Twelve Single Sermons, Sermon 8
Sermon, VIII. The USE CHRISTIANS Should make, of Remembring their paſt SINS.
DEUT. IX. 7.
Remember and forget not, how thou provokedſt the Lord thy God to Wrath in the Wilderneſs.
THeſe Words were ſpoken by Moſes to the Children of Iſrael, a little before they were to paſs Jordan, and poſſeſs Canaan, ….1. And as he tells them, they were going to poſſeſs that good Land; ſo he cautions them againſt thinking that it was for any Righteouſneſs of theirs, that God gave this good Land to them, v. 4. God diſpoſſeſs'd and deſtroy'd the Canaanites, for their own Wickedneſs; and did not diſpoſſeſs them, and make way for Iſraels coming in their room, for the ſake of any Righteouſneſs in the Iſraelites. v. 6. Underſtand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good Land to poſſeſs it, for thy Righteouſneſs, for thou art a stiff-necked People. And to prevent Proud, Self-conceited Thoughts in them, that they might not imagine that God gave them Canaan for the ſake of any Goodneſs or Righteouſneſs of theirs, he ſays to them in this 7th. V. Remember and forget not, how thou provokedſt the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderneſs; from the day that thou didſt depart out of the Land of Aegypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord. They were Gods profeſſing, Covenant People, that were thus commanded to remember their paſt Sins: And if this was the Duty of Gods People in Days of old, the ſame is the Duty of Gods People now.
From the Words we therefore may raiſe this Doctrinal Obſervation, viz.
DOCTRINE. It is the Duty of Chriſtians, to remember and not forget their past Sins.
Moſes requires Iſrael to remember their Sins, and not forget them. It was a Matter of ſo great Weight, that he poſſitively injoyns it, and plainly forbids the Neglect of it: Remember it, muſe and meditate on it, and often revolve it in your Thoughts, that you have Sinned againſt God, provok'd him; and take heed that you don't forget this, don't let it ſlip out of your Minds or Memories. He bids them remember their Sins in the Wilderneſs: They had been in the Wilderneſs about Forty Years; and very quickly after they came into it, they were guilty of grievous Tranſgreſſions (as well as of others afterwards.) Well, though they were ſo long ago committed, for ſo long time paſt, yet they ought to be Remembred and kept in Mind by them. Chriſtians ſhould do what they can, to remember all the Sins of their whole Lives paſt, and to forget none of them. David ſays, Pſal. 51.3. My ſin is ever before me. Neither ſhould Chriſtians remember their actual Sins only, or the more groſs and heinous of them; but the thoughts of their Perſonal Tranſgreſſions, ſhould make them alſo remember their Original Sin. Davids thinking on the Murder and Adultery he had been guilty of, brought him to conſider, that he was ſhapen in iniquity and conceived in ſin, Pſal. 51.5. But more particularly, Chriſtians ſhould remember,
1. Againſt whom their Sins are committed, and that is the Great GOD, Tho' ſome Sins are committed more immediately and directly againſt Men, yet they are all ultimately againſt God, inaſmuch as they are a breach of his Law. 1 Joh. 3.4. Whoſoever committeth ſin, tranſgreſſeth alſo the law; for ſin is a tranſgreſſion of the law. We never ſin againſt our Neighbour, but we break Gods Law in doing it; for the general nature of Sin is, that it is our Nonconformity to the Divine Precept. Hence God ſays, Prov. 8.36. He that ſinneth againſt me, wrongeth his own Soul. Every Sin wrongs the Soul, nothing wrongs the Soul but what is againſt God, therefore every Sin is againſt God. Every Sin (tho' more immediately againſt our Neighbour) is a Violation of Gods Law. Hence David when guilty of Murder and Adultery, yet ſaid to God, Pſal. 51.4. Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight. Chriſtians therefore ſhould remember, that all … Sins are againſt God, the Great God, the ever bleſſed God their Maker, Preſerver, and only Benefactor; every Sin is a practical contempt of Gods ſupream, indiſputable Authority. The very nature, venom and malignity of Sin is this, that it is againſt the ever Bleſſed and Glorious God. The evil of Sin muſt needs be great, becauſe 'tis againſt ſo Great and Glorious an Object. Chriſtians ſhould endeavour ſo to remember their Sins, as to have a deep ſelf-abaſing ſenſe of them; therefore they ſhould remember, not only in general that they are all againſt the ever Bleſſed and Glorious God, but they ſhould alſo remember,
2. The great Aggravations of their Sins.
And here,
1. They ſhould remember, that their Sins ha… been committed againſt their God, their Covenant God. So ſays Moſes to the Iſraelites in our Text, remember and forget not; how thou provokedſt the Lord thy God; even that God who has taken you for his Inheritance, for his peculiar Treaſure and People; that God who has made many great, large and precious Promiſes to you. And as God has taken you for his peculiar People and Treaſure, ſo you have taken him for your God, for your King, Lord and Lawgiver: you have vowed Obedience to him, promiſed to keep his Statutes and Commandments, Exod. 24.3.7. David ſaid to God, Pſal. 119.106. I have ſworn and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Judgments. Such an Ingagement (for the ſubſtance of it at leaſt) is ſuppos'd to be made by all, who take God for their Covenant God: there's a Covenant Tranſaction between God and them, and this conſideration aggravates their Sins againſt him. Their ſinning againſt God who is in Covenant with them, is not only a breaking of his Commands; but alſo of their own Vows and Promiſes. When Chriſtians are guilty of groſs Crimes, they are guilty of groſs Lying or rather Perjury, becauſe they act contrary to thoſe Vows and Engagements, whereby they have bound themſelves to obey God. This is a great aggravation of Sin, and ſhould be remembred by Chriſtians as ſuch. Eccl. 5.4. When thou voweſt a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleaſure in fools; pay that which thou haſt vowed.
Again,
2. Chriſtians ſhould remember that their Sins have been committed againſt much knowledge, and that's a great aggravation of them. He that knows his Maſters Will and does it not, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes; when he that falls ſhort thro' Ignorance, ſhall eſcape with few, Luk. 12.47, 48. Tho' all Chriſtians are not equal in knowledge, ſome know more than others, ſome are Babes and ſome grown Men; and tho' ſuch as know moſt, yet know but in part, (1 Cor. 13.9) are ſhort ſighted in the things of God; hence David ſaid, Who can underſtand his Errors; Cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults, Pſal. 19.12. The wiſeſt and moſt knowing Chriſtians, are guilty of ſins of Ignorance every day; I ſay, tho' things are thus, yet, as God ſhewed his word to Jacob, his ſtatutes and judgments to Iſrael, and dealt not ſo with every Nation, Pſal. 147.19, 20. So he gives to all Chriſtians generally, eſpecially where the Reformation moſt prevails; greater means of light and knowledge than he does to other Nations. As for thoſe who are well acquainted with the Bible, to be ſure their knowledge in the main ſubſtantial parts of Chriſtianity, in the main of their duty, towards God and Chriſt, and towards one another, muſt needs be ſo great, that their Sins, groſs Sins eſpecially, cannot but be much aggravated by being againſt knowledge. Nay poſſibly Chriſtians ſometimes ſin, not only in general againſt knowledge, but alſo againſt the particular ſtrivings of their own Conſciences, and the Motions of Gods Spirit in them: This is ſtill a greater aggravation of ſin, and yet how often have we been thus guilty? If we ſearch diligently into our paſt Lives, it may be we may all find that we have been frequently thus guilty. Did we never find ſtrivings between Luſt and Grace in our own Souls, and at laſt yield to our Luſts, to the grieving the Holy Spirit of God? We ſhould ſurely remember ſuch grievous aggravations of ſin as theſe are.
3. Its a great aggravation of Sin, when committed againſt God after the beſtowment of many, great and ſingular Mercies. This Aggravation ſeems to be implied in our Text, thou provokedſt the Lord thy God to wrath in the Wilderneſs. As if he had ſaid to them,
God brought thee out of cruel Egyptian Slavery and Bondage, with an high and mighty hand; he deſtroyed thine enemies in the red Sea, thro' which thou didſt ſafely paſs; he brought thee into the Wilderneſs, there took care of thee, gave thee Water out of the Rock, fed thee daily with Manna, Bread from Heaven; he did many, great and wonderful things for thee. He manifested much ſparing Goodneſs and Patience towards thee, he reſtrain'd and bridled in his Anger, when it was juſt ready to deſtroy thee; thus he dealt with thee in the Wilderneſs, yet then and there thou provokedſt him to wrath, notwithſtanding all the ſingular diſcoveries of his Goodneſs to thee.
Thus when Nathan comes to ſet forth the Aggravation of David's Sin, his Adultery and Murder, he ſays, Thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, I anointed thee King over Iſrael, and delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, &c. Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed the Commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his ſight? 2 Sam. 12.7, 9. The Mercies as well as Commands of God, ſhould bind us to his Service. Its a great Aggravation of Sin, that 'tis committed againſt a God that has beſtow'd many and great Mercys on us. And in this Regard, none of us can Sin but with great Aggravation. The wages of Sin is Death, Rom. 6.23. And we are all Sinners, ſo by Nature, were ſhapen in Iniquity and conceiv'd in Sin; and therefore deſerv'd Hell even before we were born. Therefore we are leſs than the least of Gods Mercies, Gen. 32.10. It is of the Lords Mercy we are not conſumed, Lam. 3.22. Yet God has ſpared us hitherto; he has kept us out of Hell, which is better than we deſerve. But beſides the continuation of our Lives, keeping us out of Hell, yea leaving us room to hope for Heaven; I ſay, beſides all theſe things, poſſibly all of us at one time or other have had very ſpecial and ſingular Deliverances, from hazardous Sickneſs, or from ſome eminent Dangers: It may be ſome peculiar Mercies at one time or other, have been beſtow'd upon us, either in our own Perſons, or in our dear Relatives. Now all ſuch ſingular Favours, are ſingular Ties, Bonds and Obligations to ſerve God; and ſo they heighten the Aggravation of Sins committed againſt that God, who has beſtow'd ſuch ſingular Favours. But thoſe of us who are Chriſtians indeed, the Workmanſhip of God, created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good Works; the Spiritual Mercies beſtow'd on us, are unſpeakably great. God has given us a new Nature, united us to his Son, juſtified our Perſons, in part ſanctified our Souls, made us Heirs of Eternal Glory, if we are indeed true Believers, the Spiritual Benefits beſtow'd on us are ſo many, ſo great, bought with ſuch an invaluable Price, beſtow'd in ſuch a wonderful Manner, as that Eternity won't be too long a Space, wherein to admire and adore Divine Grace for them. Surely then, if willingly and knowingly we commit any one Sin againſt God, after the Beſtowment of ſuch invaluable Mercies, 'twill be an aggravated Crime indeed. As Nehemiah ſaid, Neh. 6.11. Should ſuch a Man as I flee? No ſure, 'twould be a great Shame. So all true Chriſtians might ſay, Shall ſuch as we are Sin againſt God? What, ſuch as we are, who have received numberleſs and matchleſs Benefits from God; ſhall ſuch as we Sin againſt him? No ſure, for this would be unſpeakably Diſobedient, Ungrateful, inexpreſſibly Sordid and Abominable.
Thus in General, Chriſtians ſhould remember their Sins as against God; as greatly Aggravated in being againſt their Covenant God, against much Light, and after the Beſtowment of many Mercies. And beſides this in General,
They ſhould endeavour Particularly to remember the more Particular Out-breakings of Sin, which they have been chargeable with. In this Chapter, Moſes puts the Iſraelites In mind of their more particular Tranſgreſſions, at Horeb, at Tabera, at Maſſah and Kibroth-hattaavah, v. 8, 22. Moſes particularly remembers, his own ſpeaking unadviſedly with his Lips. David remembers his Adultery and Murder; his Sin was ever before him. Paul remembers what a bitter, cruel Perſecutor he had been, and often mentions it with Self-condemning for it. If we have not been guilty of the moſt daring groſs and open Tranſgreſſions, of ſcandalous Inceſt like Lot, or Drunkenneſs like Noah, or Adultery & Murder like David; yet poſſibly at one time or other we have been ſhamefully Diſobedient to our Parents or other Superiors, or have ſpoken Falſely, have broken ſome juſt and lawful Promiſe, ſpoken very Paſſionately (without Grounds) to, or of others; or have manifeſted ſome baſe Revenge; or been groſly Dull and Stupid in the Frame of our Hearts towards God. Without Doubt, all of us upon ſtrict Search, may find many remarkable particular Sins, which our Conſciences cannot but ſeverely condemn and check us for. It may be ſome of us that now are new Creatures, did a long time vigorouſly and perverſely oppoſe the free Offers of Chriſt, and Motions of the Spirit of God in our Souls, before we heartily ſubmitted to Chriſt as Prophet, Prieſt and King. Oh how Vile was ſuch our withſtanding the Calls of the Goſpel, the Motions of the good Spirit of God! Surely, ſuch our Sins ſhould be particularly remembred by us. God is graciouſly pleaſed to forget the Sins of his Children, true Believers; that is, as to the Guilt of them, he Pardons them. True Believers ſhall as certainly eſcape Eternal Condemnation and Miſery, as if God had really forgotten they were Sinners (tho' this he can never do) or as if they had never Sinned. But tho' God does in this Senſe forget our Sins, yet we in a true and proper Senſe, ſhould not forget but remember them. Nay, we ſhould in general, remember the Infirmities, Imperfections, Short-comings attending our beſt Duties, thoſe performed with the greatest Sincerity and Fervency. When we have done our beſt we are but unprofitable ſervants, Luk. 17.10. There is not a just Man upon Earth, that doth good and ſinneth not, Eccl. 7.20. When juſt Men do Good, perform Duty ſincerely; yet there's Sin mix'd with, and cleaving to their Performances; none of them are exactly Perfect. This alſo Chriſtians ſhould keep in Remembrance.
Now therefore we may Enquire,
QUESTION. What's the Uſe Chriſtians ſhould make, of the Remembrance of their paſt Sins? Or, What are the Duties it ſhould ſtir them up unto?
For Anſwer,
There are many Duties it ſhould ſtir them up unto; ſome may be now particularly mention'd. The Remembrance of their paſt Sins,
1. Should make them very Humble and ſelf-abaſed. Ezek. 36.31, 32. Then ſhall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight, for your Iniquities and for your Abominations. — Be aſhamed and confounded for your own ways, O Houſe of Iſrael. Great ſhame, confuſion of face, ſelf-judging, ſelf-condemning, ſelf-loathing, ſelf-abaſing and abhorring, very well becames us, upon the Remembrance of our Sins. Might we not well ſay?
Ah vile Worm; Ah ungrateful Wretch that I am; that I ſhould forget my Maker, provoke my Preſerver, rudely affront my only and glorious Benefactor, baſely neglect my Redeemer; that I ſhould ſo wickedly Diſobey my God, who has laid me under numberleſs and ſtrong Obligations, to conſecrate my ſelf wholly, only and continually unto him.
Alas, it's utterly impoſſible fully to expreſs or deſcribe, that ſelf-emptying, ſelf-loathing frame of Soul for Sin, that always becomes a true Chriſtian. There's no Grace more Ornamental to a Saint, than Humility; and nothing tends more directly to bring this into Exerciſe, than the remembrace of our Sins. Can we have high thoughts of our ſelves? Nay, how can we have any other, but low, mean, ſelf-abaſing thoughts; when we conſider how diſingenious, baſe, ungrateful, and diſobedient we have been to our moſt merciful and gracious God? May we not well ſay with him, Pſal. 73.22. So fooliſh was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee. Prov. 30.2. Surely, I am more bruitiſh than any man, I have not the underſtanding of a man. Iſai. 6.5. —Wo is me, for I am undone, becauſe I am a man of unclean lips. A due remembrance, a deep ſenſe of Sin, would make us more humble; indeed more low, mean and baſe in our own minds and thoughts, than could poſſibly be expreſs'd by our words. The Remembrance of paſt Sins,
2. Should make Chriſtians very thankful for all their Mercies, as free Gifts of God. Moſes in our Text and Context puts Iſrael in mind of their Sins, that they might not think God beſtow'd Canaan on them for the ſake of their own Righteouſneſs, as tho' they had deſerv'd it. Have we Life, Liberty, Health. Strength, Food, Raiment, Friends, Relations, Reputation, any Outward Comfort or true Inward Peace? Have we all or any of theſe things? Why theſe are all the free Gifts of God, we never deſerv'd the leaſt part of any one of them. We were no ſooner Children, than we were Children of Wrath, Eph. 2.3. We have deſerv'd Death, Hell, Damnation thouſands of times over by our Sins. It's of the Lords Mercy we are not conſumed for our Iniquities: whatſoever we have on this ſide Eternal Burnings, unquenchible Flames, is meer undeſerved Mercy, its the free Gift of God. And we ſhould really think and eſteem it ſo, if we had but a due remembrance of our Sins. Since therefore we have by our Sins times without number deſerved Eternal Miſery, and are yet ſurrounded with innumerable Mercies, all of which are the free underſerved Favours of God; O how thankful ſhould we be? Surely it becomes us to ſay, What ſhall we render to the Lord for all his Benefits, for all his underſerved Benefits towards us? There are two ſorts of things which we cannot number they are ſo many, and thoſe are, our Sins againſt God, and his Benefits beſtow'd on us; this is wonderful indeed. Surely we ſhould be deeply humble for the former; and as thankful for the latter. None are more thankful for their Mercies, than thoſe who are moſt deeply humble and penitent at the remembrance of their Sins. Remembrance of paſt Sins,
3. Should make Chriſtians thankful to God for Reſtraining Grace. Have we been guilty ſo much as any one ſingle time, of diſobeying our Parents or other lawful Superiors, of profaning Gods Holy Name, of groundleſs Quarrelling, of Intemperance, Uncleanneſs, Lying, Paſſionate ſpeaking and reviling? Do we remember that ſo much as at any one ſingle time, we have been guilty of any one of theſe, or any ſuch like Crimes? Then how comes it about, that we have not conſtantly lived in them? We have a root of bitterneſs, a ſinful corrupt Nature ſtill dwelling in us, our particular acts of Sin did flow from this corrupt Nature. Out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, Murders, Adulteries, &c. Well, how comes it to paſs, that this bitter corrupt Fountain did not always even continually, ſend forth ſuch curſed Streams? How comes it about, that we have not in the whole courſe of our Lives, lived in the moſt flagitious Crimes, and moſt ſcandalous Immoralities; for our corrupt Nature has in it, the root and ſeed of all manner of Abominations? Why 'tis the Grace of God that has kept us from Sinning, and nothing elſe has reſtrain'd us when we had an opportunity of Sinning. I dont mean, true ſanctifying ſaving Grace: many are reſtrain'd from theſe and thoſe out-breakings of Sin, which have no ſaving Grace in them. Well, ſo far as we have been reſtrain'd from Sinning, it is God that has reſtrain'd us. He that kept back Abimelech from defiling of Abrahams Wife; and David from ſhedding the Blood of Nabal; has kept us back from all thoſe Sins we have not committed, tho' we had an opportunity of committing them. When we remember how ſhamefully our Corruption has broken forth, we ſhould be thankful for that Grace, which has reſtrain'd it from breaking forth much more than it has. The Phariſee ſaid, Luk. 18.11. God I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjuſt, Adulterers, &c. Tho' we ſhould not (like this Phariſee) proudly truſt in our ſelves as righteous, if we have been outwardly more blameleſs than others; yet if we can as to matter of fact truly ſay with him. We have not been ſo wicked as others, then we ſhould be humbly thankful for it. As we ſhould with brokenneſs of Heart and deepeſt ſelf-abaſement of Soul, remember and repent of our paſt Sins; ſo with true thankfulneſs of Heart, we ſhould acknowledge the reſtraints of Divine Grace, that have kept us from the more abundant out-breakings of our Corruption. It's matter of great thankfulneſs to God, that we are not all of us Murderers, Adulterers, Blaſphemers; that we are not the moſt abominable Villains that ever liv'd on Gods Earth, for we ſhould have been internally and externally as vile and wicked, as ever we had any poſſible opportunity of being, if Grace had not prevented and reſtrained us. I have often thought, it's a great favour, an inſtance of the merciful Divine Protection, when Perſons can in the Morning go out about their Affairs, and come ſafe home at Night, without broken Bones or any diſtreſſing Accidents. But I have often thought alſo, that it's ſtill a much greater Mercy, when they can thus go out in the Morning and come home at Night; without having committed Adultery, Murder, Theft, or ſome daring and heinous Crime or other, ſince they have continually a corrupt Nature (the ſeed and root of all manner of wickedneſs) in them. When we remember, and moſt heartily abhor and mourn for our paſt Sins; let us alſo be thankful to God, that he has reſtrain'd and kept us back from Sin ſo much as he has done. The Remembrance of paſt Sins,
4. Should keep Chriſtians from murmuring at their Afflictions. It's a thing too frequent, even in Gods own Children, to fret, murmur, repine at afflictive Diſpenſations of Providence. Jacob once complained of his Afflictions; ſaying, All theſe things are againſt me, Gen. 42.36. The Church complained and and ſaid, Lam. 1.12. — Behold and ſee, if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow. Afflictions brought both Job and Jeremiah to curſe the Day of their Birth. How commonly will Chriſtians tell of their Sickneſs, Poverty, Loſſes, Croſſes, Diſappointments, bitterly complaining of their Trials, ſhowing great Diſcontent and Diſquietneſs of Mind thereat? This is a great Fault; it's a greater Sin than many are aware of, for Perſons to fault and quarrel with the ſpotleſs Diſpenſations of Sovereign Divine Providence. Well, one thing that occaſions this Diſcontent and Murmuring is, the forgetting our own Sins. If we duely remembred our paſt Sins, our multiplyed, aggravated Crimes; our repeated Tranſgreſſions; were we heartily affected with a Senſe of our daily, unavoidable Infirmities, were we duely ſenſible, that the leaſt of all theſe deſerves Eternal Miſery; I ſay, did we duely remember, conſider, and affect our Hearts with theſe things, we ſhould not then be ſo ready to Murmur and repine at Afflictions as we often are. All the Troubles, Sorrows, Difficulties we meet with either in Body or Soul, while here in this World; they are but meer Flea-bites, Shadows, Nothing, if compar'd to what our Sins deſerve. Where Sins lye heavy upon the Mind, Affliction lyes the lighter. Shall a living Man complain, a Man for the Puniſhment of his Sins? Lam. 3.39. No ſure, if a Man rightly conſiders what his Sins are, he'll ſee no Cauſe to …omplain of any Puniſhment he meets with while he is Living. If Sin be ſuitably remembred, 'twill rather make a Chriſtian ſay, as Mic. 7.9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him. q. d. I know I have ſinned againſt God, my Sins deſerve more Miſery than I bear; therefore what I do bear, I'll bear it Patiently, without Murmuring or Repining. If Sin be ſuitably remembred, 'twill make an afflicted Chriſtian Dumb with Silence, ſo as not to open his Mouth in way of complaining againſt God, Pſal. 39.9. A ſuitable Remembrance of Sin, will make a Chriſtian in the midſt of his Sorrows and Troubles, thankful that his Troubles are not more and greater, rather than fretful that they are ſo many and great. Remembrance of paſt Sins,
5. Should make Chriſtians highly prize, and dayly apply themſelves to, the Blood of Chriſt for Pardon. 'Tis ſure, the leaſt Sin deſerves Eternal Miſery; our innumerably many, and very great Sins, do as certainly deſerve greater Meaſures and Degrees of Miſery. There is deſerv'd by ſome, a greater Damnation, Mat. 23.14. Well, Who can ſave us from this Miſery? Who can cancel theſe Bonds? What can waſh away the Guilt of our Sins, and free us from Eternal Death? Why Jeſus Chriſt and he alone, can ſave us from deſerved Miſeries. Nothing but his Blood can quench the Wrath of God that is kindled againſt us. If a Man ſhould give his first Born for his Tranſgreſſion, the Fruit of his Body for the Sin of his Soul; if he ſhould give thouſands of Rams, or ten thouſands of Rivers of Oyl; if he ſhould give corruptible Things, ſuch as Silver and Gold, all theſe would avail nothing to the ſatisfying for his Sins, and purchaſing the Pardon of them, Mat. 6.7. 1 Pet. 1.18. No, nothing ſhort of the precious Blood of Chriſt can do the Buſineſs. He has purchaſed the Church with his own Blood, Acts 20.28. 'Tis only through that Blood▪ that we have Redemption, even the Forgivene…s of Sins, Eph. 1.7. His Blood waſheth away Sin, it cleanſeth from all Sin, Rev. 1.…. 1 Joh. 1.7. If the Blood of Chriſt be apply'd by Faith, it will cleanſe from all Sins, tho' they have been of a deep Dye, as Scar…es or Crimſon, Iſai. 1.18. On the other hand, without the Application of that Blood, the leaſt Sin cannot be forgiven; for there is Salvation in none other, Act. 4.12. Well then, ſince this Blood of Chriſt is the only Remedy, the only Salve that can cure thoſe mortal Stabs and Wounds which our Sins have given to our Souls, Times without Number; Oh, How highly ſhould we prize this precious Blood, when we remember our many and great Sins, and that nothing but this Blood can ſave us from the Miſeries deſerved by them? Surely, we ſhould highly prize, and diligently apply our ſelves to, this precious Blood of Chriſt. And ſince we Sin every day, yea there's Sin mix'd with and cleaving to our beſt Duties; we ſhould as conſtantly apply our ſelves by Faith and Prayer, to this Blood for Pardon. Conſidering our paſt Sins and daily unavoidable Infirmities; the exerciſe of Humiliation and Repentance ſhould be our daily work, ſo alſo ſhould the exerciſe of Faith in the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt. We are ſtung anew by Sin every day, therefore (if we have any true care for our Souls) we ſhould every day by Faith look to Chriſt for healing. Remembrance of paſt Sins,
6. Should make Chriſtians ready to forgive one another, and meek and humble in reproving one another. When we conſider our own many and great Sins, and yet hope in God thro' Chriſt for the Pardon of them; this ſhould prompt us to forgive thoſe who have wronged us. Our Lord ſays, Mat. 18.34, 35. His Lord was wroth and delivered him to the Tormentors, till he ſhould pay all that was due unto him. So likewiſe ſhall my heavenly Father alſo do unto you, if ye from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Treſpaſſes. Eph. 4.31, 32. Let all Bitterneſs, and Wrath, and Anger, and Clamour, and evil Speaking be put away from you, with all Malice: And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another; even as God for Christ's ſake hath forgiven you. If we Pray as our Lord directs, Forgive us as we forgive others; and yet we do not really forgive them, but harbour Revengeful Thoughts againſt them; what is this but a Mocking of God, and Praying (in effect) that he would retain our Guilt on us and Damn us.
The Remembrance of our Sins ſhould likewiſe make us meek and humble in reproving of others. Gal. 6.1, 2. Brethren, if a Man be overtaken in a Fault, ye which are ſpiritual, reſtore ſuch an one in the Spirit of Meekneſs, conſidering thy ſelf, leſt thou alſo be tempted. Bear ye one anothers Burthens, and ſo fulfil the Law of Chriſt▪ If we would fulfil the Law of Chriſt, we ſhould bear one anothers Burdens; and in a ſpirit of meekneſs indeavour to reduce thoſe that are out of the way. Phil. 2.3. Let nothing be done thro' ſtrife or vain glory, but in lowlineſs of mind let each eſteem other better than themſelves. A due Remembrance of our Sins, will make us low and mean in our own eyes; and the more we are ſo, the more ready we ſhall be to eſteem others, to be meek and humble in our carriage to them. The Remembrance of paſt Sins,
7. Should make Chriſtians more watchful and fruitful for time to come. When we conſider, how Satans Temptations and our own deceitful Hearts, have led us away from God and drawn us into Sin; this ſhould make us cautious and watchful, leſt we ſhould again be ſo Inſnared. We commonly ſay, The Burnt Child dreads the Fire. Our paſt falls and wounds, ſhould make us the more careful of our ſteps for time to come. If from the Falls of others, the Apoſtle directs us to make this Application. 1 Cor. 10.12. Let him that thinketh he ſta…deth, take heed leſt he fall; Much more ſhould our own paſt Falls, make us more careful and watchful for the future. So, the remembrance of our paſt Sins, ſhould make us more fruitful in Holineſs for time to come. When we conſider, how little we have done for God in time paſt, nay how much we have done againſt him; it ſhould make us double our diligence, and redeem our time for the future. When we conſider, how much of our day of Life has been ſpent in the ſervice of Sin; it ſhould make us more diligently imploy the remainder of it, in the Service of Chriſt. Once more, the Remembrance of paſt Sins,
8. Should move Chriſtians to truſt in Chriſt for Spiritual Strength for the time to come. Except the Lord keep the City, the Watchmen wake in vain that keep it. Our own power and prudence in watching, will not do, unleſs we have ſtrength from Jeſus Chriſt. We muſt therefore Pray as well as Watch. When we remember our paſt Sins and Falls, we ſhould Pray, that God, that Chriſt would ſtrengthen us againſt Sin for the future. Without him we can do nothing, Joh. 15.5. But he can work in us to will and to do, of his own good pleaſure; can ſtrengthen us to do all things, Phil. 2.13. & 4.13. Well then, let us always deſpair in our ſelves; indeavouring in the exerciſe of Faith and Prayer, to be ſtrong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Let us make thoſe Prayers, with which I ſhall now finiſh, Pſal. 25.4, 5. Shew me thy ways, teach me thy paths: lead me in thy truth and teach me, Pſal. 86.11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. Pſal. 119.133. Order my ſteps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Pſal. 141.4. Incline not mine heart to any evil thing, to practiſe wicked works with men that work iniquity. Pſal. 19.13, 14. Keep back thy ſervant alſo from preſumptuous Sins, let them not have dominion over me. —Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy ſight, O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer.