THE CHRISTIANS CABALA, OR, SURE TRADITION: Necessary to be KNOWN and BELIEVED, By all that will be SAVED. A Doctrine holding forth, Good Tidings of Great Joy, to the greatest of PENITENT SINNERS. With a CHARACTER of one that is truly Such. As it was lately held forth to the CHURCH of GOD, at Great YARMOUTH.  
By john Brinsley, Minister of the Gospel there.  
LONDON, Printed for George Sawbridge, at the Sign of the Bible on Ludgate-Hill, 1662.   

To all that Love The Lord JESUS CHRIST in Sincerity, Within the Town of GREAT YARMOUTH; Grace and Peace.  
(Much esteemed in the Lord)  
IT is now Thirty seven years, since I was by a Divine Providence, sent to exercise my Ministerial Function among you; my first entrance within your Walls, being upon the same day that your late Dread Sovereign KING CHARLES' the First, was there with great Solemnity, and with the Universal Acclamation and Joy of all that were present, Proclaimed. And of this my entrance, I hope I may without boasting say unto you, what Paul doth of his, unto his Thessalonians, 1 Thes. 2. 1. that it hath not been altogether in vain. It having been my desire to follow his steps, in making what improvement I might of such liberty and opportunity as the same providence hath been pleased to put into my hand, in speaking to you the Gospel of God. And that these my poor labours might be the more effectual, not dying in the ●…are, not perishing in the hearing, I have adventured to expose some of them to a public view; that so, by this Sacrifice offered up unto God and his Church, being dead, I might yet speak, and preach being silent. And upon the same account it is that I do now send these Meditations after them: Wherein you shall meet with a Subject, which (if you will believe your Apostle) is worthy of all acceptation. Such I am sure is the matter here held forth▪ what ever the manner of handling it be; it containing in it, the sum and substance of the Gospel, which being brought home, as here it is by this chosen Vessel, by a particular Application, it cannot but bring abundant Consolation to the Soul of every truly penitent sinner: Such experience had this our Apostle of it; and so have many others after him. Among whom I meet with a memorable instance in that renowned Martyr of Christ, Mr. Thomas Bilney, who in a Letter of his to Cu●…bert Tonstall Bishop of London, (as Mr. Fox in his Martyrology hath Related it) giveth this account of the manner and means of his own Conversion. Hearing (saith ●…e) of the New Testament, which was first set forth by Erasmus, and understanding it to be eloquently done by him, being alured rather for the Latin then for the word of God, (for at that time, I knew not what it meant) I ●…ought it even by the good providence of God, as I do now well understand and perceive. And at the first read●…ng (as I remember) I chanced upon ●…his Sentence, (O most sweet and comfortable Sentence to my Soul) the first Epistle to Timothy the first Chapter, It is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be embraced, that Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief.  
This one sentence through God's instruction and inward working, which I did not then perceive, did so exhilarate my heart, being before wounded with the guilt of my sins, and being almost in despair, that immediately I felt a marvellous comfort and quietness, insomuch, that my bruised bones leapt for joy.  
Thus have you a Probatum est affixed to this Receipt, which being taken in, and rightly digested, I doubt not but it will be found a Sovereign Cordial to whoever it is that shall make use of it. Only take heed that your Souls be duly prepared for it, by a true sight and sense of sin, that so you may see and feel, the need you have of jesus Christ, and be excited willingly to receive him, not only as a Saviour, but also as a Sovereign; to be Ruled and governed, as well as Saved by him. Being thus disposed, now let me invite you to come, and suck this Breast of Consolation, which you have here held forth unto you, receiving and lodging this Divine truth in your hearts, remembering it, meditating of it, believing it, applying it to yourselves, and practising what you are here directed and excited to; which whilst you do, let my prayers go along with my poor endeavours, that through the concurrence of grace, they may be made effectual unto you, and who ever else shall make use of them, for that end for which they have been designed. In the assured hope whereof I rest,  
YARMOUTH, March 30. 1662. Your Servant in the Work of the Lord, JOHN BRINSLEY.   

READER,  
THere is lately Printed a Learned, Pious, and Practical Commentary upon the whole Gospel of St. Mark; wherein the Text is Logically Analysed; The meaning of the Holy Spirit, clearly and sound Opened; Doctrines naturally Raised; All seeming differences between this and the other Evangelists Reconciled; And many important Cases of Conscience Resolved, By Mr. George Petter. Published at the desire of above 200. Learned Divines, Signified under their Hands.  
Also, An Exposition of the whole Epistle to the Hebrews, wherein the Text is cleared, Theopolitica improved, The Socinian Comment Examined, By Mr. George Lawson, Rector of More, in the County of Salop.  
Also, The Running of the Christian Race with Patience, By Mr. john Brinsley.  
Prayer, and Praise. A twofold Tribute to be paid▪ by all Loyal Subjects, to their Supreme and Subordinate Sovereign. By Mr. john Brinsley.  
The Rich Fool, Being an Exposition of that Parable, Luke 12: 16. 22. By Nehemiah Rogers, Minister of the Gospel of Christ.  
A Posing Question, Put by the wise Man, viz. SOLOMON, to the wisest of Men, concerning making a Judgement of Temporal Conditions. By Benjamin Baxter, late Minister of the Gospel in Worcester.  
All to be sold, by George Sawbridge, at the Sign of the Bible on Ludgate-Hill.   

THE CHRISTIANS CABALA▪ OR, SURE TRADITION, Necessary to be KNOWN, & BELIEVED, by all that will be SAVED.  1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ jesus came into the world to sa●…e sinners, of whom I am chief. 
THis Portion of Scripture, (as I remember, and so I presume do some, if not many of you) about twenty years since, I took up, and spent some time upon in this place. I now reassume and take it up again; which I am induced to do, not so 
December 29. 1661.  much by the Season, as by the Subject; that being such, as cannot be too much, or too often spoken of, A word never out of season, containing in it, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, spoken of by the Angel, Luke 2. 10. that joyful News, good tidings of great joy to all people, even to the greatest of penitent sinners. So this chosen Vessel, the blessed Apostle, the great Doctor of the Gentiles looked upon it, who here mindeth his Timothy, and all others to whom this his Epistle should come, of a saying, a Doctrine, which, as it was sweet and comfortable to himself, so it would be to all them, who should make the like use of it that he had done. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.  
In which words (not to spend time about connexion, and dependence upon what went before) we shall take notice of two things; 
Parts of the Text Doctrine. Application.   
The Doctrine, and the Application.  
The Doctrine, which is first commended, then Propounded. Commended by way of Preface; and that, first from the Verity, then from the Dignity of it. From the Verity, [This is a faithful saying]; from the Dignity, [and worthy of all acceptation], Propounded, [Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners]. The Application followeth, wherein the Apostle bringeth home this General to himself in Particular, ranking himself in the list and number of these sinners which we had spoken of, yea, in the forefront of them, [of whom I am chief]. Let these be the parts of the Text, upon which I shall (through Divine assistance) insist severally; yet more briefly upon the former, that I may enlarge upon the latter, the Applicatory part, which in this review, my eye is chiefly upon.  
Begin we with the Doctrine, & therein with 
The D●… ctrine Commended  the commendation of it; which is the very same with that which we find affixed to that other Doctrine, Chap. 4. v. 9 of this Epistle, where the Apostle, holding forth the great advantage that cometh unto Christians from true Piety and Godliness; Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come; he subjoins, This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation. And so here he maketh use of the same commendation, only in a different order, prefixing it by way of Preface or Introduction. Not unlike a Trumpet, sounded before the publishing of a Royal Proclamation, which serveth to make way for it, to call people to the hearing of it, and to command attention to it. Of such use is this Elogium, this high commendation which the Apostle here giveth of this Doctrine, which he intended to propound, serving to excite 
Praefati●… haec nobi●… sit insta●… Buccin●… son●…ntis ad publicandum gratiae Christi pr●…conium. Calv. Com. 〈◊〉 Text.  all to give the more earnest attendance to it. Which use, Calvin (writing upon it) willeth all to make of it.  
And not without cause, doth this our Apostle thus ussher in this Doctrine, and make way for it; it being a Mystery which will not easily pierce, and readily sink into the heads and hearts of men, to be so received as it ought to be. The natural man (as he tells his Corinthians, 1 Cor. 2. 15) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receiveth not the things which are of God. Spiritual mysteries he receiveth them not into his understanding rightly to apprehend, or conceive of them; nor into his judgement throughly to be convinced of the truth of them, so as firmly to believe them; much less into his heart, his will and affections, to close with them, to embrace them. Such is the Doctrine here propounded and published, even that great mystery of Godliness, (as the same Pen styleth it, 1 Tim. 3. 16.) The Doctrine of Salvation by Christ. A Doctrine, though worthy of all, yet finding little credence and acceptation in the world. And therefore the Apostle, to prepare the hearts of men for the receiving of it, sets this high commendation upon it, commending it, first from the Verity, then from the Dignity of it. Touch upon each. 
1. From the Verity of it.   
1. For the Verity of it. [This is a faithful saying] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sermo fidelis, i. e. verus, a true saying. So we have it rendered, Cap. 3. v. 1. of this Epistle. And so our former Translation readeth it here, This is a true saying. Sermo certus, (as Beza hath it); A sure and certain Saying. Such are not all the sayings of men, not of the wisest, no nor yet of the best of them. What the Psalmist said in his haste, in his passion, Psal. 116. 11. I said in my haste, All men are liars; The Apostle speaketh it advisedly, Rom. 3. 4. Let God be true, and every man a liar. Such are men, liars all, Passively and Actively. Being subject to be deceived themselves, they are subject to deceive others. Their words, their sayings, are not always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, true and certain. But such are all the sayings, all the words which we meet withal in the Word, the Scripture. The Scripture being (as Saint james calleth it, jam. 1. 18.) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of Truth. There is not a saying there but is a true saying, not a word, but is a faithful word. Such are the words of the Law, and such are the words of the Gospel; such are the threatenings, such are the Promises, such are the Prophecies, which there we meet with; all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, true words, faithful sayings. Write (saith the Spirit) for these words are faithful and true, Rev. 21. 5. And they must needs be so, being the words of that God, who is the God of Truth, (as we find him sometimes styled, Deut. 32. 4. Psal. 31. 5. Isa. 65. 16.) Truth itself. The words of that Word, the Essential Word, the Eternal Son of God, who is, (as he is called, Rev. 1. 5.) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That faithful Witness. Such is he, and such are his words, all faithful words.  
Among all, none deserving this Encomium, 
The Doctrine of the Gospel, the word of Truth.  this commendation, more than this Evangelical word, the Doctrine of the Gospel, the sum whereof we have comprised in these few words in the Text, jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Which is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.▪ e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithful saying, worthy to be credited, to be believed. So it was by the Fathers under the Old Testament, who beheld it only a far off in the Promise: though they died before they received it, yet they believed it, living in the faith of it, and dying in the faith of it. These all died in the faith, not having received the promise, saith the Apostle, Heb. 11. 13. speaking of the Patriarches, who died in the faith, as firmly believing that Promise concerning the Land of Canaan, which God had made to them; so that great promise concerning the Messia, who was to come into the world: whose day Abraham is said to have seen, (as our Saviour tells the Jews) joh. 8. 56. In this faith they lived, and in this faith they died. So fully were they assured of the truth thereof, that they were not afraid to take their death upon it, to die in the faith of it. So certain was this saying to them, who beheld it only in the promise. Whereupon it was, that the Prophet Isay speaking of this, of Christ's coming into the world, he speaks of it, as a thing already done: To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, Isa. 9 6. How much more▪ certain then may it be unto us, who look upon it in the performance, not as a thing to be done, but done. What was promised to them, is made good to us; what they looked and waited for, we have received. So as the Apostle might well say, what here he doth, This is a faithful saying, etc.  
But I shall not spend time in confirmation 
Compased about with a cloud of witnese.  of this truth, which among Christians were but a needless labour. Never was truth (excepting only that of a deity, that there is a God, which is attested by every creature) compassed about with such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a cloud of witnesses as this. To this truth, gave all the Prophet's witness; so Peter tells Cornelius and his company, Acts 10. 43. And to this truth gave all the Apostles witness. The one testifying that it should be done, the other that it was done. To this truth gave all those Types under the Law witness, being all Shadows of this Substance. To this truth have all the Saints of God in all ages of the world given witness. All that ever were, before the Law, under the Law, under the Gospel: Some, and many of them, sealing it with their blood; all of them, pawning and adventuring their souls, their everlasting happiness upon it. Now if two or three witnesses be sufficient to establish a word, (which with men ordinarily they are, as that Text tells us, Mat. 18. 16.) how much more such a cloud of witnesses? Never was truth more confirmed than this truth, The Doctrine of Salvation by Christ, that jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. This is a faithful saying. 
From the Dignity of it   
2. And, as faithful, so acceptable; that is the second branch of the Commendation. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation. So it cannot be said of all truths. Sometimes (as Aquinas notes upon it) a saying may be true, and yet a hard saying. Verus sed durus, This is a hard Saying, (say the Disciples to their Lord and Master, discoursing to them concerning the Bread of Life, which he said was Himself) joh. 6. 60. A true saying. This they would not, durst not, make any question of, receiving it from his mouth. But a hard saying, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, harsh and irksome to be heard, Who can hear it? So it was to them, because they could not receive it, were not able rightly to apprehend and understand it; the hardness being 
Quin potius in illorum cordibus ●…rat durities, none in sermone. Calv. Com. in loc.  (as Calvin well notes upon it) in their hearts, not in the Doctrine delivered. Thus Sayings may be, and often are, true, but not grateful; such are Reprehensions for the most part, being like wine poured into a green wound, which though proper and useful, yet it is searching and smarting: Though they carry never so much truth in them, yet they are seldom pleasing, seldom welcome: Paul reprehending his Galatians, he told them nothing but the truth, yet that truth which was spoken to them, was requited with enmity from them. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? (so he expostulates it with them) Gal. 4. 16. Thus it often falleth out: Veritas odium parit, Truth breeds hatred. All truths are not acceptable truths. But such is this Truth which our Apostle here holdeth forth, That Christ jesus is come into the world to save sinners. It is a Doctrine which hath not more Truth than Sweetness in it; deserving not more Credit than Acceptation. This is a faithful Saying, and worthy of all acceptation. Worthy of acceptation, and worthy of All acceptation. So I shall divide the words.  
1. Worthy of Acceptation. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
1. The Doctrine of the Gospel worthy of Acceptation. Groecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat non tantum acceptionem vel acceptationem, sed & approbationem, Corn a Lapide in Text.  An acceptable word, worthy to be received, (as the former Translation renders it). And not only received but approved, which (as a Lapide notes) the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports.  
And well may it be said so to be, it being a good word, a good saying, containing in it, good matter. My heart is inditing a good matter, (saith the Psalmist, speaking of the Kingly Office of Christ. Psal. 45. 1.) I speak of the things which I have made, touching the King, (as it there followeth). Such is the Doctrine of Salvation by Jesus Christ. It is a good word, containing good matter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Gospel, that is, a good Spell, a good speech, (which is conceived to be the Notation of the English word Gospel). A good Saying, containing good tidings. It is that which David saith of Ahimaaz, 2 Sam. 18. 27. He is a good man, and he cometh with good tidings. Much more truly, may it be said of Jesus Christ, and his coming into the world. Being himself Good, he came with good Tidings, tidings of Salvation. And what tidings like unto these tidings? Good tidings of joy, of great joy! So the Angel telleth the Shepherds at the Birth of this our Saviour, Luke 2. 10. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy. Tidings of Salvation, cannot but be tidings of Joy. Such are the tidings of temporal Salvation. They are good tidings. No words more sweet, more comfortable to nature than they. The Prophet Zachary, speaking of the promises of deliverance which God made to jerusalem at the prayers of the Angel from their present sufferings, Zach. 1. 13. The Lord (saith he) answered the Angel that talked with me with good words, and comfortable words. How much more than the word of Eternal Salvation. And this is the word, the Saying, here held forth in the Text, jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, to be unto them, the Author of Eternal Salvation, (as that Text hath it, Heb. 5. 9) And how good is this saying? Well may it then be said (what here it is) to be, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, worthy of acceptation. 
2. Worthy of All Accep●…ation 1. To be received by all Men.   
2. Yea of All acceptation, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a General, an Universal, Acceptation, to be accepted by all men, and by all means; both, employed in this Expression.  
1. Worthy to be accepted by all men. So it is, there being none but hath need of a Saviour, all being by nature lost creatures, (as the Father saith of his Prodigal Son, This my Son was lost, Luke 15. 24.) and, without a Saviour, a Redeemer, for ever lost. The news of a Saviour, such a Saviour, cannot but deserve a welcome entertainment from them. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, (saith the Angel there) Luke 2. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, To all sorts of people, of what Nation, or Condition soever; whether Jews or Gentiles, Bond or Free, Rich or Poor, Prince or Peasant. And to all of these sorts. There being not any one but cometh within this list of sinners, being so by nature, and by practice, and so justly obnoxious to the wrath of God, from which, they are no ways able to free themselves, they stand in need of a Saviour; well than might the Apostle here say of this saying, This Doctrine of Christ's coming into the world to save sinners, that it is worthy of all acceptation, to be accepted by all men.  
2. And as by all men, so by all means. So 
2. By all means.  the former Translation here renders it, This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received. And so Estius well explains it, Dignum quod modis omnibus amplectemur, worthy 
Estius Com. in Text.  by all ways and means, to be received and embraced. Many ways there are, whereby a saying may be received. It may be received into the Ear, it may be received into the Head, it may be received into the Heart. Into the Ear when men hear what is said; into the Head, when they apprehend, understand, and believe, what they hear. Into the Heart, when they are affected with it. And all these ways is this Saying, this Doctrine, worthy of Acceptation.  
1. Worthy to be received into the Ear, 
Into the Ear, worthy to be heard.  by hearing of it, harkening and attending to it. No Doctrine, so worth the hearing as this Doctrine, the Doctrine of the Gospel, the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ. No other Doctrine can make the hearers happy; this can do it. Blessed are your ears for they hear, (saith our Saviour to his Disciples) Mat. 13. 16. And what was it that they did hear? why that which their forefathers desired to hear, but could not. Many Prophets and Righteous men, have desired to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them, Verse 17. And what was that? why, even this saying here in the Text, That Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners. This the Fathers before Christ, who waited for his coming, would gladly have heard; but they heard it not. They indeed heard of his Coming, that he should come; and believing it, they were made happy by it. But the Disciples, who saw Christ in the flesh, they heard and saw that he was come. And believing what they saw and heard, this made their eyes and ears, blessed and happy. No Doctrine, no Tidings, (as I said) can make the hearer happy but only this. And this can do it, viz. when, being let in by the Ear, it is conveyed to the Heart. Hereby the Spirit cometh to convey itself into the Soul, by the hearing of this Doctrine. This only would I know, (saith Paul to his Galatians); Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? Gal. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…y the hearing of faith, that is, the Doctrine of Faith the Gospel Preached unto you, & heard by you. The sum whereof is wrapped up in this saying, That jesus Christ came into the world to savesinners. A saying, worthy to be received into the Ear, by hearing of it, harkening to it.  
2. And as into the Ear, so 
* Into the Head worthy to be studied and believed.  into the Head, worthy to be studied, that it may be rightly apprehended, and clearly understood. This being a great mystery, as our Apostle calleth it, cap. 3. verse last of this Epistle, Great is the Mystery of Godliness, God manifested in the flesh, etc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The great Mystery, 
Cabala Heb●…aice idem est quod Acceptio i. e. accepta Doctrina & traditio a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Kibbet i. e. accepit, etc. Corn. a lapide in Text.  the true Cabala. Among the jews there were many Mysteries, Doctrines which they received from their Fathers by way of Tradition. These they called by that Name of Cabala, (which imports the same thing with this Greek word in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) signifying acceptio, a receiving of a thing, thereby meaning their Traditions, such Doctrines as by word of mouth were conveyed unto them from their Forefathers. And these Mysteries, these Traditions, were of high account among their Rabbis, their Doctors, and their followers, (even as others of like kind, are at this day in the Church of Rome), these they studied and were well versed in them. But our Apostle willeth Christians to take notice, 
q. d. judaei jactant suam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. Traditionem & Cabalam, sed nugosam et fabulosam▪ ego veram et certam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. Traditionem & Cabalam a Christo ipso acceptam, v●…bis trado, etc. a Lap. ibid.  what was the true Cabala, the sure Tradition, which he here holdeth forth to them, as worthy of their study above all others; even this great Mystery of Godliness, That Chri●… jesus is come into the world to save sinners. This was a mystery which the Angels beheld not without admiration, as it there followeth, Seen of Angels, i. e. cum admiratione maxima, (as Grotius rightly), with the highest admiration, as also with great satisfaction and contentment. No Mystery so worthy the looking into as this. So the Angels apprehended it, who are said to look into it, with an earnest desire. Which things, (saith Saint Peter, speaking of the Mysteries of the Gospel) the Angels desire to look into, 1 Pet. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, they desire to pry, and look narrowly into them, as one that stoopeth and boweth down to look into a thing. So do they look into this Mystery, desiring still to look further into it, it being an Object, which they can never be weary of looking upon and into. No mystery so worthy to be known as this. This is Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The excellency of the knowledge of jesus Christ, (as he calleth it) Phil. 3. 8. No Doctrine so worthy to be known. Nor any more worthy to be believed than this. This being (as you have heard) a faithful saying, and so deserving credit and belief at the hands of all. Thus it is worthy to be received into the Head. 
Into the Heart worthy to be entertained, with joy..   
3. And so (3dly) to be received into the Heart. Worthy to be embraced, to be entertained with great joy and gladness, as also with gratitude and thankfulness. With joy. Thus were the Angels affected with it, though not so properly concerned in it. Seeing that Christ was come into the world upon this Errand, how did they rejoice at it, a whole Choir, an Host of them, meeting together, and singing that Heavenly Anthem, that Hallelujah that we have, Luk. 2. 14. Praising God, and saying, Glory be to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men! How much more joyous than should these tidings be to the Sons of men, for whose sake, Christ is come into the world? Great cause have they to rejoice at the hearing of it. So did Abraham the Father of the faithful, by faith apprehending that Christ should come, Seeing his day, (that is, his coming in the flesh) he rejoiced at it, (as that Text forecited tells us, john 8. 56.) And the like, ought all Christians, being his Children, to do. Hearing of this blessed day, that he is come, they are to entertain this good tidings with spiritual joy, rejoicing at it.  
And as with joy, so with gratitude and 
With Gratitude  thankfulness. Thus did Zacharias entertain these glad tidings, as we find it in his Song, Luke 1. 68 Where Prophesying of what he saw to be then nigh at hand, the coming of Christ, and setting forth this great Mystery of Salvation by Christ, he breaks forth into that holy and affectionate Gratulation, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people: and hath raised up a Horn of Salvation, (i. e. a Mighty Saviour) for us in the house of his Servant David, etc. And with like affection we find the blessed Virgin, the Mother of our Lord, entertaining these tidings, Verse 46. of that Chapter, where she breaks forth into her Magnificat; My Soul doth Magnify the Lord, and my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Such is the Acceptation, that this saying, this Doctrine here in the Text, is said to be worthy of.  
And such let it find at all our hands, who 
Application.  this day hear of it. Let it be thus received by every of us; in and by these, and all other ways and means that it is capable of. That should be the Application, which I should make of what hath hitherto been spoken. But this I shall a little longer defer, until I have somewhat more fully spoken of the Doctrine itself, as it is here propounded, which we have in the next words,  
Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners. A short Sentence, but yielding plenty of sweet and precious matter; in the whole Scripture, no one more. For the better handling of it, I shall divide it into two distinct Propositions or Conclusions, 
Divided into 2. Conclusions.  1. Christ jesus came into the world: 2. He came into the world to save sinners. In the former we have his journey, in the latter his Errand. His journey, he came into the world. 
Christ's journey Errand.  His Errand, showing for what he came, and for whom he came. For what, to be a Saviour. For whom, to save sinners. Of each of these severally, though very briefly, having had occasion, and that lately, in passing through the Principles of the Oracles of God, (as the Apostle calleth them, Heb. 5. 1 ●….) the Fundamentals of Christian Religion; to enlarge upon this Subject. Begin with the former.  
Christ jesus came into the world. For the 
Christ's journey, touching which, 4 particulars opened.  opening and explaining of▪ which, I might unfold unto you these 4. Particulars. Who it was that came, How he is said to have come, From whence he came, and whither he came. But a few words of each.  
Q. 1. Who it was that came? A. Christ 
Q. 1. Who it was that came.  jesus (saith the Text). Two Names given to the world's Saviour. The former his Name of Office, Christ; which word (as the Hebrew Messias also doth) signifieth Anointed. So we find him often called, the Anointed, the Anointed of the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 35. Psal. 2. 2, etc. One Anointed by God his Father, (as St. Peter saith of him, Acts 4. 27.) being ordained and appointed by him to a threefold Office, Sacerdotal, Prophetical, Regal; to be a Priest, a Prophet, and a King to his Church; and endued with a fullness of all Graces and Abilities, for the discharge thereof: Having the Spirit poured out upon him, Given unto him not by measure, (as that Text hath it) john 3. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; that is, Abundantly: He being Anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows, (as the Psalmist saith of him) Psal. 45. 7. The other his Proper Name, given him at his Circumcision, as our Christian names (as we call them) are at our Baptism, jesus, that is a Saviour. So the Angel interprets it, giving unto joseph the reason of imposing it, Mat. 1. 27. Thou shalt call his name jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Here is the Person, of whom the Text saith that he came.  
Q. 2. And how is he said to have came? 
Q. 2. How he came.   
A. For Answer, we may take notice of divers come of Christ mentioned in Scripture. Of which there are three most obvious, His coming in the Flesh, His coming in Spirit, His coming in Glory. His coming in the Flesh, to take our nature upon him. Every Spirit that confesseth, that jesus Christ is come in the Flesh, is of God, 1 John 4. 2. His coming in the Spirit, to dwell in the hearts of his people, to have a sweet Communion with them. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him, Rev. 3. 20. His coming in Glory. Behold, he cometh with Clouds, Rev. 1. 7. Behold, I come quickly, Rev. 22. 12. I come to Judgement. Now, it is the first of these which we meet with here in the Text; The coming of Christ in the Flesh, his taking the nature of Man upon him, that, in that nature, he might execute the Office, and do the work, of a Mediator. Thus he came.  
Q. 3. But from whence came he? 
Q. 3. From whence he came.   
A. That is the third enquiry, which we find not expressly resolved in the Text, but employed. So it is, in every Motion, and every Mutation; there are two terms, the terminus a quo et ad quem, In a journey, a man cometh from one place to another: In a change of condition, a man passeth from one state to another. So was it here, Christ in his Incarnation, he came down from Heaven; So that Ancient Creed tells us. And it is no other than what Christ himself tells his Disciples, john 16. 27. I am come forth from the Father. So he did according to his Divinity, as the Son of God, which yet, is warily to be understood. Not that he thus came from Heaven, by any local mutation, any change of place; for as God, he was infinite in essence, filling all places in Heaven, and Earth, (as the Lord himself tells us, jer. 23. 24.) and so could not properly be said to leave the one, or come to the other. But only by a change of state. So it was, that for a time, he divested and disrobed himself (as it were) of that Glory and Majesty, which he had with his Father, before the world was, (of which he speaketh, john 17. 5.) putting on the nature of man, taking it into a personal Union with his Godhead, being manifested in the flesh, (as the Apostle expresseth it) 1 Tim. 3. last. Thus he came down from Heaven, humbling Himself, taking upon him, the form of a Servant, and being in likeness of man, (as we have it) Phil. 2. 7. Thus, as to his Divinity, he may be said to have come from Heaven. The second man, is the Lord from Heaven, (saith the Apostle, speaking of Christ, who in regard of his Godhead, was of a Celestial Original) 1 Cor. 15. 47. But in respect of his Humanity, as Man, he may be said to have come from the womb of his Mother. There did he lodge for a time, the wont time according to the course of nature; which being expired, he came forth, as the rest of the Sons of men do.  
Q. 4. And whither did he come? 
Q. 4. Whither he came.   
A. That is the last Particular; which the Text resolves, He came into the world. I am come forth from the Father, and am come into the world, (saith the Text forecited) john 16. 28. that is, into this inferior world: where, for a time, as man, yea, as God-man he lived, and conversed with the Sons of men, dwelling with them. The word was made flesh, and dwelled amongst us, John 1. 14. Thus you see his journey.  
As briefly of his Errand. Where we shall 
2. Christ's Errand.  take notice of those two things; For what he came, and for whom.  
1. For what it was that he came; which 
For what he came: to be a Saviour.  was, that he might be a Saviour of the world, He came into the world to save it. This was the proper end of his first coming. To this end did God his Father send him. We have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son, to be the Saviour of the world, 1 John 4. 14. And to this end, He himself came, making this his Design. The Son of man is come, to save that which was lost, (saith He of himself) Mat. 18. 11. Not to judge and Condemn the world. This was neither his Father's design, nor His: Not his Fathers, God sent not his Son to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved, John 3. 17. Not His, I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. This indeed, shall be the end of his Second coming, to judge the whole world, and to condemn a great part of it; but the end of his first coming, was to save it. This was the thing, which he properly and directly intended. True it is, he was, and is an occasion of the falling and perishing of some. So old Simeon tells Mary, Luke 2. 34. Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again, of many in Israel. And the like the Apostle St. Peter, (taking it from the Prophet Isay) saith of him, 1 Pet. 2. 8. where speaking of Christ, he calleth him, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence. But this is only by accident, through the unbelief, and disobedience of those that will not receive Him, (as he there giveth the reason of it). Hereof Christ is only the occasion, not the cause. This was a thing not intended by him, in his coming into the world. His Errand was to Save: Had it not been for this, he would never have left the Bosom of his Father. He came into the world, to save the world: The world of mankind indefinitely considered, or the world of his Elect. To Save them, From what? why, from their Sins. Thou shalt call his Name jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins; (saith that Text forecited). From the Gild and Power of them. The former, by his Merit imputed to them; the latter, by his Spirit imparted to them. To save them from the wrath of God, and from Eternal Condemnation; and to obtain for them Everlasting Salvation: In which two, consisteth this Salvation, which Christ came to procure for his people. The former part whereof is Privative, to free them from the wrath of God. [Even jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1. last] and from everlasting Condemnation, [There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ jesus, Rom. 8. 1.]. The latter part is Positive, a procuring of Eternal Salvation. Being made perfect, he became the Author of Eternal Salvation, unto all them that obey him, Heb. 5. 9 This was the end of Christ's coming into the world, to be a Saviour, such a Saviour, a perfect Saviour, Christ jesus is come into the world to save.  
2. To save whom? That is the other Particular. 
For whom he came to save Sinners.  To save sinners. Such are all men by nature, Jews, and Gentiles, all under sin. So the Apostle chargeth, and proveth it, Rom. 3. 9 All guilty of Original Sin, having Adam's sin imputed to them; In whom all have sinned, (so that Text may fitly be read, Rom. 5. 12.) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Being in Him, as Branches in the Root, they sinned in Him. And have his Corruption, imparted and derived to them. And as of Original, so of Actual sin. There is not a just man upon earth, that doth good and sinneth not, Eccl. 7. 20. In many things we offend all, Jam. 3. 2. None but may be called, as the people of the Jews are by the Prophet Isay, cap. 48. 8. Transgressors from the Womb.  
But among these, some are greater sinners 
Some greater sinners than others.  than others. Not only Peccatores, but Peccatosi. So this word in the Text, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often rendered by Stephan in his Lexicon; and so it properly signifieth, Habituated Sinne●…s, such as live in sin, and make a trade of it; Notorious Sinners. So Aretius here looketh upon it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicuntur Notorii Peccatores. And so we find it often used, as where Publicans and Sinners are put together, (as frequently they are;) by sinners, we are to understand great sinners, such as the Publicans generally were. And thus that woman (vulgarly taken for Mary Magdalen) is called a sinner, Luke 7. 39 A woman in the City which was a sinner, came unto jesus. A woman of notorious levity, a bad liver▪ Such she had been in truth, and this she was now throughly convinced of, bewailing her condition with tears, wherewith she washed the feet of her Saviour, (as there we find it).  
And such are the sinners that Christ is here 
Christ came to save the greatest of Penitent sinners.  said to come into the world to save. Sinners, all sinners, being as she was, convinced of their sinfulness. Now, though the greatest of sinners, yet being truly penitent, Christ came to save them. This is that which our Saviour tells the Pharisees, Mat. 9 When they were offended (as the story tells us they were) at his eating, & conversing with Publicans and Sinners; He willeth them to take notice, that this was the end of his coming into the world, to be a Physician, not to the whole, but to the sick, Verse 12. to call, not the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance, Verse 13. As for them, the Pharisees, they being in their own apprehensions (though nothing less in truth) whole and sound, just and righteous, no sinners; he had nothing to do with them, neither must they expect any benefit from him. No, they were sinners, sinners, such as were sick of sin, seeing and feeling themselves so to be, that he came to Save. So may we fitly look upon the word, here in the Text, Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, such sinners.  
Thus have I, with what brevity might be, dispatched the Doctrinal part of these two Propositions or Conclusions. That which now remains is the Application, which I shall direct three ways, by way of Information, Consolation, Exhortation. 
Use 1. By way of Information: 4. Doctrines deduced   
1. By way of Information or Instruction, we may from this one Saying, this one Doct●…ine, learn many; from hence deducing and collecting divers truths worth the taking notice of▪ As,  
1. Touching the two natures in the Person 
1. Touching the two natures in Christ [In mundum venit] exprimi●… duplicem naturam, sc. Divinitatis, in qua erat antequam in mundo appareret; & Humanitatis, in qua apparuit: Aquin. Com. in Text.  of Christ, (both which Aquinas conceiveth here to be intimated to us) His Divinity, his Humanity. His Divinity, according to which he had a subsistence, a Being, before his Incarnation, before his coming into the world. How else should He be said to come into it? This imports (as I showed) a change, though not of place, yet of state. His Humanity, he came into the world, this inferior world, being there manifested in the flesh, living and conversing there with men, after the manner of men; which cannot properly be said of his Godhead, which being Infinite, filleth Heaven and Earth, and so is not capable of being consigned to any place. This is proper to his Humanity.  
2dly. From hence (as the Jesuit à Lapide 
2. The invalidity of the Law. Contra judaeos, significat Legem, & Legis caeremonias inefficaces esse ad salutem; illam enim attulit Christus, Corn. a Lapide Com. in Text.  well observes) may be inferred the invalidity and inefficacy of the Law, whether Ceremonial or Moral, for the saving of any. Could Moses have done this, Jesus Christ should not have needed to come into the world, which he did upon this very account, to do that for the Sons of men which Moses could not do; to procure that Justification and Salvation for them, which they could never have expected by the Law. What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, (or by a Sacrifice for sin, as the Margin in our Translation well explains it) condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, Rom. 8. 3. 4. So it was: Man being fallen, by his fall he became weak, not being able now to fulfil the Law, so as to obtain Justification and Salvation by it. And thereupon it was that Christ took the Nature of man upon him, that in that Nature, he might do what mere Man could not do, that so the righteousness of the Law, which could not be fulfilled by man, might this way be fulfilled in Him.  
3dly. In the 3d place, See here (what the foresaid Author al●…o mindeth us of) the heinous 
3. The heinous nature of sin. Hine discimus enormitatem peccati. Idem ibid.  nature of sin; what a desperate disease it is, that must have a Physician to come from Heaven to cure it; other way of cure there was none. All the Men and Angels in the world, could do nothing to it. They were all (as job saith of his friends, job 13. 4.) Physicians of no value. But the Son of God must come from Heaven to undertake this cure. Magnus de coelo venit Medicus (saith Augustine) quia magnus per totum orbem jacebat 
Augustine Serm. 9 de verbis Apostoli.  aegrotuus. The great Physician cometh down from Heaven, because man▪ upon earth was desperately sick, in a hopeless and helpless condition, had He not stepped in. Which (as the same Father there applies it) should make all that hear it afraid of sin, as 
Cum audis Christum venisse in hunc mundum ut peccatores salvos faceret, noli dormire in dulci strato peccati, sed audi Paulum dicentem, Surge qui dermis, & illuminabit te Christus. Ibid.  a most deadly disease, not to rest and lie down in it, not to sleep in strato peccati, in the bed of sin, but to give ear to what Paul saith to them, Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.  
4ly and lastly, Here (as in a Glass) behold we, (what we can never look too much, nor 
4. The wonderful Grace of God to mankind.  yet enough, upon) the Grace, the wonderful Grace, of God towards the Sons of men. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men, (saith the Apostle) Tit. 2. 11. The Grace of God, His great Goodness and Mercy; that bringeth Salvation, eternal Salvation by and through Christ, hath appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, illuxit, it hath shined forth, clearly manifesting itself, and that to all men, all sorts of men, without distinction of Nation, Sex, Age or Condition. This it hath done, in this coming of jesus Christ into the world to save sinners. In nothing more, in nothing so much. Many ways hath the Grace and Favour of God, appeared unto mankind. It did so in his Creation, in making him little lower than the Angels, and Crowning him with Glory and Honour, making Him to have Dominion over the works of His hands, and putting all things under His feet, (as the Psalmist sets it forth) Psalm. 8. 5. 6. In making Him after his own Image. So God created man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he Him, Gen. 1. 27. As like unto his Maker, as a Creature could be. But behold, this Grace shineth more clearly in his Redemption, in finding out a way, such a way and means as he did, for the delivering of him from Hell and Death, and the procuring of his eternal Salvation. No Grace like this, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this saving Grace of God.  
Behold here (what you have lately heard 
1. The Grace of God the Father in sending of Christ.  more largely of, from that Text, Gal. 4. 4.) The Grace of God the Father, in sending his Son upon this Errand. When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons. What an expression of Love was this? In this was manifested the love of God towards us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him, 1 John 4. 9 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, Verse 10. Behold love, wonderful love! So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, etc. John 3. 16. Such an expression of Love as never was. Herein did his kindness appear. After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, Tit. 3. 4. viz. The kindness of God the Father, who is there (as often elsewhere) called God our Saviour; and that, as upon some other accounts, so chiefly upon this, because He sent His Son upon this Errand, to procure and effect Salvation for the Sons of men 
Grotius Annot. in 1 Tim. 1. 1  (as Grotius well expounds it). Herein did His Love, His Kindness appear; His Grace, His Rich Grace, the exceeding Riches of his Grace! So our Apostle (not knowing how to speak highly enough of it) sets it forth, Ephes. 2. 7. That he might show the exceeding Riches of his Grace, in his kindness towards us in Christ jesus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, exceeding all our apprehensions. Such was that Grace which God the Father showed to the Sons of men, in his kindness towards them in Christ Jesus, in sending him to be a Saviour for them.  
Many things there are, which do highly 
Set forth in 3 Particulars.  commend and set forth, this Grace of God to us. Three of which, and three Principal, we have a hint of in the Text.  
1st. Take we notice whom it was that he 
1. The Person sent, his Son.  sent, Christ jesus; his Son, his own son: He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, Rom. 8. 32. Yea, his only Son, his only begotten Son, (as that obvious Text forenamed hath it) joh 3. 16. God had many Sons, some by creation; such were the Angels, whom we find called the Sons of God, Job 38. 7. Such was Adam, which was the Son of God, Luke 3. last. And he hath many sons by Adoption, to which he Predestinated them from Eternity, Eph. 1. 5. But he had but one son by Generation. This was jesus Christ, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the only begotten Son of GOD. A Jewel more dear than all the World besides. Yet God, his Father, spared him not, but put him upon this service, to be a Saviour to lost Mankind. And what love was this? Hereby did Father Abraham manifest the sincerity and height of his Affection to his God, that having but one Son, he was willing to part with him, to offer him up at his Command. Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thy only Son, from me; (saith the Angel to him) Gen. 22. 12. And in the like way, hath God the Father manifested his Affection to the sons of Men, (that being but a Type of this) in not withholding his son, his only son, from us; but giving Him for us, to take our Nature upon him, to do and suffer what he did, for our sakes.  
2dly. Take we notice for whom it was that 
2. For whom he was sent: for sinners.  Christ was sent, for sinners (saith the Text), men who nothing less than deserved such a favour at the hands of God, they being not only strangers, but enemies to Him. When we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son, Rom. 5. 10. And how doth this commend the Love of God to us? God commendeth his love towards us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, (Verse 8. of that Chapter).  
3dly. To these add the Benefit which Christ 
3. The benefit to be procured by Him, Salvation.  came to procure for these sinners, which is Salvation to save sinners. To save them (as you have heard) from the wrath of God, and from everlasting Damnation. And to procure for them everlasting Happiness and Blessedness. Salvation, the greatest of benefits that man was capable of receiving, comprehending under it, justification, Sanctification, Glorification. Wonderful was this kindness in God the Father, thus to send his only Son, for such unworthy creatures upon such an account. 
2. The Grace of God the Son, in coming upon such an Errand.   
II. And behold no less in God the Son. That being thus sent, he should come as he did. That, coming forth from his Father, leaving his Bosom (as it were) in which he had lain from Eternity; he should come into the world, taking upon him the nature of man, yea, the form of a Servant, so humbling himself as he did. What a favour? specially that he should come into such a world, where he well knew what entertainment he should meet with, how he should be rejected! So he was by those whom he looked upon as his own people: He came unto his own, and his own received him not, Joh. 1. 11. The people of the jews, who were God's own peculiar people, whom he had chosen out of all Nations of the World, (You only have I known); yet so ungrateful were they, that when this Son of God, being sent by his Father upon such an Errand, came to tender his service unto them, they would not receive him, they would not acknowledge him to be the Messias. Thus was this living Stone (the Foundation-Stone) though chosen of God and precious, yet disallowed of men, (as St. Peter hath it, 1 Pet. 2. 4.) He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief; and we hid, as it were, our faces from him, he was despised, and we esteemed him not, (so the Prophet Isay, foreseeing what entertainment the Messiah▪ the Lord Jesus, should meet withal, in and from the world, setteth it forth) Isa. 53. 3. Thus was he slighted through the whole course of his life. And in the end of it how-abused? Crowned with Thorns, Buffeted, Spit upon, and after Crucified; suffering that painful, shameful, accursed Death of the Cross. Now, all this he foresaw before he came into the world, as he foretold it when he was come into it. So he did to his Disciples, Luke 17. 25. The Son of man must suffer many things, and he rejected of this Generation. And at another time, he giveth them a particular account of what things he should Suffer. So we find it, Mat. 20. 17. where going up to jerusalem, we read how he took the Twelve Disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests, and unto the Scribes, and they shall condemn him to Death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles, to Mock, and to Scourge; and to Crucify him. All this he knew before it came to pass, yea, before he came into the world, he knew what measure he should meet with, in it. Yet for all this he came into this world to undertake this service, He came into the world to save sinners; Such ungrateful wretches as there he met with. Thus it was, (as Augustine excellently sets it forth). Homines desperate aegrotabant, etc. Men were desperately 
Homines desperate aegrotabant, & ipsa agritudine quia mentes perdiderant, etiam medicum caedebant: Ille autem etiam cum occideretur medicus erat, etc. August. ubi supra.  sick, and by reason of their sickness having lost their Reason, they fell foul upon their Physician, striking of him, yea killing him; yet for all this, when he was thus used by them, he was still a Physician to them. Vapulabat & curabat, he was beaten by them, yet a curer of them. Patiebatur phreneticum, nec deserebat aegrotum, He patiently bore with his frantic patient, not deserting him in his sickness. Tenebatur, alligabatur, percutiebatur, irridebatur, suspendebatur; & medicus erat; He was held, he was bound, he was smitten, he was mocked, he was hanged upon the Cross; and yet for all this, he was and would be a Physician, even to them by whom he was thus used, making a Medicine of his own Blood, for the curing of them that shed it. And, o what Clemency, what Love, what Favour was this to every of us, who hear this saying here in the Text, That Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, such sinners! Admire we this Grace, this riches of Grace, this exceeding riches of Grace, which this our Saviour hath herein showed to such unworthy creatures! This, by way of Information or Instruction.  
In the 2d. place, by way of Consolation: 
Use 2. Consolation to all, and only Penitent Sinners.  Is Christ Jesus come into the world, and that upon this Errand, to save sinners? What comfort doth this speak to all truly penitent sinners? Penitent sinners, I say. Such, and only such they are to whom this Consolation belongeth. Not to all sinners, not to such as are obdurate and impenitent, such as live and lie in sin, making a trade of it, Let not such snatch at any crumb of this Bread of Life, any morsel of this Consolation. All the comfort that I can from hence give unto them, is only this, that there is a possibility of Salvation for them. Herein are they one degree more happy, or rather less miserable, than the Devils and damned Spirits, which being cast into the Prison of Hell, are there fast bound in those everlasting chains of Darkness, reserved to the judgement of the Great day, (as St. Peter, and St. jude, set forth the condition of the fallen Angels, 2 Pet. 2. 4. jude v. 6.) in a desperate condition past praying for, shut out from all hope, all possibility of Salvation. So is it not as yet with you, you obstinate sinners. How soon it may be so, that you know not; going on in your sinful ways and courses, you may be surprised and snatched away by Death, (as many daily are) and that will cut off the thread of your hope, putting you into the like condition, beyond all possibility of Mercy. But as yet, I shall not wholly shut the door of hope against you. Some hope as yet you have, though not so long as you continue such. Living and dying without Repentance there is no hope for you. Let not any such then pervert and abuse this Saying, this Doctrine of Christ's coming into the World. True, he came into the World to save sinners, but not such as you are; not obstinate sinners. As for such, What have they to do with Grace? What have they to do with Mercy? What have they to do with Salvation? Let them look for that which waits for them, Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguish, which shall be upon every soul of Man that doth Evil (as the Apostle tells them, Rom. 2. 8, 9) This is the portion of Obstinate sinners, such as make jesus Christ, and his coming into the world, to be (as it were) a pander to their Lusts, from hence taking occasion to continue in Sin; let them never look to have any benefit by his coming. He shall one day come to be their judge; he never came to be their Saviour. All the comfort which distilleth from this Breast of Consolation, that springs from this Fountain, this Well of Salvation, is appropriated to the brokenhearted, truly penitent sinner; to such as being convinced of Sin, feel the weight and burden of it, being weary, and heavy-laden under it; desiring earnestly to be freed and delivered from it; and that not only from the guilt and punishment, but also from the power, and inbeeing of it; being like affected with this our Apostle, who crieth out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Rom. 7. 24. Such as desire to be saved, not only from Death and Hell, but also from sin; To such sinners, all such, and only such, doth this faithful Saying speak abundant and everlasting Consolation. For your sakes did the Eternal Son of God come into the world, to seek and to save such as you are. 
Penitent sinners to apply this Doctrine to themselves.   
And therefore lay you bold on this comfort which is here held forth unto you, not fearing to bring it home, and make Application of it to yourselves. It matters not what your sins have been or are, what for number, what for nature, how many, how great, let not all this discourage. Behold here a Plaster as large as the Soar; a Cordial which being taken down, will serve to bear up the heart against fainting, jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Let not thy sins then deter thee from laying hold upon this Salvation; which as it was merited for thee, so is it held forth and tendered to thee by this thy Saviour. Thou art a sinner, a great sinner, let not this drive thee from jesus Christ, but to him. Such they are whom he came to Save. Were't thou not such a one thou couldst have no benefit by him. This it is that maketh thee a Subject capable of receiving benefit from him. 
And only they.   
As for those righteous persons, who are so in their own eyes, their own apprehensions, Christ will have nothing to do with them, neither let them expect to be the happier for him. The proud Pharisee goeth as he cometh, whilst the poor self-condemning Publican, goeth away justified. I tell you, (saith our Saviour, speaking by way of Parable unto certain which trusted in themselves, that they were righteous, as the 9th verse hath it) This man went down to his house justified rather than the other, Luke 18. 14. The one came justified, viz. in himself, boasting of his own righteousness, but goeth away a sinner; the other cometh a sinner, confessing himself so to be, but goeth away justified, viz. by God, being absolved from all his sins. The one cometh empty, but goeth away full, the other cometh full, but goeth away empty. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away, (saith Mary in her Song) Luke 1. 53. Great comfort to all truly penitent, humbled, broken hearted, self-condemning sinners. For such as you it was that jesus Christ came into the world, to be a Saviour unto you.  
Only see that you do not judge yourselves 
This Salvation not to be rejected, or neglected.  unworthy of this Salvation, by neglecting of it. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation? Heb. 2. 3. much less by rejecting of it, putting it from you. This was that which Paul and Barnabas charged upon the jews as a high contempt; that word which had by them been Preached to them, they put it from them, so judging themselves unworthy of everlasting Life, Acts 13. 46. This did they by their rejecting, not receiving of this Doctrine, the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ, thereby showing themselves to be unworthy of it. And the like do all they, who hearing this faithful saying worthy of all acceptation, this saving Doctrine; do not receive it, embrace it, bringing it home to themselves, and making a right use of it. Such neglect, such contempt, let every of us beware of, giving unto this Doctrine, this faithful Saying, such acceptation as it is worthy of, even All acceptation. 
Use 2. Exhortation. Receive we this Doctrine.   
Let that be the word of Exhortation, which give me leave to press with what earnestness I may or can; we have all of us, as at other times often, so now again heard of this faithful Saying, That Christ jesus is come into the world to save sinners. This we have received into the Ear, O but suffer we it not to die there, to vanish in the hearing; but give we unto it (as I said) such acceptation, as it is worthy of, even all acceptation, receiving it by all ways and means. 
Receiving it by all lawful and useful ways.   
By all ways (I say), meaning all lawful and useful ways. Such are not all the ways wherein this Doctrine is by some received. Let me (by the way) give you a hint of one or two of them, giving you withal a Caveat 
Some ways not such: wherein this Doctrine is not to 〈◊〉 recei●…  that you do not so receive this Saying.  
1. Receive it not by way of doubtful Disputation. In such a way this our Apostle forbiddeth Christians to receive their weak brethren, Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful Disputations. Not troubling and disquieting them with needless and useless scruples, with Ambiguities and Perplexities. And in such a way let not us receive jesus Christ, nor this 
4. Needless and useless Questions touching Christ's coming. 1. touching the time of his coming.  Doctrine concerning his Coming into the world, by troubling ourselves or others with needless and useless Questions, over-eagerly contending about, what cannot certainly be determined. Of these, let me take notice of two or three.  
1. Such is that Controversy concerning the time of his coming: When it was that he came into the world, that he was Born, upon what day, or in what week, or in what month; which, though it hath been by learned Heads, with all possible Industry, searched into, and by some over-eagerly debated; yet can it not be certainly determined. So, 
Scaliger de emend Temp.  that great Critic passeth his censure upon it, Unius Dei est, non hominis, definire. This is a thing which God alone can do. And our Church, whilst in its Liturgy for several days, it still maketh use of the same words, That God gave his Son [as this day] to be Born of a pure Virgin: It seemeth to intimate 
* Bishop Hall's Letter concerning the Feast of the Nati●…itie.  unto us, that though it had appointed a day for the celebrating of the memorial thereof, yet it did not bind us to believe, that that was the precise day of His birth. Which our late Reverend Bishop yieldeth, not to be certainly known. This is a Secret which God hath thought fitting to be concealed from us (upon what account, I will not say:) And therefore, Be we not overcurious in our inquiries after it. Let it be enough for us (which we are sure of) that a time there was; a time precisely set down, and appointed for his Coming; and when that fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son (as the Apostle tells us, Gal. 4. 4.) This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a faithful saying, requiring our firm Belief. But so doth not that circumstance of Time; which being not tanti, of any great concernment, leave we it as we find it, not troubling ourselves, or others, about it.  
2. And, little better is that which some 
2. Whether if man had not sinned, Christ should have come. a) Aquin. Sum. p. 3. Q. ●… A. ●…. 3 (b) Calv. Instit. lib. 2. cap. 12.  have made a matter of Debate; Whether if man had not sinned, Christ should have come into the world. This (a) Aquinas, (and after him Estius) writing upon the Text taketh notice of. Which he, following the generality of the Fathers and Schoolmen, here and elsewhere, determines Negatively. And so doth our (b) Mr. Calvin, therein opposing Osiander, who contended for the Affirmative. And this they do, not without a probable Argument from the Text, which tells us, That Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners. So then, 
* Cessante sine principali, cessat eff●…cius. C. a Lapid. in Text. Nulla causa fuit ve●… Christo Domino, nisi, percatores salvos facere. August. de verbis Apost. Serm. 9 Si homo non periisset, filius hominis non venisset. Ibid. Serm. 6.  had there been no sin, there had been no need of his coming. Tolle morbum, & medicinâ non erit opus (saith the Gloss upon it) Take away the disease, and there shall be no need of the Physician, or Medicine. So, take away sin out of the world, and there should have been no need of Christ's coming into the world. But this we may well look upon as a Point not worth the debating, inasmuch as it maketh a Supposition contrary to God's Ordination, according to which all things, that are, come to pass (as the same 
* Haec Quaestio non est magnae authoritatis, quia Deus ordinavit fienda secundum quod res fienda crant. Aquinas in Text.  Author well concludes it.)  
3. And such is that other, about the 
3. Whether his Coming was Necessary.  Necessity of Christ's coming, Whether it was necessary that he should come, and undertake this work? Whether some other way might not have been found for the effecting hereof? A curious and vain enquiry. Sure we are, we could never have found another way. And this is the way which God, in his infinite Wisdom, hath pitched upon. So as there is none other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, (as St. Peter tells the jews, Acts 4. 12.); no other way or means appointed by God for our Salvation. And here let us rest.  
4. And to these I might add that other 
4. whether he intended an universal Redemption.  Debate about the extent of Christ's Death▪ whether he thereby intended an Universal Redemption. This we know it lately hath been (I wish it may not still so be) eagerly contended for by Arminius and his followers. And probably among other Texts of Scripture, they may call forth this for the maintaining of it, where it is said, That Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners. Now such are all men, and therefore Christ came to save all. A needless contest. It is enough that he came, to save all such sinners as we have heard of, all truly penitent sinners? In this we are all agreed; and in this let us rest. In such a way, Let us not receive this Saying, this Doctrine; not by way of doubtful Disputation.  
Much less (in the 2d place) so receive it 
2. Not so, as to abuse it.  as to abuse it to our own Destruction. So do some (as I have hinted already) and it is to be feared, not a few, who make use of this Doctrine, as a Pillow, to sleep securely upon in the bed of sin. Hearing that Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners; From hence they take liberty to continue in sin. Far be this from us. What shall we say then? (saith the Apostle) shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound? God forbid, Rom. 6. 1, 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Let it not be. Far be it from any of us, to give entertainment to such a thought; thus Spider-like to suck Poison from this sweetest Flower. This is the readiest way to shut us out from ever receiving any benefit from Christ, who (as the Text saith) came into the world to save sinners; to save them (as you have heard) from their sins; and that from the power, as well as from the guilt and punishment of them. They who are not Saved from the former of these, let them never look to be saved from the latter. In such ways then, take we heed of receiving this Saying.  
But (now to proceed in the Exhortation 
This Doctrine how to be received.  propounded) Receive we it in all lawful and useful ways, yielding it such acceptation as it is worthy of. Having heard it with the outward Ear, now receive we it into the inward Man, into our heads and hearts. Such entertainment we are ready to give to our welcome guests; we account our best rooms mean enough for them; we will not suffer them to stand without, or yet admit them only into the Hall, but receive them into the Parlour. Now, behold here the best Guest we can give entertainment to, the Lord jesus, who came from Heaven upon the welcome est Errand, the procuring of our Salvation! O suffer him not to stand without, as jews, and Turks, Pagans and Infidels do; who being professed enemies to Christ, will give no entertainment to Him; or yet, as persons grossly & wilfully ignorant, who hear of Him, but regard not to know Him; to know what he Was, what he hath Done, what he Suffered. Nor yet, think we it enough to let him into the Hall, the outward room of the Soul, which is the mode of mere formal Nominal Christians, who content themselves with a General and Superficial knowledge of this mystery of Godliness; Let us receive him into the Penetralia, into our inwardmost rooms, setting open all the doors of our Souls, those everlasting doors (as the Psalmist calls them) Psal. 24. 7. doors of Eternity, which is mystically to be understood of the Souls of the faithful. Set we open these Doors that the King of Glory may enter in; Receiving jesus Christ and this Doctrine concerning him, (as I said) into all the inwardmost rooms of our Souls, into our Understandings, judgements, Memories, Wills, Affections; All which, This Saying is worthy of.  
1. Into our Understandings, that we may 
1. Into the Understanding, having a clear knowledge of it.  have a right apprehension of the Doctrine of Christ's Incarnation. A Doctrine necessary to be known by all that would have benefit by Him and by his Coming. Rest we not ourselves contented then, with such a general knowledge as I spoke of, to know that Christ is come into the world; but seek after a clear and distinct knowledge of this mystery, to know what that Christ was, how he came, whence he came, whither he came, to what end he came, and for whose sake he came, and how he hath effected the work he came which about.  
2. And understanding this, Labour to be 
2. Into the Judgement firmly believing it.  throughly convinced of the truth hereof; so receiving this Truth into our judgements looking upon it as a Faithful Saying, yielding a full and firm assent and consent unto it. Not entertaining any doubtful hesitations concerning it. All which our Apostle here maketh it his design to expectorate, and drive out of the hearts of Christians, holding forth this unto them as a most infallible Doctrine, laying it as a sure foundation, which they may safely build upon. And so do we, taking this for an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Principle of our Religion, the truth whereof is not to be questioned; Every of us labour thus to get our hearts established in the belief hereof.  
3. Thus receiving it into our Understandings 
3. Into the Memory, remembering it.  and judgements, Receive we it also into our Memories, lodging and laying it up there as a most precious Treasure of inestimable value, and singular use. Remember it, and make use of it as occasion shall be offered. Holding it forth as a Buckler, for the repelling of those fiery Darts, those Satanical Temptations, which he is ready to inject, for the disquieting and troubling the Souls of poor sinners with the apprehension of their sins, The Quantity and Quality, the Multitude and Magnitude, the Number and Nature of them, which being let into the Soul without a Divine support, may be enough to sink it into the Gulf of Desperation. Against all these, oppose we this faithful Saying; Remember the Consolation it 
Proinde quoties nobis i●… mentem veniet ulla de peccatorum remissione dubitatio, hoc velut clypeo fortiter eam repellere discamus. Calvin. Com. in Text.  holdeth forth, That jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. A true Catholicon, a Sovereign Cordial, proper for what ever Faintings the Soul may be subject to.  
4. Thus lodging it in our Memories, Receive 
4. Into the Will and affections  we it also into our Wills and Affections, embracing it, resting upon it, rejoicing in it, and being thankful for it.  
1. Embracing it, as the most acceptable, 
1. Embracing it.  the most welcome Tidings that ever were brought unto the world. Had not jesus Christ come into the world, better we had never come into it. Were it not for the Sun, what were the world but a Dungeon? And were it not for this Sun of Righteousness, which is risen upon earth, we must have sat in darkness to all Eternity. His coming is our reviving. Even as the coming of the Sun in the Spring time is unto Herbs and Plants, which before were seemingly dead; such is the coming of Jesus Christ unto us, who, without Him, were in a state of Death, really dead. How welcome then should the tidings hereof be unto us? How ready should we receive this Doctrine? O, were this Doctrine to be Preached to the Spirits in Prison, to the Devils and Damned Souls in Hell, That Jesus Christ was come to save them, how welcome would it be unto them? And why not unto us, who, were it not for this Coming, should erelong be in their condition?  
2. And thus embracing it, now rest upon 
2. Resting upon it.  it; making it the sheat-Anchor of our Souls hope, riding by it in all storms, flying unto jesus Christ, receiving him as our Saviour, clasping him in the arms of our Faith, resting upon him for Salvation. This is true justifying saving faith; not barely to believe him, to believe that Christ is come into the world, but to believe in Him, and on Him. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him, should not perish, Joh. 3. 16. He that believeth on him, is not condemned. Vers. 18. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; Vers. 36. Still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in eum, in him, on him. As for believing him, this is no more than the Devils do. I know thee who thou art, the Holy one of God, (saith that unclean Spirit) Mark 1. 24. Will we have any benefit by him, see that we believe on him; receiving him as our Saviour, casting our Souls upon the all sufficiency of his Merit, there resting for the pardon of all our sins, and the Salvation of our Souls.  
3. And thus resting upon him, now rejoice 
3. Rejoicing in it.  in him, in this his Coming. Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion, shout for joy, O Daughter of jerusalem, behold thy King cometh unto th●… he is Just, and having Salvation, (saith the Prophet Zacharie to the Church) Zach. 9 9 This coming of Christ in the Flesh is a matter of great Joy (as you have heard.) And so let it be entertained by us. Rejoice we in this our King and Saviour. Rejoicing not with a carnal and sensual joy (such as that joy is wherewith the memory of this great benefit is by some, and too many, celebrated at this Season of the year:) but a spiritual joy, suitable to the benefit which he came to procure for us, which is spiritual and eternal Salvation. In the apprehension hereof, let all true Believers, who have received Christ into their hearts, exsult and rejoice; rejoicing in this their God and Saviour (as Mary saith she did, Luke 1. 47.) joining in consort with that multitude which, attending upon him in his Coming to jerusalem, cried, saying, Hosannah to the Son of David, Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord, Hosannah in the Highest! Mat. 21. 9  
4. And thus rejoicing in it, Be we thankful 
4. Being truly thankful for it.  for it, really thankful; studying how to express our gratitude for so great a Favour. Not by letting loose the reins to all kind of licentiousness; which hath been, and I fear still is, the practice of too many, who at this Season of the year, take greater liberty to abuse the Creatures of God, and to waste, and misspend their precious time, in vain, if not sinful, Recreation●… and Disports, than at any other times; as if the end of Christ's coming had been, not to bind Satan, but to let him lose; not to save sinners from their sins, but to indulge them in them. Not so; but by endeavouring to walk answerably to so great a favour, so as becometh the redeemed of the Lord. All of us taking out and practising that Lesson, which our Apostle telleth us, this Grace of God teacheth us, Tit. 2. 11. The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men, (this saving Grace of God, in sending his Son upon this Errand, which hath now under the Gospel appeared to all men, not only Jews, but Gentiles) teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. To this end it was, (as you have heard) That Christ came into the world to save sinners, to save them from their sins, from the power as well as from the guilt of them; to redeem them from all iniquity; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, (as we have it) Tit. 2. 14. that, being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, (our Spiritual enemies, Sin, Satan, Hell, Death) we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, before him, all the days of our life, (as Zacharias hath it in his Song) Luk. 1. 74, 75.  
And thus have I now done with the former part of the Text, the Doctrine as it is here both commended and propounded. Now pass we to the latter, the Application which the Apostle here maketh of this Doctrine to himself. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, [of whom I am chief.]  

The Second Part.  
Here have we that which my eye was chiefly 
Part 2d. Paul's particular Application of this general Doctrine to himself.  upon, when I now took this Text in hand; wherein our Apostle bringeth home this general Truth, which he had before propounded and commended, to himself, by a particular Application. Therein 
* Obs. A Pattern for our Imitation. Communi regulae sese involvit: atque hic verus Scripturae usus est ut nobis applicemus salutaria, quo spem habeamus de salute nostra. Aret. Com. in Text.  (as Aretius well observes) setting us a Pattern for our Imitation, teaching us what use we are to make of the Scriptures, and of all the sayings therein contained. And specially of those saving Truths, which there we meet with. Not contenting ourselves with a general notion of them, but bringing them home to ourselves, making them our own, by such a special and particular Application.  
Without this, the most saving Truths 
Reas. Application maketh saving Truths effectual.  will not be saving to us. A Medicine, though never so Sovereign a Plaster, though never so Sanative, yet if only looked upon, and so laid aside, if not taken down, if not applied, in an ordinary way it will do the Patient no good. The most saving Truths, the most cordial and comfortable promises in the Book of God, if not brought home to a man's self, will be of no avail to him. It is the Application of these Truths, these faithful Sayings, that maketh them effectual. Particular Persons, receive no benefit from general Doctrines, without such a particular Application.  
This use than make we of all those Truths, 
Applic.  which we meet withal in the Book of God. The Instructions, Counsels, threatenings, Promises, which are there held forth; suffer we them not to lie by us, think it not enough to read them, or hear of them, and to yield a general assent to them, but bring them home, make them our own. So doth our Apostle here in the Text, having held forth this Doctrine unto others, of Christ's coming into the world to save sinners, he reflects upon what he had said, bringing it home to himself, ranking himself in the list, yea in the forefront of those sinners, whom Christ came to save. Of whom I am chief, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Quorum Primus ego sum, 
Paul, the first of sinners.  Of whom I am First.  
The First? What then, was Paul the first 
Q. How said so to be.  of sinners? were there not others before him? Surely yea, Quot homines tot peccatores, so many men as there had been, so many sinners. The first man, and the first woman, they were the first sinners. How then saith Paul here, that he was the first?  
In Answer to this, Aquinas here tells us of 
A. An Heretical Dream. Hic dicit Haereticus, quod anima Adae fuit in Paulo, & transivit de corpore in corpus. Aquin. Expos. in Text.  certain Heretics, who dreaming of a Pythagorical Metempsuchosis, a transmigration, a flitting of Souls out of one body into another, they conceived that the Soul of Adam, the first man, might be transmitted into Paul's body, and so upon that account, he might say of himself, that he was the first sinner, having in himself the Soul of the first man. But this is but a Dream and so we leave it, which (if need were) might be sufficiently confuted (as that Author observes) from that one Text of the Apostle, Rom. 9 11. where speaking of Children not born, he describeth them to be such as had neither done good nor evil. So then, the Soul is not before the Body. But letting that go. 
A. 2. Paul the first, that is the greatest of sinners.   
More genuinely. Paul saith here of himself, that he was the first of sinners; Primus non tempore, sed magnitudine, (so the Author aforesaid, and divers others, after Augustine, rightly resolve it:) the first not in time, not 
* Quid ergo est primus? antecedens omnes, non tempore, sed magnitudine August. in Psalm. 70.  in order, but in respect of the magnitude and greatness of his sins. So are we here to understand the word (as often elsewhere;) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the first, that is, the greatest, the chief of sinners, (as our Translation hath it) Of whom I am chief.  
But, so looking upon it, the Question is 
Q. How Paul saith this of himself.  yet unresolved. For, how saith the Apostle this? or how could he say it of himself, that he was the chief of sinners? What, were there not others, who had been, (or were) as great, or greater sinners than he? How then saith he, that he was the chief?  
To this it is answered by some, and divers; 
A. Hespeaks Hyperbolically out of his great Humility. Dictum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex summa modestia: Grotius Annot. in Text. Hoc dicit ex humilitate. Aquin.  This he speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Hyperbolically, out of his great modesty and Humility, so thinking, and so speaking of himself.  
And so looking upon it, Let him herein 
Obs. Christians to think & speak meanly of themselves.  again be propounded as a pattern for the imitation of all Christians; teaching them how to think, & how to speak of themselves, meanly, lowly, preferring others before themselves. So runs this our Apostles direction, Phil. 2. 3. In lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than himself. Ita jussit, ita gessit. This he would have others do; and this, Himself here doth; so not only giving us a Rule, but setting us a Pattern. Paul, what he was the Churches of God well know; a Chosen Vessel, an eminent Saint, an eminent Apostle; one of the choicest Instruments that ever Christ made use of; eminent for Gifts, eminent for Graces; yet he, when he cometh to speak of himself, how doth he undervalue himself? Sometimes professing, and acknowledging himself to be the meanest of the Apostles, and not worthy of that Honour. I am the least of the Apostles, that am not worthy to be called an Apostle (saith he) 1 Cor. 15. 9 And sometimes the meanest of Saints. Unto me, who am less than the least of all Saints, is this grace given, Eph. 3. 8. And here he acknowledgeth himself to be the chief of sinners. Thus speaking of his Gifts and Graces, he thinks he cannot speak too meanly of them; but speaking of his sins, he thinks he cannot speak too highly of them. He is not more in extenuating the one, then in aggravating the other: Such was his Modesty, such was his Humility. Maximus Doctorum, maximus peccatorum. Though he was an Apostle, a great Apostle; yea, without disparagement to any, inferior to none, (which we find him elsewhere standing upon) being by his Adversaries put upon it, to Vindicate his Reputation, he sticks not to equalise himself with the very chiefest Apostle: I suppose (saith he) I was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles, 2 Cor. 11. 5. And again chap. 12. v. 11. In nothing am I behind the very chiefest Apostles; meaning james, and john, and Peter, (whose Disciples and Followers divers then professed themselves to be) yet here he reckons himself among the chief of sinners, nay, of sinners The Chief. Thus was he (as Aretius here saith of him) in peccato maximus, in ministerio minimus, ubique tamen inter homines magnus; though every where highly esteemed of among men, yet in his own apprehension, the least of Saints, and the greatest of Sinners. In himself nothing. So he there tells his Corinthians in the Text last named; where, whilst he extolleth his Ministry, he debaseth himself. In nothing am I behind the very chiefest Apostles, though I be nothing. Nothing out of Christ, nothing in himself, of no worth, no value.  
Such mean thoughts should Christians 
Christians to prefer others before themselves.  entertain of themselves, thinking more meanly of themselves, than of others. So doth that wise Agur, Prov. 30. 2. Surely (saith he) I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. Agur, a Prophet, divinely inspired, (as the Verse foregoing there seemeth to intimate, where those Sayings of his, in that Chapter, are called his Prophecy) a wise and learned man, endued with a great measure, not only of Natural and Moral, but of Divine knowledge; yet see how he undervalues himself, how meanly he thought of himself. And the like did Asaph, or David (uncertain whether), whom we find confessing to his God, So foolish was I, and ignorant (saith he) I was, as a Beast before thee, Psal. 73. 22. And after the same mode did our Apostle here speak of himself, acknowledging himself to be not only a sinner, or a great sinner, but the chief of sinners.  
In which Expression, let not any think, 
Paul not speaking otherwise of himself than he thought.  or suspect, that he spoke of himself otherwise than he meant and thought. It is Mr. Calvines Caveat which he giveth upon it; Cave ne existimes, modestiae causâ Apostolum mentitum esse; Farneze be it from any to entertain a thought, that Paul here should, out of modesty, speak otherwise than he thought and meant.  
And whilst we do not, nor dare not, censure 
Christians to beware of such Compliments.  or suspect him upon any such account, see that we ourselves be not at any time guilty of the like. Take heed of such vain, airy, empty compliments, as are too common with some, who will speak (it may be) meanly of themselves, when as they think nothing less; haply debasing themselves, that so they may draw the greater and higher commendation from others. Far was this from our Apostle. Certainly, this Confession of his, had not more modesty than sincerity, not more humility than reality in it. What he here acknowledgeth, he did it not with his Tongue, or Pen only, but with, and from his Heart. A hearty confession 
Veram hic non 〈◊〉 quam humilem confessionem edere voluit, Atque ex intimo cordis sensu depromptam. Calvin. Com. in Text.  it was, ex intimo cordis sensu deprompta, (as Calvin saith of it;) fetched even from the bottom of his Heart, springing from an inward sense and feeling of what he confessed.  
But if so, the Question will yet run on, 
Q. Paul was now an eminent Saint.  How could Paul say and think thus of himself, that he was the chief of Sinners? When he spoke this, he was a justified person, having his sins pardoned, and forgiven him; and this he was assured of. Besides, as he was justified, so he was sanctified: How then could he say, that he was the chief of sinners? Of whom I am chief.  
To this it is Answered; Paul here speaks 
A. He speaks of what he had been before his Conversion.  not of what he now was, but of what he had been: Not of what he now was by Grace, but what by Nature, and what by Practice, before such time as the Grace of God met with him. True it was, there was now a great and wonderful change wrought in him; he was not now the same man that sometime he was. Now I live, (saith he) yet no more I, Gal. 2. 20. No longer that Saul which heretofore he was, but much changed, and altered! So was that other Saul (King Saul) of whom we read, how that the Spirit of God coming upon him, (the spirit of Prophecy) he was turned to another man, (as Samuel tells him it should be done to him, 1 Sam. 10. 6.) And so was this Saul much more, whose name was altered from Saul to Paul; giving him, and others, to take notice, that he was now turned to another man, wonderfully changed from what he was. Such a change there was in him, in respect of his quality and condition. He who was a sinner, a great sinner, was now a Saint. He who was a Persecuter, was now a Preacher, an Apostle. But this was the work of Grace in him. So himself looked upon it; By the grace of God I am that I am, (saith he) 1 Cor. 15. 10. That he was Called, Justified, Sanctified, that he was a Preacher, an Apostle, this he ascribeth all to Free Grace; not to any thing in himself, nor to any thing that he had done. Of himself he was a sinner, a great sinner: and such he should still have continued, had not the Grace of God met with him, & wrought such a change in him. So that here, reflecting upon his former condition, looking upon himself as he was before his Conversion, he maketh this free and ingenuous confession and acknowledgement, That he was a great Sinner, I, the chief of Sinners. 
Q. Paul, before his Conversion was morally righteous.   
Q. Why, but yet how could he say this of himself, that he was then the chief of sinners? Look upon him before his Conversion, and see what we can find in him that should deserve so severe a Censure: What? was Paul, (or Saul, for that was then his Name) than a Debauched, Scandalous, Profane, Impious Person? Not so; his Life and Conversation was not tainted with any foul Vice, or sinful Enormity. No, clean otherwise; his life was then unblamaeble, nay very strict and regular; He had then a respect to the Law of his God; yea, a more than ordinary Respect, being zealous for it, a zealous Professor, and a zealous Practiser of it. And that not only for the Ceremonial part of it, wherein (as he tells his Galatians) he was a great proficient, beyond others of his time: Ye have heard (saith he) of my Conversation in time past, how I profited in the jews Religion, above many of my equals in my own Nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the Traditions of my Fathers, Gal. 1. 14. But also for the Moral part, ordering his Life and Conversation according to that Rule, walking regularly, and unblamably. So much he tells his Philippians, chap. 3. v. 6. Touching the Righteousness which is in the Law, blameless. Such he then was, a man of an innocent and blameless life & Conversation. 
A. He was then a friend to the Law, but an enemy to the Gospel.  And not only so, but endued also with many excellent Moral Virtues, as Justice, Temperance, etc. And what? he the chief of sinners? a man so ordered, so tempered, so qualified?  
To this, Calvin and some others, retur●… Answer well. He was then indeed a friend, a great friend then to the Law, but an enemy to the Gospel; standing for the one, but opposing the other; zealous for Moses, but as zealous against Christ; an Unbeliever, a Persecuter, not embracing but rejecting this excellent Doctrine, which here he speaketh of, the Doctrine of the Gospel, the Doctrine of Salvation by jesus Christ He was then, one of those Antichrists which St. john speaketh of, 1 joh. 4. 3. & 2. v. 7. Denying Christ to be come in the flesh. Not receiving him, not believing on him, but blaspheming him in his Person, and persecuting him in his Members, in all that professed his Name. So we have it recorded, Acts 8. where the Story tells us, how he being then called, Saul consented to Stephen's death, vers. 1. and how he made havoc of the Church, entering into every house, and, haling men and women, committed them to prison. And after, chap. 9 v. 1, 2. breathing out threatenings and Slaughter, against the Disciples of the Lord, he went unto the high Priest, and desired of him letters, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to jerusalem. Such was his zeal then against Christ, and against the Doctrine of the Gospel, and all the true professors of it. And this was the sin which here he chargeth so heavily upon himself, as the chiefest of sins, making him the chief of sinners. This it was that made him think so meanly, so vilely of himself as he did, to account himself the least of the Apostles, not worthy to be an Apostle, Because (saith he) I persecuted the Church of God, 1 Cor. 15. 9 And so here to call himself the chief of sinners, in as much as he had been (as he declares in the verse next but one before the Text, vers. 13.) a Blasphemer, a Persecuter, Injurious. Thus it was. Nemo acrior inter Persecutores, ergo nemo pejor inter peccatores, (as Augustine hath it). Among 
August. de verbis Apostoli. Serm. 9  all the Persecutors of his time, none more fierce, more eager than he; and therefore among all sinners, none greater than he.  
So it is, Among all sins, there is none greater 
Obs. No sin like obstinate Infidelity.  than the sin of Infidelity. This is calvin's observation, which he from hence taketh up, and not without ground. This is the sin, that bringeth upon a man the greatest guilt, 
His verbis admonemur quam grave sit apud D●…um, & ●…rox crim●…, Infidelita●…: p●…sertim ubi acce●…t ●…bstinatio & saeviendi rabbiss. Calvin. Com. in Text.  and maketh him one of the greatest sinners, even the sin of Infidelity; specially when it is accompanied with obstinacy, and contumacy, and pertinacy 〈◊〉 as Paul's sin here was): now there is no sin like this sin, this sin against the Gospel. Sins against the Law may be great sins, some of them greater than other, some crying sins, of a heinous and horrid nature: But none of them like this sin against the Gospel, Infidelity, when it is (as I said) accompanied with obstinacy; when men will not receive Christ, being offered and tendered unto them, but reject him, and will not believe on him. This is The sin. When the comforter shall come (saith our Saviour to his Apostles), he shall reprove the world of Sin, of Righteousness, and of judgement: Of sin, because they believe not on me, Joh. 16. 8, 9 Intimating this to be the sin, the greatest sin that shall lie most heavy upon the world. No sin like this sin. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, (saith he of the jews, in the Chapter foregoing) joh. 15. 22. Had not Christ come unto them, and made himself known to them, they had had no sin comparatively, not so great sin to answer for, as now they had. This is the condemning sin. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, Joh. 3. 19 jesus Christ, who was the true Light, being clearly revealed, as he is, under the Gospel, the not receiving, but rejecting of him, This is the condemning sin, laying those that are guilty of it, under the just sentence of Cond●…nation. He that believeth not, is condemned already, (saith the verse there foregoing, verse 18.). He is so, being laid under the sentence of Condemnation, as for his other sins, Original and Actual, so in special for this, his not believing. No sin like obstinate Infidelity; when men shall shut their eyes against the Light, will not receive Christ, and the Doctrine of Salvation by him, but oppose it, and according to their power persecute it. This was Paul's sin, and it was such a sin as weighed down all his legal Righteousness, making him, in his own estimation and account, the worst, the vilest, the greatest, the chief of Sinners.  
Which let it be taken notice of, and seriously 
Applic.  considered; and that, As by all of us, 
Persons in some degree guilty of this sin.  that we may be convinced of the greatness of this sin, this sin of Infidelity, whereof there is none of us, but in some degree or other stand guilty: So in special,  
1. By mere civil Persons, who look after 
1. Mere civil Persons, resting in their moral righteousness.  nothing but the Righteousness of the Law. So they may but approve themselves legally, and morally righteous as to the world, they regard not that Evangelical Righteousness, whereby they may come to stand righteous before God: So long as they do but yield an outward obedience to the Law, they regard not the obedience of Faith. Whilst they are just, and sober, and temperate, and chaste, innocent, and harmless in their lives, they think that shall pl●… for them, that shall justify them. So did that Young man in the Gospel, who, when our Saviour had repeated to him the duties of the second Table, Thou shalt do no Murder, Thou shalt not commit Adultery, etc. He presently replieth, All these things have I kept from my youth up, Mat. 19 20. Having yielded an external obedience to what the Law required, he thought this was sufficient for his Justification and Salvation. And so do many others. But alas! herein how far are they deceived? All this may a man do, and yet for all that, be among the chiefest of Sinners. An instance whereof we have in the Text. Paul was (as you have heard) an exact Walker, a strict observer of the Law, blameless in his Life and Conversation; and yet for all that the chief of sinners.  
Which, I beseech you, to take notice of, who build your hopes of Salvation upon the 
A man's own Righteousness a sandy foundation.  sandy foundation of your own Righteousness, your good Doings, your good Meanings; you are not as other men, (as that Pharisee in the Temple said of himself, thanking God for it, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjust, Adulterers, etc. Luke 18. 11.) you are not tainted and polluted with the crying sins of the Times; you are no Drunkards, no Swearers, no Unclean or Unrighteous persons; your Lives are Blameless, and your Conversations Harm●…; and you do (it may be) some, and many good Duties, as giving of Alms, etc. And therefore you hope it shall go well with you, that God will own, and accept you as righteous. Alas, for all this you may be sinners, and great sinners still: I, and such you are, if you refuse to yield obedience to the command of the Gospel. The Gospel-Commandement is the great Commandment. This is His Commandment, That we should believe on the Name of his Son, jesus Christ, 1 John 3. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The Commandment, that Commandment which Christians ought to have a respect to in the first place. And Obedience to this Command, is the most acceptable obedience. Paul telleth his Romans, that he had received Grace, and Apostleship (i. e. the gift of being an Apostle) for the obedience of the Faith, Rom. 1. 5. that he might be an instrument to bring the Gentiles to yield obedience to the doctrine of Faith, the Gospel. Not to yield obedience hereunto, is the greatest disobedience. This is that which he chargeth upon the jews, that they had not obeyed the Gospel, Rom. 10. 16. Many of them had obeyed the Law, seeking Righteousness by their Conformity thereunto; They followed after the Law of Righteousness, (as he saith of them in the chapter foregoing, ver. 31.) seeking righteousness by their obedience to the Law. But they had not obeyed the Gospel. And this he chargeth upon them as ●…he highest Contempt, the greatest Disobedience; that they, going about to set up, and establish their own Righteousness, did not, would not, submit themselves to the Righteousness of God, (as he tells them, chap. 10. ver. 3.) that is, to seek Justification in God's way; that way which he had laid out for them, viz. by receiving Christ, and Believing on him.  
And is not this the case of some, and I fear too many among us? (Pardon me if I take liberty a little to insist upon this so 
Too many harkening more to Moses, than to Christ.  needful a point.) All their care is to hear what Moses saith unto them, to yield obedidience to the Law; whilst in the mean time they listen not to the Voice of Christ, the Voice of the Gospel; they regard not the obedience of Faith, but trample upon Christ, and the doctrine of Salvation by him; not receiving, not embracing it, not laying hold upon it, not seeking Justification and Salvation by it. Now as for all such, let them know that it is not all their legal Righteousness, that shall be able to justify them before God. Before men it may, (in which sense St. james tells us of a justification by works, Jam. 2.) but before God it cannot, it shall not. Having no other Righteousness but this, they shall still stand as Sinners before him; yea, as great sinners. In this rank (continuing in this their Infidelity) they will be found at that great Day. The wicked servant in ●…e Gospel, is said to have his portion appointed him with unbelievers, Luke 12. 46. intimating such to be the chief of Sinners. Such they will be found at that great day. No sin will then be more deeply censured than this. Then will it be as easy, nay, more easy, for Pagans and Painims, who never heard of Christ, than for unbelieving Christians, who reject Christ, and trample this precious pearl of the Gospel under their feet. Here is the first sort whom I would have to take notice of this Doctrine; mere Civil persons.  
2. And to these, join we such vainglorious 
2. Vainglorious Hypocrites.  Hypocrites, as make a show of Religion, being zealous for the outside, the Ceremonial part of it, (as Paul was of the Traditions of his Fathers.) None more observant of external Formalities than they. In the worship 
Ind colligere promptum est, quid valeant coram Deo omnes hypocritarum pomp●…, dum contumaciter Christo resistunt. Calvin. Com. in Text.  and service of God, Who seemingly more Devout than they? yet in the mean time, they are no true friends to Jesus Christ, having no inward acquaintance with him.  
3. But what shall we then say to those 
3. Enemies to Christ, persecuting Him, and His.  that are Enemies to him? not only not receiving him into their Hearts, but opposing him; yea, and according to their power Persecuting him, and his. This was Paul's case (as you have heard whilst he was Zealous for the Ceremonies of the Law, he was an embittered enemy against Christ, a Blasphemer, a Persecuter, speaking evil of the Way of Christ, and persecuting all that he found of that Way. And for this, he here censures, and condemns himself to be the chief of Sinners. Who ever they are, that in any degree stand guilty in the like kind, let them take it home to themselves; so as, being convinced of the greatness of this their sin, they may come to judge themselves for it (as he did), and so by judging and condemning of themselves, they may prevent the Lords Judgement; and obtain Mercy, as he also did.  
Thus you see, whereupon it was the Apostle passeth this Censure upon himself, confessing and acknowledging, that he was the chief of sinners.  
Why, but it may be alleged, that, what 
Q. Paul sinned ignorantly  Paul herein did, he did it ignorantly. So much he himself asserts in the verse next but one before the Text, vers. 13. I was so and so, But (saith he) I did it ignorantly; not intending any evil, nor suspecting that what he did was evil; only he was carried on with a blind inconsiderate zeal, thinking that he did God good service in that which he did. So he tells Agrippa, Acts 26. 9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of jesus of Nazareth. And might not this have pleaded an excuse for him?  
A. Not so: Ignorance, however in some 
A. Ignorance though it may extenuate the sin, yet it doth not acquit the sinner.  cases it may extenuate the sin, yet can it not acquit the sinner. Especially, where it is (as it is called) Ignorantia vincibilis, a vincible ignorance; when a man hath means whereby he may come to the knowledge of the Truth. Such was Paul's ignorance, he might have known that jesus Christ was the true Messiah. This he might have learned from the Prophets and Apostles, as also from those works which did sufficiently testify of him, the Miracles which were wrought by him, and by his Apostles, for the confirming of that Doctrine which was by him Preached: So as his ignorance of this Truth was in itself culpable and inexcusable; and consequently, could not excuse this sin of his, in opposing the Truth of God, in Persecuting Christ in his Members, as he did. Notwithstanding this, yet was he in so doing a sinner, a great sinner, the chief of sinners.  
Which let it be taken notice of, by such who are ready under such a pretence, to palliate and excuse the like sins in themselves. 
Applic. Sin not to be palliated under pretence of Ignorance.  What they did, they did it ignorantly, or they did it out of a good intention, though rashly and unadvisedly, etc. And therefore they think this shall excuse them before God and men. Not so. Before men, haply it may, but not so before God. For all this, they are sinners still. Ignorance may excuse à tanto, but not à toto; in part, but not in whole. Sins of ignorance, are sins still. The Apostle tells us, how the high Priest under the Law, offered Sacrifices for the errors of the people, Heb. 9 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, super ignorantiis, (as Eras●…us, and the vulgar Latin render it) for their ignorances', their sense of Ignorance. And therefore let not any think that this plea will hold good at the bar of God's Justice, if they shall come to be tried there. True it is, it may make them more capable of Pardon, upon their suing it out, (as Paul there saith of himself, that he obtained Mercy, because he did what he did, Ignorantly, v. 13.): but it cannot acquit, and discharge them of the Sin. Paul was still a Sinner; I, in his own apprehension, the chief of Sinners.  
But the Knot is not yet untied, the point 
Q. Were there not others as great, or greater Sinners than Paul  not fully cleared. Paul was a sinner, a great sinner, let that be granted; yet how was he the chief of sinners? Were there not others as great, if not greater than he? What, had there not been many that had been guilty in the very same kind before him? having as great a hand in opposing and persecuting of Christ, as ever he had? What say we to Herod, who sought to murder Christ in his Cradle, upon which account (to make sure of him) he caused all the children in Bethleem, and the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, to be slain, Mat. 2. 16? And so to those others, (probably his Instruments) who are there said to have sought the young child's life, vers. 20. And what say we to the chief Priests and Scribes, of whom we read, that they sought how they might kill him, Luk. 22. 2? And what to judas, who (as it there followeth) communed and bargained with them for a sum of money, to betray that his Lord and Master into their hands; which being engaged in, he sought opportunity to do, v. 4. 6. and afterwards did it? And what say we to Herod and Pilate, who had a hand in condemning him? And what to the jews, who used him so inhumanely and barbarously as they did, putting a Crown of Thorns upon his head, reviling and spitting upon him, buffeting him, and afterwards Crucifying him? which, however some of them did it ignorantly, (as our Saviour, making the most charitable construction of it, saith of them, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do, Luk. 23. 34.) yet, can it not be so thought of all: Some of them doing what they did out of implacable malice. And what, were not these as great, nay greater sinners than Paul was? who did what he did ignorantly. How is it then, that he here chargeth himself so deeply, that he was the chief of sinners?  
To this, I find divers Answers returned. 
Ans. 1. Paul's sin more general than theirs.  Some (in the first place) look upon Paul's sin as more general, rea●…hing further than theirs did. judas his sin in betraying, and theirs in Condemning and Crucifying of Christ, it was more particular, extending only to his Person; but Paul's, reaching to 
Videtu●… quod Judas fuit major. Sed quidam dicunt, quod peccatum Pauli generalius fuit, quia contra totam Ecclesiam. Aquin. in Text.  the whole Church. Others (in the second place) conceive that Paul might be more zealous, more active and stirring, more fierce than any of them. Besides (thirdly) he had more light, at least, greater means of knowledge than the most of them. But (as Aquinas notes upon it) all these will not resolve 
Sed hoc nihil est, quia Paulus in Incredul●…tate, & multi Judaei persequebuntur ex Malitia. Ibid.  the doubt, in as much as Paul's sin was still a sin of ignorance, but some of theirs of malice.  
Aquinas himself therefore (in the Second 
A. 2. Paul the chief of Saved sinners.  place) he would evade it thus. Paul here calleth himself the chief of Sinners; that is, (saith he) not of All sinners, but of Saved sinners. Of such it is that he here speaketh. 
Maximu●… inter peccatores salvatos. Ibid.  Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom (of which saved sinners) I am chief. As for judas, and Herod, and Pilate, and other of the malicious jews, they had not found the like Mercy that he had done. They were sinners, but damned sinners, not saved by Christ. Now of all such (saith he) Paul here reckons himself the chief. But neither can this be looked upon as satisfactory; in as much it layeth too great a restraint upon the words of the Text, which must be understood indefinitely, of all sinners. Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners; tendering, and offering Salvation unto all. 
A. 3. Paul the chief of sinners in his own apprehension.  And of all these sinners Paul here acknowledgeth himself to be the chief.  
More genuinely then (in the Third place) Paul was the greatest of sinners in his own apprehension: Being best acquainted with his own sins, and most sensible of them: Peccata mea certius scio, & gravius pondero (saith Carthusian well), He did more certainly know, and more sensibly feel his own sins, than the sins of others.  
1. More certainly know them. As for the 
1. Being best acquainted with him●…elf.  sins of others, he looked upon them at a distance, a far off, knowing them only by Hear-say; In the mean time, not knowing all the circumstances accompanying them, which might either aggravate, or extenuate them. But for his own sins, these he was well acquainted with, his eyes being fully opened, and having a great measure of Light, which breaking forth into his Soul, he had now a full discovery of them, so as he was powerfully, and thoroughly convinced of them: hereby he was made throrowly acquainted, as with the Streams, so with the Fountain; as with the several Acts of sin which he had perpetrated, and committed, so with the fountain of corruption from whence they Issued: And both these he took notice of in himself, which he could not do in others. As for the outward acts of sin in others, these he might either see, or hear of; but as for the fountain of Corruption, that mass and body of sin in them, that he could not be privy to. Thus was he better acquainted with himself, than with others; and with his own sins, than theirs: having a more clear, and full sight of the one, than of the other. So he had, whilst (as I said) he beheld the one near hand, the other afar off. Now things which we behold near hand, we behold them in their full proportion, whereas things seen at a distance▪ seem much less than they are. As a Hawk flying a high pitch, her shape is lessened, being seemingly far less than when she was upon the Fist, or Perch. Whereas the Moon, though one of the least of Stars, yet seemeth far to exceed them in Magnitude, because not so remote, but nearer to the Earth than they. So was it with Paul's sins; they were nearer to his eye, than the sins of others, and therefore seemed greater to him, than the sins of any other.  
Besides, they were set off (as I may say) 
The greatness of Paul's sins set off by the greatness of God's Mercy shown to him.  by the greatness of that Grace and Mercy which he had tasted of. Contraries, they do mutually illustrate each other, as that common Maxim tells us, Contraria juxtà ●…e posita magis elucescunt. White and Black being set together, make each other appear the more. And surely Paul having obtained Mercy, tasted of those exceeding riches of Grace, which God had shown to him in his kindness towards him in Christ jesus, in the Pardoning and Forgiving of his sins, & receiving him into so great Favour; this made his sins to appear unto him so much the more sinful. Even as it is with a Traitor having plotted Treason against his Prince, against his Person or Government, and being Convicted of it▪ and condemned for it, if his Prince out of his special Grace shall please, not only to pardon his Crime, but to receive him into Grace and Favour, admitting him to some place of trust and nearness about his Person: certainly, if there be any ingenuity in such a person, this cannot but make him see the foulness of his Error, and make the Treason seem more horrid unto him, than ever the Rigour of the Law, if Executed upon him, would have done. Thus was it with this our Apostle. Paul had taken up Arms against Christ, and against his Church, showing himself a Rebel, an enemy to his Person and Government, exercising all the Acts of Hostility that he could upon his Subjects, and that for his cause, whom he thus Maligned, that he would even have pulled Him out of his Throne, if his power would have reached unto it. Now, this sin Christ pardoneth unto him, giving him his Pardon under Seal, assuring him of it. And not only so, but he receiveth him, into special Grace and Favour with himself, entertaining him as a Servant, a Servant by Office, admits him to a place of near attendance, preferring him to the highest Office in his Court, to be an Apostle, a chief Apostle, conferring many great and signal Favours upon him: No wonder then, that he having now a true spirit of Ingenuity in him, (such is the Spirit of God) should look upon his former course as most vile, most sinful, and that he should thus deeply charge himself to be the chief of sinners. The Story tells us of Peter, how, when at his Master's Command, after so long labour in vain, having (as he saith) toiled all the night and taken nothing; he had again cast in his Net, and thereupon, haled such a wonderful draught of Fishes; hereupon beholding the Power of Christ, who hereby showed that he had all the Fishes of the Sea at his command; When he saw it, he fell down at his knees, (saith the Text) saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord, Luk. 5. 8. Peter was a sinful man before, and he knew himself so to be. But now, beholding the Power and Sovereignty of his Lord and Master, thus wonderfully manifested, this makes him reflect the more upon himself; and so wrought in him, a greater, a deeper apprehension of his own vileness, his own sinfulness. And thus was it with this our Apostle St. Paul. Having had greater experience, as of the Power, so of the Grace and Mercy of Christ, than others, in pulling him as a firebrand out of the flames, in working so great a change in him, this maketh him to reflect the more strongly upon his former course, and breeds in him a deeper apprehension of the heinous and horrid nature of his former Practices, causing him to charge himself so home as here he doth, to accuse and condemn himself as the chief of sinners. Thus, he saw his own sinfulness, more than the sinfulness of others, being better acquainted with his own sins, then with the sins of others. 
2. Paul felt his own sins.   
2. And again, as he saw them, so he felt them. As for the sins of others, he might see them, or hear of them, but he could not feel them. His own he both saw and felt. Seeing the foul and horrid nature of them, he also felt the weight and burden of them, which he did not of others. And this again, made him think his sins greater than the sins of any other. Cuique gravissimum suum onus, (saith Aretius upon it). Every one thinks his own burden heaviest, which he carries upon his own shoulders; his own Affliction, the soarest and greatest. Behold, and see, if there be any sorrow like my sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath Afflicted me, (saith the Church) Lam. 1. 12. A man that is pained in the head, or teeth, or eyes, (as 
Sicuti qui gravi dentium, capitis, vel oculorum dolore laborat, dicit nullum dolorem hoc esse majorem, s●…d suum c●…nnium esse maximum, quia scit: suum sentit per experientiam, aliorum vero dolores tantum consider●… per speculationem. C. A. Lap. in Text.  à Lapide illustrates it) he is ready to say, and think, that there is no pain like his pain. And he giveth this reason for it, Because he knoweth his own pain by sense and experience, and others, only by speculation and report. He heareth of the one, but he feeleth the other; and so he is most sensible of his own. Even thus was it with the blessed Apostle here. He had without question, heard of the sins of others, and he saw them to be great sins; I, but he feeleth his own. He had felt the burden of his former sins, and he still felt the weight of that body of sin, which he yet carried about with him. And this it was that made him thus to think, and thus to speak of himself, as the greatest, the chiefest of sinners.  
Behold here then, the true disposition of 
Obs. General Observation.  a gracious Soul, a Character of a truly penitent sinner, He is frequent in remembering, forward in acknowledging, and se●…ere in censuring of his own sins. All these we see in this chosen Vessel, this blessed Apostle here in the Text, who having occasion to make mention of sinners, he presently reflects upon himself, calling to remembrance his own sins; and remembering them, he acknowledgeth them; and acknowledging them, he censures them and himself for them, and that most severely; confessing and professing himself to be not only one of that number, a sinner, but one of the chief of them, a great sinner, nay the greatest, the chief of sinners. And the like disposition shall we find in every truly gracious Soul, every true penitent sinner. Having tasted of the Grace of God in the pardon of his sins, and in changing and renewing of him, he is ever after a frequent Remembrancer, an ingenuous Confessor, a severe Censurer of his own Sins. An Observation, which (as you see), is Tripartite, made up of three distinct Branches; every of 
Divided into 3. Branches.  which, will yield us some fruit worth the gathering. That I may not grasp too much at once, I shall single them forth one by one, insisting upon each severally, and that, both by way of Doctrine and Application. Begin with the first. 
1. Branch The penitent sinner, a frequent Remembrancer of his own sins   
A gracious Soul, is a frequent Remembrancer to its self, frequent in reflecting upon its own sinful ways and courses. It is the speech of the Church, Isa. 59 12. Our Transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them. And the like may be said of every truly penitent sinner; his Transgressions are with him, and as for his Iniquities, he knows them. Taking special notice of them, he is frequent in remembering of them. So was it with the man after God's own heart, holy David, whom we shall find frequently striking upon this string. His sins were ever and anon in his eye, so as he took notice both of the number and nature, the multitude and magnitude of them. Thence are those passionate complaints of his which we meet with, that his Iniquities were gone over his head, Psal. 38. 4. That they were more than the hairs of his head, Psal. 40. 12. Thus did he keep a remembrance of them, even of such sins as were long before committed. So he did of the sins of his youth, which we find him deprecating, earnestly begging of God, that he would not remember them, Remember not the sins of my youth, Psal. 25. 7. thereby showing, that he himself had not forgotten them, he remembered them. So he did some sins in special, as viz. that foul sin of his in the matter of Uriah; that sin was never out of his sight. My sin (saith he, speaking of that sin) is ever before me, Psal. 51. 3. It was ever in his eye and thought.  
ay, but it may be said: David at this time 
Obj. Not only in time of distress.  was in great trouble of mind for that sin. And no wonder then, that he should remember that which he could not forget; that sin of his, lying so heavy upon his Conscience. And as for his condition at that time, when he complained so of his sins, that they were gone over his head, he was then under a great distress, under some soar Affliction, the Arrows of the Almighty stuck fast in him, and his Hand pressed him soar, (as he complains, Psal. 38. 2.) And so was it with the Church in the place forecited; she was at that time in great calamity and distress, lying under the Judgements of God for her sins, (as she there sets it forth in the verses foregoing, Isa. 59 9, 10, 11.) Now, no wonder that their sins should be brought to their remembrance at such a time. Joseph's brethren having been for three days in ward, than they remembered the evil that they had done to their brother, Gen. 42. 21. And no wonder if the Church, lying under so great Calamity; and David in so great distress, such affliction of Body and Spirit; should remember and call to mind their sins. What great matter is this? Who would not do it at such a time? In their Affliction, they will seek me early, (saith the Lord of Rebellious Ephraim and judah, the people of Israel) Host 5. verse last.  
To go further then; God's Saints have 
A. But in the most quiet condition.  been frequent in remembering their sins, not only whilst God hath set them before them, and made them to possess them, (as job speaketh of himself, job 13. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth, that is, Thou bringest them to my remembrance, by dealing so severely with me. Not only at such times, when their iniquities have took hold of them, so as they have not been able to look up under them, (as David there saith of himself, Psal. 40. 12.) But when all things have gone well with them, after such time as they have sued out the pardon of their sins, have been assured of their Reconciliation with God, and so have enjoyed a quiet and comfortable condition in all respects: Yet, even then, they have been much in reflecting upon their sins, in calling them to mind upon all occasions. For an instance hereof, we shall need no other than this our Apostle. Paul, upon his Conversion, he had all his sins pardoned, and that Pardon sealed up in his Soul, so as he was fully assured, that all the wrong that he had done unto Christ and to his Church, it was now forgotten in Heaven, and should never be charged upon him. His Cognizance hereof, he expresseth in the verse next but one before the Text, Vers. 13. I was so and so, (saith he) but I obtained mercy, (which he repeats again in the Verse after the Text, Vers. 16.) that is, to have these, and all other my sins pardoned and forgiven to me. This was Paul now assured of, that God had blotted out all these sins of his, out of the Book of his Remembrance, so as they should never be charged upon him. Yet for all this, he himself cannot forget them. Upon all occasions he reflects upon them, and taketh occasion to speak of them. So we may see it in those obvious Texts, Act. 22. 4. chap. 26. 10. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 9 Gal. 1. 13. Ephes. 3. 8. and so here again in this Chapter, as in the 13. verse, so again in this Text, where the mentioning of sinners, causeth him to reflect upon himself, to remember and consider, what a one he was before his Conversion. And thus fareth it with truly penitent sinners, how ever God upon their Repentance, blots their sins out of his own Book, and casts them behind His back, remembering them no more (as he promiseth, Isa. 43. 25.) yet doth he not blot them out of their book, the book of their Remembrance, nor cause them to cast them behind their backs. Still They remember them, and cannot forget them.  
True, (you may say) where the sins have 
Obj. Not only such as have been scandalous sinners.  been foul, gross, and scandalous sins, heinous and horrid sins; no wonder now if they stick by a man, and be often brought to his remembrance. Such were David's sins in the matter of Uriah, Adultery and Murder. And such were Paul's sins in blaspheming of Christ and persecuting his Saints, crying-Sins. No wonder if such sins as these did stick by them, & were ever before them. But this is not the case of all. Some and many there are, who do not stand guilty of any such sins, their lives have been more innocent and blameless, they have been kept from such foul & gross evils. What? are they also to have such a frequent remembrance of their sins?  
Surely, Yes. There being (in the Ist. place) 
A. Few but have fallen into some such sins.  few or none but at some time or other, have fallen into some such fins, as they have cause in a special manner, to remember all their days. However, (2dly) they have a body of sin in them, which they carry about with 
All have a body of sin in them.  them, a mass of corruption, strongly inclining them to evil, which is continually ready to break forth, if it were not by a supernatural power restrained. Besides, (3dly) they have many secret inordinate lusts, which, 
Many inordinate lusts working inwardly  though they do not break forth into the outward act, yet oft times they have inward workings in the Soul. Now these require a frequent reflecting upon, to be often had in remembrance. So they have been by the Saints of God. john the Baptist, was an holy man, sanctified in his Infancy, as the Angel tells his Father Zacharias of him, Luk. 1. 15. He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb; Sanctified (as jeremy is said to have been, jer. 1. 5.) before he came forth of the womb. A Saint from his birth. And such, questionless, he was in his life, holy and blameless, free from grosser evils, yet was not he unmindful of the corruption of his nature, and the errors of his life. So much may be collected from that speech of his, to our Saviour, who tendering himself to his Baptism, john tells him, I have need to be baptised of thee, Mat. 3. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ego necesse habeo, (as Beza translates it), it is not only expedient, but necessary for me, that I should be baptised of thee. And why so? why, that by Him he might be washen from all fins, Original and Actual, which he had then in remembrance.  
But I shall not need to seek for any other 
All these Paul remembered.  instance than this in the Text. This blessed Apostle, he was much exercised and taken up, not only with the Remembrance of these grosser Sins committed before his Conversion, but even with the Sight and Sense of his present Corruption, and daily Failings. So much we may learn from his own mouth: as elsewhere, so especially in that Seventh of the Romans; where (not personating any other, but speaking of himself) we find him passionately bewailing, and bemoaning his condition; not in regard of the Evils of his former course, but of his daily Infirmities, his sinful Omissions and Commissions, ver. 15. What I would, that I do not; but what I hate, that I do: ver. 19 The good that I would, that I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. And so out of the strength of Corruption working in him, and sometimes prevailing against him. I find (saith he) a Law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me, ver. 21. I see a Law in my Members, rebelling against the Law of my Mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of Sin, which is in my Members. Thus was this precious Saint much taken up, not only with reflecting upon his former sins before Conversion, but with considering his present condition. In the sense and apprehension whereof, he therebreaks forth into that passionate complaint, Ver. 24. O wretched man that I am, Who shall deliver me from the body of this Death? And so here in the Text, jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners, of whom I am chief. Not only was, but am, a Sinner, a great sinner still. Thus were his sins ever before him; sins before Conversion, and sins after Conversion. And so is it in measure with every Gracious soul, being truly Penitent for sin; it cannot forget it, it is frequent in the Remembrance of it.  
And it cannot be otherwise, the Eyes of 
Reas. 1. The Penitent sinner hath his Eyes opened.  such a one being (in the First place) throughly opened. The man whose eyes are open (saith Balaam of himself) Numb. 24. 3. Meaning either his Bodily eyes, which being closed whilst he was in a Trance, were now opened; or rather the eyes of his Mind, which were now opened, to behold, and foresee those future events, which before were hid from him, and others. It may be applied to every true Convert; Every such a one is a man whose eyes were shut, but now they are open: the eyes of his Understanding being opened, to see the true Nature of Sin, and to see it in himself; to see the sinfulness of his Nature, and of his Life.  
2. And his Understanding being thus Enlightened, 
2. His Conscience awakened.  his Conscience is withal Awakened, so as That doth the Office, for which it was placed in the Soul, being as a faithful Register, recording and remembering the several Acts of sin.  
3. And again, (Thirdly) the True Penitent 
3. His Heart pricked.  sinner hath been pricked at his heart: As is said of those new Converts, Acts 2. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, They were pricked in their Hearts; deeply affected with the Sense of those Sins, whereof they were by Peter's Sermon convinced. And so in measure are all true Penitent Sinners. Being convinced of their Sins, they are in like manner affected with grief and sorrow of Heart for them. Now that which goeth near a man's Heart, maketh a deep and firm impression upon the Memory, so as it cannot easily be forgotten.  
These, and many other Reasons might be given, Why a Regenerate person should be so mindful of his own sins: and that more than the sins of others. The sins of others, however they both may, and aught to affect a Christian, upon the seeing, or hearing of them; yet they come not so near the Heart, they make not so deep an Impression upon the Soul, as a man's own Sins do.  
Thus have I done with the Doctrinal part of this first Branch: Which now, bring we home to ourselves, by way of Application. Let that be directed only two Ways;  

By way of Conviction,  
By way of Exhortation▪   
1st. By way of Conviction. Is this the Disposition 
Use 1. By way of Conviction, divers discovered to be no true Penitents.  of a truly Gracious Soul, a true Penitent sinner? How many than are there, who may from hence be convinced, that they are none of this number, being such, as seldom, or never, reflect upon their own sinfulness; or, if they do, they do it not in a right way and manner. Of these, I shall reckon up four or five several sorts.  
1. Some there are, and many, whose Consciences 
1. Such whose Consciences were never awakened  were never yet awakened, their eyes were never yet opened to see their own sinfulness, the sinfulness of their natures, and errors of their lives. Such a dead sleep hath seized upon them, that nothing will awaken them. Notwithstanding that their sins, being (it may be) crying sins, cry loud in their ears; yet they hear them not. Notwithstanding that the judgements of God against those sins, and against them for them, have been by his Ministers thundered out in their ears, enough to shake and rend the most rocky heart; yet they stir not them. Notwithstanding, that their sins have taken hold upon them, and broke forth upon them in many terrible and remarkable Judgements, pointing out their sins unto them; yet they affect them not. Still they go on in their way, being stupid and senseless, never brought to consider the state and condition they are in; never brought to fix a serious thought upon any of their sins, though never so foul, never so open and scandalous. Others see them, the world cryeth shame on them, yet themselves are not at all touched with the sense of them. Such a dead sleep (as I called it) is fallen upon them. And well may it so be called. When a man cannot be awakened by hallowing in his ears, by pricking, and pinching, and smiting of him, we conclude he is in a desperate Lethargy, a dead sleep. And is not this the case of many stupid Souls among us? Word, threatenings, judgements; Word Pronounced, threatenings Denounced, Judgements Executed; yet all stir not them. Still they lie in sin, go on in sin without sense, without remorse, never reflecting upon themselves, upon their hearts or lives, to consider the evil of them. This is that which the Lord complaineth of in the people of Jerusalem, Jer. 8. 6. I harkened and heard, but they spoke not aright, no man repent him of his wickedness, Saying, What have I done? Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the Battle. Such was their general security and stupidity! none of them had any remorse, or touch at all in their Consciences for any of their sins, so far forth, as but to think once seriously with themselves, What it was that they had done; But like a fierce headstrong horse, which hearing the sound of the Trumpet, and seeing or smelling the Battle a far off, doth with much violence, notwithstanding what his Rider can do to hold him in, in a full Carier make towards it, and rusheth into the midst of it. Such was the eagerness of that people to the pursuit of their sinful ways and courses. And so is it with too many every where: Whatever can be said or done to them, yet still they will hold on their course, nothing can bring them to a serious consideration of the evil thereof. So far are they from that tenderness of Conscience, which was in this our blessed Apostle, and is to be found in measure in every regenerate person, (who having tender hearts (as josiah is said to have, 2 Chron. 34. 27.) the least hint is enough to bring their sins to remembrance) that nothing will stir, nothing will awaken them. Certainly a fearful state, a desperate condition, a clear evidence, that they are (as the Apostle saith of his Ephesians before their conversion, Ephes 2. 1.) dead in trespasses and sins! 
2. Such as seek to lull their Consciences a●… sleep again.   
2. A Second sort there are, who have been, and it may be are, in measure awakened, but they labour what they can, to lull themselves a sleep again. God hath, it may be, at some time, upon some occasion, begun to bring their sins to their remembrance and to set them before them. Happily, upon the hearing of some powerful Sermon, upon the feeling or fearing of some terrible Judgement, their consciences have begun to be awakened, and thereupon their sins have begun to stare them in the face. They have been in measure convinced of the evil of their former ways, and have felt some horror of conscience for them. But hereupon what do they? why presently do what they can to get their consciences a sleep again; take all the courses they can to charm their sins, to silence and stay the clamour of them, or to stop their ears against them, that so they may never hear more of them. To this end they even study the Art of Oblivion and Forgetfulness.  
1. Shunning, as much as may be, all means 
1. Shunning all means that might awaken them.  that might disquiet their consciences, by bringing their sins to their remembrance. Upon that account declining, as much as they can, a searching, and a Powerful Ministry. A thing, which they can by no means endure. What have I to do with thee, thou man of God? Art thou come to call my sin to remembrance? It is the speech of the Widow of Sarepta, speaking in a passion to the Prophet Eliah, 1 King. 17. 18. So it is: the Prophets of God, his Ministers powerfully dispensing the Word, denouncing the Judgement of God, they bring the sins of wicked men to their remembrance, and therefore they cannot away with them. This it was, that made Ahab to decline Micaiahs' Ministry and to hate his person; because (as he himself giveth the reason of it), he did not prophesy good concerning him, but evil, 1 King. 22. 8. He would not flatter, and smooth him up in his sins, (as the rest of his false Prophets did) but dealt plainly with him, being to him a faithful Remembrancer, to put him in mind of them. And this it was, that made Faelix so weary of hearing Paul's Sermon, Act. 24. 25. Paul preaching to him of Righteousness, and Temperance, and judgement, (a subject which he liked not to hear of, being conscious to himself of his own flagitious and wicked Life) put him into a trembling fit, his Conscience beginning to be awakened; which he could by no means endure. And is not this the case of some, and too many amongst us? Being desirous to lull their Consciences asleep, and to go on in their sinful ways & courses without disquietment, they thereupon balk, and, as much as may be, decline the powerful Ministry of the Word; at least, not enduring that their darling sins should be meddled with. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my Love till he please, (saith the Spouse concerning her Wellbeloved) Cant. 2. 7. And the like charge could some be content to give to the Lords Watchmen, the Ministers of Christ, That they should not stir, or disquiet their Beloved Lusts; which if they do, they cannot bear, they cannot endure it at their hands. Herod could be content to hear john the Baptist, and in many things he heard him gladly, (as it is said of him, Mark 6. 20.) but when he cometh to meddle with his Herodias, telling him (as he did, ver. 18.) That it was not lawful for him to have his brother's Wife; now this must not be endured, john must presently to the Prison, and at Herodias his request have his Head cut off, (as the Story there sets it forth). Such is the Genius of too many every where (I wish there may be none of them found among you), they purposely decline all ways and means, which might bring their sins to their remembrance.  
2. And on the other Hand, they make 
2. Using means to put their sins out of their remembrance.  use of all kind of Opiates; use all the means they can devise, or think of; to put and keep their Sins out of their Remembrance. To that end, either with Cain, falling to building of Cities, Gen. 4. 17. they plunge themselves into all kind of Worldly employments; or with Solomon's fool, running into the house of Mirth, Eccles. 7. 4. betake themselves to merry Jovial company, give themselves up to the following of Vain Sports and Recreations; seeking, by this means, to drive away the Evil spirit of an awakened Conscience, and to drown the noise and clamour of their Sins; even as those Idolaters are said to have done the cries of their Children, which they Sacrificed in the valley of Hinnom, with the noise of Drums, or other Instruments, (from whence it had the name of Topheth, coming from the Hebrew word Toph, which signifieth Tympanum, a Tymbrel, or Drum). Now these are far from Paul's disposition here in the Text, who was willing to take all occasions to put him in mind of his Sins.  
A Third sort there are, who have attained 
3. Such as having been awakened are fallen asleep again.  what the former desired, and endeavoured; having been awakened, they are fallen asleep again. Time was, when their Consciences were Pricked, they were convinced of the Evil of their ways, which had begun to breed some Repenting and Relenting thoughts in them; but now they are (as I said) fallen asleep again, having put away the Remembrance of what they had been for a time somewhat affected with; so as it hath now happened to them, according to the Proverb, (which St. Peter speaketh of, 2 Pet. 2. last) The Dog is turned to his own Vomit, and the Sow that was washen, to the wallowing in the Mire. They are returned to their former Course, so as now they go on again as securely as ever, forgetting the things that are behind. As Paul saith of himself in a clean contrary sense, in his doing of Good, Forgetting those which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press towards the Mark, etc. Phil. 3. 13. Even so is it with them, in acting and committing of Sin, they forget the sins which are Behind, the sins of Youth, and the sins of Riper age, which, it may be, they have been formerly convinced of; and they press forwards to the making up of the full measure of their Iniquities.  
A Fourth sort there are, who do, it may 
4. Such as remember their sins, but seldom, and then against their wills.  be, at sometimes remember their sins, but it is very seldom, and then against their wills. Never but at such times, as when God is pleased to set their Sins before them, making them to possess them, bringing them to their Remembrance, by Writing bitter things against them, inflicting upon them some severe Judgement. Now, it may be, they cast some glances upon their Sins, looking upon them as the fuel that have kindled this Fire. Even as that Widow of Sarepta did in the Text even now cited, 1 Kings 17. 18. Her son being Sick, and the Prophet coming to her, now she remembreth her Sin, which she apprehended might have brought that threatened Judgement upon her and hers: Art thou come unto me (saith she) to▪ call my Sin to Remembrance? But no sooner is the storm over, but they cast their sins behind their backs again, remembering them no more; in times of Prosperity, never so much as thinking of them. In this, like some bad Debtors, who never think of what they Owe, but when they are under Arrest, or at least see the Sergeant.  
To these, yet add another sort, worse 
5. Such as remember them but are not humbled for them.  than all the former. They, it may be, do look back, and call their former sins to their remembrance; but how? not remembering them as they ought to do; not looking upon them as Sins, to repent of them, and to be humbled for them, to shame and condemn themselves for them; but only (it may be) as tricks of youth, (as they call them) and so making light of them. Nay, it may be, remembering of them to Boast of them, to Glory in them, (as those Idolaters are said to do of their Idols, Psal. 97. 7.) or pleasing, and tickling themselves (as it were) with the thought and remembrance of those sins, which now they want opportunity, or ability, to act over again. Of all the rest, these are the worst.  
Now to speak a word or two to all of these, 
A word to awaken secure sinners.  in special to those secure sinners, such as go on in a course of Sin, never reflecting upon themselves, and such as are so far from this frequent Remembrance, that they (as I said) study the Art of forgetfulness, accounting it their happiness to forget their Sins; and consequently cannot endure to be put in mind of them: Let all such but seriously consider these two things, which will serve to convince them of the folly and madness of this their Course.  
1. That all their sins are Registered, and 
1. Their sins are registered in two Books.  put upon Record. So they are, and that both in Heaven, and upon Earth. In Heaven in God's Book, the book of his Remembrance. Upon Earth, in their own Book, the book of Conscience. In both these Books, are their sins entered and recorded: And that so as, whilst they hold on this course, they cannot be Blotted out, they cannot be Forgotten.  
1. In God's Book: As David saith of the 
1. In God's book, the book of his Remembrance.  members of his Natural body, In thy Book are all my members written, Psal. 139. 16. so may a Wicked man say of his sins, The members of that body of Sin in him, they are all written in God's Book, the book of his Remembrance. There are the Names of all God's Saints entered, as the Prophet Malachy tell us, Mal. 3. 16. A book of Remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name. And there are the Names of all wicked & ungodly men entered: And, as their Names, so their Sins. Every particular Act, with every particular Circumstance, being all come up into Remembrance before God. So the Angel tells Cornelius concerning his Good works; his works▪ of Piety and Charity, his Prayers and Alms: Thy Prayers and thine Alms (saith he) are come up for a memorial before God, Acts 10. 4. And so may it be said of the Wicked works of every wicked and ungodly man; his Swearing, his Drunkenness, his Uncleanness, etc. they are all come in Remembrance before God, all Entered into his Book; and that so as they cannot, by any means, be blotted out, (save only by the Blood of Christ, and the Tears of true Repentance) nor yet worn out▪ This being a Record for Eternity. God's Remembrance, is an everlasting Remembrance. In this remembrance are the Righteous; The Righteous shall be had in everlasting Remembrance, Psal. 112. 6. Men may forget them, but so will not God. And in such a remembrance shall all wicked men and their wicked works be; they shall be had in everlasting remembrance. So they shall be with God: however they themselves may forget their own sins, and the world may forget them; yet God, whilst his Justice is not satisfied, He will not, He cannot. What a folly than is it in them, to go about to forget them, so long as God remembers them? Were it so, that they could blot them out of their own Book, the book of their Conscience; yet as long as they stand upon Record in God's Book, what will this avail them? What will it advantage a Debtor to cross his own book, so long as his Debts stand charged in his Creditor's.  
2. But (in the 2d. place) the sins of wicked 
2. In their own book, the book of Conscience.  men, as they are entered in God's Book, so in theirs. As in the book of his Remembrance, so in the book of their Conscience. In this book (I say) they are entered; I, and so entered, as that they cannot blot them out. Blur them they may, but blot them out they cannot. Conscience is a Record for Eternity. What is written there, is written with indelible Characters, such as none but God alone can blot out. Thence it is that David maketh his prayer to God, that he would blot out his Transgressions, Psal. 51. 1. This David himself could not do; as, not out of God's Book, so not out of his own, not out of the book of his Conscience. No, do what he could, still his sin was before him (as he complains, vers. 3.). All that men can do in this case, is but to keep this book shut, (which for a time haply they may); but to blot out what is written in it, this they cannot do. They may do this, for a time, out of their memory; but not out of their Conscience. What is written in the Memory, is written ofttimes in Water; but what is written in Conscience, is written in Marble. Thus are the sins of wicked men, entered and Recorded in these two Books, whereof, the one is a true Counterpane of the other.  
And being thus entered here, these Books 
●…. Both these Books shall be opened.  (in the 2d. place) shall one day be opened. However, for a time, they may be shut and closed up, so as men do not take notice of what is written in them; yet, they shall not ever be so. A time will come, when they shall be both opened.  
1. God's Book shall be opened. However 
1. God's Book.  for a time he may keep silence, seeming to connive at wicked and ungodly men, as if he took no notice of their sins, or had forgotten them; yet, sooner or later, he will open his Book, and make them to read what is written there, setting their sins in order before them. This, the Lord willeth every presumptuous sinner to take notice of, Psal. 50. 21. These things hast thou done, (saith he) and I kept silence; thou thoughtest, I was altogether such a one as thyself, but I will reproove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes, Psal. 50. 21. This will God do, sooner or later. He will open his Book, and, opening it, he will also open the eyes of all wicked and ungodly men, so as they shall not but read what is there written. They shall not then be able any longer, to avoid the looking and thinking of their sins, no more than King Balshazzer could the beholding of the hand writing upon the wall, Dan. 5. 5.  
2. ay, and their own Book shall be opened, 
2. The book of Conscience.  the book of Conscience. That may be shut and sealed up for a time, but it shall be opened sooner or later. Conscience, though a sleep for a time, it shall be awakened. And then it shall do its office, bringing the most secret sins of wicked men, to their remembrance; setting their sins before them, so, as either to drive them to God by Repentance, (as it did David), or to the Devil by Desperation, (as it did Cain and judas). What a bootless thing is it then, for men to study the Art of forgetfulness? to decline the remembrance of their own sins, when as they are so entered into both these Books, which shall one day be thus Opened?  
Q. But when, when? saith the profane 
Q. When these Books shall be opened.  Wretch, when shall this be?  
A. Why, either sooner or later: soon enough, and too soon, to the cost of all secure sinners.  
1. It may be in this life. Haply in time 
1. It may be in this life, in time of Prosperity.  of Health and Prosperity, in the midst of their greatest jollity, when they least think of it. So was it with Belshazzar, when he was carrowzing in the midst of his cups, and lest dreamt of any such matter, than did the handwriting appear to him. And thus God can come unto men, and sometimes doth, in the midst of their outward prosperity, then awakening their Consciences, then representing their sins unto them▪  
2. But if not then, yet in time of Affliction, 
2. In time of Affliction, at the hour of Death.  in time of Sickness, at the hour of Death, when the Judgements of God have seized upon them, and Death, his Sergeant, hath laid hold upon them, they being then under Arrest, ready to be carried to the Prison of Hell, to be brought before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ, there to give an account of what they have done in the flesh; then doth God often open the Book of Conscience, and make men to see those Sins, which before they had shut their eyes against, setting them before them in the most hideous shapes, calling to remembrance all those sins, which they so long time had studied to forget.  
3. But if not so, if the Book of Conscience 
3. At the day of Judgement.  be not opened in this life, but men carry it closed and sealed out of the world with them, (as ofttimes it falleth out), yet both that and the other Book, God's Book, shall certainly be opened hereafter; viz. at the Day of judgement. At the day of Particular, more fully at the day of the General judgement. Then shall these Books be opened. This St. john tells us he saw in a Vision, Rev. 20. 12. I saw (saith he) the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the Books were opened. And what books were these? why, even both these Books which I have spoken of, God's Book, and Man's Book; the Book of God's Remembrance, and man's Conscience: Both shall be opened at that great Day. And then shall all the sins, that wicked and ungodly men have done, be brought to their remembrance. Those sins, which here they cast behind their backs, shall then be set before their faces. Those sins, which here they study to forget, they shall then remember them. Those sins, which here they turned away their eyes from, they shall then behold them, yea, and that with open face. That which the Apostle saith of true Believers, and of that clear Vision, which they shall one day have, of Divine and Heavenly Mysteries, viz. at the last and great day, 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; with open face, beholding things as they are, it may be said of all wicked and ungodly men, and of their sins. Now they behold them through a glass, and that a false glass, and they see them darkly; Conniventibus oculis, winking at them, not willing to behold them in their true colours as they are, to have a true sight and sense of them. But they shall, at that day, that day of Wrath, and Revelation of the Righteous judgement of God (as the Apostle calleth it, Rom. 2. 5.) thus behold them with open face, having a full sight of them. Then shall all their sins be set before them, and so set before them, as that they shall for ever stare in their faces, being unto them, a matter of horror and terror to all Eternity. O consider this, all you who are now so loath to look upon your sins, to look upon them as truly penitent sinners do, but account it your happiness to forget them Be you convinced of the greatness of your folly herein, and withal of the wretchedness of your state and condition, being hereby sufficiently discovered. This, by way of Conviction.  
In the 2d. place, by way of Exhortation, 
Use 2. Exhortation, exciting to the remembrance of Sinne.  let all be excited herein, to propound this our Apostle, as a Pattern for their Imitation; remembering their own sins, as he did hi●…. Which, (that it may take place the better) let it be directed to two sorts of persons; Such as never yet knew, what it was to remember their sins aright; and such as have remembered 
Directed to two sorts of Persons.  them, and repent of them. Begin with the former.  
1. Secure and impenitent sinners, such, whose Consciences were never yet throughly 
1. Secure Sinners.  awakened, let them be excited to reflect upon themselves▪ upon their former sinful ways and courses, to call their sins to remembrance. Which I beseech you lend an ear unto, all you who are of this number; of which, I fear there are too many every where.  
To excite you whereunto, do but consider 
Motive 1. This is the only way to have sins forgotten.  that this is the next, nay, the only way, to have your sins forgotten. For you to remember them, is the only way to have God to forget them. If you forget them, he doth, and will remember them. If you remember them, he will forget them.  
Only, see that you remember them in a 
Caution 1 See that it be a right remembrance.  right way, seriously, with sorrow and shame. This is the right remembrance of sin, when men remember their sinful ways, and are ashamed of them. This is that which the Lord saith, his people, the people of the Jews should do, Ezek. 16. 6. when he should make good his Covenant to them, and establish it with them, viz. upon their Conversion, Then (saith he) thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, Vers. 61. Remember, and be confounded (as t●…e last verse there hath it). Thus doth the tr●…y penitent sinner remember his sins, he remembers them, and is ashamed of them, self-confounded for them, loathing, and abhorring them, and himself for them. So the Lord saith, that his people Israel should do, when he should bring them again into their own Land, restoring them from their Captivity, Then (saith he) ye shall remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled, and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for all the evils which ye have committed, cap. 20. of that Prophecy, vers. 43. Repeated again, cap. 36. vers. 31. And thus, see that you remember your sins. Looking back upon them, not as Lot's Wife did upon her Sodom, which she may be conceived to have left against her will, sorrowing, that she and it were parted, and that she might not return to it again; for which cause she was turned into a Pillar of Salt, made a Monument to all posterity, (as the Story tells us) Gen. 19 26. Thus do aged sinners, sometimes look back upon their sins, their sins of youth, which they have left, (or rather, which have left them) not being ashamed of them, or sorrowing for them, but pleasing themselves in the remembrance of them, sorrowing rather that they have been forced to part with them. Thus do they remember their sins, as they do their friends being dead, mourning over their Graves, lamenting their death, sorry that they could live no longer with them. Now, as for such a Remembrance, far be it from every of you. Would you have God to forget your sins, see that you remember them with sorrow and shame; loathing and abhorring them, and yourselves for them. So look upon them, as a sick Patient doth upon his Vomit, which his stomach being disburdened of, the very sight or smell of it, is loathsome to him. Remembering them, be ashamed of them, and confounded in yourselves for them.  
Taking notice (which let it serve for a 
Motive 2. The only way to prevent everlasting Confusion.  second Motive), that this is the only way to prevent everlasting Confusion at the last and great Day. Those that will not remember their sins here, shall remember them there; those that will not remember them with shame here, shall behold them with shame there; those that will not be confounded for them here, shall be confounded for them at that day, They shall then be ashamed, and also confounded all of them; they shall go to confusion, (as the Prophet saith of the makers of Idols, Isa. 45. 16.) O then! Be awakened, and stir up yourselves to such a serious remembrance of your sins.  
And this do you speedily. Not deferring 
Caution 2 This to be done speedily.  the remembering of them, as too many do; who, as long as health and strength are continued to them, they go on securely, not willing to trouble themselves with the thought of their sins. No, when the evil day cometh, than it will be soon enough to do this; In time of sickness, at the hour of death, this is the time which they have designed to this work. A time of all other, most improper for it. So, many a one hath found it, and so let them make account to do, who ever they are, who shall put off the remembrance of their sins till then. Haply, at that time (1st.) thou mayest want power to do this, not having the use of memory. Or (2dly.) having power, thou mayest want a will; though thou hast a head, thou mayest want a heart: God often (yea, for the most part) denying his Grace at that time, to those that have slighted the former offers of it But (3dly.) though thou hast both power and will, yet, how sad and terrible will the remembrance of thy sins be then unto thee, when thou shalt come to look death in the face, and be under the Arrest of that grim Sergeant, thy body, ready to be carried to the prison of the Grave, and thy Soul (without infinite Mercy) to the prison of Hell; there to make satisfaction for those sins which thou hast committed, but not repent of? O sad remembrance of sin! when, being thus arrested, and called to give up thy account, thou shalt remember thy sins, but canst not remember thy repentance; canst remember thy Debts, but cannot show thy Acquittance; shalt remember how thou hast provoked God by a continual course of sin, and so made thy self justly obnoxious to his everlasting Wrath and Vengeance, but canst not remember that ever thou suedst out thy pardon; this will be a sad Remembrance. To prevent the horror and terror hereof then, Remember your sins now. Now, whilst health and strength last, now whilst you have time for the suing out your Pardon, Now remember them.  
Which, that you may do, (for Direction 
Direct. 1. Beg it of God, that he would bring our sins to our remembrance.  briefly) Beg it of God, that he would open your eyes, that he would in a kindly way, set your sins in order before you, bringing them to your remembrance, causing you to know them. This is that which job desireth from his God in his Passion, Job 13. 23. Lord, (saith he) make me to know my transgression and my sin. And the like do you, upon serious thoughts, beg it of God, that he would make a full discovery of your sins to you. So it is, unless He be pleased to do this for you, you will never behold them as they are, nor remember them as you ought. And therefore be earnest in begging this Mercy, (A Mercy, which maketh way for all saving Mercies, for pardoning Mercy, healing Mercy,) that the Lord 
Direct. 2. Wait upon him in the Ministry of his Word.  would be pleased, to discover your sins unto you, making you acquainted with yourselves, with the sinfulness of you Natures, Hearts, and Lives.  
Which, that he may do, Wait upon him in the use of such means, as whereby he ordinarily effecteth this work. The chief whereof, is the public Ministry of his Word. Hereby doth God open the eyes of poor sinners. Paul, was sent by God unto the Gentiles upon this Errand, To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, etc. (as the Lord tells him) Act. 26. 18. And how was he to do this? Why, by his Preaching, his Preaching of the Word to them. Herein are God's Ministers his Instruments (as he was) in doing of this work, in giving sight to the blind; in making men to see and know their sins. This is the work which the Lord putteth his Prophet Ezekiel upon, cap. 16. 2. Son of man (saith he) cause jerusalem to know her Abominations. And this is the work of God's Ministers his Interpreters, (as to show unto man his uprightness, of which Elihu speaks, job 33. 23; so) to convince him of his sinfulness. And therefore, that you may come to see and feel this; attend upon this Ordinance of God, and that with care and Conscience, that you may hear what God will say to you by his Ministers. Not being offended at them, when they come to touch upon your sins, as Ahab was with Michaiah, Herod with john the Baptist, and Foelix with Paul, (of whom I spoke before); but, Be willing to hear of them, that so you may be convinced of them, and brought to remember them in a truly penitential way. This for the former sort, such as never yet knew, what it was to remember their sins aright.  
In the second place, for them who have 
2. Penitent sinners excited to a frequent remembrance of their sins.  remembered them, and seriously repent of them, let them also be excited, frequently to reflect upon them. It is a mistake, if any shall think (what our Antinomians of late time did) that when once a man hath repent of his sins, and sued out his pardon for them, he should then cast them behind his back, so as to remember them no more. Our Apostle▪ St. Paul, he had repent of his sins committed before his Conversion, his Infidelity, Obstinacy, Blasphemy; his opposing of Christ, and Persecuting of his Saints. Being hereof convinced in an extraordinary way, by a Voice from Heaven; Christ himself calling unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Act. 9 4. he had seriously repent of them. And he had sued out his pardon for them, having it under Seal, being assured that he had obtained Mercy (as here he declares it once and again, in the verse next but one before, and the verse after the Text): Yet, notwithstanding this, upon all occasions (as you have heard), he is ready to reflect upon those sins, and to call to mind his forepast condition. Let it not then content any of us, that we have remembered our sins, that we have been humbled for them, and that by believing on Christ, we have obtained the pardon of them, but still take all occasions to reflect and look back upon them, to call them to mind again. Specially our special sins, which have been of greater magnitude than other. So the Lord tells his people Israel they should do, when he was pacified towards them for all the evil that they had done, then, they should remember it, Ezek. 16. vers. last.  
Why, but it may be said, To what purpose 
Two Questions resolved.  is this? or, What benefit shall a Christian reap in so doing. Here are two Queries, to which I shall return Answers severally. In which Answers we shall fall in, with divers Arguments and Motives, which will be of use, to press and set on the Exhortation.  
For the former. Wherefore should a Christian 
Q. 1▪ Wherefore a penitent sinner should do this?  do this? Having once repent of his sins, and sued out the pardon of them, Why should he disquiet himself in calling them to mind again, in rubbing over an old soar? I Answer, this a Christian is to do upon divers accounts, for divers Ends, and Redsons: Instance in 4. of them.  
1. For the making sure of his Repentance, 
A. For the making sure his Repentance.  that he may know it to be sound and true. All Repentance is not true Repentance. It is with sins as with wounds: Wounds may be skinned over, and yet not healed; Sins may be sorrowed for, yea, and abstained from, yet not truly repent of. To this end therefore, a Christian should be frequent in reflecting upon them, to see whether he hath truly repent of them or no. Even as a man, by rubbing and chafing of the soar, he trieth whether it be healed or no; even so by this means, a Christian may come to judge of his Repentance, whether it was sound or no, by calling his sins to his remembrance, rubbing, and pressing them, (as it were) by a frequent reflecting upon them; which doing willingly, it may be to him an evidence that it is so. A wound that is only skinned over, will not endure the handling; the touching of it, puts the patient to pain. Where men cannot endure to have their sins touched, by themselves or others, to be put in mind of them, it is an evidence those sins are not healed, never truly repent of. Sins healed, will endure the touching. Upon this account, Christians ought to be frequent in reflecting upon their sins, for the assuring of the truth of their repentance.  
2. And as for the assuring, so (2dly.) for 
2. For the renewing and increasing of it.  the renewing and increasing of it. It is a mistake, if any shall think Repentance to be only one particular act, the work of an hour, or a day, or the like (as Papists look upon their Penance). No, it is an habitual work, the work of a Christians life-time, and so to be frequently renewed. A work which a Christian can never do too much, or yet enough Certainly, he that thinks he hath repent enough, never yet repented aright. In this sense, the Repentance of a Christian may be called, Repentance to be repent of, because not so perfect as it ought to be. Those, who are the greatest proficients, and have made the greatest progress in this work, yet they fail in this as in all other duties, falling short of repenting as they ought to do. And therefore aught to take all occasions for the renewing of their repentance; and to that end, they are frequently to call to mind their former sins, that they may mourn over them afresh, renewing their former sorrow for them. 
The Remembrance of sin, though bitter, maketh way for sweet joy.   
Which, however it may have some bitterness in it for the present, yet it will make way for great joy and comfort to the Soul. So it is, the joy of a Christian ariseth out of sorrow, sorrow for sin; and ordinarily it is proportioned to it. As it was with Eliahs' Sacrifice, 1 King. 18. 33. 38. after he had caused water in great abundance, three several times, to be poured about the Altar, than came forth the Fire. Thus, after a Christians sorrow for sin, his joy ariseth. And as the one is increased, so ofttimes is the other. The Harvest answereth the Seed time. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy, Psal. 126. 5. Never a truly penitential tear, that the remembrance of sin draweth from the eye, but ordinarily God answers and recompenseth it with a suitable proportion of joy and comfort to the Soul.  
In the 3d. place, Christians are to be frequent 
3. To get assurance of the pardon of them.  in remembering of their sins, that they may get assurance of the pardon of them, that they may get their pardon Sealed up unto their Souls. A pardon, is not ever as soon sealed as granted. A Christian may have his sins pardoned in Heaven, yet not so in his own Conscience, wanting the assurance thereof. And upon this account, he ought to have his sins frequently in his eye. Upon this account, among other, he is daily to pray for the forgiveness of them, as our Saviour directeth us to do in that form of prayer which he hath given us, where this is one of the six Petitions, Forgive us our Trespasses, meaning not only our daily sins, (as we pray for our daily bread) but all the sins of our lives past, that so we may still gain a further and clearer evidence, and assurance of the pardon of them. This use David made of his sins being ever before him, it put him upon the earnest seeking of the assurance of his pardon, that, that cloud being dispelled, the light of God's countenance might come to shine upon his Soul; which he earnestly sueth for in that Penitential Psalm of his, Psal. 51. Make me to hear the voice of joy and gladness, vers. 8. Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation, vers. 12. Thus are Christians to reflect upon their sins, that they may get the pardon of them Sealed.  
4thly, and lastly, Remember them, that 
4. To get them throughly healed.  they may get them thoroughly healed; that they may be freed and delivered, as from the guilt, so from the power of them. A disease may be cured, and yet there may be some relics of it in the body; which, if not looked to, may incline it to a Relapse. Thus, a sin may be repent of and pardoned, and yet there may be some remainders of it in the Soul, which, if not looked unto, may break forth again. And upon this account a Christian is to remember it, that he may get strength against it. Such use also David made of his sins being ever before him, it putteth him upon seeking unto God, that he would throughly wash him from his iniquity, and cleanse him from his sin, Psal. 51. 2. freeing him both from the guilt and power of it: And that he would create in him a clean heart, renewing a right spirit within him, vers. 10. And, that he would establish him with his free Spirit, vers. 12. Thus are Christians to have a frequent eye upon their sins, as Patients have upon their soars, to see that they may not break forth again. To these 
Q. 2. What benefit redoundeth from this practice.  ends and purposes (among others) are Christians to be frequent in this exercise.  
Which whilst they are, it will be very beneficial to them, and that divers ways. That is the second thing which I propounded to show you, What profit, what benefit a Christian shall reap from this practice. Much every way. Were there no other, than what I have made mention of already, the attaining of that fourfold end; The knowing of the truth of their Repentance, The renewing and increasing of it, The getting of assurance of the pardon of their Sins, And strength against them: These were enough to answer, and recompense, all the Points 
A foursold Benefit.  that a Christian shall take in this way. But besides these, take we notice of Four more: Four considerable benefits accrueing from this practice. It will be of great use unto a Christian, to make him,  

1. Humble.  
2. Thankful.  
3. Watchful.  
4. Pitiful.   
Humble in Himself; Thankful to his God; Watchful over his Sin; and Pitiful towards Others. All, benefits of singular Excellency and Worth! Touch upon them briefly.  
Frequent remembrance of a man's own▪ 
1. To make and keep the Soul humble.  Sins will be of special Use, to make, and keep him Humble. So it is, that there is in the Heart of every man, naturally an accursed root of Pride, which is very apt to spring and sprout forth, being watered (as it were) with all the common Favours and Blessings that God poureth out upon him, of what kind soever they be, Good things of Fortune (as they were called), of Nature, of Grace, (I mean common Grace); Birth, Beauty, Riches, Honours, gifts and endowments of the Mind; any of these, not being Sanctified, are apt to puff up the Soul, to breed a Tympany in it. Now the frequent remembrance of Sins will be of special use to prevent it, to make the Soul humble, and keep it humble. Such Use the Church tells us she had of it, (as Montanus, and the Vulgar 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Latin render the word in that Text, 
Rebellionis meae, Montan. Transgressionis meae. V. L.  Lam. 3. 19, 20. Remembering my Affliction, and my misery, (saith our Translation); my Affliction, and my Rebellion, my Transgression, (say they) which sense the word in the Original will well bear, as we find it rendered, 1 Sam. 20. 30.) the Wormwood, and the Gall, (that is, the bitterness of both) my Soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. Incurvatur, it is bowed down. The soul of man naturally is Proud, apt to be inordinately lift up in him. Now the Remembrance, as of former Afflictions which he hath lain under; so of former Sins which he hath fallen into, will be of special use to humble it, to make it keep so. This effect it had in and upon this our Apostle, (as you have heard.) The remembrance of his former Sins made him Vile in his own eyes. This it was that made him think and speak so meanly of himself, to account himself the least of the Apostles, unworthy to be one of that number,; the least of Saints, nay, less than the least of them, (as the Text hath it, Ephes. 3. 8.) Because (saith he) I persecuted the Church of God, 1 Cor. 15. 9 Thus it was: As the Buffet of Satan, (of which he speaketh, 2 Cor. 12. 7.) those temptations wherewith he was exercised after his Conversion; so the remembrance of his former Sins committed before his Conversion, was to him of great use to keep him from being exalted above measure; a thing which by reason of the many and great privileges now conferred upon him, he was subject to, and in danger of. Thus God sometimes suffers his Chosen Vessels, those whom he purposeth to make some special use of, and to confer some signal Favours upon, to fall into some great Sin, or sins, haply in their Youth, it may be Afterwards, that so the Remembrance of them may be a means to keep their Spirits in a humble frame and temper, from being inordinately lift up in them; being to them as the Peacock's black Legs are vulgarly conceived to be unto him; which looking down upon, he presently letteth fall his proud Plumes. Here is the first of those Benefits, which a Christian may reap from this reflecting upon his Sins. A benefit of singular Use; there being nothing more dangerous to the Soul, than this spiritual Tympany.  
2dly. As it will be of great Use to make 
2. To make Men thankful.  men Humble, so Thankful. As Humble in themselves, so Thankful to their God. A fruit naturally growing upon this Branch. Remembrance of former sins Repent of, and Pardoned, it calleth to mind two things; Gods Goodness, our own Unworthiness. God's goodness in sparing of us; not taking us, as the Scribes and Pharisees tell our Saviour that woman was, whom they brought before him, john 8. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the very Act of sin, and so bringing us to answer (as they did her) before His Tribunal, for those Sins which we wanted Grace, and space to Repent of. Nor yet only sparing us, giving us a time to Repent, but also working that Repentance in us, and, upon our Repenting, Pardoning them; and instead of punishing us according to our deservings, conferring many special Graces and Favours upon us; of all which▪ of the least of which, we were altogether unworthy. Both these, the remembrance of former sins calleth to mind. And so doing, it cannot but be a special means to raise up the Heart to a Thankful apprehension, and acknowledgement thereof. Of such Use was it to this blessed Apostle, as we may take notice from the 12. & 13. verses in this Chapter, where calling to mind his former sins, he presently breaketh forth into blessing and magnifying of jesus Christ for his rich Grace and Mercy towards him; I thank Christ jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the Ministry, who was before a Blasphemer, a Persecutor, Injurious: but I obtained mercy. So again, vers. 17. Having here confessed himself to be the chief of sinners, and after declared what God had done for him, how he had made him a Pattern to all that should hereafter believe on him; he thereupon in the next words breaketh forth into that affectionate Gratulation, Now, unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only wise God, be Honour and Glory, for ever and ever, Amen. Thus, the reflecting upon our sins after that we have obtained Mercy, it will be a means as to cause us to take shame to ourselves, so to give glory to God, the Glory of his Grace and Mercy in sparing us, in pardoning us, and conferring so many undeserved favours upon us. It will be of special use to make us thankful.  
And (3dly) as thankful, so watchful, watchful 
3. To make them watchful over themselves.  over those and the like sins. The remembrance of dangers formerly escaped will make men the more wary, they will take heed how they come nigh that fire, in which they have before been burnt or scorched, or that precipice from which once they fell, or passing that way wherein they have fallen among Thiefs. Thus, Christians having their sins in remembrance, and maintaining in their Souls, a sight and sense of them, it will be of special use to them, to make them more cautelous & wary, to take heed of all the occasions of them of coming near unto them. As for the Soul, that hath banished the sense and remembrance of its sins, it careth not, what sins it rusheth upon and runs into. Paul, speaking of the Gentiles, he saith of them, that being past feeling, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, postquam dedoluerunt (as Beza renders it) ●…aving cast away all sense of, and sorrow for sin, they then gave themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness, Ephes. 4. 19 The best way then to be kept from sin, is to maintain the sense of it in the Soul. To which end, the frequent reflecting upon sins past, will conduce much. By this means it was, that David kept himself from his iniquity, (as he saith he did, Psal. 18. 23.) from the sin which he was most inclined to, by having it frequently in his remembrance.  
Fourthly and lastly, The frequent reflecting 
4. To make them pitiful towards others.  upon our own sins, will be a special means to make us more pitiful and charitable towards others. Not to be so ready to espy their faults, nor so harsh and rigid, in censuring them for their failings and infirmities. What is the cause, why Hypocrites are so quicksighted in espying, and so forward in judging and censuring of others? Surely, it is the want of reflecting upon themselves; They see the mo●…e that is in their brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in their own eye, (as our Saviour saith of them) Mat. 7. 3. Surely, were men more busied at home, more taken up with remembering and considering their own failings, their own sins, what they have been, what they have done, they would be more pitiful, more tenderhearted towards others. It is the Apostle's Argument which he putteth into Titus his mouth, willing him to make use of it, in dissuading Christians from being too censorious towards their Brethren, or any other whosoever, but to induce them to deal tenderly and gently with them, Tit. 3. 2, 3. Put them in mind (saith he) to speak evil of no man, (that is, wrongfully, or causelessly, whether by aspersing of them, or detracting from them), to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all men: non tantum adversus fidei consortes, sed etiam adversus contradictores, (as Grotius well explains it) not only such as profess the same faith with themselves, but such as are adversaries to it. Even these he would have private Christians, (for of such he there speaketh, not of Titus himself, and the Ministers of Christ, who yet, (as our new Annotator hath it) are to do nothing in rage or passion, but with a spirit of meekness, showing all meek●…ess unto all men, Gentiles as well as Jews, Enemies as well as Friends; but of private Christians; the word in the Original being of the plural number, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) to deal gently with, not being too rigid in censuring them, much less in wholly despairing of them. But show meekness, all meekness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, omnem, i. e. summam lenitatem, Great meekness and gentleness towards them. And why so? For (saith he) we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts, etc. vers. 3. Certainly, the more a man reflects upon himself, and the better acquainted he is with his own heart and life, the more pitiful and tenderhearted, the more compassionate he will be towards others. To proceed no further: These benefits may a Christian reap from the reflecting upon himself, the frequent remembrance of his own sins. Which, let it induce every of us, to exercise ourselves herein.  
Which yet, let it be warily and rightly 
Caution. Christians not to poor too much upon their sins so as to give way to inordinate dejections.  understood. Not that I would have Christians to stand continually poring upon their sins, so fixing their thoughts upon them, that their hearts and spirits should be inordinately dejected, and cast down in the remembrance of them. This God requires not, neither ought Christians to give way to it. David was a man, much in the remembrance of his sins, yet, he would not give way to such soul-dejections and disquietments, for which, we find him checking himself in those two Psalms, 42. and 43. where we have the same Expostulation thrice repeated, Why art thou cast down, O my Soul? Why art thou disquieted within me, & c? Christians, should not so look upon their sins, as that they should give way to such dejections of Spirit, as may render their condition uncomfortable to themselves and unserviceable to others. In this case, that of the Preacher takes place, Eccles. 7. 17. Be not overmuch wicked, that is, judicio tuo (as junius expounds it), in thine own apprehension and judgement. In such a sense it is, that in the verse there foregoing, he biddeth us not to be over-righteous or over-wise; Be not Righteous overmuch, neither make thyself over-wise; that is, do not think thyself so to be. So, here in this verse, which is subjoined as an Antitheton, set in opposition to the former, Be not overmuch wicked, viz. in thy own apprehension. And let▪ me apply it unto you, (I mean all, and only such as are truly penitent sinners); Be not you in this sense wicked overmuch, stand not poreing too much upon your sins, sorrowing over them, as the Apostle saith, the Heathen did over their dead, 1 Thes. 4. 13. as having no hope. Only upon occasions call them to remembrance, making use hereof, to those ends and purposes which I have now spoken of.  
And as we are to do this at other times; so then, more especially, when God calleth, 
Sins to be remembered in a special way, at special times.  us to the humbling of our Souls before him, and to seek his Face, for the removing or diverting of some judgement felt or feared. Now, at such a time to call to mind our sins, is an excercise most fit and proper, being now Opus diei in die suo, a work done in season. And this, do we all of us now 
jan. 22. 1661. A day of Solemn Humiliation.  this day, being a day of Solemn Humiliation, so appointed to be by public Authority, wherein, the whole Nation is required to seek God in a Solemn manner, for the diverting and preventing, as of such other Judgements, which we may justly fear to hang over the head of the Nation, so in special of that which is already in part broke forth upon us, (whereof the poor, as elsewhere, so in this place, not a few of them, are very sensible, whose necessitous condition, I shall commend to your charitable consideration, desiring you to extend your free and liberal contributions to their relief, which is also a work of the day) and doth further sadly threaten us, viz. The judgement of Famine, which, by reason of the unseasonableness of the Season, may justly be feared. This is the work of the day. For the furthering whereof, let all of us now call to mind our own sins. I do remember my faults this day, (saith Pharoahs' Butler unto him) Gen. 41. 9 And the like let every of us do. Sure we are, this is the provokking Cause, as of other Judgements, so of this. He turneth a Fruitful Land into Barrenness, for the Wickedness of them that dwell therein, Psal. 107. 34. Call we ourselves then every one of us to account for our sins this day, humbling ourselves in the sight and presence of God for them, that so, we remembering them, God may be pleased graciously to forget them, and forgive them, so as not to charge them upon the Head of the Nation. In doing hereof, we shall much promote the service of the Day; and much help forward the great business both of Church and State, which is now in the hands of the Great Council of the Land. Certainly the great Stumbling-blocks that lie in the way of Mercy, they are the Sins of the Nation. O Let every of us, put to our hands this Day to the removing of them, by taking out of the way, as much as we can, the sins of others, Humbling ourselves for them, and seeking the Pardon of them; however our own sins, by calling them to mind, Humbling, Shaming, and Condemning ourselves for them; withal, putting them away in the full purpose and resolution of our Souls, never more to give entertainment to them. Thus wash we, and make we ourselves clean, putting away the evil of our doings from before the eyes of our God, (as he requires his People to do, Isai. 1. 16.); And then do we, what in the next words he allows them to do, Come, let us Reason together, etc. begging from him Mercy for ourselves, and the Nation, being hopefully and comfortably assured that the Lord will smell a Sweet savour of rest from this our Sacrifice; and that both Church and State shall find it the best service we could perform unto them, which the Lord enable every of us to do. Thus I have done with the first of these three Branches, I pass now to the second.  
THe truly Penitent Sinner, as he is frequent 
2. Branch. The Pe nitent sinner forward in acknowledging his own Sins.  in Remembering, so forward in acknowledging of his own sins. So was Paul. Having here occasion to make mention of Sinners, he calleth to remembrance his own sins, and Remembering them, he Acknowledgeth them; confessing himself to be a Sinner, a great sinner, yea, the chief of Sinners; Of whom I am chief. The like disposition and practice we find in the Man after Gods own Heart, holy David. As his sins were often in his eye, so he was ready to acknowledge them. I acknowledged my Transgression, and my Sin was ever before me (saith he) Psal. 51. 3. Such a frequent Remembrancer, and ingenuous Confessor of his Sins was he: And such are all truly Penitent sinners.  
And it cannot be otherwise: Their hearts 
Reas. 1▪ His Heart is full with the sense of Sinne.  (in the first place) being full (as it were) with the sight, and sense of Sin, they must have vent. The Story tells us of joseph, Gen. 45. ver. 1, 2. how that, his heart being full, as it was, with the remembrance of what his Brethren had done to him, and his Affections towards them, he could not contain, he could not refrain himself before all that stood by him, but he shed Tears abundantly; yea, (the company being gone) he wept aloud. He could not but give vent to that affection wherewith his heart was full. And David tells us the like of himself, Psal. 39 3. My heart (saith he) was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned: then spoke I with my tongue. So it is with Affections, (as it is with Fire) the heart being full of them, they will not be smothered, they will not be kept close; they will seek vent, and be ready to break forth, as occasion is offered. And so will these Holy Affections in the heart of a truly Penitent sinner, his Sorrow for sin, his Hatred and Indignation against sin; his heart being full of them, it will be seeking vent, ready to break forth in a humble, and hearty Confession and Acknowledgement of it. 
Reas. 2. The Bed of Sin is broken in him.   
Again, in such a Soul, the Bed of sin (as I may say) is broken. Now, as it is in the Body, if the bed of Worms be broken, they are ready to come away; and such tough and viscous humours as are coagulated in the Stomach, being dissected, they are easily evacuated. Even so in the Soul; If the Bed of peccant Humours, of sinful Lusts be there once broken, the Works of Satan dissolved, (as Saint john saith, that Christ was manifest to this end, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ut dissolvat, That he might dissolve, (or destroy) the works of the Devil; that is, our Sins, which are destroyed by dissolving of them, as many things are, 1 john 3. 8.) as in measure they are in every truly Regenerate person, in whom the Power of Sin is broken; they will now be ready to break forth, and come away, (as I may say) by way of Confession, and Acknowledgement. Thus you see that it is so, and how it cometh so to be.  
For further Explication, and Illustration, 
Two Questions resolved.  propound we these two useful Inquiries touching this Acknowledgement which Penitent sinners are so forward in.  

1. To whom they are so ready to make this Acknowledgement.  
2. What kind of Acknowledgement it is 
Q. 1. To whom is he so ready to make this acknowledgement.  that they make.   
For the First, To whom they are so ready to make this Acknowledgement.  
A. For Answer, Know we that the acknowledgement of Sin, is either unto God, or Man. The former, to God, either publicly, or privately; the latter, to Man, either secretly, or openly. Secretly, either to the Ministers of God, or to other private Christians. Openly, which is either Regular, enjoined by the Church, or Occasional and Arbitrary. All these ways Sin is confessed and acknowledged: And all these ways a sinner truly Penitent will be ready to acknowledge his sins.  
1. In the first place unto God. The Prodigal 
1. Unto God  son in the Gospel, upon his return to his Father, at his first meeting with him, after that his father had expressed his fatherly Affection unto him, presently he breaks forth into a humble acknowledgement of his sins unto him, Father I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, Luke 15. 21. This is the first thing that a poor sinner doth, when once he is brought home unto God, and hath in any measure tasted of his Grace and Mercy, he presently falleth down before Him, in an humble acknowledgement of his Sins unto him. This will he do at his first Conversion, and this he is ready ever after to do upon all Occasions, renewing his Acknowledgements of sin, as sins themselves are renewed. So did David; I acknowledged my Transgressions, (saith he in the Text forenamed) Psal. 51. 3. And to whom was it that he acknowledged them? Why, firstly and principally to his God, whom he had offended. So he explains it in the verse following, Against thee only have I sinned; that is, against him immediately and properly: And therefore to him it is that he acknowledged his Sinne. So he elsewhere declareth it, Psal. 32. 5. I acknowledged my Sin unto Thee, and mine Iniquity have I not hid; I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord, etc. And this will every truly Penitent sinner readily do. Apprehending how he hath offended and provoked his God by his sins, he will be ready to acknowledge them unto him.  
And this will he do (as I said) both Publicly 
Both publicly and privately. ●…  and Privately. Publicly, joining with the Congregation in the public confession and acknowledgement of Sinness; and that both in Confessions ordinary and extraordinary. And as Publicly, so Privately, when there is no other witness but God and his own Conscience, then will he be ready to acknowledge his Sins. And that again, both in his daily, and ordinary Prayers, as also at other times of extraordinary Humiliation. All these I might show you, how they have been both enjoined and practised; enjoined by God, and practised by his Saints. But I shall not dwell upon this, the Text leading me rather to that other kind of Acknowledgement, which is before, or unto, Men.  
And thus true Penitents will be ready 
2. Unto men  to acknowledge their Sins. And that (as I said) sometimes Secretly, sometimes Openly.  
1. Secretly, or Privately, either unto the 
1. Secretly, or Privately.  Ministers of God, or unto private Christians, viz. at such times as they are by them charged with their Sins, and in a friendly way Admonished of them, or Reproved for them. In this case, (for I speak not now of that Confession of Sins, which is after a sort extorted, and drawn from a man by, or through trouble of Mind, and Conscience, in which Christians not only may, but aught (when other means avail not) to repair either unto the Ministers of God, as most fit for such a purpose, being his Interpreters; or else to some wise and faithful Friend that is able to minister a word of Advice and Comfort to them, opening and discovering their Sins unto them; even as the Sick man doth his secret troubles to his Physician or Chirurgeon. I speak not of this now; but only of the Acknowledgement of Sin unto others, when it is charged upon them by way of Admonition, or Reprehension. In this case (I say) the Soul that is truly Penitent for sin, will be ready to confess, and acknowledge it. So was it with David, Nathan no sooner cometh unto him, and chargeth his sin upon him, discovering to him the heinousness of it, but presently he makes confeson of it. I have sinned against the Lord, 2 Sam. 12. 13. This would not Saul do. When Samuel cometh unto him in the like way, charging him with that act of disobedience of his, in sparing Agag & the best of the spoil, contrary to God's express Commandment; he was far from any such ingenuous acknowledgement; but doth what he could to hide it, as we may see, 1 Sam. 15. 13, 14, 15. Thus, wicked and ungodly men, being charged with their sins, they will either hide them by denying them, or defend them, or excuse them, or extenuate them what they can; it may be, falling out, and quarrelling with the persons that shall strike upon this string, meddling with their sins. So did Cain with God himself, when the Lord came to him, and asked him where his Brother was, whom he had murdered, he replieth, I know not: Am I my Brother's keeper? Gen. 4. 9 First, seeking to hide his sin, then quarrelling with his Maker, who came to charge it upon him. And even so are some (too many) ready to deal with the Ministers of God, when they come to touch upon their sins, whether publicly or privately, they are ready to quarrel with them about it, as if they took too much upon them. So did the people of Israel, upon whom the Prophet Hosea, among other their great sins that they were guilty of, chargeth this as the chief, This people are as they that strive with the Priest, Host 4. 4. They would endure no reproover, no, though it were a Priest, or Prophet, a Minister of God, that had Authority from him, to do what he did. Thus are some ready to oppose the Ministers of Christ, who, though they be their spiritual Physicians, yet they will not endure that they should meddle with their diseases; which if they do, it may be they will ever after hate and malign them, as Ahab did Micaiah. And hating them, they will smite them with their tongues, and be ready to contrive what mischief against them they may. So did the jews against their jeremiah, as himself sets it forth, jer. 18. 18. Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against jeremiah, etc. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. So is it with presumptuous sinners. But it is far otherwise with those that are truly penitent. They being in themselves convinced of their sins, they will be ingenuous in the confessing and acknowledging of them, when they are charged upon them by way of Admonition or Reprehension, whether by the Minister of God, or any other. 
2. Openly and Publicly.   
And as they will be ready to do this secretly and privately, so also openly and publicly. And that 
1. In a Regular way.   
1. In a Regular way, if called thereunto, and required to do it by the Discipline and Authority of the Church. Thus did that incestuous Corinthian: being Excommunicated for that great sin of his, he manifests his repentance, by acknowledging of his sin, and by his abundant sorrow for it. Whereupon, lest he should be surcharged and swallowed up therewith, the Apostle willeth the Church to forgive him, to receive him to Communion, and to comfort him, 2 Cor. 2. 7. And such a confession and acknowledgement of sin, sinners truly penitent, (where the Censures of the Church are rightly dispensed according to Christ's Institution) neither aught to be, nor yet will be, averse from, but ready to submit unto, that so they may give satisfaction to the Church, by the confession of their Sins, and profession of their Repentance, which they have, by their evil Example, offended and scandalised.  
2. But leaving that also, the acknowledgement 
2. In a spontaneous way.  which the Text leadeth us more directly to, as it is an open, so an Arbitrary Acknowledgement. And in this kind and way, we shall find sinners truly penitent, to be forward, and ready, to acknowledge their sins: And, that both upon their Conversion, and after it.  
1. Upon their Conversion. Thus we read 
Upon their Conversion.  of the hearers of john the Baptist, how they were baptised of him, confessing their sins, Mat. 3. 6. Being convinced of their sins, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est aperta & clara voce Conliteri: Paraeus ad loc▪ Declarat palam profiteri. Beza.  by his Ministry, and his Preaching unto them, they could not contain; but they came unto john, not only confessing their sins unto him, in a private and clancular way, (as Maldonate, and other Romish Expositors would have it, making this a ground for their auricular Confession), but publicly and openly before the people; which the word in the Original, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, imports, (as Beza and Pareus observe). And the like, we read of those Converts at Ephesus, Act. 19 18. Being wrought upon, by the Miracle which they had seen; Many of them came (saith the Text) and confessed, and showed their deeds; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, confessing them, not secretly but openly. Among whom, some and many of those, who have used curious (that is Magical) Arts, making Divinations, by Judicial Astrology, They brought forth their Books, and burned them before all men, in the presence of all the people, (as the next verse there hath it, vers. 19). So powerful is the work of God's Grace, in the hearts of true Converts, it will make them willing and ready to acknowledge their sins. 
Ever after.   
2. And this they will be ready to do, not only at their first Conversion, but ever after. Sins committed before Conversion, or after, they will be forward in confessing, and acknowledging of them. This we may see in David, Solomon, Paul. Take we these three 
Three Eminent Confessors.  Instances. All of them being persons of Eminency, two of them Kings, the other an Apostle; yet, see how forward they were 
David.  all of them at this work. David a King, and so subject to no Superior Power, that could enjoin such an acknowledgement of sin unto him; yet, see how he taketh it upon himself, making a voluntary confession and acknowledgement of his sin; That great sin of his in the matter of Uriah, whereby he had given so great scandal to the Church, he maketh▪ a free and open Confession of it before the Church. To that purpose, compiling and penning that Penitential Psalm, Psal. 51. Which he committed and delivered to the Chief Musician, (as the Title of the Psalm informs us), that by him it might be published in the Temple, and there ever after kept, and so be not only a Testimony of his Repentance to the Church in that present age, to which he desired to give Satisfaction, but a Monument of it in all succeeding Ages, to the end of the world.  
And what David the Father did, the like 
Solomon.  did Solomon his Son after him. Having fallen foully and scandalously, to the great Offence of the Church, over which God had made him Supreme Governor; he afterwards penneth, and publisheth to the world, that Penitential Retractation, his Book of Ecclesiastes, wherein, he freely and ingenuously confesseth before all the world, the vanity and sinfulness of his former ways and courses. Thus did these two Kings, doing that voluntarily, which no power upon Earth could have compelled them to.  
And the same, did this our Apostle Saint 
Paul.  Paul. Having been before his Conversion, an open and bitter Enemy to the Truth, speaking evil of the Doctrine of the Gospel, and doing all the mischief that he could, to all that professed it; being Converted, and brought home to Christ, he was ever hereafter an Ingenuous Confessor. Having his former sins ever in his eye, he had them also (as I may say) at his tongue's end, ready to confess and acknowledge them upon all occasions. This we find him doing at jerusalem, before the Chief Captain, in a great and promiscuous Assembly of all sorts of persons, I persecuted this way unto the death (saith he), binding, and delivering into prison, both men and women, Act. 22. 4. etc. And the like he did again at Caesarea, in a very Solemn Audience, before Festus and Agrippa, and Queen Bernice, the Chief Captains, and principal Men of the City, Act. 26. 10. I did many things (saith he) against the Name of jesus of Nazareth, many of the Saints did I shut up in Prison, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them, and punished them often in every Synagogue, and compelled them to Blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange Cities; such Cities as were not within the Territories of judea; as Damascus, etc. and so therein going beyond his Commission. Thus did he confess his sins by word of mouth.  
And the like he did by Writing, acknowledging them under his hand, making a public Record of them, that all the Churches of God might take notice of them. This he doth in his Epistle to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 15. 9 and to his Galatians, Gal. 1. 13. And so here in this Epistle to Timothy, in this chapter, where we find him not only making a general Confession, which he doth in the Text, charging himself to be the chief of sinners, but particularly, pointing out his sins what they were, vers. 13. I was a Blasphemer, a Persecutor, Injurious, etc. Thus free and open was Paul in these acknowledgements, not regarding who or what they were, that took notice of these his concessions, whether Friends or Enemies, Good or Bad; nor caring how often he made them: taking all occasions to do it, as if he had thought he could never do it often enough. Behold we then in him, and these other Patterns, the true disposition of a Gracious Soul, o●… a truly penitent sinner; one that hath truly repent of his sins, and hath tasted of the grace and mercy of God, in the pardoning and forgiving of them, he will ever after be ready to confess and acknowledge them; and that not only to God, but also to Men, and that not only Secretly, 
Q. whether all Christians be bound to follow these Patterns.  but Openly, as occasion is offered.  
Q. But what, (you will say), Is every Christian bound to imitate these Patterns, to follow their Example, doing as they did, making such an open confession and acknowment of his sins?  
1. To this I Answer, 1. In some cases 
A. 1. In some cases they are, as where the sins have been open.  he may be; as, viz. 1. where the sins have been open. Open sins, as they call for open Reprehension, Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear, (so Paul willeth Timothy to do) 1 Tim. 5. 20. that is, that do sin openly, to the public scandal of others, (as Beza, and some others expound it); so for open Confession, and acknowledgement. 
peccantes intellige cum publico offendiculo. Beza. Gr. Annot. in loc.  Such had david's, such had Salomon's, and such had Paul's sins been, sins that all the Churches rung of. You have heard of my conversation in times past, (saith he to his Galatians) Gal. 1. 13. how I did so and so. They had heard of his Sins, and therefore they shall hear of his 
2. Where Gods glory▪ & the public good require it.  Repentance, testified and declared by his hearty confession and acknowledgement of those sins.  
2. Again (2dly.), where the Glory of God, or the Public Good requires it, there, though the sins have been private, and secret, yet the acknowledgement of them ought to be public, where the glory of God requires it. Upon this ground joshuah requires Achan to make an open Confession of that sin which he had done secretly. My son, (saith he) give glory to God, and confess unto Him, and tell me what thou hast done, Josh. 7. 19 (where the public good requires it. Upon this ground jonah confesseth and acknowledgeth his sin unto the Mariners, for the saving of those that were in the Ship with him: jonah 1. 12. I know (saith he to them) that for my sake this great Tempest is come upon you.  
But (in the second place) we speak not 
A. 2. Penitent sinners, though bound, yet ready to make open confessions.  here of what all Christians are bound to do, but, what upon occasion, being Penitent sinners, they will be ready to do. This was Paul's case in the Text. This acknowledgement of his was spontaneous, and voluntary, he being induced thereunto by no other respect, but only out of his desire to take shame to himself, and give glory to God. In special, the glory of his Grace, which having been so gloriously manifested in, and upon him, in receiving so great a sinner to Mercy, he desireth to take all occasions to extol and magnify. And to that end it is, that he maketh such frequent mention of his sins; making such open confessions and acknowledgements of them. And upon this ground great Sinners specially, having tasted of the like Mercy in pardoning their sins, they will be ready upon all. occasions to acknowledge them, that so they may declare, and set forth the riches of God's Grace exercised towards them. Come, and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul (saith David) Psal. 66. 16. And thus a Penitent Sinner having tasted of saving Mercy, in the pardoning and healing of his Sins, he will be ready ever-after, to declare, and set forth, what God hath done for his Soul. To which end, as occasion is offered, he will be forward in the confessing and acknowledging of his Sins.  
But, What kind of Acknowledgement is that 
Q. 2. What kind of acknowledgement it is that the Penitent sinner maketh.  which he maketh? That is the second Question propounded. A Question of great consequence and importance, and that for the differencing and distinguishing of this from other false, and counterfeit Acknowledgements. Even wicked and ungodly men may, and sometimes do, upon occasion, confess and acknowledge their sins. So did, Cain; Mine iniquity is greater than it can be forgiven, (so our Margin readeth it, following Montanus, and others) Gen. 4. 13. So did Pharaoh; I have sinned (saith he to Moses once and again) Exod. 9 27. 10. 16. So did Saul. I have sinned against the Lord (saith he to Samuel) 1 Sam. 15. 24. And so did judas. I have sinned in betraying innocent Blood, (saith he to the Chief Priests) Mat. 27. 4.) And the like, mere carnal men will sometimes be ready to do. Being charged, and pressed by the Ministers of God, or others, especially when the Hand of God lieth Heavy upon them; now they will be ready to assent unto what Paul here saith of himself, confessing themselves to be sinners, great sinners; yea, the chief of Sinners. Thus we may sometime meet with Paul's words, coming out of the mouths of those, who never knew what Paul's spirit meant. They will, upon occasion, acknowledge their sins, who never knew what it was to Repent of them. How then shall we distinguish betwixt the one, and the other? The acknowledgement of a sinner truly Penitent, and that which cometh from a spirit of Hypocrisy in a wicked, or carnal man?  
In Answer hereunto, let me present you 
A. Five Properties of a true acknowledgement.  with some few properties of this sincere Acknowledgement, whereby it may be discerned from that which is false and counterfeit. In all which I shall still have an eye to the Confessor here in the Text, this blessed Apostle, illustrating each particular from his practice and example. 
1. It is Voluntary, and Free.   
The acknowledgement of the true Penitent sinner is (first) Voluntary, and Free. So it is; though enjoined, yet not extorted, not constrained. Such is the Hypocrite's acknowledgement for the most part: extorted and drawn from him against his will, either by some judgement of God, present or imminent, felt or feared; or by the Rack of a tormenting Conscience. Such was Pharaohs confession to Moses, drawn from him (as water is out of a Still, or Lymbic, by the fire put under it) by the Judgements of God, which he and his people lay under. And such was Iudas' confession to the Chief Priests, extorted from him by the rack (as I said) of a tormenting Conscience. In such cases, even the worst of men will sometimes confess and acknowledge their sins, which at other times, when their condition is quiet, and prosperous, they will hardly be brought to do; Like a man that is sick, being at Sea, and so emptieth his stomach freely; but no sooner come a Shoar, but he is well again, and all is quiet. But it is otherwise with the True Penitent. In acknowledging of sin, he is a Volunteer, doing what he doth (as Peter would have Ministers to feed their flocks, 1 Pet. 5. 2.) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not by constraint, but willingly. Such are God's People in all the services they do unto Him, or for Him; they are a willing people. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy Power, Psal. 110. 3. When God exerciseth his power, the power of his Grace, upon a poor Sinner, changing and renewing him, bringing him home to himself, than he cometh unto him willingly, freely pouring forth his Soul before him in a voluntary confession and acknowledgement of his Sins. Willingly confessing unto God, and not unwillingly unto Men. And this he is ready to do, not only in times of Distress, but even then when his condition is, in all respects, most Comfortable. Such is the acknowledgement which here we meet with in the Text. Paul, when he uttered these words, he was in a quiet and comfortable condition; under no distress, whether outward, or inward, in body or mind; yet even then he remembered his sins, and remembering them, he acknowledgeth them. Which also, (as I have shown) he was ready to do upon all occasions, at all other times. His readiness, and forwardness herein, manisesting, that these his Confessions were not extorted, but voluntary. Extorted Confessions (such as those upon the Rack) are seldom true; ever suspicious. True confession, and acknowledgement, whether to God, or Man, will be free and voluntary.  
And so (in the second place) Ingenuous 
2. Ingenuous, and Full.  and full. Such is not the Hypocrites confession. If he be drawn to an acknowledgement of his sins, yet therein you shall find him, for the most part, very partial, and sparing; as much as may be, concealing and hiding them. Even as Solomon saith of the Sluggard, Prov. 19 24. He hideth his hand in his bosom, and is loath to put it forth, to bring it to his mouth. Thus dealeth the Hypocrite with his sins: his beloved, his darling sins, he hideth them in his bosom, concealing them as much as may be, loath to bring them to his mouth, to bring them forth by an open acknowledgement of them. Where he cannot hide them, he will endeavour to excuse them; varnishing, and colouring them over with some fair and specious pretences. Where he cannot excuse them, he will seek to extenuate them, that they may not seem so great and foul as they are. Where he cannot excuse, or extenuate them, he will endeavour to evade them, by shifting them off from himself to some other. So little ingenuity is there to be found in his Confessions. All these we shall find in that acknowledgement which Samuel drew from King Saul, 1 Sam. 15. The Prophet coming to him, to charge upon him, that foul act of his, in sparing Agag, and the best of the Spoil, contrary to Gods express command; he first thinketh to hide his sin, by courting of the Prophet, and by his avowing, and boasting of his Obedience: Blessed be thou of the Lord, (saith he) I have performed the Commandment of the Lord, v. 13. Therein dealing like Solomon's Adulteress, who eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness, (as he saith of her) Prov. 30. 20. When this would not serve his turn, but he saw that his sin was discovered, and found out, the Prophet convincing him of it, by too plain an evidence, What meaneth then this bleating of the Sheep in my ears, and the lo●…ing of Oxen which I hear? ver. 14. Then he falleth to his shifting, shuffling it off from himself, and laying the blame wholly upon the People, (even as A●…ron also once did, when Moses charged him with making, and setting up of the golden Calf, he puts it off to the people; Let not the Anger of my Lord▪ wax hot, (saith he) thou knowest the people that they are set on Mischief, Exod. 32. 22. so he) The people spared the best of the Sheep, and of the Oxen, ver. 15. And thus devolving, and turning it off from himself, withal he seeketh to colour over both his Act and theirs, setting a fair gloss upon it, guilded it over with a pretence of Piety, The people spared the best of the Sheep and Oxen, to Sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; (as it there followeth). When that would not serve, but that the Prophet, dealing plainly with him, had both shown him the heinous nature of that sin, calling it Rebellion, and comparing it to the sin of▪ Witchcraft and Idolatry, Vers. 23. and charged it home upon him, telling him, how he had therein rejected the word of the Lord, for which, he must expect a just Retaliation to be rejected by him; Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being King, now he is brought to confess and acknowledge his sin, I have sinned, etc. But see still how he goeth about to mince and extenuate it, pleading, that what he had done, he had done it through fear; I transgressed the Commandment of the Lord and thy words, because I feared the people, etc. Vers. 24. Whereupon, when he could no longer plead, Not Guilty, he pleadeth his Pardon of Course (as it were): Now therefore, (saith he) I pray thee pardon my sin, Vers. 25. So far was Saul from any Ingenuity in this his Confession! And so shall we still find it with Hypocrites, in their confessions and acknowledgements. Seldom or never is it, that they will deal plainly and simply, whether with God or Men in this case. But deal with both, as Ananias and Sapphira did with the Apostles, Act. 5. 2. They come and bring the price of their possessions, which they had sold, and lay it down at the Apostles feet, But they kept back part of it. Thus dealeth the Hypoerite in his confessions. Being, it may be, drawn to it, he will come and bring his sins, and lay them down as it were at the feet of God and Men, in a seemingly humble confession and acknowledgement of them, but it is with some Reservation; still he keepeth back part of them, hiding and concealing some sins, or at least some Circumstances. But it is otherwise with the truly penitent sinner. He will be Ingenuous, confessing his sins, and not hiding them, laying them open before God and Men, in their own colours; so giving Glory to God, and taking shame to himself. Such a Confessor was this our Apostle. In his confessions and acknowledgements how ingenuous was he? So we find him, confessing not only those sins wherein he was Principal; as, his procuring Letters from the Rulers, to Persecute the Saints, and his Executing that Commission to the full, with great fury and rage, yea, going beyond it, which he sets forth (as I have shown you) to the full, in those Texts forecited, Act. 22. 19 & 26. 10; but even those, wherein he was any ways Accessary: As his consenting to the death of some of the Martyrs; When they were put to death, I gave my voice against them (so it there followeth in the Text last named). And in particular, concerning the Proto-Martyr Stephen. And when the blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed, (saith he) I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him, Act. 22. 20. Thus was he ready to confess what ever he had done in way of opposition against Christ, wherein he had had a hand or finger, been either Principal or Accessary. So ingenuous was he in his acknowledgements, both to God and Men. And such will the acknowledgement of the truly penitent sinner be, Ingenuous and Full.  
3. And being thus Ingenuous, it will 
●…. Particular.  also be particular. Not only in a General way. Such, for the most part, are the acknowledgements of Hypocrites, and of mere Carnal persons. They will (it may be) sometimes take up Paul's words here in the Text, confessing and acknowledging, that they are sinners, great sinners, but this is only in a general way, not with reflection upon any particular sin or sins, that they charge upon themselves. Herein, not unlike to King Nabuchadnezzar, who had dreamt a dream, and was much troubled about it, but when his wise Men came to ask him what it was, he could not give them any account of it, Dan. 2. 5. Even so faith it with many poor carnal wretches. In time of sickness, they will then (it may be) pretend at least to great trouble of mind for their sins, breaking forth into confessions and acknowledgements, that they are sinners, great sinners, (the case is ordinary): but come to ask them, What particular sin or sins, they are that trouble them, that lie so heavy upon their Consciences, this they cannot tell. Now, as for such a confession of sin; it may be looked upon but as a Dream, a Delusion, no true Confession. True Confession will be particular.  
Not, but that a good confession may be 
A good Confession made in general words, but with reference to particular sins.  made in general words. So runs the acknowledgement here in the Text; [I am the chief of sinners]. But still it is in reference to some particular sin or sins, which are in the eye of the penitent Confessor▪ whilst he maketh that general confession. Thus was it with our Apostle here in the Text. His confession, indeed runs in general terms, that he was the chief of sinners, but it is with a reference and respect unto those particular sins, which he had confessed and acknowledged by name, but two verses before, I was a Blasphemer, a Persecutor, etc. This is the confession of a true penitent sinner: though the tongue may utter that confession i●… general terms, yet the heart even at the same time particularizeth, having an eye to some particular sin, or sins, from which that confession immediately ariseth, and without which, it could not be a hearty confession. The Maxim is true, not more in Philosophy▪ than in Divinity; Genera nec agunt, nec patiuntur, Generalities never throughly affect a man. It must not be merely a general notion▪ of sin, but a distinct apprehension of some particular sin, or sins that will work upon the heart aright, so as to draw from it, a cordial and affectionate acknowledgement of sin.  
And such again is the confession of the 
4. Cordial and Affectionate.  true Penitent. sinner, (Take that for a fourth Property) a cordial and affectionate Acknowledgement: not merely Verbal, and Formal. Such is the Hypocrite's confession, a Tongue-Confession; an acknowledgement from the Teeth-outward, merely verbal, and formal. So may the Confessions of Papists, for the most part, be looked upon, which they make to their Priests, striking their hands upon their Breasts, and crying out, Mea culpa, mea culpa; My sin, my sin; whilst their Hearts (it may be) are not affected with what they make show of. And such, and no better, it is to be feared, are the acknowledgements of some, and not a few among us, in the Confession of sins, which they make in the public Congregation. Therein they draw nigh unto God with their Mouth, and honour him with their Lips, (as the Lord saith of his people the Jews, Isa. 29. 13.) Offering up the Calves of their lips unto him, (as the Prophet speaks, Host 14. 2.) in saying after the Minister, repeating the words of the Confession. But in the mean time their hearts are far removed, and estranged from him, being no ways affected with what their Tongues utter, and pronounce. And even so is it, in their private Confessions. They make them but a Lip-labour. It may be making use of some Set-form, composed by themselves, or others, they only repeat the words in a Formal, and Customary way, but without any inward▪ affection; their Hearts not being touched with the sense and feeling of what their Tongues utter, and confess. Now, as for such Confessions, being heartless Sacrifices, they are odious, and abominable unto God; who, as he 〈◊〉 ch the Heart, so he requireth It▪ without it, not regarding what ever Sacrifices can be offered up unto Him. Thou desirest not sacrifice, thou delightest not in burnt-offering, (saith the Psalmist, not any service that is merely external): The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a heart kindly broken with the sense of Sin, Psal. 51. 16, 17. And such are the Sacrifices which are offered up by the Penitent Sinner to his God. All his Prayers, all his Confessions, they come from a broken and a contrite Heart; be●…ng hearty Confessions, ●…affectionate Acknowledgements. Such we shall find the confessions of this our Apostle, which we so frequently meet with, breathing forth a great deal of inward Affection; expressing both sorrow and shame, indignation and detestation. And such are the acknowledgements of the True Penitent, attended, and accompanied with Sorrow and Shame. With sorrow; I will declare 
True Confession accompanied with Sorrow & Shame  mine iniquity, (saith David) and I will be sorry for my sin, Psal. 38. 18. With Shame; the Publican making his confession in the Temple, he doth it with shame: Standing afar off (in some remote part of the outward Court of the Temple) he would not so much as lift up his eyes unto Heaven, being ashamed of himself, Luke 18. 13. And so with Indignation and Detestation; Thus Paul speaking of what he had done, his forwardness in persecuting of the Saints, Act. 26. 11. I was (saith he) exceedingly mad against the Saints: A speech savouring of great Indignation against himself. And thus job saith that he Abhorred himself, and Repent in dust and ashes, Job 42. 6. And Paul speaking of his Corinthians, showeth how they showed themselves True Penitents, by their Indignation, and Revenge; Indignation against their Sin, and Revenge which they took upon themselves for it, 2 Cor. 7. 11.  
And to these is ever joined a serious resolution 
With a serious purpose of forsaking the sin confessed.  of abandoning the sin confessed; never more to return to it again, but to forsake it. Who so confesseth, and for saketh his sins, shall have mercy, (saith the Wiseman) Prov. 28. 13. Such was that confession which good Shecaniah made unto Ezra in▪ the name of the people, Ezra. 10. 2, 3. We have trespassed against our God (saith he) and have taken strange Wives, etc. Now, therefore let us make a new Covenant with our God, to put away all these strange Wives, etc. And thus Elihu, in job, describeth the confession of a true Penitent, job. 34. 31, 32. Surely, it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more: That which I see not, teach thou, If I have done iniquity, I will do no more. Such is the confession of the true Penitent, Cordial and Affectionate. Here is a fourth Property.  
Take but one more, and that briefly. 
5. Filial.  Being thus Cordial, it is also Filial. Such is the Confession which he maketh to his God; not servile. Such is the confession of the Hypocrite ofttimes, a servile, a slavish confession, the fruit not of love to God, but of fear; and that not of a Reverential, but a Slavish fear. Such was Balaams' Confession which he maketh, Numb. 22. 31, 34. when he saw the Angel stand before him with a drawn Sword, than he cryeth out, I have sinned. And so it is with some wicked and ungodly wretches, being in a straight, (as he was), stopped in their course; the Angel of the Lord meeting them; (as he did him) with a drawn Sword, some Judgement of God threatening them, it may be, Death itself staring them in the face, so as they apprehend themselves ready to drop into Hell; now they will confess, and acknowledge their sins. But this they do not out of any love to God, or hatred of their sins, but merely out of a slavish fear: It may be in a despairing way, as Cain and judas did. Now, in this the acknowledgement of a true penitent sinner differs; that, is a filial acknowledgement: Such was that of the Prodigal Son, who cometh unto his Father, as a Father; making his Confession to him under that Notion, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, Luk. 15. 21. And thus the penitent sinner comes unto his God, confessing his sins unto him, not simply, as to a judge, from whom he expects nothing but severity of Justice, (as Achan did his sin to joshua, Josh. 7. 20.) but as unto a Father, with some apprehensions of mercy. Thus are the confessions of a truly penitent sinner, ordinarily attended and accompanied with some apprehension of mercy; (I say), either with the present sense of it, as Paul's confession here was, to which he subjoins, But I obtained mercy. Or with the hope of it: So runs that confession, which Shecaniah there maketh, Ezra 10. 2. We have transgressed, etc. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.  
To proceed no further; Put these together, and hereby may the sincere confession and acknowledgement of the truly penitent sinner, be discerned from that which is false and counterfeit. And so you have both these Questions resolved. That which now remains of this, is the Application. Which I shall direct, (as in the former Branch) only two ways, by way of Conviction, Exhortation.  
1. By way of Conviction. Is the true penitent 
Use 1. By way of Conviction. Many discovered to be no true Penitents not being true Confessors.  such a Confessor, so forward and ready in such a way, to confess and acknowledge his sins, both to God and Man; how many then from hence may be convinced, that they are as yet, none of this number; that they are as yet in a state of impenitency; that they are as yet in their sins, lying under the guilt and power of them? Divers sorts there are, who come within the verge and compass of this Conviction. Let me take notice of some of them. Which whilst I do, let me desire you, all of you, to go along with me, trying and examining yourselves, whether you be not of this number. 
1. Such as were never convinced of sin.   
In the first place, Some there are, who do not, as yet, know themselves to be sinners; they were never convinced of their sins, never convinced of the sinfulness of their nature, never convinced of any such remarkable evils, whether in their hearts or lives, as should need any such serious confession and acknowledgement. So is it with some moral civil justiciaries, whose lives not having been stained, with such open, such foul and scandalous sins as they see in others; hereupon they are well opinionated of themselves. They are not as other men are, (as the Pharisee said of himself, Luk. 18. 11.) no Swearers, no Drunkards, no Adulterers, etc. so as they scarce see wherein they are sinners, much less great sinners. Very far are they from making any such confession and acknowledgement of their sins, as Paul here doth of his. Now, as for such, let them know, that not having as yet been convinced of their sins, they must needs be in them, lying under the power, and under the guilt of them. This is the first work that the Spirit of God worketh in the heart of a regenerate person. It is to him, a Spirit of Conviction; when the comforter is come, (saith our Saviour) he shall reprove (or convince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the world of sin, Joh▪ 16. 8. This is the work of the Spirit, and it is the first work. Certainly, the Soul which never yet knew what this work meant, must needs be far from any such ingenuous acknowledgement, as here we meet with in the Text. Paul, before he came to make this confession, that he was the chief of sinners, he had seen a light from Heaven shining round about him; and falling, to the earth, he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (as we have the story) Act. 9 3, 4. He had a strong, a clear, and powerful Conviction, discovering to him, and throughly convincing him of, the evil of that course which he then took. And thus must it be with every poor sinner. Before ever he will be brought to an ingenuous confession and acknowledgement of his sins, he must see a light from Heaven, discovering them to him; and he must hear a voice from Heaven, convincing him of the sinfulness of them; and he must be struck down to the earth, humbled in the sense of his own Vileness, before ever his heart will be brought to such a frame and temper, as here we find in this our Apostle; to be ready thus to confess and acknowledge his sins, both to God and Man, upon all occasions. Certainly, they who never yet knew what this Spirit of Conviction meant, are as yet, far from being ingenuous Confessors, and consequently, may conclude themselves to be in a state of impenitency. 
2. Such as being convinced, will not be brought to confess.   
In the second place; Another sort there are who have been convinced of their sins, which yet, they will not be brought to confess and acknowledge. Convinced (I say) they have been, being guilty (it may be) of some foul, open, and scandalous sins, whereof they have been convinced, not only by the light of the Word, but even by the light of Nature; which light is sufficient to make a discovery of some, of many sins, specially of those against the second Table. This is the work of the Law, written in the hearts of men, (as the Apostle saith of it, Rom. 2. 15.) which whilst it directs them to many Duties, it cannot but convince them of many Sins. Rectum est index sui & obliqui. Yet, for all this, they will not be brought to a confession and acknowledgement of what they cannot but be convinced of. No, though charged upon them by the Ministers of God, again and again, yet for all that, they will not be brought to confess their sins; no, 
Not unto God.  not so much as unto God. Is it not the case of some, of many profane wretches? (I wish there may be none of them within the hearing of it, or, if there be, that it may sink into their hearts); They are such as cannot but be convinced of their sinful ways and courses, being (as the Apostle saith of obstinate Heretics, Tit. 3. 11.) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, self-condemned; their own consciences bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing them, (as he speaks of the Gentiles, Rom. 2. 15.) their sins being of a horrid nature, staring them in the face (as it were); yet for all that, the time is yet to come, that ever they should go into the presence of God, there to spread their sins before him, (as Hezekiah did Senacheribs blasphemous Letter, Isa. 38.) to humble themselves at his footstool, by confessing and acknowledging their sins. This is a course, a practice, which they are mere strangers to, never yet knew what it meant.  
And not confessing their sins unto 
Much less to Men.  God, they are very far from acknowledging them unto Men; from whom their main care is to hide them, (as Achan did his Wedge of Gold, and Babylonish Garment, which he hid in his Tent, josh. 7. 22). And if they be found out, and charged upon them, What do they then? Why either deny them, (as Gehazi did his running after Naman to receive a reward from him, which his Master Elisha had refused; when his master asked him, Whence comest thou? he said, Thy servant went no whither, 2 King. 5. 25.) so adding sin unto sin. Or else excuse, it may be defend, what they have done. By no means they will be brought to take the blame and shame of Sin to themselves. Let such take notice how far they are from Paul's disposition, who upon all occasions shows himself forward, and ready, to confess and acknowledge against himself his former sins; that so, taking shame to himself, he might give Glory to God. Never was he more ready to take unto himself the praise of his good deeds when he was a Pharisee, than now he is to take both the blame and shame of his evil ones, being a Christian. Certainly the Soul that will not be brought to the confessing, and acknowledging of those sins whereof it is convinced, must needs 
3. Such as confess, but not truly.  be in a state of Impenitency, lying under the power, and guilt of sin.  
A third sort there are, (I shall hasten what I may) who it may be at some times, and upon some occasions, will confess and 
False Confession tried by a fivefold Touchstone.  acknowledge their sins; but their acknowledgements are not sincere, but hypocritical, and counterfeit. And such they will appear to be, if brought to the Test, tried by the Touchstone of that fivefold Property which I have held forth to you.  

1. Either they are not Voluntary, and 
They are not voluntary, but extorted.  free, but extorted. They will not confess but when they are brought to the Rack; never but when they are in some Straight, having some Judgement of God lying upon them, or threatening them. Then, it may be, God and Men shall hear of them, and from them, than they will confess against themselves. Whereas at other times they are wholly silent in this way.  
2. Or else (in the second place) there is 
Not ingenuous, but partial.  no ingenuity in their Confessions. And thence is it, that, if they be drawn to confess, and acknowledge aught against themselves, they deal very partially, hiding their sins what they may, seeking to excuse, colour, extenuate, shift them off to others (as you have heard) not willing to lay them forth open and naked, and so to deal plainly either with God or Man. Still they will be keeping back part.  
3. Or (thirdly) their Confessions are 
Only general.  only in the gross, in a general way, without any distinct reflection upon any particular sins, which draws from them that acknowledgement.  
4. Or (in the fourth place) they are 
Verbal, and formal.  merely verbal, and formal, without any true inward sense and feeling of the sins which they confess, and acknowledge.  
5. Or else (in the last place) what they 
In a despairing way.  do, is altogether in a despairing way, without either sense, or hope of Mercy.   
All these (as I have shown you) they are evidences of a false and counterfeit Acknowledgement. And yet such, and no better, are the Confessions which the greatest part (it is to be feared) do rest contented 
4. Such as in stead of Confessing, make Profession of their sins, boasting in them.  with. Never regarding to get their hearts brought to such a voluntary, ingenuous, particular, cordial, and filial Acknowledgement, as might evidence to themselves, and others, the truth of their Repentance.  
There is yet a fourth sort, and that is the worst of all, such as will make Confession (or rather Profession) of their sins, but not as sins; not confessing them with sorrow and shame, with indignation and detestation, with a serious purpose and resolution of forsaking and abandoning of them, (as the true Penitent doth) but rather boasting of them, and glorying in them. I wish there were none such to be found among Christians at this day; such as glory in their sins; which they show not, as Beggars do their Soars, to move pity and compassion in the Beholders, but as Soldiers do their Wounds and Scars which they have received in some honourable Service; accounting it their Honour, their Glory, that they have been the chief of sinners. Such monsters of Men there have been, and I fear yet are, men so hardened in their sinful ways and courses; so far given over to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to a Reprobate mind, (as the Apostle saith of the Gentiles, Rom. 1. 28.) so far past all sense and feeling, (as he saith of some, Ephes. 4. 19) as that they are not ashamed to declare their sins. They declare their sin as Sodom (as the Prophet saith of the People of the jews, Isa. 3. 9): Making their boast thereof, as those Idolaters did of their Idols, Psal. 97. 7. And as Lamech did of his Cruelty and Bloodshed, Gen. 4. 23, 24. Yea, it may be, boast of that which they never did. Surely, a 
Damned Souls, far from such boasting.  greater height of impiety, than is to be found in the Devil's Kingdom, in Hell itself. There, those damned Souls, they complain and cry out of their sins, and curse the time that ever they committed them. As for boasting of them, glorying in them, they are far from it. Now, as for such, let them know, that this their boasting, their glorying, (shall I speak it in the Apostle's Language to his Corinthians in another case, 1 Cor. 5. 6.) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is not good? Nay, it is most horrid, most impious. Such an impiety as hath a woe, a most dreadful woe attending upon it. (Hear, and tremble at it, you, who stand in any degree guilty in this kind). They declare their sin as Sodom, and they hide it not, (saith the Prophet, speaking of the jews in the Text forecited, Isa. 3. 9 As they showed it in their deeds, so they spared not to publish it with their tongues, not in way of confession, as David, Psal. 32. 5. but in a way of profession as Lamech, Gen. 4. 23, 24. (as our new Annotator explains it). Thus did they declare their sins as Sodom, as the men of Sodom; who openly professed, what they commonly practised or intended. But what follows? Woe unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil to themselves: By these wicked courses, they draw down the Vengeance of God upon their own heads. Oh, far be this from any one of us! The shameful parts of the body, nature teacheth to hide and cover them. If any shall be so immodest as to discover them to open view, we should presently conclude him to be either mad or drunk, not himself. What is it then to uncover the nakedness, and filthiness of the Soul? And not only to uncover it, but to boast of it, to glory in it. As for such, well may we say of them, what the Apostle doth of those voluptuous belly Gods, Phil. 3. 19 that their glory is their shame. So is it now, and so they shall find it another day, at that great day, when (as he there saith of them) Destruction shall be their end. Paul, confessing his sins here in the Text, he doth it openly, before God and Men, but he doth it upon another account, viz. That he might take the shame of them to himself.  
And herein propound we him, as a Pattern 
Use. 2. All Exhorted, to be such Confessors as Paul was  for our Imitation. Be we all of us such Confessors, ready and forward upon all occasions, to confess and acknowledge our sins, as he was. Let that be the word of Exhortation, which (as in the former Branch) might be directed to two sorts of persons; First, to such as never yet knew, what a true confession and acknowledgement of sins meant. Secondly, to such as have been practisers in this way. But I shall put them both together, pressing this duty upon all. Those which never yet did it, let them set upon it. Those who have done it, let them be frequent in it. This is that, which the Lord calleth for from his people, the people of the jews, Jer. 3. 13. Only acknowledge thine iniquity. And this he expecteth and looketh for, at the hands of all those▪ that look for mercy from him; that they should confess and acknowledge their iniquities. And this do we all, and every of us. Sure I am, there is none of us but have just cause to do it. Though we be not so great sinners as Paul was, yet sinners we are, and great sinners, all of us. And so looking upon ourselves, confess we our sins.  
This do we (in the first place) unto God. 
1. Confessing unto God.  This is the confession, which Scripture most urgeth and calleth for, at the hands of all, as being the most necessary confession. My Son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him, (●…aith joshua to Achan) Josh. 7. 19 I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, (saith David, Psal. 32. 5.) Confession unto others, it may be at some times, and in some cases, useful, and profitable, but this, at all times necessary. A Doctrine, far differing from that of the Church of Rome; which runneth almost wholly, upon another kind of confession, viz. Auricular confession (as they 
Auricular Confession not necessary.  call it) confession made in the ears of the Priest. This is the Confession which they so much cry up, making it a main part of their Religion; insisting so much upon it in all their Tracts and Catechisms, calling, and accounting it a Sacrament, and making it one of the Essential parts of true Repentance, imposing it strictly upon All, and requiring it as a matter, not only of Expedience, but of absolute Necessity, (where it may be done); without which, no man can receive Absolution, or Remission of his Sins, or have any entrance into the Kingdom of God. In this, the Doctrine of our Church, is (and may it ever so be) far dissonant from, and contrary to theirs. Which, however in some cases it alloweth, and upon good grounds, approveth the Confession of sins unto the Ministers of God, as expedient and useful; yet, Confession unto God, and only that, it holdeth to be of absolute Necessity▪ And so looking upon it, let every 
See that it be a right Confession suiting with that fivefold Property.  of us thus confess our sins; confess them unto Him. Which do we, in Public, in Private; doing it in such a manner, as it may be acceptable unto Him, and profitable to ourselves. To which end, have we an eye to that fivefold Property which I mentioned before.  

1. See that our Confession be Voluntary 
Voluntary.  and Free. Bring we our hearts willingly to the work. See that our Confession come from us, like Water out of a Spring; not like Water out of a Still, which is forced by fire. Not deferring, and putting it off till the Evil day. Better do it now, than stay till God bring us to the Rack, and so extort a confession from us. Extorted confessions, being (as I said) ever suspicious, they will yield little comfort to the Soul: What herein we do, do it willingly.  
2. And (2dly.), do it Ingenously. Acknowledge 
Ingenuous.  we our sins unto God, and hide them not. A bootless and vain attempt, to go about to hide our sins from him, in whole, or in part, before whose Eyes, all things are naked and open, (as the Apostle tells us, Heb. 4. 13.). In our Confessions therefore, deal plainly and openly with him. Showing ourselves as ready to confess our sins unto him, as we would be to receive mercy from him. Do it ingenuously and fully.  
3. And do it Particularly, not resting 
Particular.  contented with an Implicit Confession, which (as one saith) is little better than an Implicit Faith; not thinking it enough, to confess and acknowledge that we are sinners, great sinners; but deal particularly and distinctly, producing our particular sins, laying them before the Lord, specially the chief of them.  
4. And (in the 4th. place) do it Cordially. 
Cordial.  Let our Confessions, be not only Tongue, but Heart-Confessions. See that we be inwardly affected with the sense and feeling of those sins which we confess.  
5. And (in the last place) let our Confessions 
Filial.  be Filial, come we unto God, not only as a judge, but as a Father; laying hold upon his Mercy in Christ, for the pardon of those sins which we confess. Thus, confess we our sins unto God.   
To excite and stir us up whereunto, 
Motive. This the only and sure way to obt●…in Mercy.  take we notice, that this is the way to mercy. The only way, and the sure way to it. Scripture is express for both. The only way, I am merciful (saith the Lord), only acknowledge thine iniquity, Jer. 3. 12, 13. as if he had said, Other way there is none for thee, or any other, to obtain Mercy at my hands, but this. The sure way. So much these promises import: He that confesseth, and forsaketh his sins, shall have mercy, Prov. 28. 13. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, 1 Joh. 1. 9 God having (as it were) bound himself by Promise, upon Confession of sins, to bestow Remission; now, it standeth not only with his Mercy, but with his justice to do it. Not that confession can merit pardon at the hands of God, more than at the hands of men, but only in regard of His gracious promise, which having made, he will be faithful in the performance of. This is the way, the sure and only way to find Mercy. A way, which God himself hath laid out; and a way which his people have ever taken for the obtaining of it, both for themselves and others; and a way, wherein they have ever found what they sought for. All these I might show you, if need were. And besides this, I might show you divers other benefits, redounding to the penitent sinner 
This, the ready & only way to ea●…e the heart  from this practice. This is the ready and only way to ease the heart, being burdened with sin, thus, to pour it forth before God, in such humble and hearty confessions and acknowledgements. The opening of our grief unto a friend, is an ease to the heart, much more to do it unto God. When I kept silence, (saith David) my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long, Psal. 32. 3. Whilst he hid his sin, he could have no rest; he roared through pangs of Conscience: but, confessing it, his Soul was quieted; he thereby obtained what he then sought for, Pardon and Remission; I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, (so it followeth) vers. 5. Let these Motives induce us to be willing to confess our sins unto God.  
And (2dly.), upon occasion, be not unwilling 
2. Confess unto Men.  to do it unto Men. 1st. Privately, whether to the Ministers of God or others. Confess your sins one to another, (saith Saint 
Privately  james, Jam. 5. 16.) that is (say some), to those Elders which were to be sent for, of whom he speaks in the verses foregoing, or (as others more generally look upon it) to them, or any other faithful Brethren. This are Christians to do (as I have shown you) in two cases. 1st. When they feel sin lying heavy upon their Souls, and find no ease by other endeavours. And (2dly.), when any sin is charged upon them by others, by way of Christian Admonition or Reprehension. In these cases, Christians are to deal freely and ingennously, confessing their sins unto others, such as may be fit to have them Communicated to them, being Wise and Faithful. By which means, they may come to have the benefit, as of their Counsels, so of their Prayers. Confess your sins one to another, and pray one for another, (as it there followeth).  
2. And as Privately, so also Publicly, 
Openly.  and Openly; whether it be in a regular way, if justly required so to do by Lawful Authority; or in a Spontaneous and Voluntary 
Scandalous sinners, to make open Confession.  way. Such as have been open, and scandalous Sinners, sinning before others, to the offending, or endangering of them, let them be, as occasion is offered, ready to confess their sins before others. That so  

1. They may give Glory to God, (as joshua 
That they may give glory to God.  in the Text forecited requires Achan to do); the glory of his justice, acknowledging him to be Just, and Righteous, in what ever he hath done, or shall do against them, though it were in their everlasting condemnation. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, (so Daniel begins his Confession) Dan. 9 7. And so the glory of his Grace and Mercy, in sparing them, receiving them to Mercy. Upon this ground it was, (as I have shown you) that Paul was so forward, and frequent in his Confessions. 
Take shame to themselves.   
2. And (secondly) that giving glory to God, they may take shame to themselves. O Lord, Righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of face (so Daniel there goeth on). This (as I have shown you) true Penitent sinners will readily take unto themselves; and upon this account they are so ready to make these Open confessions. That which deterrs, and keeps off others from it, brings them off to it. Carnal men, out of a carnal respect which they have to their credit and reputation in the World, they are averse to it. And hereupon they will stand upon their Justification, Denying, Excusing, Extenuating, Evading what they can, (as you have heard). But upon this account, the penitent sinner is forward in it, that, whilst he gives glory to God, he may take shame to himself. This is God's due, and his; and so apprehending it, he is willing thus to give the one, and take the other.  
3. And again (thirdly), This let them 
Give Satisfaction to those, whom they have offended or indangered.  do, for the satisfaction of those, whom by their sins they have scandalised, and offended, or endangered.  
4. As also to set a Pattern unto others, who stand guilty of the like sins. All these, let them be as so many inducements, to draw them to such free and open Confessions.   
Wherein, let them take heed that they 
Herein to deal sincerely  deal sincerely and uprightly. Not doing this out of any base sinister respects, as thinking thereby, to gain credit and repute from any, which is odious Hypocrisy. But doing it, as in the presence of God. Thus did Paul preach the Gospel of Christ, (as he tells his Corinthians, 2 Cor. 2. last.). And thus no question he made these open confessions against himself, Not as many, who deal deceitfully, but as of sincerity, as in the sight of God. And such let all our confessions and acknowledgements be; to whomsoever they are made, whether to God or Man. See that they be not merely verbal and formal, much less Hypocritical, but Sincere and Cordial.  
And that we may attain to be such true 
●…ir. 1. Get a general knowledge of sin.  confessors, (to give you some directions briefly); Let our first work be, to get a true sight, a right knowledge of sin, a speculative knowledge of the nature, and kinds of sin, to know what sin is, and what is sin. Now, this knowledge is not to be attained, but by and from the Law. By the Law, is the knowledge of sin, (saith the Apostle) Rom. 3. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a clear, distinct, effectual knowledge, such a knowledge as bringeth forth an Acknowledgement. So much the word in the Original is conceived to import, which we find sometimes so rendered by our Translators, as, 2 Tim. 2. 25. Tit. 1. 1. Acknowledgement. Now, such a knowledge of sin, [as I said] is not to be attained, but by the Law, from the Word. As for the light of nature, that may, and will discover unto man some sins, but this light is insufficient and defective. For, [1st.], it will not discover all sins. Sins against the Second Table it may, but not so many of them against the First Table; which are indeed the greatest sins. Gross sins it may, not other. Actual sins it may, which are the Branches; but not Original sin, which is the Root of all sin. This through-discovery of all sin, is only by the Law. And therefore saith the Apostle, I had not known sin, but by the Law, Rom. 7. 7. Non ita exacte nossem, [saith Grotius], I could never have known it so exactly and fully, as now I do. Many sins there were, that the light of nature could not have discovered unto him: Specially that Mother-Sinne, the Root of all Sin, that sinful Concupiscence, of which he speaks in the words following, I had not known lust, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Concupiscence), except the Law had said, Thou shalt not lust. Besides, sins against the Gospel, (such as Paul's sins were, which here he confesseth), the light of Nature cannot discover them; this must the light of the Word do. And again, discovery of sin by the light of nature, is not an effectual discovery. It never so enlighteneth the eye, as that it rightly affecteth the heart, affecteth it with true sorrow for sin, so as to drive the sinner unto God, to seek and sue for Mercy, in such a way as he may obtain it. This is proper to the Word. And therefore make we use of this Light, labouring to get a true understanding of, and insight into, the Law of God, that so we may attain such a knowledge of sin, to know (as I said), what sinn●…s, and what is sin. Without this, there will be no true Confession. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must go before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Cognitio before Agnitio, Knowledge before Acknowledgement.  
2dly. Having attained some measure of 
2. A particular Conviction.  this general knowledge, the next work must be, to get a particular Conviction. Paul had not only a light shining round about him, (as you heard), but he also heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me, Act. 9 And so it is not enough for a Christian to have the light of the Word shining round about him, to have a general knowledge of sin, but he must be particularly convinced of his own sins. To that end, therefore, bring we ourselves to the Law. Behold we our own faces in that Glass. Bring our lives thither, bring our hearts thither, comparing the one with the other; laying both to that Rule, that so by the straightness of the one, we may discover the obliquity and crookedness of the other. Thus did Paul, he brought himself, his heart and life to the Law, and by that means, he came not only to attain the knowledge of sin in a general way, but to see his own sinfulness, the sinfulness of his Nature, and the sinfulness of his Life; as his former sins acted before his Conversion, so the Body of sin, which still remained in hi●…▪ In the sense and apprehension whereof, he so passionately cryeth out in the close of that Chapter, Rom. 7. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, O wretched man that I am, Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Thus, seek we after such a Conviction, which till we attain, we will never be brought to a right confession and acknowledgement of sin. Thence was it, that Nathan taketh this course with David: First, convincing him of his sin, which he doth, by propounding to him the Parable of the Ewe-Lamb, and so by that means, brings him to that Confession which there he made, 2 Sam. 12.  
3dly. Being convinced of sin, than (in 
3. Compunction and Contrition.  the third place) seek after some measure of Compunction and Contrition, that so we may not only have a sight, but an inward sense and feeling of our sins, and so be humbled in the sense of them. Paul, did not only see a light shining about him, and hear a voice speaking unto him, but he was also struck to the ground, [as you have heard]. And so must a poor sinner be, before ever he will be brought to a right confession of his sins. Seek we for this also in measure. This it was, that drew john the Baptist's, and Peter's, and Paul's hearers, to those open confessions which they made, they were pricked in the hearts for their sins.  
4thly. Being thus humbled for sin, and 
4. Some apprehension of Mercy.  feeling some measure of Compunction, now labour in the next place, to get some apprehensions of mercy, to raise up the Soul; if not in the sense, yet with the hope of M●…cy. Till this be done, our confession will never be such as it ought to be. It will never be Voluntary and Ingenuous, till▪ it be Filial. Fear, slavish fear, it straitneth the heart, causeth the spirits to retire, and run inward [as it were]. Apprehensions of Mercy, will melt, and enlarge, and dissolve it [as it were]; and so draw forth the Soul, to free and ingenuous confessions, and acknowledgements.  
5thly. In the fifth and last place, seek we 
5. Beg from God, his free Spirit.  unto God for that his free Spirit, [as David calleth it, Psal. 51. 12.] that, That may be in us a spirit of confession. It is that, which the Lord maketh promise of to his people, Zach. 12. 10. I will pour upon them, the Spirit of Grace and Supplications. His Spirit, which is the gift of his Grace, [and therefore called the Spirit of Grace] should so inwardly affect them with the sense of his Mercies, as that they should freely pour out their Souls before Him, in true penitent confessions of their own sins, whereof formerly they had not been sensible. And this Spirit seek we from God. Even such a Spirit of Grace and Supplications, which may put our hearts into such a confessing frame and temper, as that they may be ready upon all occasions, to break forth into humble and hearty confessions and acknowledgements of our sins, both before God and Men. By this means it was, that Paul was now become such a forward and ingenuous confessor of his own sins. Which, confessing, he also censureth, and that severely, acknowledging himself not only a sinner, but a great sinner; yea, the chief of sinners. That is the third particular Branch, of the general Observation, to which I now come.  
THe Penitent sinner, as he is a frequent 
Branch 3. The Penitent sinner, a severe Censurer of himself.  Remembrancer, and a forward Confessor, so also a severe Censurer; severe in censuring of his own Sins, and himself for them. An Observation which I find the learned Grotius taking up from that parallel Text, Luk. 5. 8. where Peter maketh the like Confession, that Paul here doth. Having seen that Miracle which Christ had wrought, in blessing his labour beyond all expectation, giving him such a draught of Fishes, as the like he had never before seen or heard of, he thereupon falleth down at his knees, saying, Depart from me, I am a sinful man. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Peccatosus, a sinner, a great sinner. So much that word [as you have formerly heard] imports; as we may take notice from that Text of Saint Peter, 1 Pet. 4. 18. If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Where the word sinner, being opposed to a Righteous person, it imports, a wicked and ungodly person, with whom it is there joined, an habituated sinner. So we find it used by our Apostle in the ninth verse of this Chapter, whereof the Text is part. Where he saith, that the Law was not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient; for the ungodly, and for sinners, for unholy, and profane. Where, by sinners, we are to understand▪ such as the rest there spoken of are, wicked, and ungodly; unholy, and profane persons, such as make a trade of sin, (as Beza there expounds it), Veluti aliquam peccandi artem exercentes, such as the Poet Hesiod (saith he) calleth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, such as made sin their work, habituated and notorious sinners. Now what? Was Peter such a one? Nothing less, he was, then, a truly pious and godly Man, as appears by his Demeanour to his Lord and Master Christ, his readiness to do what ever he should command him; which he professeth and practiseth in the verses foregoing, vers. 5. 6. How was it then, that he should pass so severe a Censure upon himself, that he was a sinner, such a sinner, a sinful man? Why, thus it is, none are more ready to pass censures upon themselves, than those that deserve them least. Probi animi vel maximum ●…st indicium severissimam in se censuram exercere, (saith that Author); There is not a greater Evidence of a Pious and Gracious Soul, than to be severe in Censuring of itself. Such a one was this our Apostle Saint Paul, (as the same Author there taketh notice of it, paralleling him with Peter, in this confession which here he maketh). Notwithstanding that before his Conversion, he was morally blameless in his life and conversation, and now an eminent Saint; yet he passeth this Censure upon himself, that he was, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the first, the chief of Sinners.  
And such Censurers shall we find other of the Saints of God to have been, severe in censuring of themselves. Hence is it, that in their Confessions and Acknowledgements we shall find them aggravating their sins to the height, endeavouring what they could to express and set forth the Heinousness, the Greatness of them. So we find David confessing and acknowledging of that sin of his, in Numbering of the People, 2 Sam. 24. 10. His heart smiting him for what he had done, he breaks forth into the Acknowledgement of it, confessing that he had therein not only sinned, but greatly sinned. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done. And what was it that he had done? Why, he had caused the People, through his Dominions, to be numbered; to have a Muster-role taken of all those that were fit to bear Arms, if occasion should require it. And what, Was this so great a Sin? In appearance it was not, it being no more than what, out of a Politic respect, he might do; and what others before him (in likelihood) had frequently and usually done. But David, knowing his own heart, and being privy to his own intentions and aims in doing what he did; that he had done it, not only out of a Vain curiosity, when as there was no need that he should do it, but also out of a principle of Pride, and carnal confidence, having therein made flesh his Arm, trusting in the Multitude of his People; hereupon he not only confesseth the sin, but censureth it as a very great sin; withal censuring himself to have therein done foolishly, very foolishly, as it followeth in the close of that Verse, I have done very foolishly. However, in this action, I seemed to myself to have been very prudent and politic; yet now I see that it was no better than extreme folly, seeing I swerved out of the way of thy Commandments, through pride, and carnal confidence.  
And not unlike is that other confession of his, which he maketh in the matter of Uriah, Psal. 51. where he not only in express terms acknowledgeth the Fact which he had done, his going into Bathsheba, (as he calleth it in the Title of the Psalm) his committing Adultery with her; but he aggravateth it to the full, setting forth the Foulness and Heinousness of it, which he doth by multiplying of words about it, call it Iniquity, Transgression, Sin, Evil; an exaggeration of words, serving and tending to the aggravation of his sin. Withal, he accuseth and condemneth himself before God, for that sin, clearing, and justifying of him, as touching what he had already done, in taking away his Child; so also, touching what he had threatened by the Prophet Nathan, that he would do unto him, viz. That, the Sword should never depart from his house, 2 Sam. 12. 10. And so touching whatsoever else he should please to do unto him, however he should punish him or his, yet, still he acknowledgeth, how he had deserved all, justifying of God. This we shall find in the fourth verse of that Psalm, where confessing how he had therein sinned against God, Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evill-in thy sight; he subjoineth, That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest Which words are commonly (and I think not amiss) looked upon as a Reason, why he thus made this confession to his God, viz. That he might give unto him the glory of his Justice, in what ever he had spoken and threatened against him, or in what ever judgements and punishments, he should lay and inflict upon him. Such a severe Censurer was David of his own sins, and of himself for them.  
And the like shall we find in divers others; As in Daniel, who confessing his own, and the people's sins, Da●…. 9 he first aggravateth them, to that end, multiplying of words, (as David there did), making use of variety of expressions, Vers. 5. We have sinned, and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, etc. thereby, setting forth both the multitude and magnitude of their sins. Then he censures himself, and them for them, acknowledging what they had justly deserved thereby, even shame and confusion of face; O Lord (saith he), righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day, v. 7. which he repeats again in the verse following, with some amplifications. O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our Kings, to our Princes, and to our Fathers, because we have sinned against thee.  
Such a confession of sin it is that King Solomon prescribes unto all penitent sinners, 1 King. 8. 47. If they shall repent, and make supplication unto thee, saying, We have sinned, and done perversely, we have committed wickedness, etc. As if he should say, We cannot sufficiently express, how heinous our sins are. And such confession, being truly penitent, they will be ready to make, We see it in the Prodigal, upon his return to his Father, Luk. 15. 21. Father (saith he), I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son. Where see, how he first aggravateth his fault, acknowledging that in what he had done, he had sinned against Heaven, that is, against God, who dwelleth in the Heavens; not only against his earthly Father, whom he had immediately offended, by his lewd and extravagant courses, but also against his Heavenly Father, whose Laws he had transgressed. Then he passeth Censure upon himself, adjudging and acknowledging himself, worthy to be cast off by his Father, unworthy to be any longer owned by him, as his Son, I am no more worthy to be called thy Son. So far was he from excusing himself, or from any ways mincing, or extenuating what he had done. What ever others might think of it, who might impute it to the levity of his youth, and so make leight of it, he censures it, and himself for it, as deserving not only a frown, or a check from his Father, but an utter abdication and abjection. So severe will true Penitents be, in Censuring of their own sins, and themselves for them. Looking upon themselves: as vile unworthy wretches. So did job, Behold, I am vile, (saith he) Job 40. 4. He was so in his own eyes. Abhorring themselves, (as he saith afterward of himself, cap. 42. vers. 6.) Loath●…ng themselves in their own sight, for all the ●…vills which they have done, (as the Lord ●…aith his people should do, Ezek. 20. 43. & 36. 31.) viler than others. Surely I am more brutish than any man, (saith wise Agur), Prov. 30. 2. Thus severe are penitent sinners, in censuring of themselves.  
Q. And how is it that they are so? 
Quest.   
A. To this I have (as I remember) returned some answer before, giving you the heads of some Reasons for it. Let me touch upon some of them again.  
1st. They are best acquainted with themselves, 
Resp. 1.. He is best acquainted with himself.  they know themselves. Know ye not your own selves, (saith Paul to his Corinthians) 2 Cor. 13. 5. This, all Regenerate Persons in measure do. Having their eyes opened to the beholding, as of what they are by Grace, to which end the Spirit it given them (we have received the Spirit of God, that we should know the things which are freely given us of God, 1 Cor. 2. 12.); so of what they are by Nature, to the beholding of the corruption of their hearts, and the errors of their lives. These they know. Our transgressions are with us, and our iniquities we know them, (saith the Church) Isa. 59 12. And so know them, as they do not, cannot, know the sins of others. In themselves (as you heard before) they take notice of the body of sin, the mass of sinful 
With his own Hea●…t.  corruption which is in them, which in others they see not, but by reflecting upon themselves. Thus they may see it. Even 〈◊〉 in water, face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man, (saith Solomon) Prov. 27. 19 The face which a man seeth in the water, or in a glass, it is in all points like unto his own, of the same feiture, colour, complexion. Even such a similitude there is between the hearts, of one man, and another. How ever Grace maketh a change, making men new Creatures, differing from themselves, and so from others; yet, by nature there is no difference, as the Apostle tells us, Rom. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, There is no difference (or distinction), all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God. That is, (as some expound it, and as we find these words [the Glory of God] used by the same Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. 7.) having all alike sinned in Adam, they are alike deprived of the Image of God, wherein man was at the first Created, consisting in Holiness and Righteousness; and consequently, all alike infected with Original Corruption, which is the Image of Satan, all alike disfigured and deformed. So as a man reflecting upon himself, he thereby cometh, after a sort, to see what is in another, Ex suo ingenio aliorum ingenia aestimans, measuring others by himself, guessing at their Corruption by his own. But this he seeth only in a Glass, by reflection from his own heart, and consequently his knowledge hereof is not so clear and certain, as that which he hath of himself. As for his own corruption, that he is well acquainted with, being sensible how indisposed he is to what ever is good, how pro●…e to all manner of evil.  
And as he knoweth his own heart, better 
With his own li●…e.  than he doth the heart of any other, so also his life, as his inward Corruption which is the Fountain, so his actual sins which are the Streams. These he knoweth better than he doth the sins of any others. Many sins he must take notice of in others, but of more in himself. Mine iniquities are more than the hairs of my head, (saith David) Psal. 40. 12. This a man may say of himself, rather than of another, being (as the Penitent sinner is) a diligent and constant observer of himself, observing his daily slips and infirmities, his daily commissions and omissions, which he cannot do in another. In others, he taketh notice only of their open sins, in himself, of his secret sins; which, as they are more in number, so they may be more heinous in nature than the open sins of others. And besides, observing his own sins, he knoweth the nature and quality of them, better than he can do of the sins of others. In others, he taketh notice of the outward Acts of such or such sins, seeing them, or hearing of them; but in himself, he taketh notice also of the circumstances accompanying 
The penitent sinner weigheth his own sins.  his own sins, which many times exceedingly do aggravate them. So as whereas he doth but guests at the greatness of other men's sins, judging them by the outward appearance, he Weigheth his own. Even as the Lord is said to weigh the ways of men, Isa. 26. 7. Thou most upright dost weigh the path of the just. Pondering all their goings, (as the Wiseman saith of him), Prov. 5. 21. The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. Taking exact notice of all their Actions, weighing them, as Hannah hath it in her Song, 1 Sam. 2. 3. The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him Actions are weighed. And as their Actions, so their Hearts and Spirits. The Lord weigheth the Spirits (saith the Wiseman), Prov. 16. 2. repeated, cap. 21. 2. Like as the Goldsmith that weigheth his Gold, he taketh exact notice of every grain; so doth God ponder and weigh all the actions, words, and thoughts of Men, as their good works, so their sins; taking notice of every circumstance that may make them either lighter or heavier, extenuate or aggravate them. And thus doth the true penitent sinner desire to weigh and ponder his own sins, considering not only the sins themselves, but the circumstances wherewith they are attended, which ofttimes are great aggravations. And so by putting these grains into his own balance, which he cannot do in another's, his own sins in his apprehension, come to weigh down the sins of others; though haply in themselves not so heavy as others. Thus is he better acquainted with himself than with others, with his own heart and life, with his own sins, his own inward Corruption, the pravity of his Nature, the Rebellion of his own Will, the Inordinacy of his own Affections, as also with his own actual sins, both as to the number, and nature of them. And hence is it, that he cometh to be so censorious towards himself, judging his own sins more, and greater than the sins of others; and so himself, a greater sinner than others. 
Resp. 2. He feeleth them   
Besides this, (in the second place) as he seeth and weigheth his own sins, so he feeleth them; Which he doth not the sins of others. The sins of others he taketh notice of by the Eye, or Ear; either by hear-say, or at the most being an eye-witness of them, and so knoweth them only by speculation, but his own sins he feeleth them. Feeling the Body of sin stirring in him, even as Rebecca felt the two twins stirring and striving in her Womb, Gen. 25. 22. thus doth he feel Corruption striving and struggling with Grace (of which Paul complains, Rom. 7.) Besides, he feeleth his Actual sins, which, it may be, lie heavy upon his Soul. As David saith his sins did upon him. Psal. 40. 12. Mine iniquities (saith he) have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; which may be understood, not only of the Judgements of God, which then lay upon him, whereof his sins were the cause, but even of his sins themselves, which lay heavy upon his Soul. And so is it in measure with all true Penitent sinners, they are such as either do feel, or have felt the weight and burden of their sins, being weary, and heavy laden with them, as our Saviour giveth a Character of them. Mat. 11. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, such as labour under the sense of sin, feeling it lying upon them as an intolerable burden. And this again maketh them think their own sins greatest. So it did Paul here (as you have heard). He saw and heard of the sins of others, but they did not lie upon him as his own did, and therefore he judgeth himself to be the chief of sinners. Cuique gravissimum est onus quod suis impositum est humeris, (saith Aretius' forecited, upon the Text). Every one is ready to think that burden heaviest that lieth upon his own shoulders, and his own pain to be the greatest. See if there be any sorrow like my sorrow, (saith the Church in the Text forecited), Lam. 1. 12. That which a man knoweth by sense and feeling, it maketh a deeper impression upon his heart, than what he knoweth only by Speculation.  
Many other Reasons might be given, why 
Resp. 3. His heart is tender▪  penitent sinners should have such apprehensions of their own sins. Among other, their hearts are tender, as Huldah the Prophetess said of good josiah, 2 Chron. 34. 27. Because thine heart was tender, etc. And such in measure is the heart of every truly penitent sinner. Now, a tender heart is affected with the least touch.  
Besides, (as you have heard before), they 
Resp. 4. He hath tasted of Mercy.  are such as have begun to taste of mercy. Now, that maketh their sins to appear the more sinful to them, even as the tasting of any sweet thing, will make that which is bitter, to seem more bitter. The sweetness of God's Grace and Mercy in Christ, being tasted by the Soul in the pardon of sin, it maketh sin to be the more bitter unto it. But I shall no longer dwell upon Illustration. That which now remains for the closing up of this point is only the Application, which I shall again direct as in the two former Branches, only those two ways; By way of Conviction, 
Use 1. By way of Conviction, divers ●…ensured to be no true penitents.  by way of Exhortation.  
In the first place by way of Conviction. Is this the property of a sinner truly penitent, to be so severe in censuring of his own sins, and himself for them; how many upon this ground, may justly be censured as being none of this number?  
1st. Such as instead of censuring, do flatter 
1. Such as are ●…tterers of themselves, whilst they are censorious of others.  themselves; and that whilst in the mean time, they are very ready to censure others. As for others, none are more censorious of them than they, very quicksighted they are, in prying into their lives, nay into their hearts, ready to censure both, and that most severely, nay, rigidly and uncharitably. Ready to pass a sharp censure upon the moats, the least infirmities and failings which they spy in others. And not only censuring the faults, (which they do beyond all proportion of merit), but the persons also for the faults sake, condemning them for Hypocrites. But, in the mean time, they are gross flatterers of themselves. Not espying the beams in their own eyes, overlooking many gross evils in themselves, applauding themselves, as if all were well with them, and that there were nothing in them that should deserve a Censure. Such were the Pharisees of old, none more ready to censure others than they. So did he the Publican in the Gospel, blessing God, that himself was not such a one as he, and others were. God I thank thee, (saith he) I am not as other men are, etc. or even as this Publican, Luk. 18. 11. And thus is it with many, too many, they are very quicksighted towards others. As it is observed of the most ravenous and mischievous birds, birds of prey, they are usually most quicksighted: So is it with the worst and wickedest of men, none more ready to find fault with others, whilst they see none in themselves. Now as for such, let them take notice how far they are from the temper and disposition of this our Apostle here in the Text. Paul, whilst he was Saul a Pharisee, no question he thought as well of himself as any other, he was then, highly opinionated of his own Righteousness, that he was not as others; if a sinner, yet not so great a sinner as others were. But now being brought home to Christ, and having his eyes opened, he cometh to see more evil in himself, then in any other; whereupon he passeth this severe censure upon himself, that he was not only a sinner, but a great sinner, yea, the chief of sinners. Certainly they, who do not see any thing in themselves that deserve a censure, and that a sharp one, they may well conclude, that as yet, they have not had their eyes opened, they have little or no acquaintance with themselves. Did they but throughly know themselves, they would see so much at home, as would make them less censorious abroad. So is it with a truly gracious Soul; a truly penitent sinner, the more holy he is, the more humble, the more gracious, the less censorious of others, where there may be any hope. The Story tells us, joh. 8. of those Scribes and Pharisees, which brought that poor woman taken in the Act of Adultery before our Saviour, however, they were all of them guilty of the like, or of some as great sins as she was, as appeared by their shrinking and stealing away, after they had heard what our Saviour said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her, vers. 7. Now they which heard it (saith the Text), being convicted by their own Conscience, went out one by one, vers. 9) yet how harsh and rigid were they against her, as in accusing, so in censuring of her; urging the Law, which required that such should be stoned, which they would have speedily executed, without any further hearing. So rigid were they against her. But so was not our Saviour. However he himself knew no sin, being free from all sin, both Original and Actual; holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, (as the Apostle saith of him), Heb. 7. 26. yet, see how mildly, how gently, how tenderly he was pleased to deal with her, telling her, that seeing there were no witnesses present, to prove what they charged her with, he would not condemn her, only willing her to go away and sin no more, Vers. 11. Certainly, they who are so harsh, and uncharitable, in censuring & condemning of others, either never considered, or else have forgotten, what themselves are, or were. Which if they did but seriously think of, it would teach them that Lesson which the Apostle willeth Titus to press upon his Cretians, and that upon this ground, Tit. 3. 2, 3. Put them in mind (saith he) to speak evil of no man, (that is, not without just cause), but to be gentle, showing meekness unto all men; For we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures. This would make men more severe in censuring themselves than others.  
A second sort there are, who (it may be) 
2. Such as are sparing in their censuring of themselves.  will be content to pass a censure upon themselves, but they are very sparing in it. That they are sinners they will acknowledge, but what? Great sinners? not so, much less the chief of sinners. Here they will plead what they can for themselves, for the extenuating of their sins, and excusing of themselves; making use of divers Pleas for that end and 
Divers Pleas made use of by such, for the extenuating of their sins.  purpose. I shall instance in three or four of the most usual.  
1. Though they be sinners, and have their 
1. Others greater sinners than they.  faults, yet, they are not such as others are. There are others as bad, nay, worse than they. And to make this good, they single out some persons grossly scandalous, comparing themselves with them, blessing God that they are not so bad as they. Thus did the Pharisee even now spoken of, comparing himself with the Publican, one of the vilest sort of persons that then were. So were the Publicans accounted amongst the jews, being servants to the Romans, whose yoke the jews could not endure, Officers employed by them, for the gathering in of their tribute, which they did for the most part with greatest rigour, grating upon the people, by exacting more than their due, and so making what advantage of their places they could. Hence it was that they came to be of so ill repute as they were, to be reckoned among the worst of men. Thus we find Publicans and Sinners put together, Mat. 9 10, 11. And elsewhere Publicans and Harlots, Mat. 21. 31. intimating them to have been an infamous company. Now, with him doth the Pharisee there compare himself, as also with other notorious sinners. Which doing, he blesseth God that he was not so vile, as he and they. God I thank thee, I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Unjust, Adulterers, or even as this Publican, Luk. 18. 11. And the like are many, very ready to plead for themselves. Comparing themselves with persons notoriously scandalous, they applaud themselves in this, that they are not so bad as they, none of the chief of sinners.  
2d. A second Plea is, that if they be sinners, 
2. They are but as others.  and great sinners, guilty (it may be) of some foul and scandalous sins, yet therein they are not alone, they are but as others, they have done no otherwise then some have done before them, and others will do after them. They are flesh and blood as well as others, and therefore, if they have fallen, they make the less of it, because it is a thing incident to all. And to this purpose, it may be, they will not spare to make use of Scripture, perverting and abusing it to their own destruction; which telleth them, how that in many things we offend all, Jam. 3. 2. And how the just man falleth seven times, i. e. often, as into sufferings, so into sins, Prov. 24. 16. So as there is not a just man that doth good, and sinneth not, Eccl. 7. 20. Withal, taking up the examples and instances of holy men, eminent Saints of God, whose sins stand upon Record in Scripture, some of them very foul and horrid, making use of them, if not for the excusing, yet for the extenuating of their own.  
3. A third of these Pleas is, Though they 
3. They have sinned through infirmity  have fallen into such and such sins, yet they did it not willingly, out of any love or liking they had to the sin, but through infirmity, being, it may be, enticed and drawn into it by evil company, upon whom they are willing to transfer their sins, that they may shift them off from themselves. So Adam did his eating of the Apple, which he put upon his Wife, The Woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the Tree, and I did eat, Gen. 3. 12. And so did Saul his sparing of Agag, which he putteth upon the people, (as you have heard) 1 Sam. 15. 24.  
4. A fourth and a last Plea, (to name no 
4. They could not resist Sarans Temptations.  more) is, They have fallen, and fallen foully, but they could not help it, being overpowered by Satan, whose temptations were so strong, that they could not resist them, and so they would charge the fault rather upon him, than themselves. So did the Woman at the first, The Serpent beguiled me, and I did eat, Gen. 3. 13. And the like do these her children, by this means, thinking at least to extenuate their sins, as if they in the acting and committing of them, had been only Instruments and Accessories.  
These, and many the like Pleas and pretences, 
Paul, sar from making use of any such Pleas.  do carnal men ofttimes find out, making use of them, if not to defend, yet to extenuate their own sins, and so to excuse themselves, if not in whole yet in part; that so they may not seem so vile in their own eyes, as in truth they are. But in so doing, how unlike are they to the Apostle here in the Text? Paul, if he would have gone about such a work, the excusing or extenuating of his sins, how many Pleas might he▪ have taken up? He was not the first Persecutor, nor the only Persecutor, no, nor yet the greatest Persecutor. There were then others besides him, and there had been others before him, some of them as violent as ever he had been. Besides, what he had done, he had done it out of Ignorance, not knowing what he did, nor Whom it was that he opposed. Nay, what he did, he did it out of Zeal for God. Besides, in what he did against the Church, he was instigated and set on by Satan, who raised those Persecutions. And as by Satan, who had the chief hand in it, so by others his Instruments, who put him forward upon that work. But see how he layeth all these aside. However, he took notice of some, if not all of them; As of his Ignorance, I did it Ignorantly: And of his good Intention, I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things, contrary to the Name of jesus of Nazareth, Act. 26. 9 Yet, he is far from making any such use of them, but he chargeth his sins home upon himself, Censuring them, and himself for them; and that most severely, according as the nature of his sins required, acknowledging himself, to be the chief of sinners.  
And herein again, let every of us set 
Use. 2. Exhortation. Let all Christians, be such self censurers of themselves.  Him up as a Pattern for our Imitation. Let that be the Word of Exhortation, wherewith I shall conclude this point. Be we all of us such Censurers of ourselves. As for others, take we heed of being rash and forward in censuring of them. judge not, that ye be not judged, (saith our Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount), Math. 7. 1. Which, let it be rightly and warily understood. Not but that Christians may censure the sins of others. This, Public persons not only may do, but aught to do, both Civil and Ecclesiastical, whom God hath made Censores morum, Judges and Censurers of the manners of others; yea, and this may private Christians also in some cases lawfully do. In case the sin be open and scandalous, they may censure and condemn it for a sin in whomsoever it is, and that according to the nature of it. But being private persons, let them be sparing in censuring of the persons of others, specially in censuring them for such weaknesses and infirmities as they espy in them. Taking heed of being rash, or rigid, and uncharitable in their censures of others, whether of their Persons or Actions. Here let that of the Apostle take place, Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth; which we have seconded by Saint james, cap. 4. vers. 12. Who art thou that judgest another? In judging and censuring of others, be we sparing and wary; in the mean time turning our censures upon ourselves. Which, as it will be more safe, so more useful. Be we strict inquisitors into our own hearts and lives. Bring both to a scrutiny, and to a censure. And herein spare not to excercise our severity.  
Not that I would have Christians to be 
Yet, not being rash, or overrigid in these censures.  over-harsh against themselves, so as to pass too rigid censures upon their own persons or actions. It is the Preacher's advice, (as you heard before), Be not wicked over much, Eccles. 7. 17. i e. judicio tuo, in thine own judgement. An extreme, which sometimes good and gracious Souls are subject to. Out of a deep apprehension which they have of their own sins, their weaknesses, and their wants, they are ready to pass harsh censures upon themselves, sometimes adjudging themselves to be Hypocrites, sometimes charging upon themselves, that great and unpardonable sin, the sin against the Holy Ghost; which notwithstanding they are very far from, being such as desire nothing more than to hearken to the Motions and Dictates thereof. In this, Christians must be wary and tender; whilst they are not uncharitable towards others, they must take heed of being so to themselves. In the mean time, let them not forbear to judge and censure themselves, to pass censure upon their own sins, their inward and secret corruptions, their outward and actual Transgressions, their sinful Commissions and Omissions. And herein let them be impartial, not conniving at any thing in themselves, not looking upon their own sins through false glasses, but beholding them as they are, let them pass a righteous judgement upon them, judging and censuring themselves for them, according to their▪ demerit. And this let every of us be exhorted to do.  
Motives hereunto take one or two instead of many. 1. This is the next, and only 
Mot. 1. This the way to prevent God's Censures.  way to prevent God's Censures. If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged of the Lord (saith the Apostle to his Corinthians) 1 Cor. 11. 31. Hereby may many temporal judgements be prevented; However, that Eternal judgement: As for Temporal judgements, they may, and ofttimes do befall those who have thus prejudged themselves. So was it with David; notwithstanding that he had judged himself for that sin of his in numbering the People, acknowledging that he had therein sinned greatly, and done very foolishly; yet he hath a three-stringed whip held forth to him, a threefold judgement offered to him to take his choice of, Famine, Sword, or Pestilence, one of which he must feel of. Yet by this means we may come to escape that dreadful censure, the sentence of Eternal Condemnation, which shall be passed upon all those who never thus judged themselves at the last day. This praejudicium will prevent that judicium. Thus fore-judging ourselves, we may prevent the terror of that last Judgement.  
Again, this is the way to ease ourselves 
Mot. 2. To ease the Soul of the burden of sin; and to procure the pardon of it.  of the burden of sin, by thus burdening ourselves with it. Allevat penitus errores, qui ipse se onerat (saith Ambrose). He who thus burdens himself, with charging his sins home upon himself; by so doing, he shall lighten the burden of sin, that it will not lie so heavy upon his Soul, as otherwise it would. To be thus Heavy-laden, is the way to Rest, Mat. 11. 28. This is the way, the next way to obtain Mercy at the hands of God. It was the way which Benhadad's servants took to find mercy from the King of Israel, to come to him with Ropes upon their heads, 1 King. 20. 31. So censuring and condemning themselves aforehand as Capital Offenders, having deserved death. No readier way to find Mercy at the hands of God, than for a man to be thus his own judge, and to be thus severe against himself. In quan●…um non peperceris tibi, in tantum tibi Deus, crede, parcet. By how much less sparing thou art to thyself, (saith another of the Ancients, Tertullian) by so much the more sparing (believe it▪) thou shalt find God to be unto thee. This is the next way to sue forth a Pardon. So David apprehended it, who maketh use of this as an Argument to move God to show mercy to him, in the pardoning of his sin, his acknowledging that he had sinned greatly, and done very foolishly. Now, beseech thee O Lord (saith he), take away the Iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly, 2 Sam. 24. 10. A strange Argument one would think to make use of, to such a purpose, to induce God to show mercy to him, by aggravating his sin in such a manner. Carnal reason would have thought it might have been a more likely way to have pleaded some excuse, and to have extenuated his sin what he could. Not so, David apprehended this as the right way, and so he sound it; not to go about to hide or extenuate, but to lay open, and to aggravate his sin to the height. In this the case is different betwixt God and Man. Before men, offenders are ofttimes acquitted by the means of such Pleas, and excuses as they make use of. It is not so with God. With him, he that covereth his sin (seeketh to conceal it, or to excuse it), shall not prosper, (as the Wiseman telleth us), Prov. 28. 13. not prosper in his suit for mercy at the hands of God. Would we obtain mercy from him, do not deal deceitfully with him. But deal we impartially betwixt him and our own Souls, charging ourselves home, in giving in our accounts to him. Not taking the like course that that unjust Steward in the Gospel put his Master's debtors upon, in giving in their accounts unto him, that for an hundred, one should set down fifty, another eighty, (as we have it in the Parable) Luke 16. 6, 7. This we find there commended in him as a politic device, tending to his and their advantage; but so will it not be found in those that shall give in the like accounts to their God. Their diminishing will be an augmenting of their Debt. And therefore in this case deal we plainly, charging ourselves to the utmost. This is the only way to procure a gracious, and full discharge from God.  
Let these few Motives suffice. To which 
Directions.  I might also (as before) sub-join some Directions, showing you how Christians may attain unto this, to be such severe censurers of themselves. In order to which, the first work to be done, is, to get acquaintance with ourselves; to know our own hearts and lives, to know our sins, what they are; how many, how great. To which end a serious, and frequent, examination is requisite; taking special notice of our special sins, as Paul here did of his. And, knowing them, to feel them; specially to feel that Body of sin within us, that mass of corruption, which virtually contains in it the Seeds of all sins. By this means we shall come to see that in ourselves, which will make us ready to pass such a severe censure upon ourselves, as Paul here doth, That we are sinners, great sinners, even the chief of Sinners. But I shall not proceed any further in the prosecution of this useful Observation, which hath taken me up a great deal more time than I intended to have bestowed upon it, when I first took it up.  
There is yet one thing behind, wherein 
These words looked upon in reference to the former.  I shall be Brief. I have hitherto looked upon these words of the Apostle, as simply considered in themselves. It yet remains, that I should look upon them in a relative way. This I gave a touch upon, and but a touch, in my entering upon them. Let me now do it a little more fully, looking upon them, as relating to what went before, to the words immediately foregoing; Christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief: That is, One, and a chief one, of those sinners whom he came to save. Thus doth he bring home that general Doctrine, (as before I showed you) making it his own by a particular Application. Therein 
Obser. The Doctrine of Salvation by Christ, to be particularly applied.  teaching Christians what they are to do; not to rest contented with a general, and Speculative knowledge of the Do●…ine of the Gospel, the Doctrine of Salvation by Jesus Christ, to know and believe, that Christ came into the world to save sinners; but thus to bring it home to themselves, making it their own by a particular Application. This are they to do, (as you have heard before) by all such Truths as they meet withal in the Book of God; Precepts, Prohibitions, Exhortations, Comminations, Consolations; that they may be useful unto them, they are in such a way, to bring them home to themselves. And this they are to do in special by this saving Truth, upon the right knowledge whereof, depends their everlasting Salvation; This is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and him whom thou hast sent, jesus Christ, John 17. 3. That it may be saving to those that hear it, it must be brought home by such a particular Application. Such an Application doth this our Apostle make of it, as here in the Text, so elsewhere; as Gal. 2. 20. The life which I now live in the flesh, I live (saith he) by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Not only who gave himself for us, (as elsewhere he speaketh), Tit. 2. 14. and Rom. 4. 25. Who was delivered for our Offences, and rose again for our justification; that is, for us men in General, us believers in Special, but for me in Particular. Thus doth he apply the benefit of Christ's death and passion to himself in particular; and the like are all true penitent sinners to do  
This is true Faith, that faith whereby a 
Resp. 1. This is true justifying saith.  sinner cometh to be justified before God. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by ●…aith, (saith the Apostle), Rom. 3. 28. And what faith is this? Why, faith in Jesus Christ, The faith of the Son of God, (as he calls it, Gal. 2. 20.) believing in him, on him. Such a faith it is that Christ calleth for at the hands of his Disciples, Ye believe in God, believe also in me, Joh. 14. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Believe on me. And such a faith it is that God commandeth at the hands of all. This is his Commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son jesus Christ, 1 Joh. 3. 23. which is done by applying his merits to ourselves.  
And again, as a Christian is hereby justified, 
2. Hereby a Christian liveth upon earth.  so it is hereby that he liveth. That he liveth here upon earth. The just shall live by his faith (saith Habukkuk, cap. 2. vers. 4.) His faith in God's word and promises. This is the Anchor which he rides by in all storms and stresses which here come down upon him, his Faith resting upon the promises of God; specially upon this great promise, the promise of Life and Salvation by Christ. So Paul lived, as he there telleth us, The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God. Whilst he lived in this frail mortal body, (for so are we to understand that his living in the flesh, not his living after a carnal and fleshly manner, but his living a natural life here upon earth) this life he now lived, by the faith of the Son of God, resting and relying upon him, in all estates and conditions, committing himself unto him, and by his Faith, drawing Ver▪ tue from him, whereby he was enabled to live unto him, to live a spiritual life whilst he was yet in the flesh.  
And as a Christian liveth by this faith 
3. Hereby he shall live here after.  here, so it is by this faith that he shall live hereafter. Understand it rightly. Not that he shall so live by it in Heaven, as here he doth upon Earth. No, here we live by faith, there by sight, (as the Apostle tells us, 2 Cor. 5. 7.) seeing and enjoying what now by faith we hope for. But this is the only way and means to bring us unto Eternal life, thus to believe in, and on, Jesus Christ. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, (or on him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) should not perish, but have everlasting life, Joh. 3. 16. This is the true and only saving faith, Believe on the Lord jesus, and thou shalt be saved, (saith Paul to the jailor) Act. 16. 31. But I shall not enlarge upon it. Briefly, by way of Application.  
Where I might take occasion to cast a 
Use 1. The Doctrine of the Church of Rome confuted  stone at the dangerous Error of the Church of Rome; which maketh faith to be only a general assent to the truth of what is revealed in the Scripture, and held forth by the Church. And so for justifying saving faith, they look upon it as no more but a believing of the doctrine of the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ, as that he was the Son of God, made man, and that he came into the world to save sinners, etc. In the mean time, as for such a particular Application; this they make to be the work not of Faith, but of Hope. But them I shall pass by, only chargeing that upon them, which our Apostle did upon some Heretics in his time, who d●…nyed the Resurrection of the Dead, 2 Tim. 2. 18. That, concerning the Truth they have erred, and have overthrown the faith of some, of such as hearken to them, whom they teach to trust in a broken Reed. 
Use 2. Christians to bring home Christ, with his Merits to themselves.   
Which let not us do, Let not us rest in such a general faith, but as we desire to receive any benefit from Christ, bring we him home by such a particular Application of his Merits to ourselves.  
Q. But how shall we be able to do this? when as Christ did not intend, that the Merit of his Death should be effectual to all, 
Q. How Christians may know that Christ came to save them A. By being truly Penitent Sinners.  how shall we know that we are in the number of those whom he came into the world to Save? As for Paul, he might know this, having a special Revelation for it, but how shall we come to know it, to be assured of it?  
A. For Answer briefly; Are we in measure such as Paul was? Truly Penitent sinners, such as have been throughly convinced of our sins, such as have judged and condemned ourselves for them, such as see and feel the need we have of a Sav●… our, and such as are willing to receive Christ upon Gospel-tearms; to take him not only as a Saviour, but also as a Sovereign, being as willing, and desirous to be ruled and governed, as to be saved by him? Is it so, that God hath thus revealed his Son to us, and in us, as Paul saith he had done to him, Gal. 1. 16? If so, now stand not to confer with flesh and blood, (as he there saith he did not). Neither be we disobedient to this Heavenly Vision, as he tells King Agrippa he was not, Act. 26. 19) But harken we to the command of God, (the Commandment, as St. john there calleth it, 1 john 3. 23. This is the Commandment, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that great Gospel-Command) which is, That we should believe on the Name of his Son In obedience to this Command now come we unto jesus Christ, and lay hold upon him, believing on him for Life and Salvation, being confidently assured, that, He came into the world to Save us.  
And being assured hereof, now despair 
Let not such Despair of Mercy, though the chief of Sinners.  not of obtaining this Benefit by and through Him. It matters not what our sins have been; what for Number, what for Nature; though never so many, never so great; though we have been the chief of Sinners, yet Despair not. Such a one had Paul been, yet Repenting, and Believing on Jesus Christ, he obtained Mercy: Which he did, (as he saith in the words after the Text) That in him Christ jesus might show forth all long-suffering for a Pattern to them, that should hereafter believe on him to everlasting Life. And so let him herein be to every of us. Only see that we be changed, as he was; changed not only in our Name (as he was from Saul to Paul) in our outward Profession, but inwardly changed; changed in our hearts and Lives, that we may be able to say, and make good, what he there doth, Gal. 2. 20. that we now live, yet no longer we; not what sometimes we were, but made new Creatures, finding Christ dwelling in our Hearts by Faith, and working in us by his Spirit, conforming us unto Himself in his Death and Resurrection; so as we daily die to Sin, and rise to newness of Life. Being such now, what ever we have been, yet comfort we ourselves with the Remembrance of these words of the Apostle; every of us saying after him, This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, That Christ jesus came into the world to save Sinners, of whom I am chief. And thus shall I now dismiss You and the Text; in the Handling whereof, I have, by a Divine Providence, found the Loaves multiplied, my Meditations much enlarged, beyond expectation. My desire now is, and shall be, that they may be sanctified and blessed unto myself, and You, for those Ends for which they were intended. For which let us Pray.   
FINIS.   

READER,  
THere is lately Printed, an Exposition on the Parable of the Rich Fool, Luk. 12. 16, 22. By Mr. Nehemiah Rogers. The same Author that formerly hath written upon the Parable of the Lost-Son, Lost-Sheep, and Lost-Groat, Luk. 15. Also, upon the Parable of the Creditor and Debtor, Luk. 7. And on the Parable of the Samaritan, Luk. 10. And, on the Parable of the Friend at Midnight, Luk. 11. And, on the Parable of the Figtree, Luk. 13.  
All which are to be sold by George Sawbridge, at the Bible on Ludgate-Hill, 1662.   

ERRATA.  
PAge 43. line 12. for It is, read Is it. P. 45. l. 32. for the work he came which about, r. the work which he came about.