when thou callest upon him? He was found of thee, when thou didst not seek him; and will he hide himself from thee when thou art enquiring after him? A wise Builder does not begin a Work, when he is not able to finish it. God consider'd, before he began with thee, what Charge thou would'st stand him in, both of Merit in Christ, and Grace in thee; so that the Grace he hath given thee, is not only a Mercy to thee, but an Obligation on himself, since his Credit is engaged to compleat it. Thou hast more unanswerable Arguments to plead before him, than thou hadst, viz. His Son, his Truth, his Promise, his Grace, his Name, wherein before thou hadst not the least interest.
To what purpose hath God call'd thee, and wash'd thee, if he did not intend to supply thee with as much Grace as shall bring thee to Glory? To what purpose should a Creditor forgive part of a Debt, and lay the Debtor in Prison for the other part? Has God given thee Christ? and will he detain any thing else? Supplies of Wants, Grants of any thing thou desirest, are but as a few grains of Pepper that the Grocer puts in as an Overplus to many pounds.
3ly. Strength against Corruptions.
Can Molehills stand against him who has levell'd Mountains? Can a few Clouds withstand the melting Force of the Sun, which has dissolv'd those black Mists that overspread the Face of the Heavens? No more can the remainders of thy Corruption bear head against his Power, which has thrown down the great Hills of the Sins of thy Natural Condition, and has dissolv'd the thick Fogs of thy unregeneracy.
Thou canst neither doubt his Strength nor his Love; Amor gaudet in maximus; He has done the greatest, and will he withdraw his Hand from doing the least? When Moses slew the Aegyptian, 'tis said, Acts 7.25. That he supposed his brethren would have understood, that God intended by his hand to deliver them. Moses was a Type of Christ: Has Christ overthrown a whole Army of Aegyptians, that did not only pursue thee, but kept thee in slavery? Has he overturn'd them all in the Red Sea? and wilt thou not take notice thereby, that he intends to be thy Deliverer from the scatter'd Troops of them?
3ly. Exhortation.
1. To those that God hath dealt so with.
1. Glorify God for his Grace.
Admiration is all the Glory you can give to God for his Grace, seeing you can add nothing to his Essential Glory. Christ will come at the last day to be admir'd; I pray send your Admirations before-hand to attend him at his Coming.
Who made thee thus to differ from another? Was it not God? Let him then have the Glory. If he made thee to differ from others in the Enjoyment of his Mercy, do thou also differ from others in the Sounding of his Praise. If thou hast an Angel's State, 'tis fit thou should'st have an Angel's Note. If David, when he consider'd the glorious Heavens God had made for Man, cried out so affectionately, Psal. 8.4. What is man that thou art mindful of him! Surely, when thou considerest that Work of Grace which God hath wrought in thee, thou may'st with Astonishment cry out, What is man that thou art mindful of him! What is such a Toad, that thou shouldest take him into thy bosom? For there is not a Grace in thee, but is more glorious than the Sun with all its Regiments of Stars; and is more like to God than the great Fountain of Light with all its amazing splendor. 'Tis something of that Heaven, which is more glorious than all the rest of the Heavens, and is above the reach of the natural Eye. Oh what is Man that thou art thus mindful of him, to make him who is a Hell by Sin, to become Heaven by Grace! Pardon of but one act of Sin, makes us for ever debtors to God; because one Sin renders us obnoxious to Eternal Torments, and every Sin includes a hatred of God. What then is it to remit such vast Sums, if to pardon one be a Miracle! To pardon many committed against a suffering Christ, that hath invited us, and repeats his invitations, after they have been rejected, is a Miracle of the greatest magnitude, something above a Miracle!
How should you think Jacob's Expression in Temporal Mercies, a few Sheep, too mean! Gen. 32.10. I am less than the least of all thy mercies. Oh I am less, less, less than the least of all this Mercy. A great Sinner, when converted, should sing a Note somewhat above David's, Psal. 116.12. What shall I render? and would say, I can render nothing, nothing; but I will render Praise, Blessing, Amazement, Astonishment; That is all I can render, and I cannot render enough of that.
Had you chosen God first, it had been some ingenuity in God to answer that affection; but God chose you first, and that when there was nothing lovely in you, when he saw you the most deform'd Creatures in the World. There was no Likeness between God and thee. Similis simile amat, is a Rule in Nature; but in this Case, Deus optimus diliget hominem pessimum.
'Tis that which does amaze the Disciples; they could not tell the reason why Christ should manifest himself to them, John 14.22. Perhaps thou art only snatcht out of a Family; the Wrath of God may be fallen upon the rest, and thou only escap'd. Has he not lopt down many Cedars in Morality, and chosen thee, a Thorn, a Shrub, to deck Heaven with? Are not many damn'd, that were not guilty of thy Sins?
How wonderful is it that such a black Firebrand should be made a Statue fit for Glory? He might have writ thy Name as easily in his Black Book, as in his White. Is it not admirable Mercy for a God provok'd, to take pains with stiff-neck'd Sinners, and to beat down Mountains of high Imaginations, to rear up a Temple to himself? If Mercy had knockt once or twice, and no more, thou hadst dropt into Hell; but Mercy would not leave knocking. Perhaps thy Sins were so great, that if thou hadst gone but a little farther, thou hadst been irrecoverable; but God put a stop to the proud Waves, saying, Hitherto shalt thou go, and no further.
2ly. Often call to mind thy former Sin.
It hath been the custom of the Saints of God-formerly. When Matthew reckons up the Twelve Apostles, Mat. 10.3. whereof he was one, he remembers his former State, Matthew the Publican; but none of the other Evangelists call him so in that Enumeration.
1. It makes us more humble. Thoughts of Pride cannot lodge in us, when the remembrance of our Rags, Bolts, and Fetters, is frequently renew'd. What was there in thy former life, but Misery, to move God to shew Mercy to thee? Though Paul had a greater Manifestation than any we read of, nay than Christ himself had, (for we do not read that Christ was wrapt up into the Third Heavens) yet how frequently does he remember his Sin of Persecuting, to keep Humiliation in exercise, and stop the growth of Pride.
2ly. It will make us thankful. Sense of Misery heightens our Obligation to Mercy. Men at Sea are most thankful for Deliverance, when they consider the Danger of the foregoing Storm. A long Night makes a clear Morning more welcome.
3ly. It will make thee more active in the Exercise of that Grace which is contrary to thy former Sin. Christ ask'd Peter thrice whether he lov'd him, John 21. to put him tacitly in mind of his late Sin, and to have a threefold Exercise of his Love, proportionable to his threefold Denial.
4ly. It will be a Preservative against falling into the same Sin again. Perhaps Christ might press that threefold Demand of Peter's Love, to renew his Repentance for his Apostacy, as the best Antidote against the falling into the same Sin; and therefore Peter was griev'd when he ask'd him the third time; not so much, it may be, for the suspicion his Master had of his Fidelity, as for the just Cause of Jealousy his fall had given him. And at this third Question calling to mind his Denial, he renew'd his Grief for his late unworthy Carriage. Look back then upon thy former Sin, but let it be with Anger and Shame, to strengthen thy Detestation, to strangle thy former delight in it, and to magnify the Mercy of God, who has deliver'd thee from it.
When the Corinthians were proud of their spiritual Gifts, the Apostle beats down their swelling Plumes, by giving them a review of their accursed State, 1 Cor. 12.2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb Idols. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, &c. When a Convert frequently considers what he was once in his unregenerate State, he would not for all the Honours, Profits and Pleasures of the World, return to that State again; so great a delight he takes in the Work of the New Creature.
Second Branch of Exhortation is to those that are in a doubting Condition.
Obj. The main Objection such make, is the Greatness of Sin. Oh! there was never such a great Sinner in the World as I am! If you rake all Hell over, you will not find such another. Sure God will never pardon me; My Sins are too great to be forgiven. Such language as this does sometimes drop from Men, which they are partly urg'd to by the Devil, to disparage that Royal Prince Jesus, that came to destroy his Works, and to keep up an Enmity between God and Man, in making the Creature have jealous Thoughts of the Creator. And partly from a Man's own Conscience, which acting by those legal Principles writ in the Heart by Nature, which are directive, and upon non-observance condemning, but discover nothing of pardoning Grace. This was the first Act of Natural Conscience in Adam, after he had sinn'd, he had the least thoughts of forgiveness, for he studied nothing, but how he might fly from the Presence of God. Such Speeches as these discredit thy Creator, if they be persisted in, argues thee to be one of Cain's Posterity, who indeed told God to his very face, Gen. 4.13. that his Sin was greater than could be forgiven. I will a little argue with such.
Ans. 1. Art thou indeed the greatest Sinner? I can hardly believe it. Didst thou ever sin after the rate that Paul did? or wert thou ever possess'd with such a fury? Sure there have been some as great Sinners as thou art, be as bad as bad can be. If thou wert to look over the Names of all those now in Heaven, and ask them all what Sins they were guilty of, before God show'd Mercy to them; I cannot think but thou shouldest find many that would Mate thee, yea, and exceed thee too; and thou canst not charge thy self with any black Circumstances, but thou wouldest meet with some or other that would cry out presently, Oh, I was in the like condition, and rather worse! What dost thou think of Christ's Murtherers, who resisted the Eloquence of his Sermons, and the Power of his Miracles? And when his Death had darkned the Sun, shook the Earth, clave the Rocks, rent the Vail of the Temple in twain; not one Heart among that murderous Crew had any saving Relentings that we read of. And yet were not some of these converted by Peter's Sermon, and the Pardon of them left upon Record by the Spirit of God?
Have not some of God's greatest Favourites been the greatest Sinners? Did not Adam draw upon him the guilt of all his Posterity, and may in some sense be charg'd with the Sins of all those that came out of his Loins, even all Mankind? Yet to this very Person was the first Promise of the Gospel made, and that before he pronounced any Sentence against him for his Sin, Gen. 3.15.
2ly. Suppose thou art the greatest, is thy staying from Christ the way to make all thy Sins less? Art thou so rich, as to pay this great debt out of thy own Revenue? Or hast thou any hopes of another Surety? Did any Man or Angel tell thee, they could satisfy for thee? Can Complaints of a great Load, without endeavouring its removal, ease that Back that bears it?
3ly. Are thy Sins the greatest? Is not the staying from Christ a making them greater? Does not God command thee to come to Christ? and is not thy delay a greater Act of Disobedience, than the Complaint of thy sinfulness can be of Humility? Hast thou not Load enough already, but wilt thou add Unbelief, which is as black as all thy other Sins put together? Is not a refusal of his Mercy provocative? Thou art mad if thou thinkest thy Sin can decrease by trampling upon Christ's Heart, and spurning at his Bowels. Thou hast sinn'd against Justice, against Wisdom, against common Providence: Is not this enough, but wilt thou rob him of an Opportunity to show the Riches of his Grace, by refusing the Blood of his Son, which his Wisdom contrived, and his Love offers?
Who is it persuades thee thus to keep off from Christ? Does God? Show me, where is his hand for it? Show me thy Authority in God's Warrant. But since thou canst not, I am sure 'tis thy own corrupt heart and the Devil in League together. And mayst thou not say of him far better than Ahab did of Micaiah, Thou didst never prophecy good to me; no, he never did, nor ever will. What, wilt thou more black thy self, by following the Devil's Counsel, than obeying God's Command? If thy sin be great, let it multiply thy Tears, but by no means stop thy progress to Christ.
4thly. Were thy sins less than they are, thou mightest not so easily believe in Christ, as now thou mayest.
If thou wilt not believe while thy sins are great, and thy heart naughty, I dare assure thee, if thy heart were not naught, and thy sins little, thou wouldst not believe; for thou wouldest be apt to believe in thy own heart, and trust in thy own Righteousness, rather than believe in Christ. Great Sins and a bad Heart felt and bewail'd, is rather an advantage; as Hunger is an incentive to a man to seek for Meat. If men had clean hearts, 'tis like they would dispose of them otherwise, and rather think Christ should come to them. Mens Poverty should rather make them more importunate, than more modest. To say, I will not come to Christ, because I have great sins, is as if one should say, I will never have any thing to do with Happiness if offer'd, because I have great Misery: I'll go to no Chirurgeon, because my Wound is so great: I'll eat no Bread, because I am so exceeding hungry, and like to starve. This is ill Logick; and so 'tis with thee, to argue, Because I am filthy, therefore I will not go to the Fountain to be washed; or to think to be sanctified before believing. Now since thou hast, as thou confessest, no Righteousness to trust in, methinks thou shouldest be the more easily persuaded to cast thy self upon Christ, since there is no other way but that.
If therefore thou art afraid of drowning under these mighty Floods which rowl upon thee, methinks thou shouldst do as men ready to perish in the Waters, catch hold of that which is next them, though it be the dearest Friend they have; and there is none nearer to thee than Christ, nor any such a Friend; catch hold therefore of him.
5thly. The Greatness of thy Sin is a ground for a Plea.
Turn thy Sins into Arguments, as David doth, 25. Psal. 11.—For it is great. Some translate it, Though it be great; and the Hebrew word foreign will bear both. The Psalmist useth two Arguments, God's Name, and the Greatness of his Sin. And both are as good Arguments as they were then.
Thou mayest go to God with this language in thy mouth; Lord, my filthiness is great, there is more need therefore of thy washing me; my Wound is deep, the greater is the necessity of some Plaister for the Cure. What charitable man in the world would not hasten a Medicine, rather than refuse to grant it? What earthly Physician would object, The Disease is great, therefore there is no necessity of a Cure; therefore there is no room left for my Skill? And shall God be less charitable than man?
Dogs are filthy and foul, yet they may lay claim to Crumbs.
Thou mayest use also the Argument of God's Name. Sinners may plead for Grace upon the account of God's Glory; viz. The Glory God will have by it. His Wisdom is eminent in serving his own Ends by his greatest Enemy. His Power in conquering Sin, his Grace in pardoning. Show him his own Name, 34. Exod. and see if he will deny any Letter of it.
If thy Disease were not so great, Christ's Glory would not be so illustrious. Pardon of such Sins enhanceth the Mercy and Skill of thy Saviour. The multitude of Devils which were in Mary Magdalen, are recorded to show the Power of that Saviour that expell'd them, and wrought so remarkable a Change. Are thy sins the greatest? God that loves to advance his free Grace in the highest manner, will be glad of the opportunity to have so great a Sinner follow the Chariot of it, and to manifest thereby its uncontroulable Power.
Use David's Argument 39. Psal. 12. When ver. 8. he pray'd, that God would deliver him from his transgressions, v. 12. he useth this argument, That he was a stranger. I know no reason but it may be thine, for if thy sins be great, thou art more alienated from God than the ordinary rank of men: Lord, thou dost command us to show kindness to strangers, to love our Enemies; and wilt thou not use the same Mercy to a stranger, that thou commandest others to use, and show the same Love to so great an Enemy as I am? The greater my Enmity, the more glorious will be thy Love.
Plead therefore,
1st. Infiniteness of God's Mercy.
'Tis strange if thy Debts should be so great, that the Exchequer of the King of kings cannot discharge. Why should the Apostle say, God was rich in mercy, Eph. 4. and call it Great Love, if it were spent only upon little sins, and if any Debts could exhaust it: For surely an Infinite God cannot be finitely rich. If God be rich in mercy, he is surely infinitely rich: Thou canst not think that any that have got to Heaven before thee, have drein'd his Treasures, for then it had been finite, not infinite. They were not unsearchable Riches, if the sins of all the world could find the bottom of them.
God looks upon his Grace as the greatest part of his Estate. He calls it his Riches, which Title he gives not any other Attribute: Now Riches are not to lye by and rust, but to be laid out and traded with; and the more they are traded with, the more Wealth they bring in. God hath not delight to keep these Riches by him, and to hoard them up for no use; for omne bonum est sui diffusivum; therefore the more Goodness any thing hath, the more diffusive it is of it self. God loves to distribute his Wealth upon his own terms, and to venture out Riches of Grace, that he may have returns of Riches of Glory; so that if you come to God, you have all his Estate at your service. Till thou canst be as sinful as God is merciful, as evil as God is good, do not think thy Iniquities can check an Al-Almighty Goodness. Mercy bears the greatest sway in God's Name, 34. Exod. 6, 7. There is but one Letter of his Power, two of his Justice, and nine or ten expressions of his Mercy. His Power attends his Mercy as well as his Justice; so that on Mercy's side against Justice there is five to one, which is great odds.
Plead then with God, Lord, 'tis said in thy Word, 3. Prov. 28. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give thee, when 'tis in the power of thine hand to do it. Should not a man refuse to give to his Neighbour, when he has it by him; and shall the merciful God deny me that Mercy which I beg of him upon my knees, when he has it all in store by him? Must I forgive my Brother, if he offends 77 times, a double perfect Number; and must I be more charitable to man, than Infinite Mercy will be to me? Shall thy Justice only speak, and thy Mercy be silent, and plead nothing on my behalf? Hast thou not said, that thou art he that blots out transgressions for thy own sake, 43. Isa. 25.? That thou dost blot out iniquities like a thick cloud, 44. Isa. 22.? Is there any Cloud so thick as to master the melting power of the Sun; and shall ever a cloud of sin be so thick as to master the power of thy Mercy? Has not thy Mercy as much Strength and Eloquence to plead for me, as thy Justice has to declaim against me? Is thy Justice better arm'd with Reason, than thy Kindness with Compassions? Have thy Bowels no Eloquence? Oh! who can resist the pleasing Rhetorick of his own Bowels?
2dly. Christ's, and God's intent in his coming, was to discharge great sins. He was called Jesus, a Saviour, because he was to save his people from their sins. And do you think some of his peoples sins were not as great as any mens sins in the world? To save only from little iniquities, had not been a work suitable to the glorious Name of Jesus. Neither can we conceive how Christ should enter into such strict Bonds to his Father, to be a Surety only for some smaller Debts? If this had not been his intent, he would have put some Limitation in that Prayer he taught his Disciples, and not have commanded them to pray, Forgive us our Trespasses; but, Forgive us our little Sins, or Sins of such a size. He never ask'd what sins, and how many sins men were guilty of, when they came to him. But upon Faith, saith he, Thy sins are forgiven thee. Plead therefore with Christ, and say, Thou didst come to do thy Father's Will, which was, that none should be cast off that come unto thee; and thou hast said the same; 'tis not sufficient for thee to say it merely, and not to do it. Wilt thou draw me with the Cords of a man, (for I could not thus come to thee, unless thou didst draw me) and shall I be beaten back with a Frown?
3dly. Christ's Death was a Satisfaction for the greatest sins, both ex parte facientis, Christ, and ex parte acceptantis, God; for God could not accept any Satisfaction but what was infinite, 10. Heb. 12. One sacrifice for sins for ever, &c. Not one sin, but sins. Not little sins, but sins without exception. Yea, and 'tis all sin, 1 Joh 1.7. And all includes great as well as little.*Goulart Tableau de la mort, Tableau 9. p. 131. Satan once came to a sick man, and shows him a great Catalogue of his sins, concluding from thence his Eternal Damnation: The sick man strengthening himself by the Word of God, bid the Devil write over the Catalogue in great Letters those words, 1 John 1.7. whereupon the Devil presently leaves him.
Can thy Sins be greater than Christ's Merit? Or thine Offences, than his Sacrifice? 'Tis strange if the Malignity of thy Sin should be as infinite as the Virtue of his Death.
He hath satisfied for all the Saints that ever came to Heaven; and put thy sins in the balance with theirs, and surely they cannot weigh so much. He was a propitiation for the sins of the whole world; and are thy sins as great as the sins of the whole World? If part of his Merits be enough to save Ten thousand damn'd Souls in Hell, if they had applied it; is it not enough to satisfy God for thy Sins, which are far less? Was not Christ charg'd with as great Sins as thine can be, when he was upon the Cross? Or are thy single Sins bigger than all those the Prophet means, when he saith, Isa. 53.6. And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Well then, plead thy Saviour's death, since it was for his honour to satisfy for sins of so deep a dye: 'Tis said in thy Word, 'Tis a Joy to a Righteous Man to perform Judgment; and shall it not be much more a Joy to the Righteous God? Behold, here I offer thee the Atonement thy Son and my Saviour has made; and if it be not enough, I am content to perish: But if it be, I desire thee to do me Justice with that joy that a Righteous Man would do it with, and discharge my Transgressions. And if thou dost object, that I have flung away this Satisfaction, and would not have it: I answer, My Saviour's satisfaction was for such sins as those, otherwise none would be sav'd; for was there any but refused the Proffer of it at first, and made Demurs before they entertain'd it? Let thy Objections be what they will, Christ shall be my Attorney to answer for me.
4thly, Christ is able to take away great sins.
Did he ever let any one that came to him with a great infirmity, go back without a Cure, and dishonour himself so much, as that it should be said, It was a Distemper too great for the Power of Jesus to remedy? And why should there be any Sin that he cannot pardon? 'Tis as easy for him to heal the one as the other: For he did with as much ease and delight say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; as say, Take up thy bed, and walk.
Hast thou Seven Devils? Suppose a Legion, i. e. 6666; he did dispossess a Body of as many: Can he not as easily dispossess a Soul? If thou hadst Ten thousand Legions, I dare say Christ would not lose an opportunity of such a Conquest: For it would please him more to do great works than little, and to show how far his Power can reach.
Were it not for such Objects, we could not know whether he could save to the utmost, or no, 7. Heb. 25. What has he this Ability for? to lye idle? No surely, to be exercis'd about the most difficult Tasks. Suppose the Scroul of thy Sins were as long as to reach from Earth to the highest Heavens, would this reach to the utmost of Christ's Ability? If thou hadst sinn'd as far as any man in the world can sin, yet still thou art not got without the Verge of Christ's Saving-Power. That word utmost I dare set against all thy Objections. If you had the Sins of all the damn'd in Hell upon you, you could not put either his Free Grace or vast Power to a Nonplus. His Blood is of that Virtue, that were it pour'd out upon a Devil, it would make him presently commence a glorious Angel.
What is either a great or a light Disease to Omnipotency, when with the same Word he can cure the greatest as well as the least Distempers?
But may the Soul say, I do not question his Power, but his Will. Therefore,
5thly. Christ's Nature leads him to show Mercy to the greatest Sinners.
Some question whether Christ will pardon them, for they look upon him as a hard Master, that will not easily forgive. But Christ gives another Character of himself, 11. Mat. 28, 29. when he exhorts men to come to him; he tells them they must not judge him to be of a rugged and implacable nature, but as meek as they are sinful. Meekness is seen in pardoning of Injuries, not keeping them in memory, to beget and cherish Revenge. Now the greater the Provocation, the more transcendent is that Meekness to pass it by.
Did he ever upbraid any with their Offences, and hit them in the teeth with their former Extravagancies? 7. Luk. 44. Christ makes a Narrative of Mary's acts of kindness to him, but not a syllable of her foul Transgressions. Are thy sins so great? surely Christ who delights in his Compassions, will not lose such an opportunity of evidencing both his Power, and his Pity upon such a Subject: For if there cannot be so great a Sinner as thou art, he is never like to have such a season for it, if he miss of thee.
6thly. Christ was exalted by God upon this very account. Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him. How comes Christ to be so able to save to the utmost? 'Tis because he ever lives to make intercession for them: For whom? for those that come to God by him. What has Christ his life in Heaven for, but to intercede? And would his Father's love to him, and the greatness of his interest in God be discover'd, by granting some small Requests, the pardon of a few and little Sins? Christ is consecrated Priest by the Oath of God, Heb. 7.28. would God put himself to his Oath for a light business, a thing of little moment? What is the end of this Oath? Compare it with Heb. 6.16, 17, 18. For men verily swear by the greater; and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirm'd it by an oath: And all is that you might have strong consolation. What strong Comfort could there be, if only little Debts were remitted? What is the end of an Oath? v. 16. to take away strife; Men do not strive with God, or doubt of his Mercy to forgive little Sins: For they think that will be done of course. But the great contest men have with God, is about his willingness to remit great Debts, scarlet Sins: Upon this account the strife is between God and doubting Sinners; therefore to bring this Contest to a period, God hath put himself to his Oath, and sworn that Christ should be a Priest for ever, to take away all strife between him and believing Sinners.
For whom is this strong consolation founded upon God's Oath? v. 18. For those that fly for refuge. Now the Cities of refuge were not appointed for ordinary Crimes, but for blood, to secure the Malefactor from the Avenger.
Shall I add further, God is best pleas'd with Christ when he makes intercession for the greatest Transgressors.
Suppose thou hadst been one of Christ's Murtherers, and hadst given thy Vote against him; perhaps thou wouldst have thought this a more Crimson Sin than any thou art guilty of.
You know Christ pray'd for their pardon while he was upon the Cross. And God gives this as one reason why he would exalt him, Isa. 53.12. He shall divide him, &c. why? because he pour'd out his Soul to death. What should he bear sin for, if God had no mind to pardon it? And because he was numbred among the transgressors, which the Evangelist understands of his being crucified with Thieves, Mark 15.28. And therefore his making intercession for Transgressors, must be understood of his Prayer upon the Cross. And if God did exalt him for this, would God be pleased with him, or would Christ answer the end of his Exaltation, if he did cease to make intercession for Sinners of the like stamp?
Tell God, that he sent Christ to bless you, Acts 3.26. in converting you; and desire Christ to do his Office.
7thly. Christ is intrusted by God to give out his Grace to great Sinners.
Christ is God's Lord Almoner for the dispensing Redemption, and the riches of his Grace. To whom? Not to the Righteous, they have no need of it; but to Sinners, and those that have the greatest necessity.
He would be an ill Steward, who when intrusted by his Lord to bestow his Alms upon the Poor, should overlook the most miserable, indigent, and necessitous Persons, when they crave it of him, and relieve those that had not so great and crying Wants.
Christ is a Priest for intents of the same nature as the Legal Typical Priests were. They were to have compassion, Heb. 5.2. foreign, to measure out their compassion, to order the Sacrifice according to the nature of the sin of the Person that presented it. So is Christ by virtue of his Office to measure out his Grace according to the greatness of a man's necessity; as Manna was to be gathered according to every ones wants.
Well then, to conclude this Exhortation. Embolden thy self to draw near to Christ. 'Tis the Apostle's use he makes of all his foregoing Doctrine, Heb. 10.19. &c. God requires not a heart without sin, but a heart without guile. Who needs more boldness than great Sinners? And the Apostle sets no limits to it. Let us, who have been as great Sinners as any, resolve to do as they in Jeremy did, Jer. 3 22. They had both a Command, and a Promise. Return, there's the Command. I will heal, &c. there's the Promise. Presently, they reply, We will come to thee, &c. They seem to snatch the Promise out of God's mouth.
How will these quick and ready Converts rise up in judgment against thy slowness and dulness? Shall they do this upon one Promise; and when thou hast all the Promises in the Book of God repeated to thee, shall God hear no other answer but this, We will not return, or we dare not come, we dare not believe thee?
Did God give but one Promise to Adam, and did he embrace it, and live upon it all his life; (for we read of no more he had than that of the Seed of the Woman breaking the Serpent's head) and wilt thou not return, when thou hast so many Promises filling every page in the Scripture?
Hast thou not a world of Precedents? Did not God take up all his Saints from the Dunghil with all their Rags, and clothe them? Were any of them born Princes, and Sons of Heaven? Alas, every man at first sued for a Saviour in the right of a Sinner; and all pleaded in the Court of Heaven in formâ pauperis. Were they not Debtors, and could they do that which might make God cross out one of those Sums they ow'd him? Oh think not then thou canst damm up that torrent of Love that has flow'd so freely to the World for so many Ages. Tho' thy Disease be grievous, yet 'tis not irrecoverable, provided thou goest to the Physician. He can with a breath burn up thy Corruption, as soon as dissolve the Creation. Christ can turn the muddiest water into such Wine that can please the heart both of God and Man. As you have been Vessels of Sin, if you will be Vessels of Repentance, God will make you brimful of Mercy. Plead not therefore thy own unworthiness. Man's unworthiness never yet hindered the flowing of God's kindness. 'Tis too weak a Bank to stop the current of God's favour. The greater thy unworthiness, the greater advantage has free Grace to manifest its uncontroulable Excellency. That Man dishonours God, that sets his Sin above God's Goodness, or his Unworthiness above God's Condescension. You cannot do God a greater pleasure, than to come to him to be made clean. When he reckons up thy Sin, 'tis not with an upbraiding, but a compassionate sigh, Jer. 13.27. He longs for the time of thy returning; and minds thee of thy Sin, that thou mayst the sooner seek a remedy; and wonders thou wilt continue in such a filthy Condition so long.