Comfortable words to afflicted consciences together with a short advice to ministers how to handle them : and also Mansio Christiana, or, The Christians mansion-house, being a sermon preached on the Lords-day, 7th Feb., Anno Dom. 1668 at the funeral of Mrs. Martha Walmisley, the wife of Mr. Charles Walmisley, minister of Chesham magna in the county of Bucks / by William Jole ... Jole, William, d. ca. 1702. 1671 Approx. 122 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 76 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A46992 Wing J887 ESTC R8442 12327816 ocm 12327816 59581 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A46992) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 59581) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 189:2) Comfortable words to afflicted consciences together with a short advice to ministers how to handle them : and also Mansio Christiana, or, The Christians mansion-house, being a sermon preached on the Lords-day, 7th Feb., Anno Dom. 1668 at the funeral of Mrs. Martha Walmisley, the wife of Mr. Charles Walmisley, minister of Chesham magna in the county of Bucks / by William Jole ... Jole, William, d. ca. 1702. [6], 120 [i.e. 134] p. Printed by John Winter for Samuel Homes ..., London : 1671. Title on p. 41: Necessary advice to ministers how to handle aflicted consciences. Reproduction of original in Harvard University Libraries. 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Mercy -- Sermons. 2003-01 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-02 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-06 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2003-06 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion COMFORTABLE WORDS To Afflicted Consciences : Together with a Short Advice to Ministers how to handle them . And also , MANSIO CHRISTIANA , Or the Christians Mansion-House . Being a SERMON Preached on the Lords-Day , 7th . Feb. Anno Dom. 1668. at the Funeral of M rs . MARTHA WALMISLEY the Wife of M r. Charles Walmisley . Minister of Chesham magna in the County of Bucks . By WILLIAM IOLE . Minister of Sarrett in the County of Hertford . London , Printed by Iohn Winter for Samuel Homes , at the Sign of S. Paul in Little Britain . Anno Dom. 1671. To the READER . IF the matter be sound and seasonable , rest contented , and look not for any Rhetorical expressions : These Sermons would gladly stoop to the weakest capacities ; we like the Receipt if it be proper for the Distemper , fainting Spirits will find but cold comfort from strong Lines and elegancy of Phrases ; afflicted Consciences can gather but little sweetness from the Flowers of Rhetorick ; the virtue of a Cordial doth not lie in the cup in which it is presented , but in the goodness of the Ingredients ; we value the Meat more than the Garnishes about the Dish ; if the Meat be savory , do not sleight it because it is not served up in a silver Dish ; And beware that you do not say as some are apt to say , ●at this day the world even surfeits by Books of this nature ) We think there is safet● in the multitude of Counsellors for our Po●●●ick and Civil State. How ●●mberless are the Books and Re●●●pts , yea , the Physitian for o●r bodies grown , yet w●o says ( we have too many ? ) and y●t so foolish are we to thi●k , that in the distempers and unsettled cases of our Souls , we may have too many Books , too many Counsellors , too many Physitians , too many Directions . I will add but this : Oft times a poor countrey Physitian does good , where many great Doctors , either overlook or neglect . As a Woman that was in a despairing condition , propos●d the doubts , and gave the first occasion of Preaching this matter ; so the desire of some other Women hath now occasioned the Printing it , and for their sakes I have purposely avoided any Phrases that might seem dark or difficult ; Let not the whole despise that which is prepared for the sick , nor let the strong censure what was intended for the weak . Vale. Psalm 88 , Ver. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest Pit , in Darkness , in the Deeps . THis Psalm fully answers the Title given to it , ( a Psalm containing a grievous Complaint ) but the occasion of it is doubtful : Some rerefer it to the Babylonish Captivity , because that is the lowest condition that the Church can be brought unto in this world , and so Figuratively may be called the lowest Pit ; but others more properly make it relate only to Heman's own private condition : Some expound it of his outward afflictions , or of some sharp fit of sickness that brought him nigh to Death , which occasioned those expressions , My life dr●●eth nigh to the Grave , I am as a man that hath no st●ength . Ver. 3 , 4. But methinks there are many expressions that must rather be interpreted of a wounded Spirit lying un●e● the apprehensions of Gods wrath . Surely if there h●d been nothing but outward afflictions , we should no● have h●ard such deep expressions of inward sorrow , the complain● would not have been so mou●nful as now it is ; And therefore I rather accep● of their Interpretation , who understand the 5. Ver. to be the words of one that is ready to despair ; ( free among the dead ) as if he should say , the Die is cast as to my Eternal estate , there is no hope of Mercy for me , and then this Text doth second it , ( Thou hast laid me in the lowest Pit , in Darkness , in the Deeps ) namely as to mine own sense and apprehension . I look upon my condition as d●sperate as one that is condemned to eternal darkn●ss , as if my name were ent●●● among that cursed crue already , as if I were ready to drop into ●●at deep and bottomless pi● of darkne●s ; and so the 7 th . Ver. seems to bear the same part . Thy wrath byeth hard up●n me . I am under such dreadful apprehensions of wrath , and have so little hope of mercy , that I look o● my self as only not in Hell , and also the 15 th . Ver. While I suffer thy Terrors I am distracted He doth not mean a distraction of madness , but a distraction of the mind , of one that was in doubt what would be●ome of his Soul for ever ? I am hampered in such endless doubting that I am even like a distracted person : For division of the words here is , 1. an Act , Laid . 2. the Subject , Me. 3. the Agent , Thou . Lastly , the place where . In the lowest Pit , in the Darkness , in the Deeps . Note by the way , that Heman was one of the holyest and wisest men of his time : And now the Doctrine I shall offer is this ; That the dearest of Gods Children may think themselves in a state of Damnation . David is a full instance to confirm this Doctrine , 51 Psal. 11 , 12. Cast me not away from thy presence , and take not thy ●oly Spirit from ●e , restore ●nto me the joy of thy Salvation . David had lost the comfortable sense and feeling of Gods love , and began highly to question his Salvation , Asaph also , 77 Psalm 7 , 8 , 9. shews what a great conflict he had with diffidence . Will the Lord cast off for ever ? will he be favourable no more ? is his mercy clean gone ? hath God forgotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his tender Mercies ? And so Heman here in the Text ; Thou hast laid me in the lowest Pit , &c. 1. Because the Spirit of Bondage always goes before the Spirit of Adoption ; God doth break and bruise the Souls of his Servants , before he doth bind up and heal them ; He makes the Sinner to hear the terrible voice of the Law , before he hears the comfortable voice of the Gospel ; He throughly convinceth us of Sin , and mak●s us sensible of the odious and defiling nature of it , before he makes us apprehend Christ as a Saviour to procure us a pardon for it ; God makes us see and feel our selves lost , utterly lost , even in a state of Dam●ation , before he give us any lively hope of Salvation . All that are brought into Heaven at last , are brought near Hell-gates at first ; I do not mean all universally , but generally , the greatest part of those that are saved , apprehend themselves for a time to be damned ; the Spi●i● of Bondage worketh fear and horror ; A malefac●or , whose Conscience within , and the Witnesses without , convince of Murder , when he h●ars the Sentence passed against him , and sees the Fetters on his legs , and himself thrust into the Dungeon , he knows that Execution follows ; what fear and horror must needs seize on such a condenmed person , ( unless he be a despera●e Rogue ? ) That poor Soul that is convinced of Murdering the Lord of Life , and of many thousand Sins against God , and heareth his Sentence of condemna ion read out of the word of God , and sees the Fetters on its Soul , ( namely the terror of Consc●ence , ) and Satan standingready to to●ment him , & finds himself already in danger of despair , what fear and horror must needs surprize such a poor Soul ? this is that which makes so many under the Spirit of Bondage , to fear that God will cast them off for ever , and to complain as though they were in Hell already . And questionless , the great torment and mis●rie of a wounded Spiri● hath been the reason that made any so bold to say , That there is no Hell but that of Conscience . The Apostles words Rom. 8. 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear , do imply , that all the Elect undergo the terrors of the Spirit of Bondage , before they receive the Spirit of Adoption . 2 Reason is , because God may , and often doth leave his Children for some time , under Spiritual des●rtion . Many pretious Servants of God lie in the Little-ease of an afflicted Conscience a great while ; If Christ complain as if God had forsaken Him , it is no wonder to hear a Christian complain of being forsaken . It is ●eported of one who lay in a despairing condition 12 years ; and some think that Heman lay in that comfortless condition above threescore years , guessing from the age of his life when he spake those words , Ver. 15. From my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted . The Lord may forsake his Children for a little moment , ( and though it be as long as they live , yet it is but a moment compared with Eternity ) but Reprobates are forsaken for ever . 3. A Child of God may relapse into some Sin which he had repented of , and that may cause terror of Conscience ; God Redeemed , and brought up Israel out of Egypt , but they would go back into Egypt again , Num. 14. ver . 4. and this foolish attempt caused God to forsake them for a long time . Christ hath Redeemed us from Sin ▪ and though the Christian have r●pented of Sin , yet many times he hath thoughts of going back , and sometimes doth relapse into some Sin formerly repented of ; And it is just with God to fright him out of such wicked attempt by the terrors of Conscience ; If God shoot terrours into the Soul , they will stick fast , and make us go heavily , if God set our ●ins in order before us , He can make the sense of Sin to be more painful then the most acute disease , whether Stone or Srrangury : Wracks and Strapadoes are but ●asie punishments to the wracking of Conscience ; to set out the misery of such a condition , the Scripture tells us , The Spirit of a man may bear his infirmities , but a wounded Spirit who can bear ● 18 Prov. 14. The courage and strength of body may wrestle with a Disease , but the trouble of mind is insuperable and insupportable ; the grief of the Soul , is the Soul of grief . If we see the fits of an Ague so easily master the greatest Spirits , and make them quiver and quake in a cold fit , and burn and be distempered in a hot fit ; if a Disease can so punish the Bodie , then what terrours can the Almighty dart into the Soul , even to make our very knees to shake as Belshazzar's did when he saw the Hand-writing against him ; and for the ●ame reasons which occasioned h●s trembling , namely , because it was a hand from God ; and because the writings mentioned the loss of his Kingdom . A wounded Conscience is the more filled with horror , because the writing is from God , and it doth threaten the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven . What Consternation was there , what sad thoughts , during the time of that devouring Fire in London ? O then , when the Soul looks on God as a consuming fire , and thinks it shall dwell with everlasting burnings , what horror and disquiet must it needs be seized with ? Usually God dealeth with obstinate Sinners , as Men deal with sturdy Rogues , ( put heavier Irons upon them , and give them severer punishment ) the more we load our Consciences with Sin , the more God loads us with terrors of Conscience , and so gives us sour sauce for the seeming sweet-meats of Sin ; If we have been great and notorious sinners , God may chastise us with Scorpions . Manasseh was a great sinner , and it is said ( he was taken among the Thorns , and bound in Fetters , in the 2 Chron. 33. chap. 11. Ver. The more we have delighted in any sin , the more it will torment conscience when God reckoneth with us for it : Paul a refractory Persecutor , was strucken to the ground when God converted him . 4. Reason why a child of God may think himself damned for a time , is , because the wisdom of God bringeth much good out of this evil ▪ this will make us more highly to prize both our Redeemer and our Redemption too : How sweet and comfortable is the sight of a Pardon to a condemned person ? Ho wpretious is a glimpse of Christ's love in any promise to a sinner condemned in his own Conscience ? How comfortable is the thought of Christ to Justi●ie , unto those Souls that are ready to be swallowed up of Despair ? what love , what thankfulness will such a sight beget in such a Soul ? How thankful were the famishing Egyptians to Iosep● 47 Gen. 25. Thou hast saved our Lives ( though they exchanged their Land for Bread , ) Then what thanks is due to Jesus Christ who saveth our Souls freely ? 2. This good ariseth from this evil of an afflicted Conscience , that it will mightily increase our hatred of Sin ; This is one of Gods great designs in breaking our bones for sin , that he may break our Souls from sin ▪ Invite a Christian that hath lain long in the stocks of the Law , to commit any of his former sins , will he not answer , ( I will not buy Repentance at so dear a rate ? ) had your Soul been so long broken on the wheel of Conscience as mine hath been , had you so long carried in your bosom the burning coals of an accusing Conscience ; had you been thus scorched with the flames of Hell , surely , like the burnt Child you would dread the fire more , you would not dare to add sin to sin , and heap up more wrath . 3. We are made to Pray more earnestly ; the Prisoner at the Bar begs heartily because he is begging for life ; A self-condemned sinner prayes heartily , because he is begging for the life of his soul. 4. The terrors of Conscience will make us more humble and compassionate all our days , pride will not so easily breed in this bitter wood , the Worm takes the sweetest wood soonest , the Wormwood of Conscience kills pride . 5. Gods breaking and bruising is in order to a perfect cure , The last reason why a child of God may think himself damned : it may arise either from a neglect of a serious examination of our condition , or from a melancholy temper which contributes very much to such despairing thoughts . Who hath not either read or heard what strange conceits melancholy hath caused some to have of their bodies ? some fancying themselves to be a Fourm , and that every one would sit on them ; others thinking themselves to be a Glass , and that every thing would break them ; or to be like Nebuchadnezar , to have the Soul of a Beast , and to eat grass like a Beast , ( which some say was but a strange effect of a strong melancholy , ) even such strange apprehensions may melancholy christians have of their Souls , insomuch that many christians have thought themselves to be in H●ll , and for a long time have led most uncomfortable lives by that fearful expectation of of wrath and ●iery indignation to devour them . Application is , 1. For Information , We must not censure those too hardly that lie under a Spirit of Bondage ; those are not damned that may think themselves in a damned state , the new birth hath grievous pangs and throes ; those whose sin is ever before their faces , must needs cry out of a heavy burthen of wrath . Before this Spirit of Bondage , we are like Issachar , who is called a strong Ass couching under two Burthens , Gen. 49. Ver. 14. We have a burthen of guilt , and a burthen of wrath , and yet we are not sensible of either ; but the Spirit of Bondage shews the intolerable burthen of sin . That I may endeavour to speak something to afflicted Consciences , Although you say a Spirit of Bondage is a woful condition , yet I assure you your condition was much worse before you came under this Spirit of Bondage . To be hardned in Sin , is a worse condition , then to be thus harrased by Conscience for Sin ; to be bold to commit sin , is far worse then to be bruised for sin committed : you are in a great deal worse condition then all Hypocrites that go quietly to Hell ; How many thousand in the world that are guilty of the same sins you complain of , and yet are senseless as stones ? It is good to hear christians roar in the sense of sin : to hear a man that is bruised with a fal sensibly complain , and tell where his pain lies , is a good sign that there is hopes of his recovery : It is the same in a Christian , to complain of sin , and cry out in the fear of that wrath due to sin , is a good sign that Conscience is alive , that Conscience is awake . A seared Conscience is far worse than an afflicted Conscience ; a senseless condition is the very worst conditions : if you rightly consider , you have cause to bless God for a Spirit of Bondage , that while many millions are riding Post to Hell , God hath stopt you that were running the same Road ; Remember therefore for your comfort , that many have been lead to the place of Execution , and have stood with the rope about their necks , having the sentence of death in themselves , and yet have been pardoned after so great a fright ; Many christians are dealt with after the same manner ; God may leave them a long while in the Jaylors custody , in fear of eternal Execution , ( I mean buffe●ed by Satan under temptations to despair ) and yet God may come in with a Pardon at last , only he intends to fright us from sin by this means for the future . I have heard of one whose friends had got him a Pardon , and yet suffered him to be lead to the place of Execution , to make him be more afraid of lewd courses for the future : There may be a Pardon for us in Gods hand , and yet it may not so presently be given into our hand ; Nay , if you have been very long under a Spirit of Bondage , though God give a Pardon into your hand , yet you may not be able to read it , ( being under the dread of Exe●ution ) Many now living besides me , may remember a man in Oxford , that was to draw Lots for his life , and he ●rew that paper wherein was writt ( Live , ) but he was so possess●d by fear of death , that he threw it away , supposing that he was to die , until some that stood nigh him read his Lott , and told him that was to live ▪ so it may fare with an afflicted Conscience , God may write ( Live , ) and yet the fear of Hell may so far stupify the Soul , that it may not be able to read the writing ; In case of temptation it is safest to let some other Christian read the writing for us , to let other Christians judge of our condition . Remember therefore , that you were under Satans Bondage , before you were under the Spirit of Bondage ; it is much better to be Gods Prisoner , than Satans , a man hardned in sin , is a Prisoner without hope ; but a man bruised for Sin , is a Prisoner of hope ; and though this terrifying work of a troubled Conscie●ce be not Grace , yet it is in order ●nto Grace , all those terrours that do not end in final despair , are still in order to Conversion , and the deep●r God cutts and launces the Soul , the sooner it will be healed again . It is a great comfort to a Patient to hear that there is good hopes of his recovery , although he be still kept in the Chirurg●ons hands , or though they tell him it will be a very long cure , the hope of cure revives him , although he may endure much misery before the cure be perfected ; It is a great comfort to a Travailer to hear that he is in his right way , although he may pass through many dirty lanes and rugged paths , and perhaps may be set upon by Robbers : although the way be tedious and dangerous , yet this bears him up , it is the right way , and will bring him to his journeys end at last . Although the way which the Spirit useth , seem a tedious and unpleasant way , yet it is the right way to Heaven ; and though you may think you are kept long in a course of Spiritual Physick , yet the hope of a perfect cure at last , may keep you from despair . And here it w●ll be needful to answer some Objections which troubled Consciences make . Alas you speak all this while to a wrong party : I have no Grace , and therefore there is no hope for me . Answer , 1. It is a happy turn that you see the want of Grace . 2. It is well that you are made desirous to have Grace ; these are good steps towards Grace . Answer , 2. To have Grace is one thing , and to know that we have Grace is another ; that Ioseph liveth is one thing , and that Iacob knows that Ioseph liveth , is quite another thing , for Iacob thought he had been torn in pieces by some wilde beast , and made a solemn mourning for him , Gen. 34. Ver. 34 , 35. In the obscurity of a winters night all the Wares remain in the Shop , but we see them not except we have a Candle , or tarry till day appear again ; There may be Grace in the heart and we not discern it ; commonly those that say they have no Grace , have more Grace then those that so confidently proclaim themselves to be Citizens of Heaven . 2 Objection . But can such a wretch as I expect Grace , that have spent so many years in sinful courses , and have sinned so desperately as I have done ? Answer . God s●ith , That if we condemn our selves here , we shall not be condemned hereafter , 1 Cor. 11. chap. 31. ver . Pre-judging of thy self is a good sign that God is fitting thee for mercy . Although such is the froward disposition of men , that repeated affronts breed an irreconcileable alienation in our hearts ; Yet so infinitely is Gods mercy , that he called upon Iudah to return to him , after he had played the Harlot with many lovers , Ierem. 3. ver . 1. And in the 12 ver . God bids back●●●ding Israel to return , and in the 55 Isa● . ver . 7. God promiseth mercy to the wicked and unrighteous man ; And because the poor self-condemning sinner says he hath abundance of sin , therefore God says that he will abundantly pardon , not only those that are sinners in their own reckoning , but even those whose lewd lives have deserved the name of wicked and unrighteous ; yet let them return to me says God and they shall be pardoned ; no matter how desperate we think our condition to be , if Christ undertake the cure , if he be our Physitian . Nay , if we believe that Christ is now in Heaven , who had the sins of all the world laid on his back when he was on Earth , we may the more easily believe Gods readiness to pardon the greatest sinner , and also Christs merit to be able to answer for the greatest fins . A 3 Objection . But F●ith and Repentance are the conditions of Pardon ; but I cannot believe , nor repent , and he that belie●veth not is condemned already , Iohn 3. ver . 1S . Ans. That Scripture speaks of a final unbelief , ●e that dies in unbelief ; To be earnest with God for Faith , is a sign of some Faith ; that man , Mark 9. ver . 24. Lord I believe , help thou my unbelief . He did not say , I can , or I cannot believe , but Lord I desire to believe , and I believe that thou canst help my unbelief : Our Saviour seems to say unto troubled Consciences , as he said to the blind man , Matt. 9. ver . 28. Do ye believe that I am able to do this ? and they said , yea Lord , then says Christ , according to your Faith be it unto you ; here was Faith enough to fit them for a cure . And for Repentance , Christ is exalted to give Repentance , and Remission of sins , Acts 5. ver . 31. Since you know that you cannot believe , nor Repent , pray unto Christ , and He will enable you : Peter denyed his Master thrice , and yet Christ looked back upon him , and recovered him again ; Let the greatest sinners look unto him , and they shall be pardoned . Take heed of Cain's unbelief , My sin is greater than I can bear ; Or as the Note in the Margent of the Bible , is greater than may be forgiven : He did not say so , because it was so ; but it proved to be so , because he said so : Unbelief makes sin unpardonable . No sin can damn the Soul , if final Unbelief be not added to it ; And this made St. Austin say , Thou lyest Cain , for the Mercy of God is far greater than the greatest sin . You say you do not repent ; Pray tell me , is sin your solace or your sorrow ? doth it make you mery , or doth it make you mourn ? do you love Sin , or do you loath Sin ? is it that evil which you allow , or that evil which you allow no● ? Paul was a true Penitent even when he complained of a Body of Sin , a Law in his Members , which made him do the evil which he hated . Rom. 7. ver . 15. — 19. compared , it shews you do repent ; Seeing that God hath made you so sensibly to bewail your impenitency ; Therefore look unto Christ whom the Father hath exalted to give Repentance , and Remission of sins , Acts 5. ver . 31. Alass ! I cannot weep for my sins as I ought : outward sufferings ●etch more tears from my eyes , then my sins ; How bitterly did Peter weep upon the remembrance of his denyal ? How plentifully did Mary Magdalen shed tears when we washed our Saviours Feet with them ? but alass I can scarce weep at all . Answer . Abundance of tears do not always declare true Repentance ; We read of Esa●'s Tears , but not of his Repentance . Gen. 27. ver . 34. — 38. He cryed with an exceeding bitter cry , He lift up his voice and weptt . Tears seem to us to be all of a colour , God only can put the difference ▪ Esau's tears , and Peter's , both wept bitterly , and yet both of them wept savingly . There may be true repentance without a flood of tears ; the Thief on the Cross was truly penitent , and yet we do not read of a tear that dropt from his eyes : David truly repented , and yet we find no mention of any tears when Nathan told him of his sins , 2. Sam. chap. 12. ver . 13. Mr. Perkins in his Cases of Conscience hath abundantly satisfyed us , that tears are not absolutely necessary to true Repentance ; some are naturally more dry of constitution , and barren of Tears than others . I knew a Boy that was not able to shed a tear to save a whipping : True Repentance is to be judged of , more by the inward sorrow of the heart , then by the outward sorrow that runs down the cheeks ; the greater the inward grief is , the fewer tears will fall ; as a high wind keeps back the showers off , the great combustion in the soul may keep back the showers of tears ; And so there may be true Repentance with drie cheeks . There is great weeping and wailing in Hell , but no true Repentance . Children are more easie to shed tears than grown men ; Sighs and groans is the usual way of expressing the greatest sorrow . And whereas you say you cannot weep so much for sins as for outward sufferings : for ought that we can find , Hezekiah wept more at the message of Death , than when he humbled himself for the pride of his heart . Isai. 38. ver . 14. David's sickness drew more tears from him than his Sins , Psal. 2. ver . 5 , 6. What bitter lamentation did he make when he received the unwelcome tidings of Absalom's death ? 2. Kings chap. 18. last ver . and 19. chap. 4. ver . Those things that most press the outward senses , do squeeze out most tears : To see our House on fire , would more easily force tears from our eyes , than to hear a Sermon of the fire of Hell , although that be much more dreadful news . To conclude this particular ; A malefactor that is condemned to the Gallows , may shed more tears than one that is pardoned ; and yet he that is pardoned may be more penitent than he that is executed . It is dangerous to make any standard to measure true Repentance ; for if you will set any , it must be the highest of all : so that unless you are sure that you weep as bitterly as Peter , or Mary Magdalen , the Devil will still tell you it is not true Repentance : besides it looks so like a Papistical trick ( as if you thought that rivers of tears could wash away sin without the blood of Ghrist : ) And when we have wept until we can weep no more , if Faith be not mixed with our Tears , it is but legal Repentance . Alass ! But I have committed foul facts since my first conversion . Answer . So did both David and Peter , and how did they recover themselves but by Faith in Jesus Christ , and Repentance from dead works ; Therefore confess your sins to God , and think of that comfortable portion of Scripture , 1. Epistle Iohn 2. chap. ver . 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father , Iesus Christ the Righteous : It is not said , If any man sin not , but if any man sin ; Thus poor sinners go loaded to Heaven with abundance of experience of the riches of Gods Grace , and freeness of his Mercy in pardoning their heinous transgressions . There are commonly Three hindrances in the way of afflicted Consciences . 1. Looking only upon Sin. 2. A proud kind of seeming Humility . 3. A searching for the fruits of Repentance , before we are sure of Faith. 1. Many look only upon their Sins , and not to their Saviour . Alass sayes the afflicted Conscience , my Sins are crying Sins , Crimson Sins , Scarlet Sins , Scandalous Sins , foul , frequent , committed against much Light , much Love , against much Means , much Mercy : If a wounded Man should only look upon the bleeding wound , would it not make him faint for fear that he should bleed to death ? But when he seeth the skilful Chirurgeon about to dress it , and considers his skill to cure it , this upholds his sinking Spirits ; even so poor Sinners must needs faint , and despair of Pardon , while they look no further than their Sins , which despairing thoughts would soon vanish , if then we could look up to our Saviour , are not all sins easie to be pardoned by Infinite mercy . It was an excellent answer that one returned the Devil , when he told him of the heinousnefs of his sins , thy sins should be pardoned too , if thou couldst believe . Christ can more easily pardon seventy offences to us , then we can seven to one another ; He delighteth to forgive much , so to engage us to love him much . When some ●old the Ruler that his Daughter was dead , and bid him not trouble the Master , Mark 5. ver . 35 , 36. Christ bids him fear not , only believe ; and so to that other person , Mark 9. ver . 23. If thou canst believe , all things are possible to him that believeth . When Martha said , by this time he stinketh , for he hath been dead four days , Ioh. 11. ver . 39 , 40. Christ checks her , Said I not unto thee , that if thou wouldst believe , thou shouldst set the Glory of God ? These were all desperate c●ses , and therefore the more proper for Christ the Great Physitian . Christ ●an cure inveterate Ulcers , aswel as green wounds ; therefore look up to Christ , while you look down upon your sins ; see what power Christ hath to save , while you behold what power sin hath to damn ; that so while you see in your selves great cause of despair , you may see in Him far greater cause of hope . 2. Hindrance to afflicted Consciences , is , a proud humility , or a kind of seeming mannerlyness ; It may be like Peter , thou thinkst it not good manners to let Christ wash thy Feet , Iohn 13. ver . 8. Thou shalt never wash my Feet ; Calvin's note on those words is , Pride often lurketh under pretence of humility ; away with this destructive manners , seeing that the great work which God requireth of us , is , to believe in Christ as our Saviour , and to believe tha● He both can and will save us to the uttermost , surely we cannot do it too soon . 3 Hindrance . It may be that thou searchest for the ripe fruits of Repentance , before thou art sure that thou hast Faith ; in the work of our spiritual ingrafting into Christ , we are like crab-stocks newly grafted , which do not instantly bear fruit the same day , or week , or the same month that they are grafted ; If we be truly ingrafted into Christ by Faith , Repentance , and the fruits of it will appear afterwards , but not the same hour that we are ingrafted , ( I mean not so as to be discerned by us ) look after Faith first , before you search after Repentance ; Faith will help us to repent : Paul did not bid the Jailor to repent , but believe first , Acts 16. ver . 30 , 31. He knew that Faith would work Repentance ; If the Devil tell you ( that you should hav● repented sooner ) Remember that true Repentance can never be too late , Christ dyed before you sinned ; If therefore you believe in Christ now , you shall be as surely pardoned as if you had begun your repentance sooner : Repent , for your deferring repentance so long , and remember that the repenting Thief was 〈◊〉 rejected , though it were at 〈…〉 h●ur . 4. Objection . But I am so continually h●un●ed with temptations , either to Blasphemy , or Self-murther , or one black and devilish temptation or other , that sleeping or waking I am a terror to my self . Ans. So were all true Saints more or less haunted with the like temptations that have lain longer under a Spirit of Bondage : This may be a good sign that we have not given Satan a peaceable possession , when he thus strives to make a forcible entry , by such horrid temptations . The Devil lets them alone of whom he thinks he hath made sure work , but he assaults those most with the greatest temptations , that ar● striving to get out of his clutches . 5. Object . But alass , I have something that tells me , I have withstood my day of Grace : Answer . That something must be either from God , or Satan : It cannot be from God , for He tells none , that they shall die in their sins , but such as obstinately reject Jesus Christ , and refuse to be saved by him ; Indeed Christ said to the Pharise●s , ● go away , but ye shall die in your sins , Io● . 8. ver . 21. But if you take notice of it , ' ●was spoken to them that blasphemed Christ , and said , He had a Devi● . Iohn 17. ver . 20. This may be a comfortable note ; Christ said to the Penitent Adulterer , Iohn 8. ver . 11. neither do I condemn thee ; And yet he said to the self-justifying Pharisees , Ye shall die in your sins . That sinner that confesseth and bewaileth his guiltiness , him Christ absolveth ; but that Soul that thinks it self Righteous without Christs Righteousness , He abhorreth . If sin be your burden , Christ calls you to Him ; and therefore this something that tells you you are damned , must be from Satan that old lyer . You may know the Devil to be a lyer in this , as well as in other things ; for God never made Satan of his Privie Council , to know who are to be saved , and who are to be damned ▪ But pray tell me , Suppose the Devil should tell you that you should be saved , would you believe him then ? Why then do you heed him now , that he sayes you shall be damned ▪ as you would mist●ust your condition more , if Satan should tell you tha● you should be saved ; so now you have cause to mistrust it less , because he tels you that you shal be damned ; If the Devil should possibly know that you should be damned , for certain he would never tell you so , for fear of awaking your Conscience , and makeing you look after Salvation ; If Jesus Christ do not tell us that we are damned , we need not regard what Satan says , for whatever he saith , he is a lyer . This is not the first lie Satan hath told in this kind , many are now saved in Heaven , whom the Devil told they should be damned : You may read two remarkable stories in Mr. Clar ●s description of the Lives of Mr. Balsom , and Mr. Rothwel ; and because the latter story is apposite to this purpose , I have transcribed it ; The person that was possessed , his name was Iohn Fox : The Devil spake thus to Mr. Rothwel ; Say nothing to me of this man for he is damned : Mr. Rothwel answers , thou art the Father of lies , nor art thou so well acquainted with Gods mind concerning this man , which makes thee thus torment him ; therefore ● believe thee not , I believe he shall ●e saved by Iesus Christ. The Devil replyed , He is a Murderer , an● thou knowest no Murderer must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven . Mr. Rothwel . Thou ly●st again , for David was a Murderer , and yet is in Heaven ; and the Iews with wicked hands crucified the Lord of Glory , yet , both Christ prayed to his Father to forgive them ; and Peter exhorts them to repent , that their sins might be blotted out . Devil . But this man hath not , cannot , shall not repent . Mr. Rothw . If he had not , thou wouldst not have told him so ; but if he have not , I believe God will give him repentance , and th●u shalt not be able to hinder it . 6 Object . But you know there is a sin unto death , a sin that shall never be pardoned● and I fear I have committed that sin . Answer . I am glad you fear it , for it is so much the more likely that you have not sinned that sin : Indeed Satan doth much perplex troubled Consciences with the fear of sinning the unpardonable sin ; yea , I am perswaded , that most of the Elect , if not all , are afraid they have , or shall commit that sin . Troubled Souls are to be disswaded from musing so much on that nice Subject . No man can positively determine what the unpardonable sin is , and of all men you are the most unfit to search it out . 7 and last Objection . Alass , I have lain so long in this despairing condition , that I doubt I shall never get out of it . Answer . Many were under bodily distempers , and yet were healed at last . When ever Christ commeth , He brings a cure with him : We read of a Man that was impotent 38 years , Iohn 5. ver . 5 , 6 , 7. and yet Christ healed him . The Woman that was bowed together by an evil Spirit 18 years , and yet Christ loosed her from her infirmity ; and that which is a comfortable word for thee to consider , Christ calls her a daughter of Abraham , although she was possessed by a Dev●l . Luke 13. ver . 16. The continuance of your temptation doth not hinder you from being a daughter of Abraham . That I may draw towards a conclusion ; If you consider what hateful sins you have committed , and how long you have lived in sin without any sorrow for sin , you need not wonder that God sends you so long a time of sorrow now . Absalom was greatly beloved of David , and yet when he had murthered Amnon , he was bannished three years from Ierusalem ; and when David recalled him from banishment , yet for two years more he saw not the Kings face , 2. Sam. chap. 13. ver . ult . and compare it with chapter 14. verse 28. David suffered him to dwell in his Kingdom , but did not present●y admit him to his Court , to shew his just displeasure against his abominable murder . God may bring a sinner home by converting Grace , and yet not make him or her sensible that they are received into favour by comforting Grace . God doth not welcom home all his Prodigals with Musick and Feasting ; some one he may to declare his Mercy , but not all , to shew his just abhorrence of our Prodigality . The blessed Spirit is first a Refiner , before it prove to be our Comforter ; He is a sanctifying Spirit before he prove a witnessing Spirit , He purgeth away our Sin , before he sh●w us our Pardon ; the Holy-Ghost first cleanseth us , then comfor●eth us ; He first removes our 〈…〉 he remove our sorrows . ●he Apo●●● sp●aks of those that had received the Spirit of Adoption , when he ●aid ▪ The Spirit it self beareth w●tness with our Spirit , in 8 Rom. 15 , 16. God may make us his children , and yet may not instantly dandle us on his knee . To shut up this matter : It is said , that Israel in Egypt did not hearken to the promise of De●iverance , by reason of their anguish of Spirit , occasioned by their cruel Bondage , a very remarkable Scripture . 6. Exod. 6 , 7. But though Moses spake to them from God , yet they hea●kened not to the Promise , for anguish of Spirit , and for cruel Bondage : The paralel is easie , lying long under a Spirit of Bondage may make us deaf for a while to all the Promises of Pardoning Mercy , and free Grace . Now let me pe●swade you to read the Promises more often , and more more seriously , study the nature of free Grace more , Pray more , although Satan tell you you are unfit to Pray ; For if the thoughts of our unfitness can drive us from Prayer , he will always suggest that we are unfit , so to make us still more u●fit by our own neglect ; the more unfit we are to pray , the more need we have to use the words of that Disciple in Luke 11. ver . 1. Lord teach us to Pray , &c. The more we see our unfitness to Pray , the more need we have to press God to make good that gracious Promise in Rom. 8. ver . 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities , for we know not what we should pray for as we ought , but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us , &c. Some advice is needful to Ministers , how to handle tender Consciences , and that follows in the short Notes of the next Sermon . Nccessary Advice to Ministers how to handle AFLICTED CONSCIENCES . Luke 4. Ver. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me , because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor ; He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted , to preach deliverance to the Captives , and recovering of sight to the blind ; to set at liberty them that are bruised . THese words are our Saviours first Text which he taught upon in Nazareth , as you may see ver . 16 : God the Holy Spirit directed Christ to that Text of Scripture , which might mind him of his Office , and prove most comfortable to poor sinners . These words are taken out of the 16 of Isa●●h , being very little altered , that being the Prophecie of what Christ now began to perform . For Division , 1. Here is something affirmed ; the Spirit of the Lord is upon me . 2. A reason assigned ; because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospel , &c. 3. Some particular duties of Christs Office repeated , to preach the Gospel to the poor , to heal the broken hearted , to preach deliverance to to the Captives , to preach recovering of sight to the blind , to preach liberty to them that are bruised . For Explication . The Spirit of the Lord is upon me . Christians receive a measure of the Graces and gifts of the Spirit , but Christ received the Spirit without measure , Iohn 3. ver . 34. Several Saints are more eminent in several Gifts and Graces : Moses had the spirit of Meekness and Miracles , All the Judges of Israel had the gift of Government and Fortitude ; Solomon had the Spirit of Wisdom , the Prophe●s had the Spirits of Prophecy , the Apostles had the gift of Tongues , and Interpretation of Gospel Mysteries , But in Jesus Christ the fulness of all Graces and Guifts do meet as in their proper Center : A christian may be said to be rich in Grace and Gifts , but Christ only is full , He hath all fulness . Because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel . Here Christ shews the world his lawful Commission : Be ashamed all ye that climb up into the Ministry by any other way , then of lawful Ordination ; Christ shews his Orders from Heaven , and mark it ; our Saviour doth not say , because the Spirit of the Lord is upon me , therefore he hath sent me ; but because he hath sent me , therefore the Spirit is upon me . God bestows a measure of Gifts upon every one whom he sends into the Ministry , but he doth not send every one into the Ministry upon whom he bestows a measure of Gifts ; Gifts without Ordination , is no lawful Commission . To preach the Gospel to the poor . This tells for what end Christ received the Gifts of the Spirit , to make him an able Preacher of the Gospel . To preach the Gospel . Moses was sent to preach the Law , but Christ is sent to preach the Gospel ; Moses the servant of God , handed the Law to Israel after the Flesh : Christ the only begotten Son of God , handed the Gospel unto the spiritual seed ; We have lost nothing ( but time ) by coming last into Gods Church , they were before us Gentiles in time , but we are before them in priviledges . To preach the Gospel to the poor . That is to say , to the poor in Spirit , such as see and acknowledge their want of Righteousness ; those that are sensible that they have provoked God , but they have nothing whereby to appease his wra●h , and need Christ to stand their friend , to make peace between God and them . To heal the broken hearted . That is , such whose consciences are terrifyed and tormented with the guilt of Sin ; according to the Greek word , it is , those whose hearts are cut asunder , meaning with the sense of sin , and sorrow for fin , God hath sent me to purify and pacify such accusing consciences . To preach deliverance to the Captives . He meaneth not those whom men have enslaved to their power , but those that see themselves in spiritual slavery to sin and Satan . And recovering of sight to the blind . Christ is the light of the world , He is the day Star from on high that visiteth us who are walking in da●kness . The world without Christ was a dark Dungeon ; The Heathens were like the Sodomites when the Angel had struck them with blindness : It is said that they wearied themselves to find the dore . Gen. 19. ver . 11. Christ is called in Scripture : the dore of Salvation : the blind-folded Heathens wearied themselves in vain to find this dore . To set at liberty them that are bruised . Those may be said to be bruised , that are struggling with sin , but cannot overcome sin , but get many falls by which their Souls are sorely bruised , and their consciences full of pain and torment ; so that by all these expressions we are taught what the Gospel offereth to us ; Namely , Christ offereth us his hand to pull us out of the lowest pit of sin , and out of the dark Dungeon of Ignorance , to give liberty and spiritual freedom to us that are oppressed with all kinds of miseries , that we that are poor may be enriched with his Grace , that we that are blind may be enlightned by the light of his Gospel ; that we who by nature are Satans bo●d slaves , may be made free , and set at liberty by him . And as the Father sent Christ on this errand , so Christ sends his Ministers on the same errand : You see therefore what kind of People you have to deal with , such as are spiritually poor , broken hearted , blind , Captives , and bruised . The Doctrine I shall name is this . That Christ hath an especial eye to those that are afflicted in Conscience ; And the Reasons may be such as these . 1. The reason in the Text , because it is his Office to take care of such , God hath sent him for that end and purpose . 2 Reason is , the helplesness of such poor sinners , they can do nothing but weep and complain , sigh and mourn , and disquiet themselves more at the apprehension of their misery , but do not know what to do to ease their consciences ; therefore the merciful nature of Christ makes him have a tender eye towards such . 3 Reason . Because such are prepared for Christ to deal with , such are prepared to welcom the Gospel : Christ preacht to the Scribes and Pharisees , but they thought themselves to be whole and needed not a Physitian , and therefore despised his help : but when he preached to the Publicans and Sinners , they followed him ; He preached to that Mary noted as a sinner , and she followed him weeping . Luke 7. ver . 37. All the Publicans and Sinners drew nigh to hear . Luk. 15. ver . 1. Whereupon the Pharises murmured ▪ which gave an occasion to those Parables in that chapter , of the lost Sheep , the lost Groat , and the lost Son. Christ is sent to save those that see their lost condition without him , and such only will bid welcom to the Gospel . 4 Reason why Christ hath such an eye to afflicted consciences , is , Because Satan is so buisy with them , he seeks to drive them to final despair of mercy , and to suggest thoughts of Self-murther : Therefore as the Devil hath an evil eye towards them to destroy them , Christ hath an eye of pitie and compassion towards them , to deliver them , and to preach Salvation to them , if Satan desire to winnow Peter , Christ will take the greater care of him ; if Satan ●empt Peter to denie his Master , Christ will look back upon him to reclaim him again : Now this is a pattern for Christ's Ministers to imitate ; have an especial eye to the sin sick Souls , the broken hearted . In the close of the former Sermon I hinted that some Advice was needful unto Ministers how to deal with afflicted consciences , I reserved it unto this place , where I might present them with such a blessed pattern to follow . Afflicted consciences during the time of temptation , they are like blind men , therefore deal with them as such , lay no stumbling blocks before them , make your Doctrine plain and obvious , be you instead of eyes unto them , perform the office of a good guide , and lead them to Christ , and to the Covernant of Grace , and to the Promises ; they are broken and bruised already , therefore deal gently with them , handle their Souls with smooth , and not with rugged hands . We say a Chirurgeon needs an Eagles eye , a Lyons heart , and a Ladies hand : so we may say of a Minister , he needs an Eagles eye , to be of a piercing sight in the Mysteries of the Gospel ; He needs a Lyons heart , having to do with wounded and Ulcerous Souls ; He needs a Ladies hand , having to do with broken hearted sinners . Afflicted consciences are thirsty , and ready to faint ; therefore lead them to the Rock Jesus Christ , from whose side ( being struck by the rod of God , ) do only flow those waters that can allay the scorching heat of an i●flamed Conscience , and can refresh and revive the drooping Soul that boweth under his burthen of temptations ; hence do issue those waters that can cleanse the Conscience , and wash away the guilt of sin , which makes it so disquiet and tormenting : after David had sinned ●ou●y , by Adultery and Murder , he came to these waters , Psalm 51. ver . 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity , and cleanse me from my sin . Moses's rod struck the Rock , that water might gush out to the thirsty Israelites : God's rod struck the Rock Jesus Christ , that Mercy might flow out more freely to the thirsty sinner ; If they be thirsty , lead them to Christ the Fountain of living waters . A wounded Spirit is shot with a poysoned arrow , ( I mean the sting of sin ) be you therefore that loving friend that may draw out the venome with your mouths ; ( I mean , by your godly council and seasonable advice . ) Do not tell afflicted Consciences of a God only , but of a God reconciled in Christ : put them into the clift of this Rock Jesus Christ , when you shew them any thing of the Glory of God. They are bruised , therefore speak not all Law unto them , but mingle Gospel with it , least you break those whom God hath bruised . Shew them the cleansing and comforting Blood of Jesus Christ ; and if their trembling Souls chance to propose any such Questions as are in the 6 Micah 7. will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams ? Shew them the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world . While they cry out of their own sinfulness , set before them Christ's perfect Righteousness , and that He freely offers to cloath them with it ; shew them not only Christs ability to save , but Christs willingness to save ; for that is sound advice given by a late writer ; That Soul which is disquieted for sin , must be pacifyed by something that is not sin : He that is sensible of his own unrighteousness , must be made to see a perfect righteousness somewhere else , even the righteousness of Christ : If it were a prevailing argument with God , Exod. 32. ver . 13. To press him to pardon Israel for the sake of Abraham , Isaack , and Jacob his Servants , and his Covenant made with them . Then surely it must needs be a stronger argumen● , when a poor sinner shall be seech God to remember Jesus Christ his only begotten and well-beloved Son that dyed for him , and his Covenant made with Christ : But as afflicted consciences will be much fingering their sore , and so put back their cure . The sight of Sin is a thick cloud , which will much hinder the sight of a Saviour ; Therefore when they complain of great and manifold offenees , do you shew them Gods great and manifold Me●cies , Psalm 51. ver 1. Shew them Davids argument , Psalm 25. ver . 11. O Lord pardon mine Iniquity for it is great . Here is our usual Objection turned into an Argument ; My Sins are great , therefore I fear God will not pardon them , says the doubting sinner ; My Iniquity is great , therefore Lord pardon it , says the believing David ; even merciless men will do much to purchase them a great name ; the merciful God by pardoning great sinners , gets Himself a greater name of being Merciful ; Shew them how to frame an argument out of Gods own words , Ier. 33. ver . 8 , 9. And I will cleanse them from all their Iniquities whereby they have sinned against me , and whereby they have transgressed agains● me , and it shall be to me a name of joy 〈◊〉 Praise and an Honour before all the Nations of the Earth which shall hear all the good th●t I ●o unto them . Press the Lord with His own words , to exalt His great name by cleansing and pardoning thy sins ; and the more and the greater they are , the more will His Mercy be glorifyed : Seeing God designeth to be glorifyed in the great Attribute of his Mercy , we cannot glorifie it more , than by throwing our selves upon it . If Satan aggravate our Sins , ( as he never fails to do it to the purpose , when he finds a sinner despairing , ) then we must set all the true colours upon Mercy , great Mercy , glorious Mercy , rich Mercy , abundant Mercy ▪ and that which is beyond all that Satan can say of our sins ( Infinite Mercy ) Shew them therefore , that by casting our Souls upon Gods free Mercy , we do exceedingly glorifie the Mercy of our God , and the merit of our Redeemer . Do not rob God of the glory of his Mercy by your unbelief . But if the broken hearted sinner yet object against it self ; Alas my sins are no ordinary sins , then do you put them in mind , that Christ is no ordinary person , His blood is no ordinary price , His Redemption no ordinary work , and Gods Mercy in Christ is no ordinary matter . Paul did not despair of Pardon because he saw himself to be chief of sinners , 1 Tim. 1 ch . ver . 15. but gloried so much the more in Christs coming to save such as he was : A Soul that is once enabled to look upon Christ as his Saviour , will not despair though Conscience tell him he is a great sinner , but can be as willing to accuse ●t self as Satan is to accuse it , and yet not despair of pardon , but imploy Satans malice as an argument for greater love to Jesus Christ : Those that despair of Mercy , should be much pressed with the great injury done to Gods Infinite Mercy , and to Christs Infinite Merit by such as despair of Pardon ; for it is as much as to make God an unmerciful God , and Christ to be an Impotent Saviour : and it is a most dangerous sin in respect of us , ●or it blocks up the way to Mercy ; ●ll other sins might be pardoned , if unbelief did not intercept our Pardon , ●n the 3 Io. ver . 18. He that believeth not ●s condemned already , because he believeth ●ot in the name of the only begotten Son of ●od . It is not said , because he was a ●hore-monger , or a Thief , or a ●runkard , but because he believeth not in the name of Christ ; So that unbelief is the greatest sin of all other . Satan holdeth many under despairing thoughts a long time , by telling them that they have not been broken enough yet by the terrors of the Law , and therefore are unfit for pardoning mercy yet . Pray is not this a strange reasoning , as if you should say to a sick man , you seek to be cured too soon ▪ your case must be more desperate , before you go to a Physician . Doth not Reason tell us , that in a dangerous wound , the sooner we look for a Chyrurgeon the better and that we cannot go too soon ▪ The longer we defer seeking unto Christ , and laying on the Sovereign Plaister of his Blood , we must needs be the longer before we can be healed . If any violent distemper seise on your Bodies , you are ready to ask one another , why do not you go forth and seek help ▪ delays are dangerous in this case . Now then ask your Souls the same question , seeing sin hath made such a dangerous wound in thy conscience , Why do not you go forth , why do not you seek after Iesus Christ ▪ Delays are dangerous in this case I am sure . If Faith be the condition of the the new Covenant , we cannot believe too soon ; urge those that yield to despairing thoughts with those words of Reverend Dr. Sibbs : Judas did far worse in despairing of Pardon , than in denying of Christ ; In the latter ind●ed he destroyed Christ's humane nature , but by despair he denyed his Divine nature . Who doubts but if Cain had not despaired , he might have been pardoned . Will you flie from Christ because you are sinners ▪ will the sick man shun the company of the Ph●sician because he is sick ▪ The Pharisees upbraided Christ , that he was a friend to Publicans and Sinners , Matt. 11. ver . 19. to teach thee that he is no enemy to the vilest sinner that cometh to Him for mercy . Afflicted consciences are weak sighted ; or like the Disciples , their eyes are held , Luk. 24. ver . 16. Christ is near them , but they see him not . Therefore let all Ministers , and also all good Christians endeavour to help that defect , by leading them unto Christ , and opening the Promises of the Gospel unto them ; end since they feel the sting of the fiery Serpent in their Souls , shew them their Saviour , who is the truth of the brazen Serpent ; help them to lean upon Christ that tryed Stone , so called Isa. 28. ver . 16. Christ is a tryed Stone indeed , whom neither the weight of the sins of the whole world , nor the maliee of all the Devils in Hell , nor the rage of his persecutors on Earth , nor the weight of Gods wrath due for the sins of mankind , ( which was much heavier than all the former ) could once make to yield at all , or to fly out of its proper place ; and therefore Christ is only fit to be the chief corner stone . He is the only immovable Foundation , able to bear up the whole building of his Church ; And whosoever builds his Soul upon this Foundation , ( Jesus Christ ) the Gates of Hell shall not be able finally to prevail against him . Such as are afraid to fall , lead them to Christ that Rock of ages , that they may see themselves placed in a safe condition ; and do you carry those young Lambs that cannot go : I have not written this as though I were able to advise my Reverend Brethren of the Clergy , but to move them to consider the case of afflicted consciences , that they may labour more to heal the broken hearted , and to set at liberty them that are bruised , that 〈◊〉 people may have greater cause to 〈◊〉 , How beautiful are the Feet of those that bring glad tidings of Salvation ? MANSIO CHRISTIANA , Or the Christians Mansion-House . Being a SERMON Preached on the Lords-Day , 7th . Feb. Anno Dom. 1668. at the Funeral of M rs . MARTHA WALMISLEY the Wife of M r. Charles Walmisley . Minister of Chesham magna in the County of Bucks . By WILLIAM IOLE . Minister of Sarrett in the County of Hertford . 2 Ephesians 6. And hath made us sit together in Heavenly Places . London , Printed for Samuel Homes , at the Sign of S. Paul in Little Britain Anno Dom. 1671. To his Reverend Brother in the Gospel M r. Charles Walmisley , Husband of M rs . Martha Walmisley Deceased , Grace and Peace . Worthy Sir , THat which is reported of Egesias the Philosopher , that he could so accurately decipher the miseries & wretchedness of Life , as to make Men out of love with it , and so colour over the grim face of Death , as to make it desirable ; that is only really performed by this Text : A little Rhetorick may serve to perswade a poor man to forsake his thatch'd Cottage , if you can assure him that by so doing , he shall have a better habitation : The most effectual way to make a Christian to despise Life , and desire Death , is , to present him with a sight of his Heavenly Mansion , and then with S. Paul , He can groan earnestly to leave this earthly Tabernacle , when he knows he hath a building of God , a House not made with hands , eternal in the Heavens ; for though nature abhor a dissolution , yet it covets happiness ; so that Reason it self may well assent to the desire of being dissolved ; when Faith hath rightly informed it that it is far better ; for it is wisdom to admit a change , when we are sure it shall be for our greater advantage . Sir , if you thus look on Death ( though as a dark entry ) yet as the ready passage to our Heavenly Mansions , then I shall need to say no more , either to quiet your Spirit concerning the Death of your dear Wife , at whose Funeral this Sermon was Preached , or to make you more willing to entertain more familiar thoughts of your own dissolution ; If it be far better to be with Christ , than to linger still on Earth , then what remains ? but that we patiently bear the departure of our dearest Friends and nearest Relations , and cheerfully expect our own ; that we may be so far from fearing death , as rather to welcom it : who baulks a friends Invitation , because he imployes a Blackamore to be the Messenger ? What though Christ send his Negro ( Death ? ) seeing it is to invite us to a Feast with him in his Kingdom ; We know Christ is our best Friend , and though at first we may startle at the Messenger , yet the very Message shews that Death be-friends us too ; If God make this Sermon useful to be your remembrancer in these great duties , let him have all the Praise while you receive the profit . Your affectionate Brother in the Gospel of our blessed Lord and Master Iesus Christ. VV. J. John 14. Ver. 2. In my Father's House are many Mansions : if it were not so , I would have told you , I go to prepare a place for you . IN occasions of great sorrow a single advice may not be sufficient to quiet and compose our afflicted Minds ; Christ had advised his Disciples in the former Verse not to be troubled at his absence , which he backs with a strong Reason in this Verse ; I go to prepare a place for you : Consider the end of my departure , and you have no more reason to be troubled at it , than you have , if a friend that hath invited you to a Feast , should say , I must go home before you to see all things set in a readiness for your Entertainment : So great a necessity is there for my leaving you now ; Christus non abit nos deserere , sed ut lautisimum convivium nobis praeparct . Christ doth not mean to leave us , but He goes to make provision for us . Christ seeing them troubled , seemed to neglect himself , that He might hearten them against the fear of his Crucifixion . It is not unlikely , but that the minds of the Disciples might be filled with such troublesome thoughts as these ; Alass ! in what hole shall we hide our heads from a melitious Devil ● persecuting World , now that our Champion is taken from us ? Where can We be secure if He suffer ? Can We think to escape , if He be put to Death ? What Crosses must we look for , if Innocency it self be Crucified ? If they deal thus barbarously with our Lord , what will they do , or what will they not do rather against his Servants when He is gone ? What will become of us when the light of our eyes is departed ? yea , the very breath of our Nostrils ? If the Shepheard be smitten , what will become of the timorous Sheep ? Against all these carnal fears Christ opposeth a greater cause of Hope ; Against all this matter of trouble , He seasonably opposeth a surer cause of Spiritual Joy & Tranquility of mind ▪ Bear my absence patiently , for it shall redound to your eternal advantage , I go to prepare a place for you . This Text will not admit of such a Methodical Division , as other Texts of Scripture do . The first words are Christs Consolatory Reason , why the Disciples should not be troubled at his absence : In my Fathers House are many Mansions . The former words may be added to confirm that assertion , If it were not so I would have told you ; and that you may be sure it is so , I go to prepare ● place for you . In these word , is observable , 1. An Act , Go. 2. An Agent , I go . 3. An End , To prepare a place . Lastly , The Person for whom , For you . Explication , In my Fathers house . Heaven is called Gods House ; Because there God dwelleth , and there Saints and blessed Spirits shall dwell with God for ever : Christ calls it His Fathers House for our greater consolation , to shew us that He hath much power there , who is the only begotten Son and Heir of all things ; He is the Dominus Fac totum : Heaven is a place where I have Power to make you welcom , For it is my Fathers House ; No Son and Heir can have so much priviledge at home to bid his friends freely welcom , as I have to make you my friends welcom in my Fathers House , are many Man●ions : There are Mansions , not Tabernacles , to denote the unchangeableness of the condition of Saints in Heaven ; here on Earth you can have but moveable Tents , but in Heaven you shall have a settled condition , a Mansion-house , even in our English phrase , signifies that House where we live most of our time : Great Men may have several Houses , and yet but one of them is called their Mansion-house ; that is to say , the place of their most constant abode , where they dwell the most part of the year ▪ It is but a short time that we spend on Earth , but we shall dwell for ever in Heavenly Mansions . Christians are here spoken of , as being Great Persons ( being made Honourable by Christ ) who , though they may have Earthly Tabernacles , yet have but one Mansion-house , and that is Heaven . Many Mansions ; There is not only room for Me , but for all my Members also . Though there may be so many thousands of glorious Inhabitants in Heaven already , yet there is still room for every Saint too . In Scripture God is represented to us , as a great Housholder , and the Saints are called Gods Houshold or Family ; Every wise man provides a House according to the largeness of his Family : Aretius says , that the word Mansions , is a word of diminution , where little is spoken of the greatest matter ; as if we would call the vast Ocean , a great Pond . We must not imagine that Heaven is divided as the Earth is ( into several Habitations ) but Heaven is fitly called a Mansion , because there is a fulness of glory and happiness ; however Men live in their flitting-houses , as I may call them , where they stay but a night or two ; yet in their Mansion-houses they will far● plentifully , every Saint in Heaven shall have a fulness of Glory and happiness . 2. In Heaven there is a permanencie , and therefore called a Mansion ; for the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the Latine word Mansiones , and the English word Mansions , do all imply the eternity of the Glory and happiness in Heaven . 3. Heaven is called a Mansion-house , in respect of the different degrees of Glory in Heaven . In a Kings Court there are several Offices , but all are contented , for all are Courtiers ; In Heaven , the House is the same , and the happiness is the same ; but there are different degrees of Glory : But the Saints in Heaven shall be as free from envy , as the Stars in the Firmament are : one Star differs from another in Glory , yet they do not quarrel about their different degrees of Light and Lustre ; no more shall the Saints in Gods House : If it were not so I would not have told you ; I would not delude you , or feed you with vain hopes , promising that which I cannot perform : When you come to Heaven you shall find much more than what you are able now to understand of the happiness you shall inherit there . I go to prepare a place for you ; The great end of Christs ascending into Heaven , is to prepare a place for his Elect , to make way for their coming thither : take notice of our Saviours Consolations ; He doth not say , Let not your hearts be troubled , for ere long I will make you earthly Princes , and make you ●read on the necks of your enemies ; Bu● he gives them comfort of another kind , I am preparing Glory for you , Let not your hearts be troubled . When by my Death and Resurrection I have fitted all things for your entertainment , I will come again , and receive you unto my self . It was the manner of Bride-grooms , when they had made all things ready , to come themselves , and fetch home their Brides to their Fathers houses : I go to prepare , and I will come again and fetch you unto my self . O the wonderful tenderness and infinite condescention of Divine Love ; Christ will do all himself . He came once from Heaven already to make himse●f known unto us ; but his love engageth him to make one journey more to fetch us , and take us up unto himself : then he came to prepare us for Heaven ; He is now gone to prepare Heaven for us : I go to prepare a place for you . These may allude to Travailers , ( as Musculus notes ) where many travail together in a company ; they choose out some one to ride before , and provide Lodgings , and a Supper for them ▪ Our Saviour attempereth his Speech to our understandings , the incomprehensible things of Heaven are painted out in these humane colours , because we are much taken with these things and partly because the Disciples did yet dream that Christ would establish a worldly Kingdom , and would have ruled some time as an Earthly Monarch ; Christ therefore in a sweet and friendly manner works them off from expecting any such thing here , by telling them what he is going to prepare for hereafter : your expectations shall not be altogether disappointed ; you shall have honour and happiness , but it shall be in a better place , in Heaven● for thither I go to prepare for you● the Providence of God sent Ioseph secretly before-hand to provide a place for his unnatural Brethren ; Christ the truth of Iosep● , is gone into Heaven to prepare a place for all his Brethren , though by our sins we both sold him and crucified him , Hebr. 6. v. 20 : Christ is called the Saints fore-runner , implying that the Saints shall follow him into heaven . Before Christ ascended , he said , Father , I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am , Iohn 17. ver . 24. Therefore he is gone before to prepare a place for them : Heaven is prepared already , but our Sins had shut it against us ; Christ is gone to provide admission for us . The Doctrine I shall offer , is , That Christians must look on Heaven as their dwelling place . Reasons of the Doctrine are , 1. Because God designeth heaven as our Dwelling-place : A Christian hath a Body and a Soul , an earthly and an heavenly part : A Body formed of the Earth , and a Soul infused from heaven ; This Earth was made for the delight of the Body , here is beauty to delight the Eye , and sweetness for the Taste , and variety to delight the outward Sences : But Heaven was made for the Soul ; In the Body we resemble the Beasts on Earth , in the Soul we resemble the Angels in heaven ; The Body is contented with the things of the Earth , and thinks it good to be here ; but the Soul finds nothing able to satisfy it here on earth And therefore is always mounting up to heaven by contemplation , and desirous to be dissolved from its earthly clay . God made Man looking upwards towards heaven , and the Beasts bowing downward towards the earth to shew us that the Earth is the proper place for brute Beasts ; but heave● is the place whither Man should aspire . 2 Reason why Christians should look on heaven as their Dwelling-place , lyeth in the Text ; Because Christ prepares it for them : and where can he better provide a place than in his and our Fathers house ? I asse●d to my Father and your Father , Joh. 20. ver . 17. My Father by Nature , your Father by Grace , as S. Austin interprets it ; Where can he better prepare a place for his Elect than in his own Kingdom ? It 's the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ , 2 Pet. chap. 1. ver . 11. Where can Christ better prepare a p●ace for them , than in that Kingdom which God the Father hath freely bestowed on them ? Luke 12. ver . 32. Fear not little Flock , for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom ; fear not want or trouble here , but look on your selves as Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven . Where can he prepare a place better than in that Kingdom which Christ also appointed for them ? Luk. 22. ver . 29 , 30. And I appoint unto you a Kingdom , that ye may eat and drink at my Table , and sit on Thrones ●udgeing the twelve Tribes of Israel ; And therefore you may be sure that this is meant of heaven : For here on Earth Saints do not sit on Thrones , but rather on Dunghils , as Iob and Lazarus did ; they do not Judge here , but rather are judged and hardly censured . 3 Reason why Christians must look on Heaven as their Dwelling-place , is , because the word of God directs us so to do ; To s●t our affection on things above , and to seek those things : to look on the world but as our Inne ; but on Heaven as our home . 4 Reason . Because experience doth shew , that on Earth Christians have no certain Dwelling-place , 1 Cor. 4. ver . 11. here we travail and meet with troubles ; here we sojourne , here we suffer , here we have no continuing City , but we seek one to come , Heb. 13. ver . 14. Indeed neither Believer , nor Unbeliever have any settled condition on Earth ; But it is more especially appropriated to Believers . 1. Because of the Worlds ill dealing with them ; they are always driving them from Post to Pillar , as we say , from place to place ; Moses was much longer a stranger in Madian , then a Courtier in Egypt . 2. Because Believers do look upon Earth as an uncertain place , where they cannot set up their rest ; they look on the world as a Camp , where they wall meet with opposition , rather then as a City where they should expect safety and quiet . The Christian expects his resting place to be in that City which Abraham looked for , Hebr. 11. v. 10. A City that hath Foundations , whose Builder & Maker is God. All the Cities on Earth are so easily removed , as if they had no Foundations , Heaven only is an immoveable City . Last Reason why Christians must look upon Heaven as their dwelling place , is , to move them to a Heavenly Conversation ; such as our hopes is , such will our Conversation be ; if your hope be only in this life , then your trade and dealing , your thoughts and actions shall be to get worldly things , your Conversation will be earthly ; the prevailing degree of love in all you do , will be for earthly things ; or as the Scripture doth phrase it , you will mind earthly things , Philip. 3. ver . 19. All our aims , actions , and endeavours will be but to get Money , to buy Land , to build Houses , to settle your rest on Earth ; your discourses will be about dividing the Inheritance like theirs , Luk. 12. ver . 13. or about making more room for your worldly store like the fool in the Gospel : but if your hope be in Heaven , your Conversation will be Heavenly . Hope is a deep dye that casts a tincture , and leaves its colour in the whole Conversation of a Christian. He that looks on the world as his Pilgrimage , or place of Travel , will provide only as for a Traveller ; But he that looks on the Earth as his dwelling place , will be providing as for an Inhabitant : one Room will suffice a Traveller ; but an Inhabitant wanteth a whole house ; a few things will suffice a man in his Journey , but an Inhabitant needs a great deal of Furniture ; and therefore the Scripture alwayes puts a difference between a man in the World , and a man of the world . Iohn 15. ver . 19. . By our feet we walk on earth , but by our heart we dwell in heaven . Application . 1. For Information . To teach us what thoughts we must have of earth and heaven : We must look on the earth as David did , to be but the house of his Pilgrimage , Psalm 119. ver . 54. But we must look on heaven as our Mansion-house , as the Text doth represent it , a place prepared for us to dwell in for ever : And what a glorious place must heaven needs be , which the Bridegroom of our Souls hath now been 16 hundred years preparing for his Bride ? We must look upon heaven as our home , our Fathers house . If you ask what ground a Christian hath for this confidence ? I answer , the Text telleth us , Christ is gone thither to prepare a place for them . Christ entred into heaven as a common person in the name of his Elect , and so is gone to take possession in their right , as a Guardian takes possession of a house and Land in the right of his Ward ; but Christ entred in his own right and ours both , as he is our Guardian . The high-Priest under the Law entred into the holy of holies , with the names of the twelve Tribes on his Brest-plate , to shew that he acted there for them whose names were there written ; Christ our great high Priest is entred into heaven , whereof the holy of holies was but a Type : thither hath he carryed the names of his Elect , for whom he is to provide Mansions ; and therefore Christians are said to have an Inheritancereserved in Heaven for them . 1 Pet. chap. 1. ver . 4. how should this make us high in our hopes , and lowly in our hearts ? heaven is ours in Reversion ; Great hopes , or hopes of great things beget great Spirits , and keep Men from doing any base or sordid things , which are below what they hope for : a Christians hope keeps up his heart , and hinders him from doing any thing unbeseeming his hope : The Eagle scorns to catch at Flies ; A Christias is that true Eagle , that soareth above these petty things below ; the hope of Heavenly Mansions should should lift us above the Earth . 2. It should make us lowly in our hearts , not to strive and fight for places here , but to be contented with any place , remembring that while we are in this world we are out of our proper place ; Those that are neglectful to look after Heavenly Mansions , are most quarrelling for places on Earth ; a christian may call all the things of this world Esek , and Sitnah , as Isaack named those 2 Wells , about which the Philistines strove with him , Gen. 26. 20 , 21. If God give House or Land to a christian , it doth but make the Men of the world strive with him and hate him for it , as the Philistines did envy Isaack's Flocks & Herds , Gen. 26. 14. But a Christian may call Heaven Rehoboth , by the name of Isaack's Well which they strove not for . Now God hath made room for me , says Isaack ; a christian hath one place which ugodly men will not strive for ; namely Heaven : what an Argument therefore is this , to remove our desires from earthly Houses , and to fix them on our Heavenly Mansions ? in Earthly Houses we are always either wanting room , or furniture , or food , or peace in eating it , or assurance of continuing , but our Heavenly Mansions have all these properties . Heaven is a good place , for it is of Christ's own preparing ; Heaven is a large place , there is many Mansions , room enough , and provision enough of all things to make a Saint happy . Abraham's Servant asked Rebeckah , ( i● there room in thy Fathers house for us to lodge in ? She answered , we have both Straw and Provinder enough , and room to lodge in , Gen. 24 ver . 23 — 25. A Christian need not make such an inquiry concerning Heaven , there is room enough , and provision enough . God prepared the world for Adams use , before he sent him to be there ; God built the House , and ready furnished it , and then raised up Man. God our Redeemer is gone to prepare Heaven , before he carry his Members thither . Heaven is also a safe place ; where God dwelleth there can be no fear of enemies to molest us . Israel in the earthly Canaan had plenty , but not safety ; the Cananites continually were invading them ; Heaven only is the place of Peace . The Heavenly Ierusalem is described to have a great wall , and high , and 12 Gates , and 12 Angels watching at the Gates , and the City to be built upon a great and high Mountain . Revel . 20. ver . 10 — 12. Namely , all things that may import safety . Heaven is too high for danger to climb up to it ; it is so immured that there can be no scaling it , the Gates are so strong , that there is no breaking them open , and the Watchers so watchful that there can be no fear of surprize . And in Heaven also is suitable company , there we shall dwell with God , the Holy Trinity , with Holy Angels , aud Saints ; here on Earth unsuitable company may make us weary of our Habitations . Lot chose the Plain of Sodom to dwell in , but what an uncomfortable place did it prove to that righteous man , by reason of the wicked company of those beastly Sodomites ? no doubt had he known their evil manners before , nothing could have tempted him to have thought of dwelling there . Christians that know and see this Earth to be a Sodom , must not choose it for their dwelling place . Lastly , Heaven is a place that abideth for ever ; Worldly Cities have no firm Foundations , but the Wall of Heaven is described to have twelve Foundations , Rev. 21. ver . 14. Earthly Houses may be burned , or beat down either by accident or design , as we see a woful instance in London , that City most famed throughout the world ; but you know that the World it self is reserved for the general Conflagration : will you make that your Dwelling-place , which you know must be destroyed ? We linger like Lot , and are loath to come out of this Sodow ; but the Lord is merciful by sending us many crosses , pulleth us hence . This sheweth us further how we come to neglect Heavenly Mansions ; We over-value Earthly Tabernacles , and that makes us undervalue heavenly Mansions , Earthly Houses are visible , their Gardens , and Orchards , Parks , and Forrests , Fish-ponds , and Motes , Arbors , and Banquetting-houses ; but Heavenly Mansions , and what Provision is made there , is only known to Faith , 1. Cor. chap. 2. ver . 9. as it is written , Eye hath not seen , nor Ear heard , neither have entred the heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him ; which if it be true of those things prepared in the Gospel , it is more true of those things prepared in Heaven . This consideration of Heavenly Mansions may much quiet and com●ort those that either are not born to House and Land , or that are driven from House and home by any sad Providence ; your Tents may be removed , but your Mansions endure for ever . 2. Use of Exhortation to all that hope for Heavenly Mansions . 1. Search the Land where you hope ●o dwell for ever ; Israel ●ent spies to ●earch for Canaan , but the●r spies were of two sorts : Some brought an evil ●eport on Canaan ; saying , there were Gyants , and yet brought of the good fruits of the Land ; but Caleb & Ioshus told them the truth , If the Lord delight in us , he will bring us into this Land , Numb . 14. ve . 8. Hearken unto Caleb and Ioshua , unto the faithful spies and true Ministers , which declare from the word of God what place Heaven is , and hearken not unto any that endeavour to bring an evil report on this good Land , where only is fulness of Ioy , and pleasures for evermore ; Indeed there are some difficulties will meet us in our way thitther , but no impossibilities ; Say with Caleb , the Lord is with us , we are able to overcome them . Numb . 13. compared with Num● 14. ver . 9. 2. Pray against earthly mindedness . The young man that seemed so earnest to get to Heaven , as is set out by his postures of running and kneeling , and asking what to do yet his great earthly Possessions hindred him from being prevailed with by the promise of Heavenly treasure Mark 10. ver . 2● . Reuben and Gad had so much Cattle , that they are not eager to dwell in Canaan ; Iacob's Flocks and Herds made him drive slowly homewards , Gen. 33. v. 14. though I grant his fear of Esau might be a great cause also . Those Christians are in most danger of neglecting Heavenly Mansions , that are well seated in Earthly places , haec sunt quae faciunt invitos mori , these things make us unwilling to die . Let us use the Earth as the Birds do , the Air is their proper place , and they care not to descend on the Earth but only for their times of Feeding ; so long as they keep aloft they are secure ; but when they come to settle on the Ground , there are Nets or Guns , or some Snare to endanger them : So long as Christians keep their thoughts on Heaven , and the thing above , they are ●afe from Temptation ; but when they ●et them hover too long upon Earth , and the things ●●low , Satan is ready to shoot at them , or hath one Snare or other to catch them , though your daily Bread grows on Earth , yet look on Heaven as your home , and send your thoughts & desires thither again , that it may appear though you Table here , you expect to dwell in Heaven . A few words more , and then I shall conclude . 1. Be content though God allo● you but a low place , or no place in this world , seeing Christ is preparing a place for you in a better world . 2. Get your affections more weaned from earthly Houses ( you that have them ) and fix your thoughts more on those Heavenly Mansions ; Because Children know no better things , they are so much in love with every painted Gew-gaw ; It is our ignorance of the Joys in Heaven that makes us so greatly pleased with these toyes on Earth . 3. Be not immoderate in grieving for any Relations or Friends departed , ( no , though you have h●d them but a little while with you . ) So long as we are in the Body , we are absent from the Lord ; the Apostle Paul groaned earnestly in desires of enjoying his Heavenly Mansion , 2 Cor. chap. 5. ver . 2. and he gives us his Reason in the 1. ver . Who would not go out of a thatcht Cottage to inherit a Pallace ? those that die in the Lord , do but leave an Earthly Tabernacle , to inherit an Heavenly Kingdom ; and will you think it too s●on for them to be thus happy ? Solon being asked who were happy ? tells a story of two Youths , who out of affection drew their Mothers Chariot to the Temple , and the Gods to recompence them , caused them to die presently : those are happy that can number Death among their priviledges , and bid it welcom ; If I could offer your Wife or Children , House , or Land , would you say , ( no I thank you , I cannot spare them yet , they shall tarry with me one year longer before they go to possess it . ) We are wiser in earthly matters , why are we such fools in Heavenly matters ? if we did cordially believe , and seriously meditate on the blessedness in Heaven , we should grudge at every hour we ●arry on earth , we should think the shortest life too long , and like the next Heir , be eagerly desirous to inherit . I say nothing of the party deceased ( though she hath left a good name behind her ) because I was totally ● stranger to her . FINIS . PAUL , The Pattern of PARDONING MERCY . Being A SERMON ON 1 Tim. Chap. 1. Ver. 15. Howbeit for this cause I obtained Mercy , that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all Long-suffering for a Pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting . 1 Tim. 1. Chap. 16. Ver. Howbeit , for this cause I obtained Mercy , that in me Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting . THis Verse referreth to the last words of the former Verse , ( whereof I am chief ; howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy ; ) as if the Apostle would say , Although I was so heinous a sinner , yet Iesus Christ hath made me a pattern of mercy to all others . As God makes some stand as fearful monuments of his wrath to fright ●hose that are impenitent , ( like Lot's wife tu●ned into a Pillar of Salt to season after Ages . ) So God is pleased to set others as Monuments of free-grace to invite all penitent Sinners ; the Apostle tells us what was Gods aim in pardoning him that was so great an offender , to make a pattern of long suffering to encourage the greatest sinners to lay hold on his Mercy . For Division of the words , 1. Here is an Act mentioned ( Obtained . ) 2. The thing mentioned , ( Mercy . ) 3. The Person mentioned . ( I that needed long sufferings , I the chief of sinners . ) Lastly , the Reason mentioned , ( for this cause , that I might be a pattern to them that shall hereafter believe , ) that is to say , that by my Example the greatest Sinners m●ght be encouraged to lay hold on the offer of Free Pardon , seeing such a desperate opposer of Jesus Christ as I was , received into favour , that none might hereafter despair of Pardon , but all Sinners might be encourag'd to come to God through Jesus Christ. The Doctrine will be most comfortable thus rendred . That God hath set Paul as a glorious pattern of Mercy , to encourage all sinners by his Example to seek for pardoning Mercy . The orderly handling of this Doctrine will be , 1. To see what a Pattern is . 2. How Paul may be said to be a Pattern ? 3. Why Paul was made a Pattern ? Lastly , What excellent ●ncouragement all Sinners hereafter may make of this glorious Pattern of Free-grace ? For the First , What a Pattern is ? For on this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lyeth the stress of the whole matter . A Pattern is , materi● proposita ad imitandum , something that is laid before our eyes for us to imitate ; when a Li●mner hath drawn some curious Picture in which he thinks he hath shewed much of his Art , he hangs it out for all Passengers to look on , to shew them what he can do ; every piece is not fit to be a Pattern , but the most exact Pi●ces ▪ In the converting of Paul ( who by his own confession was one of the greatest sinners in the world . ) God doth shew to all Men in this Pattern , what free Grace can do , how he can pardon the greatest sinners ; God hath made Paul fit to be a Pattern of pardoning Mercy , to shew all the world how much he can forgive . And this leadeth me to the next particular . How Paul might be said to be a Pattern . 1. Consider his own Confession what a kind of Sinner he was , and that will lend some light into this Phrase . 2. Con●ider the manner of his Conversion . 3. Gods dealing with him after his Conversion . 1. Let us hear his own Confession how great a sinner he was , chief of sinners ; not only sensu humilitatu , so in his own apprehension ; nor only salvandorum primus , chief sinner of those that shall be saved ; but as he was a proud Pharisee that went about to set up his own righteousness in direct opposition to Christs rightouiness : Surely , ( except the unpardonable sin ) there cannot be a greater sin than this ; and in this sense Christs words may be understood , that Publicans and Harlots were nearer Heaven , than the self-justifying Pharisees , Mat. 21. ver . 31. For Publicans and Harlots did not deny that Christs imputed righteousness was the only meriting cau●e of our Justification ; but the Pharisees denyed this . The Apostle confesseth how exceeding mad he was against this Doctrine so long as he was a Pharisee , and persecuted all that professed to be justifyed by Faith in Jesus Christ , Acts. 26. from ver . 9. to ver . 12. He would not yield to cast away the thoughts of his own righteousness , and to relie upon the righteousness of Christ imputed ; and this made him persecute unto the death all such as professed a contrary way of being justified ; and herein he was a greater sinner , than if he had been a Thief , or Drunkard , or any othe● kind of sinner , those are trespasses against the commands of the Law , but this is the highest Trespass against the great Command of the Gospel ; namely , that we should embrace Christ as he is called , the Lord our righteousness , Ier. 23. ver . 6. There is more hopes of Publicans and Harlots , of Theeves and Murderers , than of those that reject Christs imputed Righteousness , except the Devils & Damned in Hell ; Christ can have no greater enemies , than those that cry up their own righteousness , and cry down the Doctrine of his imputed Righteousness . Paul before Conversion , was tooth & nail , as we say , against this Doctrine ; so that we may see a most elaborate piece of the work of free Grace , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) saith Passor , nota incisa , insculpta , percussione , vel pulsatione facta . The Chra●cter of Free Grace is deeply cut in this Pattern ; Paul , a proud Pharisee , was beaten down to the ground ; and he that before so hotly persecuted the name of Christ , is now made a Preacher of it ; here is now the depth of humility , where there was the height of Pride before ; Here God hath wrought a curious frame out of a rugged knotty piece of timber . Here is a Lion-like nature changed into a Lamb ; he that before was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , interpo●ito v , ) that is to say , unquiet like the Sea , and turbulent , is now Paul , quiet and peaceable ; see what Free Grace can do : here is a rare Pattern indeed ! For a Physician perfectly to cure one that is stark mad , and bring him to his right mind , this shews great skill indeed : this God hath done ; Paul was exceeding mad , persecuting all wheresoever he met them , that professed to be justifyed by Faith in Christs Righteousness ; and yet the Grace of God hath perfectly cured him , and now makes him to seek to Christ for Righteousness , and count his own Righteousness but dung , and to preach the same way of Justification to others . If a Chyrurgeon go into an Hospital , and pick out those that are most desperately sick & lame , and cure them , is it not the greater argument of his skill ? so here in Paul's Conversion and Pardon ; God doth shew what Free Grace can do ; for Paul 〈◊〉 per●ect●y cured , that was most 〈◊〉 sick of Pride and Self-love . 2. Consid●r the manne of his Conversion , and then his name Paul may be derived from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signisies Wonderful , for the manner of his Conversion was wonderful indeed , recorded , Acts 9. ver . 1. While he was yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Church , he made himself accessory to the murder of Stephen , by holding the Garments of them that stoned him , Acts 8. ver . 58. But this did whet his malice , and sharpen his rage the more , this did but flesh his Fury , and make him more eager to persecute ; this was but a younger practice , to what he af●erwards intended ; He seeks to get a Commission to impower him to persecute all that came in his way ; and being armed with authority , and come nigh to Damascus , ( which was the end of his journey , ) God surprized him suddenly , and turned a p●oud Saul into an humble Paul , and made him a zealous Preacher of Christ , who came thither out of a design to shew himself a bitter Persecutor of that name ; He that was prancing on Horse-back before , is now fallen to the Earth ; He that came to punish Christs Disciples , now owneth Christ as his Lord , and begs now to know wh●t he will have him do , Acts 9. ver . 14. He that was r●ging before , is trembling and astonished now ; A little light from Heaven , will tame the most furious Persecutor , any discovery either of th● glorious Majesty of Jesus Christ , o● of our vileness , will humble any sinner ; see here the irresistible power of Grace , that can meet with a Wol● seeking for his Prey , and can suddenly change him into a harmless Lamb. 3. Consider how graciously God dealt with him after Conversion , in imploying him as a Prime Officer in the Church of Christ ; yea , as a Master-builder , and as a chief Pillar of that Church which he sought before to pull down . God sent him as an honorable Embassador to bear Christs name before Kings , and the Children of Israel , whose great ambition before was to be the Saints common Executioner : Christ intended that Paul should suffer much for his name , who came to Damascus to make all them suffer that professed Christs name . It is remarkable , that of all the Apostles , Paul only was wrapt up in the thi●d Heaven ; God dealt so graciously with him , that he that was the greatest enemy to Christ before his Conversion , is now used as the most indeared friend of Christ after his conversion , and hath the most glorious discoveries of Christ , and of the Mysteries of his Gospel of all others , and now his name may be called Wonderful indeed ; for here is a Scene on which before Conversion , corrupt Nature acted her outragious Fury ; and after conversion , sanctifying Grace sh●wed her sacred force , and both to such an extent , as few Stories can parallel . In Saul was seen as much as can well be in a Man void of Grace ; and in Paul was discovered as much as need be looked for in the most eminent Saint ; his former madness is equalled by his present zeal , and now all that Ie●ish Learning which he had raked together , intending onely thereby to defend the righteousness of the Law , and the Traditions of the Elders , and to dispute against Christ and his Gospel ; God imploys it better , to make him more able to confound the Iews , and to prove that Jesus is the very Christ , Acts 9. ver . 22. None preach Christ crucifyed so plainly , and the Doctrine of Justification by Christs impured Righteousness so powerfully , and so thorowly as Paul does ; none beat so much on this string , as he , Romans 3 ver . 27. Galat. 2. ver . 16. and in Galat. 3. ver . 10. None cry down the Righteousness of the Law so vehemently , nor cry up the imputed Righteousness of Christ so earnestly as Paul does : thus as he was behind no man in wickedness before his conversion ; so was he not infer , or to the very chief Apostles after conversion , but laboured more abundantly than they all , I Cor. chap. 15. ver . 10. Now he would preach nothing but Christ crucifyed , 1 Cor. chap. 2. ver . and would glory in nothing , but in the Cross of our Lord Jesus , Gal. 6. ver . 14. Thus Paul was even a miracle of Mercy , and a glorious pattern of Grace . The next particular is , why Paul was hung out as a pattern of Free grace ? 1. Because he had been such a notorious persecuter ; and therefore as the noise of his mad and ignorant zeal had filled the world before , so now the news of his conversion would be the more wonderful , and he would be the more fit to be a pattern , because the Example of so great a Sinner , would be more encouragement for other sinners to seek for Mercy , Galat. 1. ver . 23 , 24. When the Churches heard that Paul preached the Faith which he once destroyed , they glorifyed God in him . When sinners remember that Paul was pardoned , they may glorify Go●s Mercy by seeking Pardon too . 2. Paul was made a Pattern of Free Grace , because he was an eminent Iew , and by Sect , a Pharisee , and so might prove a leading Pattern to all the Iews , and to that obstinat Sect of the Pharisees , to leave off per securi●g the Church of Chr●st , and to joyn themselves unto it , ●o follow his Example in renouncing the Righteousness of Works , and embracing the Righteousness of Faith : Paul was well read in all their Jewish Traditions , and was as zealous of them as they , and therefore they might see more of the power of Grace in his conversion , that now made him h●zard his own life to advance that way , which before he persecuted unto Death . 3. Paul was chose to be a Pattern , because in such a Pattern the freeness of Grace would appear more clearly , here all the world may see , that we are not saved out of any Wo●ks foreseen ; here was nothing to fit him to receive Grace ( unless making havock of the Church be a preparatory work ) Such Works the Romish Saints are full of ; here was a raging Persecutor tamed and pardoned . It is not our Faith apprehending Christ that saves us , but our Christ apprehended by Faith ; Christ is the meriting cause , and Faith is the Instrumental . Lastly , Paul was set as a Pattern of Free Grace , to encourage other sinners beholding the Mercy of God unto him to look after Mercy too , that as in a Glass or Mirrour , all men may see more clearly the freeness of Grace , it is a good means to prevent our despair when we see such an instance of pardoning Mercy before our eyes ; and this leadeth me to the last particular : What encouragement may other sinners draw from this great pattern of Paul's obtaining Pardon . My meaning is not , that others should expect to be miraculously converted , as Paul was ; ( for you may as well expect to be caught up into the third Heaven : ) But by Paul's being pardoned , you may look after a Pardon : Paul believed and was obedient to the voice from Heaven , and so obtained Mercy . This voice from Heaven was the voice of Christ , why p●rsecutest thou m● ? and Acts 9. ver . 5. I am Iesus whom thou persecutest . The Gospel now is Christs voice from Heaven , he that believeth this voice , and is obedie●● to it , shall as surely obtain Pardon as ever Paul did ; and he that will not obey Christs voice in the Gospel , shall n●ver be pardoned . It is remarkable , that Christ did not tell Paul by the voice from Heaven , what he should do , but sent him to be taught by Ananias , who was a Minister of the Gospel , Acts 9. ver . 6. So now he doth not miraculously tell sinners what they must do to be saved , but sends them to his Word and Ministers to be instructed ; and therefore pray compare those two places together , Hebr. 4 ver . 7. To day if you will hear his voice : what is that voice of Christ ? Luk. 10. ver . 16 ▪ He that heareth you , heareth me . Christ spake this to his Seventy Disciples when he sent them out to preach the Gospel ; Christ gives his Ministers the same power to preach , as he did them , though he hath not given them power to work Miracles : he still says , He that heareth you heareth me ▪ for it is Christs word , and not Ministers to re●urn to the queston , how other sinners may draw encouragement from Pauls obtaining Mercy ? W●y this this a pattern for other sinners , ( ad imitandum Paul● fidem ) to believe , and so they shall obtain mercy . When you see a very deformed person well married , you are apt to say , nay , then , none need ever hereafter despair of a husband ; other sinners may say so from this pattern of Free Grace . seeing that Paul the chief of sinners is married to Jesus Christ ; seeing so great a si●ner is pardoned , no sinner hereafter need despair of pardon ; thus one Begger encourage●h another ▪ by ●elling them , or shewing them what a good Alms they have 〈◊〉 ; I sped well at such a door and 〈◊〉 enco●rageth others to go 〈◊〉 too . Though indeed begging is now grown such a common Trade , that you may be soon wearied out with Beggers ; such is mans emptiness , that he cannot be always giving ; but such is Gods fulness , that he delights to be dealing of his dole of Mercy ; the oftner you come to the door of Mercy , the better you shall speed , and therefore this is an encouraging Pattern : And consider beloved , how great is Gods goodness in giving us such Patterns to invite us to the throne of Grace ? To see Matthew and Zaccheus , two Publicans pardoned , may encourage all Publicans to look after Pardon too ; to see Mary Magdalen , out of whom went seven Devils ; and the Woman taken in the very act of Adultery , both pardoned , may encourage all sinners to seek pardon ; to hear Paul say , I was a Blasphemer , and a Persecutor , and injurious , but I obtained Mercy , may greatly encourage all sinners to follow God by Prayer for to shew them Mercy ; it is a very great mercy that we have not only Promises of Pardon , but also Patterns of notorious sinners that have been pardoned . 1. Because such Patterns sufficiently declare the infinite merit of Christs death : who could be fitter Trumpets of Christs Power and Mercie , then those blind , and lame , and leprous , and the Woman cured of her bloody Issue , and that other Woman bowed together ; all which Christ cured in the days of his Flesh ? When the Jews spake against Christ , the man whom he had restor'd to sight pleaded hard for him , Iohn 9. ver . 30. 33. If this man were not of God he could do nothing : The Jews knew not what to object , but proudly asked him , Dost thou undertake to teach us , ver . 34. ? What can any poor sinner object against the Power & Mercy of Christ , when they see ten Lepers cleansed at once ? but may be enforced to cry out with that Leper , Matt. 8. ver . 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean : He that cured Ten , can cure ten Millions ▪ though it is not so with bodily Physicians , their Art is fallible , but Christ is the infallible Physician . To hear that Christ came to save sinners , may not move us so much as to see it in the Examples of Manasseh , and the Theef on the Cross , and those others before-mentioned ; such remarkable instances do abundantly declare , that the merit of Christs death is exceedingly beyond the demerit of our sins ; Christs healing all manner of diseased that were brought unto him shews that he can heal all manner of diseased Souls that come unto him now . 2. Such Instances do evince , that God is ready to deal out Pardons to all sorts of Sinners , let their Sins be what they will , that come in Christs name to ask Pardon : the poor Soul is apt to say , How shall I know that God will pardon such a wretched sinner as I am ? Why you may believe it in such Patterns as Paul , and those before mentioned . 3. It is a great Mercy to have such Patterns of pardoning Mercy ; for in these we may more clearly see what is the great design of free Grace ? namely to set open the door of Mercy , and invite all sinners to come freely , and to give pardons to all that will come to God in Christs name : And therefore Peter and Paul the two greatest Apostles and Pillars of the Church , are both set as Patterns of Free Grace , to encourage other sinners to look after Pardon ; Peter denyed , yea abjured his Saviour , and yet was pardoned . Paul persecuted him , and blasphemed his name , and compelled others to do so to , and yet was pardoned : Now as some prophane wretches in Salvians time did presume to sin , because David , and Noah , and Lot sinned , Si David , cur non & ego ; si Noah , si Lot , cur non & ego ? Here the poor penitents may turn their presumption into a blessed hope , and say with an humble confidence , si Petrus cur non & ego ? si Paulus , cur non & ego ? si David , si Noah , si Lot , cur non & ego ? If all these were pardoned , why may not I follow God for pardon ? Gods gracious design in suffering such Examples to be Registred of notorious sinners that were pardoned , is , that by such presidents of Mercy , all other sinners might take encouragement to seek for Mercy in such marv●●lous ex●mles as these , Satans greatest Obj●ction is answered to our hands . What doth such a wicked creature as you hope for pardon ? in such patterns of M●rcy , as Manasseh , Peter , Paul ▪ and the like . God teacheth us how to answer the Devil : God hath pardoned as great sinners as I am ▪ and therefore I am sure God can pardon me , and I believe God will pardon all that seek to him in Christ for pardon ; and therefore I will ply the Throne of Grace in Christs name to beg pardon ; In such patterns God doth as it were make a shew of his Mercy , that we may see no sins are so great but they shall be pardoned , if we do not add Unbelief unto them . Mr. Lightfoot hath an excellent note to this purpose on Pauls conversion The most notorious persecuter that the Gospel had yet found , is chosen of all others to be the Doctor of the Gen●●les , that 〈…〉 his own example , or rather the glorious example of Gods Mercy in his conversion , might be a comfortable Doctrine to those notorious sinners of the Gentiles , as well as his Preac●ing . Lastly , it is a great Mercy to have such Patterns of pardoning Mercy , because such instances are a good means to keep all sinners from despair ; your case is not desperate if the Counsellour can shew you a President of the like : If the Physician can shew you many now living whom he hath recovered of the same distemper , this may be a good encouragement for you to hope for a cure too : This is Paul's meaning when he calls himself chief of sinners , and says , that he obtained Mercy for this cause , that he might be a pattern to others ; as much as to say , ●n me God shews as from an high Tower , that all sinners may be pardoned as I was , if they seek to him in Christs name as I did ; and as David said , they that fear thee , will be glad when they see me , Psal. 119. ver . 24. it may be turned here , they that see David pardoned , and Paul pardoned , they may be glad of such encouraging patterns to make them hope for pardon too ; the Doctrine of free Grace is the only Doctrine to invite guilty sinners , if pardon be offered freely to all that will ●ome to God in Christ : Then if I go to pray to God for pardon in the name of his Son Jesus Christ , I shall be pardoned as well as they ; and this consideration moves the poor sinner to go to the throne of grace to beg pardon . God who hath no respect of persons , can have no motive from within , but his own free love , to pardon a poor sinner ; and the word Sinner , sufficiently declares that there can be no motive from without ; therefore , the same Free Grace that hath pardoned other sinners , will pardon all sinners that seek pardon ; Yea , this is a good sign that God intends to pardon us , when he makes us with David pray ●arnestly to be pardoned . Application ; is for Exhortation , to press all sinners to draw that encouragement from this glorious pattern of Paul's obtaining Mercy , which God intends us ; Why do we sit still , as the Lepers said one to another , 2 Kings chap. 7. ver . 3. Why do not we pray for pardon ? There are three things which God doth most delight to glorify , his name , his Son , his Covenant , and then we most glorify these three things when we look after pardon . As for Gods Name ▪ he tells us p●ain enough , Ier. 33. ver . 8 , 9. That he would exalt his Name before all Nations of the Earth by pardoning his People Israel ; therefore let us urge God with his own words , Lord glorifie thy name of Mercy in pardoning my sins , that all the world may be enforced to say in those words , 〈◊〉 7. ver . 18. who is a God like unto thee , that pardon●th Iniquity , &c. Concerning his Son , God therefore named him Iesus , that all the world might hear by that very name , that he was sent to be a Saviour ; thus Paul ●old the Jews , Acts 5. ver . 30 ▪ 31. That ●●sus whom they hanged on a Tree , God had exalted to be their Saviour , to give Repentance to Israel , and forgiveness of Sins . And concerning the Covenant , You know it is called , the Covenant of Grace ; Pardon of Sin is the great promise of the Covenant of Grace , Ier. 31. ver . 34. last words , for I will forgive their Iniquity , and remember their Sin no more , then we glorify Gods name of Mercy , and Christs name as a Saviour , and the name of the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace , when we are moved by these to pray for pardoning mercy ; reme●ber now is the day of Grace ; that 〈◊〉 to say , Now God is ready to give us Pardon , if we seek pardoning Grace : Heaven is said to have twelve Gates , Rev. 21. ver . 12. intimating to us , that now there is free admission every way , to all sinners that come to the Throne of Grace ; But there is a day of Judgement coming , then God will as much delight to glorifie his Justice in damning all those that refused to seek for Pardon in the day of Grace . There are Twelve Steps that lead a sinner to the hope of Pardon . 1. To see his absolute need of Pardon . 2. To set a possibility of Pardon ; for we can have no hope of that we judge impossible ; he sees it possible by the glorious Patterns of such as have been pardoned . 3. To desire a Pardon . 4. To admire the freeness of Grace in all such as have obtained Mercy . 5. To see that the only way of obtaining Mercy , is , to believe in the Lord Jesus . 6. To see Christs ability to pardon , and to begin to seek after him . 7. To read and eye the promises of Pardon . 8. To believe the truth of those Promises . 9. To desire to have an Interest in those Promises . 10. To venture our Souls on the free offer of Pardon . 11. To follow God by Prayer in the name of Christ to pardon us . Lastly , Now the sinner arriveth at the Cape of good Hope , and a good Hope is the beginning of assurance . When the poor sinne● looks towards Christ , then it begins to hope for Pardon . No matter what the Disease was , if the party had but Faith to be healed , as is said of the Man lame in his Feet , Acts 14. ver . 9. No matter what our sins are , if we ●ave but Faith to believe in Christ for Pardon . Physicians care not for medling in dangerous cases ; but such desperate cases bring more glory to Jesus Christ ; thus curing him that had been thirty eight years impotent . Ioh. 5. to ver . 8. and healing her that had spent all upon Physicians , Mark 5. ver . 25 , 26. and raising LaZarus that had been dead four days , Ioh. 11. 39. working through these natural impossibilities , made Christs power be more admired by all that saw his Miracles : even so this high pattern of Paul a Persecuter , and a Blasphemer , and one of the chief of sinners ; and yet obtaining Mercy , doth much more advance the riches of free Grace , and may be a greater encouragem●n● to all that hear of it to seek after pardoning Mercy ; no matter how desperate our case seem to us , if we make use of Christ as our Physician . God hath set us two grea● 〈◊〉 in P●ter and 〈◊〉 , both great sinners , yet both obtaining pardoning Mercy . The Lord giye us his grace , that we may imitate Peter's sincere Repentance , and Paul's saving Faith , that we may also obtain Mercy , through Christ Jesus that came to save sinners .