' 
 
 A 
 
 
 ' %,-^i &<zd t**> : ~-v*4 ,? 
 
 
 
' ) 
 
A PRACTICAL 
 
 EXPOSITION 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 CXXX. PSALM. 
 
 J* / 
 
 WHEREIN 
 
 The Nature of the Forgiveness of Sin is de- 
 dared, the Truth and Reality of it afferted ; 
 
 AND 
 
 The Case of a Soul diftrefled with the Guilt of Sin, 
 and relieved by a Difcovery of Forgiveness with God, 
 is at large difcourfed. 
 
 By JOHN OWEN, D. D. 
 
 John v. 39. Search the Scriptures . 
 
 GLASGOW: 
 
 Printed by John Bryce, and Sold at his Shop, op- 
 pofite to the New-Church, Salt-market* and 
 by Robert Ingles, Bookfeller, Edinburgh. 
 
 MDGCLXXII. 
 
( 
 
 ' \ . / . , 
 
 iii ) 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 READER' 
 
 T HE enfuing expofition and difeourfes are intend. 
 
 ed for the benefit of thofe, whofe fpiritual ftate 
 and condition is reprefented in the Pfalm here explained. 
 That thefe are not a few, that they are many ; yea, 
 that to fome part or parts of it, they are all who be¬ 
 lieve both the feriptures and their own experience will 
 bear teftimony to. Some of them, it may be, will en¬ 
 quire into, and after their own concernments, as they 
 are here declared. To be ferviceable to their faith, 
 peace, and fpiritual confolation, hath been the whole 
 of my defign. If they meet with any difeovery of truth, 
 any due application of it to their confciences, any decla¬ 
 ration of the fenfe and mind of the Holy Ghoft, in the ferip¬ 
 tures fuitable unto their condition and ufeful to their edi¬ 
 fication, much of my end and purpofe is obtained. Iknow 
 {-ome there are that diflike all difeourfes of this nature, 
 and look upon them with contempt and fcom. But 
 why they fhould do fo, I know not unlefs the gofpel 
 itfelf, and all the myfleries of it, be folly unto them. 
 
 Sin and Grace in their original caufes, various refpe<hs, 
 
 a 2 confe- 
 
t 
 
 iv To the READER, 
 
 confequents, and ends, are the principal fubje&s of 
 the whole fcripture, of the whole revelation of the 
 will of God to mankind ; in thefe do our prefent and 
 eternal concernments ly, and from and by them hath 
 God detigned the great and everlafting exaltation of his 
 own glory. Upon thefe do turn all the tranfa&ions that 
 are between God and the fouls of men. That it fhould 
 be an endeavour needlefs, or fuperfluous, to enquire 
 into the will of God about , and our own intereft in 
 thefe things, who can imagine ? Two ways there are 
 whereby this may be done. Firfl , Speculatively, by 
 a due inveftigation of the nature of thefe things, ac¬ 
 cording as their do&rine is declared in the fcripture. 
 An endeavour, according to the mind of God herein, 
 is juft and commendable, and eomprehenfive of mod 
 of the chief heads of divinity. But this is not to be en¬ 
 gaged in i'or its own fake. The knowledge of God 
 and fpiritual things have this proportion unto practi¬ 
 cal fci°uces, that the end of all its notions and do&rines 
 confifts in practice. Wherefore, Secondly , thefe things 
 are to be confidered pra&icaily, that is, as the fouls 
 and confciences of men are a&ually concerned in them, 
 and converfant about them. How men contract the 
 guilt of fin, what fenfe they have, and ought to have 
 thereof, what danger they are liable unto thereon, 
 what perplexities and diftrefles their fouls and confci¬ 
 ences are reduced to thereby, what courfe they fix u- 
 
 pon 
 
To the READER. 
 
 v 
 
 pon for their relief, as alfo what is that grace of 
 God whereby alone they may be delivered, wherein 
 it confifto, how it was prepared, how purchafed, how 
 it is propofed, and how it may be attained ; what ef¬ 
 fects and confequents a participation of it doth produce, 
 how in thefe things faith and obedience unto God, de¬ 
 pendence on him, fubmiffion to him, waiting for him, 
 are to be exercifed, is the principal work that thofe 
 who are called unto the difpenfation of the gofpel ought 
 to enquire into themfelves, and to acquaint others with¬ 
 al. In the right and due management of thefe things, 
 whether by writing, or oral inftru&ion, with pru¬ 
 dence, diligence, and zeal, doth confift their principal 
 ufefulnefs in reference unto the glory of God, and the 
 everlafting welfare of the fouls of men : And they are 
 under a great miftake, who fuppofe it an eafy and a 
 common matter to treat thefe practical things ufually to 
 the edification of them that do believe. Becaufe both 
 the nature of the things themfelves, with the concerns 
 of the fouls and confciences of all forts of perfons in 
 them, require, that they be handled plainly, and with¬ 
 out thofe intermixtures of fecular learning, additions of 
 ornaments of fpeech, which difcourfes of other natures 
 may, or ought to be compofed and fet of withal; fome 
 judging by mere outward appearances, efpecially if they 
 be of them from whom the true nature of the things 
 
 themfelves treated of are hid, are ready to defpife and 
 
 fcorn 
 
¥1 
 
 To the READER. 
 
 fcorn the plain management of them, as that which 
 hath nothing of wifdom or learning accompanying of it, 
 no effe&s of any commendable ability of mind for which 
 it fliould be efteemed. But it is not inexprdfible how 
 great a miftake fuch perfons, through their own dark- 
 nefs and ignorance, do labour under. In a right fpirit- 
 ual underftanding, in a due perception and coraprehen- 
 fion of thefe things, the things of the fins of men and 
 grace of God, confifts the greateft part of that wif¬ 
 dom, of that foundnefs of mind, of that knowledge 
 rightly fo called, which the gofpel commands, exhibits, 
 and puts a valuation upon. To reveal and declare them 
 unto others in words of truth and fobernefs, fit and 
 meet to exprefs them unto the underflandings of men 
 opened and enlightned by the fame Spirit, by whom 
 the things themfelves are originally revealed, to derive 
 fuch facred fpiritual truths from the word and by a due 
 preparation to communicate and apply them to the fouls 
 and confciences of men, contains a principal part of that 
 roinifterial Ikill and ability which are required in the 
 difpenfers of the gofpel; and wherein a fevere exer- 
 cife of found learning, judment and care necefiary to be 
 found, and may be fully expreffed. Into this treafury 
 towards the fervice of the houfe of God, it is, that I 
 have caft my mite in the enfuing expofition and dif* 
 courfes on the cxxx Pfalm. The defign of the Holy 
 Ghofi: was therein to exprefs and reprefcnr in the per- 
 
 fon 
 
 t 
 
To the READER. 
 
 fii 
 
 fon and condition of the Pfalmift the cafe of a foul in- 
 tangled, and ready to be overwhelmed with the guilt 
 of fin, relieved by a difcovery of grace and forgive- 
 nefs in God, with its deportment upon a participation 
 of that relief. After the expofition of the words of the 
 text, my defign and endeavour hath been only to en¬ 
 large the portraiture here given us in the Pfaim, of a 
 believing foul in and under the condition mentioned ; to 
 render the lines of it more vifible, and to make the cha- 
 ra&er given in its defcription more legible; and withal 
 to give unto others, in the like condition with the 
 Pfalmift, a light to underftand and difcern themfelves 
 in that image and reprefentation, which is here made 
 of them in the perfon of another. To this end have 
 I been forced to enlarge on the two great heads of Sin 
 and Grace ; efpecially on the latter here called the 
 forgivenefs that is with God. An intereft herein, a par¬ 
 ticipation hereof, being our principal concernment in 
 this world, and the foie foundation of all our expectations 
 of a bleffed portion in that which is to come, it cer¬ 
 tainly requires the beft and utmoft of our endeavours, 
 as to look into the nature, caufes, and effects of it, fo 
 efpecially into the ways and means whereby we may 
 be made partakers of it; and how that participation 
 may be fecured unto us unto our peace and confolation; 
 as alfo in that love, that holinefs, that obedience, that 
 fruitfulnefs in good works, which on the account of 
 
 this 
 
viii To the HEADER. 
 
 of this grace, God expe&eth from us, and requireth at 
 our hands. An explication of thefe things is that 
 which I have defigned to enfue and follow after in 
 thefe difcourfes, and that with a conftant eye, as on 
 the one hand to the foie rule and ftandard of truth, 
 the facred fcriptures, efpecially rhat part of it which 
 is under peculiar confideration; fo on the other to the 
 experience and fervice unto the edification of them that 
 do believe, whofe fpiritual benefit and advantage, with¬ 
 out any other confideration in the world, is aimed at 
 in the publilhing of them. 
 
 THE 
 
( « ) 
 
 THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 A Paraphrafe on the whole cxxx. Pfalm 
 
 General Scope of the whole Pfalm i 
 
 The frjl Verfe Opened. 2 
 
 Depths of Trouble on the account of Sin 4 
 
 -What thofe Depths are 5 
 
 The Nature and Extent of Supplies of Grace, according 
 
 to the Covenant J2 
 
 The Power of in-dwelling Sin 18 
 
 God’s Sovereignty in dealing with Believers in their Sins 20 
 What Sins ufually bring Believers into great fpiritual Dif- 
 
 trefles 21 
 
 -Aggravations of thefe-Sins 25 
 
 1 
 
 The fecond Verfe Opened. 27 
 
 Actings of a Believer under Diftrefles from Sin 29 
 
 The Ways of relieving Souls in Diftrefs 30 
 
 Earneftnefs of adiftreifed Soul in its Applications untoGod 33 
 Grounds t of Earneftnefs in Applications unto God 36 
 
 - Wherein this Earneftnefs confifts 40 
 
 The third Verfe Opened. 42 
 
 Wh at iirft prefents itfelf to a Soul in Diftrefs on the ac¬ 
 count of Sin, opened in four Propofttions 45 
 
 Terror arifing from a Senfe of the Guilt of Sin 46 
 
 God’s marking Sin, and Man’s Salvation inconfiftent 50 
 The Soul’s A<ftings towards a Recovery out of the 
 
 Depths of Sin 54 
 
 Senfe of Sin, wherein it confifts 55 
 
 Nature and Caufes of Gofpel-Convi£Uons of Sin 56 
 
 Acknowledgment of Sin, the true Nature of it: 1. It 
 
 muft be free. 2 It muft be full. bo 
 
 b Self- 
 
X 
 
 The CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 Self-condemnation, wherein it confifls : i. Self-abhor- 
 
 rency. 2. Self judging 63 
 
 Mifcarriages in Perfons convinced of Sin : 1. Refling 
 
 in it. 2. ^efting upon it. 65 
 
 • The fourth Verfe Opened. 70 
 
 Three Observations made from this Verfe 76 
 
 No approaching unto God without a difeovery of For- 
 
 givenefs ‘ 77 
 
 Forgivenefs a great My fiery 80 
 
 Teflimony of a natural confcience againfl the Forgive¬ 
 nefs of Sin 81 
 
 Teflimony of the Law againfl the Forgivenefs of Sin 84 
 Falle Prefumptions of Forgivenefs 88 
 
 The true Nature of Gofpel-Forgivenefs 96 
 
 Forgivenefs as it relates to the Nature of God q8 
 
 -as it relates to the free Adis of his Will 100 
 
 --as it hath refpecl to the Blood of Chrifl 106 
 
 -—— as it relates to the promife 108 
 
 What Faith refpecls in Forgivenefs • 1 i'o 
 
 Forgivenefs difeovered to Faith alone 1 12 
 
 Rxafons thereof ib. 
 
 Particular AfTurance attainable up 
 
 Duty of Believers, to endeavour alter an AfTurance of 
 
 perfonal Interefl in Forgivenefs 117 
 
 Caufes and EfTedls of AfTurance 118 
 
 Saving Faith where there is no AfTurance 1 ip 
 
 Difeovery of Forgivenefs a great Supportment to Sin- 
 
 entangled Souls 121 
 
 EfTedls of the Difeovery of Forgivenefs in God 124 
 
 Means whereby a Difeovery of Forgivenefs yields Sup¬ 
 portment - 123 
 
 Abiding with God, wherein it confifleth _ 128 
 
 Waiting on God from a Difeovery of Forgivenefs 130 
 
 Difeovery of Forgivenefs prepares the Soul to receive it 132 
 Vain pretences of Faith difeovered 134 
 
 EfTential properties of God’s Nature, how made known 136 
 Free Adis of God’s Will, how they are made known 137 
 Forgivenefs not revealed by the Work ol Providence 
 
 about the firfl Sin 140 
 
 Forgivenefs difeovered in the firfl Promife 144 
 
 Sacrifices an Evidence of Forgivenefs 14b 
 
 Forgivenefs with God, manifefled by his Prefcription of 
 
 Repentance 13© 
 
 Con- 
 
The C O N T ENT S. xi 
 
 Page 
 
 Confirmation of the Truth of Forgivenefs neceffary 155 
 Neceffity of producing Arguments to prove Forgivenefs 156 
 Some Sinners actually pardoned and accepted with God 158 
 Patience of God towards the World, an Evidence of 
 
 Forgivenefs . 164 
 
 Experience of the Saints giving Teftknony to Forgivenefs 170 
 The Evidence that is in Spiritual Forgivenefs 172 
 
 Religious Worfhip of Sinners an Evidence of Forgive¬ 
 nefs with God 182 
 
 Efpecial Ordinances evidencing Forgivenefs 188 
 
 Prayer for the Pardon of Sin commanded 194 
 
 Forgivenefs manifefted in the New Covenant 196 
 
 Nature, Ufe, and Ends of the firfl Covenant 198 
 
 Reafon of Alteration of the firft Covenant 200 
 
 Forgivenefs confirmed by the Oath of God 202 
 
 —-—-—-Name of God 206 
 
 Attributes of God’s Naturemanifeftint?; Forgivenefs 212 
 What it is to give Glory to God 213 
 
 Glory arifing to God by Forgivenefs 217 
 
 Forgivenefs manifefted in the Death of Chrift ' 218 
 
 Our Obligations to mutual Forgivenefs proves Forgive¬ 
 nefs in God 129 
 
 Properties of Divine Forgivenefs 234 
 
 Forgivenefs believed by few 243 
 
 Exhortations uato Believing 257 
 
 Terms of Peace with God equal and holy 270 
 
 Certainty of the final Ruin of them who Believe not ib. 
 
 Exhortation $0 Believing enforced 284 
 
 Rules to be obferved by them who would come to Sta¬ 
 bility in Obedience 288 
 
 Chrift the only Judge of our Spiritual condition 289 
 
 Self-Condemnation confiftent with Gofpel-Juftiiication 
 
 and Peace 291 
 
 Gpfpel-Affurance wherein it confifteth • -292 
 
 Sente of Sin confiftent with Aifurance 293 
 
 Sorrow of Sin confiftent with Afiurance 294 
 
 Senfe of the Power of Sin confiftent with Aifurance 296 
 Fears and Temptations confiftent with Afiurance ib. 
 
 The Nature and Effedtsof Gofpel-Afiurance in Believers 297 
 Waiting neceffary to obtain Peace 300 
 
 Search of Sin neceffary to Confolation 303 
 
 Un'pelief and Jealoufy diftinguiihed 306 
 
 ----their different Effects 309 
 
 Differences between Faith and Spiritual Senfe * 311 
 
 Spiritual Senfe, wherein it confifta 313 
 
 b 2 the 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 xii 
 
 Page 
 
 The Foundation and the Spiritual Building diftinguifhed 315 
 Complaints Fruitlefs andHeartlefs to be avoided 318 
 
 Hafty Expreffions concerning God to be avoided 323 
 
 Judgments of Men’s States in the Hand oiChrift alone 325 
 The lead; Appearance of Grace to be improved 326 
 
 Afflictions a Caufe of Spiritual Difquietments 329 
 
 Means of the Aggravations of Affliction 332 
 
 Rules to be obferved concerning Afflictions 336 
 
 Objections againft Believing, from the State of the Soul 341 
 Two different Eftates whereunto all Men belong 342 
 
 Saving Grace lpecifically diftinCt from common Grace 344 
 Difference between the State of Grace and Nature dif- 
 
 cernible 347 
 
 Believers may know themfelves to be Born of God 352 
 
 Rules whereby men may Tudge of their Condition in 
 
 refpeCt to inherent Grace 354 
 
 Objections from Weaknei's in Duty, and the Power of 
 
 Sin 363 
 
 Verfes $th and 6 th Opened. 375 
 
 Waiting the firft Fruit of Faith in a Way of Duty 379 
 
 -on God wherein it conflfts 380 
 
 God hirnfelf the ObjeCt of our Waiting 390 
 
 Waiting on God, whence fo necefiary Jb. 
 
 Coufiderauons of God’s Being and Attributes, rendering 
 
 \ Waiting neceffary 392 
 
 -Of God’s R.ighteoufnefs in his Judgments 406 
 
 -Of our Condition tending to Humble us 408 
 
 Supportment in Trouble, from the Word of Promife 426 
 
 Expofition of Verfes *]th and Sth. 421 
 
 DoCtrinal Obfervations made from them 424 
 
 A N 
 
( xiii ) 
 
 A N 
 
 EXPOSITION 
 
 UPON 
 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 Oxxxxx>oc<xxxxxxxxxooo<xxxxx>«x>o<xxxxxx{j 
 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 2. Lord, hear my voice , let thine ears be attentive to 
 the voice of my /applications. 
 
 3. If thou. Lord, fhouldft mark iniquities, O Lord, who 
 Jhall /land ? 
 
 4. But there is forgivenefs with thee : That thou mayeft 
 be feared. 
 
 5. 1 wait for the Lord, my foul doth wait, and in his 
 word do / hope. 
 
 6. My foul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that 
 watch for the morning, I fay, more than they that 
 watch for the morning. 
 
 7. Let Jfrael hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there 
 is mercy, and. with him is plenteous redemption. 
 
 8. And he /Joall redeem Jfrael from all his iniquities. 
 
 A PARA- 
 
( 4 * ) 
 
 l Out of 
 the depths 
 have Icried 
 unto thee 0 
 Lord • 
 
 2 . Lord 
 hear viy 
 voice , let 
 thine ears 
 be attentive 
 to the voice 
 of my fup- 
 plications. 
 
 3 . If thou 
 Lord, 
 Jhouldfi 
 mark ini¬ 
 quities, 0 
 Lord, who 
 Jhallftand? 
 
 A 
 
 PARAPH 11 A S E. 
 
 Verfe r, 2. 
 
 O Lord, through my manifold fins and 
 provocations I have brought my felf in¬ 
 to great diftreflesi Mine iniquities arc al¬ 
 ways before me, and I am ready to be over¬ 
 whelmed with them, as with a Hood of 
 waters, for they have brought me into depths 
 wherein I am ready to be fwallowed up. But 
 yet, although my diftrefs be great and per¬ 
 plexing, I do not, I dare not, utterly def- 
 pond and caft away all hopes of relief or rer 
 covery j nor do I feek unto any other remedy, 
 way or means of relief, but I apply myfelf tp 
 thee Jehovah, to thee alone : And in my .ap¬ 
 plication unto thee, the greatnefs and urgen¬ 
 cy of my troubles makes my foul urgent, 
 earned, and prefling in my Applications. 
 Whilft I have no reft, I can give thee op 
 reft; Oh therefore attend and hearken unto 
 the voice of my crying and fupplications! 
 
 Ver. g. 
 
 P ' is true, O Lord, thou great and terrible, 
 that if thou ftiouldft deal with me in this 
 condition, with any man living, with the beft 
 of thy faints, according to the drift and exaft 
 tenor of the law, which firft reprefenrs itfelf 
 to my guilty confcience, and troubled foul ; 
 if thou ftiouldft take notice of, obferve, and 
 keep in remembrance, mine, or their, or the 
 iniquity of any one, to the end that thou 
 
 mightft 
 
s A Paraphrafe . ■'& 
 
 mightft deal with them, and recompenfe unto 
 them according to the fentence thereof; there 
 would be neither for me, nor them, any the 
 leafl; expe&ation of deliverance; all flefh muft 
 fail before thee, and the fpirits which thou 
 half made, and that to eternity ; for who 
 could {land before thee, when thou fhouldff 
 fo execute thy difpleafure. 
 
 Yer. q. 
 
 B UT, O Lord, this is not abfolutely 
 
 and univerfally the flate of things be- forgive - 
 tween thy Majefty and poor finners; then 
 art in thy nature infinitely good and gracious, thou mayH 
 ready and free in the purpofes of thy will to be feared. 
 receive them: And there is fuch a bleifed 
 way made for the exercife of the holy in- t 
 clinatibris and purpofes of thy heart towards 
 them, in the mediation and blood of thy dear 
 Son, that they have allured foundations of 
 concluding and believing, that there is par¬ 
 don and forgivenefs with thee for them; and 
 which, in the way of thine appointments, 
 they may be partakers of. This way there¬ 
 fore will I, with all that fear thee, perftft 
 in : 1 will not give over, leave thee, or turn 
 from thee, through my fears, difeourage- 
 ments, and defpondencies; but will abide con- 
 ftantly in theobfervadonofthe worfhip which 
 thou haft preferibed ; and the performance of 
 the obedience which thou doff require; hav¬ 
 ing great encouragements fo to do. 
 
 Ver. 5. 
 
 A ND herein, upon the account of the 5 . Invait^ 
 forgivenefs that is with thee, O Lord do r t } e 
 1 wait with all patience, quietnefs and perfe- foul doth 
 verance : In this work is my whole foul en- r ? ai , t .' anti 
 gaged ; even in an earneft expe&ation of thy 2 "iTope. 
 
 a pproach 
 
XVI 
 
 6 . My foul 
 waiteth 
 for the 
 Lord, more 
 than they 
 that watch 
 for the 
 morning , 
 
 1 fay more 
 than they 
 that watch 
 for the 
 morning. 
 
 7 . Let 
 Jfraelhope 
 in the Lord 
 for with 
 the Lord, 
 there is 
 mercy, and 
 with him 
 is plente •» 
 ous re¬ 
 demption. 
 
 8 . And he 
 Jhall re¬ 
 deem If- 
 rael from 
 all his in * 
 niquities. 
 
 A Paraphrafe. 
 
 approach unto me, in a way of grace, and 
 mercy. And for my encouragement therein, 
 haft thou given out unto me a blelfed word of 
 grace, a faithful word of promife, wherein 
 my hope is fixed. 
 
 ' Ver 6 . 
 
 Y E A, in the performance and difcharge 
 of this duty, my foul is intent upon thee, 
 and in its whole frame turned towards thee, 
 and that with fuch diligence and watchfulnefs 
 in looking out after every way, and means of 
 thy appearance, of thy manifeftation of thy- 
 felf, and coming unto me, that I exceil there¬ 
 in thofe who with longing defire, heedfulnefs, 
 and earned expectation, do wait and watch 
 for the appearance of the morning ; and that 
 either that they may reft from their night 
 watches, or have light for the duties of thy 
 worftiip in the temple, which they are moft 
 delightful in. 
 
 Ver. 7, 8. 
 
 H EREIN have I found that reft, peace, 
 and fatisfa&ion unto my own foul, that 
 I cannot but invite and encourage others, 
 in the like condition, to take the fame courfe 
 with me : Let then all the Ifrael of God, all 
 that fear him, learn this of me, and from my 
 experience. Be not hafty in your diftreffes; 
 defpond not, defpair not, turn not afide unto 
 other remedies; but hope in the Lord ; for I 
 can now, in anefpecial manner, give teftimony 
 unto this, that there is mercy with him fuited 
 unto your relief: Yea, whatever your diftrefs 
 be, the redemption that is with him, is fo 
 bounteous, plenteous, and unfearchable, that 
 the undoubted ifiue of your performance of 
 this duty will be, that you (hall be delivered 
 from the guilt of all your fins, and the per¬ 
 plexities of all your troubles. 
 
 General 
 
C I ] 
 
 ^ "* • * >t *■.»*.* 3 *Jk& 
 
 ■ '•> 1 ~ .... - — " -gfi? 
 
 ?"’■■ > x x - >xx - xxxxxvxxxx <yyx • >■■ *> vx xxy> x «£ 
 
 >'"»'> * i ' F^*r^i: .-^ J fyi -iry? C'j'- r^Tyr^ 
 
 General Scope of the whole Ps^lm. 
 
 r~| ^ H E defign of the Holy Ghofl in this pfalm is 
 to exorefs, in the experience of the pfalmift, 
 
 iL and the working of his faith, the (fate and con¬ 
 dition of a foul greatly in itfelf perplexed, relieved on 
 the account of grace, and acting itfelf towards God and 
 his faints, fuitabjy to the difcovery of that grace unto 
 him : A great deiign, and full of great inflru&ion. 
 
 And this general profpcft gives us the parts and fcope 
 of the whole pfalm : For, 
 
 1. We have the (fate and condition of the foul there¬ 
 in reprefented with his deportment in and under that 
 (fate and condition, in ver. i, 2. Out of the depths,have 
 I cried unto thee , 0 Lord; Lord , hear my -voice, let thine 
 ears be attentive to the voice of my fupplications. 
 
 2. His enquiry after relief : And therein are two 
 things that prefent themfelves unto him; the one 
 whereof, which firff offers the confideration of itfelf to 
 him in his diftrefs, he deprecates, ver. 3. If thou , Lord, 
 Jhouldfl mark iniquity , O Lord , who fhall ft and f The 
 other he clofeth withal, and finds relief in it, and fup- 
 portment by ir, ver. 5. But there is jorgivenefs with thee: 
 that thou mayefl be feared. 
 
 Upon this his difcovery, afcd fixing on relief, there 
 is the acting of his faith, and the deportment of his 
 whole perfon; 
 
 1. Towards God, ver. 5. 6. I wait for the Lord, my 
 foul doth wait , and in his word do I hope. My foul wail - 
 eth for the Lord , more than they that watch for the morn¬ 
 ings 1 fay more than they that, watch for the morning. 
 
 A 2. To- 
 
2 The two fir ft Verfes opened. Ver. i, 2. 
 
 2. Towards the faints, ver. 7, 3 . Let Ifrael hope in 
 the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy , and with him 
 is plenteous redemption. And he Jhall redeem Ifrael from 
 all his iniquities. 
 
 All which parts, and the various concernments of 
 them, mud be opened feverally. 
 
 And this alfo gives an account of what is my defign 
 from, and upon, the words of this pfaim ; namely, to 
 declare the perplexed intanglements which may befal a 
 gracious foul, fuch an one as this pfalmid was ; with the 
 nature and proper workings of faith in fuch a conditi¬ 
 on : Principally aiming at what it is that gives a foul re¬ 
 lief and fupportment in, and aherward deliverance from, 
 Inch a perplexed edate. 
 
 The Lord in mercy, difpofe of thefe meditations in 
 fuch a way and manner, as that both he that writes, and 
 they that read, may be made partakers of the benefit, 
 relief, and confolation, intended for his faints, in this 
 pl'alm by the Holy Ghofh 
 
 The date and condition of the foul repreTented in the 
 pfaim. The two firft verfes opened. 
 
 The date and condition of the foul here reprefented, 
 as the bads on which the procefs of the pfaim is built; 
 with its deportment, or the general afting of its faith in 
 that date, is expreffed in the two firft verfes 
 
 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee , O Lord. 
 
 Lord hear my voice; let thine ears be attentive to the 
 voice of my fupplications. 
 
 1. The prefent date of the foul under confideration 
 is included in that expreffion. Out of the depths. 
 
 Some of the ancients, as Chryfoftom, fuppofe this ex- 
 predion to relate unto the depths of the heart of the 
 pfalmid; ri ?f<v ex (Sa08«» ; not from the mouth or tongue on¬ 
 ly, dw' ina xct P Sicc( faevTUT*;, but from the depth and bottom 
 of the heart? «««&«*t«- hwnhet™ from the deeped re- 
 ceffes of the mind. 
 
 And indeed the work is ufed to exprefsthe depth of 
 
 the 
 
Ver. i, 2. The two fir ft Verfes opened. 3 
 
 the hearts of men, but uttexly in another fenfe, Pfal. 
 lxiv. 64 The heart is deep . 
 
 But the obvious fenfe of the place, and the conftant 
 ufe' of the word in the Hebrew will not admit of this 
 interpretation : e profundis from the depths, from pro - 
 fundus fait , is in the plural number profunditatcs , or 
 depths. It is commonly ufed for vallies, or any deep 
 place whatever, but efpecially of waters. Vallies and 
 deep places, becaufe of their darknefs and folitarinefs, 
 are accounted places of horror, heiplefnefs and trouble, 
 Pfal. xxiii. 4. When I walk in the valley of the Jhadow 
 of death , that is, in the extremity of danger and 
 trouble. 
 
 The moral ufe of the word, as expreffing the date 
 and condition of the fouls of men, is metaphorical. 
 Thefe depths then are difficulties, or prelfures, attend¬ 
 ed with fear, horror, danger, and trouble. 
 
 And they are of two forts, 
 
 1. Providential; in refpeft of outward difirefies, ca¬ 
 lamities, and affli&ions, Pfal. lxix. j. Save me , O God, 
 for the waters are come in unto my foul; (/ /lick in the 
 mire of the deep , and there is no /landing; I am come , (in 
 the Heb.) into the depths of waters , and the flood over¬ 
 flows me.) It is trouble, and the extremity of it, that 
 the pffilmift complains of, and which he thus exprdfeth. 
 He was brought by it into a condition like unto a man 
 ready to be drowned; being call into the bottom of 
 deep and miry waters; where he had no firm fotinda-. 
 tion to ftand upon, nor ability to come our; as he farther 
 explains himfelf, ver. 15. 
 
 2. There are internal depths; depths of confidence 
 upon the account of fin, Pfal. lxxxviii. 6. Thou haft laid 
 me in the loweflpit, in darknefs , in the deeps. What he 
 intends by this eNpreffion, the pfalmift declares in the 
 next words, ver. 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me. Senfe 
 of God’s wrath upon his confcience, upon the account of 
 fin, was the deep he was caft into ; fo, ver. 15. fpeaking 
 of the fame matter, faith he, Ifaffer thy terrors , and 
 ver. 16. thy fierce wrath goeth over me . Which he calls 
 
 A 2 water 
 
4 Depths of Trouble on account of Sin. Ver. 1,2 
 
 water, waves, and deeps: according to the metaphor 
 
 before opened. 
 
 And thefe are the deeps that are here principally in¬ 
 tended, claniat fub molibus & fluclibus iniquitatemfucarum 
 lays Auftin on the place. “ He cries out under the 
 “ weight and waves of his fins.” 
 
 This the enfuingpfalm makes evident, defiring to be 
 delivered from thefe depths out of which he cried, he 
 deals with God wholly about mercy and forgivenefs; 
 and it is fin alone from which forgivenefs is a deliver¬ 
 ance. The doflrine alio that he preacheth upon his de¬ 
 livery, is that of mercy, grace, and redemption, as is 
 manifeft rrom the clofe of the pfalm ; and what we have 
 deliverance by, is mod upon our hearts when we are 
 delivered. 
 
 I; is true, indeed, that thefe deeps do oftentimes con¬ 
 cur ; as Da ,,! d fpe iks, Deep calleth upon deep , Pfal. xlii. 
 7. The dee[ s of affliction awaken the confidence to a 
 dec, fenfe of fin. Bur fin is the difeafe, affliction only 
 a fymptem o' i : and in attending a cure, the difeafe it- 
 felt'is principally to be heeded, the fymptom will follow, 
 or dt * rt of n i elf. 
 
 M:i v interpreters think that this was now David’s 
 cor ■!; y gr rat trouble and didrefs, he was greatly 
 o of fin ; and v e "tuft not therefore wholly pafs 
 over that intendment of the word, though we are chief¬ 
 ly to reft cr ibar, which he uimfelf, in this adu'refs un¬ 
 to God. did principally regard 
 
 T’his m general is the (late and condition of the foul 
 managed in this pfalm, and is as the key to the enfuing 
 difeourfe, or the hinge on which it turns. As to my 
 intendment from the pfalm, that which arifeth from 
 hence, may be comprized in thefe two propofitions. 
 
 1. Gracious fouls, after much communion with God, 
 may be brought into inextricable depths and intangle- 
 ments on the account of fin. For fuch the pfalmifl: here 
 expreffeth his own condition to have been, and fuch 
 he was. 
 
 2. The inward root of outward diftreffes, is princi¬ 
 
 pally 
 
Ver. 1,2. Depths of Trouble on account of Sin. 5 
 
 pally to be attended to in ail preffing trials, fin, in afflic¬ 
 tions. c 
 
 Gracious fouls may be brought into depths on the ac¬ 
 count of fin. What thofe depths are. 
 
 Before I proceed at all in the further opening of the 
 words, they have all of them refpeft unto the proporti¬ 
 on fir It laid down, 1 (hall explain and confirm the truth 
 obtained in it; that fo it may be undertlood, what we 
 fay, and whereof we do affirm, in the whole procefs of 
 our difcourfe. 
 
 It is a (ad truth that we have propofed unto confidera- 
 tion : He that hears it ought to tremble in himfelf, that 
 he may reft in the day of trouble; it fpeaks our the a- 
 pofiles advice, Rom. ix. 20. Be not high-minded, butfear; 
 and that alfo, 1 Cor. x. 12. Let him that thinketh he 
 ftandeth , take heed left he fall. When Peter had learned 
 this truth by woful experience, after all his boldnefs 
 and forwardnefs, he gives this count'd to all faints, that 
 they wouldpafs the time cf their jojourning here in fear y 
 1 Pet i. 14. Knowing how near, in our greatefi peace 
 and ferenity, evil and danger may ly at the door. 
 
 Some few in fiances of the many that are left on re¬ 
 cord, wherein this truth is exemplified, may be menti¬ 
 oned, Gen. vi. 9. Noah was a juft man , perfect in his 
 generation, and Noah walked with God. He did fo a 
 Tong ieafon, and that in an evil time, amidfi all forts of 
 temptations. When allflefb had corrupted their way upon 
 earth , ver. 12. This put an eminency upon his obedi¬ 
 ence ; and doubtlefs rendered the communion which he 
 had with God, in walking before him, mod fweet and 
 precious to him. He was a gracioujf foul upon the re¬ 
 doubled teftimony of God himfelf. But we know what 
 befel this holy perfoo. He that (hall read the (tot y that 
 % is recorded of him, Gen. ix. 21. will eafily grant, that 
 he was brought into inextricable diftrefs on the account 
 of fin. His own drunkennefs, ver. 21. with the confe- 
 quence of it, gives fcandal unto, and provokes the unna¬ 
 tural 
 
6 Depths of Sin, wherein they confijl. Ver. r, 2. 
 
 tural luff of his fon, ver. 22. and this leads him to the 
 devoting of that fen, and his poflerity, unto deftruftion, 
 ver 24, 25. all which, joined with the fenfe of God’s 
 juft indignation, from whom he had newly received that 
 tremendoufly miraculous deliverance, mull needs over¬ 
 whelm him with forrow and anxiety of fpirit. 
 
 The matter is more clear in David. Under the Old 
 Tellament none loved God more than he, none was lov¬ 
 ed of God more than he. The paths of faith and love 
 wherein he walked, are unto the moft of us, like the 
 way of an eagle in the air, too high and hard for us; 
 yet to this very day, do the cries of this man after 
 God’s own heart, found in our ears. Sometimes he 
 complains of broken bones, fometimes of drowning 
 depths, fometimes of waves and water-fpouts, fome¬ 
 times of wounds and difeafes fometimes of wrath and 
 the forrows of hell, every where of his fins, the burden 
 and trouble of them. Some of the occafion of his depths, 
 darknefs, intanglements, and diftreffes we all know. As 
 no man had more grace than he, fo none is a greater in- 
 ftance of the power of fin, and the effetts of its guilt 
 upon the confcience than he. But inftances of this 
 kind are obvious, and occur to the thoughts of all, fo 
 that they need not be repeated. I fhall then fhew, 
 
 F1 rst. What in particular is intended by the depths 
 and intanglements, on the account of fin, whereunto 
 gracious fouls, after much communion with God, may 
 be call;. 
 
 Secondly, Whence it comes to pafs, that fo they 
 may be, and that oftentimes fo they are. 
 
 First, For theory?, fome or all of thefe things fol¬ 
 lowing do concur to the depths complained of. 
 
 Fuji, Lofs of the wonted fenfe of the love of God, 
 which the foul did formerly enjoy. There is a twofold 
 fenfe of the love of God, whereof believers in this 
 world may be made partakers; there is the tranfient ac¬ 
 ting of the heart by the Holy Ghofr, with ravilhing un- 
 
 fpeakable 
 
Ver. 1, 2. Depths of Sin , wherein they confift. 7 
 
 fpeakable joys, in apprehenfion of God’s love, and our 
 relation unto him in Chrift. This, or the immediate ef¬ 
 fect of it, is called, joy unfpeakable , and full of glory, tPer. 
 i. 8. The Holy Gholl Qiining into the heart, with a clear 
 evidence of the fouls filtered in all gofpel mercies, cauf- 
 eth it to leap far joy, to exult and triumph in the Lord ; 
 as being for a feafon carried above all fenfe and thought 
 of fin, felf, temptation, or trouble. But as God gives 
 the bread of his houfe to all his children, fo thefe dain¬ 
 ties, and high cordials, he referveth only for the fea- 
 fons and perfons, wherein, and to whom, he knows 
 them to be needful and ufeful. Believers may be with¬ 
 out this fenfe of love, and yet be in no depths. A man 
 rnay be ftrong and healthy, who hath wholefome food 
 tho’he never drink fpirits and cordials. 
 
 Again, There is an abiding, dwelling fenfe of God’s 
 love upon the hearts of thofe of whom we fpeak, who 
 have had long communion with God, confiding in a 
 prevailing gofpel perfuafion, denoting both the oppofi- 
 tion that is made unto it, by Satan and unbelief, and its 
 efficacy in the conqueft thereof. This is the root from 
 whence all that peace, and ordinary confolation which 
 believers in this world are made partakers of, do fpring 
 and grow. This is that which quickens and enlivens 
 them unto duty, Pfal. cxvi. 12, 13. and is the fait that 
 renders their facrifices and performances favoury to 
 God, and refreffiing to themfelves; this fupports them 
 under their trials, gives them peace, hope, and comfort, 
 in life and death, Pfal. xxiii. 4. Though I walk in the 
 valley of the Jhadow of death y / will fear noevil y for thou 
 art with me. A fenfe of God’s prefence in love, is fuK 
 ficient to rebuke all anxiety and fears in the word and 
 mo ft dreadful condition, and not only fo, but to give 
 in the midft of them, folid confolation and joy. So the 
 prophet expreffieth it, Hab. iii. 17, 18. Although the fig- 
 tree Jhould not blojjom , neither [hall fruit be in the vines , 
 the labour of the olive /hall fail y and the fields /ball yield 
 no meat, the flocks fhall be cut off from the jold , and there 
 (hall be no herd in the flails; yet / will reioice in the Lord, 
 
 l will 
 
8 
 
 Depths of Sin , wherein they confijl. Ver. 1,2. 
 
 I will joy in the God of my falvation . And this is that 
 fenfe of love, which the choicest believers may lofe on 
 the account of fin ; this is one itep into their depths. 
 They (hall not retain any fuch gofpel apprehenfion of 
 it, as that it fiiould giv~ them reft, peace, orconfolati- 
 on; that it fliould influence their fouls with delight in 
 duty, or fupportment in trial; and rhe nature hereof 
 will be afterwards more fully explained. 
 
 Secondly , Perplexed thoughtfulnefs about their great 
 and wretched unkindnefs towards God, is another part 
 of the depths of fin-iniangled fouls. So David complains, 
 Pfal. Ixxvii. 3. I remembered God , faith he, and was 
 troubled. How comes the remembrance of God to be 
 unto him a matter of trouble P In other places he profef- 
 feth, that it was all his relief and fupportment: How 
 comes it to be an occafion of his trouble ? All had not 
 been well between God and him; and whereas former¬ 
 ly, in his remembrance of God, his thoughts were chief¬ 
 ly exercifed about his love and kindefs, now they were 
 wholly pofleft with his own fin and unkindnefs: This 
 eaufeth his trouble. Herein lies a (hare of the inrangle- 
 ments occafioned by fin. Saith fuch a foul in irslelf; 
 44 Foolifli creature, hall thou thus requited the Lord P 
 “ Is this the return that thou hafl made unto him for all 
 6C his love, his kindnefs, his confolations, mercies ? Is 
 4G this thy kindnefs for him, thy love to him P Is this 
 *' thy kindnefs to thy friendP Is this thy boafling of him, 
 44 that thou haft found fo much goodnefs and excellency 
 44 in him and his love, that though all men (houid for- 
 44 fake him, thou never would!! do fo P Are all thy 
 “ promifes, all thy engagements, which thou madft unto 
 16 God, in times of diftrefs, upon prevailing obligations, 
 44 and mighty imprefiions of his good Spirit upon thy 
 44 foul, now come to this, that thou fhouldft fo foolifhly 
 44 forget, negleft, defpife, caft him off P Well, now 
 44 he is gone, he is withdrawn from thee, and what wilt 
 44 thou do P Art thou not even afhamed to defire him to 
 44 return” They were thoughts of this nature, that 
 out Peter to the heart upon his fall. The foul finds them 
 
 cruel 
 
Ver. I, 2. Depths of Sin , wherein they confij}. 9 
 
 cruel as death, and ftrong as the grave. It is bound in 
 the chains ot them, and cannot be comforted, Pfal. 
 xxxviii. 3, 4, 5, 6. And herein confifts a great part of 
 the depths enquired after. For this confideration excites, 
 and puts an edge upon all grieving, ftraitning, per¬ 
 plexing affeXions, which are the only means whereby 
 the foul of a man may be inwardly troubled, or trouble 
 itfelf; fuch are forrow and fhame, with that felf-difpli- 
 cency and revenge, wherewith they are attended. And 
 as their reafon and objeX in this cafe do tranfcend all 
 other occafions of them, fo on no other account do they 
 caufe fuch fevere and perplexing reflexions on the foul 
 as on this. 
 
 Thirdly , A revived fenfe of juftly deferred wrath, 
 belongs alfo to thefe depths. This is as the opening 
 of old wounds: When men have palfed through a fenfe 
 of wrath, and have obtained deliverance and reft thro’ 
 the blood of Chrift, to come to their old thoughts again, 
 to be trading afrefh with hell, curfe, law, and wrath, it 
 is a depth indeed. And this often befals gracious fouls, 
 on the account of fin, Pfal, lxxxviii. 7. Thy wrath lietb 
 hard upon me , faith Heman : It prefled and crufhed him 
 forely. There is a felf-judging as to the defert of 
 wrath, which is confident with a comforting perfuafion 
 of an interelt in Chrift. This the foul finds fweetnefs 
 in, as it lies in a fubferviency to the exaltation of grace; 
 but in this cafe, the foul is left under it without that re¬ 
 lief. It plungeth itfelf into the curie of the law, and 
 flames of hell, without any cheering fupportment from 
 the blood of Chrift. This is walking in the valley cf 
 the Jhadow of death. The foul converfer.b with death, 
 and what feems to ly in a tendency thereunto. The 
 Lord alfo, to increafe his perplexities, puts new life 
 and fpirit into the law *, gives it a frefli commifiion, as 
 it were, to take fuch a one into its cuftody; and the law 
 will never, in this world, be wanting unto its duty. 
 
 Fourthly , Opprefling apprehenfions of temporal judg¬ 
 ments, concur herein alfo; for God will judge his people; 
 and judgment often begins at the houfe of God. Tho > 
 
 B God, 
 
io Depths of Sin , wherein they confifl. Ver. i. 2. 
 
 God, faith fuch an one, fhould not caft me off for ever, 
 though he Ihould pardon my iniquities, yet he may fo 
 take vengeance of my inventions, as to make me feed 
 on gall and wormwood all my days, Pfal. cxix. 120. 
 faith David, Myflefh tremblethfor fear of thee , and 1 am 
 afraid of thy judgments. He knows not what the great 
 God may bring upon him ; and being full of a fenfe of 
 the guilt of fin, which is the bottom of this whole condi¬ 
 tion, every judgment of God is full of terror unto him. 
 Sometimes he thinks, God may lay open the filth of his 
 heart, and make him a fcandal and a reproach in the 
 world, Plal. xxxix. 8. Oh , faith he, make me not a re¬ 
 proach to the foolifh, Sometimes he trembles, left Gcd 
 fliould flrike him fuddenly with fome fignal judgment, 
 and take him out of the world, in darknefs and forrow; 
 fo faith David, Take me not away in thy wrath . Some¬ 
 times he fears left he fliall be like Jonah, and raife a 
 ftorm in his family, in the church whereof he is a mem¬ 
 ber, or in the whole nation, Let them not be afhamed for 
 my fake. Thefe things make his heart foft, as Job 
 (peaks, and to melt within him. When any affliction 
 or public judgment of God is faftened to a quick living 
 fenfe of lin in the confcience, it overwhelms the foul; 
 whether it be only juftly feared, or be actually inflicted, 
 as was the cafe of Jofeph’s brethren in Egypt. The foul 
 is then rolled from one deep to another. Senfe of lin cafts 
 it on the confideration of its affliction; and affliction turns 
 it back on a fenfe of fin. So deep calleth unto deep, and 
 ah God’s billows go over the foul; and they do each of 
 them make the foul tender, and ftiarpen its fenfe unto 
 the other. Affliction foftens the foul; fo that the fenfe 
 of fin cuts the deeper, and makes the larger wounds ; 
 and the .fenfe of fin weakens the foul, and makes afflic¬ 
 tion fit the heavier, and fo increafeth its burden. In 
 this cafe, that affliction which a man in his ufual ftate 
 of fpiritual peace, could have embraced as a fweet 
 pledge of love, is as goads and thorns in his fide, de¬ 
 priving him of all reft and quietnefs; God makes it, 
 as thorns and briars wherewith he will teach ftub- 
 
 born 
 
Ver. I, 2. Depths of Sin , wherein they conffl. 11 
 
 born fouls their duty, as Gideon did ; the men of Suc- 
 coth. 
 
 Fifthly, There may be added hereunto, prevailing 
 fears for a feafon, of being utterly reje&ed by God, 
 of being found a reprobate at the lad day. Jo¬ 
 nah feems to conclude fo, chap. iii. 4. ‘Then I Jaid, 
 1 am cafl out of thy fight . I am loll for ever, God 
 will own me no more. And Heman, Pfal. lxxxviii, 
 4, 5. I am counted with them that go down into the 
 pit: Free among the dead, like the J,lain that ly in 
 the grave, whom thou rememberefl no more , and they are 
 cut offfrom thy hand. This may reach the foul, until 
 the forrows of hell encompafs it, and lay hold upon it; 
 until it be deprived of comfort, peace, reft, until it be 
 a terror to its felf, and be ready to choofe ft.angling 
 rather than life. This may befal a gracious foul on the 
 account of fin. But yet, becaufe this fights dire&ly 
 againft the life of faith, God doth not, unlefs it be in 
 extraordinary cafes, fufter any of his to ly long in this 
 horrible pit, where there is no water, no refrelhment: 
 But this often falls out, that even the faints themfelves, 
 are left for a feafon to a fearful expe&ation of judg¬ 
 ment, and fiery indignation, as to the prevailing appre- 
 henfion of their minds. And, 
 
 Sixthly , God fecretly fends his arrows into the font 
 that wound and gall ir, adding pain, trouble, and dif- 
 quietnefs to its difconfolation, Pfal. xxxviii. 2. Thine 
 arrows flick fajl in me , and thy hand preffeth me fore. 
 Ever and anon in his walking, God (hot a {harp pierc¬ 
 ing arrow, fixing it on his foul that galled, wounded, 
 and perplexed him, filling him with pain and grievous 
 vexation. Thefe arrows are God’s rebukes, Pfal. xxxix. 
 
 11. When thou with rebukes doji correct man for iniquity . 
 God fpeaks in his word, and by his Spirit, in the confci- 
 ence, things fharp and bitter in the foul, faftning them 
 fo as it cannot fhake them out. Thefe Job fo mournful¬ 
 ly complains of, chap. vi. 4. The Lord fpeaks words 
 with that efficacy, that they pierce the heart quite 
 through j and what the iftue then is, David declares, 
 
 B 2 Pfal. 
 
12 The Nature of Supplies of Grace , Ver. i, 2. 
 
 Pfal. xxxviii. 3: There is no foundnefs> faith he, in my 
 flefh , becaufe of thine anger , nor is there any refi in my 
 bones, becaufe of my fin . The whole perfon is brought 
 undfer the power of them, and all health and reft is ta¬ 
 ken away; and. 
 
 Seventhly , Unfpiritednefs and difability unto duty, in 
 doing or fuffering, attend fuch a condition, Pfal. xl. 12. 
 Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me , fo that lam not 
 able to look up. His fpiritual ftrength was worn away by 
 fin, fo that he was not able to addrefs himfelf unto any 
 communion with God. The foul now cannot pray with 
 life and power; cannot hear with joy and profit; cannot 
 do good and communicate with chearfulnefs and free¬ 
 dom ; cannot meditate with delight and heavenly mind- 
 ednefs; cannot a& for God with zeal and liberty ; can¬ 
 not think of fuffering with boldnefs and refolution; but 
 is fick, weak, feeble, and bowed down. 
 
 Now, 1 fay, a gracious foul, after much communion 
 with God, may, on the account of fin, by a fenfe of 
 the guilt of it, be brought into a ftate and condition, 
 wherein fome, more, or all of thefe, with other the like 
 perplexities, may be its portion. And thefe make up 
 the depths whereof the pfalmift here complains. What 
 are the fins, or of what forts, that ordinarily caft the 
 fouls of believers into thefe depths, (hall be afterwards 
 declared. I (hall now fhew both whence it is, that be¬ 
 lievers may fall into fuch a condition ; as alfo whence it 
 is that oftentimes, they a&ually do fo. 
 
 Whence it is that believers may be brought into 
 depths on account of fin.—Nature of the fupplies 
 of grace given in the covenant.—How far they 
 extend.—Principles of the power of fin. 
 
 First, The nature of the covenant wherein all be¬ 
 lievers now walk with God, and wherein all their whole 
 provifion for obedience is enwrapped, leaves it poffible 
 for them to fall into thefe depths that have been menti¬ 
 oned. Under the firft covenant there was no mercy or 
 
 forgivenefs 
 
Ver. 1,2. according to the Covenant. 13 
 
 forgivenefs provided for any fin : It was necefiary then 
 that it ffiould exhibit a fufficiency of grace to preferve 
 them from every fin, or it could have been of no ufe at 
 all; this the righteoufnefs of God required, and fo it 
 was. To have made a covenant wherein there was no 
 provifion at all of pardon, and not a fufficiency o grace 
 to keep the covenanters from need of pardon, was not 
 anfwerable to the goodnefs and righteoufnefs of God. 
 But he made man upright, who of his own accord 
 fought out many inventions. 
 
 It is not fo in the covenant of grace ; there is in it 
 pardon provided in the blood of Chrift; it is not there¬ 
 fore of indifpenfible neceffity, that there ffiould be ad- 
 miniflered in it, grace effe&ually preferving from every 
 fin : Yet it is on all accounts to be preferred before the 
 ocher; for befides the relief by pardon, which the other 
 knew nothing of, there is in it alfo much provifion a- 
 gainft fin, which was not in the other. 
 
 Firfl , There is provifion made in it, againfl all and 
 every fin that would difannul the covenant, and make a 
 final feparation between God and a foal that hath been 
 once taken into the bond thereof. This provifion is 
 abfolute ; God hath taken upon himfelf the making of 
 this good, and the eftabliffiing this law of the covenant, 
 that it fhall not by any fin be difannulled, Jer. xxxii. 40. 
 I will , faith God, make a?i everlafling covenant with 
 them , that / will not turn away from them to do them 
 good , hut I will put my fear into their hearts , that they 
 jhall not depart from me. The fecurity hereof depends 
 noton any thing in ourfelves. All that is in us is to be 
 ufed as a means of the accompliffiment of this promife ; 
 but the event or iffiie depends abfolately on the faith.- 
 fulnefs of God. And the whole certainty and {lability 
 of the covenant depends on the efficacy of the grace ad- 
 miniftred in it, to preferve men from all fuch fins as 
 would difannul it. 
 
 Secondly , There is in this covenant provifion made for 
 eonftant peace and confolation, notwithftanding, and 
 againft the guilt of fuch fins, as through their infirmities 
 
14 The Nature of Supplies of Grace , Ver. i, 2. 
 
 and temptations believers are daily expofed unto. Tho* 
 they fall into fms every day, yet they do not fall into 
 depths every day. In the tenor of this covenant, there 
 is a confiftency between a fenfe of fin unto humiliation 
 and peace, with flrong confolation. After the apoftle 
 had defcribed the whole conflict that believers have 
 with fin, and the frequent wounds which they receive 
 thereby, which makes them cry out for deliverance, 
 Rom. vii. 24. he yet concludes, chap. viii. 1. that there 
 is no condemnation unto them, which is a fufficient and 
 liable foundation of peace. So 1 John ii. i. Thefe things 
 have 1 written unto you, that you Jin not; and if any man 
 Jin , we have an advocate with the Father , Jefus Chrifl 
 the righteous. Our great bufinefs and care ought to be, 
 that we fin not; but yet, when we have done our ut- 
 moft, if we fay , we have no fin , we deceive ourfelves , 
 chap. i. 8. what then fhall poor, finful, guilty creatures 
 do ? why, let them go to the Father, by their advocate, 
 and they fhall not fail of pardon and peace. And faith 
 Paul, Heb. vi. 17, 18. God is abundantly willing that 
 we might have flrong confolation , who fly for refuge to lay 
 hold on the hope fei before us. What was his condition 
 who fled of old to the city of refuge for fafety, from 
 whence this exprefiion is taken ? He was guilty of 
 blood, though filed at unawares; and fo, as that he was 
 to die for it, if he efcaped not to the city of refuge. 
 Though we may have the guilt of fms upon us, 'that 
 the law pronounceth death unto, yet flying to Chrifl 
 for refuge, God hath provided not only fafety, but 
 flrong confolation for us alfo. Forgivenefs in the blood 
 of Chrifl, doth not only take guilt from the foul, but 
 trouble alfo from the confcience. And in this refpecl 
 doth the apoftle at large fet forth the excellency of his 
 facrifice, Heb, x. The facrifices of the old law, he tells 
 us, could not make perfeft the worfhippers, ver. 1. 
 which he proves, ver. 2. becaufe they did never take 
 away, throughly and really confcience of fin, that is, 
 depths or diftrefles of confcience about fin. But now, 
 faith he, Jefus Chrifl in the covenant of grace hath for 
 
 ever 
 
Vcr, 1,2, according to the Covenant . 15 
 
 ever perfected them that were fanftified , ver. 14. provid¬ 
 ing for them fuch (table peace and confolation, as that 
 they (hall not need renewing of facrifices every day, 
 ver. 18. This is the great myftery of the gofpel in die 
 blood of Chrift ; that thofe who lin every day, ftiould 
 have peace with God all their days, provided their fins 
 fall within the compafs of thefe infirmities, againft 
 which this confolation is provided. 
 
 Thirdly, There is provifion made of grace to prevent 
 and peferve the foul from great and enormous fins, 
 fuch as in their own nature are apt to wound confci- 
 ence, and call the perfoninto fuch depths and intangle- 
 ments as wherein he (hall have neither reft nor peace : 
 Of what fort thefe fins are, (hall be afterwards declared. 
 There is in this covenant grace for grace , John i. 16. and 
 abundance of grace, adminiftered from the ali-fulnefs 
 of Chrift ; grace reigneth in it, Rom. vi. 6 . deftroying 
 and crucifying the body of fin. 
 
 But this provifion in the covenant of grace, again ft 
 peace ruining, foul perplexing fins, is not, as to the ad- 
 miniftration of it, abfolute. There are covenant com 
 mands and exhortation*, on the attendance whereunto, 
 the adminiftration of much covenant-grace doth depend. 
 To watch, pray, improve faith, to ftand on our guard 
 continually, to mortify fin, to fight againft temptations, 
 with ftedfaftnefs, diligence, conftancy, are every where 
 prefcribed unto us; and that in order unto the infiir- 
 ance of the grace mentioned. Thefe things are on our 
 part the condition of the adminiftration of that abundant 
 grace, which is to preferve us from foul-intangling fins: 
 So Peter informs us, 2 Epift. i. 3. The divine power of 
 God hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and 
 godlinefs. We have from it an habitual furniftiment and 
 provifion for obedience at all times : Alfo, faith he, ver. 
 4. He hath given unto us great and precious promifes , that 
 by them zve might be partakers of the divine nature; what 
 then is in this blefted eftate and condition required of us, 
 tha-t we may make a due improvement of the provifion 
 made for us, and enjoy the comforting influence of thofe 
 
 promifes 
 
1 6 If he Nature and Extant of Supplies, &c. Ver. i, 2. 
 
 promifes, that he prefcribes unto us, ver. 5, < 5 , 7. Giv¬ 
 ing all diligence, add to your faith virtue , and to virtue 
 knowledge , and to knowledge temperance , and to temper¬ 
 ance patience , and to patience godlinefs , and to godlinefs 
 brotherly-kindnefs, and to brotherly kindnefs charity ; that 
 is, carefully and diligently attend to the exercife of all 
 the graces of the Spirit, and unto a converfation in all 
 things becoming the gofpel. What then (hall be the 
 ilfue, if thefe things are attended unto ? ver. 8. If thefe 
 things be in you , and abound, ye /ball be neither barren 
 nor unfruitful, in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 It is not enough that thefe things be in you l that you 
 have the feed and root of them from and by the Holy 
 Ghoft ; but you are to take care that they flourifh and 
 abound ; without which, though the root of the matter 
 may be in you, and fo you be not wholly devoid of fpi- 
 ritual life, yet you will be poor, barren, faplefs, wi¬ 
 thering creatures, all your days. But now, fuppcfe 
 that thefe things do abound, and we be made fruitful 
 thereby, why then, faith he, ver. 10. If you do thefe 
 things ye fhall never fall. What, never fall into fin ? 
 nay, that is not the promife ; and he that fays, when he 
 hath done all, that he hath no fin , he is a liar. Or, it 
 is, never fall totally from God ? no, the prefervation of 
 the ele<ft, of whom he fpeaks, from total apoftafy, is 
 not fufpended on fuch conditions, efpecially not any de¬ 
 gree of them, fuch as their abounding imports. But it 
 is that they (hall not fall into their old fins from which 
 they were purged, ver. 9. fuch conference-wafting and 
 defiling fins, as they lived in, in the time and date of 
 their unregeneracy. Thus, though there be in the co¬ 
 venant of grace through Jefus Chrift, provifion made of 
 abundant fupplies for the foul’s prefervation from en¬ 
 tangling fins; yet their adminiftration hath refpeft un¬ 
 to our diligent attendance unto the means of receiving 
 them appointed for us to walk in. 
 
 And here lies the latitude of the new covenant; here 
 lies the exercife of renewed free-will. This is the field 
 of free voluntary obedience under the adminiftration of 
 
 gofpel 
 
1 ' .i ' H - ^ 
 
 Ver. 1,2. according to the Covenant. 17 
 
 gofpel-grace. There are extremes which, in refpeCl of 
 the event, it is not concerned in. To be wholiy per- 
 feCl, to be free from every fin, all failings, all inti mi- 
 ties, that is not provided for, not promifed in this cove¬ 
 nant. It is a covenant of mercy and pardon, which 
 fuppofeth a continuance of fin. To fall utterly and y 
 finally from God, that is abfolutely provided againft. 
 Between thefe two extremes of abfolute perfection and 
 total apoftafy, lies the large held of believers obedi¬ 
 ence and walking with God. Many a fweet heavenly 
 paftage there is, and many a dangerous depth in this 
 held. Some walk near to the one fide, forae to the 
 other; yea, the fame perfon may fometimes prefs hard 
 after perfection, fometimes be caft to the very border 
 of dehruCtion. Now, between thefe two ly many a 
 foul-plunging fin, againft which no abfolute provihon is 
 made, and which for want of giving all ddigence to put 
 the means of prelervation in practice, believers are of¬ 
 tentimes overtaken withal. 
 
 Fourthly , There is not in the covenant of grace, pro¬ 
 vihon made ol ordinary and abiding confolatior, for 
 any under the guilt of great fins, or fins greatly aggra¬ 
 vated, which they fall into by a negleCt of uhng and a- 
 biding in the fore-mentioned conditions of abounding 
 aCtual grace. Sins there are, which either becaufe in 
 their own nature they wound and wafte conference, or 
 in their effeCls break forth into fcandal, cauhng the 
 name of God and the gofpel to be evil fpoken of, or in 
 fome of their circumftances, are full of unkindnefs a- 
 gainft God, do deprive the foul of its wonted confolati- 
 on. How, by what means, on what account fuch tins 
 come to terrify the confcience, to break the bones, to 
 darken the foul, and to caft it into inextricable depths, 
 notwithftanding the relief that is provided of pardon in 
 the blood of Chrift, I (hall not now declare; that they 
 will do fo, and that confolation is not of equal extent 
 with fafety, we know*. Hence God aflumes it to him- 
 felf as an a<ft cf mere fovereign grace, to fpeak peace 
 and refrcfhment unro the fouls of his faints, in their 
 
 C depths 
 
18 The Power of indwelling Sin . Ver. i, 2. 
 
 depths of fin-intanglements, Ifa. lvii. 18, 19. And, in¬ 
 deed, it the Lord had not thus provided, that great 
 provocation fhould hand in need of fpecial reliefs, it 
 might juftly be feared, that the negligence of believers, 
 might poffibly bring much bitter fruit. 
 
 Only this muff be obferved by th.? way, that what is 
 fpoken relates to the fenfe of Tinners in their own fouls, 
 and not to the nature of the thing itfelf. There is, in 
 the gofpel, confolation provided againft the greateff as 
 well as the lead fins. The difference arifeth from God*s 
 fovereign communication of it, according to their tenor 
 of the covenants admin iftration, which we have laid 
 down : tjence, becaufe under Mofes’s law. there was 
 an exception made of fome fins, for which there was no 
 facrifice appointed, fo that thofe who were guilty of 
 them could no way be juftified from them, that is car¬ 
 nally to their interefl: in the judaical church and polity ; 
 Paul tells the Jews, A&sxiii. 38, 39. That through Je- 
 fus Cbrifl was preached unto them the forgivenefs of 
 Jins, and that by him all that believe are juftifted 
 jrom all things from which they vju/d not be jufhfied 
 by the law of Mofes , There is now no exception of 
 any particular fins, as to pardon and peace ; but what we 
 have fpoken, relates unto the manner and way, where¬ 
 in God is pleafed to adminifter confolation to the fouls 
 of finning believers. 
 
 And this is the evidence which 1 (hall offer to prove, 
 that the fouls of believers, after much gracious commu¬ 
 nion with God, may yet fall into inextricable depths on 
 the account of fin; whence it is, that actually they of¬ 
 tentimes do fo, (hall be further declared. 
 
 The principles of this affertion are known ; I {hail 
 therefore only touch upon them. 
 
 Fir ft. The nature of indwelling fin, as it remains in 
 the bell of the faints in this life, being a little confidered 
 will evidence to us from whence it is, that they are 
 fometimes furprized and plunged into the depths men?* 
 lioned. For, 
 
 \ft. Though the ftrength of every fin be weakened 
 
 by 
 
Ver. i, 2. The Power of indwelling Sin. 19 
 
 by grace, yet the root of no fin, is in this life wholly 
 taken away. Lull is like the ftubborn Canaanites, who 
 after the general conqueft of the land, would dwell in 
 it ftill, Judges xvii. 12. Indeed, when Ifrael grew flrong, 
 they brought them under tribute, but they could not 
 utterly expel them. The kingdom and rule belongs to 
 grace; and when it grows ftrong, it brings fin much 
 under; but it will not wholly be driven our. The bo¬ 
 dy of death is not utterly to be done away, but in and 
 by the death of the bod/. In the flejh of the belt faints 
 there dwelleth no good thing , Rom. vii. 8. but the con¬ 
 trary is there, that is the root of all evil. The flelh 
 lufteth againfl the fpirit, as the fpirit lufteth again!! the 
 flelh, Gal v. 17. As then there, is an univetfalitv in the 
 a&ings of the fpirit in its oppoflng all evil, fo alfo there 
 is an univerfality in the aftings of the flelh for the fur¬ 
 therance of it. 
 
 idly. Some lufts or branches of original corruption 
 do obtain in fome perfon fuch advantages, either from 
 nature, cultom, employment, fociety, or the like cir- 
 cumftances, that they become like the Canaanites that 
 had iron chariots; it is a very difficult thing to fubdue 
 them. Well, it is, if war be maintained conllantly a- 
 gainfl: them, for they will almolt always be in aftuai re¬ 
 bellion. 
 
 3 dly, Indwelling-fin, though weakened, retained! all 
 its properties; the properties of a thing follow its na-, 
 tore. Where the nature of any thing is, there are all 
 its natural properties. What are thefe properties of in¬ 
 dwelling-fin, 1 lhould here declare, but that 1 have 
 handled the whole power and efficacy, the nature and 
 properties of it, in a treatife to that only purpofe. In 
 brief, they are fuch, as it is no wonder that fome be¬ 
 lievers are by them cart into depths; but it is indeed, 
 that any do efcape them. But thereof the reader 
 may fee at large my difcourfe on this particular fub- 
 je&. 
 
 Secondly , Add hereunto the power and prevalency of 
 temptation ; which becaufe alfo, I have already in a 
 
 C 2 fpecial 
 
2 o Sins occaftonwg great Dijlrejjes. Ver. 1,2. 
 
 fpeciai difconrfe to that purpofe infilled on, I {hall not 
 
 here farther lay open. 
 
 Thirdly , The fovereign pleafure of God in dealing 
 with,finning faints mud alfo he &otifidered. Divine love 
 and wjldom work not towards all in the fame manner. 
 God is pleafed to continue peace unto fome with a non- 
 objlante , for great provocations. Love fhall humble 
 them, and rebukes of kindnefs (hall recover them from 
 their wanderings. Others he is pleafed to bring into 
 the depths we have been fpeaking of. But yet I may 
 fay generally, fignal provocations meet with one of 
 thefe two events from God. 
 
 \ft, Thofe in whom they are, are left into fome fig¬ 
 nal barrennefs, and fruitlefnefs in their generations ; 
 they fhall wither, grow barren, worldly, faplefs, and 
 be much call out of the hearts of the people of God. 
 
 °r, 
 
 ■idly. They fhall be exercifed in thefe depths, from 
 whence their way of deliverance is laid down in this 
 pfalm. Thus, I fay, God deals with his faints in 
 great variety : Some fhall have all their bones broken, 
 when others {hall have only the gentle flrokes of the 
 rod. We are in the hand of mercy, and he may deal 
 with us as feems good unto him ; but for our parts, 
 great fins ought to be attended with expeditions of 
 great depths and perplexities. 
 
 And this is the hate of the foul propofed in this 
 pfalm, and by us, unto confideration. Thefe are the 
 depths wherein it is entangled ; thefe are the ways and 
 means whereby it is brought into thefe depths. Its de¬ 
 portment in, and under this {late and condition, lies 
 next in our way. But before I proceed thereunto, I 
 fhall annex fome few things unto what hath been deli¬ 
 vered, tending to the farther opening of the whole cafe 
 before us; and they are, 1. What are, or of what 
 'or , thofe fins are, which ufually calls the fouls of be- 
 T vers into thefe depths; and then, 2. Infill on fome 
 aggravations of them. 
 
 What 
 
Ver. 1,2. Sins occafuming great Difirejjes. i\ 
 
 What fins ufually bring believers into great fpiritual 
 diftreffes.-—Aggravations of thefe fms. 
 
 Firfl, Sins in their own nature wafting confcience, 
 are of this fort. Sins that rife in oppofition to ail of 
 God that is in us; that is the light of grace and nature 
 alfo: Such are the fins that call; David into his depths. 
 Such are the fins enumerated, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Be not 
 deceived , faith the apoftle, neither fornicators , nor id0‘ 
 laters, nor adulterers , nor effeminate, nor abufers of them - 
 fehes with mankind. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor 
 drunkards, nor revilers , nor extortioners, (hall inherit the 
 kingdom of God. Certain it is, that believers may fall 
 into fome of the fins here mentioned. Some have done 
 fo, as is left on record ; the apollle fays not, thofe who 
 have committed any of thefe fins, but fuch finners (hall 
 not inherit the kingdom of God, that is, who live in 
 thefe, or any of thefe fins, or any like umo them. 
 There is no provifion of mercy made for fuch finners. 
 Thefe and the like are fins which in their own nature, 
 without the confideration of aggravating circumftances, 
 (which yet, indeed, really, in believers, they can never 
 be without) are able to plunge a foul into depths. Thefe 
 fins cut the locks of mens fpiritual ftrength ; and it is in 
 vain for them to fay, we will go, and do as at other 
 times. Bones are not broken without pain ; nor great 
 fins brought on the confcience without trouble. But I 
 need not infift on thefe. Some fay that they deprive 
 even true believers or all their imercft in the love of 
 God, but unduly; all grant that they bereave them of 
 all comforting evidence, and well grounded afifurance 
 of it. So they did David and Peter, and herein lies 
 no fmall part of the depths we are fearching into. 
 
 Secondly , There are fins, which though they do not 
 rife up in the confcience with fuch a bloody guilt as 
 thofe mentioned, yet by reafon of fome circumftances 
 and aggravations, God takes them fo unkindly, as to 
 make them a root of difquietnefs and trouble to the foul 
 all its days. He fays of fome fins of ungodly men, As 1 
 
 live, 
 
22 Sins occajioning great DiftreJJes . Ver. i, 2. 
 
 live , this iniquity jh all not be purged from you until ye die* 
 If you are come to this height, you fliall not efcape, I 
 will not fpare you. And there are provocations in his 
 own people, which may be fo circumftantiated, as that 
 he will not let them pafs,' before he have call them into 
 depths, and made them cry out for deliverance. Let 
 us confider fome of them. 
 
 1//, Mifcarriages under fignal enjoyments of love and 
 kindnefs from God, ar£ of this fort. When God hath 
 given unto any one expretfive manifeftations of his 
 love, convinced him of it, made him fay in the inmoft 
 parts of his heart, This is undeferved love and kindnefs; 
 then for him to be negligent in walking with God, it 
 carrieth an unkindnefs with it, that (hall not be forgot 
 ten. It is a remark upon the unkindnefs of Solomon, 
 that he fell into them after God had appeared unto him 
 twice ; and all fins under, or after efpecial mercies, will 
 meet, one time or other, with efpecial rebukes. No¬ 
 thing doth diitrefs the confcience of a finner, than the 
 remembrance, in darknefs, of abufed light, in defecti¬ 
 ons, of negleXed love. This God will make them fen- 
 fible of. Though 1 have redeemed them 9 faith God, yet 
 they have fpoken lies againfl me, Hof. vii. 15. So chap, 
 xiii. 4, y, 6, 7. When God hath in his providence dealt 
 gracioufly with a perfon, it may be delivered him from 
 flraits and troubles, fet him in a large place, prevented 
 him with many fruits and effects of his goodnefs, bleffed 
 him in his perfon, relations, and employments, dealt 
 well with his foul, in giving him a gracious fenfe of his 
 love in Chrifl, for fuch a one to fall under finful mifcar¬ 
 riages, it goes to the heart of God, and (hall not be paf- 
 fed over. Undervaluations of love are great provocati¬ 
 ons. Hath Nabai thus requited my kindnefs faith Da- 
 . vid ? I cannot bear it. And the clearer the conviXions 
 of any in this kind were, the more fevere will their re¬ 
 flexions be upon them themfelves. 
 
 2 dly f Sins under or after great affliXions, are of this 
 importance alio. God doth not affliX willingly, or chaf- 
 ten us merely for his pleafure j he doth it to make us 
 
 partakers 
 
Ver. i, 2. Sins occafioning great Diflreffes. 23 
 
 partakers of his holinefs. To take fb little notice of his 
 hand therein as under it, or after it, not to watch a- 
 gainft the workings and furprizals of fin, it hath un- 
 kindnefs in it; I /mote him , faith God, and he went on 
 frowardly in the way of his owp heart. Thefe provoca¬ 
 tions of his fons and daughters, he cannot bear with. 
 Hath God brought thee into the furnace, fo that thou 
 haft melted under his hand, and in pity and compaflion 
 hath given thee enlargement; if thou haft foon forgot¬ 
 ten his dealings with thee, is it any wonder, if he mind 
 thee again, by troubles in thy foul ? 
 
 idly, Breaking off*from under ftrong convi&ions, and 
 dawnings of love before converfion, are oftentimes re- 
 membered upon the confcience afterwards. When the 
 Lord by his Spirit fhall mightily convince the heart of 
 fin, and make withal fome difcoveries of his love, and 
 the excellencies of Chrift unto it, fo that it begins 
 to yield, and be overpowered, being almoft perfuadedr 
 to be a Chriftian; if then, through the ftrength of luft, 
 or unbelief, it goes back to the world or felf-righteouf- 
 nefs; its folly hath unkindnefs with it, that fometimes 
 (hall not be pafled by. God can, and often doth, put 
 forth the greatnefs of his power, for the recovery of fuch 
 a foul; but yet he wi.l deal with him, about this con¬ 
 tempt of his love, and the excellency of his Son, in the: 
 dawnings of them revealed unto him. 
 
 4 thly, Sudden forgetfulnefs of indearing manifeftati- 
 ons of fpecial love. This God cautions his people a- 
 gainft, as knowing their pronenefs thereunto, Pfak 
 lxxxv. 8. God the Lord will /peak peace to his people and 
 his faints ; but let them not turn again to folly. Let them 
 take heed of their aptnefs to forget indearing manifefta- 
 tions of fpecial love. When God at any time draws 
 nigh to a foul by his Spirit, in his word, with gracious 
 words of peace and love, giving a fenfe of his kindnefs 
 upon the heart by the Holy Ghoft, fo that it is filled 
 with joy unfpeakable and glorious thereon ; for this 
 foul, upon a temptation, a diverfion, or by mere care- 
 lefthefs and negle<ft, which oftentimes falls out, to fuffer 
 
24 Sins occaficming great diftrejjes. Ver. I, 2. 
 
 this fenfe of love to be as it were obliterated, and fo to 
 lofe that influencing efficacy unto obedierce which it is 
 accompanied withal, this alfo is full of unkindnefs. An 
 account hereof we have, Cant. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. In 
 the firfl: verfe, the Lord Jefus draws nigh with full pro- 
 vifion of gofpel mercies for his beloved ; lam come unto 
 thee , faith he, O my fifter; I have brought myrrh and 
 fpice, honey and wine witij -me : Whatever is fpiritually 
 fweet and delightful ; mercy, grace, peace, confolati- 
 on, joy, aflurance, they are all here in readinefs for 
 thee, ver. 2. The fpoufe in her drowfy indifpofltion 
 takes little notice of this gracious vifit; ffie is diverted 
 by other matters, and knows not how to attend fully 
 and wholly to the blefled communion offered unto her; 
 but excufeth herfelf as otherwife engaged. But what 
 is the iflue ? Chrift withdraws, leaves her in the dark, 
 in the midfl of many difconfolations, and long it is be¬ 
 fore ffie obtain any recovery. 
 
 Sthly, Great opportunities for fervice negle&ed, and 
 great gifts not improved, are oftentimes the occafion of 
 plunging the foul into great depths. Gifts are given to 
 trade withal for God ; opportunities are market-days 
 for that trade: To napkin up the one, and to let flip 
 the other, will end in trouble and difconfolation. Dif- 
 quietmenis and perplexities of heart, are worms that 
 will certainly breed in the ruft of unexercifed gifts. God 
 lofeth a revenue of glory and honour by fuch flothful 
 fouls; and he will make them fenflble of it. 1 know 
 fome at this day, whom omiffions (."opportunities for 
 fervice, are ready to fink into the grave. 
 
 6 thly 9 Sins after efpeciai warnings, are ufually thus 
 iffued. In all that variety of fpecial warnings which 
 God is pleafed to ufe toward finning faints, I ffiall fingle 
 out one only. When a foul is wreftling with fome lull 
 or temptation, God, by his providence, caufeth fome 
 fpecial word, in the preaching of the gofpel, or the ad- 
 miniftration of fome ordinance thereof, peculiarly fuit- 
 ed to the flate and condition of the foul, by the. ways 
 of rebuke or perfualion, to come nigh and enter the 
 
 inmoft 
 
Ver. i, 2. Aggravations of Sins caufmg Dijirejfes. sy 
 
 inmoft parts of the heart. The foul cannot bat take 
 notice that God is nigh to him, that he is dealing with 
 him ; and calling on him to look to him for abidance. 
 And he feldom gives fuch warnings to his faints, but 
 that he is nigh them in an eminent manner, to give them 
 relief and help, if in anfwer unto his call, they apply 
 themfelves unto him ; but.if his care and kindnefs here¬ 
 in be negle&ed, his following reproofs are ufuaily more 
 fevere. 
 
 7 thly, Sins that bring fcandal, feldom differ the foul 
 to efcape depths. Even in great fins, God in chaining 
 takes more notice oft-times of the fcandal, than the fin ; 
 as 2 Sam. xii. 14. Many profeffors take little notice of 
 their worldlinefs, their pride, their paflion, their la- 
 vifh tongues ; but the world doth, and the gofpel is 
 difadvantaged by it; and no wonder if themfelves hod 
 from the hand of the Lord, the bitter fruits of them in 
 the iffue. • - 
 
 And many other fuch aggravations of fins there are 
 which heighten provocations in their own nature not of 
 fo dreadful an afpecf: as fome others, into a guilt plung¬ 
 ing a foul into depths. Thofe which have been named, 
 may fuffice in the way of inllance ; which is ail that ye 
 have aimed at, therefore forbear enlargements on the 
 feveral heads of them, 
 
 T he confideration of fome aggravations of the guilt 
 of thefe fins, which bring the foul ufuaily into the con¬ 
 dition before laid down, fhall clofe this difcourfe. 
 
 t'irftt The foul is furniihed with a principle of grace, 
 which is continually operative and working for its pre- 
 fervation from fuch fins. The new creature is living and 
 a6tive for its growth, increafe and fecurity, according 
 to the tenor of the covenant of grace. Gal. v. 17. It 
 iufteth againft theflejh. It is naturally a&ive for its 
 own prefervaticn and increafe ; as new born children 
 have a natural inclination to the food that will keep them 
 alive, and caufe them to grow/, 1 Pet. ii. 2. The foul 
 then cannot fall into thefe entangling fins, but it muft 
 
 D ‘ be 
 
i 6 Aggravations of Sins caufing DiJlreJJes. Ver. i, 2. 
 
 be with an high negleft of that very principle which is 
 bellowed upon it for quite contrary ends and purpofes. 
 The labourings,ludings,defires,cryings of it areneg’e&ed. 
 Now, it is from God, and of God, and is the renovation 
 of his image in us; that whichGod owneth and careth 
 for ; the wounding of its vitals, the hiding of its opera¬ 
 tions, the negleft of its endeavours for the fouls prefer- 
 vation, do always attend fins of the importance fpoken 
 unto. 
 
 Secondly, Whereas this new creature, this principle 
 of life and obedience, is not able of itfelf to preferve 
 the foul from fuch fins as will bring it into depths; 
 there is full provifion for continual fupplies made for it, 
 and all it wants in Jefus Chrid. There are treafures 
 of relief in Chrid, whereunto the foul may at any time 
 repair, and find fuccour againd the incurfions of fin. 
 He fays to the foul as David unto Abiathar when he 
 fled from Doeg : Abide with me, fear not; he that 
 feeketh thy life , feeketh my life , but with me thou Jbalt be 
 in fafety. Sin is my enemy no lefs than thine ; it feek¬ 
 eth the life of thy foul, and it feeketh my life ; abide 
 with me, for with me thou (halt be in fafety. This the 
 apodle exhorts us unto, Heb. iv. 6 . Let us come boldly 
 to the throne of grace , that we may obtain mercy , and 
 fnd grace to help in time of need. If ever it be a time of 
 need with a foul, it is fo when it is under the affaults of 
 provoking fins; at fuch a time there is a fuitable and 
 feafonable help in Ohrid for fuccour and relief: The 
 new creature begs, with fighs and groans, that the foul 
 would apply itfelf unto him. To neglect him, with all 
 his provifion of grace, whilft he (lands calling unto us, 
 Open unto me , for my head is filled with dew , and my 
 locks with the drops of the night; to defpife the fighing 
 of the poor prifoner, the new creature, by fin appoint¬ 
 ed to die, cannot but be an high provocation. May not 
 God complain and fay ; See thefe poor creatures ; they 
 were once intruded with a dock of grace in them- 
 felves; this they cad away, and themfelves into the ut- 
 mod mifery thereby : That they might not utterly pe¬ 
 ri (h 
 
Ver. l, 2. The fecond Verfes opened. 27 
 
 rifti a fecond time, their portion and dock is now laid 
 up in another; a fafe treafurer ; in him are their 
 lives and comforts fecured. But fee their wretched 
 negligence ; they venture all, rather than they will at¬ 
 tend to him for fuccour. And what think we is the 
 heart of Chrift, when he fees his children giving way to 
 confcience-wafiing fins, without that application unto 
 him, which the life and peace of their own fouls call 
 upon them for. Thefe are not fins of daily infirmity, 
 which cannot be avoided ; but their guilt is always at¬ 
 tended with a negleft, more or lefs, of the relief pro¬ 
 vided in Chrilt againft them. The means of preferva- 
 tion from them is blefifed, ready, nigh at hand ; the 
 concernment of Chrift in our prefervation great, of our 
 fouls unfpeakable ; to neglect and defpife means, Chrift, 
 fouls, peace and life, muft needs render guilt very guilty. 
 
 Thirdly , Much to the fame purpofe may be fpokea 
 about that fignal provifion that is made againft fuch fins 
 as thefe in the covenant of grace, as hath been already 
 declared; but I (hall not further carry on this dif- 
 courfe. 
 
 And this may fuffice, as to the ftate and condition of 
 the foul in this pfalm reprefented. We have feen what 
 the depths are, wherein it is intangled, and by what 
 ways and means any one may come to be caft into them. 
 The next thing that offers itfelf unto our confideration, 
 is the deportment of a gracious foul in that ftace and 
 condition ; or what courfe it fteers towards a delivery. 
 
 The duty and actings of a believer under diftreffes 
 from a fenfe of fin.—His application unto God. 
 To God alone.—Earneftnefs and intention of 
 
 mind therein. 
 
 The words of thefe two verfes declare alfo the de¬ 
 portment of the foul in the condition that we have de¬ 
 scribed ; that is, what it doth, and what courfe it fteers 
 for relief. I have cryed unto thee, O Lord; Lord , hear 
 
 D 2 my 
 
2,8 The fecohd Vcrfe opened . Ver. 1,2. 
 
 let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my [ap¬ 
 plications. 
 
 There is in the words a general application made in 
 a tendency unto relief; wherein is firft to be confider- 
 ed, to whom the application is made, and that is Jeho¬ 
 vah. 1 have cried unto thee, Jehovah. God gave 
 out that name to his people to confirm their faith in 
 the liability of his promifes, Exod. iii. He who is Being 
 himfelf, will afibrediy give being and fubfiftence to his 
 promifes. Beirigtodeal with God about the promifes 
 of grace, he makes his application to him under this 
 name, I call upon thee, Jehovah. 
 
 ]n the application itfelf may be obferved, 
 
 Fir fly The anthropopathy of the expreflion, he prays 
 that God would caufe his ears to be attentive ; after 
 the manner of men, who ferioufly attend to what is 
 fpoken to them, when they turn afide from that which 
 they regard not. 
 
 Secondly , The earneflnefs of the foul in the work it 
 hath in hand ; which is evident both from the redupli¬ 
 cation cf his requeff, Lord, hear my voice s let thine ears 
 be attentive to my voices and the emphaticalnefs of the 
 words he maketh ufe of. Let thine ears , faith he, be y 
 (in the Heb.) diligently attentive. The word fignifies 
 the mod: diligent heedfulnefs and clofe attention; let 
 thine ears be very attentive; and unto what? (in the 
 Heb.) to the voice of my [applications ; deprecationitm.me- 
 arusiiy generally fay interpreter s, of my deprecations ; or 
 earned prayers for the averting of evil or punifhment. 
 But the word is from the Hebrew, Gratiofus fuit, to be 
 gracious or merciful; fo that it fignifies properly dupli¬ 
 cations for grace. Be attentive, faith he, O Lord , un¬ 
 to my [applications for grace and mercy, which, accord¬ 
 ing to my extreme neceflity, I now addrefs myfelf to 
 make unto thee. And in thefe words doth the pfalmid 
 fet forth in general the frame and working of a gra¬ 
 cious foul, being cad into depths and darknefs by 
 fin. 
 
 The 
 
Ver. I, 2 Actings of a Believer under DiflreJJes. 29 
 
 The foundation of what 1 (hall farther thence pur- * 
 fue, lies in thefe two propofitions. 
 
 First, The only attempt of a finfui intangled foul 
 for relief, lies in application to God alone. To thee, 
 Jehovah, have 1 cried, Lord hear . 
 
 Secondly, Depths of fin-intanglements will put 
 a gracious foul on intenfe and earned applications unto 
 Gcd. Lord hear. Lord attend. Dying men do not ufe 
 to cry out flothfully for relief. 
 
 What may be thought necelfary in general for the 
 dire<dion of a foul in the date and condition ddcribed, 
 {hall briefly be fpoken unto from thefe two propoii- 
 tions. 
 
 First, Trouble, danger, difquietment, arguing not 
 only things evil, but a lenfe in the mind and foul of 
 them, will of themfelves put thofe in whom they are 
 upon feeding relief. Every thing would naturally be 
 at reft ; a drowning man needs no exhortation to en¬ 
 deavour his own deliverance and fafety : And fpiritual 
 troubles will, in like manner, put men on attempts for 
 relief. To feek for no remedy is to be fenfelefly obdu¬ 
 rate, or wretchedly defperate, as Cain and Judas. We 
 may fup^ofe then, that the principle bufinefs of every 
 foul in depths, is to endeavour deliverance. They can¬ 
 not reft in that condition wherein they have no reft. In 
 this endeavour, what courfe a gracious foul fteers, is 
 laid down in the firft propofition, negatively and pofl- 
 tively. He applies himfelf not to any thing but God, 
 he applies himfelf unto God. An eminent inftaoce we 
 have of it in both parts, or both to the one fide and the 
 other, Hof. xiv. 5 Ajhur , fays thefe poor diftrefled re¬ 
 turning Tinners, jhall not fave us, we will not ride upon 
 horfes, neither will we fay any more to the work of our 
 hands , Te are our gods; for in thee the jatherlefs jindeth 
 
 „ mercy • 
 
30 Falfe ways of relieving Ver. 1,2. 
 
 mercy . Their application unto God is attended with a 
 renunciation of every other way of relief. 
 
 Several things there are that finners are apt to apply 
 themfelves unto for relief in their perplexities, which 
 prove unto them as waters that fail. How many things 
 have the Romaniffcs invented to deceive fouls withal ? 
 Saints and angels, the bleffed Virgin, the wood of the 
 crofs, confeffions, penances, maffes, pilgrimages, and 
 dirges, purgatories, papal pardons, works of compen- 
 fation, and the like, are made entrances for innumerable 
 fouls into everlafting ruin. Did they know the terror 
 of the Lord, the nature of fin, and the mediation of 
 Chriff, they would be afhamed and confounded in 
 themfelves for thefe abominations, they would not fay 
 unto thefe their idols, Ye are our gods, come and fave 
 us. How fhort do all their contrivances come of his, 
 that would fain be offering rivers of oil, yea , the fruit 
 of his body for the fin of his foul> his firfl born for his 
 tranfgrejjion , Micah vi, 7. who yet gains nothing, but 
 an aggravation of his fin and mifery thereby : Yea, the 
 heathens went beyond them in devotion and expence. 
 It is no new enquiry what courfe fin-perplexed fouls 
 lhould take for relief. From the foundation of the 
 world, the minds of far the greateft part of mankind 
 have been exercifed in it: As was their light or dark- 
 nefs, fuch was the courfe they took ; among thofe who 
 were ignorant of God, this enquiry brought'■forth all 
 that diabolical (uperffition which fpread itfelf over the 
 face of the whole world. Gentilifm being deftroyed by 
 the power and efficacy of the golpel, the fame enquiry 
 working in the minds of darkned men in conjun&ion 
 with other luffs, brought forth the papacy. When 
 men had loft a fpiritual acquaintance with the covenant 
 of grace, and myffery of the gofpel, the defign of eter¬ 
 nal love, and efficacy of the blood of Chriff, they be¬ 
 took themfelves, in part, or in whole, for relief under 
 their entanglements, unto the broken citterns mention¬ 
 ed. They are of two forts; felf, and other things, for 
 
 thofe 
 
Ver. 1.2. Souls in Dijlrefs. 31 
 
 thofe other things which belong unto their falfe worfliip, 
 being abominated by all the faints of God, I (hall not 
 need to make any farther mention of them. That 
 which relates unto felf, is not confined unto popery, 
 but confines itfelf to the limits of human nature, and is 
 predominate over all that are under the law ; that is, 
 to feek for relief in fin-didreffes by felf-endeavours, 
 felf-righteoufnefs: Hence many poor fouls in draits 
 apply themfelves to themfelves. They expeff their 
 cure from the fame hand that wounded them. This 
 was the life of Judaifm, as the apoftle informs us, Rom. 
 x. 3. and all men under the law, are ftill animated by 
 the fame principle. T hey return, but not unto the Lord. 
 Finding themfelves in depths, in didreffes about tin, 
 what courfe do they take ? This they will do, that they 
 will do no more ; this (hall be their ordinary courfe, 
 and that they will do in an extraordinary manner ; as 
 they have offended, whence their trouble arifeth, fo 
 they will amend and look that their peace Ihould fpring 
 from thence, as if God and thty flood on equal terms. 
 In this way fome fpend all their days, finning and a* 
 mending, amending and finning, without once coming 
 to repentance and peace. This the fouls of believers 
 watch againd. They look on themfelves as fatherlefs, 
 in thee the fatherlefs fndeth mercy , that is helplefs ; with¬ 
 out the lead ground of hopes in themfelves, or expec¬ 
 tation from themfelves. They know their repentance, 
 their amendment, their fupplications, their humiliati¬ 
 ons, their fadings, their mortifications, will not relieve 
 them : Repent they will, and amend they will, and 
 pray, and fad, and humble their fouls, for they know 
 thefe things to be their duty ; but they know that their 
 goodnefs extends not to him with whom they have to 
 do, nor is he profited by their righteoufnefs : They 
 will be in the performance of all duties, but they ex¬ 
 pert not deliverance by any duty.' It is God, fay they 
 with whom they have 10 do ; our bufinefs is to hearken 
 what he will fay unto us; 
 
 There are alfo other ways whereby {inful fouls de- 
 
 droy 
 
3 2 Falfe ways of relieving &c. Ver. i, 2. 
 
 ftroy themfelves by falfe reliefs Diverfions from their 
 perplexing thouglitfulnefs pleafeih them : They will 
 fix on fomething or other that cannot cure their difeafe, 
 but (hall only make them forget that they are fick. As 
 Cain under the terror of his guilt, departed from the 
 prefence of the Lord, and fought inward reft in out¬ 
 ward labour and employment, he went and built a city> 
 Gen. iv. 6. ouch courfes Satil fixed on ; firft tnufic, then 
 a witch. Nothing more ordinary than for men thus to 
 deal with their convictions. They fee their ficknefs, 
 feel their wound, and go to the AfTyrian, Hof. v. 13. 
 and this infenfibly leads men to atheifm. Frequent ap¬ 
 plications of creature diverfions unto convictions of fin, 
 are a notable means of bringing on final impenitency. 
 Some drunkards had, it may be, never been fo, had 
 they not been firft convinced of other fins: they ftrive 
 to ftifle the guilt of one fin with another. They fly 
 from themfelves unto themfelves, from their confciences 
 unto their lufts; and feek for relief from fin by finning. 
 This is fo far from believers, that they will not allow 
 lawful things to be a diverfion to their diftrefs: Ufe 
 lawful things they may and will, but not to divert their 
 thoughts from their diftreftes ; thefe they know muft be 
 ilfued between God and them ? Wear off they will not, 
 but muft be taken away. Thefe rocks, and the like, 
 whereof there are innumerable, I fay, a gracious foul 
 takes care to avoid. He knows it is God alone who is 
 the Lord of his confcience where his depths ly ; God 
 alone againft whom he hath finned ; God alone who 
 can pardon bis fin. From dealing with him, he will nei¬ 
 ther be enticed nor diverted. T’o thee , 0 Lord , faith 
 he, do 1 come; thy word concerning me muft ftand; 
 upon thee will I wait; if thou haft no delight in me, I 
 muft perifh : Other remedies I know are vain: I intend 
 not to fpend my flrength for that which is not bread; 
 Unto thee do I cry. Here a fin-intangled foul is to fix 
 itfelf: Trouble excites it to look for relief; many 
 things without it prefent themfelves as a diverfion ; ma¬ 
 ny things within it offer themfelves for a remedy : For¬ 
 get 
 
Ver. 1,1. Earneflnefs of a difir effed Soul, 8 c c. 55 
 
 get thy forrow, fay the former ; eafe thyfelf of it by us, 
 fay the latter; the foul refufeth both, as phyficiaos of 
 no value, and to God alone makes its application : He 
 hath wounded, and he alone can heal. And until any 
 one that is fenfible of the guilt ot fin, v/ill come off from 
 all referves to deal immediately with God, it is in vain 
 for him to expeft relief. 
 
 Secondly, Herein it is intenfe, earned and urgent, 
 which was the fecond thing obferved. It is no time 
 now to be flothful; the fouls all, its greated concern¬ 
 ments are at the dake. Dull, cold, formal, cudomary 
 applications to God, will not ferve the turn : Ordinary 
 aflings of faith, love, fervency, ufual feafons, oppor¬ 
 tunities, duties, anfwer not this condition. To do no 
 more than ordinary now, is to do nothing at all. He 
 that puts forth no more drength and a&ivity for his de¬ 
 liverance when he is in depths, ready to periffi, than 
 he doth, or hath need to do, when he is at liberty in 
 plain and finooth paths, is fcarcely like to efcape. Some 
 in fuch conditions, are carelefs and negligent; they 
 think in ordinary courfe, to wear off their didempers ; 
 and that although at prefent they are fenfible of their 
 danger, they (hall yet have peace at lad ; in which 
 frame there is much contempt of God: Some defpond 
 and languid* away under their preffures. Spiritual doth 
 influenceth both thefe forts of perfons. Let us fee the 
 frame under confideration exemplified in another. We 
 have an indance in the fpoufe, Cant. iii. 1, 2, 3. She 
 had lod the prefence of Chrid, and fo was in the very 
 dare and condition before deferibed, ver. 1. It was night 
 with her, a time of darknefs and difconfolation ; and 
 (he feeks for her beloved : By night on my bed 1 fought 
 him whom my foul lovetb. Chrid was abfent from her, 
 and (he was left unto depths and darknefs upon that ac¬ 
 count. Wherefore, (he feeks for him ; but as the mod 
 are apt to do in the like date and condition, (lie mends 
 cot her pace, goes not out of, or beyond her courfe of 
 ordinary duties j or the frame (he was ufually in at other 
 
 E times. 
 
 % 
 
34 Earnefnefs of a difirejjed Soul. Ver. i, 2. 
 
 times. But what is the iftue ? Saith (he, 1 found him 
 not. This is not the way to recover a fenfe of loft love; 
 nor to get out of her entanglements. And this puts h?r 
 on another courfe, {he begins to think, that if things 
 continue in this eftate, fhe fh. *11 be undone ; I go on in¬ 
 deed with the performance of duties ftill, but I have 
 not the prefence of my beloved ; 1 meet not with Chrift 
 in them : My darknefs and troubles abide ftill; if I 
 take not fome other courfe, I fhall be loft. Well, faith 
 {he, / will rife now , ver. 2. 1 will {hake off all that eafe 
 and floth, and cuftomarinefs, that cleave to me ; fome 
 more lively vigorous courfe mult be fixed on. Refoluti- 
 ons for new, extraordinary, vigorous, conftant appli¬ 
 cation unto God, are the firft general ftepor degree, of 
 a fin-intangled foul acting towards a recovery, I will 
 rife now. And what will the do when file is thus refolv- 
 ed ? I willy faith {he, go about the freets , and broad 
 waySy andfeek him whom my foul loveth. I will leave 
 no way or means unattempted, whereby I may pofiibly 
 come to a frefti enjoyment of him, If a man feek for a 
 friend, he can look for him only in the ftreets and in 
 the broad ways; that is, either in towns, or in the 
 fields. So will 1 do faith the fpoufe ; in what way, or¬ 
 dinance, or inftitution foever, in or by what duty fo- 
 ever, public or private, of communion with others, or 
 folitary retirednefs, Chrift ever was, or may be found; 
 or peace obtained, 1 will feek him, and not give over 
 till I come to an enjoyment of him. And this frame, this 
 refolution, a foul in depths muft come unto, if ever it 
 expeft deliverance. For the mod part, mens wounds 
 fink, and are corrupt becaufe of their fooli/hnef, as the 
 pfalmift complains, Pfal. xxxviii. y. they are wounded 
 by fin ; and through fpiritual floth they negleft their 
 cure ; this weakens them, and difquiets them day by 
 day ; yet they endure all, rather than they will come 
 out of their carnal eafe to deal effe&ually with God in 
 an extraordinary manner. It was otherwife with Da¬ 
 vid, Pfal. xxii. 1,2. Why , faith he, art thou fo far from 
 helping me , and from the words of my roaring f 0 my 
 
 God , 
 
Ver. i, 2. in Application unto God. 35 
 
 God , I cry in the day-time, and in the night feafon y and 
 am not filent. What aiis the man ? Can he not be quiet 
 night nor day ? never filent, never hold his peace ? and 
 if he be fomewhat difquieted, can he not contain himfelf, 
 but that he mod roar, and cry out ? yea, he muft roar 
 thus all the day long, as he fpeaks, PfaL xxxii. 3, and 
 groan all the night , as Pfal. vi. 6 „ what is the matter 
 with all this roaring, fighing, tears, roaring all the day, 
 all night long ? Ah ! let him alone, his foul is bitter in ‘ 
 him; he is fallen into depths; the Lord is withdrawn 
 from him, trouble is hard at hand, yea, he, is full of 
 anxiety on the account of fin ; there is no quietnefs and 
 foundnefs in him ; and he muft thus earneffly and reft- 
 lefly apply himfeljf for relief. Alas! What Grangers 
 for the mod part are men now-a-days to this frame ? 
 How little of the workings of this fpirit is found a- 
 mongfl us ? And is not the reafon of it, that we value 
 the world more, and heaven and heavenly things lefs 
 than he did i > that we can live at a better rate without 
 a fenfe of the love of God in Chriff, than he could do? 
 and is it not hence that we every day fee fo many wi¬ 
 thering profeffors, that have in a manner loft all com¬ 
 munion with God, beyond a little lip-labour, or talk¬ 
 ing ? the filthy favour of whofe wounds are oiTenfive to 
 all but themfelves; and fo they will go on ready to die 
 and perifh, rather than with this holy man thus ftir up 
 themfelves to meet the Lord. Hernan was alfo like un¬ 
 to him, Pfal. Ixxxviii. 11,12. What fenfe he had of his 
 depths, he declares, ver. 3. My foul faith he, is full 
 of troubles, and my life draweth nigh to the grave. And 
 what courfe doth he fleer in this heavy, forrowful, and 
 difconfolate condition? Why, faith he, O Lord God of 
 falvation , I have cried day and night unto thee , let my 
 prayer come before thee, incline thine ear unto my cry , ver. 
 ?, 2. Day and night he cries to God of his falvation, and 
 that with earneltnefs and importunity. This was- his 
 bufinefs, thus was he exercifed all his days. 
 
 This is that which is aimed at; if a gracious foul be 
 brought into the depths before-mentioned and defcribed, 
 
 E 2 by 
 
Grounds of EarnefineJ's Ver. 1,2. 
 
 by reafou of fin, when the Lord is pleafed to lead him 
 forth towards a recovery, he caufeth him to be vigorous 
 and reftlefsin all the duties whereby he may make ap¬ 
 plication to him for deliverance. Now, wherein this 
 intenfenefs and earneftnefs of the foul in its applications 
 unto God doth principally confift, I (hall briefly declare, 
 when i have touched a little upon fome considerations 
 and grounds that flir it up thereunto. 
 
 Firjl, The greateft of mens concernments may well 
 put them on this earneftnefs. Men do not ufe to deal 
 with dull and flothful fpirits about their greatefl con¬ 
 cerns. David tells us, that he was more concerned in 
 the light of God’s countenance, than the men of the 
 world could be in their corn and wine, Pfal. iv. 6, 7. 
 Suppofe a man of the world fhould have his houfe, 
 wherein all his flock and riches are laid up, fet on fire, 
 and fo the whole be in danger under his eye to be con- 
 fumed ; w T ould he be calm and quiet in the confideration 
 of it ? Would he not beftir himfelf with all his might, 
 and call in all the help he could obtain ? And that be- 
 caufe his portion, his all, his great concernments lies at 
 flake ? And fhall the foul be flothful, carelefs, dull, fe- 
 cure, when fire is put to its eternal concernments ? 
 when the light of God’s countenance, which is of more 
 efteem unto him than the greateft increafe of corn and 
 wine can be to the men of the world, is removed from 
 him ? It was an argument of prodigious fecurity in Jo¬ 
 nah, that he was faft afleep when the fhip wherein he 
 was, was ready to be caft away for his fake. And will 
 it be thought lefs in any foul, who being in a florin of 
 wrath and difpleafurc from God, fent out into the deep 
 after him, fhall negleft it, and fleep, as Solomon fays, 
 
 ’ on the top of a mart in the midft of the fea ? How did 
 that poor creature, whofe heart was mad on his idols. 
 Judges xviii. 24. cry out, when he was deprived of 
 them ? Tou have taken away my gods , faith he, and 
 what have 1 mote ? And fhall a gracious foul lofe his 
 God, through his own folly, the fenfe of his love, the 
 
 confoJation 
 
Ver. 1, 2. in its Application to God . 37 
 
 contortion of his prefence, and not with all his might 
 follow hard after him; peace with God, joy in believ¬ 
 ing, toch fouls have formerly obtained ; can they live 
 without them now, in their ordinary walking ? Can 
 they choote but cry out with Job, 0 that it were with 
 us , as in former days , when the candle of the Lord was 
 upon our tabernacle , chap. xxix. 2, 3, 4. and with David, 
 
 O Lordy ref ore unto me the joy oj thy falvation, Pfal. li. 
 12. For, Oh 1 my God, 1 remember former eijoy- 
 ments, and my foul is caf down within me , Pfal. xlii. 6. 
 They cannot live without it. But fuppofe they might 
 make a tony fbift to pafs on in their pilgrimage, whilft 
 all is fmooth about, them ; what will they do in the time 
 of outward trials and diltrefles, when deep calleth unto 
 deep, and one trouble excites and fharpens another ? 
 Nothing then will fupport them, they know, but that 
 which is wanting to them, as Hab. iii, 17, 18. Pfal. 
 xxiii. 4. to that the greatnefs of their concernment, 
 provokes them to the earneftnefs mentioned. 
 
 Secondly , They have a deep fenfe of thefe their great 
 concernments. Ail men are equally concerned in the 
 love of God, and pardon or fm. Every one hath a foul 
 of the fame immortal conftiiution, equally capable of 
 blifs and wo; but yet we fee that moft men are to ftu- 
 pidly fottilh, that they take little notice of thefe things. 
 Neither the guilt of fin, nor the wrath of God, nor 
 death, nor hell, are thought on, or efteemed by them; 
 they are their concernments, but they are not fenfible 
 of them. But gracious fouls have a quick living fenfe 
 of fpiritual things. For, 
 
 1 ft, They having a faving fpiritual light, whereby 
 they are able to difeern the true nature of fin, and the 
 terror of the Lord. For though they are now fuppofed 
 to have loft the comforting light of the Spirit, yet they 
 never lofe the famftifying light of the Spirit, the light 
 whereby they are enabled to difeern fpiritual things in 
 a fpiritual manner, this never utterly departs from 
 them : By this they fee fin to be exceeding fmjul , Rom. 
 vii. 13. by this they know the terror of the Lord , 2 Cor. 
 
 xv. 
 
38 Grounds of Earneflnefs , Ver. 1, 2. 
 
 xv. 11. and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands 
 of the living God 9 Heb. x. 13. By this they difcover the 
 excellency of the love of God in Chrift, which paffeth 
 knowledge, the prefent fenfe whereof they have loft. 
 By this they are Enabled to look within th- v A il, and to 
 take a view of the blefled confolations which the faints 
 enjoy, whpfe communion with God was never interrupt¬ 
 ed: This reprefents to them all the fweetnefs, pleafure, 
 joy, peace, which in former days they had, whilft God 
 was prefent with them in love : By this, are they taught 
 to value all the fruits of the blood of Jefus Chrift, of 
 the enjoyment of many bleilings, whereof they are at 
 prefent cut ftiort and deprived. All which, with other 
 things of the like nature and importance, make them 
 very fenfible of their concernments. 
 
 %dly 9 They remember what it coft them formerly to 
 deal with God about fin ; and hence they know it is no 
 ordinary matter they have in hand : They muft again 
 to their old work ; take the old cup into their hands 
 again. A recovery from depths is as a new converfion. 
 
 Oft-times in it,* the whole work, as to the foul’s ap- 
 prehenfion is gone over afrefli. This the foul knows to 
 have been a w r ork of rdread, terror, and trouble, and 
 trembles in itfelf at its new trials. And, 
 
 3 dly, The Holy Ghoft gives unto poor fouls, a frelh 
 fenfe of their deep concernments, on purpofe that it may 
 be a means to ftir them up unto thefe earneft applicati¬ 
 ons unto God. The whole work is his, and he carries 
 it on, by means fuited to the compafting of the end he 
 aimeth at; and by thefe means is a gracious foul 
 brought into the frame mentioned. Now there are fun- 
 dry things that concur in and unto this frame. 
 
 Firfl, There is a continual thoughtfulnefs about the 
 fad condition wherein the foul is in its depths. Being 
 deeply affe&ed with their condition, they are continu¬ 
 ally ruminating upon it, and pondering it in their mmds. 
 So David declares the cafe to have been with him, Pfal. 
 xxxviii. 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Thine arrows flick faft in me 9 
 
 and 
 
Ver. i» 2 * Wherein it conjifts, 39 
 
 and thy hand prefeth me fore; there is no foundnejs in my 
 fiefh , becaufe of thine anger, neither- is there any ref in 
 my bones , becaufe of my fin ; for mine iniquities are gone 
 over mine head , as an heavy burden they are too heavy for 
 me My wounds fink, and are corrupt , becaufe of my fool - 
 lifhnefs. I am troubled , / am bowed down, I go mourn¬ 
 ing all the day long. I am feeble andfore broken , I have 
 roared for the difquietnef of my heart. Reftlefnefs, deep 
 thoughtfulnefs, difquietnefs of heart, continual heavi- 
 nefs of heart, forrow and anxiety of mind, ly at the 
 bottom of the applications we fpeak of. From ihefe 
 principles their prayers flow out, as David adds, ver. 9, 
 Lord , alt my defire is before thee , and my groaning is not 
 hid from thee. This way all his troubles wrought; he 
 prayed out of the abundance of his meditation and grief. 
 Thoughts of their own date and condition ly down with 
 fuch perfons and rife with them ; and accompany them 
 all the day long. As Reuben cried, 'The child is not, 
 and /, whether fjall 1 go? So doth a foul; the love of 
 God is not, Chrift is not, and I, whither fliall I caufe 
 my forrow to go ? God is provoked, death is nigh at 
 hand, relief is far away, darknefs is about me ; I have 
 loft my peace, my joy, my fong in the night; what do 
 I think of duties ? Can two walk except they be agreed? 
 Canl walk with God in them, whilft I have thus made 
 him mine enemy ? What do I think of ordinances ? Will 
 it do me good to be at Jerufalem, and not lee the face 
 of the king; to live under ordinances, and not to meet 
 in them with the king of faints ? May I not juftly fear, 
 that the Lord will take his holy Spirit from me, until I 
 be left without remedy ? With fuch thoughts as thefe 
 are fin intangled fouls exercifed, and they ly rolling in 
 their minds, in all their applications unto God. 
 
 Secondly , We fee the application itfelf conftfts in, 
 and is made by the prayer of faith, or crying unto God: 
 Now, this is done with intenfenefs of mind; which hath 
 a twofold fruit or propriety, if. Importunity, and zd, 
 Conftancy, 
 
 It is faid of our blefled Saviour, that when he was in 
 
 his 
 
40 Earneflnefs , wherein it conftjh. Ver. r, 2. 
 
 his depths, about our fins, that he offered up prayers and 
 Jupplications with flrong cries and tears , Heb. v. 7. Strong 
 cries and tears exprefs the utmoft intenfion of fpirir. And 
 David expreffeth it by roaring, as we have fecn before; 
 as alfo by fighing, groaning, and panting. A foul in 
 fuch a condition lies down before the Lord, with fighs, 
 groans, mourning, cries, tears, and roaring according 
 to the various working of his heart, and its being affec¬ 
 ted with the things that it hath to do; and th is pro¬ 
 duced : 
 
 1y?, Importunity. The power of the importunity of 
 faith our Saviour hath marvelloufly fet out, Luke xi. 8, 
 9, 10. as alfo, chap, xviii. 1. importunate prayer is cer¬ 
 tainly prevailing : And importunity is as it were made 
 up of two things; frequency of interpofition, and variety 
 of arguings. You (hall have a man that is importunate, 
 come unto you feven times a day about the fame bufi- 
 nefs; and after al’, if any new thought come into his 
 mind, though he had refolved to the contrary, he will 
 come again ; and there is nothing than can be imagined 
 to relate unto the bufinefs he bath in hand, but he will 
 make ufe of it, and turn it to the furtherance of his plea. 
 So it is in this cafe. Men v, r ill ufe both frequency of 
 interpofition, and variety of arguings, Pfal. lxxxvi, 1. I 
 cry unto thee daily , or rather, all the day He had but 
 that one bufinefs, and he attended it to the purpofe. 
 By this means w t give God no reft , Ifa. lxii. 7. which is 
 the very chara&er of importunity. Such fouls go to 
 God; and they are not fatisfied with what they have 
 done, and they go again ; and fomewhat abided Hill 
 with them, and they go to him again ; and the heart is 
 not yet emptied, they will go again to him, that he 
 may have no reft. What variety of arguments are 
 pleaded with God in this cafe, I could manifeft in the 
 fame David. But it is known to all, there is not any 
 thing almoft that he makes not a plea of; the faithful- 
 nefs, righteoufnefs, name, mercy, goodnefs, and kind- 
 nefs of God in Jefus Chi iff; the concernment of others 
 in him, both the friends and foes of God; his own 
 
 weaknefs 
 
Ver. 1,2. Earnejhiefs , wherein it conffls. 4 1 
 
 weaknefs and helplefnefs, yea, the greatnefs of fin itfelf. 
 Be merciful to my Jin , faith he, for it is great. Some¬ 
 times he begins with fome arguments of this kind ; and 
 then, being a little diverted by other confiderations, 
 fome new plea is fuggefted unto him by the Spirit, and 
 he returns immediately to his firft employment and de- 
 fign, all arguing great intenlion of mind and fpirit. 
 
 idly, Conftancy alfo flows from intenfenefs. Such a 
 foul will not give over, until it obtain what it aims at, 
 and looks for, as we fha.ll fee in our prccefs in opening 
 this pfalm. 
 
 And this is in general the deportment of a gracious 
 foul in the condition here reprefented unto us. As poor 
 creatures love their peace, as they love their fouls, as 
 they tender the glory of God, they are not to be want¬ 
 ing in this duty. What is the reafon that controverfies 
 hang fo long between God and your fouls, that it may 
 be, you fcarce fee a good day ail ycur lives ? Is it not 
 for the mod part from your floth and defpondency of 
 fpirit ? you will not gird up the loins of your minds, in 
 dealing with God to put them to a fpeedy iffue in the 
 blood of Chrift. You go on and off, begin and ceafe, 
 try and give over ; and, for the mod part, though 
 your cafe be extraordinary, content yourfelves with or¬ 
 dinary and cuftomary applications unto God. This 
 makes you wither, become ufelefs, and pine away in 
 and under your perplexities. David did not fo; but 
 after many any many a breach made by fin, yet thro’ 
 quick, vigorous, reftlefs actings of faith, all was re¬ 
 paired, fo that he lived peaceably and died triumph¬ 
 antly. Up, then, and be doing: let not your wounds 
 corrupt becaufe of your folly ; make thorough-work of 
 that which lies before you ; be it long or difficult, it is 
 all one, it muft be done, and is attended with fafety ; 
 what you are like to meet withal in the firft place, fhall 
 next be declared. 
 
 F 
 
 Verfe 
 
4 2 
 
 The third Verfe opened. 
 
 Ver. 3 . 
 
 VERSE III. 
 
 The Words of the Verfe explained, and their Mean 
 
 ing opened. 
 
 HE general frame of a gracious foul in its perplex- 
 
 ■*- ities about fin, hath been declared. Its particu¬ 
 lar a&ings, what it dpth, what it meets withal are next 
 reprefented unto us. 
 
 Ftrft, Then, in particular, it cries out. If thou , Lord, \ 
 Jhouldft mark iniquities. O Lord who /hall ft and f 
 
 There is in me words a fuppofition, and an infer¬ 
 ence on that fuppofition. In the fuppofition ; there is, ; 
 lft, The name of God that is fixed on, as fuited unto 
 it. And, idly, The thing itfelf fuppofed. In the in- ; 
 ference, there is expreffed the matter of it, to /land, ' 
 and the manner of its propofal; whereof two things oc¬ 
 cur, 1. That it is expreffed by way of interrogation. 
 
 2. The indefinitenefs of that interrogation, Who /hall 
 ft and f 
 
 1/ thou. Lord ; He here fixes on another name of ; 
 God, which is Jah. A name, though from the fame 
 root with the former, yet feldom ufed, but to intimate i 
 and exprefs the terrible majefty of God. He rideth on \ 
 the heavens, and is extolled by his name JAH, Pfal. ; 
 Ixviii. 4. He is to deal now with God about the guilt of 
 fin ; and God is reprefented to the foul as great and ter¬ 
 rible ; that he may know what to expe£! and look for, 
 if the matter mull: be tried out according to the demerit 
 of fin. 
 
 What then faith he to Jah ? in the Heb. 1/ thou 
 Jhouldft mark iniquities , is to obferve and keep, as in 
 fafe cuftody. To keep, preferve, and watch diligent¬ 
 ly. So to remark and obferve, as to retain that which 
 is obferved, to ponder it and lay it up in the heart, 11 
 Gen. xxxvii, 11, Jacob ob/erved Jofeph’s dream j that ( 
 
 is, 
 
Ver. 3. The third Verfe opened . 43 
 
 is, he retained the memory of it, and pondered it in his 
 heart. 
 
 The marking of iniquities then here intended, is 
 God’s fo far confidering and obferving of them, as to re- 
 ferve them for punilhment and vengeance. In oppofi- 
 tion unto this marking, he is faid not to fee fin, to 
 oveilook if, to cover it, to forget it, or remember it no 
 more; that is, to forgive it, as the next verfe declares. 
 
 1 need not {hew that God fo far marks all fins in all 
 perfons, as to fee them, know them, difallow them, and 
 to be difpleafed with them. This cannot be denyed, 
 without taking away all grounds of lear and wovfhip. 
 To deny ir, is all one as to deny the very being of 
 God ; deny his holinefs and righteoufnefs, and you de¬ 
 ny his cxiitence. But there is a day appointed, where¬ 
 in all the men of the world (hall know, that God knew 
 and took notice of all and every one of their mod lecret 
 fins, fhere is then a double marking of fin in God, 
 neither of which can be denyed in reference unto any 
 fins, in any perfons. The firfb is phyfical, confiding in 
 his omnifcience, whereunto all things are open and na¬ 
 ked. Thus no fin is hid from him ; the fecreted are 
 before the light of his countenance. All are marked by 
 him. 2 dly^ Moral; in a difpliciency with, or difplea- 
 fure againd every fin, which is infeparable from the na¬ 
 ture of God, upon the account of his holinefs. And 
 this is declared in the fentence of the law, and that e- 
 qually to all men in the world ; but the marking here 
 intended, is that which has a tendency to anitnadverfion 
 and punidiment according to the tenor of the law. Not 
 only the fentence of the law, but a will of punching ac¬ 
 cording to it, is included in it. “ If,” faith the pfal- 
 mid, “ thou the great and dreadful God, who art ex- 
 “ tolled by the glorious name Jah, fhouldft take notice 
 “ of iniquities, fo as to recompenfe finners that come 
 “ nnto thee according to the feverity and exigence of 
 “ thy holy law.” What then ? It is anfwered by the 
 matter of the propofal. Who can J,land f That is, none 
 can fo do; t# yap rls tv7«u0tv w3-*c trtv, fays Chyrfodom ; Thi3 
 
 F 2 who 
 
44 The third Yerfe opened. ,Ver. 3. 
 
 who is none. No man; notone in the world. £>uis 
 jlabit or confijlet , who can (land, or abide and endure 
 the trial ? Every one, -on this fuppofition, mud perilh, 
 and that eternally. 'T his the defert of tin, and the curfe 
 of the law, which is the rule of this marking of then- 
 iniquity, doth require. And there is a notable empha- 
 fis in the interrogation, which contains the manner of 
 the inference. Who canfiandf is more than if he had 
 faid, None can abide the trial, and efcape without 
 everlafting ruin. For the interrogation is indefinite; 
 not, how can I ? bur, who can dand ? When the Holy 
 Ghofl would fet out the certainty, and dreadfulnefs of 
 the perifhing of ungodly men, he doth it by fuch a kind 
 of expreffion, wherein there is a deeper fenfe intimat¬ 
 ed into the minds of men, than any -words can well 
 clothe or declare, 1 Pet. iv. i 7. What [hall be the end of 
 them that obey not the gofpel f and ver. 18. Where /hall 
 the ungodly and the /inner appear f So here : Who can 
 (land f there is a deep infinuation of a dreadful ruin, as 
 unto all, with whom God fhall fo deal, as to mark their 
 iniquities. See Pfal. i. 5. 
 
 The pfalmift then addrefling himfelf to deal with 
 God about fin, lays down, in the firit place, in the ge¬ 
 neral, how things mud go, not with himfelf only, but ; 
 with all the world, upon the fuppofition he had fixed. 
 This is not my cafe only, but it is fo with all mankind, 
 every one who is partaker of fleih and blood ; whether 
 their guilt anfwer that which I am oppreffed withal or 
 no, all is one; guilty they are all, and all muft perifh : 
 How much more mud that needs be my condition, who 
 have contra&ed fo great a guilt as I have done. Here 
 then he lays a great argument againd himfelf on the 
 fuppofition before laid down. If none, the holied, the 
 humbled, the mod believing foul, can abide the trial, 
 can endure ; how much lefs can I, who am the chiefeft 
 of finners, the lead of faints, who come unfpeakably 
 behind them in holinefs, and have equally gone beyond 
 them in fin ? 
 
 This is the fenfe and importance of the Words. Let 
 
 us 
 
Ver. 3. Proportions from the third Verfe. 4- 
 
 us now confider how they are expreffive of the actings 
 of the foul, whofe date and condition is here reprefent- 
 ed unto us, and what directions they will afford unto 
 us, to give unto them who are fallen into the fame 
 ftate. 
 
 What firfl prefects itfelf to a foul in dill refs on the 
 account of fin,—This opened in four proportions. 
 —Thoughts of God’s marking fin, according to 
 the tenor of the law, full of dread and terror. 
 
 What depths the pfalmift was in, hath been declared; 
 in them, what refolution he takes upon himfelf to feek 
 God alooe for relief and recovery, hath been alfo (hew¬ 
 ed ; and what earneftnefs in general he ufeth therein; 
 addrelfing himfelf unto God in that frame, with that 
 purpofe and refolution ; the firfl thing he fixerh on in 
 particular is the greatnefs of his fin and guijt according 
 to the tenor of ttie law. In appears then, that, 
 
 Firfl , In a fin-perplexed foul’s addreffcs unio God, 
 the firfl thing that prefects itfelf unto him, is God’s 
 marking fin according to the tenor of the law. The 
 cafe is the fame in this matter with all forts of finners; 
 whether before converfion, or in relapfes and entangle¬ 
 ments after converfion. There is a proportion between 
 converfion and recoveries. They are brought by the 
 fame means and ways; and have both the fame efte&s 
 upon the fouls of finners, although in fundry things they 
 differ, not now to be fpoken unto. What then is fpo- 
 ken on this head, may be applied unto both forts; to 
 them that are yet unconverted, and to them who are 
 really delivered from their ftate and condition ; but e- 
 fpecially unto thofe who know not whether ftate they 
 belong unto, that is to all guilty fouls. The law will 
 put in its claim to all. It will condemn the fin, and try 
 what it can do againfl the finner. There is no fhaking 
 of it off; it mufl be fairly anfwered, or it will prevail. 
 The law lfTues out an arrefl for the debt; and it is to no 
 purpofe to bid the fearjeant begone, or to entreat him 
 
 to 
 
4 6 ‘Terror ariftng from Ver. 3. 
 
 to fpare. If payment he not procured, and an ac¬ 
 quaintance produced, the foul rauft to prifon. I am 
 going unto God, faith the foul; he is great and terrible, 
 a marker of fin, and what (hall I fay unto him ? This 
 makes him tremble, and cry out, O Lord, who Jhall 
 (land f So that it appears hence, that. 
 
 Secondly , Serious thoughts of God’s marking fin ac¬ 
 cording to the tenor of the law, is a thing full of dread 
 and terror to the foul of a (inner. But this is not all; 
 he is fwaliowed up in this amazement, crying out only, 
 Who can fland ? There is included in the words, a 
 thorough fincere acknowledgment of his own fin and 
 the guilt thereof. Mentioning the defert of fin, in his 
 own cafe, he acknowledgeth his own. So that, 
 
 Thirdly, Sincere fenfe and acknowledgement for fin, 
 with felf-condemnation in the judification of God, is 
 the fird peculiar efpeci'al working of a gracious foul ril¬ 
 ing out of its intanglements: All this is included in 
 thefe words ; he acknowledgeth both his own guilt, 
 and the righteoufnefs of God, if he (hould deal with 
 him according to the demerit of fin. 
 
 And thefe things ly in the words abfolutely confider- 
 ed ; but the (late of the foul here reprefented, carries 
 us on farther. He reds not here, as we (hall fee in 
 the opening of the next verfe, the chief thing aimed at 
 in the whole. And, as a tranfition from the one to the 
 other, that we may dill carry on the general defign at 
 the entrance laid down, we mud take along with us 
 this farther obfervation. 
 
 Fourthly, Though felf condemnation be an eminent 
 preparation for the difcovery of forgivenefs in God, yet 
 a poor didreifed foul is not to red in it, nor to red up¬ 
 on it, but to pafs on to the embracing of forgivenefs 
 itfelf. 
 
 There is yet a general proposition lying in the words, 
 that we may make ufe of in our paffage ; and it is this, 
 God’s marking o^ iniquities, and man’s falvation are 
 everladingly inconfident. I mean his marking them in 
 the perfons of finners, for the ends before mentioned. 
 
 Of 
 
Ver. 3; a Senfe of the Guilt of Sin. 47 
 
 Of fome of thefe I (hall farther treat, according as 
 the handling of them conducefh to the purpofe in hand. 
 
 That which I (hall begin withal, is that which was 
 firft laid down about the effe&s of ferious thoughts, con¬ 
 cerning God’s marking fin according to the tenor of 
 the law; which, as I faid, is the firft thing that pre- 
 fents itfelf uQto a fin-intangled foul in its addreffes unto 
 God. / 
 
 But this (hall not pafs alone. I (hall draw the two 
 firft obfervations into one, and make ufe of the firft on¬ 
 ly in the confirmation of the other ; which will exprefs 
 the fenfe of the words abfolutely confidered. The third 
 and fourth will lead us on in the progrefs of the foul, 
 towards the relief fought after and propofed. That 
 therefore which is to be firft infifted on, comes up to 
 this propofition. 
 
 In a fm-perplexed foul’s addreffes unto God, the firft 
 thing that prefents itfelf unto him, is, God’s mark¬ 
 ing of fin according to the tenor of the law, which 
 of itfelf is apt to fill the foul with dread and terror. 
 
 lfhall firft fomewhat fpeak unto it in this ; as confi- 
 dering in itfelf, and then enquire into the concernment 
 of the foul in it, whofe condition is here defcribed. 
 
 The Lord fpeaks of fome, who when they hear the 
 words of the curfe, yet blefs themfelves, and fay they 
 fhall have peace, Deut. xxix. 19. Let men preach and 
 fay what they will of the terror of the Lord, they will 
 defpife it, which God threatens with utter exterminati¬ 
 on : And he notes it again, as an amazing wickednefs, 
 and the height of obduratenefs, Jer. xxxvi. 24. gene¬ 
 rally it is with finners, as it was with Gaal the fon of 
 Ebed, Judges ix. when he was fortifying of Shechena 
 againfl Abimelech; Zebul tells him that Abimelech will 
 come and deftroy him r Let him come, faith Gaal, I 
 fhall deal well enough with him, let him bring forth his 
 army, 1 fear him not ; but upon the very firft appear¬ 
 ance of Abimelech’s army, he trembleth for fear, ver. 
 
 3 6 - 
 
48 Terror arijing from Ver. 3. 
 
 3 6. Tell obdurate linnets oF the wrath oF God, and 
 that he will come to plead his caufe againft them ; for 
 the moll; part they take no notice of what you fay, nor 
 have any lerious thoughts about it; but go on, as if 
 they were refolved they Ihould deal well enough with 
 him. Notwithftanding all their ftoutnefs, a day is coming, 
 wherein fearfulncfs thall furprife them, and make them 
 cry out, Who among jl us Jhall dwell with devouring fire? 
 Who amongfil us Jhall inhabit with evcrlafling burnings ? 
 Yea, if the Lord be pleafed in this life, in an efpecial 
 manner, to draw nigh to any of them, they quickly fee, 
 that their hearts cannot endure , nor can their hands be 
 filrong ., Ezek. xxii. 14. Their hands hang down, and 
 their llout hearts tremble like an afpen-leaf. 
 
 He who firft finned, and had fir ft occafion to have 
 ferious thoughts about God’s marking of fin, gives us a 
 notable inftance of what we have affirmed. And the 
 firft in every kind, is the meafure of all that follows in 
 the fame kind, Gen. hi. 8. He heard the voice of God; fo 
 he had done before, without the lea ft trouble or con- 
 fternation of fpirit : He was made for communion with 
 God ; and that he might hear his voice was part of his 
 bleffednefs. But now, faith he, / heard thy voice and 
 was afraid , and hid myfelf . He knew that God was 
 coming in the inqueft of fin, and he was not able to 
 bear the thoughts of meeting him ; could he have gone 
 into the bowels of the earth from whence he was taken, 
 and have been there hid from Gcd, he would not have 
 failed to have attempted it. Things are now altered 
 with him ; in that God whom he loved before, as good, 
 holy, powerful, righteous creator, preferver and bene- 
 faftor and rewarder, he {aw nothing now, but wrath, 
 indignation, vengeance and terror. This makes him 
 tremble out thefe dreadful words, I heard thy voice, and 
 was afraid , and hid myfelf. 
 
 The giving of the law afterwards, evinces what ef¬ 
 fects the confideration of God’s proceeding with finners, 
 according to the tenor of it, muft needs produce, Exod. 
 xx. 18, 19. All the people fiaw the thundering and the 
 
 lightnings , 
 
0 
 
 Ver. 3. a Senfe of the Guilt of Sin. 49 
 
 lightnings , and the voice of the trumpet , and the moun¬ 
 tain frisking, as the apoftle alfo defcribes it, Heb. xii. 
 18. In this manner came forth from the Loid that fiery 
 law, Deut. xxxhi. 2. So that all who are concerned in 
 it, did exceedingly fear and tremble. And yet all this 
 refpefts bat the feverity of the law in general. There 
 is a folemnity, that carrieth an awe with it, in the pre¬ 
 paration of an afiize, to be kept and held by poor 
 worms like ourfelves; but the dread of it, is peculiar 
 to the malefa&ors, for whofe trial arid execution all 
 this preparation is made. When a foul comes to think 
 that ail this dreadful preparation, this appearance of 
 terrible majefty, thefe dreams of the fiery law, are all 
 pointed towards him, it will make him cry out, Lord, 
 who can fland f And this iaw is {fill in force towards Tin¬ 
 ners, even as it was on the day wherein it was given on 
 mount Sinai. Though Mofes grew old, yet his ftrength 
 never failed ; nor hath his law, the law given by him, 
 loft any thing of its ftrength, power, or authority to¬ 
 wards finners. It isftill accompanied with thunderings 
 and lightnings as of old ; and it will not fail to repre- 
 fent the terror of the Lord to a guilty foul. 
 
 Among the faints themfelves, I could produce in- 
 ftances to manifeft that they have found it to be thus. 
 The cafes of job, David, Heman are known; I ftiall. 
 only confider it in Chrift himfelf. From himfelf he had 
 no occafion of any difcouraging thought ; being holy, 
 harmlefs, undefiled-. He fulfilled all righteoulhefs, did 
 his Father’s will in all things, and abode in his love. 
 This mult needs be attended with the highefl peace and 
 molt blefied joy. In the very entrance of his trials, he 
 had a full perfuafion of a comfortable blue and fuccefs; 
 as we may fee, Ifa. i. 7, 8. But yet when his foul was 
 exercifed with thoughts of God’s marking our iniquities 
 upon him, it was forrowful unto the death. Fie was 
 amazed , and very heavy , Mark xiv. 33. His agony, his 
 bloody fwear, his ftrong cries and fuppiications, his re¬ 
 iterated prayers, 1J it be poffibie, let this cup pafs from 
 me , his laft and dreadful cry, My God , my God, why 
 
 G haft 
 
So God's marking Sin, Ver. 5. 
 
 haft thou forfaken me ? All manifeft what apprehenfions 
 he had, of- what it was for God to mark iniquities. 
 Well may poor Tinners cry out, Lord , who [ball Jland ? 
 When the Son of God himfelf To trembled under the 
 weight of it. 
 
 in ferious thoughts of God marking fin, he is repre- 
 fented unto the foul under all thofe glorious terrible at¬ 
 tributes and excellencies which are apt to beget a dread 
 and terror in the hearts of finners, when they have no 
 relief from any covenant-engagements in Chrift. The 
 foul looks upon him as the great lawgiver, James iv. 12. 
 able to revenge the breach of it, by defiroying body 
 and foul in hell-fire, as one terrible in holinefs, of pur¬ 
 er eyes than to behold iniquity ; fo alfo in greatnefs and 
 in power ; the living God, into whofe hands it is a fear¬ 
 ful thing to fall ; as attended with vindiftive jufiice, 
 faying; Vengeance is mine, and I will re'tompenfe, Hreb. 
 x 30. Now, for a foul to confider God, cloathed with 
 all thefe dreadful and terrible excellencies, coming to 
 deal with finners according to the tenor of his fiery law, 
 it cannot but m..ke them cry out with Mofes, I exceed¬ 
 ingly quake and tremble. 
 
 Thefe things work on their minds the conclufion 
 mentioned before, is alferted in thefe words; namely, 
 that God’s marking of fin according to the tenor of the 
 law, and man’s falvation, utterly inconfiflent; a con- 
 clufion, that mud needs (hake a loul, when preffed un¬ 
 der a fenfe of its own guilt. 
 
 When a perfon who is really guilty, and knows him- 
 fclf to be guilty, is brought unto his trial, he hath but 
 thefe four grounds of hope that his fafety and his trial 
 maybe confident. He may think that either, Firjl, The 
 judge will not be able to find out or difeover his crimes; 
 or. Secondly. That feme one will powerfully intercede 
 for him with the judge ; or, Thirdly , That the rule of 
 the law is not fo drift as to take notice of his mifearria- 
 ges; or, Fourthly, That the penalty of it is not fo fe- : 
 vere, but that there m y be a way of efcape. Cut him 
 fhort of his expeftations from fome, one, or all of thefe, : 
 
 and 
 
Ver. 3. and Man's Salvation inconfijlent. 51 
 
 and all his hopes mud of neceiliiy perifti. . And how is 
 it in this cafe ? 
 
 Firjl, Of the judge, we have fpoken fomewhat al¬ 
 ready. f'he prelent enquiry is, Whether any thing 
 may be hid from him or no, and fo a door of cfcape be 
 opened to a (inner ? The apoftle tells us, That all 
 things are open and naked unto him , Heb. iv. 12. and 
 the pfalmift, that there is not a thought in our hearts , 
 nor a word in our tongue, but he underflandeth it afar ojf % 
 and knoweth it altogether, Pfal. cxxxix. 2, 4. Woat the 
 fmner knows of himfeif, that may caufe him to fear, 
 that God knows alfo ; He . is greater than our hearts , 
 and knoweth all things , 1 John iii. 20. When God (hall 
 not only fet in order before the (inner the fecret (ins, 
 which he retains fome remembrance of; but alfo brings 
 to mind and reprefems to him, that world of filth and 
 folly, which either he never took any real notice of, or 
 hath utterly forgotten, it will trouble him, yea, con¬ 
 found him. 
 
 Secondly , But may nor this judge be intreated to pafs 
 by what he knows, and to deal favourably with the fm¬ 
 ner ? May not an interceffor be obtained to plead in be¬ 
 half of the gu’dty foul l Eli determines this matter, 
 
 I Sam. ii. 25 If one man Jin again[l another, the judge 
 fhall judge him ; but if a man fin again/l the Lord , who 
 fhall intreat for him f There is not, faith J >b, bet ween 
 us, one that might argue the cafe, in pleading for me, 
 and fo make up the matter, la-yin? kis hand upon us 
 both , Job ix, 33. We now confider a fmner purely un¬ 
 der the adminiitration of the law, which knows nothing 
 of a Mediator. In that cafe, who (hail take upon him 
 to intercede far a fmner ? Befi les, that all creatures in 
 heaven and earth, are engaged in the quarrel of God 
 againft fmners; and befides the greatnefs and terror of 
 his majefty, that will certainly deter all or any of them 
 from undertaking any fuch work ; what is the requeft 
 that in this cafe mud; be put up unto God ? is it not, 
 that he would ceafe to be holy, leave off from being 
 righteous, relinquilh his throne, deny him fell, and his 
 
 G 2 i fovereigntv, 
 
5 2 God’s marking Sin, Ver. 3. 
 
 fovercignty, tear a rebel, a traitor, his curfed enemy, 
 may live and efcape his judice : Is this requeft reafon- 
 able ? Is he fit to intercedeTor finners that makes it ? 
 Would he not by fo doing prove himfeif to be the 
 greateb of them ? The finner cannot then expert any 
 door of efcape to be opened unto him ? All the world is 
 againb him ; and the cafe mud be tried out nakedly be¬ 
 tween God and him : But, 
 
 * Thirdly , It may be the rule of the law, whereby the 
 finner is to be tried, is nor fo (lri£b, but that in cafe of 
 fuch fins as he is guilty of, it may admit of a favour¬ 
 able interpretation ; or that the good that he hath done, 
 may be laid in the balance againft his evil, and fo fome 
 relief be obtained that way. But the matter is quite 
 otherwife; there is no good action of a finner, though ' 
 it were perfectly good, that can ly in the balance with, 
 or compenfate the evil of, the lead fin committed : For 
 all good is due on another account, though no guilt 
 were incurred. And the payment of money that a man 
 owes, that he hath borrowed, makes no fatisfa&ion for 
 what he hath dole ; no more will our duties compen¬ 
 fate for our fins. Nor is there any good action of a fin¬ 
 ner, but it hath evil and guilt enough attending it, to 
 render it unacceptable ; fo that men may well ceafe 
 from thoughts of their fupererogation, Befides, where 
 there is any one fin, if all the good in the world might 
 be fuppofed to be in the fame perfon, yet in the indif- 
 penfible order of our dependance on God, nothing of 
 that good could come into confideration, until the guilt 
 of that fin were anfwered for unto the utmod. Now, 
 the penalty of every fin, being the eternal ruin of the 
 finner, all his fuppofed good can band him in little 
 dead. And for the law itfelf, it is an ifTue of the^ ho- 
 linefs, righteoufnefs, and wifdom of God ; fo that there 
 is not any evil, fo great or final!, but is forbidden in it, 
 and condemned, by it. Hereupon David fo dates this 
 whole matter, Pfal. cxliii. 2. Enter not into judgment 
 with thy fervant , for in thy fight fhall no man living be 
 jufifed. That is, if things are to be tried out and de- 
 ; . termined 
 
Ver. 3. and Man’s Salvation inconfijlent. 53 
 
 termined by the law, no Tinner can obtain acquitment ; 
 as Paul declares the fenfe of that place to be, Rom. iii. 
 20. Gal. ii. i 6. Rut yet, 
 
 Fourthly , It may be the fentence of the law is not fo 
 fierce and dreadful, but that though guilt be found, 
 there maybe yet-a way of efcape. But the law fpeaks 
 not one word on this fide death to an offender. There 
 is a greatnefs, and an eternity of wrath in the fentence 
 of it; and it is God himfelf who hath undertaken to fee 
 the vengeance of it executed. So that on ail thefe ac¬ 
 counts the conciufion mentioned, mutt needs be fixed in 
 the foul of a firmer, that entertains thoughts of drawing 
 nigh to God. 
 
 Though what hath been fpoken may be of general 
 ufe unto finners of ail forts, whether called home to 
 God, or yet ftrangers to him ; yet 1 fhail not infill on 
 any general improvement of it; becaufe it is intended 
 only for one fpeckd end or purpofe. That which is 
 aimed at, is to fhew what are the fir ft thoughts that a- 
 rife in the heart of a poor intangled foul, when firft he 
 begins to endeavour a recovery in a return unto God. 
 The law immediately puts in its claim unto him, and a- 
 gainft him. God is reprefented unto him, as angry, 
 difpleafed, provoked ; and his terror more or lefs be- 
 fets him round about. This fills him with fear, flaame, 
 and confufion of face; fo that he knows not what to do. 
 Thefe troubles are greater or letter according as God 
 feeth it beft for the poor creature’s prefent humiliation, 
 and future fafety. What then doth the finner ? What 
 are his thoughts hereupon ? Doth he think to fly from 
 God, and to give over all endeavours of recovery ? 
 Doth he fay. This God is a holy and terrible God, I 
 cannot ferve him, it is to no purpofe for me to look for 
 any thing but fury and deftru&ion from him ? And 
 therefore 1 had as good give over, as perfift in my de- 
 fign, of drawing nigh to him ? It cannot be denied, but 
 that, in this cafe, thoughts of this nature will be fug- 
 gefted by unbelief; and that fometimes great perplexi¬ 
 ties arife to the foul by them. 'But this is not the iflue 
 
 and 
 
54 The Soul's Actings towards a Recovery Ver. 3, 
 
 and final produft of this exercile of the foul; it produc- 
 eth another effefl; it calls for that which is the firft 
 particular working of a gracious foul arifing out of its 
 iin-intanglements. This is, as was declared, a fiycere 
 fenfe of fin, and acknowledgment of it, with felf-con- 
 demnation in the juftification of God : This is the firft 
 thing that a foul, endeavouring a recovery from its 
 depths, is brought and wrought unto. His general re- 
 folution to make ierious and thorough work, with what 
 he hath in hand, was before unfolded. That which, 
 in the next place, we are dire<ftcd unto in thefe words, 
 as the reflection on its felf, upon the confideration of 
 God’s marking iniquity, now mentioned. This is faith’s 
 great and proper ufe of the law; the nature whereof 
 jihall be farther opened in the next difcourfe. 
 
 The firft particular aftings of a foul towards a reco- 
 very out of the depths of fin.—Senfe of fin, 
 wherein it confifh,—How it is wrought.—Ac¬ 
 knowledgment of fin ; its nature and properties.— 
 Self-condemnation. 
 
 What is the frame of the foul in general, that is ex¬ 
 cited by grace, and refolves in the ftrengthgthereof to 
 attempt a recovery out of the depths of fin-intangle- 
 ments, hath been declared. We have alfo (hewed what 
 entertainments, in general, fuch a foul had need to ex¬ 
 pert, yea, ordinarily (hall be fure to meet withal. It 
 may be he goes forth at firft like Sampfon, with his 
 locks cut, and thinks he will do as at other times; but 
 he quickly finds hi* peace loft, his wounds painful, his 
 confidence reftlefs, God dilpleafed, and his whole con¬ 
 dition, as the utmoft of his own apprehenfion, hazard¬ 
 ous. This fills him with the thoughts expreflfed in this 
 third verfe, and fixes the conclusion in his mind, dif- 
 courfed of before. He finds now, that he hath the 
 law afre(h to deal withal; thence arifeth that fenfe and 
 acknowledgment of fin, that felf-condemnation, in the 
 juftification of God, whereof we now fpeak. He grows 
 
 not 
 
Ver 3. Senfe of Sin, wherein it conjifis. 
 
 not fallen, ftubborn, difpleafed, or for the extenuation 
 of his fin and guilr, he quarrelleth not with, he reoin- 
 eth not againft, the holinefs, feverity, and righreouf- 
 nefs of the law of God ; but reflects wholly on himfelf, 
 hi own unworthinefs, guilt, and defert; and in a fenfe 
 of rhem, lies down at the foot of God, in expe&ation of 
 h-s word and fentence. 
 
 Three things in this condition we afcribe unto fuch a 
 foul. 
 
 F ip st, A fmcere fenfe of fin. There is a twofold 
 fenfe of fin : The one is general and notional; where¬ 
 by a man knows what fin is; that himfelf is a (inner, 
 that he is guilty of this or that, thefe or thofe fins; only 
 hi heart is not afle&ed proportionably to that difcovery 
 and knowledge which he hath of thefe things: The 0- 
 ther is a&ive and efficacious. The foul being acquaint¬ 
 ed with the nature of fin, with its own guilt in reference 
 unto fin in general, as alfo to this or that fin, is univer- 
 fally influenced by that apprehsnfion unto fuitable affec¬ 
 tions and operations. 
 
 Of both thefe we have an inflance in the fame per- 
 fon. David, before Nathan’s coming to him, had the 
 former, afterwards he had the latter alfo. It cannot 
 be imagined, but that before the coming of the pro¬ 
 phet, he had a general knowledge and fenfe, not only 
 abfolutely of the nature of fin ; but alfo, that himfelf 
 was a finner, and guilty of thofe very fins, which after¬ 
 wards he was reproved for. To think otherwife, is to 
 fuppofe, not only that he was un-fainted, but un-man- 
 ned alfo, and turned into a beaft. But yet this wrought 
 not in him any one affe&ion fuitable to his condition ; 
 and the like,may be faid of moft finners in the world. 
 But now when Nathan comes to him, and gives him the 
 latter efficacious fenfe, whereof we fpeak, we know 
 what effe&s it did produce. 
 
 It is the latter only that is under confideration ; and 
 that alfo is twofold; 1. Legal or antecedaneous unto 
 converfion. 2. Evangelical, and previous to the reco¬ 
 very 
 
56 Nature and Caufcs Ver. ?. 
 
 very from depths, whereof we treat. Mow thefe two 
 differ, and how they may be difcerned one from the o- 
 thcr, being both of them in their kind fincere is not my 
 bufinefs to declare. 
 
 Now this ?afl, which .we affign as the firft duty, work, 
 or a&ing of a returning foul, is a deep and practical ap¬ 
 prehension wrought in the mind and hea 4 t of a believing 
 (inner by the Holy Ghoft, of fin and its evils, in refer¬ 
 ence unto the law, and icve of God, the crofs, and 
 blood of Chrift, the communion, and confolation of the 
 Spirit, and all the fruits of - love, mercy, or grace, that 
 it hath been made partakers of, or on gofpel-ground 
 hoped for. 
 
 Firfl, The principal efficient caufe of it is the Holy 
 Ghoft. He it is who convinceth of fin, John xvi. 8. He 
 works indeed by means. He wrought it in David by 
 the miniftry of Nathan, and he wrought it in Peter, by 
 the look of Chrift. Bur his work it is. No man can 
 work it upon his own foul. It will not fpring out of 
 men’s rational confiderations. Though men may exer- 
 cife their thoughts about fuch things, as one would 
 think were enough to break the heart of (tones, yet if 
 the Holy Ghoft put not forth a peculiar efficacy of his 
 own, this fenfe of fin will not be wrought or produced. \ 
 As the waters at the pool of Bethefda were not trou¬ 
 bled, but when an angel defcended and moved them, 
 no more will the heart for fin, without a faving illapfe 
 of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Secondly , It is a deep apprehenfion of fin, and the 
 evils of it. Slight iranfient thoughts about them, 
 amount not to the fenfe of which we fpeak. My for row 
 faith David, is continually before me, Pfal. xxxviii. 17. 
 It preffed him always, and greatly. Hence he compares 
 this fenfe of fin, wrought by the Holy Ghoft, to ar¬ 
 rows that [flick in the flefh , ver. 2. They pain forely, 
 and are always perplexing. Sin, in this fenfe of it, 
 lays hold on the foul, fo that the fiDner cannot look up, 
 Pfal xl. 12. And it abides with him, making his fore 
 run in the night , without cea/ing 9 Pfal. lxxvii. 2. and de¬ 
 prived! 
 
Ver. 3. of Gofpel Conviclions of Sin. 57 
 
 priveth the foul of reft. My foul , faith he, refufed to 
 ! be comforted. This apprebenfion of fin, lies down, ai:d 
 rifes with him in whom it is. Traofient thoughts attend¬ 
 ed with infrequent fighs and ejaculations, little become 
 a returning foul. And, 
 
 "Thirdly , It is prattical. It is not feated only in the 
 fpeculative part of the mind, hovering in general noti¬ 
 ons ; but it dwells in the pra&ical understanding, which 
 effectually influenceth the will and affections. Such an 
 apprehenfion, as from which forrow and humiliation 
 are infeparable. The aCts of the practical underftand- 
 ing, do fo neceffarily produce, together with them, 
 fuitable a£ts of the will and affeCtions, that iome have 
 concluded, that thofe are indeed proper aCtsof the will, 
 which are ufually afcribed to the underftanding. It is 
 fo in the mind, as that the whole foul is caft into the 
 mould and likenefs of it, humiliation, forrow, felf-ab- 
 horrency, do live and die with it. 
 
 Fourthly , It hath, in the firft place, refpect unto the 
 law of God. There can be no due confideration of fin, 
 wherein the law hath not its place. The law calls for 
 the firmer, and he willingly gives up his fin to be judg¬ 
 ed by it. There he fees it to be exceeding firful, Rom. 
 vii. 17. Though a believer be lefs under die power of 
 the law than others, yet he knows more of the authori¬ 
 ty and nature of it than others. He fees more of its fpi- 
 rituality and holinefs. And the more a man fees of 
 the excellency of the law, the more he fees of the vile- 
 nefs of fin. This is done by a foul in its firft endeavour 
 of a recovery from the entanglements of fin. He la¬ 
 bours thoroughly to know his difeafe, that he may be 
 cured. It will do him no good, he knows, to be igno¬ 
 rant of his diftemper or his danger. He knows that if 
 his wounds be not fearched to the bottom, they will 
 ftink and be corrupt. To the law then he brings hirri- 
 felf and his fin. By that, he fees the vilenefs of the 
 one, and the danger of the other, Moft men ly ftill in 
 their depths, becaufe they would willingly efcape the 
 firft ftep of their rifitrg. From-the bottom of their mi- 
 
58 Nature and Canfes Ver. 3. 
 
 fery, they would fain at once be at the top of their fe¬ 
 licity. The foul, managed in this work by the Holy 
 Ghoft, doth not fo. He converfeth with the law; 
 brings his fin unto it. And fully hears the lemence of 
 it. When the fin is thoroughly condemned, then he 
 farther takes care of the finner. As ever you defire to 
 come to reft, avoid not this entrance of your pallion 
 unto it. Weigh it well, and attend unto what the law 
 fpeaks of your fin, and its defert, or you will never 
 make a due application to God for forgivetjefs. As e- 
 ver you would have your fouls juftified by grace, take 
 care to have your fins judged by the. law. 
 
 Secondly , There is a refpeft in it to the love of God. 
 j^nd this breaks the heart of the poor returning finner. 
 Sorrow from the law (huts itfelf up in the foul, and 
 ftrangleth it. Sorrow from the thoughts of the love of 
 God opens it, and caufeth it to flow forth. Thoughts 
 of finning again!! the love of God, managed by the Ho¬ 
 ly Ghoft, what (hall I fay ? their eff <Ts in the heart are 
 not to be expreffed \ his made Ezra cry out, O my 
 God I blujh, and am ajhamed to lift up my face to thee , 
 chap. ix. 6 . and ver. 10. What fhall we fay after this ? 
 After what l why, all the fruits of love and kindnefs 
 they had been made partakers cf. Thoughts of love 
 and fin laid together, make the foul blu(b, mourn, be 
 aftiamed and confounded in itfelf. So Ezek. xxxvi. 3 1. 
 Then foallyou remember your own evil ways t and your do¬ 
 ings that were not good; When (hall they do fo ? when 
 thoughts and apprehenfions of love (hall be brought 
 home to them ; and, faith he, then fhall you loathiyour- 
 [elves in your own fight. The foul now calls to mind, 
 what love, what kindnefs, what mercy, what grace, 
 what patience hath been exercifed towards it, and 
 whereof it hath been made partaker. The thoughts of 
 all thefe now come ii upon him as ftreams of water. Such 
 mercy, fuch communion, fuch privileges, fuch hopes 
 of glory, fuch taftes of heaven, fuch peace, fuch con- 
 folation, fuch joy, fuch communications of the fpirir, 
 all to a poor, wretched, curfed, loft, forlorn finner; » 
 
 and I 
 
Ver. 3. of GoCpel Cwviftions of Sin. 59 
 
 and all this defpifed, neglected, the God of them al^ 
 provoked, forfaken. Ah! faith the foul, whither (hail 
 I caufe my forrow to go P This fills him with fhame and 
 confuGon of face, makes him mourn in fecret, and figh 
 to the breaking of the loins: And then, 
 
 : Thirdly , The blood and crofs of Chrifl is alfo brought 
 to remembrance by the Holy Ghoft. Ah! faith the 
 i foul,. have I thus requited the wonderful aftonifhing 
 love of my Redeemer P Is this the return, the re¬ 
 quital I have made unto him P Are not heaven 
 a-iid earth aftonifhed at the defpifing of that love, at 
 "Reich they are aftonifhed ? This brake Peter’s heart 
 upon the look of Chrifl. Such words as thefe from 
 Chvift, will, in this condition, found in the ears of the 
 foul. <c Did i love thee, and leave my glory to become 
 “ a fcorn and reproach for thy fake ? Did 1 not think 
 “ my life and all that was dear unto me, too good for 
 “ thee, to five thee from the wrath to come P Have I 
 “ been a wildernefs unto thee, or a land of darknefs ? 
 
 “ What could I have done more for thee ; when l had 
 “ nothing left but my life, blood and foul, they went 
 ‘ all for thee, that thou migbtefl live by my death, be 
 “ walked in my blood, and be faved through my fouls 
 “ being made an offering for thee ; And hall thou thus 
 (t requited my love P to prefer a lull before me, or by 
 u mere flofh and folly to be turned a\vay from me; go 
 “ unkind and unthankful foul, and fee if thou can ft find 
 “ another redeemer.” This overwhelms the foul, and 
 even drowns it in tears and forrow. And then the bit- 
 ternefs alfo of the fuffe rings of Chrifl, are brought to 
 mind. They look on him whom they have, pierced and 
 mourn , Zech. xii. to. They remember his gall aid 
 wormwood ; his cries and tears; his agony and fweet; 
 his defertion and anguilh.; his blood and death ; the 
 fliarpnefs of the ftvord that was in his foul, and the bit- 
 ternefs of the cup that was put into his hand. Such a 
 foul now looks on Chrifl, bleeding, dying, wreftiing 
 with wrath and curfe for him, and feeth his fin in the 
 ft reams of blood that iffued from from his fids; and all 
 
 H 2 this 
 
6 o ' ^Acknowledgment of Sin. Ver. 3. 
 
 this increafeth that fenfe of Hn whereof we fpeak. 
 Alfo, . 
 
 Fourthly , It relates to the communion and confolati- 
 ons of the Holy Ghoft, with all the privileges, and 
 fruits of love we are by him made partakers of. The 
 Spirit is given to believers upon the promife of Chrift 
 to dwell in them. He takes up their hearts to be his 
 dwelling place ; to what ends and purpofes l That he 
 may purify and fan&ify them, make them holy and de¬ 
 dicate them to God ; to furnifh them with graces and 
 gifts; to interefl them in privileges ; to guide, lead, di¬ 
 rect, comfort them ; to feal them unto the day of re¬ 
 demption. Now, this Spirit is grieved by fin , Eph. iv. 
 30. and his duelling place defiled thereby , 1 Cor. vi. 19. 
 and iii. 17. Thoughts hereof greatly fharpen the fpiri- 
 tual fenfe of fin in a recovering foul. He confiders what 
 light, what love, what joy, what confolation, what'privi¬ 
 leges it hath by him been made partaker of; what moti¬ 
 ons, warnings,workings,to keep it from fin, it hath found 
 from him ; and fays within itfelf, “ What have I done, 
 “ whom have I grieved, whom have 1 provoked ; what 
 “ if the Lord fhould now for my folly and ingratitude 
 s< utterly take his Holy Spirit from me ? What if I 
 c< fhould have fo grieved him, that he will dwell in me 
 “ no more, delight in me no more ? Whatdifmal dark- 
 c< nefs and difconfolation ; yea, what utter ruin fhould 
 w 1 be left unto ? However, what fhame and confufion 
 
 of face belongs to me for my wretched difmgenuity, 
 4t and ingratitude towards him ?” 
 
 This is the firfl thing that appears in the returning 
 foul’s aflings and frame; a fincere fenfe of fin on the ac¬ 
 count mentioned, wrought in it by the Hoiy Gholt. And 
 this a foul, in the depths deferibed, muff come unto, if 
 ever it expefts or looks for deliverance, and a recovery. 
 Let not fuch perfons expert to have a renewed fenfe of 
 mercy, without a revived fenfe of fin. 
 
 Secondly, From hence proceedeth an ingenuous, 
 hce, gracious acknowledgment of fin. Men may have 
 
 a fenfe 
 
Vef. 3. The true Nature cf it. 61 
 
 a ienfc of fin, and yet fuffer if ro !y burning as a fire (hut 
 up in their bones, to their continual difquietment, and 
 not be able to come off unto a f, ee foul-opening ac¬ 
 knowledgment. Yea, confeffion may be made in gene¬ 
 ral, and mention therein of that very fin wherewith the 
 foul is mo ft intangled, and yet the foul comes ihort of 
 a due performance of this duty. Confider how the cafe 
 flopd with David, Pfal. xxxii. 3. When l kept filence, my 
 bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 
 How could David keep filence, and yet roar all the day 
 long ? What is that filence which is confident with roar¬ 
 ing ? It is a mere negation of that.duty, which is ex- 
 preffed, ver. 5. that is intended ; I acknowledged my Jins 
 unto thee , and mine iniquities I have not hid. It was not 
 a filence of fubmiffion and waiting on God that he in¬ 
 tends ; that would not have produced a wafting of his 
 fpiritual ftrength, as he complains this filence did; my 
 bones waxed old; nor yet was it a fullen, ftubborn, and 
 contumacious frame that was upon him ; but he notes, 
 faith Calvin, and he fays well, Ajfedtum qui medius eft in¬ 
 ter to\er anti am <& contumaciam, vitio & virtuti ajftnis ; 
 an affe&ion between patience and ftubbornefs bordering 
 on the one and other : That is, he had a deep fenle of 
 fin; this difquieted and perplexed him all the day long, 
 which he calls his roaring ; it weakened and wearied 
 him, making his bones wax old, or his ftrength decay ; 
 yet W’as he not able to bring his heart to that ingenuous, 
 gracious acknowledgment, which, like the launcing of 
 a feftered wound, would have given, at leaft, feme 
 eafe to his foul. God’s children are oft-times in this 
 matter like ours. Though they are convinced of a fault, 
 and are really troubled at it, yet they will hardly ac¬ 
 knowledge it. So do they : They will go up and down, 
 figh and mourn, roar all the day long; but an evil and 
 untoward frame of fpirit, under the power of unbelief 
 and fear keeps them from this duty. 
 
 Now, that this acknowledgement may be acceptable 
 unto God, it is required, firft, that it be free 5 then that 
 it be full. 
 
 Firft, 
 
61 The true Nature of Acknowledgment of Sin. Ver. 3, 
 
 Firfl, It rnuft be free and fpiritually ingenuous. Cain* 
 Pharaoh, Ahab, judas, came all to an acknowledg¬ 
 ment of fin, but it was whether they would or no ; it 
 was prcfied out of them, it did not flow from them. 
 The confeflion of a perfon under the convincing terrors 
 of the law, or dread of imminent judgments, is like that 
 of malefa&ors on the rack, who fpeak out tha^, for 
 which themfelves and friends mud die. Wiiat they fay, 
 though it be the tru’h, is a fruit of force and torture, 
 not of any ingenuity of mind : So it is with merely con¬ 
 vinced perfons. They come not to the acknowledgment 
 of fin with any more freedom ; and the reafon is, be- 
 caufe all fin hath ftiame ; and for men to be free unto 
 fhame, is naturally impoflible, fliame being nature’s 
 fhrinking from its felf, and the pofture it would appear 
 in. But now the returning foul hath never more free¬ 
 dom, liberty, and aptitude of fpirit, than when he is 
 in the acknowledgment of thofe things whereof he is 
 mod alhamed. And this-is no fmall evidence that it 
 proceeds from that Spirit which is attended with that 
 liberty, for where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty, 
 2 Cor. iii. 17. When David was delivered from his h- 
 lence, he exprefleth this frame in the performance of 
 this duty, Pfal. xxxii 5. I acknowledged my fin, and 
 mine iniquities I have not hid ; / jaid , I will confefs my 
 tranfgrcffion. His mouth is now open, and his heart en¬ 
 larged ; and he multiplies one expreflion upon another, 
 to manifefl his enlargement. So doth a foul rifing out 
 of its depths, in the beginning of this addrefs unto God. 
 Having ihe fenfe of fin, before defcribed, wrought in 
 him by the Holy Ghofl, his heart is made free, and 
 enlarged unto an ingenuous acknowledgment of his fin 
 before the Lord. Herein he pours out his foul umo 
 Gcd; and hath not more freedom in any thing, than in 
 dealing about that, whereof he is mod alhamed. 
 
 Secondly, Full alfo it mull be. Referves ruin confef- 
 fion. If the foul have any fecret thought, rolling a 
 fweet morfel under its tongue, of a bow in the houfe of 
 Riramon, it is like part of the price kept back, which 
 
 makes 
 
 
Ver. 3« Self-Condemnation , wherein it Confifls. 63 
 
 makes the whole robbery, inflead of an offering. If 
 there be remaining a bitter root of favouring any one 
 luff or fin, of any occafion of, or temptation unto fin, 
 let a man be as open, free, and earned as can be imagin¬ 
 ed in the acknowledgment of all other (ins, and evils, the 
 whole duty is rendered abominable Some perfons, when 
 they are brought into depths and anguilh about any fin, 
 and are thereon forced to the acknowledgment of it, at 
 the dime time they are little concerned with their other 
 follies and iniquities, that, it may be, aie no lei's pro¬ 
 voking unto Go b than that is, from whence their pre- 
 fent trouble doth arife. Let nor, as James fpeaks in 
 another cafe, fuch a man think, that he Jhall receive any 
 thing from Cod, It mud, be full and comprehendve, as 
 well as free and ingenuous. 
 
 And of fuch importance is the right performance of 
 this duty, that the promife of pardon is oft-times pecu¬ 
 liarly annexed unto it, as that which entirely carries a- 
 long with it the other duties which make up a full re- 
 tumal unto God, Pfov. xxviii. 13. 1 John i. 9. and that 
 place in Job is remarkable, chap, xxxiii. 27, 28. He look- 
 eth upon men , and ij any fay l have finned, and pervert¬ 
 ed that which zvas right , and it profited me not; he will 
 deliver his foul from going into the pit, and his life /hail 
 Jee the light. He dial! not only be made partaker of 
 pardon, but of confolation a!fo, and joy in the light of 
 God’s countenance. 
 
 A v * „ „■ * - • 
 
 Thirdly, There yet remains, felf-condemnation 
 I with the judificatiou of God, which lies exprefly in the 
 * word of the verfe under confideration, and hereof are 
 two pans. 
 
 Fir ft, Self-abhorrency or diflike. The foul is now 
 wholly difpleafed with itfelf, and reflects upon itfelf 
 with all affe&ions of regret and trouble. So the apoltle 
 declares it to have been with the Corinthians, when 
 tile r godly furrow was working in them, 2 Cor. vii. 11. 
 among other tilings, it wrought in them indignation and 
 revenge ; or a reflexion on iheinfelves, with all manner 
 
 of 
 
6 4 Self-Condemnation^ wherein it conjifts. -Ver. 3. 
 
 diflike and abhorrency. In the winding up of the con- 
 trover (y between God and Job, this is the point he 
 reds in. Ashe had.come in general to a free, full, in¬ 
 genuous acknowledgment of fin, chap. xl. 4, 5. So in 
 particular he gives up his whole conteft, in this ab¬ 
 horrency of himfelf, chap. xlii. 6 . I abhor myfelf , 
 and repent in dufi and ajbes. “ What a vile wretch- 
 “ ed creature have l been, faith the foul, I bludi and 
 ({ am afliamed to think of my folly, bafenefs, and in-. 
 u gratitude, is it poiTible that I fhould deal thus with 
 “ the Lord ? 1 abhor, I loath myfelf, 1 would fly any ' 
 “ where from myfelf, I am fo vile and lothfotne ; a 
 “ thing to be defpifed of God, angels, and men.” 
 And, 
 
 Secondly , There is feif-judging in it alfo. This the 
 apoftle invites the Corinthians unto, lEpift. chap. xi. 3 1. 
 If we would judge ourfehes , we fhould noi be judged. 
 This is a perfon pronouncing fenteoce on himfelf, ac¬ 
 cording to the tenor of the law. The foul brings not 
 only its fin, but itfelf alfo to the law. It puts icfelf, as 
 to merit and defert, under the flroke and feverity of it. 
 Hence arifeth a full juflification of God, in what fen- 
 tence foever he mail be pleafed to pronounce in the 
 cafe before him. And thefe three things, which we 
 have palled through, compofe the frame, and fir A ac¬ 
 tings of a gracious foul, riling from its depths. They 
 are all of them fignally exprefled in that place where ive 
 have a fignal recovery exemplified, Hof. xiv. 1, 2, 3,4. 
 And this makes way for the exaltation of grace, the 
 great thing in all this difpenfation aimed at by God, . 
 Eph. i. 6. That which he is now doing, is to bring the 
 foul to glory in him, 1 Cor. i. g 1. which is all the return 
 he hath from his large and infinitely bountiful expences 
 of grace and mercy. Now, nothing can render grace 
 confpicuous and glorious, until the foul come to this 
 frame. Grace will not feem high, until the foul belaid 
 very low. And this alfo fuits or prepares the foul for 
 the receiving of mercy, in a lenfe of pardon, the great 
 thing aimed at on the part of the (inner. A.nd it pre¬ 
 pares 
 
 
Ver. 3. Mifcarridges in Pcrfoyis <kc. < 
 
 pares it for every duty tliat is incumbent on him in that 
 . condition wherein he is. This brings the foul to wait¬ 
 ing with diligence and patience. If things prefently an- 
 fwer not our expe&aticn, we are ready to think, we 
 have done what we can, if it will be no better, we mufl 
 bear it as we are able ; which frame God abhors. The 
 foul in this frame is contented to wait the pleafure of 
 • God, as we (hall fee in the clofe of the pfalm. Oh ! 
 faid fuch an one, if ever I obtain a fenfe of love, if 
 ever 1 enjoy one fmile of his countenance more, it is of 
 unfpeakable grace. Let him take his own time, his 
 own feafon ; it is good for me quietly to wait and to 
 hope for his falvation : And it puts the foul cn prayer; 
 yea, a foul always in this frame, prays always. And 
 there is nothing more evident, than that want of a 
 ; thorough engagement unto the performance of thefe du¬ 
 ties, is the great caufe why fo few come clear off from 
 1 their entanglement all their days. Men heal their 
 wounds flightly; and therefore, after a new painful 
 ■ feflring, they are brought into the fame condition of 
 refllefnefs and trouble, which they were in before. 
 
 Grounds of mifcarriages when perfons are convinced 
 of fin and humbled.—Refling in that flace.— 
 Refling on it. 
 
 i 
 
 The foul is not to be left in the (late before defcrib- 
 ed. There is other work for it to apply itfelf unto, if 
 it in.end to come unto red and peace. It hath obtained 
 an eminent advantage for the difcovery of forgivenefs. 
 But to reft in that (late wherein it is, or to reft upon it, 
 will not bring it into its harbour. Three things we 
 difcovered before in the foul’s firfl ferious addrefs unto 
 God for deliverance ; fenfe of fin, acknowledgement of 
 it, and felf-condemnation. Two evils there are which 
 attend men oftentimes, when they are brought into that 
 flare. Some reft in it, and prefs no farther ; fome reft 
 upon it, and fuppofe that it is all which is required of 
 them : The pfaimift avoids both thefe, and notwith- 
 
 l Handing 
 
66 Mi/carriages in Perfons. Ver. 3. 
 
 {landing all his prefiures, reacheth cut towards for- 
 givenefs, as we (hall fee in the next verfe. I lhall 
 briefly unfold thefe two evils, and fliew the neceflity of 
 their avoidance. 
 
 First, By refling or flaying in it, I mean the foul’s 
 defponding through difcouraging thoughts that delive¬ 
 rance is not to be obtained. Being made deeply (en- 
 fible of fin, it is fo overwhelmed with thoughts of its 
 own vilenefs and unworthinefs, as to fink under the bur¬ 
 den ; fuch a foul is afflifledand tojjed with tempefls and 
 not comforted , Ifa. liv. 11. until it is quite weary. As 
 a fh;p in a florm ar fea, when all means of contending 
 are gone, men give up themfelves to be driven and tof- 
 fed by winds and feas at their pleafure. This brought 
 Ifrael to that (late wherein he cried our, My way is hid 
 from the Lord, and my judgment is faffed over from my 
 God , 1 fa xl. 27. and Zion, The Lord hath )orfa ken me, 
 and my Lord hath forgotten me , chap. xiix. 14. The foul 
 begins fecretly to think'there is no hope ; God regard¬ 
 ed! it not; it (hail one day perifh, relief is far away, 
 and trouble nigh at hand. Thefe thoughts do fo op - 
 prefs them, that though they forfake not God utterly 
 to their deflru&ion, yet they draw not nigh unto him 
 efleftually to their confolation. 
 
 This is the firft evil that the foul in this condition is 
 enabled to avoid ; we know how God rebukes it in Zi¬ 
 on. Zion faid, The Lord hath forfaken me , and my 
 Lord hath forgotten me , lfa. xlix. 14. But howfoolilh is 
 Zion, how forward, how unbelieving in this matter; 
 what ground hath fhe for finfui defpondencies, fu Jif-" 
 couraging conclufions ? Can a woman, faith the rd, 
 forget her fucking child , that Jhe fhould not have c n ifi- 
 on on the fen cf her womb; yea, they may for gel, it I 
 will not forget thee. The like reproof he giver 3 Ja¬ 
 cob upon the like complaint, chap. xf. 28, 29, 30. 
 There is nothing that is more provoking to the Lord, 
 nor more difadvantageous unto the foul, than fuchfln- 
 ful defpondency. For, 
 
Ver. 3. convinced of Sin. 67 
 
 Firfi, It infenfibly weakens the foal, and difenables 
 it, both for prefent dunes, and future endeavours. 
 Hence, fome poor creatures mourn, and even pine’ 
 
 ; away in cliis condition, never getting one Hep beyond 
 a perplexing fenfe o! lin all their days. Some have 
 dwelt fo long upon it, and have fo intangled themfelves 
 with a multitude of perplexed thoughts, that at length 
 I their natural faculties have been weakened, and ren- 
 . dered utterly ufelefs; fo that they have loft both fenle 
 of fin and every thing elfe. Againft fome, Satan hath 
 taken advantage to caft in fo many intangling obje&ions 
 into their minds, that their whole time hath been ta¬ 
 ken up in propofing doubts and obje&ions againft them¬ 
 felves ; with thefe they have gone up and down, to one 
 and another, and being never able to come unto a con- 
 fiftency in their own thoughts, they have fpent all their 
 days in a fruitlefs, faplefs, withering, comfortlefs con¬ 
 dition. Some, with whom things come to a better iflue, 
 are yet for a leafon, brought to that difeompofure ot 
 fpirit, or are fo filled with their own apprehenfions, 
 that when the things which are rnoft proper to their 
 condition are fpoken to them, they take no impreftion 
 in the lead upon them. Thus the foul is weakened by 
 dwelling too long on thefe confiderations; until fome 
 cry with thofe in Ezek. xxxiii. io. Our fins are upon us y 
 we pine away in them , and how Jhould we then live ? 
 
 Secondly , This name, if it abides by itfelf, will in¬ 
 fenfibly give countenance unto hard tiioughts of God, 
 and fo to repining, and wearinefs in waiting on him. 
 At firft the foul neither apprehends nor fears any fuch 
 fine : it fuppoferh that it lhall condemn md abhor it¬ 
 felf, and juftify God, and that forever; but when re- 
 ief comes not in, this refolution begins to weaken: 
 Secret thoughts arife in the heart, that God is auftere, 
 inexorable, and not to be dealt withal; this fometimes 
 :afts forth fuch complaints, as will bring the foul unto 
 lew complaints, before it comes to have an blue of its 
 rials. Here, in humiliation antecedaneous to conver- 
 ion, many a convinced perfon peniheth; they cannot 
 
 i 2 ' wait 
 
Mifcarriages in Perfons Ver. 3. 
 
 wait God’s feafon, and peridi under their impatience. 
 And what the faints of God themfelves have been over¬ 
 taken withal in their depths and trials, we have many 
 examples and inftances. Delight and expectations are 
 the grounds of our abiding with God ; both thefe are 
 weakened by a conquering prevailing fenfe of fin, with¬ 
 out fome relief from the difeovery of forgivenefs, tho’ 
 at a diflance. And therefore our perplexed foul ftays 
 not here, but prefleth on towards that difeovery. 
 
 Secondly, There is a retting on this frame, that 
 is noxious and hurtful alfo; fome finding this fenfe of 
 fin, with other things that attend it, wrought in them, 
 in fome meafure, begin to think that now all is well, this 
 is all that is of them required. They will endeavour to 
 make a life, form fuch arguments of comfort, as they 
 can take from their trouble; they think thisa ground of 
 peace, that they have not place. Here fome take up 
 before converfion, and it proves their ruin. Becaufe 
 they are convinced of fin, and troubled about it, and 
 burdened with it, they think it (hall be well with them: 
 But were not Cain, Efau, Saul, Ahab, Judas, con¬ 
 vinced of fin, and burdened with it; Did this profit 
 them ? Did it intereft them in the promifes ? Did not 
 the wrath of God overtake them notwithstanding ? So is 
 it with many daily ; they think their conviction is con¬ 
 verfion, and that their fins are pardoned, becaufe they 
 have been troubled. 
 
 This then is that which we rejeCt, which the foul in 
 this condition, doth carefully avoid ; fo as to fatisfy it- 
 felf with its humiliation, as to make that a ground of 
 fupportment and confolation, being thereby kept off 
 from exercifing faith for forgivenefs • For this is. 
 
 Fir /?, A fruit of fclf-righteoufnefs. For a foul to 
 place the fpring of its peace or comfort on any thing of 
 its own, is to fall fhortof Chrifl, and to take up in felf. 
 We muff not only be juflified, but glory in him alfo, 
 I fa. xlv. 2 5. men may make ufe of the evidence of their 
 graces, but only as a medium to a farther end, not as 
 
 the 
 
5 Ver. 3. convinced of Sin, 6y 
 
 the reft of the foul at all; sod this deprives mens very 
 humiliations of.all gofpel-humility. True humility con- 
 fids more in believing, than in being fenfihle of fin; 
 that’s the foul’s great felf emptying and abafing : This 
 may confift with an obftinate refolution to fcramble 
 for fomething upon the account of felf-endeavours. 
 
 Secondly, Though evangelical fecfe of fin be a grace, 
 yet it is not the uniting grace, it is not that which ime- 
 reftsus in Chrift, not that which peculiarly, and in its 
 own nature exalts him. There is in this fenfe of fin, 
 that which is natural, and that which is fpiritual; or 
 the matter of it, and its fpirituality. The former con- 
 fifts in forrow, trouble, felf-abafement, deje&ion and 
 anxiety of mind, with the like pafiions; of thefe I may 
 fay as the apoftle of afHi&ions, they are not joyous but 
 grievous. They are fuch as are accompanied with the 
 averfation of the objeft which they are converfant about. 
 In their own nature, they are no more but the foul’s re¬ 
 treat into itfelf, with an abhorrency of the objects of its 
 forrow and grief. When thefe affe&ions are fpiritual- 
 ized, their nature is not changed : The foul, in and by 
 them, a£te according to their nature ; and doth by them, 
 as fuch, but retreat into itfelf, with a diilike of that 
 they are exercifed about. To take up here then, muff 
 needs be to fit down fhort of Chrift, whether it be for 
 life, or confolation. 
 
 Let there be no mifbke. There can be no evangeli¬ 
 cal fenfe of fin, and humiliation, where there is no uni¬ 
 on with Chrift, Zecb. xii. io. Only in itfelf, and in its 
 own nature is not availing. Now, Chrift is the only 
 reft of our fouls; in any thing, for any end or purpofe, 
 to take up fhort ol him, is to lofe it. It is not enough 
 that we be prifoners of hope, but we muft turn to our 
 ftrong hold , Zech. ix. 12. not enough that we are weary 
 and laden, butw zmufl come to him , Mat. xi. 27, 28. It 
 will not fuffice that we are weak, and know we are 
 weak, but we muft lake hold on thefrrength of God, Ifa. 
 xxvii. 4, 5. 
 
 Thirdly , Indeed prefting after forgivenefs, is the very 
 
 life 
 
70 The fourth Verfe opened . Ver. 4. 
 
 life and power of evangelical humiliation. How fhail a 
 inan know that his humiliation is evangelical, that his 
 forrow is according to God ? It is not from hence he 
 may be refolved, that he doth it not, as Cain did, who 
 cried his fins were greater than he could bear, and fo 
 departed from the prefence of God ? nor as judas did, 
 who repented, and hanged himfelf; hor as Felix did, 
 tremble for a while, and then return to his lulls ; nor 
 as the Jews did, in the prophet, pine away under their 
 iniquities, hecaufe of vexation of heart; nor doth he di¬ 
 vert his thoughts to other things, thereby to relieve his 
 foul in his trouble ; nor fix upon a righteoufnefs of his 
 own; nor flothfully ly down under his perplexity ; but 
 in the midil of it, he plies himfelf to God in Chrilt for 
 pardon and mercy. And it is the foul’s application un¬ 
 to God for forgivenefs, and not its feufe of fin, that gives 
 unto God the glory of his grace. 
 
 Thus far then have we accompan-ed the foul in its 
 depths; it is now looking out for forgivenefs; which, 
 what it is, and how we come to have an interefl: in it, 
 the principal matter in this difcourfe intended, is next 
 to be confidered. 
 
 VERSE IV. 
 
 The Words explained, and the Defign or Scope of the 
 Pfalmift in them difcovered. 
 
 IIE date and condition of the foul making appli- 
 cation unto God in this pfalm is recounted, ver. 1. 
 It was in the depths; not only providential depths of 
 trouble, affii&ion and perplexities thereon ; but alfo 
 depths of confcience, diftrefs on the account of fin, as 
 in the opening of thofe words have been declared. 
 
 The application of this foul unto God, with reltlefs 
 fervency and earneftnefs, in that Hate and condition; 
 its confederation, in the firfi: place, of the law, and the 
 
 feverity 
 
Ver. 4. The fourth Verfe opened: 71 
 
 feverity of God’s juftice in a procedure thereon ; with 
 the inevitable ruin of all finners, if God infift on that 
 way of dealing with them, have alfo been opened and 
 manifefted from the foregoing verfes. 
 
 But in this eflate, perplexed in itfelf, loll in and un^ 
 der the confideration of God’s marking iniquity accord¬ 
 ing to the tenor of the law, that which it fixes on, from 
 whence any relief, (lay, or fupportment might be ex¬ 
 pected in fuch a condition, is laid down in this verfe. 
 
 Vex. 4. But there is forgivenefs with thee , that thou 
 
 mayejt be feared. 
 
 i (hall firft open the words as to their fignification and 
 importance; then Ihew the defign of the pfalmift in 
 them, with reference to the loul whofe condition is 
 here reprefented; and, laftly, propofe the general 
 truths contained in them, wherein all our concernments 
 do lie. 
 
 There is forgivenefs, i\ct<r/u,o£ fay the LXX and Hierom 
 accordingly propitiation propitiation ; which is fome- 
 what more than venia or pardon, as by fome it is ren¬ 
 dered. 
 
 Condonatio ipfa y forgivenefs itfelf. It is from to 
 fpare, to pardon, to forgive, to be propitious; and is 
 oppofed to * 70 n a word compofed ot the fame letters va¬ 
 ried, which is common in that language, fignifyipg to 
 cut olf, and deftroy. 
 
 Now, it is confiantly applied unto fin, and exprefi- 
 feth every thing that concurs to its pardon or forgive¬ 
 nefs. As, 
 
 Fir fly It exprelfeth the mind or will of pardoning, 
 or God’s gracious readinefs to forgive, Pfal. Ixxxvi 5. 
 Thou , Lardy art good and ready to forgive , Xj>Yiro<; kcu I'mewC} 
 benign and meek, or fparing, propitious, of a gracious 
 merciful heart and nature. So Neh. ix. 17. Thou art, 
 a God propitiationuniy of propitiations or pardons ; or 
 as we rendered it, ready to forgive, a God of forgive- 
 cdfes; or all plenty Sf them is in thy gracious heart, 
 
 Ifa. 
 
72 T he fourth Verfe opened . Ver, 4. 
 
 Ifa. Iv. 8. So that thou art always ready to make out 
 pardons to finners. The word is ufed again, Dan. ix. 9. 
 to the fame purpofe. 
 
 Secondly, It regards the aft of pardoning, or aftual 
 forgivenefs itfelf, Pfal. ciii. 3. in the Heb. ivho forgiv - 
 eth all thine iniquities, aftuaily difchargeth thee of 
 them ; which the apoftle refpeftiug, renders the word 
 by X'CCpio’i/Luvoc } Col. iii. 13. Having freely forgiven you, tor 
 fo much the word imports, all your trefpajjes , 
 
 And this is the word that God ufeth in the covenant, 
 in that great promife of grace and pardon, Jer. xxxi. 34. 
 
 It is warrantable for us, yea neceffary to take the 
 word in the utmofl extent of its fignification and ufe. It 
 is a word of favour, and requires an interpretation to¬ 
 wards the enlargement of it. We fee it may be render¬ 
 ed or propitiation, x.pp‘c or grace, and venia or 
 
 pardon, and may denote thefe three things. 
 
 Firfl , The gracious, tender, merciful heart and will 
 of God ; who is the God of pardons and forgivenefs, 
 or one ready to forgive, to give out mercy, to add par¬ 
 don. 
 
 Secondly , A refpeft unto Jcfus Chrift, the only iKccr/uii, 
 or propitiation for fin, as he is expreily called, Rom. 
 iii. 25. 1 John li. 2. And this is that which interpofeth 
 between the gracious heart of God, and the aftual par¬ 
 don of fmners: All forgivenefs is founded on propiti¬ 
 ation. 
 
 Thirdly , It denotes condonation or aftual forgivenefs 
 itfelf, as.W'e are made partakers of it; comprizing it 
 both aftively, as it is an aft of grace in God, and paf- 
 fively, as terminated in our fouls, w'ith all the delive¬ 
 rance that attends it. In this fenfe as it looks down¬ 
 wards, and in its eftefts refpefts us, it is of mere grace; 
 and it looks upwards to its caufes, and refpefts the Lord 
 Chrift, it is from propitiation or atonement; and this 
 is that pardon which is adminiftred ia the covenant of 
 grace. 
 
 Now, as to the place which thefe words enjoy in 
 his pfalm, and their relation terthe Rate and conditi¬ 
 on 
 
Ver. 4. The fourth Verfe opened. 73 
 
 on of the foul here mentioned, this feems to be their 
 I importance. 
 
 " O Lord, although this mud be granted, that if 
 “ thou fhouldll mark iniquities according to the tenor of 
 c< the law, every man living mult perilh, and that for 
 
 1 “ ever ; yet there is hope for my foul, that even l who 
 u am in the depths of fin-intanglements, may find ac- 
 “ ceptance with thee ; for whilft 1 am putting my moo h 
 “ in the duft, if fo be there may be hope, l find that 
 c i there is an atonement, a propitiation made for fin, on 
 “ the account whereof thou fayeft thou haft found a 
 <c ranfom, and wilt not deal with them that come unto 
 <£ thee, according to the feveritv and exigence of thy 
 “ juftice; but art gracious, loving under, readv to 
 “ forgive and pardon., and doit io accordingly; there 
 
 “ IS FORGIVENESS W11H THEE.” 
 
 The following words, therefore thou (bait be feared, 
 or that thou mayefl be feared , though in the original 
 free from ambiguity, yet are fo fignally varied by inter¬ 
 preters, that it may not be amifs to take notice of it in 
 our paffage. 
 
 The Targum hath it, That thou mayefl be feen This 
 anfwers not the word, but it doth the fenfe of the place 
 well enough. God in his difpleafure is faid to hide 
 himfelf, or his face, lfa. viii. 17. dhe Lord hideth his 
 face from the houje oj Jacob. By forgivenefs we obtain 
 the light of his countenance, this difpells the darknefs 
 and clouds that are about him, and gives us a comfort¬ 
 able profpedf of his face and favour There is forgive¬ 
 nefs with thee , that thou mayefl be feen. Befides, there 
 is but one letter different in the original words, and that 
 which is ufually changed for the other. 
 
 The LXX render them, for thy name’s 
 
 fake, or thy own fake , that is, freely without any re- 
 fpeft unto any thing in us. This alfo would admit of a 
 fair and found conffru&ion, but that there is more Than 
 ordinary evidence of the place’s being corrupted. For 
 the vulgar Latin, which, as to the pfain s, was tranfla- 
 ted out of the LXX, renders theie words, propter legem 
 
 K tuam , 
 
74 opened. Ver. 4. 
 
 tuam y for thy law's fake; which makes it evident, that 
 the tranflator read the words fWa t 3 «■« and not ovOjX.ccTog* 
 as now we read. Now, though this hath, in itfelf, no 
 proper fenfe, (for forgivenefs is not bellowed for the 
 law’s fake,) yet it difcovers the original of the whole 
 miOake. JTnn "I he law differs but in one letter from 
 frmn thou mayeft be feared , by a mi flake whereof this 
 "vixa to vc/lcu, for thy law's fake y crept into the text. Nor 
 doth this any thing countenance the corrupt figment of 
 the Hebrew vowels and accents ; as though this differ 
 rence might aFife from the LXX ufing a copy that had 
 none, that is before their invention, which might occa 
 fion miflakes and differences, for this difference is in a 
 letter as well as the vowels, and therefore there can be 
 no colour for this conceit, unlefs we fay alfo, that they 
 had copies of old with other confonanrs than thofe we 
 now enjoy. Bellarmine, in his expofition of this place, 
 endeavours to give countenance unto the reading of the 
 vulgar Latin, for thy law's fake y affirming, that by the 
 law here, not the law of our obedience is intended, but 
 the law or order of God’s dealing with us, that is, his 
 mercy and faithfulnefs; which is a mere new invention 
 to countenance an old error, which any tolerable inge¬ 
 nuity would have confeffed, rather than juftified by fo 
 ferry a pretence. For neither is that expreflion, or 
 that word, ever ufed in the fenfe here by him feigned, 
 nor can it have any fuch fignificarion. 
 
 Hierom renders thefe, words, ut Jis lerribilis, that 
 thou mayeft be dreadful or terrible; doubtlefs not accord¬ 
 ing to the intendment of the place. It is for the reliev¬ 
 ing of the foul, and not for the increafing of its dread 
 and terror, thut this oblervation is made, There is for - 
 givenefs with thee. 
 
 But the words are clear, and their fenfe is obvious, 
 Therefore thou J,halt be feared , or that thou mayeft be 
 feared . 
 
 By the fear of the Lord, in the Old Teflament, the 
 whole worfhip of God, moral and inftituted, all the o- 
 bedienoe which we owe unto him, both for matter and 
 
 manner 
 
Ver. 4, The fourth Verfe opened. 
 
 manner, is intended. Whatever we are to perform 
 unto God, being to be carried on and performed with 
 f reverence and godly fear, by a metonymy of the adjunff, 
 that name is given to the whole. That thou mayejl be 
 \ feared , then is, that thou mayeft be ferved, worfhip- 
 ped ; that I who am ready to faint and give over, may 
 
 I yet be encouraged unto, and yet continue in that obe¬ 
 dience which thou required at my hands; and this ap¬ 
 pears to be fenfe of the whole verfe, as influenced by, 
 and from thofe foregoing. 
 
 “ iUthough, O Lord, no man can approach unto 
 “ thee, Hand before thee, or walk with thee, if thou 
 “ fhouldft mark their fins and follies according to the 
 “ tenor of the law, nor could they ferve fo great and 
 “ holy a God as thou art; yet becaufe l know from thy 
 “ revelation of it, that there is alfo with thee, on the 
 “ account of Jefus Chrift, the propitiation, pardon and 
 “ forgivenefs, I arii encouraged to continue with thee, 
 “ waiting for thee, worfliipping of thee ; when, with- 
 “ out this difeovery, 1 fliould rather chufe to have rocks 
 “ and mountains fall upon me, to hide me from thy 
 “prefence. But there is forgiveness with 
 
 “ THEE, AND THEREFORE THOU SHALT BE FEAR* 
 “ ED.” 
 
 The words being thus opened, we may take a full 
 view in them of the ftate and condition of the foul ex- 
 prefled in this pfalm, and that anfwering the experienc¬ 
 es of all who have any thing to do with God, in and 
 about the depths and entanglements of fin. 
 
 Having in, and from his great depths, ver, 1. ad- 
 drefled himfelf with fervent redoubled cries, yea out¬ 
 cries to God, and to him alone for relief, ver. 1, 2. 
 Having alfo acknowledged his iniquities, and confidered 
 them according to the tenor of the law, ver. 3. he con- 
 felTerh himfelf to be loft and undone for ever on that ac¬ 
 count, ver. 3. But he abides not in the ftate of feif-con- 
 demnation, and dejeftion of foul; he fays not there is 
 no hope, God is a jealous God, an holy God 1 cannot 
 lerve him, his law is a fiery law, which I cannot ftand 
 
 K 2 before 
 
7 6" Doctrinal Obfervation from Verfe 4. Ver. 4 
 
 before, fo that I had as good give over, fit down and 
 perifh, as contend any longe> ! No ; but fearchiog by 
 faith, into the difcovery that God makes of himfeif in 
 Chrift, through the covenant of grace, he finds affable 
 fnun tation of encouragement, to continue waiting on 
 him, with expe&ation of mercy and pardon. 
 
 Proportions or obfervations from the former expofi- 
 tion of the words —The firii propofed to confirm- 
 at on—No encouragement for any finner to ap¬ 
 proach unto God, witnout a difcovery of forgive- 
 nefs. 
 
 From the words thus unfolded, as they \y in their 
 contexture, in the pfalm, the enfuing propofitions do 
 arife. 
 
 Pa op. 1. Faith’s difcovery of forgivenefs in God, 
 though it have no prefcnt fenfe of its own peculiar in- 
 tereff therein, is the great lupportment of a fin-perplex¬ 
 ed foul. 
 
 P*op. 2. Gofpel- r o> g'venefs, whofe difcovery is the 
 foie fupportment of fin-dilheffd fouls, relates to the 
 gracious heart, or good will of tiie Fa:her, the God of 
 to' given* fs, the propitiation that is made by the blood 
 of in Son, and free condonation or pardon, according 
 to the teno r of the covenant of grace. 
 
 Prop 3 Faith’s difcovery of forgivenefs in God, is 
 tht fo bottom of adherence to him, in acceptable 
 woifhip and. reverential obedience. 
 
 The fir ft of tb fe, is that whcfe confirmation and im¬ 
 provement. I principally aim at; and the other only fo 
 far as they have coincidence therewith, or may be ufed 
 in a fubferviency to the illuftration or demonflration 
 there of. 
 
 In the Dandling then of this truth, ihat it may be of 
 
 the 
 

 Ver. 4 . 
 
 No approaching unto God , &c. 
 
 77 
 
 the more advantage unto them whofe good is fought, 
 and intended in the propofal and management of it, I 
 fhall fleer this courfe, and ihew. 
 
 First, That there is not the lead encouragement to 
 the foul of a (inner to deal with God without this diico- 
 very. 
 
 Secondly, That this difcovery of forgivenefs in 
 God is a matter great, holy, and myfterious, and which 
 very few, on gofpel abiding grounds, do attain unto. 
 
 Thirdly, That yet this is a great, facred, and cer¬ 
 tain truth, as from the manifold evidences may be made 
 to appear. 
 
 Fourthly, That this is a (table fupportment to a 
 fin-diflrefl’ed foul, (hall be manifefted, and the whole 
 plied, according to the feveral concernments of thofe 
 who fhall confider it. 
 
 F irst. There is not the lead encouragement for the 
 : foul of a Turner, to entertain any thought of approaching 
 ; unto God without this discovery. All the reft of the 
 world is covered with a deluge of wrath, this is the on¬ 
 ly ark whereunro the foul may repair and find reft, all 
 without it, isdarknefs, curfe, and terror. 
 
 We have an inltance and example of it, beyond all 
 exception, in Adam. When he knew himfelf to be a 
 finner, and it was impoffible for him, as we fhall fhew 
 afterwards, to make a difcovery of any fuch thing as 
 forgivenefs with God, he laid afide all thoughts of ireat- 
 ing with him, the befl of his foolifh contrivance was 
 for an efcape, Gen. iii. 10. 1 heard thy voice , faith he 
 to God, in the garden , and was afraid, becaufe I 
 was naked , and I hid myfelf. Nothing but, 1 bou 
 Jhalt die the death , founded in his ears. In the morn¬ 
 ing of that day, he was made by the hand of God , a 
 few hours before, he had converfe and communion wi h 
 
 m % 
 
7 8 * No approaching unto God Ver. 4, 
 
 him, with boldnefs and peace; why then doth nothing 
 now but fear, flying, and hiding poffefs him ? Adam 
 had finned, the promife was not yet given, no revela¬ 
 tion made of forgivenefs in God, and what other courfe 
 than that vain and foolifh one, to fix upon, he knew 
 not; no more can any of his posterity without this re¬ 
 velation. What eife any of them hath fixed on in this 
 cafe, hath been no lefs foolifh than his hiding, and in 
 moft, more pernicious. When Cain had received his 
 fentence from God, it is faid, he went out from the pre¬ 
 fence or face of the Lord, Gen. iv. 16. From his provi¬ 
 dential prefence he could never fubduft himfelf: So the 
 pfalmifl informs us at large, Pfal. cxxxix. 7, 8,9. The 
 very heathen knew, by the light of nature, that guilt 
 could never drive men out of the reach of God. 
 
 Quo fugis, Encelade, quajcunq; accejferis or as 
 Sub Jovefemper eris. 
 
 They knew that s'™ (the vengeance of God) would 
 not fpare finners, nor could be avoided, A£b xxviii. 4. 
 from God’s gracious prefence, which he never enjoyed, 
 he could not depart. It was then his prefence as to his 
 worfhip, and all outward a&s of communion that he 
 forfook, and departed from ; he had no difcovery by 
 faith of forgivenefs, and therefore refolved to have no 
 more to do with God ror thofe who cleaved to him ; for 
 it refpe&s his courfe, and not any one particular aftion. 
 
 This alfo is ffated, 1 fa. xxxiii. 14. dhe finners in Sion 
 are afraid, fearjulnefs hathfurprized the hypocrites; Who 
 among us fhall dwell with devouring fire f Who among 
 us fhall dwell with everlafling burnings f The perfons 
 fpoken of are finners, great finners and hypocrites; 
 conviction of fin, and the defert of it was fallen upon 
 them, a light to difcern forgivenefs they had not, they 
 apprehend God as a devouring fire, and everlafting 
 burnings only, one that would not fpare, but afluredly 
 inflift punifhment according to the defert of fin; and 
 thence is their conclufion couched in their interrogation. 
 
Ver. 4. without a Difcovery of Forgivenefs. 79 
 
 that there can be no intercourfe or peace between him 
 and them, there is no abiding, no enduring of his pre¬ 
 fence. And what condition this confideration brings 
 the fouls of Tinners unto, when conviftion grows drong 
 u\>on them, the Holy Ghoft declares, Micah vi. 6, 7* 
 Wherewithal /ball 1 come before the Lord , and bow my- 
 ftlf before the high God f Shall I come before him with 
 burnt-offerings , with calves of a year old ? will the Lord 
 be pleafed with thoufands of rams , or witk ten thoufands 
 of rivers of oyl ? /ball / give my firJl-born for my tranfgr ef¬ 
 fort , the fruit of my body for the Jin of my foul ? Senfe of 
 fin predeth, forgivenefs is not difcovered, (like the Phi- 
 iiftines on Saul, Samuel not coming to his direction) and 
 how doth the poor creature perplex itfelf in vain, to 
 find oik a way of dealing with God ; will a fedulous and 
 diligent obfervation of his own ordinances and inftituti- 
 ons relieve me? Shall I come before him with burnt-offer¬ 
 ingsand calves of a year old f Alas! thou art a (inner 
 and theie facrifices cannot make thee perfeft, or acquit 
 thee, Heb. x. 1. Shall 1 do more than ever he required 
 of any of the fons of men ? O that I had thoufands of 
 rams , and ten thoufands of rivers of oil to offer to him ! 
 Alas! if thou hadft all the bulls and goats in the world, 
 it is not poflible their blood fhould take away fins, ver. 4. 
 But 1 have heard of them who have fnatched away their 
 own children from their mother’s breads, and call them 
 into the fire, until they wer6 con fumed, fo to pacify 
 their consciences in expiating the guilt of their iniqui¬ 
 ties ; fhall 1 take this courfe ? will it relieve me ? I am 
 ready to part with my fird-born into the fire, fo may I 
 have deliverance from my tranfgrdllons. / las! this 
 never came into the heart of God to approve or accept 
 of- And as it was then, whilft that kind of worfhip 
 was in force, fo is k dill as to any duties really to be 
 performed, or imaginably. Where there is no difco¬ 
 very of forgivenefs, they will yield the foul no relief, 
 no fupportnaent; God is not to be treated upon fuch 
 nerms. 
 
 Greatnefs 
 
8 o Forgivenefs a great My fiery , Ver. 4, 
 
 Greatnefs and rarenefs of the difcovery of forgive¬ 
 nefs in God.—R.eafons of it.—Teftimonies of con- 
 fcience and law againft it, &c . 
 
 Secondly, This difcovery of forgivenefs in God is 
 great, holy, and myfterious, which very few on gofpel- 
 ground do attain unto. 
 
 All men indeed fay there is, mod men are perfuaded 
 that they think fo. Only men in great and defperate 
 extremities, like Cain or Spira, feem to call it into 
 queftion. But their thoughts are empty, groundlefs, 
 yea, for the mod part, wicked, and atheiflical. Elihu 
 tells us, that to declare this aright to a finful foul, it is 
 the work of a meffenger , jin interpreter , one among a 
 thoufand , Job xxxiii. 23. that is, indeed, of Chrilt him- 
 felf. The common thoughts of men about this thing 
 are flight and foohlh ; and may be refolved into thofe 
 mentioned by the pfalmift, Pfal. 1 . 22. They thinx that 
 God is altogether like themfelves. That indeed he takes 
 little or no care about thefe things, but pafieffi them 
 over as flightly as they do themfelves. That, notwith- 
 ftanding all their pretences, the mofl of men never had, 
 indeed, a real difcovery of forgivenefs, fhall be after¬ 
 wards undeniably evinced ; and 1 fhall fpeedily (hew the 
 difference that is between their vain credulity, and a gra¬ 
 cious gofpel difcovery of forgivenefs in God. For, it 
 muff be obferved, that by this difcovery, I intend, both 
 the revelation of it made by God, and our underlfand- 
 ing, and reception of that revelation to our own advan¬ 
 tage, as fhall be (hewed immediately, 
 
 Now, the grounds of the difficulty intimated, confift 
 partly in the hindrances that ly in the way of this difco¬ 
 very ; and partly, in the nature of the thing itl'elf, that 
 is difcovered ; of both which 1 fhall briefly treat. 
 
 But here, before I proceed, lomewhat mult be pre- 
 miied to ffiew what it is, that 1 particularly intend by a 
 difcovery of forgivenefs. It may then be confidered two 
 ways ; 1, For a doctrinal, objective dilcovery of it in its 
 truths. 2. An experimental, fubje&lve difcovery of its 
 
 power. 
 
Ver. 4. Teftimony of a natural Confcience 8cc. 81 
 
 power. In the firft fenfe; forgivenefs in God hath been 
 : difcovered ever fince the giving out-of the firft promife : 
 God revealed it in a word of promife, or it could never 
 have been known, as fhall be aft rwards declared In 
 this fenfe, after many Idler degrees and advancements 
 of the light of it, it was fully and gloriouhy brought 
 forth by the Lord Jefus Chrift in his own perfon ; and 
 is now r revealed, and preached in the gofpel, and by 
 [ them to whom the word of reconciliation is committed ; 
 and to declare this, is the principal work of the mint* 
 fters of the gofpel. Herein ly thofe unfearchable trea- 
 furies and riches of Chrift, which the apoftle eiteemed 
 as his cbiefeft honour and privilege, that he was in¬ 
 truded with the declaration and nilpenfation of, hph. 
 iii. 8, 9. I know by many it is delpifed, by many tra¬ 
 duced, whole ignorance and blindnefs is to be lamented. 
 But the day is coming which will manifelt every man’s 
 work of what fort it is. In the latter fenfe, how it is 
 made by faith in the foul, fhall in its proper place be 
 further opened and made known. Here men may mis¬ 
 take and deceive themfelves; becaule it is fo in the 
 book, they think it is fo in them aifo; becaufe they 
 have been taught it, they think they believe it. But it 
 is not fo ; they have not heard this voice of God at any 
 time, nor feen his fhape, it hath not been revealed un¬ 
 to them in its power : To have this done is a great work. 
 For, 
 
 Firft, The conftam voice of confcience lies againff it. 
 Confcience, if not feared, inexorably condemned], and 
 pronounceth wrath and anger upon the foul that hath 
 the leaft guilt cleaving to it. Now it hath this advan¬ 
 tage, it lieth clofe to the foul, and, by importunity and 
 loudfpeaking,it will be heard in what it hath to fay.it will 
 make the w hole foul attend, or it will fpcak like thunder. 
 And its conffant voice is, that whe e there >s guilt there 
 muff be judgment, Rom ii. 14, 15. Confcience natu¬ 
 rally knows nothing o' forgivenefs; yea, it is againfl 
 its very truft, work and office to hear any thing of it. 
 If a man of courage and houefty be inu ulied to k ep a 
 
 L garriion 
 
82 Teflimony of a Natural Confcience Ver. 4 
 
 garrifon againft an enemy, let one come and tell him 
 that there is peace made between thofe whom he ferves 
 and their enemies, fo that he may leave his guard, and 
 fet open the gates, and ceafe his watchfulnefs: how 
 wary will he be, left under this pretence he be betray¬ 
 ed ? No, faith he, I will keep my hold, until 1 have 
 exprefs order from my fuperiors. Confcience is entruft- 
 ed with the power of God in the foul of a finner, with 
 command to keep all in fuhje&ion with reference unto 
 the judgment to come. It will not betray its truft in 
 believing every report of peaie : no, but this it fays, 
 and it fpeaks in the name of God, Guilt and puniihment 
 are inseparable twins, if the foul fin, God will judge. 
 "What tell you me of forgivenefs, I know what my com- 
 miffion is, and that I will abide by, you (hall not bring 
 in a fuperior commander, a crofs principle into my truft, 
 for if this be fo, it feems 1 mult let go my throne, ano¬ 
 ther Lord mult come in, not knowing as yet how this 
 whole bufinefs is compounded in the blood of Chrift. 
 Now, whom Khould a man believe, if not his own con- 
 fcience, which, as it will not flatter him, fo it intends 
 not to affright him, but to fpeak the truth as the matter 
 requireih. Confcience hath two works in reference un¬ 
 to fin ; one to condemn the a&s of fin, another to judge 
 the perfon of the finner, both with reference to the 
 judgment of God. When forgivenefs comes, it would 
 fever and part thefe employments, and take one of them 
 out of the hand of confcience, it would divide the fpoil 
 with this ftrong one. It Khali condemn the fa<ft, or every 
 fin ; but it Khali no more condemn the fmner, the 
 perfon of the finner, that Khali be freed from its fentence. 
 Here confcience labouis with all its might to keep its 
 whole dominion ; and to keep out the power of forgive¬ 
 nefs from being enthroned in the foul. It will allow 
 men to talk of forgivenefs, to hear it preached, though 
 they abufe it every day, but to receive it in its power, 
 that ftands up in direct oppofition to its dominion, in the 
 kingdom, faith the confcience, I will be greater than 
 
 thou; 
 
Ver. 4. again]} the Forgivenefs of Sin. 83 
 
 thou ; and in many, in the mod, it keeps its poflfeftion, 
 and will not be depofed. 
 
 Nor indeed is it an eafy work fo to deal with it. The 
 apoftle tells us, that all the facrifices of the law could 
 not do it, Heb. x. 2. they could not bring a man into 
 that eftate, wherein he fhould not have any confcience 
 of fin, that is, confcience condemning the perfon ; for 
 confcience in a fenfe of fin, and condemnation of it, is 
 never to be taken away. And this can be .no otherwife 
 done but by the blood of Chrift, as the apoftle at large 
 there declares. 
 
 It is then no eafy thing to make a difcovery of for- 
 givepefs unto a foul, when the work and employment 
 whkh confcience, upon unqueftionable grounds, chal¬ 
 lenged! unto itfelf, lies in oppofition unto it. Hence is 
 the foul’s great deiire to eftablilh its own righteoufnefs, 
 whereby its natural principles may be preferved in their 
 power. Let felf-righteoufnefs be enthroned, and natu¬ 
 ral confcience defires no more, it is fatisfied and pacifi¬ 
 ed. The law it knows, and righteoufnefs it knows, 
 but as for forgivenefs, it fays. Whence is it? Unto 
 the utmoft, until Chrift perfe&s his conqueft, there are 
 on this account fecret ftrugglings in the heart againft: 
 free pardon in the gofpel, and flu&uations of mind and 
 fpirit about it; yea, hence are the doubts and fears of 
 believers themfelves, they are nothing but the drivings 
 of confcience to keep its whole dominion, to condemn 
 the finner as well as the fin ; more or left, it keeps up 
 its pretenfions agajnft the gofpel, whilft we live in this 
 world. It is a great work that the blood or Chrift ha:h 
 to do upon the confcience of a finner, for whereas, as 
 it hath been declared, it hath a power, and claims a 
 right, to condemn both fin and finner; the one part of 
 this its power is to be cleared, ftrengthened, made more 
 aftive, vigorous and watchful, the other to be taken 
 quite away: It fhali now fee more fins than formerly, 
 more of the vilenefs of all fins than formerly, and con¬ 
 demn them with more abhorrency than ever, upon mo> e, 
 and more glorious accounts than formerly; but it is aifo 
 
 L 2 made 
 
84 Teflimony of the Law Vet. a 
 
 * r >de to fee an interpofhion between thefe fins, and the 
 pcrfi n >i the finner, who hath committed them, which 
 1 n< fmatl or ordinary work. 
 
 Secondly , The law lies againft this difeovery. The 
 law o a beam of the holinefs of God himfelf, what it 
 fp' .ks n co us, it fpeaks in the name and authority of 
 G d , and 1 {bail briefly fhew concerning it thefe two 
 things 
 
 '//, Thar this is the voice of the law, namely, that 
 tl-er* i no forgivenefs for a fipner. 
 
 idly, That the finner hath great reafon to give credit 
 to the law in that affertion. 
 
 It is certain that the law knows neither mercy nor 
 fo r givenefs. The very fanftion of it lies wholly againft 
 them . ike foul thatfinneth fball die. Curfed is he that 1 
 continue) h not in all things written in the book of the law 
 to do them , D* ut. xxvii 26. Hence the apofile pronounc- 
 eth univtrfasly without exception, that they who are 
 under the law , are under the curfe , Gal. iii 10. and, 
 fain he, ver. 12. ¥ he law is not of faith. There is an 
 ire fiilency between the law and believing, they can- 
 no ave their abode in power together Do this and 
 li v ; , tail and die; is the conftant hummable voice of 
 the ! .w This it foeaks in general to all, and this in 
 particular to every one. 
 
 idly , The finner feems to have manifold and weighty 
 rcafons to attend to rhe voice of this law, and to acqui- 
 eice in hsfentence. For, v 
 
 t The law is co natural to him, his domeflic, his 
 old a qn m ance; it came into the world with him, and 
 hail? gto vo up with him from his infancy ; it was im¬ 
 planted in his heart by nature, is his own reafon, he 
 can never (h.ke it off, or part with ir; it is his familiar, 
 hit hit nek that cleave- ro him as the flefh to the bone; 
 fo that thr-y w o have nor the law written, cannot but 
 ihexv forth tie work of the law , Rom. ii. 14, 15. and 
 that bec; life the law ufelf is inbred to them, and all 
 the faculties of the lou! are at peace with it, in fubjec- 
 tiou to it; it is the bond and ligament of their union, 
 
 harmony,- 
 
 
Ver. 4. againft Forgivenefs of * Sin. 85 
 
 harmony, and correfpondency among themfelves, in ail 
 their moral actings, it gives life, order, and motion to 
 them all. Now, the gofpel that corner to controul this 
 Tenterce of the law, and to relieve the Tinner from it, 
 is foreign to his nature, a ftrange thing to him, a thing 
 he hath no acquaintance or familiarity with, it hath not 
 been bred up with him, nor is there any thing in him to 
 fide with it, to make a party for it, or to plead in its 
 behalf. *Now, Hull not a man rather believe a domef- 
 tick, a friend, indeed hirafelf, than a foreigner, a 
 ftranger, that cornes with uncouth principles, and fuch 
 as fuit not it? leafon at all ? 1 Cor.i 18. 
 
 2. The law fpeaks nothing to a finner, but what his 
 confcieuce allures him to be true ; there is a con Rant 
 : concurrence in the telfimony of the law and confcience. 
 When the law fays, this or that is a fin worthy of death, 
 fays,> it is even fo, Rom. i. 42. And where the law, of 
 itfelf, as being a general rule, retis, confcience helps it 
 on, and fays, this and that fin, fo worthy of death, the 
 foul is guilty of ; then die, faith the law, as thou halt 
 deferved. Now, this mult needs have a mighty efficacy 
 to prevail with the foul to give credit to the report and 
 teftimony of the law, it fpeaks not one word, but v/hat 
 he hath a witnefs within himlclf to the truth of it. Thefe 
 witneffes always agree, and fo it feems to be eltabliffied 
 for a truth, that there is no forgivenefs. 
 
 3. The law, tho’ it fpeaks againft the foul’s intereft, 
 
 ' yet it fpeaks nothing but what is fo juft, righteous, and 
 r equal, that even it forceth the foul’s free confent. So 
 Paul tells us, that men know this voice of the law-to be 
 the judgment of God , Rom. i. 32. They know it, and 
 cannot but confent unto it, that it is the judgment of 
 God, that is, good, righteous, equal, not to be coi}« 
 trouled. And, indeed, what can be more righteous 
 than its fentence It commands obedience to the God of 
 life and death, promileth a reward, and declares, that 
 for non-performance of duty, death will be infli&ed. 
 On thefe terms the finner cometh into the world, they 
 are good, righteous, holy, the foul accepts of them, and 
 
 knows 
 
36 Te/limony of the Law Ver. q. 
 
 knows not what it can defire better, or more equal. 
 This the apoftle infifts upon, Rom. vii. 12, 13. Where- 
 fore the law is holy , and the commandment holy, and 
 jujl and good. Was then that which is good made death 
 unto me ? God forbid; but fin , that it might appear fin , 
 working death in me , by that which is good; that fin by 
 the commandment might become exceeding finful. Wher'e- 
 ever the blame falls, the foul cannot but acquit the law, 
 and confefs that what it fays is righteous and incootroul- 
 ably equal, and it is meet things fiiould be fo. Now, 
 though the authority and credit of a witnefs may go very 
 far in a doubtful matter, when there is a concurrence 
 of more witneffes it ftrengthens the teftimony; but no- 
 thing is fo prevalent to beget belief, as when the things 
 themfelves that are fpoken are juft and good, not liable 
 to any reafonable exception. And fo it is in this cafe : 
 Unto the authority of the law, and concurrence of con- 
 fcience, this is alfo added, the realonablenefs and equi¬ 
 ty of the thing itfelf propofed, even in the judgment of 
 the finner, namely, that every fin fhall be puniCbed, 
 and every tranfgrefliou receive a meet recompence of 
 reward. 
 
 4. But yet farther. What the law fays, it fpeaks in 
 the name and authority of God ; what it fays then muff 
 be believed, or we make God a liar. It comes no, in its 
 own name, but in the name of him who appointed it: 
 You will then fay. Is it fo indeed * Is there no forgive- 
 nefs with God ? for this is the conftant voice of the 
 law, which, you fay, fpeaks in the name and authority 
 of God, and is therefore to be believed. I anfwer brief¬ 
 ly with the apoftle, What the law fpeaks , it fpeaks to 
 them that are under the law. It doth not fpeak to them 
 that are in Chrift, whom the law of the Spirit of life 
 hath fit free from the law of fin and death ; but to them 
 that are under the law it fpeaks, and it fpeaks the very 
 truth, and it fpeaks in the name of God, and its tefti¬ 
 mony is to be received. It fays there is no forgivenefs 
 in God, namely, to them that are under the law; and 
 they that (hall flatter themfelves with a contrary per- 
 
 fuafion. 
 
; Ver. 4. againfl Forgivenefs of Sin. 87 
 
 ; faafion, will find themfelves greatly miftaken at the 
 great day. 
 
 On thefe and the like confideratioas, I fay, there 
 feems to be a great deal of reafon, why a foul {hould 
 conclude, that it will be according to the teftimony of 
 the law, and that he {hall not find forgivenefs. Law and 
 
 |confcience clofe together, and infmuate themfelves into 
 the thoughts, mind, and judgment of a finner. They 
 (Lengthen the teftimony of one another and greatly 
 prevail. If any are otherwife minded, l leave them to 
 the trial : If ever God awaken their confciences to a 
 thorough performance of their duty, if ever he open 
 their fouls, and let in the light and power of the law up¬ 
 on them, they will find it no fmall work to grapple with 
 them. I am fure, that eventually they prevail fo far, 
 that, in the preaching of the gofpei, we have great 
 caufe to fay, Lord , who hath believed our report f We 
 come with our report of forgivenefs, but who believes 
 it? by whom is it received ? Neither doth the light, 
 nor confcience, nor converfation of the mod, allow us 
 to fuppofe it is embraced. 
 
 Thirdly , The ingrafted notions that are in the minds 
 of men, concerning the nature and juftice of God, ly 
 againft this difcovery alfo. There are in all men by 
 nature indelible chara&ers of the holinefs and purity of 
 God, of his juftice and hatred of fin, of his invariable 
 righteoufnefs in the government of the world, that they 
 can neither depofe nor lay afide. For notions of God, 
 whatever they are, will bear fway and rule in the heart 
 when things were put to the trial; they were in the 
 heathens of old, they abode with them in all their dark- 
 nefs, as might be rnanifefted by innumerable instances. 
 But fo it is in all men by nature : Their in ward thought 
 is, that God is an avenger of fin, that it belongs to his 
 rule and government of the world, his holinefs and righ¬ 
 teoufnefs, to take care that every fin be punilhed. This 
 is his judgment, which ail men know, as was obferved 
 before, Rom. i. 32. They know, that it is a righteous 
 thing with God to render tribulation untofinners. From 
 
 thence 
 
88 Falfe Prefumptions of Forgivenefs . Ver. 4. 
 
 thence is that dread and fear which furprifeth rnen at 
 an apprehenfion of the prefence of God, or of any 
 under him, above them, that may feem to come on his 
 errand. This notion, of God’s avenging ail fin, exerts 
 itfelf fecretly, but cffe&ually : So Adam trembled, and 
 hid himfelf; and it was the faying of old, I have feen 
 God , and /hall die. When men are under any dreadful 
 providence, thundrings, lightnings, tempefts, in dark- 
 nefs, they tremble, not fo much at what they fee, or 
 hear, or feel, as from their fecret thoughts that God is 
 nigh, and that he is a confuming fire. 
 
 Now thefe inbred notions ly univerfally againft all 
 apprehenfions of forgivenefs, which muft be brought 
 into the foul from without doors, having no principle of 
 nature to promote them. 
 
 It is true, men by nature have prefumptions, and 
 common ingrafted notions, of other properties of God, 
 befides his holinefs and jutlice, as of his goodnefs, be¬ 
 nignity, love of his creatures and the like ; but ail this 
 have this fuppofition inlaid with them in the fouls of 
 men, namely, that all things (land between God and 
 his creatures, as they did at their firfl creation ; and as 
 they have no natural notion of forgivenefs, fo the inter- 
 pofition of fin weaken' , diffurbs, darkens them, as to 
 any improvement of thofe apprehenfion^ of goodnefs 
 and benignity, which they have. If they have any no¬ 
 tion of forgivenefs, it is from fome corrupt tradition, 
 and not at all from any univerfal principle that is in- 
 bred in nature, fuch are thofe which they have of God’s 
 holinefs and vindictive juilice. 
 
 And this is the firft ground. From whence it ap¬ 
 pears, that a real, foiid diicovery of forgivenefs is in¬ 
 deed a great work, many difficulties and hindrances ly 
 in the way of its accompliffitnent. 
 
 Falfe prefumptions of forgivenefs difeovered.—Dif¬ 
 ferences between them, and faith evangelical. 
 
 .2 c . i ... . 
 
 Before I proceed to produce and ^manage the remain¬ 
 ing 
 
V cr. 4. Falfe Prefumptions of Forgivenefs. 80 
 
 big evidences of this truth, becaufe what hath been 
 fpoken lies obnoxious and open to an obje&ion, which 
 mud needs rife in the minds of many ; that it may not 
 thereby be rendered ufelefs unto them, 1 {hall remove 
 i it out of the way, that we may pafs on to what re- 
 1 mains. 
 
 It will then be faid. Doth not all this ly dire&Iy con¬ 
 trary to our daily experience ? Do ye not find all men 
 full enough, mod; too fuil of apprehenfions of forgive- 
 nefs with God ? What fo common as God is merciful ? 
 Are not the confciences and convi&ions of the moil 
 ftifled by this apprehenfion ? Can you find a man that is 
 otherwise minded ? Is it not a common complaint, that 
 men prefume on it, unto their eternal ruin ? Certainly 
 then, that which all men do, which man every can fo 
 eafilydo,and which you cannot keep men off from doing, 
 though it be to their hurt, hath no fuch difficulty in ic 
 as is pretended. And on this very account, hath this 
 weak endeavour to demonflrate this truth, been by 
 fome laughed to fcorn, men who have taken upon them 
 the teaching of others, but, as it feems, had need be 
 taught themfelves, the very firft principles of the oracles 
 of God. 
 
 Anfw . All this, then, 1 fay is fo, and much more to 
 this purpofe may be fpoken. The folly and prefump- 
 tion of poor fouls can never enough be lamented ; but 
 it is one thing to embrace a cloud a (hadow, another to 
 have the truth in reality. I (hall hereafter (hew the 
 true nature of forgivenefs, and wherein ic doth confffi, 
 whereby the vanity of this felf-deceiving will be difeo- 
 vered and laid open. It will appear in the iffue, that 
 notwithftanding all their pretenfions, that the mod 
 of men know nothing at all, or not any thing to the pur¬ 
 pofe, of that which is under confideration. I (hall there¬ 
 fore, for the prefent, in fome few obfervations, fhew 
 how far this delufion of many differs from a true gofpel 
 difeovery of forgivenefs, fuch as that we are enqniring 
 after. 
 
 Firft , The common notion of forgivenefs, that men 
 
 M 1 have 
 
5>o Falfe Preemptions of Forgivenefs. Ver, 4. 
 
 have in the world, is twofold, 1y?. An atheiftical pre- 
 fumption on God, that he is not fo jult and holy, or not 
 juft and holy in fuch a way and manner, as he is by 
 fome reprefented, is the ground of perfuafion or for- 
 givenefs. Men think that fome declarations of God are 
 fitted only to make them mad, that he takes little notice 
 of thefe things, and that what he doth, he will eafily 
 pafs by, as they fuppofe better becomes him Come, 
 Let us eat and drink for to-morrrw we (hail die , This 
 is their inward thoughts, The Lord will not do good, nor 
 will he do evil, which, fays the rfalmift, is mens think¬ 
 ing that God is fuch a one as themfelves , Pfal. li. 21. They 
 have no deep nor ferious thoughts of his greatnefs, ho- 
 linefs, purity, feverity, but think that he is like them¬ 
 felves, fo far as not to be much moved with what they 
 do. What thoughts they have of fin, the fame they 
 think God hath. If with them a flight ejaculation be 
 enough to expiate fin, that their confidences be no more 
 troubled, they think it is enough with God, that it be 
 not punifhed. The generality of men make light work 
 of fin; and yet in nothing doth it more appear what 
 thoughts they have of God: He that hath flight 
 thoughts of fin, had never great thoughts of God. In¬ 
 deed mens undervaluing of fin arifeth merely from their 
 contempt of God. All fin’s concernments flow from its 
 relation unto God; and, as men’s apprehenfions are of 
 God, fo will they be of fin, which is an oppofition to 
 him. This is the frame of the moft of men, they know 
 little of God, and are little troubled about any thing 
 that relates unto him. God is not reverenced, fin is but 
 a trifle, forgivenefs a matter of nothing, who fo will, 
 may have it for afking. But fhall this atheiftical wick- 
 ednefs of the heart of man be called a difeovery of for¬ 
 givenefs ? Is not this to make God an idol ? ffe who is 
 not acquainted with God’s holinefs -and purity, who 
 knows not fins defert and finfulnels, knows nothing of 
 forgivenefs. 
 
 idly , From the doftrine of the gofpel commonly 
 preached and made known, there is a general notion be¬ 
 gotten 
 
Ver, 4, Falfe Prefumptisns of Forgivenefs. 91 
 
 gotten in the minds of men, that God is ready to for¬ 
 give. Men, I fay, from hence have a do&rinal appre- 
 henfion of this truth, without any real fatisfattory foun¬ 
 dation of that apprehenfion as to themfelves. This they 
 have heard, this they have been often told, fo they 
 think, and fo they refolved to do. A general perfuafi- 
 on hereof, fpreads itfelf over all to whom the found of 
 the gofpel doth come. It is not fiducialiy refolVed into 
 the gofpel, but is an opinion growing out of the report 
 of it. 
 
 Some relief men find by it,in the duties of worlhip which 
 they do perform, as alfo in their troubles and diftrefles, 
 whether internal and of confcience, or external and of 
 providence, fo that they refolve to retain it. 
 
 And this is that which 1 fhall briefly fpeak unto, and 
 therein manifeft the differences between this common 
 prevailing apprehenfion of forgivenefs, and faith’s dif- 
 covery of it to the foul in its power. 
 
 Fir ft, That which we rejeft is loofe and general, not 
 fixed, ingrafted or planted in the mind. So is it always, 
 where the minds 4 of men receive things only in their notion 
 not in their power. It wants fixednnfs and foundation, 
 which def ers accompany all notions of the mind that are 
 only retained in the memory, not implanted in the 
 judgment. They have general thoughts of it, which 
 they ufe as occafion ferves. They hear that God is a 
 merciful God, and as (uch they intend to deal with him. 
 For the true bottom, rife, and foundation of it, whence 
 or on what account, the pure and holy God, who will 
 do no iniquity, the righteous God, whofe judgment it is, 
 that they that commit fin are worthy of death, fliould 
 yet pardon iniquity, tranfgreffion and fin, they weigh 
 it not, they confide^ it not, or if they do, it is in a flight 
 and notional way, as they confider the thing itfelf. They 
 take it for granted that fo it is, and are never put feri- 
 oufly upon the inquiry, how it comes to be fo ; and that 
 becaufe indeed they have no real concernment in it. How \ 
 many thoufands may we meet withal, who take it for 
 granted, that forgivenefs is to be had with Gpd, that | 
 
 M 2 never 
 
92 Falfe Pre/umptions of Forgivenefs . Ver. 4. 
 
 never yet had any ferious exercife in their fouls about 
 the grounds of it, and its confiftency with his holinefs 
 and juftice. But thofe that know it by faith, have a 
 fenfe of it fixed particularly and diftin&ly on their minds. 
 They have been put upon an enquiry into the rife and 
 grounds of it in Chrifl, fo that, on a good unqueftion- 
 able foundation, they can go to God, and fay, There is 
 forgivenefs with thee. They fee how, and by what 
 means, more glory comes unto God by forgivenefs, than 
 by punilhing fin; which is a matter that the other fort 
 of men are not at all follicitous about. If they may e- 
 fcape punifhment, whether God have any glory or no, 
 for the moft part they are indifferent. 
 
 Secondly , The firfl apprehenfion arifeth without any 
 trial upon enquiry in the confciences of them in whom 
 it is. They have not, by the power of their convi&ions, 
 and diftreffes of confidence, been put to make enquiry 
 whether this thing be fo or no. It is not a perfuafion 
 that they have not arrived unto, in a way of feeking 
 fatisfa&ion to their own fouls; it is not the refult of 
 a deep enquiry after peace and reft; it is not antece¬ 
 dent unto trial and experience, and fo is not faith but 
 opinion. For-although faith be not experience, yet it 
 is infeparable from it, as is every practical habit. Dif¬ 
 treffes in their confciences have been prevented by this 
 opinion, not removed. The reafon why the molt part 
 of men are not troubled about their fins to any purpofe, 
 is from a perfuafion that God is merciful and will par¬ 
 don ; when indeed none can really, on a gofpel-account, 
 ordinarily, have that perfuafion, but thofe who have 
 been troubled for fin, and that to no purpofe. So it is 
 with them that make this difcovery by faith: They 
 have had conflicts in their own fpirits, and being de¬ 
 prived of peace, have accomplifhed a diligent fearch, 
 whether forgivenefs were to be obtained or no. The 
 perfuafion they have of it, be it more or lefs, is the if- 
 fue pf a trial they have had in their fouls, of an enqui¬ 
 ry how things flood between God and them, as to peace 
 and acceptation of their perlons. This is a vaft differ¬ 
 ence ; 
 
• Ver. 4. Falfe Prefumpt'tons of Forgivenefs . 93 
 
 rence ; the one fort might pofiibly have had trouble 
 in their confciences about fin, had it not been for their 
 opinion of forgivenefs, this hath prevented or ftifled 
 their convi&ions, not healed their wounds, which is the 
 
 I work of the gofpel, but kept them from being wound¬ 
 ed, which is the work of fecurity ; yea, here lies the 
 ruin of the moft of them who perilh under the preaching 
 of the gofpel. They have received the general notion 
 of pardon, it floats on their minds, and prefents itfelf to 
 their relief, on all occafions. Doth God at any time, 
 in the difpenfation of the word, under an affliction, up¬ 
 on fome great fin againft their ruling light, begin to deal 
 with their confciences ? before their conviction can ri¬ 
 pen, or come to any perfection, before it draw nigh to 
 its perfect work, they choak it, and heal their confci¬ 
 ences with this notion of pardon. Many a man between 
 the affembly and his dwellinghoufe is thus cured. You 
 may fee them go away Ihaking their heads, and ftriking 
 on their breafts, and before they come home, be as 
 whole as ever. Well, God is merciful, there is par¬ 
 don, have wrought their cure. The other fort have 
 obtained their perfuafion as a refult of the difcovery of 
 Chrift in the gofpel, upon a full conviction. Trials they 
 have had, and this is the iflue. 
 
 Thirdly , The one, which we rejeCt, worketh no love 
 to God, no delight in him, no reverence of him, but 
 rather a contempt and commonnefs of fpirit in dealing 
 with him. There are none in the world that deal worfe 
 with God, than thofe who have an ungrounded perfua¬ 
 fion of forgivenefs; and if they do fear him, or love 
 him, or obey him in any thing more or lefs, it is on o- 
 ther motives and conflderations, which will not render 
 any thing they do acceptable, and not at all on this. As 
 he is good to the creation, they may love; as he is 
 great and powerful, they may fear him; but fenfe of 
 pardon, as to any fuch ends or purpofes, hath no power 
 upon them. Carnal boldnefs, formality, and delpifing 
 of God, are the common iflues of fuch a notion and per¬ 
 fuafion. Indeed this is the generation of great finners in 
 
 the 
 
94 Falfe Preemptions of Forgivenefs, Ver. 4. 
 
 the world, men who have a genera! apprehenfion, but 
 not a fenfe of the fpecial power of pardon, openly, or 
 fecretly, in flefhly or fpiritual fins, are the great finners 
 among men. Where faith makes a difcovery of for¬ 
 givenefs, all things are otherwife : Great love, fear, 
 and reverence of God, are its attendants. Mary Mag¬ 
 dalen loved much, becaufe much was forgiven. Great 
 love will fpring out of great forgivenefs. There is for¬ 
 givenefs with thee , faith the pfalmift, that thou mayft be 
 feared. No unbeliever doth truly and experimentally 
 know the truth of this inference But fo it is, when 
 men fear the Lord and his goodnefs , Hof. iii. 5. I fay 
 then, where pardoning mercy is truly apprehended, 
 where faith makes a difcovery of it to the foul, it is en¬ 
 deared unto God, and poffeiTed of the great fprings of 
 love, delight, fear, and reference, Pfal. cxvi. 1. 5, 
 6, 7. 
 
 Fourthly , This notional apprehenfion of the pardon 
 of fin, begets no ferious thorough hatred and deteftati- 
 on of fin, nor is prevalent to a relinquifhment of it j nay, 
 it rather fecretly infinuates into the foul encouragements 
 unto a continuance in it. It is the nature of it to lefTen 
 and extenuate fin, and to fupport the foul againlt its 
 convi&ions. So Jude tells us, that fome turn the grace 
 of God into lafcivoufnefs , ver. 4. and, fays he, they are 
 ungodly men; let them profefs what they will, they are 
 ungodl) men : But how can they turn the grace of our 
 God into lafcivoufnefs ? Is grace capable of fuch a coa- 
 verfion into lull or fin ? Will what was once grace, ever 
 become wantcmnefs ? it is objective, not fubjeclive 
 grace, the do&rine not the real fubftance of grace, that 
 is intended. The doctrine of forgivenefs, is this grace 
 of God, which may be thus abufed. From hence do 
 men, who have only a general notion of it, habitually 
 draw lecret encouragements to fin and folly. Paul alfo 
 lets us know, that carnal men coming to a do&rinal ac¬ 
 quaintance with gofpel-grace, are very apt to make 
 fuch conclufions, Rom. vi. 1. And it will appear at the 
 lafl day, how unfpeakably this glorious grace hath been 
 
 perverted 
 
Vcr. 4. Falfe Prefumptions of Forgiven e/s. 95 
 
 perverted in the world. It would be well for many if 
 they had never heard the name of forgivenefs. Ir. is 
 otherwife where this revelation is received indeed in the 
 foul by believing, Rom. vi. 14. Our being under grace, 
 under the power of the belief of forgivenefs, is our great 
 p jfervative from our being under the power of lin. 
 Faith of forgivenefs is the principle of gofpel-obedi- 
 ence. Tit.ii. u, 12. 
 
 Fifthly , The general notion of forgivenefs brings 
 with it no fweetnels, no reft to the foul. Flaflies of joy 
 it may, abiding reft it doth not. The truth of the doc¬ 
 trine fluctuates to and fro in the minds of thofe that have 
 it, but their wills and affe&ions have no folid delight 
 nor reft by it. Hence,notwithftanding all that profeflion 
 that is made in the world of forgivenefs, the moft of men 
 ultimately refolve their peace and comfort unto them- 
 • felves. As their apprebenftons are of their own doing, 
 good or evil, according to their ruling light whatever it 
 be, fo as to peace and reft, are they fecretly cofled up 
 and down. Every one in his feveral way pleafeth him 
 felf with what he doth, in anfwer unto his own convic¬ 
 tions, and is difquieted as to his ftate and condition, ac¬ 
 cording as he feems to himfelf to come ftiort thereof. 
 To make a full life of cementation upon pardon, they 
 know not how to do it. One duty yields them more 
 true repoff than many thoughts of forgivenefs. But 
 faith finds fweetnefs and reft in it; being thereby ap¬ 
 prehended, it is the only harbour of the foul ; It leads 
 man to God as good, to Chrift as reft. Fading, evanid 
 joys, do oft-times attend the one; but (olid delight, 
 with couftant obedience are the fruits only of the o- 
 ther. 
 
 Sixthly , Thofe who have the former only, take up 
 their perfuafion on falfe grounds, though the thing itfelf 
 be true, and they cannot but ufe it unto falfe ends and 
 purpofes, befides its natural and genuine tendency. For 
 their grounds, they will be difeovered when I come to 
 treat of the true nature of gofpel-forgivenefs: For the 
 end, it is generally ufed to fill up what is wanting. Self- 
 
 righteoufnefe 
 
9 6 Forgivenefs as it relates Ver. 4. 
 
 righteoufnefs is their bottom, and when that is too Ihort, 
 or narrow to cover them they piece it out by forgivenefs. 
 Where confcience accufes, this mull fupply the defeft. 
 
 ' -Faith lays it on its proper foundation,of which afterwards 
 alfo, and it ufeth it to its proper end, namely, to be the 
 foie and only ground of our acceptation with God That is 
 the proper ufe of forgivenefs, that all may be of grace 
 for when the foundation is pardon, the whole fuper- 
 ftrufture mull needs be grace. From what hath been 
 fpoken, it is evident, that notwithftanding the pre-; 
 tences to the contrary, infinuated in the objeftion now 
 removed* it is a great thing to have gofpebforgivenels 
 difcovered unto a foul in a laving manner. 
 
 The true nature of gofpel-forgivenefs.—Its relation 
 to the goodnefs, grace, and will of God :—To 
 the blood of Chrilt —To the promife of the 
 
 gofpel.—The confiderations of faith about it. 
 
 The difficulties that Iy in the way of faith’s difcove- 
 ry of forgivenefs, whence it appears to be a matter of 
 greater weight and importance than it is commonly ap¬ 
 prehended to be, have been infilled on in the foregoing 
 difcourfe. There is yet remaining another ground of 
 the fame truth % now, this is taken from the nature and 
 greatnefs of the thing itfelf difcovered, that is, of for¬ 
 givenefs. To this end, I (hall fhew what it is, wherein 
 it doth confilt, what it comprizes and relates unto, ac¬ 
 cording to the importance of the fecond propofition be¬ 
 fore laid down. 
 
 I do not, in this place, take forgivenefs llriftly and 
 precifely for the aft of pardoning ; nor (hall I difpute 
 what that is, and wherein it doth confilt. Conlciences 
 that come with fin-intanglements unto God, know no¬ 
 thing of fuch difputes. Nor will this expreffion, There 
 is forgivenefs with God , bear any fuch rellriftion, as 
 thai it ffiould regard only aftual condonation or pardon. 
 That which I have to do, is to enquire into the nature of 
 that pardon, which poor, convinced, troubled fouls feek 
 
 after, 
 
Ver. 4. to the Nature of God, 97 
 
 after, and which the fcripture propofeth to them for 
 their relief and reft. And 1 (hall not handle this abfo- 
 lutely neither, but in relation to the truth under confi- 
 
 1 deration, namely. That it ts a great thing to attain un¬ 
 to a true gofpei-difcovery of forgivenefs. 
 
 First, As was (hewed in the opening of the word?, 
 the forgivenefs enquired afcer, hath relation unto .he 
 
 ( gracious heart of the Father. Two things I underftand 
 hereby, 
 
 1.The infinite goodnefs and gracioufnefs of his nature. 
 2. The fovereign purpofe of his will and grace. 
 There is confiderable in it, the infinite goodnefs of 
 his nature. Sin (lands in a contrariety unto God, it is a 
 rebellion againft his fovereignty, an oppofition to his 
 hclinels, a provocation to his juftice, a rejection of his 
 yoke, a ending o(F, what lies in the (inner, of that de¬ 
 pendence which a creature hath on its Creator. That 
 God fhould then have pity and compaflion on finners, in 
 every one of whofe fins there is all this evil, and incon¬ 
 ceivably more than we can comprehend, it argues an 
 infinitely gracious, good, and loving heart and nature 
 in him. For God doth nothing, but fuitably to the 
 properties of his nature, and from them, all the a£b of 
 his will are the effefh of his nature. 
 
 Now, whatever God propofeth as an encouragement 
 for finners to come to him, that is of, or hath a fpecial 
 influence into, the forgivenefs that is with him; For 
 nothing can encourage a finner, as fuch, but under this 
 confideration, that it is, or it refpe&s forgivenefs. That 
 this gracioufnefs of God’s nature lies at the head or 
 fpring, and is the root from whence forgivenefs doth 
 grow, is manifeft from that folemn proclamation which 
 he made of old of his name, and the revelation of his 
 nature therein, for God afifuredly is, what by himfelf 
 he is called, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. 'The Lord, the Lord 
 Gcd, merciful and gracious, long-fvffering , and abun¬ 
 dant in goodnefs and truth , keeping mercy for thoufands , 
 forgiving iniquity , tranfgrejfion and fin. His forgiving of 
 iniquity flows from hence, that, in his nature, he is 
 
 N merciful, 
 
98 Forgivenefs as it relates Ver. 4* 
 
 merciful, gracious, long«fuflering, abundant in goodnefs* 
 Were he not fo, infinite in all thefe, it were vain to look 
 for forgivenefs from him. Having made this known to 
 be his name, and thereby declared his nature, he,in many 
 places, propofeth it as a relief, a refuge for finners, an 
 encouragement to come unto him, and to wait for mercy 
 from him, Pfal. ix. to. They that know thy name , will pul 
 their trufl in thee. It will encourage them fo to do ; o- 
 thers have no foundation for their confidence. But, if this 
 name of God be indeed made known unto us by the Holy 
 Ghoft, what can hinder why we fhould not repair unto 
 him, and reft upon him? JSo Ifa. 1 . to. Who is among 
 you, that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his 
 fervanty that walketh in darknefs y and hath no light , let 
 him trufl in the name of the Lordy andflay upon his God. 
 Nor only finners, but finners in great diftrefs, are here 
 fpoken unto, Darknefs of ftate or condition, in the 
 feripture, denotes every thing of difcorrfolation and trou¬ 
 ble. To be then in darknefs, where yet there is fome 
 light, fome relief, though darknefs be predominant, is 
 fad and difeonfolate ; but now, not only to be, but alfo 
 to walk, that is, to continue a courfe in darknefs, and 
 that with no light, no difeovery of help or relief; this 
 feems an overwhelming condition, yet finners, in this 
 eftate, are called to trufl in . the name of the Lord . I 
 have fhewed before, that nothing bm forgivenefs, or 
 that which infiuenceth it, and enconratjeth to an expec¬ 
 tation of it, is of any ule unto a tinner, much more on© 
 in fo great diftrefs upon the account of fin; yet is fuch 
 an one here lent only to the name of the Lord, wherein 
 his gracious heart and nature is revealed. That then 
 the very fountain and fpring of forgivenefs : And this is 
 that which John would work a fenfe of upon our fouls, 
 where he tells us, that God is lcve y i Epift. chap. iv. 8. 
 or one of an infinitely gracious, tender, good, compaf- 
 fionate, loving nature. Infinite goodnefs and grace is 
 the foul wherein forgivenefs grows. It is impofiible this 
 flower ftiould fpring from any other root. Unlefs this be 
 revealed to the foul, forgivenefs is not revealed. To 
 confider pardon merely as it is terminated in ourfelves, 
 
 not 
 
Ver. 4. to the Nature of God. 99 
 
 not as it flows from God, will bring neither profit to us, 
 nor glory to God. 
 
 And this alfo, which is our delign in hand, will make 
 it appear, that this difcovery of forgivenefs, whereof 
 we fpeak, is indeed no common thing, is a great difco¬ 
 very. Let men come, with a fenfe of the guilt of fin, to 
 have deep and lerious thoughts of God, they will find it 
 no fuch eafy and light matter, to have their hearts tru¬ 
 ly and thoroughly apprehenfive of this loving and graci¬ 
 ous nature ol God, iu reference unto pardon. It is an 
 eafy matter to fay fo in common, but the foul will not 
 find it fo eafy to believe it for itfelf. What hath been 
 fpoken before concerning the ingrafted notions that are 
 in the minds of men about the juftice, holinefs, and fe- 
 verity of God, will here take place. Though men pro- 
 fefs that God is gracious, yet that averfation which they 
 have unto him,‘and communion with him, doth abundant¬ 
 ly manifeft that they do not believe what they fay and 
 profefs. If they did, they could but delight and trufl: in 
 him, which they do not; for they that know his name , 
 will put their trufl in him. So faid the flothful fervant 
 in the gofpel, I knew that thou waft auftere, and not 
 for me to deal withal; it may be he profefled otherwife 
 before, but that lay in his heart when it came to the 
 trial. But this, I fay, is necefiary to them, unto whom 
 this difcovery is to be made, even a fpiritual apprehen- 
 fion of the gracious, loving heart and nature of God. 
 This is the fpring of all that follows, and the fountain 
 muff needs be infinitely fweet from whence filch ftreams 
 do flow. He that confiders the glorious fabrick of hea¬ 
 ven and earth, with the things in them contained, muft 
 needs conclude that they were the produff: of infinite 
 wifdom and power; nothing lefs or under them could 
 have brought forth fuch an effefh And he that really 
 confidereth forgivenefs, and looks on it with a fpiritual 
 eye, muft conclude that it comes from infinite goodnefs 
 and grace. And this is that which the hearts of fianers 
 are exercifed about, when they come to deal for pardon, 
 Pfal. lxxxvi. 5. Thou, Lord, art good and ready to for - 
 
 IS! 2 give, 
 
loo Forgivenefs as it relates Ver» 4. 
 
 give. Neb. ix, 17. 'Thou art a God ready to pardon, gra¬ 
 cious and merciful , flow to anger, and of great kindnefs. 
 And Micah vii. 19. Who is a God like unto thee that 
 pardoneth iniquity ;—becaafe he delighteth in mercy. And 
 God encourageth them hereunto, wherever he fays, 
 t':n: he forgives fins, and blots out iniquities, for his 
 o n fake, or hi'- name’s fake ; that is. he will deal with 
 iinners according to the goodnefs of his own gracious 
 na ure. So Hof. xi 9 I will not execute the fiercenefs- 
 of mine anger, / will not return to defiroy Ephraim . for l 
 am God , and not man Were there no more mercy, 
 gr -c-e, companion, to be fhewed in this cafe, than it is 
 poflible fhould he treafured in the heart of a man, it 
 ■would be impodible that Ephraim fhould be fpared; 
 bur, faith he, I am God, and not man ; confider the in¬ 
 finite largenefs, bounty, and goodnefs of the heart of 
 God, and there is yet hope. When a firmer is in good 
 earned feeking after forgivenefs, there is nothing he is 
 mote follicitous about than the heart of God towards 
 him, nothing that he more labours to have a difcovery 
 of, there is nothing that fin and Satan labour more to 
 hide from him ; this he rolls in his mind, and exercifes 
 his thoughts about, and if ever that voice of God, lfa. 
 xxvii 4. Fury is not in me , found in his heart, he is re¬ 
 lieved from his great didreffes. And the fear of our 
 hearts in this matter, our Saviour feems to intend the 
 prevention, or a removal of, John xvi. 26, 27. I fay 
 not that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father 
 hhnfelf loveth you. They had good thoughts of the ren¬ 
 der heart and care of Chrid himfelf, the Mediator, 
 towards them ; but what is the heart of the Father, 
 what acceptance fhail they find with him ? Will Chrid 
 pray that they may find favour with him ? Why, faith 
 he, as to the love of his heart, there is no need of it, 
 for the Father himjelf loveth you. If this then belongeth 
 to forgivenefs, as who ever hath fought for it, know- 
 eth that it doth, it is certainly no common difcovery to 
 have it revealed unto us. 
 
 To nave all the clouds and darknefs that are raifed 
 
 by 
 
IOI 
 
 Ver. 4. to the free Afls of God’s Will. 
 
 by fin, between us and the throne cf God, difpelied > 
 to have the fire and dorms, the temped that are kind- 
 ' led and ltirred up about him by the law removed; to 
 have his glorious face unvailed, and his holy heart laid 
 
 I open, and a view given of thole infinite treafures and 
 flores of goodnefs, mercy, love, and kindnefs, which 
 have had an unchangeable habitation therein from all 
 
 I eternity ; to have a difcovery of thefe eternal fprings of 
 forbearance and forgivenefs, is that which none but 
 Chrift can accomplilh and bring about, John xvii. 6. 
 
 Secondly, This is not all. This eternal ocean, 
 that is infinitely fatisfied with its own fulnefs and per¬ 
 fection, doth not naturally yield forth dreams for our 
 refrefhment. Mercy and pardon do not come forth frofa 
 God, as light doth from the fun, or water from the fea, 
 by a neceffary coufequerice of their natures, whether 
 they will or no. It doth not necelfarily follow, that any 
 one mu(f be made partaker of forgivenefs, becaufe God 
 is infinitely gracious: For, may not he do what he will 
 with his own P Who hath given firfl unto him , that it 
 fhould be recompenfed unto him again ? Rom. xi. 35. All 
 the iruits of God’s goodnefs, and grace, are in the foie 
 keeping of his own fovereign will and pleafure. This 
 is his great glory, Exod. xxxiii. 18, 19. Shew me thy 
 glory, faith Mofes. And he [aid, 1 will make all my 
 goodnefs pafs before thee y and / will proclaim the name of 
 the Lord before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I 
 will begraciou{. Upon that proclamation of the name 
 of God, that he is merciful, gracious, long-differing, 
 abundant in goodnefs, fomc might conclude that it 
 could not be otherwife with any but well; he is fuch a 
 one, that men need Icarce be beholden to him for mer¬ 
 cy ; nay, faith he, but this is my great glory, that I 
 will be gracious to whom l will be gracious. There mud: 
 be an interpofition of a free aft of the will of God, to 
 deal with us according to his abundant goodnefs, or we 
 can have r.o intereft therein. This 1 call the purpofe of 
 his grace, or the good pleafure that he hath purpojed in 
 
 himfelf. 
 
102 Forgivenefs as it relates Ver. 4. 
 
 himjelfy Eph. i. 9. or as it is termed, ver: y, 6 . The good 
 pleafure of bis willy that he hath purpofed y to the praife of 
 his glorious grace. This free and gracious pleafure of 
 God, or purpofe of his will, to act towards linners ac¬ 
 cording to his own abundant goodnefs, is another thing 
 that influences the forgivenefs of which we treat. Par¬ 
 don flows immediately from a fovereign a«ft of free grace. 
 This free purpofe of God’s will and grace, for the par¬ 
 doning of finners, is indeed that which is principally in¬ 
 tended, when we fay, There is forgivenefs with him. 
 That is, he is pleafed to forgive ; and fo to do is agree¬ 
 able unto his nature. Now, the myftery of this grace 
 is deep, it is eternal, and therefore incotnprehenfible. 
 Few there are whole hearts are raifed to a contempla¬ 
 tion of it. Men reft and content thcmfelves in a general 
 notion of mercy, which will nor be advantageous to 
 their fouls; freed they would be from punifhment, but 
 what it is to be forgiven they enquire not. So what they 
 know of it they come eafily by, but will find in the iflue, 
 it will ftand them in little ftead. But thefe fountains of 
 God’s acfings are revealed, that they may be the foun¬ 
 tains of our comforts. 
 
 Now, of this purpofe of God’s grace, there are fe- 
 veral a&s, all of them relating unto gofpel-forgivenefs. 
 
 Tirjl , There is his purpofe of fending his Son to be 
 the great means of procuring, of purchafin forgivenefs. 
 Though God be infinitely and incornprehenfibly graci¬ 
 ous, though he purpofe to exert his grace and goodnefs 
 towards Honors, yet he will fo do it, do it in fuch a way, 
 as fhall not be prejudicial to his own holinefs and righte- 
 oufnefs. His juftice muft be fatisfied, and us holy in¬ 
 dignation agaioft fin made known ; wherefore he pur- 
 pofeth to fend his Son, and hath fent him, to make way 
 for the exercife of mercy, fo as no way to eclipfe the 
 glory of his juftice, , holinefs, and hatred of fin. Better 
 we fhould eternally come ftiort of forgivenefs, than 
 that God fhould lofe any thing of his glory.- This we 
 have, Rom. iii 25. God fet him forth to be a propitiation 
 through faith in his bloody to declare his righteoufnefs for 
 
Ver. 4. to the free Afts of God's Will. 103 
 
 the remijfion of fins that are pajl. The remiflion of fins 
 is the thing aimed at, but this mud be fo brought about, 
 as that therein not only the mercy, but the nghteouf- 
 nefs of God may be declared ; and therefore mull it be 
 brought forth by a propitiation, or making of an atone¬ 
 ment in the blood of Chrift. So John iii. 16. 1 John 
 iv. 9. Rom. v. 8. This, I fay, alfo lies in the myftery of 
 that forgivenefs that is adminiftered in the gofpel; it 
 comes from this eternal purpofe of making way, by t he 
 blood of Chrift to the difpenfation of pardon : And this 
 greatly heightens the excellency of this difcovery. Men 
 ; who have flight thoughts of God, whofe hearts were ne¬ 
 ver awed with his dread or greatnefs, who never ferioufiy 
 confidered his purity and holinefs, may think it no great 
 matter that God fliould pardon fin ; but do they confide/- 
 the way whereby it is to be brought about, even by lend¬ 
 ing of his only Son, and that to die, as we (hall fee after¬ 
 wards ? Neither was there any other way whereby it 
 might be done. Let us now lay afide common thoughts, 
 afient upon reports and tradition, and rightly weigh this 
 matter; doubtlefs we (hall find it to be a great thing, 
 that forgivenefs fliould be fo with God, as to be made 
 out unto us (we know fomewhat what we are) by fend¬ 
 ing his only Son to die. Oh ! how little is this really 
 believed, even by them who make a profeffion of it ? 
 and what mean thoughts are entertained about it, when 
 men feek for pardon ? Immunity from punifhment is the 
 utrocft that lies in the aims and dcfires'of moft, and is 
 all that they are exercifed in the confideration of, when 
 they deal with God about fin. Such men think, and 
 will do fo, that we have an eafy task in hand, namely, 
 
 to prove that there is forgivenefs in God ; but this cafe 
 lies in their own ignorance and darknefs. If ever they 
 come to fearch after it, indeed, to enquire into the na¬ 
 ture, reafon, caufes, fountain and fprings of it, they 
 will be able to give another account of thefe things. 
 Chrift is the centre of the myftery of the gofpel, and 
 forgivenefs is laid up in the heart of Chrift, from the 
 love of the Father; in him are all the treafures of it 
 
 hid: 
 
104 Forgivenefs as it relates Ver. 4. 
 
 hid : And furely it is no fmall thing to have the heart 
 of Chrift revealed unto us. When believers deal about 
 pardon, their faith exercifes itfelf about this, that God, 
 with whom the foul hath to do, hath fent the Lord 
 Chrift to die, for this end, that it may be freely given 
 out. General notions of impunity they dwell not on, 
 they pafs not for; they have a clofer converfe with 
 God, than to be fatisfied with fuch thoughts. They en¬ 
 quire into the gracioufnefs of his nature, and the good 
 pleafure of his will, the purpofe of his grace; they 
 ponder and look into the myflery of his wifdom and 
 love in fending his Son. If thefe fprings be not clear 
 unto them, the dreams will yield them but little refrefh- 
 ment. It is not enough that we feek after falvation, but 
 we are to enquire, and fearch diligently, into the nature 
 and manner of it. Thefe are the things that the angels 
 defire to bow down and look into , 1 Pet. i. 11, 12, 13. 
 And fome think, if they have got a form of words a- 
 bout them, they have gotten a fufficient comprehenfion 
 of them. It is, doubtlefs, one reafon why many, who 
 truly believe, do yet fo fluctuate about forgivenefs all 
 their days, that they never exercifed faith to look into 
 the fprings of it, its eternal fountains; but have mere¬ 
 ly dwelt on aftual condonation. However, 1 fay, thefe 
 things ly utterly out of the confideration of the com¬ 
 mon pretenders to an acquaintance with the truth we 
 have in hand. 
 
 Secondly , There is another fovereign aft of God’s 
 will to be confidered in this matter, and that is, his e- 
 ternal defignation of the perfons w'ho fhall be made par¬ 
 takers of this mercy. He hath not left this thing to ha¬ 
 zard and uncertainties, that it ftiould, as it were, be 
 unknown to him who Ihould be pardoned, and who not. 
 Nay, none ever are made partakers of forgivenefs, 
 but thofe whom he hath eternally and gracioufly defign- 
 ed thereunto. So the apoftle declares it, Eph. i. 5, 6, 
 7. the rife, is his eternal predeftination ; the end, the 
 glory of his grace ; the means, redemption in the blood 
 of Chrift ; the thing itfelf, forgivenefs of fins. None 
 
 ever 
 
Ver. 4. to the Free Acts of God's Will. 105 
 
 | ever are or can be made partakers thereof, but by vir¬ 
 tue of this act of God’s will and grace ; which thereup¬ 
 on hath a peculiar influence into it, and is to be refpec- 
 ! ted in the confederation of it* I know this may be abuf- 
 ed by pride, profanenefs and unbelief, and fo may the 
 whole work of God’s grace ; and fo it is, even the blood 
 of Chrifl:, in an efpecial manner ; but, in its proper 
 place and life, it hath a figijal influence into the glory 
 of God, and the confoiation of the fouls of men. 
 
 There are alfo other acts of this purpofe of God’s 
 giace, as of giving finners unto Chrifl, and giving fm- 
 ners an imerqft in Chrifl, which 1 fhall not infill upon, 
 becaufe the nature of them is fufficiently difeovered in 
 that one, explained already. 
 
 Thirdly, Forgivenefs hath refpeft unto the pro¬ 
 pitiation made in and by the blood of Chrifl the Son 
 of God : This was declared in the opening of the 
 words. Indeed here lies the knot and centre of gofpei- 
 forgivenefs; it flows from the crofs, and (prings cut of 
 the grave of Chrifl. 
 
 Thus Elihu deferibes ir, Job xxxiii. 24. God is graci¬ 
 ous unto him , and Jaith , deliver him from going down to 
 the pit , I have found a ranfom. The whole of what is 
 aimed ar, lies in thefe words 1. There is God’s gra¬ 
 cious and merciful heart towards a (inner ; He is graci¬ 
 ous unto him. 2. I here is actual condonation itfeif, of 
 which we fhall treat afterwards; He faith , deliver him 
 from going down to the pit. And, 3. There is the cen¬ 
 tre of the whole, wherein God’s gracious heart and ac¬ 
 tual pardon do meet, and.that is the ranfom, the propi¬ 
 tiation or atonement, that is the blood of Chrifl, of 
 which we fpeak, I have found a ranfom. 
 
 The fame is exprefied, Ifa. liii. 11. My righteous fer- 
 vant fhall jujlify many, for he fhall bear their iniquities. 
 Of the justification of finners, abfplution or pardon is 
 the firfl part: This arifeth from Chrifi’s bearing their 
 iniquities. Therein he fnijhed tranfgreffion , made an end 
 ; of Jin, and made reconciliation for iniquity , Dan. ix. 24. 
 
 O Even 
 
20 6 Forgivenefs as it hath Ver. 4. 
 
 Even all the facrifices, and fo confequ*ntly the whole 
 worlhip of the Old-Teftament, evinced this relation be¬ 
 tween forgivenefs and blood-fhedding ; whence the a- 
 poftle concludes, that without /bedding of blood there is 
 no remiffion, Heb. ix. 22. that is, all pardon arifeth from 
 blood-lhcdding, even of the blood of the Son of God. 
 So that we are faid to have redemption , even the forgive¬ 
 nefs of /ins, Eph. i. 17. Our redemption in his blood is 
 our forgivenefs, not that we are all a&nally pardoned 
 in the blood of his crofs,, for thereunto mult be added 
 gofpel-condonation, of which afterwards; but thereby it 
 is procured, the grant of pardon is therein fealed, and 
 fecurity given, that it {hall in due time be made unto 
 us. To which purpofe is that difcourfe of the apoftle, 
 Rom. iii. 24, 25, 26. The work there mentioned, pro¬ 
 ceeds from grace, is managed to the intereft of righte- 
 oufnefs, is carried on by the blood of Chrift and iffues in 
 forgivenefs Now the blood of Chrift relates varioufly to 
 the pardon of fin. 
 
 Firfl, Pardon is purchafed and procured by it. Our 
 redemption is our forgivenefs ; as the caufe contains 
 the effect. No foul is pardoned but with refpeft unto, 
 the blood of Chrift, as the procuring caufe of that par¬ 
 don. Hence he is faid to have wafhed us in his blood. 
 Rev i. 5. Inhimfelf, to have purged our fins , Heb. i. 3. 
 by one offering to have taken away ftn , and for ever to 
 have perfected them that are fanciified, Heb x. to be the 
 ranforn and propitiation of our fins, 1 John ii. 2. to have 
 made an end of fin, Dan. ix. 24. and to have made recon¬ 
 ciliation for the fins of his people, Heb. ii. 17. God hath 
 enclofed his rich ftores of pardon and mercy in the 
 blood of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Secondly , Becaufe in his blood the promife of pardon 
 is ratified and confirmed, fo that nothing is wanting to 
 our compleat forgivenefs, but our pleading the promife 
 by faith in him, 2 Cor. i. 20. All the promifes of God are 
 in him Tea, and in him Amen; that is, faithfully, and 
 irrecoverably, and immutably eftabliflied. And there¬ 
 fore the apoftle having told us, that this is the covenant 
 
■W5 
 
 I • 
 
 Ver. 4. Rfpeft to the blood of Chrifl . 107 
 
 of God, that he would be merciful toourfim andiniqui- 
 ties , H'_b. viii. 12. He informs us, that in the under¬ 
 taking of Chrid, this covenant is become a teftament, 
 chap, ix, 15, 16, 17 So ratified in his blood, that mer¬ 
 cy and forgivenefs of fm is irrevocably confirmed unto 
 us therein. 
 
 Thirdly, Becaufe he hath in his own perfon, as the 
 head of the church, received an acquitment for the 
 whol*: body: His perfona! difeharge upon the accom¬ 
 plishment of his work was a pledge of the difeharge 
 which was in due time to be given to his whole myfti- 
 cal body. Peter tells, Ads ii. 24. tha x. it was impcjfible 
 he fhould be detained by death. And why fo ? becaufe 
 death being penally inflicted on him, when he had paid 
 the debt, he was legally acquitted. Now, for whom, 
 and in whole name and dead he fuffered ; for them, 
 and in their name and (lead, he received his acquitment. 
 
 Fourthly , Becaufe upon his death, God the Father 
 hath committed unto him the whole management of the 
 bufinefs of forgivenefs, Ads v. 31. He (now) gives re¬ 
 pentance and the forgivenefs offins . It is Chrifl that for- 
 
 ! gives us, Col. iii. 13. All forgivenefs is now at his dif- 
 pofa ? , and he pardoneth whom he will, even all that 
 
 I are given unto him of the Father, not calling out any 
 that come to God by him. He is intruded with all the 
 (lores of his Father’s purppfe, and his own purchafe ; 
 and thence tells us, that all things that the Father hath , 
 are his, John xvi. 15. • 
 
 In all thefe re/peds doth forgivenefs relate to the 
 blood of Chrifl. Mercy, pardon and grace, could find 
 no other way to ifliie forth from the heart of the Father, 
 but by the heart blood of the Son, and fo do they 
 dream unto the heart of the (inner. 
 
 Two things are principally to be confidered in the 
 refped that forgivenefs hath to the blood of Chrid. 1. 
 The way of its procurement. 2. The way of it 3 ad - 
 minidration by him. The fird is deep, myderious, 
 dreadful. It was by his blood, the blood of the crofs, 
 the travel of his foul, his undergoing wrath and curfe. 
 
 O 2 The 
 
i o 8 Forgivenefs as it hath a Ver. 4 
 
 The other is gracious, merciful and tender ; whence fo 
 many things are fpoken of his mercifalnefs, and faich- 
 fuhefs, to encourage us to expert forgivenefs from 
 him. 
 
 This alfo adds to the myfterious depths of forgive¬ 
 nefs ; and makes its difcovery a great matter; The foul 
 that looks after it in earneft, mult confider what it coll. 
 How light do mold men make of pardon ? What an eafy 
 thing is it to be acquainted with it ? And no very hard 
 matter to obtain it. But to hold communion with God, 
 in the blood of his Son, is a thing of another nature 
 than is once dreamed of by many, who think they know 
 well enough what it is to be pardoned. God is merciful, 
 is a common faying, and as common, to defire he would 
 be fo for Chrijfs fake . Poor creatures are caff into the. 
 mould of fuch expreffions, who know neither God, nor 
 mercy, nor Chi ili, nor any thing of the myftery of the 
 gofpel. Others look on the outfide of the crofs, to fee 
 into the myflery of the love of the Father, working in 
 the blood of the Mediator, to confider by faith the great 
 tranfa&ion of divine wifdom, juftice, and mercy therein, 
 how few attain unto it ? To'come unto God, by Chrift, 
 for forgivenefs, and therein to behold the law lffuing 
 ail its threats and curfes in his blood, and lofing its 
 fling, putting an end to its obligation unto punifhment, 
 in the crojfs; to fee ail fins gathered up in the hands of 
 God’s juftice, and made to meet on the Mediator, and 
 eternal love fpringing forth triumphantly from his 
 blood, flourifiiing into pardon, grace, mercy, forgive¬ 
 nefs. This the heart of a (inner can be enlarged unto, 
 only by the Spirit of God. 
 
 Fourthly, There is in forgivenefs, free condona¬ 
 tion, difeharge, or pardon, according to the tenor of 
 the gofpel; and this may be confidered two ways. 
 
 Fir/}, As it lies in the promife itfelf; and fo it is 
 God’s gracious declaration of pardon to finners, in and 
 by the blood of Chrift, his covenant to that end and 
 purpofe ; which is varioufly prepofed, according as he 
 
 knew 
 
Ver. 4. Relation unto the Fromifes, 100 
 
 knew needful for all the ends nr.d purpofes of ingenerat¬ 
 ing faith, and communicating that confolation which he 
 intends therein. 
 
 This is the Lw of his grace, the declaration of the 
 myffery of his love, before infilled on. ' 
 
 Secondly , There is the bringing home, and applicati¬ 
 on of all this mercy to the foul of a fmner by the Holy 
 Ghoft, wherein we are freely forgiven all our trefpajjes. 
 Col. ii. 13. 
 
 Gofpel-forgivenefs, I fay, rtf pe&s all thefe things, 
 thefe principles, they have all an influence into it. And 
 that which makes this more evident, wherewith I fhali 
 clofe this confideration of the nature of it, is, that faith, 
 in its application of itfelf unto God about and for for- 
 givenefs, cloth diftin£f!y apply itfelf unto, and clofe 
 with, fometimes one of thele feveraily and fingly, fome- 
 times another, and fometimes jointly takes in the confe¬ 
 deration of them all exprefly. Not that at any time it 
 fixes on any or either of them exclusively to the others, 
 
 : but that eminently it finds fome fpecial encouragement 
 | at fome feafon, and fome peculiar attractive from fome 
 one of them, more than from the reft; and then that 
 i proves an inlet, a doer of entrance, unto the treafures 
 that are laid up in the reft of them Let us go over the 
 feverals by inftances. 
 
 1 y?, Sometimes faith fixes upon the name and infinite 
 goodnefs of the nature of God, and draws out forgive- 
 nefs from thence. So doth the pialmift, Pfal. Ixxxvi. 6. 
 Lhou, Lord , art good , and ready to forgive. He rolls 
 himfelf', in the purfuit and expectation of pardon, on 
 the infinite goodneis of the nature of God. So Nell, 
 ix. 17. : Thou art a God of pardons, cr ready to forgive ; 
 of an infinite, gracious, loving nature, not fevere and 
 wrathful; and this is that which we are encouraged 
 unto, Ifa. 1 . 10. to flay on the name of God, as in innu¬ 
 merable other places. 
 
 And thus faith oftentimes finds a peculiar fweetnefs 
 and encouragement in and from the confideration of 
 God’s gracious nature. Sometimes this is the firft thing 
 
no What Faith Reflects in Forgivenefs. Ver, 4, 
 
 that it fixes on, and fomerimes the laft that it refts in ; 
 and oft-times it makes a flay here, when it is driven from 
 ail other holds: It can fay, however it be, yet God is 
 gracious, and at leafl make that conclufion which we 
 have from it, Joel. ii. 13, 14. God is gracious and merci¬ 
 ful, who knoweth but be will return. And when faith 
 hath well laid hold on this confideration, ft will not ea- 
 fi!y be driven from its expe&ation of relief and forgive- 
 nefs, even from hence. 
 
 idly, Sometimes the foul by faith addreffeth itfelf in 
 a peculiar manner to the fovereigntv of God’s will; 
 whereby he is gracious to whom he will be gracious, 
 and merciful to whom he will be merciful, which, as 
 was (hewed, is another confiderable fpring or principle 
 cf forgivenefs. This way David’s faith fleered him in 
 his great fir ait and perplexity, 2 Sam. xv. 25, 2 6 . If l 
 Jhallfind favour in the eyes of the Lord , he will bring me 
 again ; but if he thus fay , I have no delight in thee , be¬ 
 hold here am I, let him do unto me as feemeth good unto 
 him. That which he hath in confideration is, Whether 
 God have any delight in him or no P that is, whe¬ 
 ther God would gracioufly remit and pardon the great 
 fin againil which, at that time, he manifefled his indig¬ 
 nation. Here he lays himfelf down before the fovereign 
 grace of God, and awaits patiently the difcovery of the 
 free a 61 of his will concerning him ; and at this door, 
 as it were, enters into the confideration of thofe other 
 fprings of pardon, which faith enquires after, and cio- 
 feth withal. This fometimes is all the cloud that ap¬ 
 pears to a diflrelTcd foul, which after a while fills the 
 heavens by the addition of the other confiderations men¬ 
 tioned, and yields plentifully refrefhing fhowers. And 
 this condition is a fin-intangled foui oft-times reduced 
 unto, in looking out for relief, it can difeover nothing 
 but this, that God |is able, and can, if he gracioufly 
 pleafe, relieve and acquit him All other fupportments, 
 all fprings of relief are fhut up, or hid from him. The 
 fprings indeed may be nigh, as that was to Hagar, but 
 their eyes are withheld, that they cannot fee them. 
 
 "Wherefore, 
 
Ver. 4. What Faith refpefts in Forgivenefs. in 
 
 1 vaerefore they caft themfelves on God’s fovereign 
 p’eafure, and fay with Job, 'Though he flay us, we will put 
 our trufl in him, we will not let him go. In ourfdves 
 we are loft, that is uoqueftionable ; how the Lord will 
 deal with us we know not, we fee not our figns and to¬ 
 kens any more, evidences of God’s grace in us, or of 
 his love and favour unto us, are all out of fight. To a 
 prefent fpecial intereft in Chrift we are ftrangers; and 
 we ly every moment at the door of eternity; what courfe 
 ftrall we take, what way (hall we proceed ? If we abide 
 at a diftance from God, we (hall affuredly perilh : Who 
 ever hardened himlelf againft him and profpered ? Nor 
 is there the lead relief to be had but from and by him : 
 For who can forgive fins but God ? We will then bring 
 our guilty fouh into his prefence, and attend the plea- 
 fure of his grace, what he fpeaks concerning us, we will 
 willingly fubmit unto. And this lometimes proves an 
 anchor to a toffed foul, which, though it gives not reft 
 and peace, yet it faves it from the rock of defpair. Here 
 it abides until light do more and more break forth, up¬ 
 on it 
 
 3 dly, Faith dealing about forgivenefs, doth common¬ 
 ly eye, in a peculiar manner, its relation to the media¬ 
 tion and blood of Chrift. So the apoftle directs, 1 John 
 ii. 2, If any man Jin, we have an advocate with the Fa¬ 
 ther, Jefus Chrtfl the righteous ; and he is the propitia¬ 
 tion for ourfms . If any one hath finned, and is in depths 
 and entanglements about it, what courfe fhali he tak, 
 how fhali he proceed to obtain deliverance ? why, he 
 muft unto God for pardon : Bat what fhali he rely u on 
 to encou r age him in his fo doing ? Sait'n the apoftle, 
 Confider by faith the atonement and propitiation made 
 for fin by the blood of Chrift ; and that he is ft ill pur- 
 fuing the work of love, to the filing out of pardon for 
 us, and reft thy foul thereon. This, X fay, moft com¬ 
 mon;' is that which faith, in the firft place, immediate¬ 
 ly fixe' on. 
 
 efhly. Faith eyes adtual pardon or condonation. So 
 God pr. ocueth it as a motive to further believing, Ifa. 
 
 xlivc 
 
112 For give nefs dtfcovered to Faith alone* Ver. 4. 
 
 xliv. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy tranfgref- 
 fions , and as a cloud thy fins; return unto me> jor I have 
 redeemed thee. AClual pardon of fin is propofed to 
 faith, as an encouragement unto a full returning unto 
 God in all things, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, And the like may be 
 faid of all the other particulars which we have infilled 
 on. There is not any of theirs, but will yield peculiar # 
 relief unto a foul dealing with God about lorgivenefs, 
 as having fome one fpecial concernment or other of for- 
 givenefs inwrapped in them. Only, as I faid, they do 
 it not exclufiveiy, but are the fpecial doors, whereby 
 believing enters into the whole. And thefe things muft 
 be fpoken unto afterwards. 
 
 Let us now take along with us, the end for which all 
 thefe confiderations have been infilled on. It is to ma- 
 
 9 
 
 nifeft, that a real difeovery of gofpel-forgivenefs, is a 
 matter of greater confequence and importance than at 
 fit ft propofal, it may be, it appeared unto fome to be. 
 Who is not in hopes, in expectation of pardon ? who 
 thinks not that they who know well enough, at leaft 
 what it is, if they might but obtain it ? But men may 
 have general thoughts of impunity, and yet be far e- 
 nough from any favin-g acquaintance with gofpel-mercy. 
 
 Forgivenefs difeovered, or revealed only to faith:— 
 Reafons thereof. 
 
 For a clofe of this difeourfe, I (hall only add what is 
 included in that propofition which is the foundation of 
 the whole ; namely, “ That this difeovery of forgive- 
 “ nefs is, and can be made to faith alone The nature 
 of it is fuch, as that nothing elfe can difeover it, or re¬ 
 ceive it. No reafonings, no enquiries of the heart of 
 man can reach unto it. That guefs or glimpfe which 
 the heathens had of old of lomewhat fo called, and 
 which falfe-worftiippers have at prefent, is not the for¬ 
 givenefs we infill upon, but a mere imagination of their 
 own hearts. 
 
 This the apoftle informs us, Rom. i. 17. The 
 
 oulne/s 
 
Ver. 4. Forgivensfs difcovered to Faith alone. 113 
 
 oafnef of God, is (in the gofpel) revealed from faith to 
 faith. Nothing bat faith hath any thing to do with it. 
 It is that rigbteoufnefs of God whereof he fpeaks, that 
 confifts in the forgivenefs of fins by the blood of Chrift, 
 declared in the gofpel. And this is revealed from the 
 faith of God in the promifc, to the faith of the believer, 
 to him that mixes the promife with faith. And again 
 more fully, 1 Cor. ii. 9. Eye hath not feen , nor ear heard 9 
 neither have entered into the heart of man, the things 
 which God hath prepared for them that love him. The 
 ways w hereby we come to the knowledge of any thing, 
 are by the feeing of the eye, or the hearing of the ear, 
 or the realonings and meditations of the heart: but 
 cow, none of thefe will reach to the matter in hand ; 
 by none of thefe ways can we come to an acquaintance 
 with the things of the gofpel that are prepared for us 
 in Chrift. How then fhall we obtain the knowledge 
 of them? that he declares, ver. 10. God hath revealed 
 them unto as by his Spirit. Now, it is faith only that 
 receives the revelations of the Spirit $ nothing elfe hath 
 to do with them. 
 
 To give evidence hereunto, we may confider that 
 this great myftery, 
 
 Firfl , Is too deep. 1 
 
 Secondly , it is too great, for ought elfe to difcover : 
 And, 
 
 Thirdly , That nothing elfe but faith is fuited to the 
 making of this difeovery. 
 
 Firfl , It is too deep and myfterioustobe fathomed and 
 reached by any thing elfe. Keafon’s line is too fhort to 
 fathom the depths of the Father’slovejof the blood of the 
 Son,and the promifes of the gofpel built thereon,whereiu 
 forgivenefs dwells. Men cannot, by their rational con- 
 fiderations, iaunch out into thefe deeps, nor draw wa¬ 
 ter, by them, from thefe wells of falvation. Reafon 
 hands by amazed, and cries, How C3n thefe things be ? 
 It can but gather cockle-lhells, like him of old, at the 
 fhore cf this ocean ; a few critfcifms upon the outward 
 letter ; and fo bring an evil report upon the land, as did 
 
 V the 
 
;i4 Forgivenefs di [covered to Faith alone. Ver. 4. 
 
 the fpies. All it can do, is but to hinder faith from 
 venturing into it; crying, Spare thyfelf, this attempt is 
 vain, thefe things are impcffible. It is among the things 
 that faith puts off, and lays afide, when it engageth the 
 foul into this great work. This then, that it may come 
 to a difcovery of forgivenefs, caufeth the foul to deny 
 itfelf, and all its own reafonings, and to give up itfelf 
 to an infinite fulnefs of goodnefs and truth. Though 
 it cannot go into the bottom of thefe depths, yet it en¬ 
 ters into them, and finds red in them. Nothing but 
 faith is fuited to red, to fatiate, and content itfelf, in 
 myfierious, bottomlefs, unfearchable depths. Being a 
 foul-emptying, a reafon-denying grace, the more it 
 meets withal, beyond its ^earch and reach, die more fa- 
 tisfa&ion it finds. This is that which I looked for, faith 
 faith, even for that which is infinite and unfearchable : 
 When I know that there is abundantly more beyond 
 me, that 1 do not comprehend, than what I have attain¬ 
 ed unto; for I know that nothing elfe will do good to 
 the foul. Now, this is that which really puzzles and 
 overwhelms reafon, rendering it ufelefs. What it can¬ 
 not compafs, it will neglect or defpile. It is either a- 
 mazed and confounded, and dazled like weak eyes at too 
 great a light, or fortifying of itfelf by inbred pride and 
 cbftinacy ; it concludes, that this preaching of the crofs, 
 of forgivenefs from the love of God, bv the blood of 
 Ch rift, is plain folly, a thing not for a wife man to take 
 notice of, or to trouble himfelf about: So it appeared 
 to the wife Greeks of old, 1 Cor. i. 24. Hence, when 
 a foul is brought under the power of a real conviction 
 of fin, fo as that it would defiroufly be freed from the 
 galling entanglements of it, it is then the hardefi: thing 
 in the world to perfuade fuch a foul of this forgivenefs. 
 Any thing appears more rational unto it, any felf-righ- 
 teoufnefs in this world, any purgatory hereafter. 
 
 The greatefi: part of the world of convinced perfons 
 have forfaken forgivenefs on this account; maffes, pen¬ 
 ances, merits, have appeared more eligible. Yea, 
 men who have no other defire but to be forgiven, do 
 
 chufe 
 
Ver. 4. Forgivenefs dlfcovered to Faith alone. ny 
 
 chufe to clofe with any thing rather than forgivenefs. 
 If men do efcape thefe rocks, and refolve that nothing 
 but pardon will relieve them, yet it is impoffible for 
 them to receive it in the truth and power of it, if not 
 enabled by faith thereunto. I fpeak not of men that 
 take it up by hearfay, as a common report, but of thofe 
 fouls who find t'hemfelves really concerned to look after 
 it; when they know it is their foie concernment, all 
 their hope and relief; when they know that they mu ft 
 perifti everlaflingly without it ; and when it is declared 
 unto them in the-words of truth and fobernefs, yet they 
 cannot receive it: What is the reafon of it 1 , What 
 ftaves off thefe hungry creatures from their pioper food? 
 Why, they have nothing to lead them into the myfteri- 
 ous depths of eternal love, of the blood of Chrift, and 
 promifes of the gofpel : How may we fee poor difeafed 
 fouh {landing every day at the fide of .this pool, and yet 
 not once venture themfelves into it all their days ? 
 
 Secondly , It is too great for any thing elfe to difco- 
 ver. Forgivenefs is a thing"chofen out of God from 
 all eternity, to exalt and magnify the glory of his grace, 
 and it will be made appear to all the world athhe day 
 of judgment, to have been a great thing. When the 
 foul comes, in any meafure, to be made fenfible of it, it 
 finds it fo great, lo excellent and aftonifhable, that it 
 i finks under the thoughts of it. It hath dimensions, a 
 length, breadth, depth, and height, that no line of the 
 rational foul can take or meafure. There is exceeding 
 igreatnefs in it, F.ph. i. 19. That this is a great work 
 which we have prefcribed, Eph. iii. 19. Even to know 
 the love of Chrijl that paffeth knowledge. Here, I fup- 
 pofe, reafon will confefs itfelf at aftand, and an iffue ; 
 to know that which paffeth knowledge, is none of its 
 work. It cannot be known, faith reafon, and fo ends the 
 matter But this is faith’s proper work,even to know that 
 which paffeth knowledge. To know that, in its power, 
 virtue,fweetnels, and efficacy,which cannot be thorough¬ 
 ly known in its nature and excellency ; to have, by'be¬ 
 lieving, all the ends of a full comprehenfion of that 
 
 P 2 which 
 
116 Particular Ajjurance attainable. Ver, 
 
 which cannot be fully comprehended. Hence, Heb. xi. 1. 
 it is faid to be the virorx<Tie of things not Jeen ; their fub- 
 fiftence, though in themfelves abfent, yet faith gives 
 them a prefent fubfificnce in the foul. So it knows 
 things that pafs knowledge, by mixing itfelf with them, 
 it draws out, and communicates their benefit to the foul. 
 From all which it is evident, what in the 
 
 'Third Place was propofed of faith’s being only Ant¬ 
 ed to be the means of this difcovery, fo that 1 dial! 
 not need farther to infift thereon. 
 
 Difcovery of fcrgivenefs in God a great fupportment 
 to fin-intangled fouls.—Particular aflurance attain¬ 
 able. 
 
 There yet remains a brief confirmation of the porti¬ 
 on at firft laid down, and thus cleared, before l come ' 
 to the improvement of the words efpecially aimed at. 
 
 1 fay then, this difcovery of forgivenefs in God, is a 
 great fupportment for a fin-intangled foul, although it 
 hath no fpecial perfuafion of its own particular irtereft 
 therein. Somewhat is fuppofed in this afifertioo, and 
 fomewhat affirmed. 
 
 First, It is fuppofed, that there may be a gracious 
 perfuafion and afiurance of faith, in a man, concerning 
 his own particular intereft in forgivenefs. A man may, 
 many do, believe it for themfelves, fo as not only to 
 have the benefit of it, but the comfort alfo. *Generally 
 all the faints mentioned in fcripture had this afiurance, 
 unlefs it were in the cafe of depths, diftrefies, and de- 
 fertions, fuch as that in this pfaim. David exprefleth 
 his confidence of the love and favour of God unto his 
 own foul hundreds of times, Paul doth the fome for 
 himfelf. Gal. ii. 20. Chrifl loved me and gave himfelf 
 ior me, 2 Tim. iv. 8 . There is laid up for kE ci 
 crown of rigbteousnefs , which God the righteous judge 
 Jhall give m & at that day. And that this boafiing in the 
 
 Lord 
 
Ver. 4. Duty of Believer's to endeavour Affurance. 117 
 
 Lord and his grace, was not an incjofure to himfelf, he 
 fhews, Rom. viii. 38, 39. 
 
 Nothing can be more vain, than what is ufually 
 pleaded to remove this (heat-anchor of the faints confo- 
 lation ; namely, that no man’s particular name is in the 
 1 promife : It is not laid, to this or that man by name, 
 that his fins are forgiven him ; but the matter is far o- 
 therwife.* To think that it is neceifary, that the names 
 whereby we are known among ourfelves, and are dif- 
 tinguifhed here one from another, (houid be written in 
 the promife, that we may believe in particular every 
 child of God is in the promife ; and believing makes it 
 very legible to him. Yea, we find by experience that 
 there is no need of argumentation in this cafe. The 
 foul, by a dire& a£f of faith, believes its own forgive- 
 nefs, without making inferences, or gathering conclu- 
 fions; and may do fo, upon the proportion of it to be 
 believed in the promife. But I will nor digrefs from 
 my work in hand ; and therefore (hall only obferve one 
 or two things upon the fuppofitioa laid down. 
 
 FirJ ?, It is the duty of every believer, to labour af¬ 
 ter an affurance of a. perfonal imerelt in forgivenefs; 
 and to be diligent in the cherifhing and prefervation of 
 it when it is attained. The apoflle exhorts us ail unto 
 it, Heb. x. 22. Let us draw near in full affurance of 
 faith ; that is, of our acceptance with God through 
 forgivenefs in the blood of Jefus. This he plainly dif- 
 courfeth of. And this principle of our faith and con¬ 
 fidence, he would have 11s to hold fall unto the end, 
 chap. iii. 14. I: is no fma]l evil in believers not to be 
 preffing after perfe&ion in believing and obedience. 
 Oftimes fome finful indulgence to fell, or the world, or 
 floth, is the caufe of it. Hence few come up to gofpel 
 affurance. But yet mod of our privileges, and upon 
 the matter all our comforts, depend on this one thing. 
 A little by the way, to encourage unto this duty, I 
 {hall defire you to confider, both whence this affurance 
 is produced, and what it doth produce ; what it is the 
 fruit of, and what fruit it bears. 
 
 1 ft, R 
 
118 Caufes and Effetts of AJJurance. Ver. 4. 
 
 \ft. It is in genera] the produ# of a more plentiful! 
 communication of the fpirit than ordinary, as to a fenfe 
 and participation of the choice fruits of the death of 
 Chrift, procured for thofe who are juftified by their 
 acceptance of the atonement. 
 
 It ftourifheth not without his fealing, witneffing, e- 
 ftablifhing, and ffiedding abroad, the love of God in 
 our hearts. See Rom. v. 2, 3, 4, 5. And what believer 
 ought not to long for, and prefs after, the enjoyment 
 of thefe things. Nay, to read of thefe things in the 
 gofpel, not experiencing them in our own hearts, and 
 yet to fit down quietly on this fide of them, without 
 continual preffing after them, is to defpife the blood of 
 Chrift, the fpirit of grace, and the whole work of God’s 
 love. If there are no fuch things, the gofpel is not 
 true ; if there are, if we prefs not after them, we are 
 defpifers of the gofpel. Surely he hath not the fpirit, 
 who would not have more of him, all of him that is 
 promifed by Chrift. Thefe things are the hundred¬ 
 fold that Chrift hath left us in the world, to counter- 
 poife our forrows, troubles and Ioffes; and (hall we be 
 fo foolifh as to negleft our only abiding riches and trea- 
 fures ? In particular, as it is the produft of an exercif- 
 ed, vigorous, a&ive faith; that our faith fhould be 
 fuch, always in every date and condition, I fuppofe it 
 our duty to endeavour. Not only our comforts, but 
 our obedience alfo depends upon it. The more faith, 
 that is true, and of the right kind, the more obedience. 
 For'all our obedience, is the obedience of faith. 
 
 ‘idly, For its own fruit, and what it produced!, they 
 are the choicefi a&ings of our fouls towards God ; as 
 love, delighr, rejoicing in the Lord, peace, joy and 
 confolation in ourfelves, readinefs to do, or fuffer, 
 cheerfulnefs in fo doing. If they grow not from this 
 root, yet their flourifhing wholly depends upon it. So 
 that furely it is the duty of every believer to break thro’ 
 all difficulties in preffing after this particular affurance. 
 The obje&ions that perfons raife againft themfelves, in 
 this cafe, may be afterwards confidered. 
 
 Secondly , 
 
Ver. 4* Saving Faith •where there is no Affurance. 119 
 
 Secondly, In ordinary difpenfations of God towards 
 us, and dealings with us, it is moftly our own negligence 
 and floth that we come fhort of this affurance. It is true 
 it depends in a peculiar manner on the fovereigoty of 
 God ; he is as abfolute in giving peace to believers, as 
 in giving grace to finners. This takes place, and may 
 be propofed as a relief in times of trials and diftrefs: 
 He createth light, and caufeth darknefs, as he pleaf- 
 eth. But yet, confidering what promifes are made un¬ 
 to us; what encouragements are given us j what love 
 and tendernefs there is in God to receive us, I cannot 
 but conclude, that ordinarily the caufe of our coming 
 fhort of this affurance is where I have fixed it. And 
 this is the firft thing that is fuppofed, in the foregoing 
 affertion. 
 
 Secondly, It is fuppofed, that there is, or may 
 be a laving perfwafion or difeovery of forgivenefs in 
 God, where there is no affurance of any particular in¬ 
 terest therein ; or that our own fins in particular are 
 pardoned. This is that which hath a promife of gra¬ 
 cious acceptance with God, and is therefore faring, 
 Ifa. 1 . 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and 
 cheyeth the voice of his fervant , that walketh in darknefs 
 and hath no light ; let him trufi in the name of the Lord , 
 and fay upon his God. Here is the fear of the Lord 
 and obedience, with a bleffed encouragement to reft in 
 God, and his All-fufficiency, yet no affurance, nor light, 
 but darknefs, and that walked in, or continued in for 
 a long feafon. For he cannot walk in darknefs, meet 
 with nothing but darknefs, without any beam or ray 
 of light, as the words fignify, who is perfuaded of the 
 love of God in the pardon of his fins. And yet the 
 faith of fuch an one, and his obedience fpringing from 
 it, have this gracious promife of acceptance with God. 
 And inumerable teftimonies to this purpofe might 
 be produced, and infiances in great plenty. 1 fhall on¬ 
 ly tender a little evidence unto it, in one obfervation 
 concerning the nature of faith, and one more, about 
 
 the 
 
120 Saving Faith where there is no Afifurance « Ver. 4. 
 
 the propofal of the thing to be believed, or forgive¬ 
 nefs. And. 
 
 Firfl , Faith is called, and is a cleaving unto the Lord , 
 Deut. iv. 4. Te that did cleave, or adhere unto the Lord; 
 that is who did believe. Jo(h. xxiii. 8. cleave or adhere 
 unto the Lord your God. The fame word is ufed alfo 
 in the new teftament, A<fts xi. 23. He exhorted them that 
 •with purpofe of heart they would cleave unto the Lord , or 
 continue ftedfatt in believing. It is alfo often expreft 
 by trufting in the Lord, rolling our burden, or calling 
 our care upon him, by committing ourfelves, or our 
 ways to him. Now, all this goes no further than the 
 foul’s refignation of itfelf unto God, to be dealt withal 
 by him acccording to the tenour of the covenant of grace, 
 ratified in the blood of Chrift: This a foul cannot do 
 without a difeovery of forgivenefs in God, but this a 
 foul may do, without a fpecial afifurance of his own in- 
 tereft therein. This faith that thus adheres to God, 
 that cleaves to him, will carry men to conclude, that 
 it is their duty, and their wifdom, to give up the difpo- 
 fal of their fouls unto God, and to cleave and adhere 
 unto him, as revealed in Chrift, waiting the pleafure 
 of his will : It enables them to make Chrift their choice; 
 and dill carry men to heaven fafely, though it may be 
 at fome feafons, not very comfortably. 
 
 Secondly , The revelation and difeovery of forgivenefs,. 
 that is made in the gofpel, evidenceth the fame truth. 
 The firft propofal of it, or concerning it, is not to any 
 man, that his fills are forgiven. No, butitis only that there, 
 is redemption and forgivenefs of fins in Chrift. So the 
 apoftle lays it down, A<fts xiii. 38, 39. Be it known un¬ 
 to you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man 
 is preached unto you the forgivenefs offins , and by him all 
 that believe are jujhfied from all things , from which they 
 could not be jujhfied by the law of Mofes. All this may 
 be believed, without a man’s afifurance of his own per- 
 fonal intereft in the things mentioned. Now, where 
 they are believed with the faith the gofpel requires, 
 that faith is faving, and the root of gofpel acceptable 
 
 obedi- 
 
Ver. 4. Difcovery of Forgivenefs , &c. izi 
 
 : obedience. The ranfom l fay, the atonement by Chrift, 
 the fulnefs of the redemption that is in him, and fo 
 forgivetiefs in his blood for believer?, from the good 
 will, grace, and love of the father, is the drd gofpel 
 i difcovery that a finner, in a faving manner, ciofeth 
 , withal. Particular affurance rifeth or may arife after 
 words, and this alfo is fuppofed in the afTertion. 
 
 Secondly, That which is affirmed in it, is, That 
 a difcovery of forgiveuefs in God, without any particu¬ 
 lar affurance of perfonal intereft therein, is a great fup- 
 portment to a fin-entangled foul. And let no man clef- 
 pife the day of this fmall thing, fmall in the eyes of 
 fome, and thole good men alfo, as if it did not deferve 
 the name of faith. Now, as it hath been made to appear 
 ! this difcovery of forgiveuefs, is the foul’s perfuafion, 
 on gofpel grounds, that however it be with him, and 
 whatever his date and condition be, or is like ‘to be, 
 yet that God in his own nature is infinitely gracious, 
 and that he hath determined in a fovereign aft 
 of his will from eternity to be gracious to Tinners ; 
 that he hath made way for the adminiftration of forgive- 
 nefs by the blood of his Son, according as he hath a- 
 bundantly manifeded, and declared in the promifes 
 of the gofpel. However it be with me, yet thus it is 
 with God ; there is forgiveuefs with him. This is the 
 fird thing that a foul in its depths rifeth up into : And 
 it is a fup port me lit for it; enabling it unto all prefent 
 duties, until confolation come from above. 
 
 Thus hath it been to, and with the faints of old, Hof. 
 xiv. 3. Afhur fball not fave ns, we will not ride upon 
 borfes , neither will we jay any more to the work of our 
 hands , ye are our gods, for in thee the father lefs findeth 
 mercy . A foleum renuhciatior^we have.of all other helps, 
 reliefs or abidances, civil cr religious, that are not 
 God’s. Therein a folemn rjefolutioh in their great 
 didrefs of cleaving unto God alone ; both which are 
 great and bleffed effefts of faith. What is the bottom and 
 foundation of this bleffed refolution ? namely, that propo- * 
 fition. In thee the Fat her lefs findeth mercy ; that is, there is 
 
 ' forgive- 
 
122 Difcovery of Forgivenefs a great Ver. 4 
 
 forgivenefs with thee for heiplefs Tinners. This lifted 
 up their hearts in their depths, and fupported them in 
 their waiting, unto the receiving of the bleffed promifes 
 of mercy, pardon, grace and holinefs, which enfue in 
 the next verfes. Until they came home unto them in 
 their efficacy and effe&s, they made a life on this, In 
 thee the fatherlefs findeth mercy. 
 
 The ftate and condition of things feem to ly yet low¬ 
 er in that propofal we have, Joel ii. 13, 14. Rend your 
 hearts , and not your garments , and turn unto the Lord 
 your God , for he is gracious and merciful, flow to anger , 
 and of great kindnefs, and repent*th him of t he evil; 
 who knoweth if he will return , and repent , and leave a 
 hlejfing. That which is propofed to the faith of thofe 
 here fpoken unto, is, that the Lord is gracious and 
 merciful; that there is forgivenefs in him. The duty 
 they are provoked unto hereupon is gofpel-repentance. 
 The affient unto the propofition demanded, as to their 
 own intereft, amounts but unto this, who knows, but 
 that the Lord may return and leave a bleffing ; or deal' 
 with us according to the manifeflation he hath made of 
 himfeif, that he is merciful and gracious. This is far 
 enough from any comfortable perfuafion of a particular 
 inrereit in that grace/mercy or pardon. But yet, faith 
 the prophet, Come but thus far, and here is a firm 
 foundation of dealing with God about further difcoveries 
 of himfeif, in a way of grace and mercy. When a foul 
 fees fo much in God, as to conclude ; well, who know¬ 
 eth but that he may return, and have mercy upon me 
 alfo, it will fupport him, and give him an entrance in¬ 
 to further light. 
 
 The church in the Lamentations gives a fad account 
 of her flate and condition in this matter. For fhe 
 maketh that hard conclufion againfl herfelf, chap. iii. 
 18. My flrength and my hope is peri [bed from the Lord. 
 And when I cry and /bout, he fbuts out my prayer, ver. 8. 
 So far is fhe from a comfortable perfuafion of a parti¬ 
 cular interefl in mercy and acceptance, that under her 
 preffures, and in her temptations, fhe is ready pofitively 
 
 to 
 
Ver. 4. Support merit to int angled Souls. 123 
 
 to determine on the other fide, namely, that fhe is re¬ 
 jected and caft off for ever. What courfe fhall we then . 
 take? Shall we give over waiting on God, and fay 
 there is no hope ? No, faith fhe, I will not take that 
 way; for, ver. 2 6. It is good that a man fhould both 
 hope , and quietly wait for the fahation oj God. But yet 
 there feems fmall encouragement for her fo to do, if 
 things be with her as was expreffed : Things indeed 
 ; (faith fhe) are very fad with me. My foul hath them fill 
 in remembrance , and is bowed down in me , ver. 20. but 
 : yet, fomewhat / recall to mind , and therefore have 1 
 hope, ver. 2 i. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are 
 not conjumedy becaufe his compaffons fad not, There is 
 mercy and never failing compaflion, in God ; fo that 
 though my own prefent condition be full of daiknefs, 
 and 1 fee no deliverance ; yet I purpofe ftill to abide 
 waiting on him : Who knows what thofe infinite ftores 
 and treafures of mercy and relief that are with him, 
 may at length afford unto me ? A nd many inftances of 
 the like kind may be added. 
 
 We may obferve by the way, how far this relief ex¬ 
 tends itfelf, and what it enables the foul unto. As, 
 
 Firf , The foul is enabled thereby to refign itfelf 
 unto the difpofal of fovereign grace, in felf-abhorrency, 
 and a renunciation of all other ways of relief, Lam. 
 iii. 29. He putteth his mouth in the duf , if fo be there 
 may be hope. What God will, is his language. Here 
 he lies at his difpofal, humble, broken but abiding 
 his pleafure. i hough he flay me (faith Job) yet I will 
 trufl in him , chap. xiii. 15. u Is it all one how he deals 
 “ with me ; whatever be the event, I will abide cleav- 
 “ ing unto him. I will not think of any other way of 
 “ extricating myfelf from my diflrefs. I will neither fly 
 “ like Jonah, nor hide like Adam, nor take any other 
 “ courfe for deliverance. Saith the foul, God is a God 
 “that hideth himfelf from me, Ifa. xlv. 15. 1 walk 
 “ in darknefs and have no lighty chap. 1 . 10. My flefh 
 “ faileth ; and my heart failethy Pfal. lxxiii. 26. fo that 
 L*' I am overwhelmed with trouble. Mine iniquities have 
 
 2 . taken 
 
124 Effeds of the Difcovery of Forgivenefs. Ver. 4. 
 
 fl taken fucb hold on me , that I cannot lock up , Pfal. xl. 12. 
 u :The Lord hath forfaken me, and my God hath forgotten 
 “ me , Ifa. xiix. 14. Every day am I in dread and terror, 
 44 and am ready utterly to faint,and no relief can I obtain. 
 t4 What then {hall I do l Shall I curfe God and die ? 
 “ Or cry, This evil is of the Lord , why fhould I wait for 
 “ him any longer ? Shall I take the conrfe of the world, 
 44 and feeing it will be no better, be wholly regardlefs 
 44 of my latter end ? No, I know whatever my lot and 
 44 portion be, that there is forgivenefs with God . This 
 44 and that poor man trufted in him, they cried unto 
 44 him, and were delivered. So did David in his great 
 44 diftrefs, he encouraged his heart in the Lord his God t 
 (i 2 Sara. xv. 25, 26. It is good for me to caff myfelf 
 44 into his arms; it may be he will frown ; it may be he 
 iC is wroth (tillbut all is one, this Way 1 will go ; as it 
 44 feeras good unto him to deal with me, fo let it be: 
 4< And unfpeakable are the advantages which a foul 
 44 obtains by this felf’refignation, which the faith treat- 
 44 ed of, will infallibly produce.” 
 
 Secondly, It extends itfelf unto a resolution of wait¬ 
 ing in the condition wherein the foul is. This the 
 church comes unto, Lara. iii. 26. It is good that a man 
 fhould both hope , and quietly wait for the falvation of the 
 Lord . 1 will not give over my expectation, I will not 
 
 make hade, nor limit God j but I will ly at his foot, un¬ 
 til his own appointed time of mercy (hall come. Ex¬ 
 pectation and quietnefs make up waiting. Thefe the 
 foul attains unto, with this fupportment it looks upwards, 
 as a fervant that Jocks to the hands of his mafter, hill 
 fixed on God to fee what he will do, to hear what he 
 will fpeak, concerning him; miffing no feafon, no op* 
 portunity, wherein any difcovery of the will of God 
 may be made to him. And this he doth in quietnefs, 
 without repining, or murmuring, turning all his com¬ 
 plaints again ft himfelf and his own vilenefs, that hath 
 cut him Ihort from a participation of that fulnefs of love 
 and grace which is with God : That this effeCt alfo at¬ 
 tends this faith will fully appear in the clcfe of the pfalm. 
 
 Thirdly , 
 
Ver. 4. Means whereby a Difcovery &c. 125 
 
 Thirdly , It fupports unto waiting in the life of all 
 mean, for the attainment of a fenfe of forgivenefs, and 
 fo hath its effect in the whole cotirfe of our obedience. 
 ‘There is forgivenefs with thee , that thou mayeft be feared. 
 To fear the Lord, is an expreffion comprehenfiye of his 
 whole worfhip, and all our duty. This i am encou¬ 
 raged, faith the p.falmift, unto in my depths ; becaufe 
 there is forgivenefs with thee. I will abide in all mv 
 duties, in all the-ways of thy worship, wherein thou 
 mayeft be found. And however it may be for a while, 
 the latter end of that foul, who thus abideth with God, 
 {hall be peace. Let us then, nextly, fee by what ways 
 and means it yields this fupportment. 
 
 Firjl , It begets 2 liking of God in the foul, and con- 
 fequently fame love unto him. The foul apprehends 
 God as one infinitely to be defired and delighted in by 
 thole who have a hare in forgivenefs. It cannot but 
 confider him as good and gracious, however its own ef- 
 tate be hazardous, Ffal. Ixxiii. 1,2. Tct God is good to 
 Ifraef to fuch as are of a clean heart; as for me , my 
 feet were almof gone , my fiefs had well nigh (lift . How¬ 
 ever the ftate ftands with me 1 know that God is good, 
 good to Ifrael ; and therewith had 1 fupport myfelf. 
 When once this ground is got upon the foul, that it con- 
 fiders God in Chrift as one to be delighted in, and loved, 
 great and bleffed effe&s will enfne. 1. Self abhorren- 
 cy and condemnation, with refignation of all to God, and 
 permanency therein, do certainly attend it. 2. Still 
 fomewhat or other in God will be brought to mind, to 
 relieve it under faintings ; fome new fprings of hope 
 will be every day opened. 3. And the foul will be in- 
 fenfibly wrought upon to delight itfelf in dealing with 
 God. Though in its own particular, it meets with 
 frownings, chidings and repulfes, yet this ftill relieves 
 him, that God is fo as hath been declared; fo that he fays, 
 however it be, vet God is good, and it is good for me 
 to wait upon him. Without this difcovery the foul likes 
 not God, and whatever it doth, with refpeft unto him, 
 it is becaufe it dares do no otherwife, being over awed 
 
 with 
 
126 Means whereby a Difcovery Ver. 4. 
 
 with his terror and greatnefs. And fuch obedience 
 God may have from devils. 
 
 Secondly, It removes fundry overwhelming difficulties, 
 that ly in the fouPs way, before it clofe with this difco¬ 
 very of forgivenefs. As, 
 
 1 ft. It takes away all thofe hindrances that were for¬ 
 merly infilled on, from the greatnefs, holinefs and fe- 
 verity of God, the inexorablenefs and ftriflnefs of the 
 law, and the natufal a&ings of confcience, rifmg up a- 
 gainft all hopes of forgivenefs. All thefe are by this 
 faith removed, and taken our of the way. Where this 
 faith is, it difcovers not only forgivenefs, as hath been 
 fhewed, but alfo the true nature of gofpel-forgivenefs. 
 It reveals it as flowing from the gracious heart of the 
 Father, through the blood of the Son. Now, this pro¬ 
 pitiation in the blood of the Son, removeth all thefe 
 difficulties, even antecedently unto our fpecial fenfe of 
 an interefl: therein. It fhews, how all the properties of 
 God may be exalted, and the law fulfilled, and yet for¬ 
 givenefs given out to finners. And herein lies no fmall 
 advantage unto a foul in its approaches unto God. All 
 thofe dreadful apprehenfions of God, which were wont 
 to befet him in the firft thoughts of coming to him, are 
 now taken out of the way ; fo that he can quietly apply 
 himfelf unto his own particular concernments before 
 him. 
 
 'idly. In particular, it removes the overwhelming 
 confideration of the unfpeakable greatnefs of fin ; this 
 prefleth the foul to death, when once the heart is pof- 
 fefled with it. Were not their fins fo great, fuch as no 
 heart can imagine, or tongue declare, it might pofllbly 
 be well with them, fay diftrefled finners. They are not 
 fo troubled that they are finners, as that they are great 
 finners; not that thefe, and thofe fins they are guilty 
 of, but that they are great fins attended with fearful ag¬ 
 gravations ; otherwife they could deal well enough with 
 them. Now, though this difcovery free men not from 
 the entanglement of their fins as theirs, yet it doth from 
 the whole entanglements of their fins, as great and ma¬ 
 ny. 
 
Ver. 4. of Forgivenefs yields Supportment. 12 7 
 
 ny. This confideration may be abftra&ed. The foul 
 fees enough in God to forgive great fins, though it doth 
 not, as yet, to forgive his fins. That great fins (hall be 
 pardoned, this difcovery puts out of queftion ; whether 
 his fins fhall be pardoned, is now all the enquiry. What¬ 
 ever any faith can do, that this faith will do; unlefs it 
 be the making of particular application of the things 
 believed unto itfelf. The foul than can no longer juftly 
 be troubled about the greatnefs of fin ; the infinitenefs 
 of forgivenefs that he fees in God will relieve him againft 
 it. All that remains is, that it his own fin about which 
 he hath to deal, whereof afterwards. Thefe, and like 
 difficulties, are removed by it. 
 
 thirdly. It gives fome life in, and encouragement unto 
 i duty. And that, ift, Unto duty as duty ; eyeing God 
 by faith in fuch a fulnefs of grace, the foul cannot but 
 be encouraged to meet him in every way of duty, and 
 to lay hold upon him thereby. Every way leading to 
 him, as leading to him, muff be well liked and approv¬ 
 ed of: And, idly. To all duties; and herein lies no 
 fmall advantage. God is oftentimes found in duties, 
 but in what, or of what kind, he will be found of any 
 one in particular, is uncertain. This faith puts the foul 
 on all; fo it did the fpoufe in the parallel to that in 
 hand. Cant iii. 2,3,4 Now, what fupportment may be 
 hence obtained, is eafily apprehended; fupportment, 
 not from them, or by them, but in them, as the means 
 of intercourfe between God and the foul. 
 
 From thefe effects of this difcovery of forgivenefs in 
 God, three things will enfue, which are fufficient to 
 maintain the fpiritual life of the foul. 
 
 Firfti A resolution to abide with God, and to commit 
 all unto him. This the word, as was obferved, teaches 
 us; There is forgivenefs with thee , a,. I therefore thou 
 fhalt be feared. Becaufe this 1 found, and this I am 
 perfuaded of, therefore will I abide with him in the 
 way of his fear and worffiip. This our Saviour calls 
 unto, John xv. 4. Abide in me; except you do fo y ye can 
 bear no fruit. So the Lord reprefenting his taking the 
 
 church 
 
128 Abiding with God Ver. 4. 
 
 church unto himfelf, under the time of the prophet’s 
 taking an adulterefs in viiion, doth it on thefe terms, 
 Hof. iii. 3. Thou Jhalt abide for many days; thou J,bait not 
 ■play the harlot , and thou Jhalt not be for another man , Jo 
 will I alp) be for thee. No^v, this abiding with God 
 intimates two things; 1 y?. Oppositions, folickations, and 
 temptations to the contrary, idly, Foi bearing to make 
 any other choice, as unto that end for which we abide 
 with God. 
 
 lft, It argues oppositions. To abide, to be liable, 
 and permanent, is to be fo againtl oppofitiorts. Many 
 difeouragements are ready to rife up in the foul againft 
 it. It fears efpecially, that it fhat! not hold out, that it 
 fhall be reje&ed at laid, that all is*nought and hypocri¬ 
 tical with it, that it fhall not be forgiven, that God in¬ 
 deed regards it not, and therefore it may well enough 
 give over its hopes, which feem often at the giving up 
 of the ghoft, will aflault it. Again, oppofitions arife . 
 from corruptions and temptations unto fm, contrary to 
 the life of faith : And thefe often proceed to a high de¬ 
 gree of prevalency, fo that the guilt contracted upon 
 them is ready to call the foul out of all expe&ation of' 
 mercy ; I fhall one day perifh by thefe means, faith the 
 foul, if lam not already loft. 
 
 But now, where faith hath made this difeovery of 
 forgivenefs, the foul will abide with God againft all 
 thefe difeouragemms and oppofitions; it will not leave 
 him, it will not give over waiting for him. So David 
 exprefleth the matter in the in dance of himfelf, Pfal. 
 Ixxiii. 1, 2. But as for me , my feet,were almoft gone , my 
 fteps had well nigh flipt; and v. 13. Verily I have cleanfed 
 my heart in vain ; but yet after all his conflicts, this at 
 laft he comes unto, ver. 26,- Though my heart and ?ny 
 flefh faileth, yet (ver. 28.) It is good for me to draw near 
 unto God : I will yet abide with God, 1 will not let go 
 his fear, nor my profeflion; although I walk weakly, 
 lamely, unevenly, yet I will dill follow after him. As 
 it was with the difciples, when many, upon a flrong 
 temptation, went back from Chrift, and walked no more 
 
 with 
 
I Ver. 4. wherein it confifleth. 129 
 
 with him, Jejus faid unto them , will ye go away alfo f 
 •\ to which Peter replies in the name oi the reft of them, 
 m Lord to whom jhall we go f thou hafi the words of eternal 
 John vi. 66, 6 7, 68. It is thus and thus with me, 
 faith the foul ; 1 am tolled and affiifted, and not com- 
 1 forted ; little life, little ftrength, real guilt, many fins, 
 and much difconfolarion. What then faith God by his 
 word, Wilt thou go away alfo ? No, faith the foul, 
 there is forgivenefs with thee , thou hafi the words of e~ 
 ternal life , and therefore I wall abide with thee. 
 
 : idly , This abiding with God argues a forbearance 
 of any other choice. Whilft the foul is in this .conditi¬ 
 on, having not attained any evidences of its own fpeci- 
 •ai intereft in forgivenefs; many lovers will be folliciting 
 of it to play the harlot, by taking them into its embraces. 
 Both l'elf-righteoufnefs and (in will be very importu¬ 
 nate in this matter ; the former tenders itfelf as exceed¬ 
 ing ufeful to give the foul fome help, aftiftance and 
 fupportment in its condition. Samuel doth not come 
 faith Saul, and the Philiftines invade me ; I will venture 
 and offer facriftce myfelf, contrary to the law. The 
 promife doth not come to the foul for its particular re¬ 
 lief ; it hath no evidence as to an efpecial intereft in 
 forgivenefs. Temptation invades the mind ; try thyfelf, 
 fays it, to take relief in fomewhat of thine own provid¬ 
 ing : And this is to play the harlot from God. To this 
 purpole felf righteoufnefs variouily difguifes itfelf, 
 like the wife of Jeroboam, when the went to the pro¬ 
 phet. Sometimes it appears as duty, fometiraes as 
 fig ns and tokens; but its end is to get fomewhat of faith 
 and truft of the foul to be fixed upon it. But when the 
 foul hath indeed a cilcovery of forgivenefs, it will not 
 give ear to thefe folicitations: No, faith the foul; I fre 
 fuch a beauty, fuch an excellency, fuch a defireable- 
 nels and fuitablenefs unto my wants and condition, 
 in that forgivenefs that is with God, that I am refoived 
 to abide in the gofpel defire and expectation of it all the 
 days of my life; here my choice is fixed, and I will not 
 alter. And this resolution gives glory to the grace of 
 
 R God. 
 
130 Difcovery of Forgivenefs Ver. 4. 
 
 God. When the foul, without an evidence of an in- 
 tereft in it, yet prefers it above that which, with many 
 reafonings and pretences, offers itfelf as a prefent relief 
 unto it; hereby is God glorified, and Chrift exalted, 
 and the fpiritual life of the foul fecured. 
 
 Secondly , This difcovery of forgivenefs in God, with 
 the effe&s of it before-mentioned, will produce a refo- 
 lution of waiting on God for peace and confolation, in 
 his own time and way. He that believeth will not make 
 hajle , Ifa. xxviii. 16. not make hafte ; to what ? not to 
 the enjoyment of the thing believed. Haffe argues pre¬ 
 cipitation and impatience ; this the foul that hath this 
 difcovery is freed from, refolving to wait the time of 
 God’s appointment, for peace and confolation. God 
 lpeaking of the accomplifhment of his promifes fays, / 
 the Lord will haflen it , Ifa. lx. 22. Well thee, if God 
 will haften it, may we not haften to it? nay, faith he, 
 I will haften it, but in its time. Ail oppofitions and im¬ 
 pediments confideredjit {hall be haftened, but in its time, 
 its due time, its appointed time. And this the-foul is to 
 wait for, and fo it will. 
 
 As when Jacob had feen the beauty of Rachel, and 
 loved her, he was contented to wait feven years for 
 die enjoyment of her to be his wife, and thought no 
 time long, no toil too hard that he might obtain her ; 
 fo the foul, having difeovered the beauty and excellency 
 of forgivenefs as it is with God, as it is in his gracious 
 heart, in his eternal purpofe, in the blood of Chrift, in 
 the promife of the gofpel, is refolved to wait quietly 
 and patiently for the time wherein God will clear up 
 unto it, its own perfonal intereft therein ; even one ex¬ 
 perimental embracement of it, even at the hour of 
 death, doth well deferve the waiting, and obedience 
 of the whole courfe of a man’s life. 
 
 And this the pfalmift manifefts to have been the ef- 
 fe£f: produced in his heart and fpiric; for upon this dif¬ 
 covery of the forgivenefs in God, he refolveth both to 
 wait upon him himfelf, and encourageth others fo to 
 do. 
 
 Thirdly, 
 
Ver. 4. produceth waiting on God. 151 
 
 Thirdly , This prepares the foul for the receiving of 
 that confolation and deliverance out of its preflures, by 
 an evidence of a fpecial intereft in forgivenefs, which it 
 waiteth for. 
 
 if, For this makes men to hearken after it; it makes 
 the foul like the merchant who hath great riches, all 
 his wealth in a far country, which he is endeavouring 
 to bring home fafe unto him. If they come, he is well 
 provided for; if they mifcarry, he is loft and un¬ 
 done. This makes him hearken after tidings, that they 
 are fafe there ; and, as Solomon fays, Good news , in 
 this cafe, from a far country , is as cold water to a thirfly 
 foul, Prov. xxv. 25. full of refrefhment. Though he 
 cannot look upon them as his own, yet abfolutely, be* 
 caufe he hath them not in poffeflion, he is glad they 
 are fafe there. So is it with the foul: thefe riches that 
 it fo values, are, as to its apprehenfions in a far coun¬ 
 try. So is the promife, That he /ball behold the land 
 that is very far of , lfa. xxxiii. 17. He is glad to hear 
 news that they are fafe; to hear forgivenefs preached, 
 and the promifes infilled on, though he cannot as yet 
 look upon them as his own. 
 
 The merchant refts not here, but he hearkneth with 
 much folicicoufnefs after the things that (hould bring 
 home his riches, efpecially if they have in them his alt 
 Hence fuch (hips are called /hips of defire , Job ix 26. 
 Such a man greatly defires the fpeeding of them to their 
 port. He confiders the wind and the weather, all the 
 occafions and inconveniences and danger of the way ; 
 and blame him not; his all is at flake. The foui doth 
 fo in like manner: it hearkneth after all the ways and 
 means whereby this forgivenefs may be particularly 
 brought home unto it; is afraid of fin, and of tempta¬ 
 tion, glad to find a frelh gale of the Spirit of grace, 
 hoping that it may bring in his return from the land of 
 promife. This prepares the heart for a fpiritual fenfe 
 of it, when it is revealed. 
 
 2 dly, It fo prepares the foul, by giving it a due va¬ 
 luation of the grace and mercy defired. The merch- 
 
 H 2 ant* 
 
1 3 2 Difcovery of Forgivenefs Ver. 4. 
 
 ant-man in the gofpel was not prepared to enjoy the 
 pearl himfelf, until it was difcovered to him to be of 
 great price; then he knew how to purchafe it, procure 
 it, and keep it. The foul having by this a£ling of faith, 
 upon the difcovery of forgivenefs infilled on, come to 
 find that the pearl hid in the field is indeed precious, is 
 both flirred up to feek after pofleflion of it, and to give 
 it its due. Saith fuch a foul, “ How excellent, how 
 u precious is this forgivenefs that is with God ! Bleffed, 
 “ yea ever bleffed are they who are made partakers of 
 Ci it! What a life of joy, reff, peace, and confolation 
 et do they lead ! Had 1 but their evidence of an interefl 
 <€ in it, and the fpiritual confolation that enfues thereon, 
 “ how would I defpife the world, and all the temptati- 
 “ ons of Satan, and rejoice in the Lord in every condi- 
 “ tion 1 ” And this apprehenfion of grace, alfo exceed- 
 jngly prepares and fits the foul, for a receiving of a 
 bleffed fenfe of it, fo as that God may have glory 
 thereby. 
 
 3 dly 9 It fits the foul by giving a right underflanding 
 of it; of its nature, its caufes, and effe&s. At the firft, 
 the foul goes do farther, but to look after impunity, or 
 freedom from punifhment, any way, What /hall I do to 
 be fared ? is the utmofl it aims at; who (hall deliver me, 
 how fhall I efcape ? And it would be contented to e- 
 fcape any way ; by the law, or the gofpel; all is one, 
 fo it may efcape. But upon this difcovery of forgive¬ 
 nefs treated of, which is made by faith of adherence 
 unto God, a man plainly fees the nature of it, and that 
 it is fo excellent, that it is to be delired for its own fake. 
 Indeed when a foul is brought under trouble for fin, it 
 knows not well what it would have. It hath an uneafi- 
 nefs or difquietmem that it would be freed from ; a 
 dread of feme evil condition that it would avoid. But 
 now the foul can tell what it defires, what it aims at, as 
 well as what it would be freed from. It would have ah 
 interefl in eternal love, have the gracious kindnefs of 
 the heart of God turned towards .itfelf; a fenfe of the 
 everlafiing purpofe of his will Ihcd abroad in his heart; 
 
 have 
 
* Ver. 4. prepares the Soul to receive it. 13-3 
 
 have an efpecial intereft in the precious blood of the 
 Son of God, whereby atonement is made for him, and 
 that all thefe. things be teftified unto his confciencein a 
 word of promife mixed with faith. Thefe things he 
 came for, this way a ] one he would be faved, and no o- 
 tier. It fees fuch a glory ofwifdom, love, and grace in 
 forgivenefs, fuch an exaltation of the love of Chrift in 
 ail his offices, in all his undertakings, efpecialjy in his 
 death, facrihce, and blood-fheding, whereby he pro¬ 
 cured or made reconciliation for us, that it exceedingly 
 longs after the participation of them. 
 
 All thefe things, in their feveral degrees, will this 
 difcovery of forgivenefs in God, without an evidence of 
 an efpecial intereft therein, produce. And thefe will 
 affiiredly maintain the fpiritual life of the /bul, and 
 keep it unto fuch an obedience as (hall be accepted of 
 God in Chrift. Darknefs, forrow, ftorms, they in 
 whom it is, may meet withal, but their eternal conditi¬ 
 on is fecured in the covenant of God, their fouls are 
 bound up in the bundle of life. 
 
 From what hath been fpoken, we may make fame in¬ 
 ferences in our paffage concerning the true notion of 
 believing. For, ., • 
 
 Firft , Thefe effects afcribed to this faith of forgive¬ 
 nefs in God, and always produced by it, make it evi¬ 
 dent that the moll: of them who pretend unto it, who 
 pretend to believe that there is forgivenefs with God, 
 do indeed believe no fuch thing. Although I (hall, on 
 fet purpofe, afterwards evince this, yet i cannot here 
 utterly pafs it by. 1 (hall then only demand of them 
 who are fo forward in the profeffion of this faith, that 
 they think it almoft impoffible that any one fhould not 
 believe it; what effecls it hath produced in them, and 
 whether they have been by it enabled to the perform¬ 
 ance of the duties before-mentioned? I fear, with many, 
 things on the account of their pretended faith are quite 
 otherwife. They love fin the more for it, and God ne¬ 
 ver the better; fuppofmg that a few barren words will 
 iffue the controverfy about their fins, they become in- 
 
 fenfibly 
 
1^4 Vain Pretences of Faith difcovered. Ver. 4* 
 
 fenfibly to have flight thoughts of fin, and of God alfo. 
 This perfuafion is not of him that calls us. Poor fouls, 
 your faith is the devil’s greateft engine for your ruin; the 
 higheft contempt of God and Chrift, and forgivenefs 
 alfo, that you can be guilty of; a means to let you down 
 quietly to hell; the Pharifees trufted in Mofes, and will 
 condemn you : As none is faved but by faith, fo you, 
 if it were not for your faith, as you call it, might pofti- 
 bly be faved. If a man’s gold prove counterfeit, his 
 jewel’s painted glafs, his filver lead or drofs, he will not 
 only be found poor when he comes to be tried, and want 
 the benefit of riches, but have withal a fearful aggrava¬ 
 tion of his poverty, by his difappointment and furprizal. 
 If a man’s faith, which (hould be more precious than 
 gold, be found rotten and corrupt, if his light be dark- 
 nefs, how vile is that faith, how great is that darknefs ? 
 Such it is evident will the faith of too many be found in 
 this bufmefs. 
 
 Secondly, The work we are carrying on, is the rifing 
 of a fin-intang'.ed foul out of its depths, and this we 
 have fpoken unto, is that which mull; give him his firft 
 relief. Commonly when fouls are in diftrefs, that which 
 they look after Is confolation. What is it that they in¬ 
 tend thereby ? that they may have affurance that their 
 fins are forgiven them, and fo be freed from their pre- 
 fent perplexities. What is the ilTue ? Some of them 
 continue complaining all their days, and never come to 
 reft or peace ; fo far do they fall ihort of confolation and 
 joy. And fome are utterly difcouraged from attempt¬ 
 ing any progrefs in the ways of God. What is the rea- 
 fon hereof? Is it not, that they would fain be finifhing 
 their building, when they have not laid the foundation. 
 They have not yet made thorough work in believing 
 forgivenefs with God, and they would immediately be 
 at alfurance in themfelves. Now, God delights not in 
 fuch a frame of fpirit; For, 
 
 1 /?, It is felfifh. The great defign of faith is to give 
 olory to God, Rom. iv. 20. The end of God’s giving out 
 forgivenefs, is the praife of his glorious grace, Eph. i. 6, 
 
 But 
 
Ver. 4. Vain Pretences of Faith Di/covered. 135* 
 
 But let a foul in this frame have peace in itfelf, it is 
 very little folicitous about giving glory unto God, He 
 cries like Rachel, Give me children or I die; give me 
 peace or 1 perilh. That God may be honoured, and 
 the forgivenefs he feeks after be rendered glorious, 
 it is cared for in the fecond place, if at all. This felf- 
 iih earneftnefs, at firft to be thrufling our hand in the 
 fide of Chrilt, is that which he will pardon in many, 
 but accepts in none. 
 
 2 dly, It is impatient. Men do thus deport themfelves, 
 becaufe they will not wait. They do not care for (land¬ 
 ing afar off, for any feafon, with the publican. They 
 love not to fubmit their fouls to ly at the foot of God, 
 to give him the glory of his goodnefs, mercy, wifdom, 
 and love, in the difpofal of them, and their concern¬ 
 ments. This waiting comprizeth the univerfal fubjec- 
 tion of the foul unto God, with a refolved judgment 
 that it is meet and right that we, and all we defire and 
 aim at, (hould be at his fovereign difpofal. This gives 
 glory to God ; a duty which the impatience of thefe 
 poor fouls will not admit them to the performance of; 
 and both thefe arife, 
 
 idly. From weaknefs. It is weak. It is weaknefs 
 in any condition that makes men reftlefs and weary. 
 The (late of adherence is as fafe a condition, as the 
 (late of affurance ; only it hath more combats and 
 wreftling attending it. It is not then fear of the event, 
 but weaknefs and wearinefs of the combat that makes 
 men anxioufly folicitous about a deliverance from that 
 (late, before they are well entered into it. 
 
 Let then the fin-intangled foul remember always this 
 way, method, and order of the gofpel, that we have 
 under confideration. Firft, Exercife faith on forgive¬ 
 nefs in God ; and when the foul is fixed therein, it will 
 have a ground and foundation whereon it may (land fe- 
 curely, in making application of it unto itfelf. Drive 
 this principle in the firft place unto a (table iffue, upon 
 gofpel evidences; anfwer the objeffions that ly againft 
 it, and then you may proceed, in believing, the foul 
 
 makes 
 
13 <5 EJJenlial Properties of God's Nature, See. Ver. 4. 
 
 makes a conqueft upon Satan’s territories. Do 4 hen as 
 they do, who are entring on an enemy’s country, fe- 
 cure the paffages, fortify the ftrong holds as you go 
 on, that you be not cut off in your progrefs. Be not as 
 a (hip at fea, which paffeth on, and is no more poffef- 
 fed or matter of the water it hath gone through, than, 
 of that whereunto it is not yet arrived. Bui fo it is 
 with a foul, that fixeth not on thefe foundation-princi¬ 
 ples; he preffeth forwards, and the ground crumbles 
 away under his feet, and fo he wilders away all his days 
 in uncertainties. Would men but lay this principle well 
 in their fouls, and fecure it againft affauits, they might 
 proceed, though not with fo much fpeed as forne do, 
 yet with more fafety\ Some pretend at once to fall into 
 full affurance, 1 wiili it prove not a broad prefumprion 
 in the mod. It is to no pnrpofe for him to drive to fly, 
 who cannot yet go ; to labour to come to afl'urance in 
 himfelf, who never well believed forgivenefs in God. 
 Now, that we may be enabled to fix this perfuafion a- 
 gaintt all oppofition, that which in the next place 1 fhall 
 do, is to give out fuch unqueftionable evidences of this 
 gofpel truth, as the foul may fafely build and rett upon: 
 And thefe contain the confirmation of the principle 
 propofition before laid down. 
 
 Evidences of forgivenefs in God.—-No inbred noti¬ 
 ons of anv free a£ls of God’s will.—Forgivenefs 
 
 j o 
 
 not revealed by the works of nature, nor the 
 law. 
 
 FiRST,The things that are fpoken, or to be known of 
 God are of two forts; natural and neceffary : Such as 
 are his effential properties,or the attributes of his nature, 
 his goodnefs, hoiinefs, righteoufnefs, omnipotency, e- 
 tsrnity, and the like. Thefe are called to ™ e^, 
 Rom. i. 19, That which may he known of God. And 
 there are two ways as the apoftle there declares, 
 whereby that which he there intimates of God may be 
 known. 
 
 FirfI, 
 
Ver. 4. Free Acls of God's Will. 137 
 
 Firfl, By the inbred light of nature ; <pXVSpOv CV CLVTo7f 9 
 ver. 19. It is manifejl in themfelves , in their own hearts; 
 they are taught it by the common conceptions and pre¬ 
 emptions which they have of God by the fight of na¬ 
 ture. From hence do all mankind know concerning 
 God, that he is, that he is eternal, infinitely powerful, 
 good, righteous, holy, omnipotent. There needs no 
 fpecial revelation of thefe things that men may know 
 them ; that indeed they may be known favingly, there 
 is, and therefore they that know thefe tilings by nature, 
 do alio believe them on revelation, Heb. xi. 6. He that 
 cometh unto God , mufl bel ieve that he is, and that 
 hejs a rewarder . Though men know God, by the 
 light of nature, yet they cannot come to God by that 
 knowledge. 
 
 Secondly, Thefe eflential properties of the nature of 
 God are revealed by his works. So the apoftle in the 
 fame place, ver. 20. The invifible things of God from the 
 creation of the world , are clearly feen, being under flood by 
 the things that are made , even his eterndl power and 
 Godhead: See alfo, l J fal. xix. 1, 2, 3, And this is the 
 firfl; fort of things that may be known of God. 
 
 Again, there are the free afts of his will and power ; 
 or his free eternal purpofes, with the temporal difpen- 
 fations that flow from them. Now of this fort is the 
 forgivenefs that we are enquiring after ; it is not a pro¬ 
 perty of the nature of God, but an aft of his will, and 
 a work of his grace. Although it hath its rife and 
 fpring in the infinite goodnels of his nature, yet it pro¬ 
 ceeds from him, and is not exercifed but by an abfolute 
 free and fovereign aft of his will. Now, there is no¬ 
 thing of God, or with him, of this fort, that can be any 
 ways known, but only by efpecial revelation : For, 
 
 Firfl, There is no inbred norion of the afts ol God’s 
 will in the heart of man, which is the firlt way where¬ 
 by we come to the knowledge of any thing of God. 
 Forgivenefs is not revealed by the right of nature ; fl (h 
 and bicod, which nature is, declares it not: By that 
 means, No man hath feen God at any time, John i. 8. 
 
 S that 
 
138 Free Afts of God’s will. Ver. 4. 
 
 that is, as a God of mercy and pardon as the Son reveals 
 him. Adam had an intimate acquaintance, according 
 to the limited capacity of a creature, with the properties 
 and excellencies of the nature of God. It was implant¬ 
 ed in his heart, as indifpenfibly ncceffary unto that na¬ 
 tural worfhip, which, by the law' of his creation, he. 
 was to perform ; but when he had finned, it is evident, 
 that he had not the lead apprehenfion that there was 
 forgivenefs with God. Such a thought would have laid 
 a foundation of fome farther treaty with God about his 
 condition. But he had no other defign but of flying and 
 hiding himfelf Gen. iii. 10. io declaring that he was 
 utterly ignorant of any fuch thing as pardoning mercy. 
 Such, and no other, are all the fird or purely natural 
 conceptions of finners, namely, that it is ts fcs, the 
 
 judgment of God , Rom, i. 32. that fin is to be punifhed 
 with death. It is true, thcfe conceptions in many are 
 flifled by rumours, reports, traditions, that it may be o- 
 therwife; but all thefie are far enough from that reve¬ 
 lation of fc. 0 ivenefs, which we are enquiring after. 
 
 Secondly , The confideration of the works of God’s 
 creation, will not help a man to this knowledge, that 
 there is forgivenefs with God. The apodle tells us, 
 Rom. i. 20. what it is of God that his works reveal, 
 even his eternal power and Godhead, or the effential 
 properties of his nature, but no more ; not any of the 
 pur poles of his grace ^ not any of the free a&s of his 
 will; not pardon and forgivenefs. befides, God made • 
 all things in fuch an edate and condition, namely, of 
 re&itude, integrity, and uprightnefs, Eccl. vii. 29. that 
 it was impofiible they Ihould have any refpeft unto dn, 
 which is the corruption of all, or to the pardon ot it, 
 which is their reftitution, whereof they dand in no need. 
 There being no fuch thing in the world, as a fin, nor 
 any fuch thing fuppofed to be, when all things were 
 made of nothing, how could any thing declare or reveal 
 the forgivenefs of it. 
 
 Thirdly , No works of God’s providence can make this 
 difeovery, God hath indeed born tedimony to himfelf 
 
 aad 
 
Ver. 4. Free Afts cf God's Will . 13 9 
 
 and his goodnefs in all ages, from the foundation of the 
 world, in the works of his providence: So A&s xiv. 
 15, 16, 17. We preach uni0 you , that you JJjould turn 
 from thefe vanities , unto the living God, which made hea¬ 
 ven, and earth , and the fea, and all things that are 
 therein; who in times pajl fujfercd all nations to walk in 
 their own ways : Neverthelefs , he left not himfelf without 
 witnefs , in that he did good, and gave us rain from hea¬ 
 ven, and fruitful feafons , filling our heart with food and 
 gladnefs : K^rupo* tVuUv he left not himfelf without 
 
 witnefs , that is, by the works of his providence there 
 recounted, he thus far bore teftimony to himfelf, that 
 he is, and is good, and doth good, and rnleth the world j 
 fo that they were utterly inexcufable who, taking no 
 notice of thefe works of his, nor the fruits of his good¬ 
 nefs, which they lived upon, turned away after tx fidraix, 
 vain things, as the apoftle there calls the idols of the 
 Gentiles. But yet thefe things did not difcover pardon 
 and forgivenefs. For God flill fuffered them to go on 
 in their own ways, and winked at their ignorance : So 
 again, A&s xvii. 23. 24, 25, 26, 27. Whom you igno¬ 
 rantly worfhip, him declare I unto you. God that made 
 the world , and all things therein , feeing that he is the 
 Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made 
 with hands , neither is worfhipped with mens hands, as 
 though he needeth any thing , feeing he giveth unto all , 
 life and breath and all things, and hath made of one blood 
 all nations of men , for to dwell on all the face of the 
 earth ^where, by the way, there is an aliulion to that 
 of Gen. xi. 28. the LordJcattered them abroad on all the 
 face of the earth) and hath determined the times before 
 appointed , and the bounds cf their habitation , that they 
 Jbould feek the Lord , if haply they might feel after him , 
 and find him , iho' he be hot far from every one of us. By 
 arguments taken from the works of God both cf creati¬ 
 on and providence, the apoftle proves the being, the 
 properties of God. Yea, he lets them know with whom 
 he had to do, that God defigned by his works fo far to 
 reveal himfelf unto them, as the true and living God, 
 
 S 2 the 
 
140 Forgivenefs not revealed by the Work Ver. 4. 
 
 the maker and governor of all things, as that they ought 
 to have enquired more diligently after him, and not to 
 look on him alone as the unknown God, who alone 
 might be known ; all their idols being vain and no- 
 th ; ng. But of the difcovery of pardon and forgivenefs 
 in God, by thefe ways amj means he fpeaks not ; yea, 
 he plainly fhews that this was not done thereby For 
 the great call to having repentance, is by the revelation 
 of forgivenefs. But now, by thefe works of his pro¬ 
 vidence. God called not the Gentiles to laving repent¬ 
 ance No, faith h% he /offered them to walk flillin their 
 own ways , chap xi . 1 1 . and winked at the times of their 
 ignorant ; l u new, da is by the word of the gofpel, 
 comma nacd them to reper.t , chap. xvii. 30, 
 
 Secondly, Whereas there had been one fignal aft 
 of God’s, providence about fin, when man firft tell into 
 the fnares of it; it was (o far ftom the revealing for- 
 givends in God, that it rather feverely intimated the 
 contrary. This was God’s dealing with finning angels. 
 The angels were the firft Tinners ; and God dealt firft 
 wi'h them about fin. And what was his dealing with 
 them, the Holy Ghoft tells us, 2 Fet. ii 4. ayyiKat u/AccfT»- 
 travTUv ix Ifita-aTO, he fared not the finning angels. He fpar- 
 ed them not, is the fame word which he ufeth, where 
 he fpeaks of laying all our iniquities on Chriff, he un¬ 
 de- going the pumfhment due unto them, Rom viii. 32. 
 itx fpfJoaro, he fpartd him not ; that is, he laid on him the 
 full puuifhment, that by the curfe and fanftion of the 
 law, was due unto fin. So he dealt with the angels 
 that finned • he fpared them not, but inflifted on them 
 the punifhment due unto fin, fhurting them up under 
 chains of darknefs for the iudgment of the great day. 
 Hi herto then God keeps all thoughts of forgivenefs in 
 his own ettrnal bofom. 1 here is not fo much as the 
 lead dawning of it upon the world. And this was at 
 firft no imall prejudice againft any thoughts of forgive¬ 
 nefs. I he world is made, fin enters by the inoff glori¬ 
 ous part of the creation, whole recovery by pardon 
 
 might 
 
Ver. -4. of Providence about the firfl Sin. 1q1 
 
 might feem more defireable, bur not the lead appear¬ 
 ance of it is difcovered. Thus it was hid in God from 
 the foundation of the world, Eph. iii. 9, 
 
 Thirdly, God gave unto man a law of obedience 
 immediately upon his creation ; yea, for the main of it, 
 God implanted it in him, by, and in, his creation. This 
 law, it was fuppofed, man might tranfgrefs. The very 
 nature of a law prefcribed unto free agents, attended 
 with threatnings and promifes of reward, requires that 
 fuppofition. Now, there was not annexed to this law, 
 or revealed with i 1 , the lead intimation of pardon to be 
 obtained, if tranfgrefiion Ihouid enfue. Gen ii. 17. 
 we have this law, In the day thou eateft , thou/halt J'urely 
 die : Dying thou (halt die ; or bring upon thyfelf af- 
 furedly the guilt of death temporal and eternal. There 
 God leaves the firmer under the power of that commina- 
 tion. Of forgivenefs, or pardoning mercy, there is 
 not the lead intimation. To this very day, that law, 
 which was then the whole rule of life and acceptance 
 with God, knows no fuch thing. Dying thou (halt die, 
 O finner, is the precife and final voice of it. From 
 thefe previous confiderations, added to what was for¬ 
 merly fpoken, fome things preparatory to the enfuing 
 difcourfe may be inferred : As, 
 
 Firfl, That it is a great and rare thing to have for¬ 
 givenefs in God difcovered unto a finful foul. A thing 
 it is, that, as hath been fhewed, confidence and law, 
 with the inbred notions that are in the heart of man a- 
 bout God’s holinefs and vindictive juflice, do l.y againih. 
 A matter whereof we have no natural preemption ; 
 whereof there is no common notion in the mind of man. 
 A tning which no confideration of the works of God, 
 either of creation or providence will reveal, and which 
 the great inltance of God’s dealing with finning as gels, 
 renders deep, admirable and myfterious. Men who 
 have common and flight thoughts of God, of them- 
 feives, of fin, of obedience, of the judgment to come, 
 of eternity, that feed upon the afhes of rumours, re¬ 
 ports, 
 
142 Forgivenefs not revealed by the Work\ Ver. 4. 
 
 ports, hearfays, traditions, without looking into the 
 reality of things, may, and do take this to be an or¬ 
 dinary and acknowledged truth, eafy to be entertained, 
 which, upon the matter, no man disbelieves. But con¬ 
 vinced Tinners, who make a trial of thefe things as run¬ 
 ning into eternity, have other thoughts of them. And 
 as to that which is pretended every one believes, we 
 have great caufe to cry out. Lord , who hath believed our 
 report , to whom hath this arm of the Lord been revealed ? 
 
 Secondly , That the difcovery of forgivenefs in God, 
 being a matter of fo great difficulty, is a thing precious 
 and excellent, as being the foundation of all our com¬ 
 munion with God here, and of all undeceiving expec¬ 
 tation of our enjoyment of him hereafter. It is a pure 
 gofpel truth, that hath neither ffiadow, footftep, nor 
 intimation elfewhere, the whole creation hath not the 
 leaft obfcure impreffion of it left thereon ; fo that, 
 
 Thirdly , It is undoubtedly greatly incumbent on us to 
 enquire diligently, as the prophets did of old, into this 
 falvation ; to confider what fure evidences faith hath of 
 it, fuch as will not, as cannot fail us. To be flight and 
 common in this matter, to take it up at random, is an 
 argument of an unfound rotten heart. He that is not 
 ferious in his enquiry into the revelation of this matter, 
 is ferious in nothing wherein God or his foul is concern¬ 
 ed. The Holy Ghofl; knows what our frame of heart 
 is, and how flow we are to receive this blefled truth in 
 a gracious faving manner. Therefore doth he confirm 
 it unto us with fuch weighty confiderations, as Heb. vi. 
 17, 18. God willing more abundantly to Jhew unto the 
 heirs of promife the immutability of his counfel, confirmed 
 it by an oath; that by two immutable things , in which it 
 was impojfible for God to lie, we might have flrong confo- 
 lation. It is of forgivenefs of fin that the apoftle treats, 
 as hath been made evident by this description of it be¬ 
 fore given. Now, to give evidence hereunto, and to 
 beget a belief of it in us, he firfl: engages a property of 
 God’s nature in that bufinefs. He with whom we deal, 
 is —as Tic. i. 2. The Gcd that cannot lie, that 
 
 cannot 
 
Ver, 4. of Providence about the firfl Sin. 145 
 
 cannot deceive or be deceived. It is impoflible it ihould 
 be fo with him. Now, as this extends itfelf in general 
 to all the words and works of God, fo there is peculiar¬ 
 ly in this, whereof he treats « a^cti-aSn-ovrSc an eipe- 
 ■ cial immutability of his counfel. Men may think, that 
 although there be words fpoken about forgivenefs, yet 
 it is poftible it may be otherwife ; no, faith the apoftle, 
 it is fpoken by God, and it is impoflible he Ihould lie. 
 Yea, but upon the manifold provocations of linners he 
 may change his mind and thoughts therein ; no, faith 
 the apoftle, there is a peculiar mutability in his counfel 
 1 concerning the execution of this thing, there can be no 
 change in it. But how doth this appear, that indeed 
 this is the counfel of his will ? Why, faith he, he hath 
 declared it by his word, and that given in a way of pro- 
 mife ; which, as in its own nature it is fuited to raife an 
 expectation in him or them to whom it is made or given, 
 fo it requires exaCt faithfulnefs in the difchacge and 
 performance of it, w'hich God on his part will aflfuredly 
 anfwer. But neither is this all; but that no place might 
 be left for any cavilling objection in this matter, W«•««•«» 
 Hpy.a, he interpofeth himfelf by an oath. Thus we have 
 this truth deduced from the veracity of God’s nature, 
 one of his effential excellencies, eftablifhed in the im¬ 
 mutable purpofe of ’nis will, brought forth by a word 
 of promife, and confirmed by God’s interpofing himfelf 
 againft all occafions of exception, (10 to put an end unto 
 all ftrife about it) by an oath, fwearing bv himfelf that 
 fo it fhould be. I have mentioned this only 10 fhew 
 what weight the Holy Ghoft lays upon the delivery of 
 this great truth, and thence ho*W deeply it concerns us 
 to enquire diligently into it, and after the grounds and 
 evidences which may be tendered of it; which, among 
 others, are thefe that follow. 
 
 Difcovery of forgivenefs in the nrft promife.—The e- 
 vidence of the truth that lies therein.7— And by the 
 inftitution of facrifices.—Their ufe and end.—Alfo 
 by the prefcription of repentance unto finners. 
 
 The 
 
144 Forghenefs difcovered in the firfl Fromife. Ver. 4. 
 
 The firfl: difcoveryof forgivervefs in God, and which 
 I place as the firfl; evidence of it, was made in his firfl 
 dealing with our parents after their (hameful fin and fall. 
 Now, to make it appear, that this is an evidence that car¬ 
 ries along a great conviction with it, and is fuch as faith 
 may fecurely refl upon, and clofe withal, the enfuing 
 obfervations are to be confidered. 
 
 Firf}, The firfl fin in the world, was on many accounts 
 thegreateft fin that ever was in the world. It was the 
 fin as it were of human nature, wherein there was a con- 
 fpiracy of all individuals, cmnes eramus unus ille homo , in 
 that one man, or that one fin, we all finned, Rom. v. 12. 
 It left not God ooe fubjeft, as to moral obedience, on 
 earth, nor the lead ground for any fuch to be unto eter¬ 
 nity. When the angels finned, the whole race or kind 
 did not prevaricate. Fhoufands and ten thoufands of them , 
 and ten thoufand times ten thoufands continued in their 
 obedience, Dan. vii. 10. But here, all and every indivi¬ 
 dual of mankind, (he only excepted which was not then 
 in Adam) were imbarked in the fame crime and guilt. 
 Befides, it difturbed the government of God in and over 
 the whole creation. God made all things in number, 
 weight, and meafure, in order and beauty ; pronounc¬ 
 ing himfelf concerning his whole work, that it was ex¬ 
 ceeding beautiful and good, Gen. i. 3 1. Much of this 
 beauty lay in the fubordination of one thing to another, 
 and of all to himfelf, by the mediation and interpofition 
 of man, through whofe praifes and obedience'the reft 
 of the creation, being made fubjeft unto him, was to 
 return their tribute of honour and glory unto God. But 
 all this order was deflroyed by this fin, and the very 
 creation itfeif made fubjeft to vanity, Rom. viii. 20. 
 On which, and the like accounts, it might be eafily 
 made to appear, that it was the gieateft fin that ever was 
 n the world. 
 
 Secondly, Man, who had finned, fubferibed in his 
 heart and confcience unto the righteous fentence of 
 the law. He knew what he had deferved, and look¬ 
 ed for nothing but the immediate execution of the fen¬ 
 tence 
 
Vcr. 4. Forgivenefs difcovered in the Jirfl Promife 145 
 
 tence of death upon him. Hence he meditates nor a 
 defence, expeCIs no pardon, days not for a trial, but 
 flees and hides, and attempts an efcape, Gen. iii. to I 
 was afraid , faith he, and hid myfelf; than which ne¬ 
 ver were there words of greater horror in the world, 
 nor fhall be until the day of judgment: Poor creature ! 
 he was full of the expeCtanon of vengeance, due for a 
 broken covenant 
 
 ! Thirdly , God hath newly declared, in the finnirg 
 angels, what his jufhce required, and how he could 
 deal with finning man without the leaf! impeachment 
 of his government, holinefs or goodnefs^ See 2 Pet. 
 
 1 ii. 4. 
 
 4. There was nothing, without God himfelf, that 
 fhould move him in the lead, fo much as to fufpend the 
 execution of his wrath for a moment; he had not done 
 
 1 fo with the angels. All things lay now under wrarh, 
 curfe, confufion, diforder; nothing was left good, 
 lovely, or defireable in his eye. As in the iirlf creati¬ 
 on, that which wasfirft brought forth from nothing was 
 (Heb.) without form and void , empty of all order and 
 beauty; nothing was in it to induce or move God to 
 bring forth all things in the glory that enfued, but the 
 whole defign of it proceeded from his own infini’e good- 
 nefs and wifdom. So was it now again : There was 
 an emptinefs and vanity brought by fin upon the whole 
 creation: Nothing remained that might be a motive un¬ 
 to a merciful redoration, but all is again devolved on 
 his fovereignty. All things being in this date and con¬ 
 dition, wherein all doors dood open to die glory of 
 God’s judice, in the punilhing of fin, nothing remain¬ 
 ing without him ro hold hi hand in the lead; the whole 
 creation, and efpecially the firner himfelf, lying trem¬ 
 bling in expectation of a dreadful doom. What now 
 cometh forth from him? the blefll-d word which we have, 
 Gen. iii. 15. 'lhe feed of the woman [hall break the fer- 
 f ends head. It is full known, that the whole myftery 
 of forgivenefs i^ wrapt up in this one word of promife. 
 And the great way of its coming forth from God, by 
 
 T the 
 
14 6 Sacrifices an Evidences of Forgivenefs. Ver. 4. 
 
 the blood of the Meffiah, whofe heel was to be bruifed, 
 isalfo intimated. And this was the firfl difcovery that 
 ever was made of forgivenefs in God : By a word of 
 pure revelation it was made, and fo faith muff take 
 it up and receive it. Now, this revelation of forgive- 
 nefs with God, in this one promife, was the bottom of 
 all that worfhip that was yielded unto him by fmners for 
 many ages. For we {hewed before, that without this, 
 no {inner can have the lead encouragement to approach 
 unto him ; and this will continue to the end of the world, 
 as a notable evidence of the truth in hand, a firm foun¬ 
 dation for faith to red and build upon. Let a finner fe- 
 rioufly confider the date of things, as they were then 
 in the world laid down before, and then view God corn¬ 
 ing forth with a word of pardon and forgivenefs, mere¬ 
 ly from his own love, and thofe counfels of peace that 
 were between the Father and the Son ; and he cannot 
 but conclude, under his greated difficulties, that yet 
 there is forgivenefs with God that he may be feared. 
 Let now the law arid confcience, let fin and Satan dand 
 forth, and except againd this evidence ; enough may 
 be fpoken from it, whatever the particular cafe be, 
 about, which the foul hath a corned with them, to put 
 them all to fileuce. 
 
 Secondly, God revealed this fac-red truth by his 
 indituiion of facriiices. Sacrifices by blood, do all of 
 them refpefl atonement, expiation, and confequentially 
 forgivenefs. It is true, indeed, they could not them- 
 felves take away da, nor make them perfeft who came 
 unto God by them, Heb x. 1. but yet they undeniably 
 evince the taking away of fin, or the forgivenefs of it, 
 by what they did denote and typify. 1 {ball therefore 
 look a little back into their rife and intendment. 
 
 Firfl, The original and firft fpring of facrifices is not 
 in the feripture exprefly mentioned, only the pradtice 
 of the faints is recorded ; but it is certain, from infalli¬ 
 ble fcripture-evidences, that they were of God’s imme¬ 
 diate mfiitution and appointment, God never allowed, 
 
 * that 
 
Ver. 4* Sacrifices an Evidence cf For give nefs. i4? 
 
 that the wili or wifdom cf man Ihould be the fpring 
 and rule of his worihip That foletfcn word, where¬ 
 with he fronts the command that is, the rule of his 
 worihip, thou Jhalt not make to thyfelf\ which is the 
 life ot the command (that which follows being an 
 - explanation and confirmation of the law itfelf) by 
 instances cuts oft all fuch pretences, and is as a flam¬ 
 ing fword turning every way to prevent mens arbitrary 
 approaches to God’s inftitutions. God will not part, 
 with his glory of being the only law-giver, .as. to the 
 whole concernment of his worihip, or any part of it, 
 unto any of the Tons of men. 
 
 Secondly, Neither is the time of their inftiturion men¬ 
 tioned. Some of’ the papifts difpute (as there are a 
 generation of philofophical difputers among!!; them, by 
 whom their tottering caufe is fupponed) that there 
 fhould have been facrifices in paradife, if man had not 
 finned. But as in all their opinions, our firft enquiry 
 ought to be, what do they get by this or that, their 
 whole religion being pointed unto their carnal in- 
 tereil ; fo we may in particular do it, upon this uncouth 
 afferiion, which is perfe&ly comradi&ious to the very 
 nature and end of molt facrifices, namely, that they 
 fliould be offered where there is no fin. Why, they 
 hope to eftablifh hence a general rule, that there can 
 be no true worihip of God in any ftate or condition 
 without facrifice : What then, I pray ? Why then, it it 
 evident, that the continual facrifice of the mafs is necef- 
 fary in the church, and that without it there is no true 
 worihip of God ; and fo they are quickly come home 
 to their advantage and profit; the mafs being that inex- 
 haultible fpring of revenue, which feeds their pride and 
 lull throughout the world. But there is in the church 
 or Ghrift an altar ftili, and a facrifice ftill, which they 
 have rejefted for the abominable figment of their mafs; 
 namely, Chrift himfelf, as the apoftle informs us, Heb. 
 xiii. 10. But as the facrifices of beafts couid not 
 have been before the entrance of fin, fo it may be 
 evidenced that they were inftituted from rite foun¬ 
 dation of the world, that is, prefently after the en- 
 
 T z trance 
 
148 Sacrifices an Evidence of Forgivenefs. Ver. 4. 
 
 trance of fin. Cbrift is called the Lamb of Gcd> John 
 1. 29. which he was, in reference unto the facrifices of 
 old, as 1 Pet. ii. 18, 19. whence he is reprefeated in the 
 church, as a Lamb (lain , Rev. v. 6. or giving out the 
 efficacy of ill facrifices to tus church. Now, he is faid 
 to b'- a Lamb flaw from the foundation of the worldy 
 R v xiii 8. which could not be, unlefs (oine facrifice 
 pr< figuring his being ft on hai been then offered ; for it 
 denotes not on y the efficacy of his mediation, but the 
 wav Befides, the apoftle 'ells us, that without /bedding 
 oj blood there was no nmijfion , Heb. ix. 22. Thar is, 
 God, ro de on*'rate that all pardon aod forgivenefs 
 related to the blood o: Chriff ; from the foundation of 
 t' e world, gave out no Word of pardon, but by and 
 with blood. Now I hav lhewed before, that he re¬ 
 veal'd pardon m the firlf promiie, and therefore there 
 enfued thereon the (hedging of blood and facrifices; 
 and thereby that teftament or covenant was dedicated 
 with b ond alfo, ver. 18. Some think that the beafts of 
 w l ofe fkins God made garments for Adam, were offer¬ 
 ed in facrifices. Nor is the conje&ure vain : Yea, it 
 feems not to want a ffiadow of a goipel myftery ; that 
 then nakednefs, which became their ffianoe upon their 
 fin (vthence the pollution and fhatUe of fin is frequently 
 io termed) fhould be covered with the fkins of their fa¬ 
 crifices. For in the true facrifice there is fomewhat 
 anfwerable (hereunto. And the tighteoufnefs of him 
 whofe facrifice akc^ away the guilt of our fin, is called 
 our cloathing, that hides our po lution and lhame. 
 
 T hirdly , * hat after the giving of the law, the great- 
 
 eft, n oit noble, and fulemn part of the worftvp of God 
 confiftt; in facrifices. And this kind of worfhip couti- 
 nue-, wi h die approbation of God, in he world about 
 four thoufand years; that is, from the entrance of fin 
 until the death ot the M<-ffiah, the true facrifice, which 
 put an end unto all that was typical. 
 
 i'nele thing? being premiled, ve may confider what 
 was he mind and aim of God in the mftituiion of this 
 worfhip One inftance, and that of the moft folemn of 
 the whole kind, will refolve us in this enquiry. Lev. 
 
 xvi. 
 
■■ 
 
 Ver. 4. Sacrifices an Evidence of Forgivenefs. 149 
 
 xvi. 5. Two kids of the goats are taken for an offering 
 for fin. Confider only (that we do not enlarge on parti¬ 
 culars) how one of them was dealt withal, ver. 20, 22, 
 — 32. He [hall bring the live goat , and Aaron Jhall lay 
 both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confefs 
 over him all the iniquities of the children of lfraef and all 
 their tranfgrejfions in all their fins , putting them upon the 
 head of the goat , and /hall fend him away by the hand of 
 a fit man into the wildernefs , and the goat Jhall bear up¬ 
 on him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited. 
 
 Let us fee to what end is all this folemnity, and what 
 is declared thereby. Wherefore fhould God appoint 
 poor finful men to come together, to take a goat or a 
 lamb, and to confefs over his head all their fins and 
 tranfgreffions, and to devote him to deilru&ion under 
 that confefiion ? Had men invented this themfelves, it 
 had been a matter of no moment. But it was an inftitu- 
 tion of God, which he bound his church to the obferva- 
 tion of. upon the penalty of his higheft difpleafure. 
 Certainly this was a folemn declaration, that there is 
 forgivenefs with him. Would that God who is infinitely 
 good, and fo will not, who is infinitely true, holy, and 
 faithful, and fo cannot deceive, call men out whom he 
 loved, to a folemn reprefentation of a thing, wherein 
 their chie eft, their eternal concernment did ly, and 
 fuffer them to feed upon afhes ? Let men take heed that 
 they mock not God ; for of a truth, God mocketh not 
 man, until he be finally rejected by him. Foi four 
 thouland years together then, did God decLre by fa- 
 crific.es, that there is forgivenefs with him, and lead his 
 people by them to make a public reprefentation of it in 
 the face of the world. T his is a fecond uncontroulable 
 evidence of the truth aiTerted, which may pofiibly be 
 of ufe to fouls that come indeed deeply and feriouily to 
 deal with God ; for though the pradfice be ceafed, yet 
 the inftru&ion intended in them continues. 
 
 Thirdly, God’s appointment of repentance unto 
 finners, doth reveal that there is forgivenefs in himfeif; 
 
 1 fay 
 
150 Forgivenefs with God manifefled by Ver. 4. 
 
 I fay the prefcription of repentance is a revelation of 
 forgivenefs. After the angels had finned, God never 
 once called them to repentance. He would not deceive 
 them, but let them know what they were to look for 
 at his hands; he hath no forgivenefs for them, and 
 therefore would require no repentance of them. It is 
 not, nor ever was, a duty incumbent on them to repent; 
 nor is it fo unto the damned in hell. God requires it 
 not of them, nor is it their duty. There being no 
 forgivenefs for them, what Ihould move them to repent ? 
 why Ihould it be their duty fo to do ? Their eternal an- 
 guifh about fin committed, hath nothing of repentance 
 in it, Aflignation then of repentance is a revelation of 
 forgivenefs. God would not call upon a finful creature 
 to humble itfelf, and bewail its (in, if there were no 
 way of recovery, or relief; and the only way of recove¬ 
 ry from the guilt of fin, is pardon, fojob xxxiii. 27, 
 28. He looketh on men , and if any fay , I have finned , 
 and perverted that which is rights and it profited me not; 
 he will deliver his foul from going into the pit , and his life 
 Jhall fee the light . In the foregoing verfes he declares 
 the various ways that God ufed to bring men unto re¬ 
 pentance. He did it by dreams, ver. 15, 16. by af- 
 fliflions, ver. 19. by the preaching of the word, ver. 23. 
 What then doth God aim at in and by all thefe various 
 ways of teachings ? It is to caufe man to fay, I have fin¬ 
 ned and perverted that which was right. It is to bring 
 him to repentance : What now, if he obtain his end, 
 and man cometh to that which is aimed at ? Why then, 
 there is forgivenefs for him, as is declared, ver 28. 
 To improve this evidence, I fhall confirm, by fome few 
 obvious confiderations, thefe two things. 
 
 Firfi, That the prefcription of repentance doth indeed 
 evince that there is forgivenefs with God. 
 
 Secondly, That every one in whom there is repent¬ 
 ance wrought towards God, may certainly conclude, 
 that there is forgivenefs with God for him. 
 
 Firfi, No repentance is acceptable with God, but 
 what is built, or leans on the faith of forgivenefs. We 
 have a cloud of witneffes unto this truth in the feripture. 
 
 Many 
 
Ver. 4* his Prefcription oj Repentance. 151 
 
 Many there have been, many are recorded, who have 
 been convinced of fin, perplexed about it, forry tor k, 
 that have made open confeffion and acknowledgment 
 of it, that under the prefling fenfe of it, have cried out 
 even to God for deliverance, and yet have come fhort 
 of mercy, pardon, and acceptance with God. The 
 cafes of Cain, Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, Judas, and others, 
 might be infifted on. What was wanting that made all 
 that they did abominable ? Confider one inftance for ail: 
 It is faid of Judas, that he repented, Mat. xxvii. 3. 
 
 be repented himfelf ; but wherein did this re¬ 
 pentance confift ? he was convinced of his fin in general, 
 faith he, I have finned, ver. 4. 2. He was fen- 
 
 fible of the particular fin, whereof he flood charged in 
 confcience before God. I have, faith he, betrayed in¬ 
 nocent blood: I am guilty of blood, innocent blood, and 
 that in the vileft manner, by treachery. So that he 
 comes, 3. To a full and open confeffion of his fin. 4. 
 He makes reflitution of what he was advantaged by his 
 fin, he brought again the thirty pieces of filver , ver. 3. 
 all teftifying an hearty for row that fpirited the whole. 
 Methinks now Judas his repentance looks like the young 
 man’s obedience, who cried out, All thefe things have 
 1 done; is there any thing lacking f Yea, one thing was 
 wanting to that young man, he had no true faith nor 
 love to God all this while, which vitiated and fpoiled all 
 the reft of his performances. One thing aifo is wanting 
 to this repentance of Judas, he had no faith of forgive- 
 nefs in God ; that he could not believe ; and therefore 
 after all this forrow, inflead of coming to him, he bids 
 him the utmofl defiance, and goes away, and hangs 
 himfelf. 
 
 Indeed faith of forgivenefs, as hath been fhewed, 
 hath many degrees. There is of them, that which is 
 indifpenfibly neceffary to render repentance acceptable. 
 What it is in particular, I do not difpute. It is not an 
 afifurance of the acceptance of our pcrfons in general. 
 It is not that the particular fin wherewith, it may be, 
 the foul is perplexed, is forgiven. A general, fo it be 
 
 a gofpel 
 
152 Forgivenefs with God manifefled by Ver. 4. 
 
 a gofpel-difcovery that there is forgivenefs in God, 
 will fuffice. The church exprefleth it, HoC xiv. g. 
 In thee the fatherlefs findeth mercy, and Joel ii. 14 Who 
 knows but he will return and repent. 1 have this ground, 
 faith the foul, God is in himfelf gracious and merciful; 
 the fatherlefs, deflituce, and helplefs, that come to him 
 by Thrift, find mercy in him. None in heaven and 
 earth can evince, but that he may return to me alfo. 
 Now, let a man’s convi&ions be never fo great, (harp, 
 wounding, his forrow never fo abundant, overflowing, 
 abiding, his confeflion never fo full, free or open, if 
 this one thing be wanting, all is nothing but what tends 
 to death. 
 
 Fourthly, To prefcribe repentance as a duty unto fin- 
 ners, without a foundation of pardon and forgivenefs in 
 himfelf, is inconfiflent with the wifdom, holinefs, good- 
 nefs, faithfulnefs, and all other glorious excellencies and 
 perfe&ions of the nature of God : For, 
 
 1 /?, The apoftle lays this as the great foundation of 
 all confolation, that God cannot lie or deceive, Heb. 
 vi. 18. And again, he engageth the faithfulnefs and ve¬ 
 racity of God to the fame purpofe. Tit. i. 2. God who 
 cannot he hath promifed it. Now, there is a lie, a deceit 
 in things, as well as in words. He that doth a thing, 
 which in its own nature is apt to deceive them that con- 
 fider it, with an intention of deceiving them, is no lefs 
 a liar, than he which affirms that to be true, which he 
 knows to be falfe. T here is a lie in a&ions, as well as 
 in words. The whole life of an hypocrite is a lie. So 
 faith the prophet of idolaters, There is a lie in their right 
 hand , Ifa. xliv. 20. 
 
 idly, The propofal of repentance, is a thing fitted and 
 fuited, in its own nature, to beget thoughts in the mind 
 of a finner, that there is forgivenefs with God. Repent¬ 
 ing is for finners only. I came not , faith our Saviour, to 
 call the righteous , but finners to repentance. It is for them, 
 and them only. It was no duty for Adam in Eden; it 
 is none for the angels in heaven, nor for the damned in 
 hell. What then may be the language of this appoint¬ 
 ment ? 
 
Ver. 4. his Prefcription of Repentance . 153 
 
 ment ? O Tinners, come and deal with God by repent¬ 
 ance, doth it not openly fpeak forgivenefs in God ? 
 and if it were otherwife, could meu poffibly be more 
 fruflrated or deceived ? would not the inftitution of re¬ 
 pentance be a lie ? fuch a delufion may produce from 
 Satan, but not from him who is the fountain of good- 
 nefs, holinefs and truth. His call to repentance, is a 
 full demonliration of his readinefs to forgive, A&s xvii. 
 30, gf, 32. It is true, many do thus deceive thetn- 
 felves: They raife themfelves unto an expe&ation of 
 immunity, not on gofpel grounds; and their dilapoint- 
 ment is a great part of their puriifhment. But God de¬ 
 ceives none; whoever comes to him on his propofal of 
 repentance, Thail find forgivenefs. It is Hid of fome 
 indeed, that he will laugh at their calamity , and mock 
 when their fear cometh , Prov. i. 26. He will aggravate 
 their roifery, by giving them to fee what their pride 
 and folly hath brought them unto. But who are they ? 
 only fuch as refufe his call to repentance, witn the pro- 
 mifes of the acceptation annexed. 
 
 3 dly. There is then no caufe, why thofc who are 
 under a call of repentance, fhould queftion whether 
 there be forgivenefs in God or no. This concerns my 
 fecond propofition, Gome, faith the Lord unto the 
 fouls of men ; leave your finful ways, turn unto me, 
 humble yourfelves with broken and contrite hearts: 
 Alas, fay poor convinced Tinners, we are poor, dark 
 and ignorant creatures; or, we are old in fin, or great¬ 
 er finners, or backfiiders, or have fallen often into the 
 fame fins; can we expett there fhould be forgivenefs 
 for us ? Why, you are under God’s invitation to re¬ 
 pentance ; and to disbelieve forgivenefs, is to call the 
 truth, holinefs and faiihfuinefs of God into queflion. If 
 you will not believe forgivenefs, pretend what you 
 pleafe, it is in truth becaufe you hate repentance. You 
 do but deceive your fouls when you pretend you come 
 not up to repentance, becaufe you cannot beheve for¬ 
 givenefs j for in the very inflitution of this duty, God 
 ' U en- 
 
1 54 Forgivenefs with God, &c. Ver. 4. 
 
 engagcth all his properties to make it good, that he 
 hath pardon and mercy for finners. 
 
 4 thly. Much lefs caufe is there no doubt of forgive¬ 
 nefs, where fircere repentance is in any meafure wrought. 
 No foul comes 10 repentance, but upon God’s call. God 
 calls none but whom he hath mercy for upon their com¬ 
 ing. And as fdf thofe who fin againft the Holy Ghoft, 
 as they (hut therpfelves-cut from forgivenefs, fo they 
 are not called to repentance. 
 
 $thly, God exprefly declares in the feripture, that the 
 forgivenefs that is with him, is the foundation of his 
 prefcribing repentance unto man. One inftan.ee may 
 fuffice, Ifa. Iv. 7 Let the wicked for fake his way in the 
 Heb. a perverfe wicked one; and the man of iniquity his 
 thoughts , and let him return unto the Lord ; and he will 
 have mercy ; and to our God, for (in the Heb.) he iviil 
 multiply to pardon. You fee to whom he fpeaks;, :o 
 t rtien perveifly wicked, and fuch as make a trade of fin¬ 
 ning. What doth he call them unto ? plainly to repent¬ 
 ance, to the duty we have infilled on. But what is the 
 ground of fuch an invitation unto fuch profligate finners l 
 Why, the abundant forgivenefs and patdon that is with 
 him, fuper-abounding unto what the Worft of them can 
 ftand in need of; as Rom. v. 20. 
 
 And this is another way whereby God hath revealed 
 that there is forgivenefs with him, and an infallible bot¬ 
 tom for faith to build upon in its approaches unto God 
 it is. Nor can the certainty of this evidence be called 
 into queftion, but on fuch grounds as are derogatory to 
 the glory and honour of God. And this connection of 
 repentance and forgivenefs, is that principle from whence 
 God convinces a ftubbora unbelieving people, that all 
 hi? ways and dealings with finners are juft and equal, 
 Ezek. xviii. 25. And fhould there be any failure in it, 
 they tfould not be fo. Every foul then that is under a 
 call to repentance, whether out of his natural condition, 
 or from any back-fliding into folly after converfion, hath 
 a fufficient foundation to reft on, as to the pardon he 
 enquires after. God is ready to deal with him on terms 
 
Ver. 4. Confirmation of the Truth, &c. 15 
 
 of mercy ; if ou: of love to fin, or the power of unbelief, 
 he refufe to dole with him on ihefc terms, his condem¬ 
 nation is juft. And it will be well, that this confiderati- 
 on be well imprinted ou the minds of men. I fay, not- 
 withftanding the general preemptions that men feem to 
 have of this matter, yet thefe principles of it ought to 
 be inculcated. For, 
 
 1. Such is the atheifm that lies lurking in the hearts 
 of men by nature, that notwithftanding their pretences 
 and profeflions, we have need to be prefling upon them 
 evidences of the very being and eflential properties of 
 God. In fo doing, we have the afliftance of inbred no¬ 
 tions in their own minds, which they cannot ejeft, to 
 help to carry on the work. How much more is this ue- 
 ceflary in reference unto the free a<fts of the will of God, 
 which are to be known only by mere revelation. Our 
 word had need be line upon line : And yet when we have 
 done, have caufe enough to cry out, as was faid, Lord 
 who hath believed our report , and to whom hath this arm 
 of the Lord been revealed f 
 
 2. What was fpoken before of the obftacles that ly in 
 the way, hindring fouls from a faving conception of this 
 truth, ought to be remembred. Thofe who have no ex¬ 
 perience of them between God and their foul, feem to be 
 ignorant of the true nature of confcience, law, gofpel, 
 grace, fin and forgivenefs. 
 
 3. Many who are come to a faving perfwafion of it, yet 
 having not received it upon clear and unqueftionable 
 grounds, and fo not knowing how to refolve the faith of 
 it into its proper principles, are not able to anfwer the 
 objections that ly a gain ft it in their own confidences, and' 
 do fo miferably fluctuate about it all their days. Thefe 
 had need to have thefe principles inculcated on them. 
 Were they pondered aright, fome might have caufe to 
 fay with the Samaritans, who* fir ft gave credit to the re¬ 
 port of the woman, John iv. They had but a report be¬ 
 fore, but now they find all things to be according unto it, 
 yea to exceed it. A little experience of a man’s own un¬ 
 belief, with the obfervation that may eafily be made of 
 
 U 2 the 
 
I5'6 Necejfity of producing Arguments Ver. 4. 
 
 the uncertain progpTfis and flu&u.irons of the Spirits of 
 o'hen, wdi he a fufficienr convi£lion of the neceflity of 
 of rh? work we are engaged in 
 
 But it will yet he laid, that it is needlefs to multiply 
 arguments and evidences in this cafe. The trudi infilled 
 on being granted as'one of the fundamental principles of 
 religion. As it is not then by any called in quellion, fo it 
 doth not appear that fo much time and pa ns is needful 
 for the confirmation of itFor what is gran ed and plain 
 needs little confirmation. But feveral things may be turned 
 in aufwer hereunto ; all which may at once be here plead¬ 
 ed for the muhiplication of our arguments in this matter. 
 
 That it is generally granted by all, is no argument that 
 it rs effc&ually believed by many. Sundry things are tak¬ 
 en for granted in point of opinion, that are not fo believ¬ 
 ed as to be improved in practice. We have in part (hew¬ 
 ed before, and lhall afterwards undeniably evince, that 
 there are verv few that believe this truth, with thar faith 
 that will inrerefi them in it and give them the benefit of 
 it. And what will it avail any of us," that there is for- 
 givenefs oi fin with God, i< our fins be not forgiven? no 
 more, than :hat fueh or Inch a king is neb, whilll we are 
 poor and flarving. My aim is not to prove it as an opinion 
 or a mere fbccujanve 'ruth ; but fo to evidence ir in the 
 principles o it-. being and revelation, as that it may be be¬ 
 lieved, whereon all our bit fihdnefs depends. 
 
 2. It needs never the lets confirmation, becaufe it is a 
 plain fundamental truth : bur rather the more, and that 
 bee. u^e : o'h of the Worth and weight of it This is a 
 faithful Jay ingy, faith the apoftle, worthy of all acceptation, 
 that JeJus Thrift came rnto the world to Jave finners. So I 
 fay of this, which, for the fuoltance of it, is the fame with 
 tha ; 11 is worthy of ail acceptation, namely that there is 
 forgive nefs with God ; and therefore ought it to be fully 
 confirmed : Efpecially, whiiff we make ufe of no other de¬ 
 mon ftrations of it, bur thofe only which God hath furnifh- 
 ed us withal to that purpofe ; and this he would not have 
 done, but that he knew them needfu for us. And for 
 the piainnefs of this truth, it is well if it be fo unto us. This 
 
 1 know 
 
Ver. 4. to prove Forglvenefs. 157 
 
 koow, nothing but the Spirit of God can make it fo Men 
 may pleafe themfelves, and others fornttimes, with cu¬ 
 rious notion 1 ?, and make them feern to be things of great 
 fearch and attainment; which when they are well exa¬ 
 mined, it may be, they are not true ; or if they are, 
 are yet of a very little confequence or importance- It 
 is thefe fundamental truths that have the mysteries of 
 the wifdom and grace ot God inwrapped in them ; 
 which, who fo can unfold aright, will (hew himfeli a 
 1 workman that needs not be ajhamed. Theft (till waters 
 are deep ; and the farther we dive into them, the great¬ 
 er difcovery (hall we make of their depths. And many 
 other facred truths there are, whofe mention is Com¬ 
 mon, but whofe depths are little fearched, and whofe 
 efficacy is little known. 
 
 3. We multiply thefe evidences, becanfe they are 
 multitudes that are concerned in them : All that do be¬ 
 lieve, and all that do not believe are fo. Thofe that 
 do believe, that they may be eftablifhed ; and thofe 
 that do not believe, that they may be encouraged fo to 
 do. Among both thefe forts, fome evidences may be 
 more profitable and ufeful, one to one, fome to ano¬ 
 ther. It may be amongft all, all will be gathered up, 
 that no fragments be loll: They are all, I hope, in- 
 ftruments provided by the Holy Ghofl for this end; 
 and by this ordinance do we endeavour to put them in¬ 
 to his hand, to be made effi&ual as he will. One 
 may reach one foul, another another, according to 
 his pleafure. One may be of ufe to eftablifhrnent, a- 
 nother to confolation, a third of encouragement, ac¬ 
 cording as the neceffities of poor fouls do require. How¬ 
 ever, God who hath provided them knows, them all to 
 be needful. 
 
 4. They are fo alfo upon the account of the various 
 conditions wherein the fpirits of believers themfelves 
 may be. One may give help to the fame foul at one 
 feafon, another at another; one may fecure the foul 
 agaicft a temptation, another ftir it up to thankfuinefs 
 and obedience. 
 
 Thefe 
 
158 Some Sinners actually pardoned Ver. 4. 
 
 Thefe things have I fpoken, that you may not think 
 we dwell too long on this confideration. And I pray 
 God, that your confolation and eftablilhment may a- 
 bound in the reading of thefe meditations, as I hope 
 they have not been altogether without their fruit in 
 their preparation. 
 
 Further evidences of forgivenefs with God.-Tef- 
 
 timonies that God was well pleafed with fome 
 that were linners..The patience of God to¬ 
 
 wards the world, an evidence of forgivenefs. Ex¬ 
 perience of the faints of God to the fame pur- 
 pofe. 
 
 IV. Let us then, in the fourth place, as a fourth e- 
 vidence of this truth, confider thofe, both under the 
 Old Teftament and the New, concerning whom we 
 have the greateft aflurance that God was well pleafed 
 with them, and that they are now in the enjoyment of 
 him. And this argument unto this purpofe the apoftle 
 infills upon, and prelfeth from fundry inftances, Heb. 
 xi. How many doth he there reckon up, who of old 
 obtained a good report and had this teftimony, that 
 they pleafed God ; verfe 25. All thefe inherited the 
 promifes through believing ; that is, obtained the for¬ 
 givenefs of fin. For whereas by' nature they were 
 children of wrath, and under the curfe as well as o- 
 thers, obtaining an infallible intereft in the favour of 
 God, and his teftimony, that they pleafed him, it could 
 no othcrwife be. For without this, on a juft account, 
 every one of them would have continued in the ftate 
 wherein Adam was, when he heard the voice of God, 
 and was afraid. Wherefore it being evident, that fome 
 perfons in all generations, have enjoyed the friendlhip, 
 love and favour of God in this world, and at their de¬ 
 parture out of it have entred into glory; it makes it 
 evident, that there is forgivenefs of ftn with him, with¬ 
 out which thefe things could not be. 
 
 Let 
 
Ver. 4. • and accepted with God. 159 
 
 Let us, after the example of the apoftle, mention 
 forae particular inftances in this matter. Look unto 
 
 I Abraham ; he was the friend of God, and walked with 
 God ; God made a folcmri covenant with him, and takes 
 it for his memorial throughout all generations, that he 
 
 I is the God of Abraham : And he is doubtlefs now at 
 reft with God. Our Saviour calls the place or conditi¬ 
 on whereinto blefled fouls are gathered, Abraham’s 
 bofom. He is at reft with whom others are at reft. 
 
 The condition was the fame with Ifaac and Jacob ; 
 they alfo are in heaven, being alive unto and with 
 God. * Our Saviour proves it from the tenor of the co¬ 
 venant, I am the God of Abraham , the God of Ifaac , 
 the God of Jacob ; God is not the God of the dead, but 
 of the living , Matth. xxii. 32. They are yet alive, alive 
 
 ! unto God, and with him by vertue of the covenant; or 
 after their death, God would not be faid, to be their 
 God. Then death had not reached their whole perfons; 
 
 [ They were ftill alive with God in heaven ; and their 
 bodies, by vertue of the fame covenant, were 'to he 
 recovered out of the duft. 
 
 The fame is the ftate with David. He was a man 
 after God’s own heart, that did all his will, and fulfil¬ 
 led all his pleafure. And although he died, and his 
 body faw corruption, yet he is not loft, he is with God 
 in heaven. Hence he ended his days triumphantly, in 
 a full apprehenfion of eternal reft, beyond what could 
 in this world be attained, and that by vertue of the co¬ 
 venant. For thefe are the laft words of David, Alt ho* 
 my houfe be not fo with God , yet he hath made with me 
 an everlajling covenant, afcertaining unto him fure and 
 eternal mercies, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. 
 
 Peter alfo is in heaven. Chrift prayed for him that 
 his faith fliould not fail; and in his death he glorified 
 God, John xxi. 19. 
 
 So is Paul; he alfo is in heaven ; he knew that 
 when he was diffolved, he fhould be with Chrift. Here 
 then we are encompafted about with a cloud of witneft 
 fes. For, 
 
160 Some Sinners actually pardoned Ver. 4. 
 
 \Jl , It is mod certain, that they were all Tinners: 
 They were all To by nature; for therein there is no 
 difference between any of the children of men. And 
 pei Tonally they were finners alfo; they confeffed To of 
 themfelves, and Tome of the fins of all of them If and 
 upon record. Yea, Tome of them were great finners, 
 or guilty of great and fignal mifcarriages. Some before 
 their converlion, as Abraham who was an idolater, Jofh. 
 xxiv. 2, 3. and Paul wno was a perfecuter and a blaf- 
 phemer. Some after their converfion ; forae in fins of 
 the flefh again!! their obedience, as David; and Tome 
 in fins of profeffion againft faith, as Peter. Nothing 
 then is more evident, than that no one of them came 
 to reft with God but by forgivenefs. Had they never 
 been guilty of any one fin, but only what is left upon 
 record concerning them in holy writ, yet they could be 
 faved no other way. For he that tran.fgreffeth the law 
 in any one point, is guilty of the breach of the whole, 
 James ii. 10. 
 
 What Thai! we now fay ? Do we think that God hath 
 forgivenefs only for this or that individual perfon ? No 
 man queftions but that all thefe were pardoned. Was 
 it by vertue of any fpecial perfonal privilege, that was 
 peculiar unto them ? Whence fhould any fuch privi¬ 
 lege arife, feeing by nature they were no better than 
 others, nor would have been fo perfonally, had not 
 they been delivered from fm, and prepared for obedi¬ 
 ence by grace, mercy, and, pardon ? Wherefore, they 
 all obtained forgivenefs by vertue of the covenant, from 
 the forgivenefs which is with God. And this is equally 
 ready for others, who come to God the fame way that 
 they did ; that is, by faith and repentance. 
 
 2 dly t Many of thofe concerning whom we have the 
 aflurance meniioned, were not only finners, but great 
 finners, as was faid, which muft be alfo infilled on, to 
 obviate another objeflion. For (ome may fay, that al¬ 
 though they were finners, yet they were not fuch fin¬ 
 ners as we are, And although they obtained forgive¬ 
 nefs, yet this is no argument that w'e ftiall do fo alfo, 
 
 who 
 
* 
 
 Ver. 4, and accepted with God. 1 61 
 
 who are guiky of other fins than they were, and thofe 
 attended with other aggravations than theirs were. To 
 which I fay, that 1 delight not in aggravating, no, nor 
 yet in repeating the fins and faults of the faints of God 
 of old. Not only the grace of God, but the fins of 
 men, have by foine been turned into lafeivibufnefs; or 
 been made a cloak for their lulls. But yet, for the 
 ends and purpofes for which they are recorded by the 
 Holy Gholl, we may make mention of them ; that they 
 may warn us of our duty, that we take heed left we 
 alio fall, that they may yield us a relief under our 
 furprifals, are they written. So then, where the men¬ 
 tion of them tends to the advancement of fovereign 
 grace and mercy, which is the cafe in hand, we may 
 infill on them. 1 think then, that without mention of 
 particulars, I may fafely fay, That there is no fin, no 
 degree of fin, no aggravating circamftance of fin, no 
 kind of continuance in fin, (the only fin excepted) but 
 that there are thofe in heaven who have been guilty of 
 them. 
 
 It may be yet, fome will fay, that they have con- 
 fidered the fins and falls of Lot, David, Peter, Paul, 
 and the thief himfelf on the crofs, and yet they find 
 not their own condition exemplified, fo as to conclude, 
 that they (hall have the fame fuccefs with them. 
 
 Anfw. 1. I am not Ihewing, that this or that man 
 fhall be pardoned, but only demonftrating, that there 
 is f01 givent fs with God, and that for ali forts of fins and 
 finners, which thefe inltances do alfuredly confirm. And 
 moreover, they manifeft, that if other men are not par¬ 
 doned, it is merely becaufe they make not that applica¬ 
 tion for forgivenefs which they did. 
 
 2. Yet by the way, to take off this obje&ion alfo, 
 confider what the apoftle fays in particular concerning 
 the fevera! forts of tinners that obtained mercy, 1 Cor. 
 vi. 9, 10, 11. Be not deceived , neither fornicators , nor 
 idolaters , nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abufers of 
 tbemfelves with mankind, nor thieves , nor covetous, nor 
 drunkards, nor revilers , nor extortioners fhall inherit the 
 
 X kingdom 
 
16 % Some Sinners actually pardoned Ver. 4. 
 
 kingdom of God ; and fuch were fome of you. But you 
 are wajbeo. r , but you are fandifed, but you are jufiijied. 
 Hell can fcarce, in no more words, yield us a fadder 
 catalogue* Yet fome of all tliefe forts were juftified 
 and pardoned. 
 
 3. Suppofe this enumeration of fins doth not reach 
 the condition of the foul, becaufe of fome efpecial ag¬ 
 gravation of its fin, not expreffed. Let fuch a one add 
 that of our Saviour’s, Matth. xii. 3 1. I fay unto you, all 
 manner of fin and blafphemy fhall be forgiven unto men, 
 but the blafphemy againfl the Holy Ghofl. They are 
 nor, they (hall not be all a&ually remitted, and pardon¬ 
 ed unto all men ; but they are ail pardonable, unto 
 thofe that feek to obtain pardon for them according 
 unto the gofpel. There is with God forgivenefs for 
 them all. Now, certainly there is no fin, but only that 
 excepted, but it comes within the compafs of all manner 
 of fin and blafphemy, and fo confequently fome that 
 have been guilty of it are now in heaven. 
 
 We take it for a good token and evidence of a ver- 
 tuous healing water, when, without fraud or pretence, 
 we fee the crutches of cured cripples, and impotent per- 
 fons hung about it, as a memorial of its efficacy. And 
 it is a great demonfiration of the /kill and ability of a 
 phyfician, when many come to a fick perfon, and tell 
 him, that he had the fame diitemper with you, it had 
 the fame fymptoms, the fame effe&s, and by his /kill 
 and care we are cured : Oh, faith the fick man, bring 
 him unto me, I will venture my life in his hand Now, 
 all the faints of heaven hand about a fm-fick foul; for 
 in this matter we are encompalfed with a cloud of wit- 
 nelfes, Heb. xii. 1. And what do they bear witnefs un¬ 
 to ? What fay they unto a poor guilty (inner/ As thou 
 art, fo were We ; fo guilty, fo perplexed, fo obnoxi¬ 
 ous to wrath, fo fearing deftru&ion from God. And 
 what way did you fleer, what courfe did you take, to 
 obtain the ble/fed condition wherein now you are ? Say 
 they, We went all to God through Chrift for forgive- 
 nefs« and found plenty of grace, mercy, and pardon 
 
 in 
 
Ver. 4. and accepted with God, 163 
 
 in him for us all. The rich man in the parable thought 
 it would be a great means of converfion, if one ftiould 
 rife from the dead and preach : Eut here we fee, that 
 all the faints departed, and now in glory, do jointly 
 preach this fundamental truth, that there is forgive- 
 nefs with God. 
 
 Poor fouls are apt to think, that all thofe whom 
 they read or hear of to be gone to heaven, went thi¬ 
 ther becaufe they were fo good and fo holy. It is true, 
 many of them were eminently and exemplarily fo in 
 their generations. All of them were fo according to 
 their degrees and meafures; for without holinefs no jnan 
 can fee God. And it is our duty to labour to be like unto 
 them in holinefs; if ever we intend to be fo in happinefs 
 and glory. But yet not one of them, nor any one that is 
 now in heaven, Jefus Chrift alone excepted, did ever 
 come thither any other way but by forgivenefs of fin ; 
 and that will alfo bring us thither, tho’ we come ihort 
 of many of them in holinefs and grace. 
 
 And this evidence of forgivenefs I the rather urge, 
 becaufe I find the apoftle Paul doing of it eminently 
 in his own perfon, 1 Tim. i. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. I 
 thank Chrifl Jefus our Lord who hath enabled me , for 
 that he counted me faithful , putting me into the mini fry ; 
 who was before a blafphejner , and a perfecutor , and in¬ 
 jurious. But I obtained mercy , becaufe I did it ignorant¬ 
 ly in unbelief. This is a faithful faying , and worthy of 
 all acceptation , that Jefus Chrifl came into the world to 
 fave finners, of whom 1 am chief. Howbeit for this caufe I 
 obtained mercy , that in me firjl Jefus Chrifl might jhew 
 forth all long-fitjfering , for a pattern to them that fhould 
 hereafter believe on him to life everlafling. A great {in¬ 
 ner, faith he, the chiefeft of finners, 1 was, which he 
 manifefts by fome notable inftances of his fin,. I was, 
 faith he, a blafphemer, the higheft fin againil God ; 
 a perfecutor, the higheft fin againft the faints; injuri¬ 
 ous, the higheft wickednefs towards mankind : But, 
 faith he, I obtained mercy , I am pardoned, and that 
 
 X 2 with 
 
164 Patience of God towards the World , Ver. 4. 
 
 with a bleffed effeft. Fir ft, That he fhould after all this 
 be fo accounted faithful as to be put into the miniftry. 
 And then, that the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift in 
 him and towards him, was exceeding abundant. And 
 what was the reafon, what was the caufe, that he was 
 thus dealt withal ? Why, it was that he might be a pat¬ 
 tern, an evidence, an argument, that there was grace, 
 mercy, forgivenefs, to be had for all forts of finners 
 that would believe to life everlafting. 
 
 To conclude then this evidence. Every one who is 
 now in heaven, hath his pardon fealed in the blood of 
 Chrift. All thefe pardons are as it were hanged up in 
 the gofpel ; they are all inrolled in the promifes there¬ 
 of, for the encouragement of them that ftand in need 
 of forgivenefs, to come and fue out theirs alfo. Fear 
 not then the guilt of lin, but the love of it, and the 
 power of it. if we love and like fin better than forgive¬ 
 nefs, we (hall allured I y go without it. If we had but 
 rather be pardoned in God’s way, than perilh, our con¬ 
 dition is fecure. 
 
 V. The fame is evident from the patience of God 
 towards the world, and the end of it. For the clearing 
 hereof we may obferve, 
 
 1. Thar upon the firft entrance of fin, and breach of 
 that covenant which God had made with mankind in 
 Adam, he might immediately have executed the threat- 
 ned curfe, and have brought eternal death upon them 
 that finned. Juftice required that it fhould be fo, and 
 there was nothing in the whole creation to interpofe fo 
 much as a reprieve, or a refpite of vengeance. And 
 had God then fent finning man with the apoftate angels 
 that induced him into fin, immediately into eternal de- 
 ftru&ion, he would have been glorified in his righteouf- 
 mefs and feverity, by and among the angels that finned 
 not, or he could have created a new race of innocent 
 creatures, to have worlhipped him and glorified him 
 for his righteous judgment ; even as the ele<ft at the 
 3 aft day, lhall do for the deftruftion of ungodly men. 
 
 2. God 
 
Ver. 4% sn Evidence of Fcrgivenefs . 165 
 
 2. God hath not taken this courfe. He hath con¬ 
 tinued the race of mankind for a long feafon on the 
 earth ; he hath watched over them with his providence, 
 and exercifed exceeding patience, forbearance, and long 
 fuffering towards them. This the apoftle Paul at large 
 difcourfetb on, A&s xiv 15, 16,17 chap. xvii. 24, 25, 
 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. as alfo, Rom. ii. 4. And it is open 
 and manifeft in their event. The whole world is every 
 day filled with tokens of the power and patience of 
 God. Every nation, every city, every family is filled 
 with them. 
 
 3. That there is a common abufe of this patience of 
 God vifible in the world in ail generations. So it was 
 of old ; God faw it to be fo, and complained of it, 
 Gen. vi. y, 6 All the evil, fin, wickednefs, that hath 
 been in the world, which no heart can conceive, no 
 tongue can exprefs, hath been all an abufe of this pati¬ 
 ence of God. This with the mod: is the confequent of 
 God’s patience and forbearance. Men count it a fea- 
 fon to fulfil all the abominations that their evil hearts 
 can fuggefi unto them, or Satan draw them into a com¬ 
 bination with himfelf in. This the date of things in 
 the world proclaims, and every ones experience con¬ 
 firms. 
 
 4. Let us therefore confider what is the true and 
 proper end of this patience of God towards the world, 
 enduring it in fin and wickednefs, for fo long a feafon, 
 and fuffering one generation to be multiplied after ano¬ 
 ther. Shall we think that God hath no other defign, 
 in all this patience towards mankind in ail generations, 
 but merely to fuffer them all and every one, without ex¬ 
 ception, to fin againfl him, difhonour him, provoke 
 him, that fo he may at length everladingly deftroy 
 them all ? It is confeffed, that this is the confequent, 
 the event of it with the inqft, through their perverfe 
 wickednefs, with their love of fin and pleafure. But 
 is this the defign of God ? his only defign ? hath he 
 no other purpofe but merely to forbear them a while 
 in their folly, and then to avenge himfelf upon them ? 
 
166 Patience of God towards the World , Ver. 4. 
 
 Is this his intendment, not only thofe who are obftinate 
 in their darknefs, ignorance and rebellion againft him, 
 whofe damnation is juft, and fleepeth not; but alfo 
 towards thofe whom he ftirs up by his grace to feek af¬ 
 ter a remedy and deliverance from the ftate of fin and 
 death ? God forbid ; yea, fuch an apprehenfion would 
 be contrary to all thofe notions of the infinite wifdom 
 and goodnefs of God which are ingrafted upon our 
 hearts by nature, and which all his works manifeft and 
 declare. Whatever therefore it be, this cannot be the 
 defign of God, in his patience towards the world. It 
 cannot be, but that he muft long fince have cut off the 
 whole race of mankind, if he had no other thoughts 
 and purpofes towards them. 
 
 5. If this patience of God hath any other intention 
 towards any, any other effedl upon fome, upon any; 
 that is to be reckoned the principle end of it, and for 
 the fake whereof it is evidently extended unto fome o- 
 thers, confequentially unto all. For thofe concerning 
 whom God hath an efpecial defign in his patience, be¬ 
 ing to be brought forth in the world after the ordinary 
 way of mankind, and that in all ages during the conti¬ 
 nuance of the world, from the beginning unto the eud 
 thereof, the patience which is extended unto them, muft 
 alfo of neceflity reach unto all, in that variety wherein 
 God is pleafed to exercife it. The whole world there¬ 
 fore is continued under the patience of God, and the 
 fruits of it, for the fake of fome that are in it. 
 
 6. Let us therefore fee what is the end of this pati¬ 
 ence, and what it,teacheth us. Now it can have no end 
 pofiible, but only that before reje&ed, unlefs there be 
 forgivenefs of fins with God. Unlefs God be ready and 
 willing to forgive the fins of them that come to him ac¬ 
 cording unto his appointment, his patience is merely 
 lubfervient unto a defign of wrath, anger, feverity, and 
 a refolution to deftroy : Now, this is an abomination 
 once to fuppofe, and would refleft unfpeakable difho- 
 nour upon the Holy God. Let a man but deal thus, 
 and it is a token of as evil an habit of mind, and per- 
 
 verfe, 
 
Ver. 4. an Evidence of Forgivenefs. \ 67 
 
 verfe, as any can befall him. Let him bear with thefe 
 that are in his power in their faults, for no other end, 
 or for no other defign, but that he may take advantage 
 to bring a greater punifhment and revenge upon them ; 
 and what more vile affe<ftion, what more wretched cor¬ 
 ruption of heart and mind, can be manifeft ? and fhal! 
 we think that this is the whole defign of the patience of 
 God ? God forbid. 
 
 It may be objected, that this argument is not cogent, 
 becaufe of the inftance that lies againft it, in God’s 
 dealing with the angels that finned. It is evident, that 
 they fell into their tranfgreffion and apoflafy, before 
 mankind did fo : For they led and feduced our firfl pa¬ 
 rents into fin ; and yet God bears with them, and ex- 
 ercifeth patience towards them to this very day, and 
 will do fo unto the confummation of all things, when 
 they (ball be caft into the fire prepared for the devil and 
 his angels . And yet it is granted, that there is no for- 
 givenefs in God for them ; fo that it doth not neceffarily 
 follow, that there is fo for man, becaufe of his patience 
 towards them. 
 
 I anfwer. That this muff be more fully fpoken unto, 
 when we come to remove that great objection againft this 
 whole truth which was mentioned before, taken from 
 God’s dealing with the finning angels, whom he fpared 
 not; at prefent two or three oblervations will remove it 
 out of our way. For. 
 
 1. That the cafe is not the fame with the finning an¬ 
 gels, and the race of mankind in all generations. There 
 are no other angels in this condition, but only thofe in¬ 
 dividuals who firft finned in their own perfons. They 
 are not in the providence and patience of God, muhiply- 
 ed and increased in enining times and feafons; but they 
 continue the fame individual perfons who firft finned, 
 and no more. So that immediate execution of the whole 
 punifhment due unto their fin, would not have prevent¬ 
 ed any increafe of them : But now with man it is other- 
 wife. For God continues his patience towards them, 
 to the produ&ion of millions of other perfons, who were 
 
 not 
 
168 Patience of God towards the World , Ver. q. 
 
 not actually in the firft fin. Had not God fo continued 
 his forbearance, their being, and consequently their fin 
 and mifery, had been prevented ; fo that the cafe is not 
 the fame with finning angels and men. 
 
 2. Indeed God exercifeth no patience toward the an¬ 
 gels that finned; and that becaufe he had no forgive- 
 nefs for them. So Peter tells us; 2 Epifile ii. 6 . God 
 fpared not the angels, that finned , but cafl them down in¬ 
 to hell , and delivered them into chains of darknefs. im¬ 
 mediately upon their fin, they were cad out of the pre¬ 
 fence of God, whofe vifion and enjoyment they were 
 made for, and which they received feme experience of. 
 And they were cail into hell, as the place of their ordi¬ 
 nary retention, and of their prefent anguifh under the 
 fenfe of God’s curfe and difpleafure. And although 
 they may, fome of them, be permitted to compafs the 
 earth and to walk to and fro therein, to ferve the ends 
 of God’s holy wife providence, aud fo to be out of their 
 prifon ; yet rhey are dill in their chains: For they were 
 delivered unto chains of darknefs, to be kept unto the 
 lafl judgment. And in thefe things they ly a&uaily un¬ 
 der the execution of the curie of God ; fo that there is 
 indeed no patience exercited towards them. If a noto¬ 
 rious malef'a&or, or murderer, be committed unto a 
 dungeon, and kept bound with iron chains to prevent 
 his efcape, untill the appointed day of his iolemn judg-' 
 ment and execution, without the lead intention to fpare 
 him, none will fay, there is patience exercifed towards 
 him ; things being only difpofed fo, as that his punifh- 
 ment may be fecure and fevere. And fuch is the cafe, 
 fuch is the condition of the angels that finned, who are 
 not therefore to be efleemed objects of God’s patience. 
 
 3. The reafoQ why the full and final puni foment of 
 thefe angels is referved and refpited unto the appointed 
 feafon, is not for their own fakes, their good, benefit, 
 or advantage at all ; but merely, that the end of God’s 
 patience towards mankind might be accomplifhed. When 
 this is once brought about, they fhall not be fpared a 
 day, an hour, a moment. So that God’s difpenfation 
 
 to- 
 
Ver. 4. an Evidence of Forgivenefs . 169 
 
 towards them, is nothing but a mere with-holding the iu- 
 fliffion of the utmoft of their punifhment until he hath 
 accomplilhed the bleffed ends of his patience towards 
 mankind. 
 
 But you will fay, Secondly, Is it not faid, that God 
 willing to Jhew his wrath , and to make his power known , 
 endures with much long-fuffering , the vejfels of wrath fit - 
 ed for deftruftion , Rom. ix. 22. So that it feems that the 
 end of God’s endurance and long-fuffering, to fome at 
 lead, is only their fitting out unio deftru&icD. 
 
 Anfw. t. It is one thing to endure with much long- 
 fuffering, another thing to exercile and declare patience. 
 The former only intimates God’s withholding for a fea- 
 fon of that deftru&ion which he might juflly inflift, 
 which we fpeak not of ; the other denotes an a&ing in 
 a way of gcodnefs and kindnefs for fome fpecial end. 
 
 2. The next verfe declares the great end of God’s pa¬ 
 tience, and anfwers this objection, That might make 
 known the riches of his glory on the vejfels of mercy which 
 he had prepared unto glory, ver. 23. This is the great end 
 1 of God’s patience, which whilfl he is in purfnit of to¬ 
 wards the vrffels of mercy, he endureth others with 
 much long-fuffering, and forbearance. This then is 
 fully evident, that there could be no fufEciefit reafoa 
 affigned of the patience of God towards finuers, but that 
 there is forgivenefs prepared for them that come to him 
 by Ohrid. 
 
 And this the fcripture clearly teflifies unto, 2 Pet hi. 
 9. The quell ion is, what is the reafon why God for¬ 
 bears the execution of his judgment upon wicked and 
 mogodly men. Some would have it, that God is flack ; 
 that is, regardlefs of the fins of men ; and takes no no¬ 
 tice of them. No, faith the apoftle, God hath ano» 
 ther defign in his patience, and long-fuffering; what is 
 this ? It is, to raanifefl that he is willing we Ihould 
 periffi. That is it which we have provided. For our 
 freedom from deftru&ion is by repentance, which ne- 
 ceffarily infers the forgivenefs of fin.. So Paul tells us, 
 •hat in the gofpel is declared what is the ead of God’s 
 
 Y pad- 
 
170 Experience of the Saints , See. Ver. 4. 
 
 patience and forbearance ; it is, faith he, the remiffton 
 offins, Rom. iii. 35. 
 
 Let us therefore alfo mind this evidence in the ap¬ 
 plication of ourfelves to God for pardon. It is certain 
 that God might have taken us from the womb, 
 and have caft us into utter darknefs. And in the 
 courfe of our lives we have been guilty of fuch pro¬ 
 vocations, as God might juftly have taken the advan¬ 
 tage of, to glorify his juftice and feverity in our ruin. 
 But yet we have lived thus long in the patience and 
 forbearance of God. And to what end hath he thus 
 fpared us, and let pafs thofe advantages for our de¬ 
 finition, that we have put into his hand ? It is not, 
 that he might, by his patience, give us leave and fpace 
 to get an intereft in that forgivenefs which he thus tef- 
 tifies to be in himfelf; Let us then be encouraged by it, 
 to ufe it unto the end and purpofe for which it is exer- 
 cifed towards us. You that are yet in doubt of your con¬ 
 dition, confider that the patience of God was extended 
 unto you this day, this very day, that you might ufe 
 it for the obtaining of the remiftion of your fins. Lofe 
 not this day, nor one day more, as you love your fouls; 
 for woful will be their condition, who (hall perifh for 
 defpifing or abiding the patience of God. 
 
 IV. The faith and experience of the faints in this 
 world, give in teftimony unto this truth ; and w^e know 
 that their record in this matter is true; Let us afk of 
 them, what they believe, what they have found, what 
 they have experience of, as to the forgivenefs of fin. 
 This God himfelf dire&s and leads us unto, by appeal¬ 
 ing unto our own experience, whence he lhews us, 
 that we may take relief and fupportment in our diftref- 
 fes, Ifa. xl. 28. Haft thou not heard; haft thou not 
 known f Haft not thou thyfelf, who now crieft: out, 
 that thou art loft and undone, becaufe God hath for- 
 faken thee, found and known by experience the con¬ 
 trary from his former dealings with thee ? And if our 
 own experiences may confirm us agaiaft the workings 
 
 of 
 
Ver. 4. Experience of the Saints , &c. 171 
 
 of our unbelief, fo may thofe of others alio. And this 
 is that which Eliphaz directs Job unto, chap. vi. 1* 
 Call now if there be any that will anfwer thee , and to 
 which of the faints wilt thou look. It is not a fupplica- 
 tion to then? for help that is intended, but an enquiry 
 after the experience in the cafe in hand, wherein he 
 wrongfully thought they could not juilify job. In the 
 Heb. to which of the faints, on the right hand or left, 
 wilt thou have regard in this matter ? Some would fool- 
 ifhly hence feek to confirm the invocation of the faints 
 departed ; when indeed if they were intended, it is ra¬ 
 ther forbidden and difccuntenanced than dire&ed unto. 
 But the faints here, are, Pfal. xvi. 2. The faints that 
 are in the earth , whofe experiences Job is directed to 
 enquire into, and after, David makes it a great en¬ 
 couragement unto waiting upon God, as a God hear¬ 
 ing prayers, that others had done fo, and found fuc- 
 cefs, Pfal. xxxiv. 6 . This poor man cried unto the Lord , 
 and the Lord heard him , and faved him out of his trou¬ 
 bles. If he did fo, aud had that bleflsd ififue, why 
 Humid we not do fo alfo ? The experiences of one, are 
 often propofed for the confirmation and eflablifhment 
 of others; fo the fame David, Come,, faith he, and hear 
 all ye that fear God , and I will declare what he hath 
 done for my foul. He contents not himfelf to mind them 
 of the word, promifes, and providence of God, which 
 he doth mofl frequently; but he will give them, the 
 encouragement and fupportment alfo of his own experi¬ 
 ence. So Paul tells us, That he was comforted of God 
 in all his tribulation, that he might be able to comfort them 
 which are in trouble, by the comfort wherewith be himfelf 
 was comforted of God, 2 Cor. i. 4. That is, that he 
 might be able to communicate unto them his own ex¬ 
 perience of God’s dealing with him, and the fatisfadli- 
 on and aflurance that he found therein. So alfo he pro- 
 pofeth the example of God’s dealing with him in the. 
 pardon of his fins, as a great motive unto others to be¬ 
 lieve, 1 Tim. i. [3, 14, 15, 16. And this mutual com¬ 
 munication of fatisfying experiences in the things of 
 
 Y it God 
 
ij2 Evidence that is Ver. 4. 
 
 God, or of our fpiritual fenfe and evidence of the 
 power, efficacy and reality of gofpel truths, being 
 rightly managed, is of fingular ufe to ail forts of believ¬ 
 ers. So the fame great apofile acquaints us in his own 
 example, Kom. i. 1 i, 12. I long to fee you, that / may 
 impart unto you fame fpiritual gift , to the end you may be 
 eftablifhed ; that is, that I may be comforted together with 
 you , by the mutual faith both of you and me : He longed 
 not only to be in ft rutting of them, in the purfuit of the 
 work of the miniftry committed unto him, but to con¬ 
 fer alfo with them about their mutual faith, and. what 
 experiences of the peace of God in believing, they had 
 attained. 
 
 We have in our cafe called in the reftimony of the 
 faints in heaven, with whom thefe on earth do make up 
 one family, even that one family in heaven and earth 
 which is called after the name of the father of our 
 Lord Jefus Cbrift, Eph. iii. 14, 15. And they all a- 
 gree in their teflimony, as becomes the family and chil¬ 
 dren of God. But thefe belovy, we may deal perfonal- 
 ly with ; whereas we gather the witnefs of the other, 
 only from what is left upon record concerning them. 
 And for the clearing of this evidence, fundry things 
 are to be obferved. As, 
 
 T. Men living under the profeftion of religion, and 
 not experiencing the power, virtue, and efficacy of it 
 in their hearts, are, whatever they profefs, very near 
 to atheifm, or at lead:, expoied to great temptations 
 thereunto. If they profefs they know God, but in 
 works deny him, they are abominable anddi/obedient, and 
 to every good work reprobate , Tit. i. 6. Let fuch men 
 lay afide tradition and cuftom, let them give up them- 
 felves to a free and a rational confideration of things, 
 and they will quickly find, that ail their pofTeflion is but 
 a miferable felf deceiving ; and that indeed they be¬ 
 lieve not one word of the religion which they profefs: 
 For of what their religion affirms to be in themfelves, 
 they find not any thing true or real. And what reafon 
 have they then to believe, that the things which it 
 
 fpeaks 
 
Ver. 4. in Spiritual Experience. 173 
 
 fpeaks of, that are without them, are one jot better ? 
 If they have no experience of what it affirms to be 
 within them, what confidence can they have of the rea¬ 
 lity of what it reveals to be without them ? John tells 
 us, that be who faith he loves God whom he hath not 
 feen , and doth not love his brother whom he hath jeen 
 is a liar. Men who do not things of an equal uncon¬ 
 cernment unto them, wherein they may be tried, are 
 not to be believed in what they profefs about greater 
 things, whereof no trial can be had. So he that be¬ 
 lieves not, who cxperienceth not the power of that 
 which the religion he profelTetii affirms to be in him, 
 if he fays, that he doth believe other things which he 
 can have no experience of, he is a liar. For in fiance, 
 he-that profefTeth the gofpel, avows that the death of 
 Chrifi doth crucify fin ; that faith purifieth the heart, 
 that the Holy Ghofi quickens and enables the foul unto 
 duty; that God is good and gracious unto all that 
 come unto him ; that there is precious communion to be 
 obtained with him by Chrifi ; that there is great joy in 
 believing. Thefe things are plainly, openly, frequent¬ 
 ly infilled on in the gofpel. Hence the apoftle prefleth 
 men unto obedience on the account of them ; and, as 
 it were, leaves them at liberty from it, if they were 
 not fo, Phil. ii. 11. Now, if men have lived long in 
 the profeffion of thefe things, faying that they are fo, 
 but indeed find nothing of truth, reality, or power in 
 them, have no experience of the effects of them, in their 
 own hearts or fouls; what ftable ground have they of 
 believing any thing elfe in the gofpel, whereof they 
 cannot have experience ? A man profefTeth, that the 
 death of Chrifi will mortify fin, and fubdue corrupti¬ 
 on ; Why doth he believe it ? becaufe it is affirmed in 
 the gofpel: How then doth he find it to be fo ? hath it 
 fh is fffeft upon his foul, in his own heart ? Not at all; 
 he finds no fuch thing in him. How then can this man 
 believe, that Jcfus Chrifi is the Son of God, becaufe 
 it is affirmed in the gofpel; feeing that he finds no real 
 truth of that which it affirms to be in himfelf ? So 
 
174 77 e Evidence that is Ver. 4. 
 
 our Saviour argues, John iii. 12. If I have told you earth¬ 
 ly things , <272 <7 4/e believe not y ho w will ye believe , if I tell 
 you heavenly things I If you believe not the doftrine of 
 regeneration, which you ought to have experience of, 
 as a thing that is wrought in the hearts of men in the 
 earth ; how can you affent unto thofe heavenly myfter- 
 ies of the gofpel, which at firfl: are to be received by 
 a pure aft of faith, without any prefent fenfe or experi¬ 
 ence. 
 
 Of all dangers therefore in profeffion, let profeflfors 
 take heed of this; namely, of a cuftomary, traditional, 
 or doftrinal owning fuch truths, as ought to have their 
 effefts and accompliffiment in themfelves, whilft they 
 have no experience of the reality and efficacy of them. 
 This is plainly to have a form of godlinefs, and to deny 
 the power thereof : And of this fort of men do we fee 
 many turning atheifts, fcoffers, and open apoftates ; 
 they find in themfelves, that their profeffion was a lie, 
 and that in truth they had done of thofe things which 
 they talked of: And to what end fhould they continue 
 longer in the avowing of that which is not ? Befides, 
 finding thefe things, which they have profefifed to he 
 in them, not to be fo ; they think that what they have 
 believed of the things that are without them, are of 
 no other nature, and fo rejeft them altogether. 
 
 You will fay then, What {hall a man do, who can¬ 
 not find or obtain an experience in himfelf of what is 
 affirmed in the word ? He cannot find the death of 
 Chrifi crucifying fin in him, and he cannot find the 
 Holy Ghoft fanftifying his nature, or obtaining joy in 
 believing. What lhall he then do ? (hall he not be¬ 
 lieve or profefs thofe things to be fo, becaufe he can¬ 
 not obtain a blefled experience of them ? I anfwer, 
 Our Saviour hath perfectly given direftion in this cafe, 
 John vii. 17. If any man will do his will , he [hall know 
 of the doclrine, whether it be of God , or whether Ifpeak 
 of niyfelf. Continue in following after the things re¬ 
 vealed in the doftrine of the gofpel, and you {hall have 
 a fatisfaftory experience that they are true, and that 
 
 they 
 
Ver. 4. in Spiritual Experience 175 
 
 they are of God ; ceafe not to aft faith on them, and 
 yoa lhall find their efFefts ; for them fhall we know , if 
 we follow on to know the Lord , Hofea vi. 3. Experience 
 will enfue upon permanency in faith and obedience. 
 Yea, the firft aft of fincere believing will be accompa¬ 
 nied with fuch a tafie, will give the foul fo much expe¬ 
 rience, as to produce a firm adherence unto the things 
 believed. And this is the way to prove, what is that 
 good and acceptable and perfect will of God which is re¬ 
 vealed unto us, Rom. xii. 2. 
 
 Where there is an inward fpiritual experience of 
 the power, reality, and efficacy of any fupernatural 
 truth, it gives great fatisfaftion, liability, and aflur- 
 ance unto the foul. It puts the foul out of danger, or 
 fufpicion of being deceived; and gives it to have the 
 teffimony of God in itfelf. So the apoffle tells us. 
 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witnefs in 
 himfelf 1 John v. 9. He had difcourfedof the manifold 
 teffimony that is given in heaven by all the holy Per- 
 fons of the Trinity, and on earth by grace and or¬ 
 dinances, unto the forgivenefs of fin, and eternal life 
 to be obtained by Jefus Chrift. And this record is true, 
 firm, and liable, an abiding foundation for fouls to relt 
 upon, that will never deceive them. But yet all this 
 while it is without us; it is that which we have no ex¬ 
 perience of in ourfelves : Only we reft upon it, becaufe 
 of the authority and faithfulnefs of them that gave it. 
 But now, he that aftually beiieveth, he hath the tef- 
 timony in himfelf; he hath by experience a real evi¬ 
 dence' and aflurance of the things teftified unto, name¬ 
 ly, that God hath given us eternal life , and that this life 
 is in the Son , verfe 11. Let us then a little confider, 
 wherein this evidence confifteth, and from whence this 
 aflurance arifeth. To this end fome few things mull 
 be conlidered : As, 
 
 ifl : That there is a great aufwerablenefs, and corref- 
 pondency between the heart of a believer, and the 
 truth that he doth believe. As the word is in the gof- 
 pd, fo is grace in the heart; yea, they are the fame 
 
 thing 
 
17 6 The Evidence that h Ver. 4. 
 
 thing varioufly exprefied, Rom. vi. 17. You have obey¬ 
 ed from the heart , & srapeJ&Tijws'w s.a*$t, the form of doc¬ 
 trine delivered unto you. As our tranflation dorh not, 
 fo I know not how ir fo few words to exprefs that 
 which is emphatically here infinuated by the Holy 
 Ghoft. The meaning is, that the doctrine ofthegof- 
 pel begets the form, figure, image, or llkenefs of itfelf 
 in the hearts of men that believe : So they are call into 
 the mould of it. As is the one, lo is the other. The 
 principle of grace in the heart, and that in the word, 
 are as children of the fame parent, corapleatly refem- 
 4 bling and representing one another. Grace is a living 
 word,'and the word is figured, limned grace: As is 
 regeneration, fo is a regenerate heart; as is the doc¬ 
 trine of faith, fo is a believer: And this gives great e- 
 vidence unto, and afiurance of the things that are be¬ 
 lieved. As we have heard, fo we have feen and found 
 it; fuch a foul can produce the duplicate of the word, 
 and fo adjuft all things thereby. 
 
 idly. That the firfi: original expreffion of divine 
 truth is not in the word, not as given out from the 
 infinite abyfle of divine wifdom and veracity, but it is 
 laid up, and exprefied in the Perfon of Chrift. He is 
 the the firfi pattern of truth, which from him 
 
 is exprefied in the word, and from, and by the word, 
 imprefTed on the hearts of believers fo that, as it 
 hath pleafed God that all the treafures of wifdom and 
 knowledge fhould be in him, dwell in him, havejdieir 
 principal refidence in him, Colof. ii. 3. So the whole 
 word is but a revelation of the truth in Chrift, or an 
 expreffion of his image and likends to the fons of men. 
 Thus we are laid to learn the truth as it is in Jefus , 
 Eph. iv. 21. It is in Jefus originally, and really, and 
 from him it is communicated unto us by the word. We 
 are thereby taught, and do learn it; for thereby, as the 
 apoftie proceeds, we are renewed in the fpirit of our 
 mind , and do put on the new man , which after God is 
 created in righteoufnejs, and true holinefs , ver. 23, 24. 
 Firfi:, the truth is in Jefus; then it is exprefied in the 
 
 word: 
 
Ver. 4, in Spiritual Experience. 177 
 
 word : This word, learned and believed, becomes grace 
 in the heart, every way aufwering unto the Lord Chrift 
 his image, from whom this transforming truth did thus 
 proceed. Nay, this is carried by the apoftle yet higher, 
 namely unto God the Father himfelf, whofe, image 
 Chrift is, and believers his, thro the word, 2 Cor. iii. 
 18. We all with open face , beholding as in a glafs the 
 glory of the Lord , are changed into the fame image, from 
 glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord; whereunto 
 add chap. iv. 6. God who commanded light to Jhine out 
 of darknefs, hath fhined into our hearts , to give the light 
 of the knowledge of God in the face of Jefus Chrijl. The 
 firft pattern or example of all truth and holinefs is 
 God himfelf; hereof Chrift is the image, ver. 4. Chrift 
 is the image of God, The brightnefs of his glory, and 
 the exprefs image of his perfon, Heb. i. 3. The image of 
 the invifible God, Col. i. 15. Hence we are faid to fee 
 the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift ; becaufe 
 he being his image, the love, grace, and truth of the 
 Father are represented and made confpicuous in him. 
 For we are faid to behold it in his face, becaufe of the 
 open and illuftrious manifeftation of the glory of God 
 in him. And how do we behold this glory? In a glafs 
 {as in a glafs) that is,, in the gofpel, which hath the 
 image and likenefsol Chrift, who is the image of God, 
 reflefted upon it, and communicated unto it. So have 
 we traced truth and grace from the perfon of the Fa¬ 
 ther, unto the Son as a Mediator, and then transfufed 
 into the word. In the Father it is effentially ; in Je¬ 
 fus Chrift originally and examplarily, and in the word, 
 as in a tranfcript or copy. But doth it abide there ? 
 No, God by the word of the gofpel fbines into our 
 hearts, chap. iv. 6. He irradiates our minds with a fav- 
 ing light into it, and apprehenfion of it. And what 
 thence enhies ? The foul of a believer is changed in¬ 
 to the fame image, by the effectual working of the Ho¬ 
 ly Ghoft, chap. iii. 18. that is, the likenefs of Chrift 
 implanted on the word, is imprefted on the foul itfelf, 
 whereby it is renewed into the image.of God whereun¬ 
 to it was at fxrft created. This br.ngs all into a pcrfe£l 
 
 Z har- 
 
178 The Evidence that is Ver. 4. 
 
 harmony. There is not, where gofpel truth is effect¬ 
 ually received, and experienced in the foul, oaiv a 
 confonancy merely between the foul and the word, but 
 between the foul and Chrift by the word, and the 
 foul and God by Chrift. And this gives allured efta- 
 blilhment unto the foul in the things that it doth be- 
 , lieve. Divine truth fo conveyed unto us, is firm, (table 
 and immoveable : And we can fay of it in a fpiritual 
 fenfe, that which we have heard, that which we have 
 feen with aur eyes , which we have looked upon, and our 
 hands have handled of the word of life , we know to be 
 true. Yea a believer is a teftimony to the certainty of 
 truth in what he is, much beyond what he is in all that 
 he faith. Words may be pretended ; real elfeCts have 
 their teftimony infeparably annexed unto them. 
 
 3 dly. Hence it appears that there muft needs be 
 great alfurance of thole truths which are thus received, 
 and believed. For hereby are the ferfes exerefed to dif- 
 cern good and evil , Iieb. xv. 14. Where there is a fpirit¬ 
 ual fenfe of truth, of the good and evil that is iu doc¬ 
 trines, from an inward experience of what is fo good, 
 and from thence an averfation unto the contrary;, and 
 this obtained Jfa rwv by reafon of an habit,' or an ha¬ 
 bitual frame of heart, there is ftrengih, there is fted- 
 faftnefs, and alfurance. This is the reaching of the 
 un&iorr, which will nor, which cannot deceive. Hence 
 many of old and of late, that could not difpute, could 
 yet die for the truth. He that came to another, and 
 went about to prove by lophifiical reafonings that there 
 was no fuch thing as motion, had only this return from 
 him, who either was not able to anfwer his cavilling, 
 or unwilling to put himfelf to trouble about it; he a- 
 rofe, and walking up and down, gave him a real confu¬ 
 tation of his fophiftry. It is fo in this cafe; when a 
 ioul hath a real experience of the grace of God, of the 
 pardon of fins, of the vertue and efficacy of the death 
 of Chrift, of junification by his blood, and peace with 
 God by believing ; let men, or devils, or angels from 
 heaven, eppofe thefe things, if it cannot anfwer their 
 
 fophiims . 
 
Ver. 4. in Spiritual Experience . 179 
 
 fophifms, yet he can rife up and walk; he can, with 
 all holy confidence and aflurance, oppofe his own fatis- 
 fying experience unto all their arguings and fuggeftions. 
 A naan will not be difputed out of what he fees and 
 feels: And a believer will abide as firmly by his fpirit- 
 ual fenfe, as any man can by his natural. 
 
 This is the meaning of that prayer of the apoltie. 
 Col. ii, 2. That your hearts might be comforted , being 
 knit together in love , unto all riches of the full afjurance 
 of under[landing, to the acknowledg?nent of the myflery of 
 God , and of the Father , and of Chrijl. Underflanding 
 in the myfl cries of the gofpel they had ; but he prays, 
 that by a farther experience of it, they might come to 
 the afjurance of under/landing. To be true, is the pro¬ 
 perty of the do£rine itfelf, to be certain or allured, is 
 the property of our minds. Now, this experience doth 
 fio unite the inind and truth, that we fay, finch a truth 
 is molt certain, whereas certainty is Indeed the proper¬ 
 ty of our minds, or their knowledge, and not of the 
 truth known. It is certain unto us, that is, we have 
 an afifured knowledge of it, by the experience we have 
 of it. This is the ajfurance of under(landing here men¬ 
 tioned. And he farther prays, that we may come to 
 the riches of this aflurance : that is to an abundant 
 plentiful aflurance. And that ixlyium. to the acknow¬ 
 ledgement of the myflery of God , owning it from a fenfe 
 and experience of irs excellency and worth. 
 
 . And this is in the nature of all gofpel truth ; they 
 are fitted and fuited to be experienced by a believing 
 foul. There is nothing in them fio fublime and high, no¬ 
 thing fo myflerious, nothing fo feemingly low and 
 outwardly contemptible, but that a gracious foul hath 
 experience of an excellency, reality, power and efficacy 
 in it all. For infiance ; look on that which concerns 
 the order and worlhip of the gofpel: This feems to 
 many to be a mere external thing, whereof a foul can 
 have no inward fenfe or relifii. Notions there are 
 many about it, and endlefs contentions, but what more? 
 Why, let a gracious foul in fimplicity and fincerity of - 
 
 Z 2 fpirir. 
 
180 The Evidence that is Ver 4. 
 
 fpirit, give* up himfelf to walk with Chrift according 
 to his appointment, and he (hall quickly find fuch a 
 take and relifh in the followihip of the gofpel, in the 
 communion of faints, and of Chrifb among them, as 
 that he. fliall come up to fuch riches of affurance in the 
 underftanding and acknowledgments of the ways of the 
 Lord, as others by their difputing can nevei attain un¬ 
 to. What is fo high, glorious, and myfterious as the 
 doctrine of »he ever hlefTed trinity ? Some wife men 
 have thought meet to keep it vailed from ordinary 
 Chriftians ; and fome have delivered it in fuch terms, 
 a<- that they can underftand nothing by them. But 
 take a believer, who hath rafted how gracious the Lord 
 is, in the eternal love of the Father, the great under¬ 
 taking of the Son in the work of mediation and redemp¬ 
 tion, with the almighty work of the Spirit, creating 
 grace and comfort in the foul, and hath had an experi¬ 
 ence of the love, bolinefs,and power of God in them all, 
 and he wif, with more firm confidence, adhere to this 
 myfterious trutf , being led unto it and confirmed in it, 
 by fon t few plain teftimouies of the word, than a 
 the,hand dif urers fhall do, who only have the notion 
 o i >n hei minds. Let a real trial come, and this 
 wih a; pear . F. w will be found to facrifice their lives 
 or. ■ e fpeculations. Experience will give affurance 
 at a ftabili y. 
 
 We have thus cleared the credit of the teftimony, 
 now to be improved. It is evident on thefe grounds, 
 that there h a great certainty in rhofe truths, whereof 
 believers have experience. Where they communicate 
 their power unto the heart, they gave an unqueftion- 
 able affurance of their truths, And when that is once 
 realized in the foul, ail difputes about it are put to 
 fiience. 
 
 1 hefe things being fo, let us inquire into the faith 
 and experience of the faints on r he eaith, as to what 
 they know of the truth propofed unto confirmation ; 
 namely, that there is r orgwenjfs ritk God L t us go_ 
 to fome poor foul that now walks comfortably under 
 
 the 
 
Ver. 4. in Spiritual Experience. 181 
 
 the light of God’s countenance, and fay unto him, Did 
 we not know you fome while fince to be full of fadnels, 
 and great anxiety of fpirit; yea, forrowful almolt to 
 death, and bitter in foul ? 
 
 Anfw. Yes, faith he, fo it was indeed ; my days 
 were confumed with mourning, and my life with for- 
 row; and 1 walked heavily in fear and bitternefs of 
 fpirit all the day long. 
 
 Why, what ailed you what was the matter with 
 you; feeing as to the outward things you were in 
 peace ? 
 
 Anfw. The law of God had laid hold upon me, and 
 flain me; 1 lound rnyfelbthereoy a woful iinaer, yea, 
 overwhelmed with the guilt of fin. Every moment I 
 expelled tribulation and wrath from the hand of God ; 
 My fore ran in the night and ceafed not y and my foul re - 
 fufed comfort. 
 
 How is it then that thou art thus delivered, that you 
 are no more fad ? Where have you found eafe and 
 peace P have you been by any means delivered, or 
 did your trouble wear off, and depart of its own ac¬ 
 cord P 
 
 Anfw. Alas, no; had I not met with an effectual re¬ 
 medy, l had funk, and everlaftingiy perifhed. 
 
 Whai courfe did you take ? 
 
 Anjw. I went unto hirn by jefus Chrift againft whom 
 I have finned, and have found him better unto me, thin 
 I could expeft, or ever (hould have believed, had not 
 he over-powered my heart by his Spirit. Inftead of 
 wrath which l feared,.and that juilly, becaufe l had cle- 
 ferved it, he faid unto me in Chrift, Fury is not tn me. 
 For a long time 1 could not believe it; 1 thought it 
 irnpoffible that there fhould be mercy and pardon for 
 me, or fuch a one as I. But he (fill fupported me, 
 fom times by one means, fometimes by another ; until 
 taking my foul near to himfelf, he caufed me to 1 *e 
 the folly of my unbelieving heart, and the vilenefs of 
 the hard thoughts I had of hi n, and that indeed to ere 
 is with him forgivenefs and plenteous redemption. 
 
38 2 Religious Wor/hip of Sinners, Ver. 4. 
 
 This hath taken away all my forrows, and given me 
 qujetnefs, with reft and affurance. 
 
 But are you fure now that this is fo, may you not 
 poilibly be deceived ? 
 
 Anfw. Says the foul; I have not the lead: fufpicion 
 -of any fuch matter; and if at any time ought doth arife 
 to that purpofe, it is quickly overcome. 
 
 But how are you confirmed in this perfuafion ? 
 
 Anfw. That fenfe of it which I have in my heart, 
 that fweetnefs and reft which I have experience of, that 
 influence it hath upon my foul, that obligation I find 
 laid upon me by it unto all thankful obedience ; that 
 relief, fupportment and confolation that it hath afford¬ 
 ed me in trials and troubles, in the mouth of the grave, 
 2nd entrances of eternity, all anfwering what is declar¬ 
 ed concerning thefe things in the word, will not fuf- 
 fer me to be deceived. I could not indeed receive it 
 until God was pleafed to fpeak it unto me. But now 
 let Satan do his utmoft, I fhall never ceafe to bear 
 this teftimony, that there is mercy and forgivenefs with 
 him. 
 
 How many thoufands may we find of thefe in the 
 world, who have had fuch a feal of this truth in their 
 hearts, as they cannot only fecurely lay down their 
 lives in the confirmation of it, if called thereunto, but 
 alfo do chearfully and triumphantly venture their eter¬ 
 nal concernments upon it. Yea, this is the rife of all 
 that p?ace, fereoity of mind, and ftrong confolation 
 which in this world they are made partakers of. 
 
 Now this is to me, on the principles before laid down, 
 an evidence great and important. God hath not mani- 
 fefted this truth unto the faints, thus copied it out of 
 his word, and exemplified it in their fouls, to leave 
 them under any poffibility of being deceived. 
 
 Inftitution of religious worfhip an evidence of for- 
 
 - givenefs. 
 
 VIL God’s 
 
Ver. 4. an Evidence of Forgivenefs with God. 183 
 
 VII. God’s inftituiion of religious worlhip, and ho¬ 
 nour therein to be rendered unto him by {inner*, is a- 
 nother evidence, that there is forgivenefs with him. I 
 have inftanced before in one particular of worlhip to this 
 purpofe ; namely, in that of facrifices. But therein 
 we intended only their particular nature and fignifica- 
 tion, how they declared and manifefted reconciliation, 
 atonement, and pardon. That now aimed at, is to (hew, 
 how all the worlhip that God hath appointed unto us, 
 and all the honour which we give unto his hojy Majef- 
 ty thereby, is built upon the fame foundation, namely, 
 a fuppofition of forgivenefs; and is appointed to teach 
 it, and to afcertain us of it, which fhall briefly be de¬ 
 clared. To this end obferve, 
 
 Fir ft t That the general end of all divine and religi¬ 
 ous worlhip, is to raife unto God a revenue of glory 
 out of the creation buch is God’s infinite, natural 
 felf-fufficiency, that he {lands in need of no fuch glory 
 and honour. He was in himfelf no lefs infinitely and 
 eternally glorious, before the creation of ail or any thing 
 whatever, than he will be, when he fhall be encompalFed 
 about with the praifes of all the works of his hands. And 
 fuch is hisabfolute perfection, that no honour given un¬ 
 to him, no admiration of him, no aicription of glory 
 and rraife, can add any thing unto him. Hence faith 
 the Pfalmift, My goodnefs extends not unto thee , Pfah 
 xvi. 2. It doth not fo reach thee, as to add unto thee, 
 to profit thee, as it may do the faints that are on earth. 
 As he in job, chap. xxii. 2 3: Can a man be profitable 
 unto God, as a man that is wife may be -profitable unto 
 himfelf ? Is it any pleafure to the Almighty that thou art 
 righteous , or is it gain unto him that thou makefl thy ways 
 perfect? There is no doubt, but that it is weH-pieafing 
 unto God, that we Ihouid be righteous and upright: 
 But we do him not a pleafure therein, as though he 
 flood in need of it, or it were advantage or gain unto 
 him. And again, chap. xxxv. 7. If thou be righteous 
 ivhat givefl thou him t or what receiveth he at thine hand f 
 And the reafon of ail this the apoftle gives us, Rom. xi. 
 
184 Religious Worfhip of Sinners> Ver. 4. 
 
 36 Of him, and through him , and to him are all things. 
 Being the firft fovereign caule, and lalt aofoiute end of 
 all things, every way perfect and felf fufficient, nothing 
 can be added unto him. Or, as the fame apoftle fpeaks, 
 God that made the world , and all things therein, feeing 
 that he is the Lord 0} heaven and earthy is not wor/hip¬ 
 ped with mens hands , as tM he needed any things feeing 
 he giveth unto all life and breathy and all things, Ads 
 xvii. 24, 25 As he himfelf pleads at large, Pfal. 1 . 7, 
 8, y, to, 11, 12, 13. 
 
 Secondly , Wherefore all the revenue of glory that God 
 will receive by his worfhip, depends merely on his own 
 voluntary choice and appointment. All worihip, 1 fay, 
 depends now on the fovereign will and pleafure of God. 
 It is true, there is a natural worfhip due from rational 
 creatures by the law of their creation. This was in- 
 dilpenfibly and abfolutely necelfary at firft. The very 
 being of God, and order of things required that it fhould 
 be fo Suppofing that God had made fuch creatures as 
 we are, it could not be, but that moral obedience was 
 due unto him ; namely, that he fhould be believed in, 
 trufted and obeyed as the firft caufe, laft end, and fo¬ 
 vereign Lord of all : But the entrance of fin, laying 
 the finner abfolutely under the curfe of God, utterly 
 put an end to this order of things. Man was now to have 
 perifhed immediately, and an end to be put unto the 
 law of this obedience. But here, in the fovereign will 
 of God, an interpofition was made between fin and the 
 fentence ; and man was refpired from deftru&ion. All 
 worfhip following hereon, even that which was before 
 natural by the law of creation, is now refolved into an 
 arbitrary aft of God’s will. 
 
 And unto this end is all worfhip deiigned, namely to 
 give glory unto God. For, as God hath faid, that he 
 will be fau&ified in all that draw nigh unto him, that 
 is in his worfhip, and that therein he will be glorified. 
 Lev. x. 3; and that he that offereth him praife, that is, 
 performeth any part of his worfhip and fervice, glori- 
 fieth him, Pfal. 1 . 23. So the nature of the thing itfelf 
 
 declareth. 
 
Ver. 4. an Evidence of Forgivenefs with God. 185 
 
 declareth, that it can have no other end. By this 
 he hath ali his glory, even from the inanimate crea¬ 
 tion. 
 
 Thirdly , Confider, that God hath not prefimbed any 
 worihip of himfelf unto the angels that finned They 
 are indeed under this power, and he ufeth them as he 
 pleafeth, to ferve the ends of his holy providence. 
 Bounds he prefcribes unto them by his power, and 
 keeps them in dread of the full execuiion of his wrath; 
 but he requires not of them that they fhauld Oe'ieve n 
 him. They believe indeed, and tremble They have 
 a natural apprehe ifion of the being, power, providence, 
 holinefs, and rightedufnefs of God, which is infeparable 
 from their natures; and they have an expectation from 
 thence of that punilliment and vengeance which is due 
 unto them, which is infeparable from them as finners. 
 And this is their faith : But to believe in God, that is, 
 to put their truft in him, to refign up themfelves unto 
 him, God requires it rot of them. The fame is the 
 cafe with them alfo, as to love, and fear, and delight, 
 all inward affeftions, whicti are the proper worfhip of 
 God : Thefe they have not, nor doth God any onger 
 require them in them. They eternally call: them off 
 in their fuff fin. And where thefe are not, where they 
 are not required, where they cannot b , there no out¬ 
 ward worfhip can be preferibed or app inted. For ex¬ 
 ternal inflituted worfhip is nothing but the way that 
 God affigns, and chufes to exprefs and exercife {he in¬ 
 ward affections of our minds towards nim. He rules the 
 fallen angels per nutum piovident>a , not verhum prcecepti. 
 Now, as God dealt with the angels, fo alfo would he 
 have dealt with mankind, had he left them ali under 
 the curfe, without remedy or hope of relief. As he 
 doth with them, he eternally fatisfies himfelf in that 
 revenue of glory which arifeth unto him in their punifh- 
 ment; fo alfo, he would have done with thefe, had there 
 been no forgivenefs with him for them. He would not 
 have required them to fear, love, or obey him, or have 
 appointed unto them any way of worfhip, whereby to 
 
 A a exprefs 
 
186 Religious Worfhip of Sinners , Ver. 4. 
 
 exprefs fuch affe&ions towards him. For to what end 
 fhould he have done it? What righteoufnefs wouid ad¬ 
 mit, that fervice, duty, and obedience fhould be pre- 
 icribed unto them, who could not, ought not to have 
 any expe&ation or hope of acceptance or reward r This 
 is contrary to the very firff notion God requires in us of 
 his nature. For he that cometh unto God , mufl believe 
 that he is, and that he is a rewarder of all them that di¬ 
 ligently feek him. Heb. xi. 6. which would not be fo, 
 fhould he appoint a voluntary worfhip, and not propofe 
 a reward to the worfbippers. Wherefore, 
 
 Fourthly , It is evident, that God by the prefeription 
 of a worlhip untofmners, doth fully declare that there 
 is forpivenefs with him for them. For, 
 
 ■ ifl , He manifefls thereby, that he is willing to re¬ 
 ceive a new revenue of glory for them. 1 his, as we 
 have proved, is the end of worfhip. This he would 
 never have done, but with a defjgn of accepting and 
 rewarding his creatures. For do we think that he will 
 be beholding unto them ? That he wall take and admit 
 of their voluntary reafonable fervice according to his 
 will and command, without giving them a reward ; yea, 
 and foch an one as their obedience holds no proportion 
 unto ? No fuch thing would become his infinite felf- 
 fnfficiency, goodnefs, and bounty. This the wife of 
 Mancah well pleads. Judges xiii. 23. lf t (faith file) 
 the Lord were pledfed to kill us , he would net have re¬ 
 ceived a meat-offering , and a burnt-offering , at our hands. 
 His acceptance of worfhip from us, is an infallible de¬ 
 mon ftration, that he will not execute again if us the Se¬ 
 verity of the firff curfe. And this is clearly evidenced 
 in the firff record of folemn inffituted worfhip perform¬ 
 ed by finners, Gen. iv. 4. God had refpedl unto Abel and 
 his offering. Some think that God gave a vilible pledge 
 of his acceptance of Abel and his offering ; it may be, it 
 was by fire from heaven. For how elle fhould Cain fo 
 inffantly know, that his brother and his offering were 
 accepted, but that lie and his were refufed ? However 
 * it were, it is evident that what teffimony God gave of 
 
 the 
 
Ver. 4. an Evidence of Forgivenefs with God, 187 
 
 the acceptance of his offering, the fame he gave con¬ 
 cerning his perJon; and that in the firft place he had 
 refpeft unto Abel, and then to his offering. And there¬ 
 fore the apoftle faith, that thereby he obtained witnefs 
 that he was nghteous , Heb. xi, 4. that is, the witnefs 
 or teftimony of God himfdf. Now this was in the for¬ 
 givenefs of his fin ; without which he could neither be 
 righteous nor accepted, for he was a (inner. This God 
 declared by acceptance of his worfhip. And thus we 
 alfo, if we have any teftimony of God’s acceptance of us 
 in any part of his worfhip, fftould employ it to the fame 
 end. Hath God enlarged our hearts in prayer? Hath he 
 given us an anfwer unto any of our ^applications ? Hath 
 he refrdhed our hearts in the preaching and difpenfa- 
 tion of the word, or any other ordinance ? We are not 
 to reft in the particular, about which our communion 
 with him hath been. Our doing fo is the caufe why 
 we lofe our experiences. They ly fcattered up and 
 down, feparated from their proper root, and fo are 
 eafily loft. But this is that which we fliould firft im¬ 
 prove fuch particular experiences in the worftiip of 
 God unto; namely, that God hath pardoned our (ins, 
 and accepted our perfons thereon; for without that, 
 none of our worfhip or fer vice would pleafe him, or be 
 accepted with him. 
 
 2 dly y Hereby God lets us know, that he deals with 
 us upon new terms, fo that notwithftanding (in, we may 
 enjoy his love and favour. For this we have the en¬ 
 gagement of his truth and veracity, and he cannot de¬ 
 ceive us; but yet by this command of his, for his wor¬ 
 ftiip, we (hould be deceived if there were not forgive¬ 
 nefs with him. For it gives us encouragement to expeft, 
 and affurance of finding, acceptance with him, which 
 without it cannot be obtained. This then God declares 
 by his inftitution of and command for his worftiip, namely 
 that there is nothing that (hall indifpenfibly hinder thofe 
 who give up themfelves unto the obedience of God’s 
 commands, from enjoying his love, and favour, and 
 communion with him. 
 
 3 dly, For 
 
 A a 2 
 
188 Efpecial Ordinances . Ver. 4. 
 
 3<f/y, Formatter of faft; it is known andconfeffed, that 
 God hath appointed a worfhip tor fmners to perform. 
 All the inftitutions of the Old and New Teftament bear 
 wirncfs hereunto. God was the Author of them. And 
 men know not what they do, when either they negleft 
 them, or would be intermixing their own imaginations 
 with them. What can the mind of man conceive or in¬ 
 vent that may have any influence into this matter, to fe- 
 cuve the fouls of believers of their acceptance with 
 God ? Is there any need of their tehimony to the 
 truth, faithfihnefs, and goocinefs of God ? Thefe things 
 he hath taken upon himfelf. This then is that which 
 is to be fixed on ou- fouls, upon our firft invitation un¬ 
 to religious worfhip; namely, that God intends a new 
 revenue of giory from us, and therefore declares, that 
 there is a way for the taking away of our fins, without 
 which we can give no glory o him by our obedience, 
 and this is done only by forgivenefs. 
 
 bifthly , '] here are fome ordinances of worfhip ap¬ 
 pointed for this very end and purpofe, to confirm unto 
 us the forgtvenefs of fin ; efpecially in that worfhip 
 which is inhumed by the Lord Jefus under the New 
 T eflauient. 1 liiall in fiance in one or two : 
 
 j. The ordinance of baptifm. This was accompani¬ 
 ed with the dawning of the nofpel, in the miniflry o‘f 
 John Baptiff. And he exprefly declared in his fermons 
 upon it, 1] at it was inhumed of God to declare the re- 
 miffion of fins, Mark i. q. 
 
 It is true, the Lord Chrift fubmitted unto that ordi¬ 
 nance. (ana was baptized by John) who had no fin. 
 But this bch nged unto the obedience which God requir¬ 
 ed of lum, as, for our fakes, he was made under »he 
 Jaw r He was to obierve all oidinances and inhitutions 
 of the worfhip of God , not for any need he had in his 
 own Perfon of the efpecial end- and fignificarions of 
 fome of them ; yet, as he was our Sponfor, Surety, and 
 Mediator, handing in our head in all that he fo did, 
 hi was to yield obedience unto them, that fo he might 
 fulfill all righteoufuefs, Matth. iii. 13. So was he cir- 
 
 cumcifed. 
 
 I 
 
Ver. 4. evidencing Fcrgivenefs. 189 
 
 cumcifed, fo he was baptized ; both which had refpeft 
 unto fin, though abfolutely free from all fin in his own 
 perfon; and that becaufe he was free from no obedi¬ 
 ence unto any command of God. 
 
 But, as was faid, baptifm itfelf, as appointed to be 
 an ordinance of woifhip for finners to obferve, was a 
 declaration of that forgivenefs that is with God. It 
 was fo in its firfl intlitution. God calls a man in a mar¬ 
 vellous and miraculous manner; gives him a miniflry 
 from heaven ; commands him to go and baptize all 
 thofe who, confefTmg their fins and profefiing repent¬ 
 ance of them, fhould come to him, to have a teftimony 
 of forgivenefs. And as to the efpecial nature of this 
 ordinance, he appoints it to be fucn, as to reprefent 
 the certainty and truth of his grace in pardon, unto 
 their fenfes by a vifible pledge. He lets them know 
 thar he would take away their fin, wherein their fpiri- 
 tual defilement doth confift, even as water takes away 
 the outward filth of the body*; fo that hereby they 
 fhall be faved, as furely as Noah and his family were 
 faved in he ark fwimiog upon the waters, 1 Pet. iii. 
 21 Now, how great a deceit muff needs in this whole 
 matter have been put upon poor finners, if it were 
 not infallibly certain, that they might obtain forgive- 
 nefs with God. 
 
 After the entrance of this ordinance in the miniflry 
 of John, the Lord Chrifi: takes it into his own hand, 
 and commands the obfervatioti of it unto all difciples. 
 1 difpute not now, who are the proper immediate ob¬ 
 jects of it; whether they only who a&ually can make 
 profeffion of their faith, or believers with their infant 
 feed. For my part, I believe that all whom Chrifi 
 loves and pardons are to be made partakers of the 
 pledge thereof. And the foie reafon which they of old 
 infilled on, why the infants of believing parents (hoifid 
 not be baptized ; was; becaufe they thought they had 
 no fin, and therein we know their mi (take. But I treat 
 not now of thefe things; only this l fay is certain, that 
 in the prefcription of this ordinance unto his church, 
 
 the 
 
190 Efpecial Ordinances, Ver. 4. 
 
 the great intention of the Lord ChriiL was to afeertain 
 unto us the forgivenefs of fins. And iinners are invited 
 to a participation of this ordinance for that end, that 
 they may receive the pardon of their fins; that is, an 
 infallible pledge and alfurance of it, A&s ii. 38. And 
 the very nature of it declareth this to be its end, as 
 was before intimated. This is another engagement of 
 the truth, and faithfulnefs, and holinefs of God, fo 
 that we cannot be deceived in this matter. There is 
 faith God, forgivenefs with me ; faith the foul, 44 How 
 “ Lord {hall I know, how {hall I come to be allured of 
 44 it; for by reafon of the perpetual accufations of 
 “ confcience, and the curfe of the law upon the guilt 
 “ of my fin, 1 find it a very hard matter for me to be- 
 44 lieve Like Gideon, 1 would have a token of if” 
 Why, behold, faith God, * l will give thee a pledge 
 4 and a token of it which cannot deceive thee. When 
 
 * the world of old had been overwhelmed with a deluge 
 4 of waters by reafon ^ f their fins, and thofe who re- 
 4 mained, though they had juft caufe to fear that the 
 £ fame judgment would again befai them or their pof- 
 4 terity, becaufe they faw there was like to be the fame 
 4 caufe of it, the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts 
 ‘ of men being evil ftill, and that continually ; to fecure 
 4 them againft thefe fears, I told them, that I would 
 4 deftroy the earth no more with water; and I gave 
 4 them a token of my faithfulnefs therein, by placing 
 1 my bow in the cloud. And have I failed them ? 
 
 4 Though the fin and wickednefs of the world hath 
 4 been fince that day unlpeakably great; yet mankind 
 
 * is not drowned again, nor ’ever lhall be : I will not 
 
 * deceive their expectation from the token I have given 
 ‘ them. Wherever then there is a word of promife 
 ‘ confirmed with a token, never fear a difappoimment. 
 
 4 But fo is this matter. I have declared, that there is 
 4 forgivenefs with me, and to give afiurance thereof, X 
 4 have ordained this pledge and fign, as a feal of. my 
 ‘ word, to take away all doubts and fufpicion of your 
 4 being deceived. As the world lhall be drowned no 
 
 4 more 
 
Yer. 4. evidencing Forgivenefs. 591 
 
 f more, fo neither fhall they who believe, dome fhort 
 * of forgivenefs.’ 
 
 And this is the ufe which we ought to make of this 
 ordinance. It is God’s fecurity of the pardon of our 
 fins, which we may fafely reft in. 
 
 2. The fame is the end of that other great ordinance 
 cf the church, the fupper of the Lord : The fame 
 thing is therein - confirmed unto us by another fign, 
 pledge, token, or feal. We have ftiewed before, what 
 refpeft gofpel forgivenefs hath unto the death or blood 
 of Jefus Chrift. That is the means whereby for us it 
 is procured, the way whereby it comes forth from 
 God, unto the glory of his righteoufnefs and grace, 
 which afterwards muft be more diftin&ly infifted on. 
 This ordinance therefore, defigned and appointed on 
 purpofe for the reprefentation and calling to rememb¬ 
 rance of the death of Chrift, with the communication 
 of the benefits thereof unto them that believe, doth 
 principally intend our faith and comfort in the truth un¬ 
 der confideration ; and therefore in the very inftitution 
 of it, befides the general end before mentioned, which 
 had been fufficient for our fecurity, there is moreover 
 added an efpecial mention of the forgivenefs of fin : For 
 fo fpeaks our Saviour in the inftitution of it, for the ufe 
 of the church unto the end of ihe world, Matrh. xxvii. 
 28. This is my hlocd of the new tejlament, which is (hsd 
 for many for the remijjion of fins. As if he had faid, 
 “ The end for which I have appointed the obfervancs 
 “ of this duty and fervice unto you, is, that l may tef- 
 “ tify thereby unto you, that by my blood, the facrifice 
 *• of myfelf, and the atonement made thereby, 1 have 
 “ purchafedfor you the remiffion of your fins, which you 
 “ ihall affuredly be made partakers of.” And more 1 
 fhall not add unto this confideration, becaufe the dearii 
 of Chrift refpe&ed in this ordinance, will again occur 
 unto us. 
 
 3. What is the end of all church order, afiembiies, 
 and worfhip ? What is a church r* Is it not a company 
 of finners gathered together, according unto God’s ap- 
 
 • pointraent 
 
192 Efpecial Ordinances , Ver. 4. 
 
 pointment, to give glory and praife to him for pardon¬ 
 ing grace, for the forgivenefs of fins, and to yield him 
 that obedience which he requires from us, on the ac¬ 
 count of his having fo dealt wi'h us ? This is the nature, 
 this is the end of a church. He that underltandeth it 
 not, he that ufeth it nor unto that end, doth but abufe 
 that great inflitution And fuch abufe the world is full 
 of. Some endeavour to make their own fecular advant¬ 
 ages by the pretence of the church : Some difcharge 
 the duty required in it, with fome fecret hopes that it 
 (hall be their righteoufnefs before God : Some anfwer 
 only their light and convictions in an empty profeflion. 
 This alone is the true end, the true ufe of it. We 
 affemble ourfelves, to learn that there is forgivenefs 
 with God through Chrift ; to pray that we may be made 
 partakers of it; to blefs and praife God for our intereft 
 in it; to engage ourfelves unto that obedience which 
 he requires upon the account of it. And were this con- 
 ftantly upon our minds, and in our defigns, we might 
 be moie eftablilhed in the faith of it, than it may be 
 the moft of us are. 
 
 Sixthly , One particular inftance more of this nature 
 fhall conclude this evidence : God hath commanded us, 
 the Lord Chrift ha;h taught us, to pray for the pardon 
 of fin, which gives us unqueftionable fecurity that it 
 may be attained, that it is to be found in God ; for the 
 clearing whereof obferve. 
 
 1. That the Lord Chrift, in the revelation of the 
 will of God unto us, as unto the duty that he required 
 at our hands, hath taught and inftruCfed us to pray for 
 the forgivenefs of fin. It is one of the petirions which 
 he hath left on record for our ufe and imitation, in 
 that fummary of all prayer which he hath given us. 
 Match, vi. 12. Forgive us our debts, our trefpaftes, 
 our fins. Some contend that this is a form of prayer, 
 to be ufed in the prefcript limited words of it; all grant, 
 that it is a rule for prayer, comprizing the heads of all 
 necelfary things, that we are to pray for, and obliging 
 us to make fupplicatiou for them. So then, upon the 
 
 author- 
 
Ver. 4. evidencing Forgivenefs . 193 
 
 authority of God, revealed unto us by Jefus Cbrift, 
 we are bound iu duty to pray for pardon of fins, or for¬ 
 givenefs. 
 
 2. On this fuppofition, it is the higheft blafphemy 
 and reproach of God imaginable, to conceive that there 
 is not forgivenefs with him for us. Indeed, if we 
 Ihould go upon our own heads, without his warrant and 
 authority, to a Ik any thing at his hand, we might well 
 expert to meet.with dtfappointment. For what fhould 
 encourage us unto any fuch boldncfs ? But now when 
 God himfelf fiiall command us to come, and aik any 
 thing from him, fo making it thereby onr duty, and 
 that the negleil thereof iliouid be our grea' fin and re¬ 
 bellion againft him; to fuppofe he hath not the thing 
 in his power to beftow on us, or that his wid i wholly 
 averfe from fo doing, is to reproach him with want of 
 truth, faithfulnefs and holme! and not to * be God. 
 For what fincerity can be in fuch proceedings ? L it 
 confident with any divine excellency ? Could it have 
 any other end, but to deceive poor creatures ? either 
 to delude them if they do pray according to his com¬ 
 mand, or to involve them in farther guilt, if they do 
 not ? God forbid any fucu thoughts fhould enter into 
 our hearts. But. 
 
 3. To put this whole matter out of queflion, God 
 hath promifed to hear our prayers, and in particular 
 thofe which we make unto him for the forgivenefs of 
 fin. So our Saviour hath allured us, that what we aik 
 in his name, it (hall be done for us. And he hath, as 
 we have (hewed, taught us to aik this very thing of 
 God, as our heavenly Father ; that is, in his name : 
 For in and through him alone is he a Father unto us, 1 
 need not infill on particular promifes to this purpofe, 
 they are, as you know, multiplied in the Scriptures. 
 
 What hath been fpoken may luffice to eflablifh our 
 prefent argument, namely, that God’s prescription of 
 religious worlhip unto fiuners, doth undeniably prove, 
 that with him there is forgiven fs; efpecis 5 • > 'der¬ 
 
 ing, that the principle part, or the worlhip fo piefc. tbed 
 
 B b and 
 
194 Prayer for the Ver. 4. 
 
 and appointed by him, are peculiarly defigned to con¬ 
 firm us in the faith thereof. 
 
 And this is the defign of the words that we do infill 
 upon; There is forgivenefs with thee , that thou mayefl 
 be feared. The fear of God, as we have fhewed in the 
 Old Te ft ament, doth frequently exprefs, not that gra¬ 
 cious aiie&ion of oar minds, which is diftin&ly fo called 
 but that whole worfhip of God, wherein that and all 
 other gracious affections towards God are to be exercif- 
 cd. Now the pfalmifl tells us, that the foundation of 
 this fear or worfhip, and the only motive and encou¬ 
 ragement for tinners to engage in it, and give up them- 
 Hves unto it, is this, that there is forgivenefs with 
 God. Without this, no finner could fear, ferve, or 
 worfhip him : This therefore is undeniably proved by 
 the inflitudon of this worfhip, which was propofed un¬ 
 to confirmation. 
 
 The end of all thefc things, as we (hail afterwards at 
 large declare, is to encourage poor finners to believe, 
 and to evidence how inexcufable they will be left, who, 
 notwithftanding all this, do through the power of their 
 luffs and unbelief, refufe to come to God in Chrifl 
 that they may be pardoned. Yea, the laying open of 
 the certainty and fulnefs of the evidence given unto this 
 truth, makes it plain and confpicuous, whence it is that 
 men perifh in and for their fins. Is it for want of 
 mercy, goodnefs, grace or patience in God ? Is it thro’ 
 any defeCf in the mediation of the Lord Chrifl: ? Is it 
 for want of the mightiefl encouragements, and moft in¬ 
 fallible affurances, that with God there is forgivenefs ? 
 Not at all, but merely on the account of their own ©b- 
 ftinacy, ftubbornnefs and perverfnefs; they will not 
 come unto this light; yea, they hate it, becaufe their 
 deeds are evil. They will not come to Chrifl, that 
 they may have life. It is merely darknefs, blindnefs, 
 and love of fin, that brings men to deftru&ion. And 
 this is laid open, and ail pretences and excufes are re¬ 
 moved, and the lliaine of mens lufts made naked by the 
 
 full 
 
Ver. 4. Pardon of Sin commanded. 195 
 
 full confirmation of this truth, which God hath furnifh- 
 ed us withal. 
 
 Take heed you that hear or read thefe things, if 
 they were not mixed with faith, they will add greatly 
 to your mifery. Every argument will be your tor¬ 
 ment. But thefe conliderations mud be infixed on af¬ 
 terwards. 
 
 Moreover, if you will take into your minds what hath 
 been delivered in particular, concerning the nature and 
 end of the worfhip of God, which you attend unto, 
 you may be inftrufted in the ufe and due obfervation of 
 it. When you addrefs yourfelves unto it, remember 
 that this is that which God requires of you who are Tin¬ 
 ners ; that this he would not have done, but with 
 thoughts and intention of mercy for finncrs. Blefs him 
 with all your fouls, that this is laid as rhe foundation of 
 all that you have to do with him. You are not utter¬ 
 ly .caft off, becaufe you are finncrs. Let this fupport 
 and warm your hearts, when you go to hear, to pray, 
 or any duty of worfhip. Confider what is your princi¬ 
 ple work in rhe whole. You are going to deal with 
 God about forgivenefs, in the being, caufes, cenfe- 
 quents, and effe&s of it. Hearken what he fpeaks, de¬ 
 clares or reveals about it; mix his revelation and pro- 
 rnifes with faith. Enquire diligently into all the obe¬ 
 dience and thankfulnefs all thofe duties of hoiinefs, 
 and righteoufnefs, which he juftly expefts from then 
 who are made partakers of it; fo {hall you obferve 
 the worfhip of God unto his glory, and your own ad¬ 
 vantage. 
 
 The giving and eftablifhing of the new covenant 
 
 another evidence of forgivenefs with God.. 
 
 The oath of God engaged in the confirmation 
 thereof. 
 
 VIII. Another evidence hereof may be taken from 
 the making, eftablHhing and ratifying of the new co¬ 
 venant. That God would make a new covenant with 
 
 B b 2 " his 
 
196 Forglvenefs manifefled in the Ver. 4, 
 
 hi> people is often promifed. ohen declared. See a- 
 mong other place r , Jer. xxxi. 31, 3?. and that be 
 hath done to accordingly, the apoftle doth at large 
 n nikft, Heb. viii. tf, 9, 10, 11, \i. Now, here fun- 
 d tr ngs un'O our prelent purpofe’lnay be confider- 
 ed. * For, 
 
 1. It is fuppofed that God had before made another 
 cctenant with mankind. Wrh reference hereunto is 
 this laid *o be a new one. It is fuppofed unto another 
 that W2' before tr, and in companion whereof that is 
 called < Id , and this faid to be new 7 , as the apoftle fpeaks 
 exprefly in the place before-mentioned Now, a cove¬ 
 nant between God and man is a thing great and mar¬ 
 velous, whether we confider the nature of it, or the 
 ends of it; In its own nature it is a convention, com¬ 
 pact and agreement for iome certain ends and purpofes 
 between the holy creator and his poor creatures. How 
 infinhe, how inlpeakable muff needs the grace and con- 
 defceniion of God in this matter be? For what is poor 
 miferable man, that God fhould fet his heart upon him 
 that he fhould as it were give bounds to his fovereignty 
 over-hnn, and enter into rerms of agreement with him? 
 For whereas before, he was a mere objeCt of his abfo- 
 ltre dominion, made at his will, and for his pleafure, 
 at d on the fame regions to be crulhed at any rime into 
 nothing ; now he hath a bottom, and ground given 
 him, to hard upon, wherein to expeCt good things 
 fioin God upon the account of hh faithfulnefs and 
 rich eoufnef. God, in a covenant g ves thofe holy 
 pr ■ pen’ s of his nature unto his cr atures ; as his hand 
 01 mm for him to lay it old upon, and by them to plead 
 and srgue with him And without this, a man could 
 have no foundation for any irtercourfe or communion 
 with God, or of any expectation from him, nor any 
 direction how to deal with him in any of his concern¬ 
 ments. Great and fignal then was the condefcenfion in 
 God, to take his poor creature into covenant with him- 
 felf. And efpeciall, w ill this he manifeft, if we con¬ 
 fider the cuds of it, and why it is that God thus deals 
 
 with 
 
Ver. 4. New Covenant. * 19 7 
 
 with man. Now thcfe are no other, than that man 
 might ferve him aright, be bleffed by him, and be 
 brought unto the everlaiiing enjoyment of him, ali uuto 
 his glory. Thefe are the ends of every covenant that 
 God takes us into with hirnfelf; and thefe are the whole 
 of man. No more is required of us in a way of duty ; 
 no more can be required by us to make us blefled and 
 happy, but what is contained in them. That we might 
 live to God, be accepted with him, and come to the 
 eternal fruition of him, is the whole man ; all that we 
 were made for, or are capable of j and thefe are the 
 ends of every covenant that God makes with man ; be¬ 
 ing all comprifed in that folemn word, that he will be 
 their God, and they (hail be bis people. 
 
 2. This being the nature, this the end of a covenant, 
 there mult be fome great and important caute to change, 
 alter and abrogate a cove^ ant once made and eftablilh- 
 ed, 10 Jay afide one covenant, and to enter into ano¬ 
 ther. And yet this the apoitle, fays exprefly that God 
 had done, Heb. viii 1$. and proves ir, becaufe him- 
 felf calls that which he promifed, a new covenant ; 
 which undeniably confirms two things : Firjl , That the 
 O'her was become old ; and •'secondly. That being be¬ 
 come fo, it was changed, altered, and removed. 1 know 
 the apoftle fpeaks immediately of the old ad min ill rati¬ 
 on of the covenant under the Old Feflament, of Mo- 
 faical inftitutionsbut he doth fo with reverence unto 
 that revival which in it was given to the firft covenant 
 made with Adam. For, in the giving of the law, and 
 the curfe wherewith it was accompanied, which were 
 immixed with that adminiftratipn of the covenant, there 
 was a folemn revival and reprefencation of the firft co¬ 
 venant, and iis fanfti m, whereby it had life and power 
 given it to keep the people in bondage all their days. 
 And the end of the abolition or taking away of the le¬ 
 gal adminiflration of the covenant, was merely to take 
 our of God’s dealing with his people, all ufe and re¬ 
 membrance of the firft covenant. As was faid there¬ 
 fore, to take away, difannhl, and change a covenant fo 
 
 made 
 
198 JSature, Uje , and End Ver. 4. 
 
 made, ratified, and eftablHhed betwixt God and man, 
 is a matter that mud be refolved into fome cogent, im¬ 
 portant, and indifpenfible caufe. And this will the 
 more evidently appear, if we confider: 
 
 Firft, In general, That the firft covenant was good, 
 holy, righteous, and equal. It was fuch as became 
 God to make, and was every way the happinefs of the 
 creature to accept of. We need no other argument to 
 prove it holy and good, than this, that God made it. 
 
 It was the effeft of infinite hoiinefs, wifdom, righteouf- 
 nefs, goodnefs, and grace. And therefore in itfelf 
 was it every way perfect; for fo are all the works of 
 God. Befides, it was fuch, as man, when through his 
 own fault he cannot obtain any good by it, and mud 
 perifh everladingly by vertue of the curfe of it; yet 
 cannot but fubfcribe unto its righteoufnefs and hoiinefs. 
 The law was the rule of it, therein is the tenor of it 
 contained. Now, faith the apodle, whatever becomes 
 of the fin, and the (inner, the law is holy , and the com - 
 imndment is holy, and juft, and good, Rom. vii. 12. 
 Holy in itfelf, and its own nature, as being the order 
 and conditution of the mod holy God. Jud and equal 
 with reference unto us; fuch as we have no reafon to 
 complain of, or repine againd the authority of it; and 
 the terms of it are mod righteous. And not only fo, 
 but it is good alfo> that which notwithftanding the ap¬ 
 pearance of rigour and feverity, which it is accompanied 
 w ithal, had in it an exceeding mixture of goodnefs and 
 grace, both in the obedience ccndituted in it, and the 
 reward annexed unto it; as might be more fully mani- 
 fefted, were that our prefent work. 
 
 Secondly, In particular, it was good, holy, and righ¬ 
 teous in all the commands of it, in the obedience which 
 it required. And two things there were that rendred 
 it exceeding righteous, in reference unto its precepts or 
 commands. \ft. That they were ail foiled unto the 
 principles of the nature of man created by God, and in * 
 the regular a&ing whereof confided his perfection. God 
 in the firft covenant required nothing of man, prefcribed 
 
 nothing 
 
Ver. 4. of the fir ft Covenant. 199 
 
 nothing unto him, but what there was a principle for 
 the doing and accomplifhing of it ingrafted and implant¬ 
 ed on his nature ; which rendred all thofe commands e- 
 qual, holy, and good. For what need any man com¬ 
 plain of that which requires nothing of him, but what 
 he is from his own frame and principles inclined unto? 
 idly. All the commands of it were proportionate unto 
 the ftrength and ability of them to whom they were 
 given. God, in that covenant, required nothing of any 
 man, but what he had before enabled him to perform ; 
 nothing above his ftrength, or beyond his power; and 
 thence was it alfo righteous. 3 dly, It was exceeding good, 
 holy, and righteous, upon the account of its piomifes 
 and rewards. Do this, faith the covenant: this which 
 thou art able to do, which the principles of thy nature 
 are fitted for, and inclined unto. Well, what ihall be 
 the ifiue thereof? Why, do this and live, life is pro- 
 mi fed unto obedience, and that fuch a life, as both for 
 the prefent and future condition of the creature, was 
 accompanied with every thing that was needful to make 
 it bleffed and happy. Yea, this life having in it the 
 eternal enjoyment of God, God himfelf as a reward, 
 was exceedingly above whatever the obedience of 
 man could require as due, or have any reafon, on any 
 other account, but merely of the goodnefs of God, to 
 expect. 
 
 Thirdly, There was provifmn in that covenant for 
 the prefervation and manifeftation of the glory <$f God, 
 whatever was the event on the part of man. This was 
 provided for in the wifdorn and righteou/nefs of God. 
 Did man continue in this obedience, and fulfil the terms 
 of the covenant; all things were laid in fubferviencyjo 
 the eternal glory of God in his reward. Herein would 
 he for ever have rrianifefted and exalted the glory of 
 his holinefs, power, faithfulnefs, righteoufnefs and good¬ 
 nefs. As an almighty Creator, and preferver, as a faith¬ 
 ful God, and righteous re warder, would he have been 
 glorified. On fuppofition on the other fide, that man 
 by fin and rebellion fliould tranfgrefs the terms and tenor 
 
200 Rea/on of Alteration Ver. 4, 
 
 of this covenant, yer God had made provifion that no 
 detriment unto his glory (hould enfue thereon. For by 
 the confiitution of a punhhment proportionable in his 
 juftice unto that lin and demerit, he had provided, that 
 the gloiy of his hdinefs, righteoufnefs, and verachy in 
 his tiireatnings, fhould be exalted, and that to all eternity. 
 God would have loff no more glory and honour by the 
 fin of man, than by the fin of angels which in his in¬ 
 finite wifdom and righteoufnefs is become a great the¬ 
 atre of his eternal glory. For he is no lefs excellent 
 in his greatnefs and feverity, than in his goodnefs and 
 power. 
 
 Wherefore, we may now return unto our former en¬ 
 quiry. All ihings being thus excellently and admirably 
 difpofed in infinite wifdom and holinefs in this covenant, 
 the whole duty and bleffednefs of man being fully pro¬ 
 vided for, and the glory of God abfolutely fecured upon 
 all events, what was the reafon that God left not all things 
 to hand or fall according to the terms of it ? Wherefore 
 doth he rejeft and lay afide this covenant, and promife 
 to make another, and do fo accordingly ? Certain it is, 
 that he might have continued it with a bleffed fecurity 
 to his own glory ; and he makes all things for himfelf\ 
 even the wicked jor the day of evil . 
 
 God himfelf lhews what was the only and foie rea¬ 
 fon of this difpenfauon, Heb. viii. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 
 13. The fum of it is this. Notwithstanding the bleffed 
 confiitution of the firfi covenant, yet there was no pro¬ 
 vifion for the pardon of fin, no room or place for for- 
 givenefs in it; but on fuppofinon that man finned, he 
 was in that covenant left remediiefs. God had notin it 
 revealed that there was any fuch thing as forgivenefs 
 with him ; nor had any finner the leafi hope or grounds 
 of expectation from thence of any fuch thing in him. 
 Dfe he muff, and perifh, and that without remedy or 
 recovery. Now, faith God, this mud not be. Mercy, 
 goodnefs, grace require another ftate of things. This 
 covenant will not manifefi themtheir effects will not 
 be communicated to poor (inner s by it. Hence, faith 
 
 he, 
 
201 
 
 Ver. 4. of the fir ft Covenant. 
 
 he, 44 It is faulty, that is defe&ive; I will not Iofe the 
 “ glory of them, nor ihall finners be unrelu ved by 
 44 them : And therefore, altho’ I may ilri&ly tie up all 
 44 mankind unto the terms of this; yet, I will make 
 44 another covenant with them, wherein they Ihall know 
 44 and find, that there is forgivenefs with me, that they 
 44 may fear me.” 
 
 Now, next to the blood of Chrift, whereby th ; s co¬ 
 venant was ratified and confirmed, this is the greateft 
 evidence that can pofiibly be given, that there is lor- 
 givenefs with God. To what end elfe doth God rm.ke 
 this great alteration in the effe&s o his wi 1, in his way 
 of dealing with mankind ? As forg'veneb of fin is ex-, 
 prefly contained in the teuor and words of the covenant, 
 fo fet it afide, and it will be of no more ufe or advan¬ 
 tage than the former. For, as this covenant is made 
 directly with Tinners, nor was there any one in the world 
 when God made it, that was not a fiuner nor is i f of 
 ufe unto any but finners, fo is forgivenefs of fius.the 
 very life of it. 
 
 Hence we may fee two things. Firfl, The great- 
 nels of forgivenefs, that we may learn to value it: and 
 Secondly , The certainty of it, that we may learn to 
 believe it. 
 
 Firft , The greatnefs of it. God would not do fo 
 great a thing as that mentioned, but for a great, the 
 greateft end. Had it not been a matter of the greateft 
 importance unto the glory of God, and the good of the 
 fouls of men, God would not for the fake of ir, have 
 laid afide one covenant, and made another. We may 
 evidently fee how the heart of God was let upon it, how 
 his nature and will were engaged in it. All this was 
 done that we might be pardoned. The oh' glorious fa¬ 
 bric of obedience and r. wards fhall be taken down to 
 the ground, that a new one may be erc&td for the h o¬ 
 nour and glory of forgivenefs. God forbid that we 
 fliould have flight thoughts of that which was fo (frange- 
 ly and wonderfully brought forrh, wherein God had as 
 it were embarked his great glory. Shall all this be 
 
 C c done 
 
202 Forgivenefs confirmed Ver. 4. 
 
 done for our fakes, and dial! we undervalue it, or dif- 
 efleem it ? God forbid. God could, if 1 may fo fay, 
 more eafily have made a new world of innocent crea¬ 
 tures, and have governed them by the old covenant, 
 than have eftablifhed this new one for the falvation of 
 poor Tinners; but then, where had been the glory of 
 forgivenefs? It could never have been known that there 
 was forgivenefs with him. The old covenant could 
 not have been prefer red, and Tinners pardoned. Where¬ 
 fore, God chofe rather to leave the covenant, than Tin¬ 
 ners unrelieved, than grace unexalted, and pardon un- 
 exereifed. Prize it, as you prize your fouls, and give 
 glory unto God for it, as all thoie that believe will do 
 unto eternity. 
 
 Secondly, For the fecurity of it, that we may believe 
 it. What greater can be given ? God deceiveth no 
 man, no more than he is deceived. And what could 
 God, that cannot lie, do more to give us faiisfa&ion 
 herein, than he hath done ? Would you be made par¬ 
 takers of this f’argivenefs ? Go unto God, fpread be¬ 
 fore him this whole matter ; plead with him, that he 
 himfelf hath fo far laid a fide the fir it covenant, of his 
 own gracious will, as to make a new one; and that 
 merely becaufe it had no forgivenefs in it. This he 
 hath made on purpofe, that it might be known, that 
 there is forgivenefs in him. And (hall not we now be 
 made partakers of it: Will lie now deny that unto us, 
 Which he hath given fuch a flu ranee of, and ralfed fuch 
 expectations concerning it ? Nothing can here wrong 
 us, nothing can ruin us but unbelief. Lay hold on 
 this covenant, and we fhail have pardon. This God 
 expreffeth, lfa. xxvii, 4, 5. Will we continue on the 
 old bottom of the firft covenant ? All that we can do 
 thereon, is but to fet thorns and briars in the way of 
 God, to fecure ourfelves from his coming againft us, 
 and upon us, with his indignation and fury. Our fins 
 are fo, and our righreoufnefs is no better. And what will 
 be the iffue ? both they and we fhail be trodden down, 
 confumed, and burnt up. What way then, what re¬ 
 medy 
 
Ver. 4. by the Oath cf God. 203 
 
 medy is left unto us? Only this of laying hold on the 
 arm and ftrength of God in that covenant, wherein foc- 
 givenefs of fin is provided. Therein alone he faith, 
 Fury is ?:ot in me ; and the end will be, that we (hall 
 have peace with him both here and for ever. 
 
 IX. The oath of God, engaged and interpofed in this 
 matter, is another evidence of the truth infilled on. 
 Now, becaufe this is annexed unto the covenant before 
 mentioned, and is its eftablilhment, i lhall pafs it over 
 the more briefly. And in it we may confider; 
 
 Firjl, The nature of the oath of God : The apoflle 
 tells us, that he fware by himfelf: And he gives this 
 reafon of it, bccaufe he had no greater to fwear by, 
 Heb. vi. 13. An oath for the confirmation of any thing, 
 is an invocation of a flips erne power that can judge of 
 the truth that is fpoken, and vindicate the breach of the 
 engagement. This God hath none other but himfelf, 
 Becaufe he could fwear by no greater, he fware by him- 
 felf. Now, this God doth, ifl , By cxprefs affirmation 
 that he hath fo fwom by hiulfelf, which was the form 
 of the fir ft folemn oath of God, Gen. xxii. 16, By tnyfeif 
 have 1 fwom , faith the Lord . The meaning whereof 
 is, I have taken upon my myfelf as I am God, or ie: 
 me not he fo, if I perform not this thing. And this 
 U expreffed by his foul, jer. li. f 4, The Lord of Hofh 
 hath fwom by his Soul, that is, by himfelf, as we ren¬ 
 der the words, idly, God doth it by the efpecial in- 
 terpofition of fome fuch property of his nature, as is fuit- 
 ed to give credit and confirmation to the word fpoken ; 
 as to his holinefs, Pfal. Ixxxix. 35./ have /worn by my 
 holinefs : So aifo Amos iv. 2. Sometimes by his life, 
 As / live , faith the Lord. In the Hebrew, I live, faith 
 God, it fhall be fo.. And fometimes by his name, Jer. 
 xliv. 26. God as it were engageth the honour and glory 
 of the properties of his nature for the certain accom- 
 plifhment of the things mentioned. And this is evident 
 from the manner of the expreffion, as in that place of 
 Pfal. Ixxxix. 35. Once have I fwom by my holinefs, that' 
 
 C c 2 1 will 
 
284 Forgivenefs confirmed Ver. 4. 
 
 / will not lie unto David; fo we : In the original the 
 wo cis are elliptical ; If / lie unto David , that is, Let 
 ir rt no’ ' e fo., nor be efleemed to be fo, if I lie unto 
 
 David. 
 
 becondly^ For the enu of his oath ; God doth not 
 give h to make his word or promife fure and ftedfaft, 
 bir t c give affurance and fecuriry unto us of their ac- 
 Ci mpHhmenr. Every word of God is fure and certain 
 tru melf, becaufc it is his; and he might juftly re- 
 qt r of us the belief of it, without any further attefta- 
 tien But yet, knowing what great obje&ions Satan 
 ane our own unbelieving hearts will raife againft his 
 protrifes, at leaf! as to our own concernment in them, 
 to confirm our minds, and to take away all pretences of 
 unbelief, he imerpofeth his oath in this matter* What 
 can remain of difiruft in fuch a cafe? if there be a 
 matter in doubt between men, and an oath be inter- 
 poled in the confirmation of f bat which is called in quef- 
 tion, it is an end as the apoftle tells us, unto them of 
 all lfrife, Heb vi. »6, How much more ought it to be 
 fo on the part of God, when his oath is engaged And 
 the apoltle declares this end of his oath, it is to (hew 
 the immutability of his counfel, Heb. vi. 17. His coun- 
 fei was declared before in the promife; but now lome 
 doubr or f rile n ay arife, whether on < ne oceafion or 
 other, God may not change his counfel; or whether 
 he hath not cUcinged it with fuch conditions as to ren¬ 
 der it ufelefsurjto u ? In what caff foever it be, to re- 
 n v-ve ah doubts and iVpicions of this nature God 
 add.' bi, oath, mar ifefhng the unqueftionable immuta¬ 
 bility ot his counltl and piomiles. What therefore is 
 thus confirmed, is afeertained unto the height of what 
 any thing is capable of. And not to beiieve it, is the 
 height of impietv. 
 
 Iti.diy, In this interpefition bf God by an oath, 
 there is unfpeakable condefctnfion of grace, which is 
 both an exceeding great n;otive unto faith, and a great 
 aggravation of unbe ief. For what are we, that the 
 holy and bitfifed God lliouid thus condefcend unto us, 
 
 as 
 
Ver, 4. by the Oath of God. 205 
 
 as for our fadsfacfion and furety, 10 engage himfelf by 
 an oath 1 One laid well of old ; Fcelices nos quorum caufa 
 Deus jurat; O infceiices, fi nec juranti Deo credimus. It 
 is an ineftimable advantage thar God Ibould forour fakes 
 engage himfelf by his oath. So it will be our nailery, 
 if we believe him not, when he fwears unto us. What 
 can we now objeft againft what is thus confirmed ? 
 What pretence, colour, or excufe can we have for cur 
 unbelief? How juft how righteous, how holy muft 
 their deftru&ion be, who, upon this ftrange, wonder¬ 
 ful, unexpe&ed warranty, refufe to fet their feal, that 
 God is true. 
 
 Thefe things being premifed, we may confider how 
 vai loufly God hath engaged his oath, that there is for- 
 givenefs with him. Firfl , He fweareth that he hath 
 no pleaiure in the death of a finner, bur rather that he 
 repent and live, Fzek. xxxiii. 11 As 1 live (faith the 
 Lord) I have no pleafure in the death of a finner : Now, 
 without iorgivenefs in him, every finner muft die, and 
 that without remedy. Confirming therefore with his 
 oath, that it.is his will the finner lhould return, repent 
 and live, he doth, in the firft place fwear by himfelf, 
 that there is foigivenefs with him for thefe finners that 
 (hall fo repent and turn unto him 
 
 Again, whereas the great means he hath appointed 
 for the forgivenef? of Hus, is by the mediation of the 
 Lord Chrift, as we (hall afterwards fhew, he hath on 
 feveral occafions confirmed his purpole in'hiro, and the 
 counfel of his will by his oath. By this oath he pro- 
 miled him unto Abraham and David of old, which 
 proved the foundation of the church’s liability in all 
 generations; and alfo of their fecurity and aflurance 
 of acceptance with him; lee Luke i. 7$, 74, 75 Aed 
 in taking upon him that office, whereby in an efpecial 
 manner theforgivenefsoffins was to be procured, namely, 
 of his being a prieft to offer facrifice, to make an atone¬ 
 ment for finners, he confirmed ir unto him, and him in 
 it by his oath, Heb. vii. 20. He was not made a pneft 
 without an oath . And to what end ? Namely, that he 
 
 mishit 
 
 4-/ 
 
2©6 Forgivenefs confirmed. Ver. 4. 
 
 might be a furety of a better teftament , Ter. 22. And 
 what was that better teftament f Why, that which 
 brought along with it the forgivenefs of fin, chap. viii. 
 12, 13. So that it was forgivenefs which was fo con¬ 
 firmed by the oath of God. Farther, the apofile (hews, 
 that the grfeat original promife made unto Abraham, be¬ 
 ing confirmed by the oath of God, all his other promifes 
 were in like manner confirmed. Whence he draws that 
 bleffed conclufion which we have, Heb. vi 17, 18. As 
 to every one, faith he, that files for refuge to the hope 
 that is fet before him , that is, who feeks to efcape the 
 guilt of fin, the curfe and the fentence of the law, by 
 an application of himfelf unto God in Chrift for pardon, 
 he hath the oath of God to fecure him that he fliali 
 not fail thereof. And thus are ail the concernments of 
 the forgivenefs of fin teftified unto by the oath of God ; 
 which we have manifeftedto be the higheft fecurity in 
 this matter, thatGod can give, or that we are capable of. 
 
 The name of God confirming the truth and reality 
 of forgivenefs with him. As alfo the fame is 
 done by the properties of his nature. 
 
 X. Another foundation of this truth, and infallible 
 ctidence of it, fnay be taken from that fpecial name 
 and title which God takes unto himfelf in this mat-er ; 
 for he owns the name of the God of par dons , or the God 
 of forgivenefs. So he is called, Nehem. ix. 17. we have 
 rendered the words, Fhou art a God ready to forgive ; 
 but they are, as was faid, (in the Heb :) And thou art 
 a God of pardons, forgivenefs or propitiations. That is 
 his name, which he owneth, which he accepteth of the 
 afeription of unto himfelf .The name whereby he will be 
 known. And to clear this evidence, we muff take in fome 
 confiderationsofthe name of God, and the ufe thereof. As 
 
 1. The name of God is that whereby he reveals him¬ 
 felf unto us, whereby he would have us know him, 
 and own him. It is fomething expreffive of his nature 
 ,ot properties which he hath appropriated unto himfelf. 
 
 What- 
 
Ver. 4. by the Name of God. 207 
 
 Whatever therefore any name of God exprelfeth him 
 to be, that he is, that we may expeft to find him ; for 
 he will not deceive us by giving himfelf a wrong or a 
 falfe name. And on this account he requires us to 
 truft in his name, becaufe he will afliiredly be found 
 unto us, what his name imports. Hefting on his name, 
 flying unto his name, calling upon his name, praifing 
 his name, things fo often mentioned in the fcripture, 
 confirm the fame unto us, Thefe things could uot be 
 our duty, if we might be deceived in fo doing. God 
 is then and will be to us what his name declareth. 
 
 2. On this ground and reafon, God is faid then firft 
 to be known by any name, when thofe, to whom he re¬ 
 veals himfelf, do in an cfpecial manner, reft on that 
 name by faith, and have that accomplifhed towards 
 them which that name imports, fignifies, or declares. 
 And therefore God did not under the Old Teftament, 
 reveal himfelf to any by the name of the Father cf Je- 
 fus Chrift, or the Son incarnate , becaufe the grace of 
 it unto them was not to be accomplifhed, God having 
 provided fome better thing for as, that they without as 
 Jhould not be made perfect ; they were not entrufted with 
 the full revelation of God, by all his blefted names. 
 Neither doth God call us to truft in any name of his, 
 however declared or revealed, unlefs he gives it us in 
 an efpeeial manner, by way of covenant, to reft upon, 
 ho he fpeaks, Exod. vi. 3. 1 appeared unto Abraham , 
 unto Ifaac , and to Jacob fHeb) in the name of God 
 Almighty , but by my name Jehovah was / not known un¬ 
 to them. It is certain, that both thefe names of God, 
 Elilhaddai and Jehovah, were known among his people 
 before. In the firft mention we have of Abraham’s ad- 
 drefting himfelf unto the worfhip of God, he makes 
 ufe of the name Jehovah, Gen. xii. 7. He built an al¬ 
 ter unto Jehovah ; and fo afterwards, not only doth 
 Mofcs make ufe of that name in the repetition of the 
 ftory, but it was alfo of frequent ufe among them. 
 Whence then it is faid, that God appeared unto them 
 by the name of Elftiaddai, but not by the name of Je¬ 
 hovah? 
 
208 Fergivenefs confirmed, Ver. 4. 
 
 hovah P The realon is, bccaufe that was the name God 
 gave himfelf in the folemn confirmation of the cove¬ 
 nant with Abraham, Gen.xvii. 1. (Heb ) 1 am Elfbaddai , 
 God Almighty , God all fufficient And when Ifaac 
 would pray for the blefling or the covenant on Jacob, 
 he makes ufe of that name, Gen. xxviii. 3. God Al¬ 
 mighty blefs thee. He invocates that name of God which 
 was engaged in the covenant made with his father Ab¬ 
 raham, and himfelf. That therefore we may, with 
 full aflurance, reft on the name of God, it is not only 
 neceflary, that God reveai that name to be his, but al- 
 fo that he give it out unto us for that end and purpoie, 
 that we might know him thereby, and place qur truft 
 and confidence in him, according unto what that name 
 of his imports. And this was the cafe wherever he re¬ 
 vealed himfelf unto any in a peculiar manner, by an e- 
 fpecial name. So he did unto Jicob, Gen. xxviii. 13. 
 I am the God of Abraham and Ifaac ; affuring him, 
 that as he dealt faithfully in his covenant with his fa¬ 
 thers Abraham and Ifaac, fo alfo he would deal wnfi 
 him : And Gen. x\xi 13. I am the God of Bethel; he 
 who appeared unto thee there, and bleficd thee, and 
 will continue fo to do. But when the fame Jacob comes 
 to aik after another name of God, he anfwers him not, 
 as it were commanding him to live by faith on what he 
 was pleafed to reveal. Now then, God had not made 
 himfelf known to Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob by 
 his name Jehovah, becaufe he had not peculiarly call¬ 
 ed himfelf unto them by that name, nor had engaged 
 it in his covenant with them, although it were other- 
 wife known unto them. They lived and reded on the 
 name of God Almighty, as fuited to their fupportmeut 
 and confolation in their wandering helplefs condition, 
 before the promife was to be accompliftied : But now, 
 when God came to fulfil his promifes, and to bring the 
 people, by vertne of his covenant, into the land of 
 Canaan, he reveals himfelf unto them by, and renews 
 his covenant with them, in the name of Jehovah. And 
 hereby did God declare, that he came to give liability 
 
 and 
 
Ver. 4. by the Name of God. 209 
 
 and accomplifhment unto his promifes; to which end 
 they were now to live upon this name of Jehovah, in 
 an expectation of the fulfilling of the promifes ? as their 
 fathers did on that of God Almighty, in an expectation 
 of protection from him in their wandering' ftate and 
 
 condition. Hence this name became the foundation of 
 the Judaical church, and ground of the faith of them 
 who did fmcerely believe in God therein. And it is 
 nrangely fallen out in the providence of God, that 
 iince the Jews have rejected the covenant of their fa¬ 
 thers, and are caff out of the covenant of their unbelief 
 that they have utterly forgotten the name of God. No 
 jew 7 in. the world knows what it is, nor how to pro¬ 
 nounce it, or make mention of it. I know, themfeives 
 and others pretend ftrange myfleries in the letters and 
 vowels of that name, which make it ineffable : But the 
 truth is, being caff out of that covenant, which was 
 built and eftabhfhed on that name, in the juft judgment 
 of God, through their own blindnefs and fuperftidon, 
 they are no more able to make mention of ir, or to take 
 it into their mouths. It is required then, that the name 
 of God be given unto us as engaged in covenant, to fe- 
 cure our expectation, that he will be unto us according 
 to his name. 
 
 3. All the whole gracious name of God, every title 
 that he hath given himfelf, every afeription of honour 
 unto himlelf that he hath owned, is confirmed unto us 
 (unto as many as believe) in jefus Chriff. For as he hath 
 declared unto us the whole name of God, John xvii. 6. 
 fo not this or that promife of God, but all the promifes 
 of God are in him , yea and amen. So that, as of old, 
 every particular promife that God made unto the peo¬ 
 ple, ferved efpecially for the particular occafion on 
 which it was given, and each name of God was to be 
 reffed on, as to that difpenfation whereunto it was fuu- 
 ed to give relief and confidence ; as the name of El- 
 fhaddai 10 Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and the name 
 Jehovah to Mofes and the people; fo now, by Jefus 
 Chrift and in him, every particular promife belongs 
 
 D d unto 
 
210 
 
 Forgivenefs confirmed Ver. 4. 
 
 unto believers in all their occafions; and every name 
 of God whatever, is theirs alfo, at all times, to reft upon, 
 and put their truft in. Thus the particular promife 
 made unto Jofhua, at his entrance into Canaan, to en¬ 
 courage and ftrengthen him in that great enterprize of 
 conquering the land, is by the apoftie applied unto all 
 believers, in all their occafions whatever ; I will never 
 leave thee, nor fcrfake thee , Heb. xiii. 5. So likewife 
 doth every name of God belong now unto us, as if it 
 had in a particular manner been engaged in covenant un¬ 
 to us; and that becauie the whole covenant is ratified 
 and confirmed unto us by Jefus Chrift, 2 Cor. vi. 18. 
 chap. vii. 1. This then abfolutely fecures unto ns an 
 intereft in the name of God infifted on, the God of fcr- 
 givenefs, as if it had been given unto every one of us, 
 to affure us thereof. 
 
 4. God takes this name, the God of forgivenefs, to 
 be his in a peculiar manner, as that whereby he will 
 be diftinguifhed and known. He appropriates it to him- 
 ielf, as exprefting that which the power and ggodnefs 
 of no other can extend unto. There are lords many, 
 andgoch many faith the apoftie ; yo/ucvai Sim, fome that 
 are called fo ; fuch as fome account fo to be. How is 
 the true God diftinguifhed from thefe gods by reputa¬ 
 tion ? He is' fo by this name, he is the God of pardons, 
 Mic. vii. 18c Who is a God like unto thee, that pardon- 
 eth iniquity ? This is his prerogative ; herein none is 
 equal to him, like him, or a fharer with him. Who 
 is a God like unto thee, that may be called a God of par¬ 
 dons. The vanities of the nations cannot give them 
 this rain4 they have no refrefhing ftiowers of mercy 
 and pardon in their power. Neither angels, nor faints, 
 nor images, nor popes, can pardon fin. By this name 
 doth he diftinguifh himfelf from them all. 
 
 5. To be known by this name, is the great glory of 
 God in this world. When Mofes defired to fee the glo- 
 ryof God, the Lord tells him, that he could not fee his 
 face , Exod. xxxiii. 18, 20. The face of God, or the 
 
 glorious 
 
Ver. q. by the Name of God,\ 
 
 glorious majefty of his being, his effential glory, is not 
 to be feenof any in this life; we can not fee him as he is. 
 But the glorious manifeftation of himfelf we may be r 
 hold and contemplate. This we may fee as the back- 
 parts of God ; that fliadow of his excellencies which he 
 cafteth forth in his palling by us in his works and dif- 
 penfations. This Mofes fliall fee. And wherein did 
 it confill ? Why, in the revelation and declaration of 
 this name of God, chap, xxxiv. 6, 7. The Lord pajjeth 
 by before him , and proclaimed the Lord , the Lord God, 
 merciful and gracious , fongfujfering^ and abundant in 
 goodnefs and in truth , keeping mercy for thoufands , for¬ 
 giving iniquity, tranfgreffions , and fin-. To be known 
 by this name, to be honoured, feared, believed, as 
 that declares him, is the great glory of God. And 
 lhall this fail us ? Can we be deceived trailing in it, or 
 expelling that we lhall find him to be what his name 
 declares? God forbid. 
 
 Let us lay together thefe confiderations, and we fliall 
 find that they will give us another (table foundation of 
 the truth infilled on; and a great encouragement to 
 poor linful fouls to draw nigh to God in Chrift for par¬ 
 don. God hath no name but what he gives unto him¬ 
 felf. Nor is it lawful to know him, or call him other- 
 wife ; as he calls himfelf, fo is he. What his name 
 imports, fo is his nature. Every name ajfo of God is 
 engaged in Jefus Chrift in the covenant, and is pro- 
 pofed unto us to place our trull and confidence in. 
 Now, this is'his name and his memorial, even the God 
 of forgivenefs. By this he diltinguifheth himfelf 
 from all others, and exprefifeth it as the principle title 
 of his honour, or his peculiar glory. According to 
 this name therefore, all that believe lhall alluredly find. 
 There is forgivenefs with him. 
 
 XI. The confideration of the effential properties of 
 the Nature of God, and what is required to the mani- 
 feftation of them, will afford us further alfurance here¬ 
 of. Let us to this end take in the enfuing obfevations. 
 
 D d 1 Firjl, 
 
2 12 Attributes of God's Nature, Ver. 4. 
 
 Firfti God being abfolutely perfect, and abfolutely 
 felf-fufficient, was eternally glorious, and fatisfied with 
 and in bis own holy excellencies and perfections, be¬ 
 fore, and without the creation of all or any thing, by 
 the putting forth, or the exercife of his almighty power. 
 The making therefore of ail things depends on a mere 
 fovereign aft of the will and pleafure of God. So the 
 whole creation makes its acknowledgement, Rev. iv. 11. 
 chap. v. 12. Thou art wort by , 0 Lord, to receive glory , 
 honour and power , for thou hajl created all things , and 
 for thy pleafure they are and were created . God could 
 have omitted all this great work, without the leafl im¬ 
 peachment of his glory. Not one holy property of 
 his nature w 7 ould have been diminifhed or abated in its 
 eternal glory by that omiflion. This then depended 
 on a pure aft of his will and choice. 
 
 Secondly , On fuppofition that God would work ad 
 extra , by his pow r er produce any thing without himfelf, 
 it was abfolutely neceffary that himfelf fhould be the 
 end of his fo doing. For, as before the produftion 
 of all things, there was nothing that could be the end 
 why any of them fhould be brought forth out of no¬ 
 thing, or towards which they fhould be difpofed ; fo 
 God being an infinite agent, in wifdom and underftand- 
 ing and power, he could have no end in his aftings, 
 but that alfo which is infinite. It is therefore na¬ 
 tural and neceffary unto God to do all things for him¬ 
 felf. It is impoffible he fhould have any other end ; 
 and he hath done fo accordingly, Prov. xvi. 4. The 
 Lord hath made all things for himfelf. He aimed at 
 himfelf in all that he did ; there being no other infinite 
 good for him to make his objeft, and his end, but 
 himfelf alone. 
 
 Thirdly, This doing things, all things for himfelf, 
 cannot intend an addition or acruement thereby of any 
 new real good unto himfelf; his abfolute eternal per¬ 
 fection and all fufficiency render this impoffible. God 
 doth not become more powerful, great, wife, juft, ho¬ 
 ly, good or gracious by any of his works, by any thing 
 
Ver. 4. What it is to give Glory to God. 213 
 
 that he doth ; he can add nothing to himfelf. It mu ft 
 therefore be the manifeftation and declaration of the 
 holy properties of his nature that he doth intend and 
 defign in his works. A$d there are two things requir¬ 
 ed hereunto. 
 
 \j} t That he make them known ; that by ways fuit- 
 ed to his infinite wifdom, he doth declare that fuch 
 properties do belong unto him ; as aifo what is the 
 nature of theni, according as the creature is able to 
 apprehend. 
 
 So he doth tilings to make his po wer known, to fhew 
 his power, and to declare his name through the earth, 
 Rom. ix. 17, 22. So it was faid, that by the works of 
 creation, r» r3 e f s, that which may be known of God 
 is made mamfeft, Rom. i. 19, 20. And what is that ? 
 Even the natural effennal properties of his being; his ex¬ 
 ternal power and Godhead. To this head are referred 
 all thofe prornifes of God that he would glorify him¬ 
 felf, and the prayers of his faints that he would do fo. 
 And the atteflations given unto it in the feripture, that 
 he hath done fo. He hath made known his wifdom, 
 holinefs, power, goodnefs, felf-fufEciency, and the like 
 perfections of his nature. 
 
 idly, That he attain an afeription, an attribution of 
 praife and glory ro himfelf upon their accouut. His 
 defign is to be admired in all them that believe, 2 ThelT. 
 i. 10. That is, that upon an apprehenfion of his excel¬ 
 lencies, which he hath revealed ; and as he hath re¬ 
 vealed them, they fhould admire, adore, applaud, glo¬ 
 rify, and praife him, worfhip, believe and truft in him, 
 in all things, and endeavour the enjoyment of him as 
 an eternal reward. And this is alfo threefold. 
 
 (1.) Interpretative; fo the inanimate and brute crea¬ 
 tures alcribe unto God the glory of his properties,ge- 
 ven by what they are to do. By what they are in their 
 beings, and their obfervation of the law and inclinati¬ 
 on of their nature, they give unto God the glory of 
 that wifdom and power whereby they are made ; and 
 of that fovereignty whereon they depend. Hence no¬ 
 thing 
 
2 r 4 What it is to give Glory to God. Ver. 4. 
 
 thing more frequent in the praifes of God of old, than 
 the calling of the inanimate creatures, heaven and earth, 
 winds, ftorms, thunder, and the beafts of the field, to 
 give praife and glory to God. That is, by what they 
 are, they do fo, in as much as from the impreflion of 
 God’s glorious excellencies in their effetts upon them, 
 they are made known and manifeft. 
 
 (2.) Involuntary in fome rational creatures. Sinning 
 men and angels have no defign, no will, no defire to 
 give glory to God : They do their utmoft endeavour to 
 the contrary to hate him, reproach and blafpheme him. 
 But they cannot yet cad off the yoke of God in their 
 minds and confidences; they are forced, and (hall be for 
 ever, to acknowledge that God is infinitely holy, infi¬ 
 nitely wife, powerful, and righteous. And he hath 
 the glory of all thefe properties from them, in their 
 very defires, that he were otherwife. When they 
 would that God were not juft to punilh them, powerful 
 to torment them, wife to find them out, holy to be dif- 
 pleafed with their lufts and fins, they do at the fame 
 time, in the fame thing, own, acknowledge, and give un¬ 
 to God the glory of his being, juftice, wifdom,power and 
 holinefs. When therefore God hath made known his 
 properties, the afcription of glory unto him on their 
 account, is to rational creatures, natural and unavoid¬ 
 able. 
 
 (3.) It is voluntary in the reafonable fervice, worfhip, 
 fear, truft, obedience, of angels and men. God having 
 revealed unto them the properties of his nature, they 
 acknowledge, adore them, and place their confidence 
 in them, and thereby glorify him as God. And this 
 glorifying of God confifteth in three things. 
 
 i. In making the excellencies of God revealed unto 
 us, the principle and chief objeft of all the moral ac¬ 
 tings of our fouls, and of all the a&ings of our affecti¬ 
 ons. To fear the Lord and his goodnefs, and to fear 
 him for his goodnefs; to truft in his power and faith- 
 fulnefs, to obey his authority, to delight in his will and 
 
 ' grace, 
 
Ver. 4. What it is to give Glory to God. 215 
 
 grace, to love him above all, becaufe of his excellencies 
 and beauty, this is to glorify him. 
 
 2. To pray for, and to rejoice in all the ways and 
 means whereby he will, or hath promifed further to 
 manifeft or declare thefe properties of his nature and 
 his glory in them. What is the reafon, why we pray 
 for, long for the accomplilhment of the promifes of God 
 towards his faints, of his threatnings towards his ene¬ 
 mies, of the fulfilling of the glorious works of his power 
 and grace that yet remain to be done, of the coming of 
 the kingdom of Chrift, of the approach of glory ? Is it 
 not chiefly and principally, that the glorious excellencies 
 of God’s nature may be made more manifeft, be more 
 known, more exalted ; that God may appear more as 
 he is, and as he hath declared himfelf to be ? This is to 
 give glory to God. So likewife, our joy, rejoicing and 
 fatisfattion in any of the ways and works of God, it is 
 folely on this account, that in them, God in his proper¬ 
 ties, that is, his power, wifdom, holinefs, and the like, 
 is revealed, declared, and made known. 
 
 3. In their joint actual celebration of his praifes *, 
 which, as it is a duty of the greateft importance, and 
 which we are indeed of all others moft frequently ex¬ 
 horted unto, and moft earneftly called upon for 1 So in 
 the nature of it, it confifts in our believing, rejoicing 
 expreflion of what God is, and what he doth , tliac is, 
 our admiring, adoring, and blefling him, becaufe of 
 
 , his holinefs, goodnefs, and the reft of his properties, 
 and his works of grace a$d power, fuitable unto them. 
 This it is to praife God, Rev. v. 
 
 Fourthly , Obferve, that none of thefe properties of 
 God can be thus manifefted and known, nor himfelf be 
 glorified for them, but by his declaration of them, and 
 by their eft'e&s. We know no more of God than he 
 iif pleafed to reveal unto us. I mean not mere revela¬ 
 tion by his word, but any ways or means, whether by 
 his word or by his works, or by itnpreftions from the 
 law ot nature upon our hearts and minds. And what¬ 
 ever God thus declares of himfelf, he doth it by exer- 
 
2i 6 Glory arifing to God by Fcrgivenefs. Ver. 4. 
 
 cifing, putting forth and rn an i felling the efi’e&s of it. 
 So we know his power, wifdom, goodnefs, and grace ; 
 namely, by the efiefte. of them, or the works of God 
 that proceed from them, and are fuited unto them. And 
 whatever is in God that is rot thus made known, we 
 cannot apprehend, ncr glorify God on the account of 
 it. God therefore doing ail things, as hath been fhew- 
 ed, for the glory of thefe bis properties, he doth fo 
 reveal them, and make them known. 
 
 Fifthly , Upon this defign of God, it is neceffary that 
 he Ihould reveal and make known all the attributes and 
 properties of his nature, in works and effects peculiarly 
 proceeding from them, and anfwering unto thepa, that 
 he might be glorified iu them ; and which, as the event, 
 manifefls, that he hath done accordingly. For what 
 reafon can be imagined, why God will be glorified in 
 one effential excellency of his nature, and not in ano¬ 
 ther ? Efpecially mull this be affirmed of thefe proper¬ 
 ties of the nature of God, which the event manifelleth 
 his principal glory to confift in, and arife from, and the 
 knowledge whereof is to the greatefl ufe, behoof and 
 benefit unto the children of men, in reference unto his 
 defign towards them. 
 
 Sixthly , Thefe things being fo, let us confider how 
 it Itands in reference unto that which is under confide- 
 ration, God in the creation of all things, glorified or 
 manifefled his greatnefs, power, wifdom and goodnefs, 
 with many other properties of the like kind. But his 
 fovereignty, righteoufnefs, and holinefs, how are they 
 declared hereby? Either not at all, or not in fo evident 
 a manner as is neceffary, that he might be fully glori¬ 
 fied in tliem, or for them. What then doth he do ? 
 Leave them in darknefs, vailed, undifeovered, fatisfying 
 himfelf in the glory of thofe properties which his work 
 of creation had made known ? Was there any reafon, 
 why he fhould do fo, defigning to do all things for him¬ 
 felf, and for his own glory ? Wherefore, he gives his 
 holy law as a rule of obedience unto men and angels. 
 
 This 
 
Ver. q. Glory arifing to God by Forgivenefs. 2 j 7 
 
 This plainly reveals his fovereignty or authority over 
 them, his holinefs and righteoufnefs in the equity and 
 purity of things he required,of them; fo that in and 
 by thefe properties alfo he may be glorified. As he 
 made all things for himfelf, that is, the manifeftaticn 
 of his greatnefs, power, wifdom, and goodnefs, fo he 
 gave the law for himfelf, that is, the manifeftation of 
 his authority, holinefs, and righteoufnefs. But is this 
 aii r Is there no remunerative juftice in God, in a way 
 of bounty ? Is there not vindictive juftice in him, in a 
 way of’ feverity ? There is fo, and in the purfuit of the 
 ceftgn mentioned, they are alfo to be manifefted, or 
 God will not be glorified in them. This therefore he 
 did alfo in the rewards and punifhments that he annex- 
 ed unto the law of obedience that he had prefcribed. 
 To manifeft his remunerative juftice, he promifed a re¬ 
 ward in a way of bounty, which the angels that finned 
 not were made partakers of; and in the penalty threat- 
 ned, which finning angels and men incurred, he reveal¬ 
 ed his vindiftive juftice in a way of feverity. So are all. 
 thefe properties of God made known by their effefts, 
 and fo is God glorified in therp, or on their account. 
 
 But after all this, &re there no other properties of 
 his nature, divine excellencies that cannot be feparat- 
 ed from this Being, which by none of thefe means, 
 are fo much as once intimated to be in him ? It is evi¬ 
 dent that there are; foch the mercy, grace, pat ence, 
 long-fuffering, compaftion and the like : Concerning 
 which obferve, 
 
 1/?, That where there are no objefts of them, they 
 cannot be declared, or manifefted, or exercifed. As 
 God’s power or wifdom could not be manifeft, if there 
 were no objefts of them, no more can his grace or 
 mercy. If never any (land in ne a of them, they can 
 never be exercifed, and coufequently never be known. 
 Therefore were they uot revealed, neither by the crea¬ 
 tion of all things, ncr by the law or its fanftion, nor by 
 the law written in our hearts. For all thefe fuppofe no 
 obi efts of grace and mercy. For it is fmners only, and 
 
 E e fuch 
 
2i8 Forgivenefs mawfefled Ver. 4. 
 
 fuch as have made themfelves miferable by fin, tha* 
 they can be exercifed about. 
 
 idly, There are no excellencies of God’s nature, 
 that are more expreffive of divine goodnefs, lovelinefs 
 and beauty, than thefe are, of mercy, grace, long-fuf- 
 fering, and patience ; and therefore there is nothing 
 that God fo requiretli our likenefs unto him, in our 
 conformity unto his image, as in thefe ; namely, mercy, 
 grace, and readinefs to forgive : And the contrary 
 frame in any he doth of all things moll: abhor. They 
 [hall have judgment without mercy , who Jhewed no rner-- 
 cy. And therefore it is certain, that God will be glo¬ 
 rified in the manifeftation of thefe properties of his 
 nature. 
 
 idly, Thefe properties can be no otherwife exercifed, 
 and confequently no otherwife known, but only in and 
 by the pardon of fin ; which puts it beyond all quef- 
 tion, that there is forgivenefs with God. God will 
 not lofe the glory of thefe his excellencies; he will be 
 revealed in them, he will be known by them, he will 
 be glorified for them ; which he could not be, if there 
 were not forgivenefs with him : So that here comes in, 
 not only the truth, but the neceffity of forgivenefs alio. 
 
 Forgivenefs manifefted in the fending of the Son of 
 
 God to die for fin..-And from the obligation 
 
 that is on us to forgive one another. 
 
 XII. In the next place, we (hall proceed unto that 
 evidence which is the center wherein all the lines of 
 thofe forgoing do meet and reft: The fountain of all 
 thofe ftreams of refrefhment that are in them, that 
 which animates and gives life and efficacy unto them, 
 This lies in God’s lending of his Son. The confide- 
 ratiou hereof will leave no pretence or excufe unto 
 unbelief in this matter. 
 
 To make this evidence more clear and legible, as to 
 what is intended in it, we mult confider, 
 
 1. What 
 
Ver. 4. in the Death of Cbrift. 219 
 
 1. What was the rife of this fending, we fpeak of. 
 
 2. Who it was that was fent. 
 
 3. How or in what manner he was fent. 
 
 4. Unto what end and purpofe. 
 
 Fir ft) The rife and fpring of it is to be confider- 
 ed. It came -forth from the eternal mutual confent 
 and counfel of the Father and the Son, Zech. vh 
 13. The counfel of peace Jhall be betzveen them both. It 
 is of Chrift the Branch, of whom he fpeaks. He 
 Jhall build the temple of the Lord , and he Jhall bear 
 the glory. And Jhall fit and rule upon his throne , and 
 fjall be a priefl upon his throne , and the counfel of peace 
 Jhall be betzveen them both. That is, between God the 
 Father, who fends him, and himlelf; There lay the 
 counfel of peace-making between God and man, in due 
 time accomplilhed by him who is our peace , Eph. ii. 16. 
 So he fpeaks, Prov. viii. 30, 31. Then l was by him , as 
 one brought up zvith him, and lzvas daily his delight; 
 rejoicing always before him. Rejoicing in the habitable 
 parts of the earth, and my delights were with the fans 
 of men. They ate the words of the Wifdom, that is, 
 of the Son of God. When was this done ? Then I 
 was with him. Why, before the mountains were fet¬ 
 tled, whilfl as yet he had not made the earth nor the 
 fields ; that is, before the creation of the world, cr 
 from eternity, ver. 25, 26. But how then could ne re¬ 
 joice in the habitable parts of the earth ? And how 
 could his delight be with the fons of men 7 feeing as 
 yet they were not ? 1 anfwer, It was the counfel of 
 peace towards them before mentioned, in the purfuit 
 whereof he was to be fent to converfe among!! them on 
 the earth. He rejoiced in the fore-thoughts of his be¬ 
 ing fent to them, and the work he had to do for them. 
 Then, with his own confent and delight. Was he fore¬ 
 ordained unto his work, even before the foundation of 
 the world , 1 Peter i. 20. and received of the Father, 
 the promife of eternal life , even before the zvorld began, 
 Tit. i. 2. That is, to be given unto tinners, by way of 
 
 E e 2 * for- 
 
220 Forgivenefs manifejled Ver. 4. 
 
 forgivenefs through his blood. So is this whole coiin- 
 fel exprdfed, Pfal. xl. 7, 8. Whence it is made ufe of 
 by the apoftle, Heb. x. 5, 6, 7. Then /aid /, lo I come 
 in the volume of thy bock it is written of me , 1 delight to 
 do thy will , 0 God. Thy law is in the midfl of my heart. 
 There is the will of the Father in this matter, and the 
 law of its performance; and there is the will of the Son, 
 in anfwer thefeunto ; and his delight in Fulfilling that 
 Jaw which was prescribed unto him. 
 
 Let us now coniider, to wbat purpofe was this eter¬ 
 nal counfel of peace , this agreement of the Father and 
 Son, from eternity about the ftate and condition of man¬ 
 kind ? If God would have left them all to perilh under 
 the guilt of their fins, there had been no need at all of 
 any fuch thoughts, defign, or counfel. God had given 
 unto them a law, righteous and holy, which if they 
 tranfgrefled, he had threatned them with eternal de- 
 flru&ion. Under the rule, difpofal, and power of this 
 law, he might have righteoully left them to (land or 
 fall, according to the verd'nff and fentence thereof. But 
 now he allures us, he reveals unto us, that he had 0- 
 ther thoughts in this matter; that there were ether 
 counfels between the Father and the Son concerning us; 
 and thefe fuch as the Son was delighted in the profpeft 
 of his accomplilhment of them. What can thefe thoughts 
 and counfels be, but about a v/ay for their deliverance, 
 which could no otherwife be, but by the forgivenefs of 
 fins ? For whatever elfe be done, yet if God mark ini¬ 
 quities, there is none can Hand. Hearken therefore, 
 poor finner, and have hope. God is confulting about 
 thy deliverance and freedom : And what cannot the 
 wifdom and grace of the Father and Son effeft and 
 accornplilh ? And to this end was the Son fent into 
 the world, which is the fecond thing propofed to con- 
 fideration. 
 
 Secondly , Whom did God fend about this bulinels ? 
 The feripture lays great weight and emphafis on this 
 ccnfideration, faith muft do fo alfo, John iii. 16. God 
 Jo loved the worlds that he gave his only begotten Son : 
 
 So 
 
Ver. 4. in the Death of Qhrifi. 221 
 
 So r 1 ohn \v 9. In this was mamfefled the love cf God 
 towards us , becaufe that God fent his only begotten Son 
 into the world, that we might live through him. And 
 again, ver. 10. Herein is love , net that we loved God, 
 but that he loved us ; and fent his Son to be the propitia¬ 
 tion for eur fins. And woo is this that is thus fent, and 
 called the only begotten Son of God ? Take a double 
 defcription of him, one out cf the Old Yeftament, and 
 another from the new. The firft from Ifa. ix, 6. To 
 us a Child is born , to us a Son is given, and the govern¬ 
 ment Jball be upon his fhoulders, and his name (hall be 
 called Wonderful, Counjellor, the Mighty God , the ever- 
 lafling Father, the Prince of Peace : The' other from 
 Heb. i. 2, 3. God hath fpoken unto us by his Son , whom 
 he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom alfo he 
 made the worlds. Who being the brightnefs of his glory , 
 and the exprefs image of his Perfon, upholding all things 
 by the word of his power, when he had by himfelf purged 
 our fins, fat down on the right-hand of the majefly on 
 high. This is he who was fent. In nature he was 
 glorious; even over all, God bleffed for ever : In an* 
 fwerablenefs unto the Father, the brightnefs of his glo¬ 
 ry, and the exprefs image of his perfon; poftefled of 
 all the fame elfential properties with him : So that, 
 what we find in him, we may be allured of is in the 
 Father alfo; for he that hath feen him, hath feen the 
 Father, who is in him : In power omnipotent; for he 
 made all things, and upholdeth all things with an un- 
 fpeakable facility, by the w r o*J of his power : In of¬ 
 fice, exalted over ali, fitting on tile right-hand of the 
 majefty on high : In name, the mighty God, the ev- 
 erlafting Father: So that whatever he came about, he 
 will affuredly accomplish and fulfil ; for what fhould 
 hinder or let this mighty One from perfecting his defign. 
 
 Now this confideration raifeth our evidence to that 
 height, as to give an unqueftionable afturance in this 
 matter. Here is a near and a particular obje<ft for 
 faith to be exercifed abom and to reft in. Wherefore 
 did this glorious Son of God come and tabernacle a- 
 
 irongft 
 
22 Forgivenefs manifefled Ver. 4. 
 
 mongft poor Tinners ? We beheld the glory of the e- 
 ternal word, the glory of the only begotten of the Fa¬ 
 ther ; and he was made flelh, j, fVxEvairf, and pitched his 
 tabernacle amongft us, John i. 14. To What end ? It 
 was no other, but to work out, and accomplilh the e- 
 ternal counfel of peace towards Tinners before mention¬ 
 ed, to procure for them, and to declare unto them, the 
 forgivenefs of Tin. And what greater evidence, what 
 greater aflurance can we have, that there is forgive¬ 
 nefs with God for us ? He himfelf hath given it as a 
 rule, that what is done by giving an only begotten, or 
 an only beloved Son, gives allured teftimony of rea¬ 
 lity and fincerity in the thing that is confirmed by it. So 
 he fays unto Abraham, Gen. xxii. 12. Now I know that 
 thou fearefl God, feeing that thou hajl not withheld thy 
 fon, thy only fon from me. This way it may be known, 
 or no way. And they are bleffed conclufions that faith 
 may make from this confideration; now, I know that 
 there is forgivenefs with God, feeing he hath not 
 withheld his Son, his only Son, that he might accomp- 
 lilh it. To this our purpofe the apoftle teacheth us to 
 reafon, Rom. viii. 32. He that Jpared not his own Son , 
 but delivered him up for us all. How fhall he not with 
 him alfo freely give us all things f 
 
 What further can any foul defire ? What ground re¬ 
 mains for unbelief to (land upon in this matter ? Is 
 there any thing more to be done herein ? It was to 
 manifeft that there was forgivenefs with him, and to 
 make way for the exercife of it, that God fent his 
 Son ; that the Son of God came into the world, as will 
 afterwards more fully appear. . 
 
 Thirdly, To this fending of the Son of God to this 
 purpofe, there is evidence and fecurity added from the 
 manner wherein he was fent. How was this ? Not in 
 glory, not in power, not in an open difcovery of his e- 
 ternal power and Godhead. Had it been fo, we might 
 have thought, that he had come merely to manifeft 
 aud glorify himfelf in the world. And this he might 
 have done without thoughts of mercy or pardon towards 
 
 us. 
 
Ver. 4. z« the Death of Chrift. 22 ^ 
 
 11s, But he came quite in another manner ; he was 
 feen in the likenefs of finful flefh , Rom. viii. 3. In the 
 form of a fervant , Phil. ii. 10. Being made of a woman 
 under the law. Gal, iv. 4. What he endured, fuffered, 
 underwent in that hate and condition, is in feme mea- 
 fure known unto us all: All this could not be merely 
 and firflly for himfelf. All that he expe&ed at the 
 clofe of it, was to he glorified with that glory which he had 
 with the Father before the world was , John xvii. 5. It 
 mud then be for our fakes; and for what ? To fave 
 and deliver us from that condition of wrath at prefent, 
 and future expectation of vengeance, which we had call 
 ourfelves into by fin ; that is, to procure for us the for- 
 givenefs of fin. Had not God defigned pardon for fin, 
 he would never have fent his Son in this manner, to 
 tefiify it: And he did it, becaufe it could no other way 
 be brought about, as hath been declared. Do we 
 doubt whether there be forgivenefs with God or no ? 
 Or whether we (hall obtain it, if we addrefs ourfelves 
 unto him for to be made partakers of it ? Confider the 
 condition of his Son in the world ; review his afflicti¬ 
 ons, poverty, temptations, forrows, fufferings; then 
 afk our fouls, To what end was all this ? And if we 
 can find any other defign in it, any other reafon, caufe, 
 or necefiity of it, but only and merely to tefiify and 
 declare, that there is forgivenefs with God, and to 
 purchafe and procure the communication of it unto us, 
 let us abide in, and perifh under our fears. But if 
 this be fo, we have fufficient warranty to allure our 
 fouls in the expeClation of it. 
 
 Fourthly , Befides all this, there enfues upon what 
 went before, that great and wonderful ilfue, in the 
 death of the Son of God. This thing was great and 
 marvellous, and we may a little enquire into what 
 it was that was defigned therein. And hereof the ferip- 
 ture gives us a full account. As, 
 
 1. That he died to make atonement for fin, or re¬ 
 conciliation for iniquity, Dan. ix. 24, He gave his life 
 a raafom for the fins of many, Matrh. xx. 28. Tim. ii. 
 
 6. He 
 
224 Forgivenefs manifefed. Ver. 4. 
 
 6. He was in it made fin, that others might become the 
 righteoufnefs of God in him, 2 Cor. v. 20. Rom. viii 
 3. Therein he bare our fins in his own body on the tree , 
 1 Pet. ii. 24. This was the Rate of this matter. Notwith- 
 ftanding all the love, grace, and condefcenfion before 
 mentioned, yet onr fins were of that nature, and fo 
 dire6tly oppofite unto the juftice and holinefs of God, 
 that unlefs atonement were made, and a price of re¬ 
 demption paid, there could be no pardon, no forgive- 
 nefs obtained. This therefore he undertook to do, 
 and that by the facrifice of himfelf; anfwering all that 
 was prefigured by, arid reprefented in, the facrifices of 
 old; as the apoltle largely declares, Heb. x. 5, 6, 7, 
 8, 9. And herein is the forgivenefs that is in God co- 
 pied out and examplified fo clearly and evidently, that 
 he that cannot read it, will be curfed unto eternity : 
 Yea, and let him be aocurfed ; for what can be more 
 required to juftify God in his eternal deftru&ion ; He 
 that will not believe his grace, as teflified and exampli¬ 
 fied in the blood of his Son, let him perifh without re¬ 
 medy. Yea, but, 
 
 2. The curfe and fentence of the law lies on record 
 againfl Tinners: It puts in its demands a gain ft our ac¬ 
 quittance, and lays an obligation upon us unto punifh- 
 rnent; and God will not reject hor deftroy his law ; un¬ 
 lefs it be anfwered, there is no acceptance for finners. 
 This therefore, in the next place, his death was de- 
 iigned unto: As he fatisfied and made atonement by 
 it unto juftice (that was the fountain: fpring and caufe 
 of the law) fo he fulfilled aud anfwered the demands 
 of the law, as it was an effect of the juftice of God : So 
 Rpm. viii. 13. He fuffered in the likenefs of finful 
 flefli, that the righteoufnefs of the law might be fulfill¬ 
 ed and anfwered. He anfwered the curfe of the law, 
 when he was made a curfe for us , Gal. iii. 13. And fo 
 became, as to the obedience of the law, the end of the 
 law for righteoufnefs unto them that do believe, Rom. x. 
 3, 4. And as to the penalty threatned, he bore it, re¬ 
 moved it, and took it out of the way. So hath he made 
 
 way 
 
Ver. 4. in the Death of Ghrift. 225 
 
 way for forgivenefs through the very heart of the law?' 
 it hath not one word to fpeak againft the pardon of 
 them that do believe. But. - 
 
 3. Sinners are under the power of Satan ; he lays a 
 claim unto them, and by that means (hall they be ref- 
 cued from his intereft and dominion ? This a!fo his death 
 was defigned to accomplish : For, as he wa$ manifejl 
 to defiroy the works of the devil , 1 John iii. 18. by death 
 be deflroyed him that had the power of deaths Heb. ii. 4. 
 that is, to defpoil him of his power, to defiroy him of 
 his dominion, to take away his plea unto tinners that 
 believe; as we have at large elfewhere declared. 
 
 And by all thefe things, with many other concern¬ 
 ments of his death that might be inftanced in, u r e are 
 abundantly fecured of the forgivencfs that is with God, 
 and of his willingnefs that we fhould be made partakers 
 thereof. 
 
 Fifthly , Is this all ? did his work ceafe in his death ? 
 did he no more for the fecuring of the forgivencfs of 
 fms unto us, but only that he died for them •? Yes, he 
 lives alfo after death for the fame end and purpofe. 
 This Son of God, in that nature which he aflumeu to 
 expiate tin by death, lives again after death, to iecure 
 unto us and to compleat the forgivenefs of fins. And 
 this he doth two ways; 
 
 1. Being raifed from that death which he under¬ 
 went, to make atonement for tin by the power and 
 good will of God, he evldenceth and tefiifieth unto us, 
 that he hath fully performed the work he undertook ; 
 and that in our behalf, and for us, he hath received a 
 difeharge. Had he not anfwered the guilt of tin by 
 his death, he had never been raifed from it, 
 
 2. He lives after death, a mediatory life, to make 
 intercefiion for us, that we may receive the forgivenefs 
 of fin, as alfo himfelf to give it unto us; which things 
 are frequently made ufe of, to encourage the fouls of 
 men ro believe, and therefore (hall not at prefent be 
 further infifted on. 
 
 Thus then (lands this matter, that mercy might have 
 
 F f a way 
 
22 6 Forgivenefs manifejled Ver. 4. 
 
 a way to exercife itfelf in forgivenefs, with a coDitflen- 
 cy unto the honour of the righteoufnefs and law of 
 God, was the Son of God fo lent for the ends and pur- 
 pofes mentioned. Now, herein confifteth the greateft 
 work that God did ever perform, or ever will. It was 
 the moll eminent produft of infinite wifdom, goodnefs, 
 grace and power. And herein do all the excellencies 
 of God fhine forth more glorioufly than in all the 
 works of his hands. Let us then wifely ponder and 
 conlider this matter; let us bring our own fouls, with 
 their objections, unto this evidence, and fee what ex¬ 
 ception we have to lay againfl it. 1 know nothing will 
 fatisfy unbelief; the defign of it is, to make the foul 
 find that to be fo hereafter, which it would perfwade 
 it of here ; namely, that there is no forgivenefs in God, 
 And Satan, who makes ufe of this engine, knows full 
 well, that there is none for them who believe there is 
 none; or rather, will not believe that there is any. 
 For it will be at the lafl day, unto men according 
 unto their faith or unbelief. He that believeth aright, 
 and he that believeth nor, that forgivenefs is with God, 
 as to their own particulars, fhall neither of them be de¬ 
 ceived. But what is it that can be reafonably excep¬ 
 ted againfl this evidence, this foundation of our faith 
 in this matter ? God hath fent his Son in vain, which 
 yet he muff have done as we have fhewed, had he not 
 defigned to manifefl and exercife forgivenefs towards 
 linners. Wherefore, to confirm our faith from hence, 
 let us make a little fearch into thefe things, in fome 
 particular enquiries. 
 
 1. Seeing the Son of God died in that way and 
 manner that he did, according to the determinate coun- 
 fel and will of God, wherefore did he do fo, and what 
 aimed he at therein ? 
 
 Anfw. It is plain that he died for our fins, Rom. iv. 
 25. that is, to make reconciliation for the fins of his 
 people, Heb. ji. 17, 18. This Mofes and the prophets, 
 this the whole fcripture teflifieth unto; and without a 
 fuppofal of it, not one word of it can be aright believ- 
 
Ver. 4. in the Death of Ghrijl. 227 
 
 ed : Nor can we yield any due obedience unto God 
 without it. 
 
 3. What then did God do unto him ? What was in 
 tranfa&ion between God as the Judge of all, and him 
 that was the Mediator of the Church ? 
 
 Anfw. God indeed laid on him the iniquities of us all, 
 Ifa. liii. 6. all the fins of all the ele& ; yea, he made 
 him a curfe for us, Gal. iii. 13. And making him a fin- 
 offering, or an offering for fin , he condemned fin in the 
 flefh , Rom. viii. 3. 2 Cor. v. 21. So that, all which the 
 juftice or law of God had to require about the punifh- 
 ment due unto fin, was all laid and executed on him. 
 
 3. What then did Chrifl do in his death ? What did 
 he aim at and defign ? What was his intention in fub- 
 mitting unto, and undergoing the will of God in thefs 
 things ? 
 
 Anfw. He bare our fins in his own body upon the tree, 
 1 Pet. ii. 24. He took our fins upon him, undertook 
 to anfwer for them, to pay our debts, to make an end 
 of the difference about them, between God and finners, 
 Dan. ix. 24. His aim undoubtedly was, by all that he 
 underwent and fuffered, fo to make atonement for fin, 
 as that no more could on that account be expelled. 
 
 4. Had God any more to require of finners on the 
 account of fin, that his juftice might be fatisfied, his 
 holinefs vindicated, his glory exalted, his honour be 
 repaired, than what he charged on Chrift? Did he lay 
 fomewhat of the penalty due to fin on him, execute 
 fome part of the curfe of the law again ft him, and yet 
 referve fome wrath for finners themfelves ? 
 
 Anfw. No, doubtlefs: He came to do the whole 
 will of God, Heb. x. 7, 8. And God fpared him not 
 any thing that in his holy will he had appointed to be 
 done unto fin, Rom. viii. 32. He would never have fo 
 dealt with his Son, to have made an half work of it; 
 nor is the work of making fatisfa&ion for fin fuch, as 
 that any the lead part of it fhould ever be undertaken 
 by another. Nothing is more injurious, or blafphetn- 
 ous againft God and Chrift, than the foolifti imagina- 
 
 F f 2 tiort 
 
2 28 Forgivenefs manifeflcd , &c. Ver. 4. 
 
 tion among the papifts of works fatisfa&ory for the pu~ 
 Tiifhment due to fin, or any part of it : As alfo is their 
 purgatory pains to expiate any remaining guilt after 
 this life. This work of making fatisfa&ion for fin is 
 fuch, as no creature in heaven or earth can put forth 
 an hand unto. It was wholly committed to the Son of 
 God, who alone was able to undertake it, and who 
 hath perfectly accomplilhed it. So that God now fays, 
 dury is not in me; he that will lay hold on my 
 {Length, that he may have peace, he (hall have peace, 
 I fa. xxi. 4. 
 
 5. What then became of the Lord Chrift in his un¬ 
 dertaking ? Did he go through with it ? or did he faint 
 under it ? Did he only teflify his love, and {hew his 
 good will lor our deliverance ? Or did he alfo effect¬ 
 ually purfue it, and not faint till he had made a way for 
 the exercife of forgivenefs ? 
 
 Anjw. It was not poffible that he (hould be detained 
 by the pains of death, ACls ii. 24. He knew before 
 hand, that he {liould be carried through his work, that 
 he fiiould not be forfaken in it, nor faint under it, 
 Ifa. 1 . 6, 7, 8. And God hath given this unqaeftionable 
 evidence of his difcharge of the debt of fin to the ut- 
 raoft, in that he was acquitted from the whole account, 
 when he was raifed from the dead. For he that is gi¬ 
 ven up to prifon upon the fentence of the law for the 
 debt of fin, {hall not be Treed, until he have paid the 
 outmofl farthing. This therefore he manifefted him- 
 felf to have done, by his refurreCtion from the dead. 
 
 6. What then is now become of him ? Where is he, 
 and what doth he ? Hath he fo done his work, and laid 
 it afide, or doth he {fill continue to carry it on until it 
 be brought unto its perfection i 
 
 Anfw. It is true, he was dead, but he is alive, and 
 lives for ever : and hath told us, that becaufe he liveth 
 we {hall live alfo; and that, becaufe this is the end of 
 his mediatory life in heaven, He lives for ever to make 
 intercejjion for us , Heb. vii, 25. And to this end, that 
 the forgivenefs of fin which he hath procured for us, 
 
 may 
 
Ver. 4. Our Obligation unto mutual Forgivenefs^ 229 
 
 may be communicated unto us, that we might be made 
 partakers of it, and live for ever. 
 
 What ground is left of questioning the truth in 
 hand ? What link of this chain can unbelief break in, 
 or upon ? If men refolve, notwithflanding all this e- 
 vidence and affurance that is tendered unto them there¬ 
 of, that they will not yet believe that there is forgive- 
 nefs with God, or will not be encouraged to attempt 
 the fecurity of it unto themfelves, or elfe deipife it 
 as a thing not worth the looking after ; it is enough 
 for them that declare it, that preach thefe things, that 
 they are a fweet favour unto God in them that perifh, 
 as well as in them that are faved. And 1 blefs God that 
 I have had this opportunity to bear tedimony to the 
 grace of God in Ohrid, which if it be not received, it 
 is becaufe the God of this ’world hath blinded the eyes 
 of men , that the light of the gofpel of the glory of God 
 jloould not fhine into th*ir minds, But Chrid will be glo¬ 
 rified in them that believe on thefe principles and foun¬ 
 dations, , 
 
 XIII. Another evidence of the fame truth may be 
 taken from hence, that God requires forgivenefs in 
 us, that we fhould forgive one another; and therefore 
 doubtlefs there is forgivenefs with him for us. The 
 fenfe of this confideration unto our prefent purpofe will 
 be manifed in the enfuing obfervations. 
 
 Firft, It is certain, that God hath required this of 
 us: The tedimonies hereof are many, and known, fo 
 that they need not particularly to be repeated or infill¬ 
 ed on. See Luke xvii, 3, 4. Eph. iv. 32. Matt, xviii. 
 24. unto the end. Only, there are fome things that 
 put a fingular emphafis upon this command, manifeft- 
 ing the great importance of this duty in us, W’hich may 
 be marked. As, 
 
 iy?, That our Saviour requires us to carry a fenfe of 
 our integrity and fincerity in the difeharge of this duty, 
 along with us in our addredes unto .God in prayer. 
 Hence he teacheth and enjoins us to pray, or plead 
 
 for 
 
230 Our Obligation unto mutual Forgivenefs , Ver. 4. 
 
 for the forgivenefs of our debts to God, (that is, our 
 fins or trefpalfes againft him, which make us debtors 
 to his law and juftice) even as we forgive them that fo 
 trefpafs or offend againft us, as to (land in need of 
 our forgivenefs, Matth. vi> 12. Many are ready to de¬ 
 vour fiich as are not fatisfied, that the words of that 
 rule of prayer, which he hath prefcribed unto us, are 
 to be precisely read or repeated every day \ I with they 
 would as heedfully mind that prefcription which is giv¬ 
 en us herein, for that frame of heart and fpirit which 
 ought to be in all our fupplications ; it might poflibly 
 abate of their wrath in that and other things. But 
 here is a rule for all prayer, as all acknowledge ; as alfo 
 of the things that are requifite to make it acceptable. 
 This in particular is required, that before the fearcher 
 of all hearts, and in our addreffes unto him, in our great- 
 eft concernments, we profefs our fincerity in the dif- 
 charge of this duty, and do put our obtaining of what 
 we defire upon that iffue. This is a great crown that 
 is put upon the head of this duty, that which makes it 
 very eminent, and evidenceth the great concern of the 
 glory of God, and our own fouls therein. 
 
 2 dly y We may obferve, that no other duty whatever 
 is exprefly placed in the fame feries, order, or rank with 
 it; which makes it evident, that it is fingled out to be 
 profefled as a token and pledge of our fincerity in all 
 other parts of our obedience unto God. It is by Chrift 
 himfelf made the inftance, for the trial of our fincerity 
 in our univerfal obedience, which gives no fmall ho¬ 
 nour unto it. The apoftle puts great weight on the 
 fifth commandment, Honour thy father and inother, be- 
 caufe it is the jirjl commandment with tromife, Eph. vi. 
 2. All the commandments indeed had a promile : Do 
 this and live ; life was promifed to the obfervance 
 of them all: But this is the firft that had a peculiar 
 promife annexed unto it, and accompanying of it. And 
 it was fuch a promife, as had a peculiar foundation 
 through God’s ordinance in the thing itfelf. It is, that 
 the parents fhould prolong the lives of their children 
 
 that 
 
Ver. 4. proves Forgivene/s in God. 231 
 
 that were obedient, Exod. xx. 11. (Heb.) They Jhall 
 prolong thy days : that is, by praying for their profperi- 
 ty, bleffing them in the name of God, and directing 
 them in thofe ways of obedience, whereby they might 
 live and poffefs the land ; and this promife is now tranf- 
 lated from the covenant of Canaan, into the covenant 
 of grace. The bleffing of parents going far towards the 
 inter effing their children in the promife thereof, and fo 
 prolonging their days unto eternity, though their days 
 in this world fhould be of little continuance. So it is 
 faid of our Saviour, that he floould fee his feed , and pro¬ 
 long his days, Ifa. liii. 10. Which hath carried over 
 that word, and that which is fignified by it, unto eter¬ 
 nal things: But this by the way. As the fingular pro¬ 
 mife made to that command renders it fingular ; fo doth 
 this efpecial inftancing in this duty in our prayer render 
 it alfo : For though, as all the commandments had a pro¬ 
 mife, fo we are to carry a teflimony with us of our fin- 
 cerity in univerfal obedience in our addreffes unto God ; 
 yet the fmgling out of this inftance renders it exceeding 
 remarkable, and fhews what a value God puts upon it, 
 and how well he is pleafed with it. 
 
 ^dly. That God requires this forgivenefs in us, upon 
 the account of the forgivenefs we receive from him; 
 which is to put the greateff obligation upon us unto it, 
 that we are capable of; and to give the flrongeft and 
 mod powerful motive poffible unto its performance: 
 See Eph. iv. 32. 
 
 4 thly. That this duty is more direXly and expreily 
 required in the New Teftament than in the old. Re¬ 
 quired then it was, but not fo openly, fo plainly, fo ex¬ 
 prefly as now. Hence we find a different frame of fpi- 
 rit between them under that difpenfation, and thofe un¬ 
 der that of the New Teftament. There are found a- 
 mongft them fome fuch reflexions upon their enemies, 
 their oppreffors, perfecutors, and the like ; as although 
 they are warranted by fome aXings of the Spirit of God 
 in them, yet being fuited unto the difpenfation they 
 were under, do no way become us now, who by Jefus 
 
 Chrift 
 
232 Our Obligation unto mutual Forgivenefs t Ver. 4. 
 
 Chrift receive grace for grace. So Zechariah when he 
 died, cried. The Lord look on ii> and require it ; but Ste¬ 
 phen dying in the fame caufe and manner laid, Lord 
 lay not this Jin to their charge. Elijah called for fire 
 from heaven ; but our Saviour feproves the leaft incli¬ 
 nation in his difciples to imitate him therein : And the 
 reafon of this difference is, becaufe forgivenefs in God 
 is under the New Tefiament far more clearly, efpecialiy 
 in the nature in caufe of it, difeovered in the gofpei, 
 which hath brought life and immortality to light, than 
 it was under the law. For all our obedience, both in 
 matter and manner, is to be fuited unto the difeoveries 
 and revelation of God unto us. 
 
 $thly This forgivenefs of others, is made an exprefs 
 condition of our obtaining pardon and forgivenefs from 
 God, Matth. vi. 14, 15. And the nature hereof is ex- 
 prelly declared, chap, xviii. 24. Such evangelical con¬ 
 ditions we have not many. I confefs they have no cau- 
 fal influence into the accomplifliment of the promife ; 
 but the non-performance of them is a fuflicient bar a- 
 gainfl our pretending to the promife, a fuflicient evi¬ 
 dence that we have no pleadable interefl in it. Our 
 forgiving of others will not procure forgivenefs for our- 
 felves; but our not forgiving of others proves, that we 
 ourfelves are not forgiven. And all thefe things do fheiv 
 what weight God himfelf lays on this duty. 
 
 Secondly , Obferve, that this duty is fuch, as that there 
 is nothing more comely, ufeful, or honourable unto, or 
 praife-worthy in any, than a due performance of it. To 
 be morofe, implacable, inexorable, revengeful, is one 
 of the greateft degeneracies of human nature. And no 
 men are commonly, even in this world, more branded 
 with real infamy, and dilhonour amongft wife and good 
 men, than thofe who are of fuch a frame, and do aft ac¬ 
 cordingly. To remember injuries, to retain a fenfe of 
 wrongs, to watch for opportunities of revenge, to hate 
 and be malicioufly perverfe, is to reprefent the image 
 of the devil unto the world in its proper colours *, he 
 is the great enemy and felf-avenger. On the other fide, 
 
 no 
 
Ver. 4. -proves Fargivenefs in God. 233 
 
 no grace, no venue, no duty, no ornament of the mind, 
 or converfation of man, is in itfelf fo lovely, fo comely, 
 fo praife-worthy, or fo ufefui unto mankind, as ere 
 meeknefs, readinefs to forgive and pardon. This is 
 that principally which renders a man a good ma., for 
 whom one would even dare to die : And I am forry 'o 
 add, that this grace or duty is recommended by its laritv. 
 It is little found amongd the children ol men. e 
 confideratiou of the de ed of men herein, as in tho e 
 other fundamental duties of th gofpel, in idf-d-. n i', 
 readinefs for the crofs, and for faking the world, s 
 an evidence, if not how little sincerity there is in roe 
 world, yet at icaft it is, of f little growing .ad 
 thriving there i amongft proieliors. 
 
 /bird. , Thai nere is no g'-ac'*, vertue, or perfec¬ 
 tion in any moo, but what is as an emanation from he 
 divine goodnefs and bounty, fo exp r effive of fome di¬ 
 vine excellencies or perfefHon; fomewhat that is in God, 
 in a way and manner infinitely more excellent. We 
 were created h the image of God. Whatever was 
 good or comely in us, was a part of that image ; efpe- 
 cially the orn .aoenrs of our minds, the perfe&ions of oar 
 fouls. Thefe things had in them a refemblance of, ai d 
 a correlpondency unto fome excellencies in God, where- 
 uruo by the way of analogy they may be reduced. This 
 bt*mg for the moll part loft by fin, a jfhadow of it only 
 remaining in the faculties of our fouls; and that domi¬ 
 nion over the creatures, which is permitted unto men 
 in the patience of God. The recovery that we have 
 by grace, is nothing but an initial renovation of the i- 
 mage of God in us, Eph. iv. 22. It is the implanting 
 upon our natures thofe graces, which may render us 
 again like unto him, And nothing is grace or vert- , 
 but what fo anlwers to fomewhai in God. So t e >, 
 whatever is in us, of this kind, is in God abfolutely, 
 perfeAly, in a way and manner infinitely more excel¬ 
 lent. 
 
 Let us now therefore put «hefe things together. God 
 requires of us, that there (hould be forgivenefs in us 
 
 , G g for 
 
234 Properties of Divine Forgivenefs. Ver. 4. 
 
 for thofe that do offend us; forgivenefs without limita¬ 
 tion and bounds; the grace hereof he beftoweth on his 
 faints; fets an high price upon it, and manifefts many 
 ways, that he accounts it among the moft excellent of 
 our endowments; one of the moft lovely and praife- 
 worthy qualifications of any perfon. What then (hall 
 we now fay ? Is there forgivenefs with him or no ? He 
 that made the eye , fhall he not fee f He that planted the 
 ear ^ fhall he not hear ? He that thus prefcribes forgive¬ 
 nefs to us, that beftows the grace of it upon us, is there 
 not forgivenefs with him ? It is ail one as to fay, tho’ 
 we are good, yet God is not; though we are benign 
 and bountiful, yet he is not. He that finds this grace 
 wrought in him in any meafure, and yet fears that he 
 jhall not find it in God for himfelf, doth therein, and 
 fo far prefer himfelf above God ; which is the natural 
 effeft of curfed unbelief. 
 
 But the trrrh is, were there not forgivenefs with 
 God, forgivenefs in man would be no vertue, with all 
 thofe qualities that incline thereto ; fuch are rneeknefs, 
 pity, patience, compaftion, and the like. Which what 
 were it, but ro fet Icofe human nature to rage aud mad- 
 nefs ? For, as every truth con lifts in its anfwerablenefs 
 to the prime and eternal verity, fo vertue confifts not 
 abfolutely nor primarily in a conformity to a rule of com¬ 
 mand, but in a correfpondency unto the firlt abfotute 
 perfe£l Being, and its perfe&ions. 
 
 Properties of forgivenefs.-—The greatnefs and free¬ 
 dom of it 
 
 The arguments and demonftrations foregoing, have, 
 we hope, undeniably evinced the great truth we have 
 infilled on, which is the life and foul of all our hope, 
 profeffion, religion and worftiip. The end of all this 
 difeourfe is, to lay a firm foundation for faith to reft 
 upon, in its addreffes unto God for the forgivenefs of 
 fins-; as alfo, to give encouragement unto all forts of 
 perfons fo to do. This end remains now to be explain¬ 
 ed 
 
Ver. 4. Properties oj Divine Forgivenefs. 235 
 
 ed and prefi'ed; which work, yet before we dire&Iy 
 clofe withal, two things are further to be premifed. 
 And the fir ft is, to propofe fome of thofe adjun&s of, 
 and confiderations about this forgivenefs, as may both 
 encourage and neceffitate us to leek out after it, and to 
 mix the teftitnonies given unto it, and the promif£s of it, 
 with faith, unto our benefit and advantage. The other 
 is to Ihew, how needful all this endeavour is, upon the 
 account of that great unbelief which is in the mod in 
 this matter. As to the firft of thefe then, we may con- 
 fid er ; 
 
 F'irfti That this forgivenefs that is with God, is fuch 
 as becomes him, fuch as is fuitable to his greatnels, 
 goodnefs, and all other excellencies of his nature ; fuch 
 as that therein he will be known to be God. What he 
 fays concerning fome of the works of his providence. 
 Be fiill and know that I am God; may be much more 
 faid concerning this great effe<ft of his grace : Still your 
 fouls, and know that he is God. It is not like that nar¬ 
 row, difficult, halving and manacled forgivenefs that is 
 found amongft men, when any fuch thing is found a* 
 mongft them. But it is full, free, boundlefs, bottomlefs, 
 abfolute, fuch as becomes his nature and excellencies. 
 It is, in a word, forgivenefs that is with God, and by 
 the exercife whereof he will be known fo to be. And 
 hence, 
 
 1. God himfelf doth really feparate and diftinguifii 
 Ids forgivenefs, from any thing that our thoughts and 
 imaginations can reach unto, and that becaufe it is his 
 and like himfelf. It is an objeft for faith alone, which 
 can reft in that, which it cannot apprehend. It is ne¬ 
 ver fafer, than when it is, as it were, overwhelmed 
 with infinitenefs. But fet mere rational thoughts, or the 
 imaginations of our minds at work about fuch things, 
 and they fall inconceivably Ihort of them. They can 
 neither conceive of them aright, nor ufe them unto their 
 proper end andpurpofe.. Were not forgivenefs in God 
 fomewhat beyond what men could imagine, no flefh, 
 could be faved. This himfelf exprefleth, Ifa. lv. 7, 8,9. 
 
 G g 2 Let 
 
2 j 6 Properties of Divine Forgivenefs. Ver. 4. 
 
 Let the ’wicked forjake his way, and the unrighteous man 
 his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and he 
 •will have mercy upon him , and to our God, and he will 
 abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts 
 neither are your ways my ways, faith the Lord ; for as 
 the heavens are higher than the earth, fo are my ways 
 higher than your ways , and my thoughts than your 
 thoughts. They are, as is plain in the context, thoughts 
 of .orgivenefs, and ways of pardon whereof he fpeaks. 
 The fe our apprehenfions come fhort of; we know little 
 or nothing of the infinite largenefs of his heart in thi>mat- 
 te.r. He that he fpeaks of, is (Heb.) an impioufly wicked 
 man,and (Heb ) a man of deceit, and perverfe wickednefs. 
 He whofe defign and courfe is nothing but a lie, fin and 
 iniquity ; fuch an one as we would have little or no 
 hopes of; that we. would fcarce think it worth our 
 while to deal wi’.hal about a hopelefs converfion; or 
 can fcarce find it in our hearts to pray for him, but 
 art ready tp give him up, as one profligate and def- 
 pe ate. Bur let him return unto the Lord, and he 
 ih-.d cbraip forgivenefs But how can this be ? Is it 
 pv.lfble die re fhould be mercy for fuch an one? Yes! 
 F».r the Lord (H b ) will multiply to pardon. He hath 
 fcjgivenefs w*ti h'm, to out do all the multiplied fins 
 of any that return ur.to him, and feek for it. But this 
 is very hard very difficult for us to apprehend. This 
 is not the way and manner of men : We deal not thus 
 waf pi off gate offenders againft us. True faith God; 
 But ycur ways are net my ways : I do not a& in this 
 n .tter 1 ke unto you, nor as you are accufiomed to do. 
 Hew then fhall we apprehend it; how fhall we conceive 
 of it; You can never do it by your reafon or imagina¬ 
 tions ; For as the heavens is above the earth , fo are my 
 thoughts , in this matter, above your thoughts. This is 
 an expreffion to fet out the largeft and moft unconceiv¬ 
 able diftance that may be. The creation will afford no 
 more fignificant expreffion or representation of it. The 
 heavens a r e inconceivably diftant from the earth, and 
 inconceivably glorious above it. So are the thoughts 
 
 of 
 
Ver. 4. Properties of Divine Forgivenefs , 237 
 
 of God; they are not only diltant from ours, but 
 have a glory in them alfo that we cannot rife up in ¬ 
 to For the mod part, when we come to deal with 
 God about forgivenefs, we hang in every briar of dif- 
 pitting quarrelfome unbelief. This or that circum- 
 ftance of aggravation, this or that unparallelM parti¬ 
 cular, bereaves us of our confidence. Want of a due 
 confideration of him with whom we have to do, mea- 
 furing him by that line of our own imaginations, bring¬ 
 ing him downunto our thoughts and ways, is the caufe 
 of ail our diiquietments. Becaufe we find it hard to 
 forgive our pence, we think he cannot forgive talents. 
 But he hath provided to obviate fuch thoughts in us, 
 Hof. xi. 9. 1 will not execute the fier cenefs of my wrath , 
 I will not return to defiroy Ephraim , for I am God, 
 and not Man. Our fatisfaftion in this matter, is 
 to be taken from his nature ; were he a man, or as the 
 Tons of men, it were impoflible that upon fuch, and fo 
 many provocations, he fhould turn away from the fierce- 
 nefs of his anger. But he is God : This gives an in- 
 finitenefs, and an unconceivable boundlefnefs to the 
 forgivenefs that is with him ; and exalts it above all 
 our thoughts and ways. This is to be lamented ; pre- 
 fumption, which turns God unto an idol, afcribes unto 
 that idol a greater largenefs in forgivenefs, than faith is 
 able to raife up unto, when it deals with him as a God 
 of infinite excellencies and perfections. The reafons of 
 it 1 confefs are obvious. But this is certain, no pre- 
 fumption can falfly imagine that forgivenefs fo itfelf 
 from the idol of its' heart, as faith m;iy, in the way of 
 God, find in him,and obtain from him. For, 
 
 2. God engageth his infinite excellencies to demon- 
 firate the greatnefs and boundlefnefs of his forgivenefs. 
 He propofeth them unto our confiderations, to convince 
 us, that we fhall find pardon with him fuitable and an- 
 fwerable unto them. See lfa. xl. 27, 28, 30, 31. Why 
 fayefi thou , 0 Jacob, andfpeakefl, O lfrael , my way 
 is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is pajjed over from 
 my God ? Hajl thou not known, hajl thou not heard, 
 
 that 
 
2 g 8 Properties of Divine Forgivenefs. Ver. 4; 
 
 that the everlafling God , the Lord, the Creator of the 
 ends of the earth, fainteth not , neither is weary ; there 
 is no fearching of his underfianding ; He giveth power to 
 the faint, and to them that have no might he encreafeth 
 flrength : Even the youths fhall faint and be weary , and 
 the young men Jhall utterly fail; but they that wait upon 
 the Lord fhall renew their flr ength , they Jhall mount up 
 with wings as eagles , they fhall run and not be weary, 
 walk and not be faint. The matter in queftion is, whe¬ 
 ther acceptance with God, which is only by forgive¬ 
 nefs, is to be obtained or no ; this fmful Jacob either 
 defpairs of, or at lead defponds about. But faith God, 
 My thoughts are not as your thoughts in this matter. And 
 what courfe doth he take to convince them of their 
 miftake therein ? What argument doth he make ufe of 
 to free them from their unbelief, and to rebuke their 
 fears ? Plainly he calls them to the confidferation of hira- 
 felf, both who and what he is, with whom they had to 
 do : That they might expert acceptance and forgive¬ 
 nefs, fuch as did become him. Minding them of his 
 power, his immenfity, his infinite wifdom, his unchange- 
 ablenefs, all the excellencies and properties of his na¬ 
 ture, he demands of them, whether they have not juft 
 ground to expect forgivenefs and grace, above all their 
 thoughts and apprehenfions, becanfe anfwering the 
 infinite largenefs of his heart from whence it doth 
 proceed ? 
 
 And Mofes manageth this plea for the forgivenefs 
 of that people under an high provocation, and a uioil 
 fevere threatning of their deftru&ion thereon. Numb, 
 xiv. 17, 18. He pleads for pardon in fuch a way and 
 manner, as may anfwer the great and glorious proper¬ 
 ties of the nature of God, and which would ma- 
 nifeft an infinitenefs of his power and all fufficiency to 
 be in him, , 
 
 This I fay, is an encouragement in general unto be¬ 
 lievers. We have, as I hope, upon unqueftionable 
 grounds evidenced, that there is forgivenefs with God, 
 which is the hinge on which turneth the iftlie of our e- 
 
 ternal 
 
Ver. 4. Properties of Divine Forgivenefs. 239 
 
 ternal condition. Now, tbis is like himfelf, fuch as 
 becomes him ; that anfwers the infinite perfections of 
 his nature ; that is exercifed and given forth by him as 
 God, We are apt to narrow and ftraiten it by our un¬ 
 belief, and to render it unbecoming of him. He 
 lefs di&onours God (or as little) who being wholly un¬ 
 der the power of the law, believes that there is no for¬ 
 givenefs with him, none to be obtained from him, or 
 doth not believe it, that fo it is, or is fo to be obtained* 
 for which he hath the voice and fentence of the law to 
 countenance him, than thofe who being convinced of 
 the principles and grounds of it before mentioned, and 
 of the truth of the teftimony given unto it, do yet by 
 ftraitning and narrowing of it, render it unworthy of 
 him, whofe excellencies are all infinite, and whofe 
 ways on that account are incomprehenfible. If then 
 we refolve to treat with God about this matter, which 
 is the bufinefs now in band, let us do it, as it becomes 
 his greatnefs, that is indeed, as the wants of our fouls 
 require ; let us not intangle our own fpirits, by limiting 
 his grace. The father of the child poffefled with a 
 devil, being in a great agony when he came to our 
 Saviour, cries out, If thou canft do anything , have com- 
 pajftion on us, and help us, Mark ix. 22. He would fain 
 be delivered, but the matter was fo great, that he 
 queftioned whether the Lord Chrift had either com¬ 
 panion, or power enough for his relief. And what did 
 he obtain hereby ? Nothing, but the retarding of the 
 cure of his child for a feafon: For our Saviour holds 
 him off, untill he had intruded him in this matter; 
 faith he, ver. 23. If thou canft believe, all things are pof- 
 ftble unto him that believeth. Miftake not, if thy child 
 be not cured, it is not for want of power or pity in me, 
 but of faith in thee. My power is fuch, as renders all 
 things poflible, fo that they be believed. So it is with 
 many, who would defiroufly be made partakers of for¬ 
 givenefs : If it be poffible, they would be pardoned, 
 but they do not fee it poffible. Why, where is the de- 
 fed: ? God hath no pardon for them, or fuch as they 
 
 ■ are 
 
24° Properties of Divine Forgivenefs . Ver. 4. 
 
 are, and fo it may be they come finally ihort of par¬ 
 don. What, becaufe God cannot pardon them, it is 
 not poflible with him ! Not at all; but became they can¬ 
 not, they will not believe, that the forgivenefs that is, 
 with him is fuch, as that it would anfwer all the wants 
 of their fouls, becaufe it anfwers the infinite largenefs 
 of his heart. And if this doth not wholly deprive them 
 of pardon, yet it gieatly retards their peace and com¬ 
 fort. God doth not take it well to be limited by us in 
 any thing, lead of all in his grace. This he calls a 
 tempting of him, a provoking temptation, Pfal. Ixxviii. 
 41.. They turned back and tempted God , they limited the 
 Holy One of Ifrael. This he could not bear with. If 
 there be any pardon with God, it is fuch as becomes 
 him to give : When he pardons he will abundantly par¬ 
 don. Go with your half forgivenefs, limited, conditi¬ 
 onal pardons, with referves and limitations, linto the 
 foils of men ; it may be, it may become them, it is like 
 themfelves ; that of God is abfolute and perfect, be¬ 
 fore which our fins are as a cloud before the eaft wind, 
 and the riling fun. Hence he is faid to do this work 
 with his whole heart and his whole foul; freely, 
 
 bountifully, largely to indulge and forgive unto us our 
 fins ; and to cad them into the bottom of the fea, 
 Micah vii. 19. into the bottomlefs ocean, an em¬ 
 blem of infinite mercy. Remember this, poor fouls, 
 when you are to deal with God in this matter, all things 
 are pofiible unto them that believe. 
 
 Secondly , This iorgivenefs is in or with God, not 
 only fo, as that we may apply ourfelves unto it if we 
 will, for which he will not be offended with us, but fo 
 alfo as that he hath placed his great glory in the decla¬ 
 ration and communication of it; nor can we honour him 
 more, than by corning to him to be made partakers of 
 it, and fo to receive it from him. For the mod part, we 
 are as it were ready rather to deal forgivenefs from G >d 
 than to receive from him, as one that gives it freely and 
 largely. We take it up, and lay it down, as though 
 we would be glad to have it ; fo God did not, as it 
 4 wtre 
 
Vcr. 4. Properties of Divine Forgivenefs'. 241 
 
 were, fee us rake it; for we are afraid he is not willing 
 we fhould have it indeed We would (leal this fire 
 from heaven, and have a fhare in God’s treafurs and 
 riches, almolt without his confent • At lead we think 
 that we have it from him cegre , with much .difficulty, 
 that it is rarely given, and fcarcely obtained. That 
 he glVeS It out, ikovt aiy.ovnh Q'jfta, with a kind of unwilling 
 wihingnefs ; as we fometjmes give alms without chear- 
 fulnefs : And that he lofeth fo much py us, as he, giv- 
 eth out in pardon. We are apt to think, that we are 
 very willing to have fbrgiveneis, but that God is un¬ 
 willing to bellow it, and that becaufe he feems to be a 
 lofer by it, and to rorgoe the gl^ry of infixing puniih- 
 inent for our fins, which of all things we fuppofe he is 
 lnofi; loth to part withal. And this is the very nature 
 of unbeiief. But indeed things are quite otuerwife. 
 He hath, in this matter, through the Lord Chrift, o '» 
 dered all things, in his dealings with tinners, to the 
 praife of tht glory of bis grace, Eph. i. 6. His defign in 
 the whole myfterv of the gofpel, is to make his grace 
 glorious, or to exalt pardoning meicy. file great fruit 
 and product of his grace is forgivenefs ; the forgivenefs 
 of finners. This God will render himfelf glorious in 
 and by. All the praife, glory and worfiiip, that he 
 dr.figns from any in this world, is to redound unto aim 
 by the way of this grace, as we nave proved at large 
 before. For this caule (pared he the world, when fin 
 firfi entered into it; for this caufe did he provide a 
 new covenant, when the old was become unprofitable; 
 for this caufe did he fend his Son into the world. This 
 hath he teftified by all the evidences infilled on. Would 
 he have loll: the praife of his grace, nothing hereof 
 would have been done or brought about. We can 
 then no way fo eminently bring or aferibe glory unto 
 God, as by 6ur receiving forgivenefs from him ; he 
 being willing thereunto, upon the account of its tenden¬ 
 cy unto his own glory, in that way, which he hath 
 peculiarly fixed*on for its manifeftation. Hence the a- 
 poilie exhorts ns to come boldly to the throne of grace, 
 
 H h Iieb. 
 
242 Properties of Divine Forgivenefs. Ver. 4 
 
 Heb, iv. 16. That is, with the confidence of faith, as 
 he expounds boldnefs, chap. x. 19, 20. We come a- 
 hout a bufinefs wherewith he is well pleafed ; fuch as 
 he delights in th.e doing of, as he exprefifeth himfeif, 
 Zeph. iii. 17. The Lord thy God , in the midft of thee, is 
 mighty ; he will fave, he will rejoice over thee with joy. 
 He will refl in his love, he will joy over thee with finging. 
 This is the way of God’s pardoning; he doth it in a re¬ 
 joicing triumphant manner, fatisfying abundantly his 
 own holy foul therein, and refiiug in his love. We 
 have then abundant encouragement to draw nigh to the 
 throne of grace, to be ma,de partakers of what God is 
 fo willing to give out unto us. And to this end lerves 
 alfo the oath of God before infilled on, namely, to root 
 out all the fecret referves of unbelief, concerning God’s 
 unwillingnefs to give mercy, grace and pardon unto 
 Tinners, See Heb. vi. a 7, 18. where is it exprdled, There¬ 
 fore the tendency of our former arguments, is not 
 merely to prove that there is forgivenefs with God, 
 which we may believe and not be miftaken, but which 
 we ought to believe: It is our duty fo to do. We 
 think it our duty to pray, to hear the word, ro give 
 alms, to love the brethren, and tp abftain from fin ; 
 and if we fail in any of thefe, we find the guilt of them 
 reflected upon our confcience unto our difquietment; 
 but we fcarce think it our duty to believe the forgive¬ 
 nefs of our fins. It is well it may be, w r e think, with 
 them that can do it, but we think it not their fault who 
 do not. Such perfons may be pitied, but, as we fup- 
 pofe, not jufily blamed, no not by God himfeif. Whofe 
 confcience almoft is burdened with this as a lin, that he 
 doth not, as he ought, believe the forgivenefs of his 
 fins ? And this is merely becaufe men judge it cot their 
 duty fo to do. For a non-performance of a duty ap¬ 
 prehended to be fuch, will refleft on the confcience a 
 fenfe of the guilt of fin. But now, what can be re¬ 
 quired to make any thing a duty unto us, that is want¬ 
 ing in this matter ? For, 
 
 1. There is forgivends with God, and this manifeft- 
 
 ed 
 
Ver. 4. Forgivenefs believed by few. 245 
 
 ed, revealed, declared. This manifeftation of it is 
 that which makes it the obje& of our faith. We be¬ 
 lieve things to be in God, and with him, not merely 
 and formally, becaufe they are fo, butbecaufe he hath 
 manifefled and revealed them fo to be, 1 John i. 2. 
 What he fo declares, it is our duty to believe, or we 
 fruftrate the end of his revelation. 
 
 2. We are exprefly commanded to believe, and 
 that upon the higheft promifes, and under the greated 
 penalties. This command is that which makes believ¬ 
 ing formally a duty. Faith is a grace, as it is freely 
 wrought in us by the TIoly Ghoft, the root of ill obe¬ 
 dience and duties, as it is radically fixed in the heart; 
 but as it is commanded, it is a duty ; and thefe com¬ 
 mands, you know, are feveral ways cxprefTed, by in¬ 
 vitations, exhortations, propofitions, which all have in 
 them the nature of commands; which take up a great 
 part of the books of the new teflament. 
 
 3. It is a duty, as we have (hewed, of the greatefl: 
 concernment unto the glory of God. 
 
 4. Of the greaieft importance unto our fouls, here 
 and hereafter. And thefe things were neceffary to be 
 added, to bottom our enfuing exhortations upon. 
 
 Evidences that moft men do not believe forgivenefs. 
 
 That which fhould now enfue, is the peculiar im¬ 
 provement of this truth all along aimed at; namely, to 
 give exhortations, and encouragements unto believing. 
 Bit I can take few tleps in this work, wherein methinks 
 1 do hear fome faying. Surely all this is needlefs; who 
 is there that doth not believe all that you go about to 
 prove ? And fo thefe pains are fpent to little or no 
 purpofe. I (hall therefore, before I perfwade any 
 unto it, endeavour to (hew that they do it not already. 
 Many I fay, the mod of men who live under the dif- 
 penfation of the gofpel, do woefully deceive their own 
 fouls in this matter. They do not believe what they 
 profefs thesnfelves to believe, and what thev think th ey 
 
 H h 2 be- 
 
244 Forgivenefs believed by few. Vsr. 4. 
 
 believe. Men talk of fundamental errors; this is to 
 me the mod fundamental error that any can fall into, 
 and the mod pernicious. It is made up of thefe two 
 parts: (1.) They do nor indeed believe forgivenefs. 
 (2 ) They fuppofe they do believe it, which keeps 
 them from feeking after their only remedy. Both thefe 
 miftakes are in the foundation, and do ruin the fouls 
 of Tem that live and die in them. I dial! then, by a 
 brief enquiry, put this matter to a trial. By fome 
 plain rule? and principles may this important quedion.' 
 W ether we do indeed believe forgivenefs or no ? be 
 anhv^'ed and decided But to the refolution intended 
 1 dial premife two obfervations. 
 
 1. Men, in this cafe, are very apt to deceive them- 
 felves. bell-love, vain hopes, liking of lult, common 
 fa He principles, doth, unwillingnefs unto felf-examin- 
 anon reputation with the world, and it may be in the 
 church, all vigoroufly concur unto mens felf-deceiv- 
 ing* in this matter. It is no eafy thing for a foul to 
 breax through ail thefe, and all felf-reafonings that rife 
 from them, to com~ unto a clear judgment of its own 
 a6tmg, in dealing with God about forgivenefs. Men alfo 
 find a common preemption of this truth, and its being 
 an eafy relief again'- gripings of confcience, and dif- 
 turbing thoughts about fin, which they meet daily withal. 
 .Aiming therefore only at the removal of trouble, and 
 finning their prefent imagination of it fuflicient thereun¬ 
 to, they never biing their perfvvaflon to the trial. 
 
 2. As men are apt to do thus, fo they a<dually do 
 fo, they do deceive themfelves, and know not that they 
 do fo. The lad: day will make this evident, if men will 
 no fooner be convinced of their folly. When our Sa¬ 
 viour told his aifciples, that one of them twelve fliould 
 betray him ; though it were but one of the twelve 
 that was in clanger, yet every one of the twelve made 
 a particular enquiry about himfclf. 1 will not fay, that 
 one in each twelve is here miftaken : But I am fure the 
 truth Tel I uv. That many are called, and but few are 
 chofen ; they are but few, who do really believe for¬ 
 givenefs. 
 
Ver. 4. Forgivenefs believed by few. 245 
 
 givenefs. Is it not then incumbent on everyone, to 
 be enquiring in what number he is likely to be found 
 at the laft day ? Whiilt men put this enquiry off from 
 tbemfelves, and think or fay, it may be the concernment 
 of others, it is not mine, they perifli, and that without 
 remedy. Remember what poor Jacob faid, when he 
 had loft one child, and was afraid of the lofs of ano¬ 
 ther, Gen. xliii. 14. If I be bereaved of my children , 1 
 am bereaved. As if he {hould have faid, If I lofe my 
 children, I have no more to lofe, they are my all: No¬ 
 thing worfe can befal me in this world. Comfort, joy, 
 yea, life and all go with them. How much more may 
 men fay in this cafe, If we are deceived here, we are 
 deceived ; all is loft, hope, and life, and foul, all 
 mult perifli, and that for ever. There is no help or 
 relief for them who deceive themfelves in this matter. 
 They have found out a way to go quietly down into the 
 pit. 
 
 Now thefe things are premifed : Only, that they may 
 be incentives unto felf-examination in this matter, and 
 fo render the enfuing confiderations ufeful; let us then 
 addrefs ourfelves unto them. 
 
 1. In general. This is a gofpei-truth ; yea, the great 
 fundamental and molt important truth of the gofpel. It 
 is the turning point of the two covenants, as God himfelf 
 declares, Heb. vii. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Now, a very 
 eafv conlideration of the ways and walkings of men will 
 fatisfy us as to this enquiry, whether they do indeed 
 believe the gofpel, the covenant of grace, and the fun¬ 
 damental principles of it. Certainly their ignorance, 
 darknefs, blindnefs, their corrupt affeftious, and worldly, 
 converfations, their earthly mindednefs, and open dif- 
 avowing of the Spirit, ways, and yoke of Chrift, fpeak 
 no fuch language. Shall we think that proud, heady, 
 worldly, felf-feekers, haters of the people of God, and 
 his ways, defpifers of the Spirit of grace, and his work, 
 facrificers of their own luffs, and iuch like, do believe 
 the covenant of grace, or remiflion of fins ? God forbid 
 we (hould entertain any one thought of fo great dif- 
 
 honour 
 
2^6 Forgivenefs believed, by few* Ver. 4. 
 
 honour to the gofpel. Wherever that is received or 
 believed, it produceth other effe&s, Titus ii. it, 12. 
 Ifa. xi. 6, 7, 8, 9. It teacheth men to deny ungodlinefs 
 and worldly lulls. It changeth their hearts, natures, 
 and ways; it is not fuch a barren, impotent, and fruit- 
 lefs thing, as fuch an apprehenfion would reprefent it. 
 
 2. They that really believe forgivenefs in God, do 
 thereby obtain forgivenefs. Believing gives an interell 
 in it ; it brings it home to the foul concerned. This is 
 the inviolable law of the gofpel. Believing and forgive¬ 
 nefs are infeparably conjoined. Among the evidences 
 that we may have of any one being interelted in forgive¬ 
 nefs, I lhall only name one ; they prize and value it a- 
 bove all the world. Let us enquire what elleem and valu¬ 
 ation manyof thofehave of forgivenefs, who putitoutof 
 all queftion that they do believe it. Do they look upon 
 it as their treafure, their jewel, their pearl of price ? 
 Are they folicitous about it ? Do they often look and 
 examine, whether it continues fafe in their polfelTion or 
 no ? Suppofe a man have a precious jewel, laid up in 
 fome place in his houfe ; fuppofe it be unto him as the 
 poor widows two mites, all her fubftance or living; 
 will he not carefully ponder on it ? Will he not fre¬ 
 quently fatisfy himfelf that it is fafe ? We may know 
 that fuch an houfe, fuel: fields or lands do not belong 
 unto a man, when he pafl'eth by them daily, and 
 taketh little or no notice of them. Now, how do 
 mofl men look upon forgivenefs ? What is their com¬ 
 mon deportment in reference unto it ? Are their hearts 
 continually filled with thoughts about it ? Are they foli¬ 
 citous concerning their filtered in itDo they reckon, 
 that whild that is fafe, all is fafe with them ? When it 
 is, as it were, laid out of the way by fin and unbelief, 
 do they give themfelves no reft, until it be afrefh dif- 
 cpvered unto them ? Is this the frame of the mod of 
 men ? The Lord knows it is not. They talk of for¬ 
 givenefs, but efteem it not, prize it nor, make no par¬ 
 ticular enquiries after it. They put it to an ungrounded 
 venture, whether ever they be partakers of it or no; 
 
 for 
 
Ver. 4. Forgivenefs believed by few. 247 
 
 for a relief againft fome pangs of confcience it is called 
 upon, or elfe fcarce thought of at all. Let not any fo 
 minded flatter themfelves that they have any acquain¬ 
 tance with the myftery of gofpel-forgivenefs 
 
 3. Let it be enquired of them who pretend unto this 
 perfuafion, how they came by it, that we may know 
 whether it be him who calleth us, or no; that we may 
 try whether they have broken thro’ the difficulties in 
 the entertaining of it, which we have manifefted abun¬ 
 dantly to !y in the way of it. 
 
 When Peter confefled our Saviour to be the Chrift 
 the Son of the living God ; he told him, that flejb and 
 blood did not reveal that unto him , but his Father who 
 is in heaven , Matth. xvi. 17. It is fo with them who 
 indeed believe forgivenefs in God : Flefh and blood 
 hath not revealed it unto them. It hath not been fur¬ 
 thered by any thing within them, or without them, but 
 ah lies in oppofition unto it. This is the work of God , 
 that we believe , John vi. 29. A great work, the great- 
 eft work that God requireth of us. It is not only a 
 great thing in itfelf (the grace of believing is a great 
 thing) but it is great in refpeci of its objeft, or what 
 we have to believe, or forgivenefs itfelf. The great 
 honour of Abraham’s faith lay in this, that deaths and 
 difficulties lay in the way of it, Rom. iv. 18, 19, 20. But 
 what is a dead body, and a dead womb, to an accuf- 
 ing confcience, a killing law, ,and apprehenfions of a 
 God terrible as a confuming'fire ? ail which as was 
 fhewed, oppofe themfelves unto a foul called to believe 
 forgivenefs. 
 
 What new have the me ft of men, who are confident 
 in the profeffion of this faith, to fay unto this thing? 
 Let them fpeafe clearly, and they muft fay, that indeed 
 they never found the leaft difficulty in this matter; they 
 never doubted of it; they never queftioned it, nor do 
 know any reafon why they fhould do fo. It is a thing 
 which they have fo taken for granted, as that it never 
 coft them an hour’s labour, prayer, meditation about 
 ft. Have they had fecret reafonings and contcndings in 
 
 their 
 
248 Forgivenefs believed by few. Ver.4. 
 
 their hearts about it ? No ; Have they confidered how 
 the obje&ions that iy againft it may be removed ; Not 
 at all, But is it fo indeed, that this perfuafion is thus 
 bred in you, you know not how ? Are the corrupted 
 natures of men, and the gofpel lo fuited, fo complying 
 Is the new covenant grown fo connatural to flefli and 
 blood ? Is the greatelt fecret that ever was revealed 
 from the bofom of the Father, become fo familiar and 
 eafy to the wifdom of the flefli ? Is that which was folly 
 to the wife Greeks, and a Humbling block to the won¬ 
 der-gazing Jews, become, on a fudden, wifdotn, and 
 a plain path to the fame princip'es that were in them ? 
 But the truth of this matter is, that luch men have a 
 general, ufelefs, barren notion of pardon, which Sa¬ 
 tan, prefumption, tradition, common reports, and the 
 cuftomary hearing of the word, have furniihed them 
 withal; but for that gofpel difcovery of forgivenefs, 
 whereof we have been fpeaking, they are utter’y ig¬ 
 norant of it, and unacquainted with it. To convince 
 fuch poor creatures of the folly of their prefumption, 
 1 would but defire them to go to fome real believers, 
 that are or may be known unto them ; let them be alk- 
 ed, whether they came fo eafily by their faith, and ap- 
 prehenlions of forgivenefs, or no ? Alas, faith one, 
 thefe twenty years have 1 been following after God, 
 and yet l have not arrived unto an abiding chearing 
 perfuafion of it. 1 know what it colt me, what trials, 
 difficulties, temptations 1 Wrelfled with, and went thro’ 
 withal before I obtained it, (kith another. What I have 
 attained unto, hath been of unfpeakable mercy : And 
 it is my daily prayer, that I uuy be preferved in it; by 
 the exceeding greatnefs of the power of God; for I 
 continually wreftle with (forms that are ready to drive 
 me from my anchor, A little of this difcourfe may be 
 fufficient to convince poor, dark, carnal creatures of the 
 folly and vanity of their confidence, 
 
 4. There are certain means whereby the revelation 
 and difcovery of this myftery is made unto the fouls of 
 men, Bv thefe they do obtain ir, or they obtain it not. 
 
 The 
 
Yer. 4. Forgivene/s bet'teved by few. 249 
 
 The my fiery itfelf wps a fecrer, hidden in the counlel 
 of God from eternity ; nor was there any way whereby 
 it n ight be revealed, but by the bon of God: And 
 that is done in the word of the gofpeh If then you 
 fay you know it; let us enquire how you came fo to do ? 
 And by what means it hath been declared unto you ? 
 Harh this been done by a word of truth ? by the promife 
 of the gofpel? Was it by preaching ot the word unto you, 
 cr by reading of it, or meditating upon it ? Or did 
 you receive it from and by fome feafonabie word, of, 
 or from the fcriptuves fpoken unto you ? Or hath it in- 
 fenfibly gotten ground upon your hearts and minds, up¬ 
 on the ftriviogs and conflicts of your fouls about fin, from 
 the truth wherein you had been inftructed in general ? 
 Or by what other ways and means have you come to 
 that acquaintance with it, whereof you boafl ? You can 
 teil how you came by vour wealth, your gold, and fil¬ 
 ler ; you know how you became learned, or obtained 
 the knowledge of the myftery of your trade, who taught 
 you in it, and how came you by it: There is not any 
 thing wherein you are concerned, but you can anfwer 
 thefe enquiries in reference unto it. Think it then no 
 great matter, if you are put to anfwer this quefiion alfo; 
 By what way or means came you to the knowledge of 
 forgivenefs, which you boafl of? Was it by any of 
 thole before-mentioned, or fome other ? If you cannot 
 anfwer difliiiclly to thefe things, only you fay you have 
 heard it, and believed ir ever fince you can remember; 
 fo thofe faid that went before you, fo they fay with 
 whom you do converfe, you never met with any one 
 that called it into queftioo* nor heard of any, ualefs 
 it were one or two defpairing wretches; it will be juilly 
 queilioned, whether you have any portion in thi? mat¬ 
 ter or no. If uncertain rumours, reports, general notions, 
 iy at the bottom of your perfuafion, do not fuppofe 
 that you have any communion with Chrifl therein. 
 
 5 Of them who profefs to believe forgivenefs, bow 
 few are there who. indeed know what it is. They be- 
 iie/e they fay, but as the Samaritans worshiped, they 
 know nor what. With fome a bold prefumption, and 
 
 I i / crying 
 
250 Forgivenefs believed by few . Ver. 4. 
 
 crying peace, peace, goes for the belief of forgivenefs. 
 
 A general apprehenfion of impunity from God, and 
 that tho’ they arefinners, yet they (hall not be punifhed, 
 paffeth with others at the fame rate. 
 
 Some think they fhall prevail with God by their 
 prayers and defires to let them alone, and not call, them 
 into hell. One way or other to efcape the vengeance 
 of hell, not to be pnnifhed in another world, is that 
 which men fix their minds upon. 
 
 But is this that forgivenefs which is revealed in the 
 gofpel? That which we have been treating about ? The 
 rife and fpring of our forgivenefs is in the heart and 
 gracious nature of God, declared by his name; Have 
 you enquired fcrioufiy into this ? Have you ftood at the 
 fhore of that infinite ocean of gooantfs and love ? Have 
 your fouls found fupportment and relief from that con¬ 
 sideration? And have your hearts leaped within you with 
 the thoughts of it ? Or, if you have never been afiefted 
 in an efpecial manner herewithal, have you bowed 
 down your fouls under the confiderations of that fove- 
 reign aft of the Will of God, that is the next fpring of 
 forgivenefs; that glorious afting of free grace, that 
 when all might juftly have perifhed, all having finned 
 and come fhort of his glory, God would yet have mer¬ 
 cy on fame? Have you given up yourfelves to this grace? 
 Is this any tiling of that you do believe ? Suppofe you 
 are ftrangers to this alfo : What communion with God 
 have you had about it in the blood of Chrift r We have 
 fhewed how forgivenefs relates thereunto ; how way is 
 made thereby for the exercife of mercy, in a confiften- 
 cy with the glory and honour of the juft ice of God, and 
 of his law ; how pardon is procured and purchafed 
 thereby ; with the rnyfterious reconciliation of love and 
 law ; and the new difpofal of confcience in its work and 
 duty by it. W r hat have you to fay to thefe things ? 
 Have you feen pardon flowing from the heart of the 
 Father, through the blood of the Son ? Have you look¬ 
 ed upon it as the price of his life, and the purchafe of 
 his blood ? Or have you general thoughts that Chrift 
 died for finners ? and that on one account or other for¬ 
 givenefs 
 
Ver. 4. Forgivenefs believed by few . 251 
 
 givenefs relates unco him ; but are Grangers to the my- 
 ftery of this great work ? Suppofe this alfo; Let us 
 go a little further, and enquire, Whether you know 
 any thing that yet remains of the like importance in 
 this matter ? Forgivenefs, as we have (hewed, is mani- 
 fefted, tendered, exhibited in the covenant of grace, 
 and promiie of the gofpel. The rule of the efficacy 
 of thefe is, that they be mixed with faith, Iieb. iv. 2. 
 It is well if you are grown up hereunto; but you that' 
 are ftrangers to the things before mentioned, are no lefs 
 £0 this alfo. Upon the matter, you know not then what 
 forgivenefs is, nor wherein it confifis, nor whence it 
 comes, or how it is procured, nor by what means giv¬ 
 en out unto finners. It is to no purpofe for fuch per- 
 fons to pretend, that they believe that whereunto, ei¬ 
 ther notionally, or pra&ically, or both, they are fuch 
 utter ftrangers. 
 
 6 . Another enquiry into this matter regards the (late 
 and condition wherein fouls muft be, before it be pof- 
 fible for them to believe forgivenefs. If there be fuch 
 an eftate, and it can be evinced that very many of the 
 pretenders, concerning whom we deal, were never 
 brought into it, it is then evident, that they neither 
 do nor can believe forgivenefs, however they do aud 
 may delude their own fouls. 
 
 It hath been fhewed, that the firft difcovery that was 
 made of pardoning grace was unto Adam, prefently 
 after the fall. What was then his ftate and condition ? 
 How was he prepared for the reception of this great 
 myftery in its firft difcovery ? That feerns to be a con- 
 fiderable rule of proceeding in the fame matter. That 
 which is firft in any kind, is a rule of al! that follows. 
 Now, what was Adam’s condition when the revelation 
 of forgivenefs was firft made to him ? It is known from 
 the ftory ; convinced of fin, afraid of puniihment, he lay 
 trembling at the foot of God. Then was Forgivenefs 
 revealed unto him ; fo the Pfalmift ftates it, Pfal. cxxx. 
 ver. 3. If thou, Lord, fhouldjl mark iniquity , 0 Lord 
 who Jball J,land ? Full of thoughts he is of the defen of 
 
 I i 2 fin, 
 
25 2 For give nefs believed by few. Ver. 4 
 
 fin, and cf inevitable and eternal ruin, in cafe God 
 fbould deal with him according to the exigence of the 
 law. In that hate is the great fupport of forgivenefs 
 with God, fuggefted unto him by the Holy Ghoft. We 
 know what work our Saviour had with the Pharifees on 
 this account. Are we (fay they) blind alfo f No faith 
 he, ye fay, we fee ; therefore your fin remaineth , John 
 ix, 40, 41. It is to no purpofe to talk of forgivenefs to 
 fuch perfons as you are, you mull of neceflity abide in 
 your fins : I came not to call fuch righteous perfons as 
 you are, but finners, to repentance ; who not only are 
 fo, as you are alfo, and that to the purpofe, but are 
 fenfible of their being fo, and of their undone condi¬ 
 tion thereby. The whole have no need of the phyfician , 
 but the fick . Whilfl you are feeming righteous and 
 whole, it is to no end to tell you of forgivenefs, you 
 cannot underftand it, nor receive it. It is impoflible 
 then, that any fhould in a due manner believe forgive¬ 
 nefs in God, unlefs in a due manner he be convinced of 
 fin in himfelf. If the fallow ground be not broken 
 up, it is to no purpofe to fow the feed of the gofpel. 
 There is neither life, power, nor fweetnefs in his 
 truth, unlefs a door be opened for its entrance by con¬ 
 viction of fin. 
 
 Let us then, on this ground alfo, continue our en¬ 
 quiry upon the ordinary boafters of their fkill in this 
 tnyftery. You believe there is forgivenefs with God : 
 Yes ; But have you been convinced of fin ? Yes 5 
 you know that you are finners well enough. Anfwer 
 then but once more as to the nature of this conviction 
 of fin, which you fay you have; Is it not made up 
 of thefe two ingredients? (1.) A general notion that 
 you are finners, as all men alfo are. (2.) Particular 
 troubiefome reflections upon yourfelves, when on any 
 eruption of fin, confcience accufes, rebukes, condemns ? 
 You will fay, Yes, what would you require more ? 
 This is not the conviction we are enquiring after ; 
 that is a work of the Spirit by the word : This you 
 fpeak of, a mere natural work, which you can no 
 
 more 
 
Ver. 4* Forgivenefs believed by few. 253 
 
 more be without, than you can ceafe to be men* 
 This will give no afliftance unto the receiving of for¬ 
 givenefs : But it may be you will fay, you have pro¬ 
 ceeded farther than fo; and thefe things have had an 
 improvement in you. Let us then a little try whether 
 your procefs hath been according to the mind of 
 God ; and fo whether this invincible bar in your way 
 be removed or no : For ah ho’ every convinced perfon 
 doth not believe forgivenefs; yet no one who is not con¬ 
 vinced doth fo. Have you then been made feniible of 
 your condition by nature ; what it is to be alienated 
 from the life of God, and to be obnoxious to his wrath ? 
 Have you been convinced of the univerfal enmity that 
 is in your hearts to the mind of God; and what it is to 
 be at enmity againll God ? Hath the unfpeakable multi¬ 
 tude of the fins of our lives been fet in order b.y the law 
 before you ? And have you confidered what it is for 
 finners, fuch finners as you are, to have to deal with a 
 righteous and holy God ? Hath the* Holy Ghoft wrought 
 a ferious recognition in your hearts of all thefe things, 
 and caufed them to abide with you and upon you ? If 
 you will anfwer truly, you mull; fay, many of you, 
 that indeed you have not been foexercifed. You have 
 heard of thefe things many times, but to fay that you 
 have gone through with this work, and have had experi¬ 
 ence of them, that you cannot do. Then I fay, you are 
 ftrangers to forgivenefs, becaufe you are ftrangers unto 
 fin : But and if you {hall fay, that you have had thoughts 
 to this purpofe ; and are perfwaded that you have been 
 throughly convinced of fin, 1 (hall yet afk you one quef- 
 tion more; What effects hath your conviction produced 
 in your hearts and lives ? Have you been filled with 
 perplexities and confternation of fpirit thereupon? Have 
 you had fears, dreads or terrors to wreftle withal ? Ir 
 may be you will fay, No ; Nor will I infift upon that 
 enquiry ; but this I deal with you in. Hath it filled 
 you wiih felf loathing and abhorrency, with felf-con- 
 destination, and abafement ? If it will do any thing, this 
 it will do. If you come fhort here, it is juftly to be 
 
 feared 
 
2 54 Forgivenefs believed by few. Ver. 4. 
 
 feared that all your other pretences are of no value; 
 now, where there is no work of convi&ion, there is 
 no faith of forgivenefs, whatever is pretended. And 
 how many vain boafters this fword will cut off, is e- 
 vident. 
 
 7. We have yet a greater evidence than all thefe. 
 Men live in fin, and therefore they do not believe for¬ 
 givenefs of fin. Faith in general purifies the heart, 
 A< 5 h xv. 19. Our fouls are purified in obeying the truth. 
 1 Pet. i. 22. and the life is made fruitful by it, James 
 ii. 1 2. Faith worketh by works, and makes itfelf perfect 
 by them. And the do&rine concerning forgivenefs hath 
 a fpecial influence into all holinefs. Tit. ii. 11, 12. The 
 grace of God 'which bringeth falvation, teacheth us to de¬ 
 ny all unrigbteoufnefs , and worldly lufls y to live foberly , 
 righteoufly, and godly in this prefent world: And that is 
 the grace whereof we fpeak. No man can then believe 
 forgivenefs of fin, without a delegation and relinquifh- 
 ment of it. The ground of this might be farther ma- 
 nifefted, and the way of the efficacy of faith of for¬ 
 givenefs unto a forfaking of fin, if need were : But 
 all that own the gofpei muff acknowledge this princi¬ 
 ple. The real belief of the pardon of fin, is prevalent 
 with men not to live longer in fin. 
 
 But now, what are the greateff number of thofe who 
 pretend to receive this truth ? Are their hearts purified 
 by it ? Are their confciences purged ? Are their lives 
 changed ? Do they deny all ungodlinefs and worldly 
 luffs? Doth forgivenefs teach them fo to do ? Have 
 
 1 O 
 
 they found it effe&ual to thefe purpofes? Whence is 
 it then that there is fuch a bleating and bellowing to the 
 contrary amongfl them? Some of you are drunkards, fame 
 of you are fwearers, forr.e of you unclean perfons, fome 
 of you liars, fome of you worldly, fome of you haters 
 of all the ways of Chriff, and all his concernments upon 
 the earth ; proud, covetous, boafters, felf-feekers, en¬ 
 vious, wrathful, backbiters, malicious praters, flan- 
 derers, and the like : And fhall we think that fuch as 
 thefe believe forgivenefs of fin? God forbid. Again, 
 
 fome 
 
Ver. 4. Forgivenefs believed by few. 255 
 
 fome of you are dark, ignorant, blind, utterly unac¬ 
 quainted with the myftery of the gofpel, nor do at all 
 make it your bufinefs to enquire into it. Either you 
 bear it not at all, or negligently, flothfully, cuftomar- 
 ily, to no purpofe. Let not fuch perfons deceive their 
 own fouls; to live in fin, and yet to believe the forgive¬ 
 nefs of fin, is utterly impoffible. Chrifl: will not be a 
 minifter of fin, nor give his gofpel to be a do&rine of 
 licentioufnefs for your fakes : Nor fhall you be forgiv¬ 
 en, that you may be delivered to do more abominati¬ 
 ons. God forbid. 
 
 If any {hall fay, that they thank God, they are no 
 fuch publicans as thofe mentioned ; they are no drunk¬ 
 ards, no fw'earei^, no unclean perfons, nor the like ; fo 
 that they are not concerned in this confideration : Their 
 lives and their duties give another account of them. 
 Then yet confider further. 
 
 That the Pharifees were all that you fay of your- 
 felves; and yet the greateft defpifers of forgivenefs thac 
 were ever in the world, and that becaufe they hated 
 the light, on this account, that their deeds were evil. 
 And for your duties you mention, what 1 pray is the 
 root and fpring of them ? Are they influenced from this 
 faith of forgivenefs you boafi; of, or no ? May it not be 
 feared that it is utterly otherwife ? You do not perform 
 them becaufe you love the gofpel, but becaufe you 
 fear the law. If the truth were known, I doubt it 
 would appear, that you get nothing by your believing 
 of pardon, but an encouragement unto fin. Your good- 
 nefs, fuch as it is, fptings from another root. It may 
 be alfo that you ward yourfelves by it againfl the flrokes 
 of confidence, or the guilt of particular fins, this is as 
 bad as the other. It is as good be encouraged unto fin 
 to commit it, as be encouraged under fin, fo as to be 
 kept from humiliation for it. None under heaven are 
 more remote from the belief of grace and pardon, than 
 fuch perfons are : Ail their righteoufnefs is from the 
 law, and their fin in a great meafure from the gofpel. 
 
 8. They that believe forgivenefs in a due manner, 
 
 believe 
 
256 Forgivenejs believed by few. Vcr. 4. 
 
 believe it for the ends and purpofes for which it is re¬ 
 vealed of God. This will further improve and carry 
 on the farther confideration. If God reveals any thing 
 for one end and purpofe, and men ufe it quite unto an¬ 
 other ; they do not receive the word of God, nor be¬ 
 lieve the thing revealed, but heal the word, and de¬ 
 lude their own fouls. 
 
 Let us then weigh to what end and purpofes this for- 
 givenefs was firft revealed by God ; for which alfo its 
 manifeftation is (till continued in the gofpei. We have 
 (hewed before who it was to whom this revelation was 
 firft made, and what condition he was in when it was 
 fo made unto him. A loft wretched creature, without 
 hope or help he was; how he (hould come to obtain 
 acceptance with God, he knew not. God reveals for- 
 givenefs unto him by Chrift to be his All. The inten¬ 
 tion of God in it was, that a finner’s All (hould be of 
 grace, Rom, xi. 6. If any thing be added unto it for 
 the fame end and purpofe, then grace is no more grace. 
 Again, God intended it as a new foundation of obedi¬ 
 ence, of love and thankfulnefs. That men fhould love 
 becaufe forgiven, and be holy, becaufe pardoned ; as 
 I have (hewed before, that it might be the righteot.f* 
 nefs of a (inner, and a fpring of new obedience in him, 
 all to the praife of Grace, were God’s ends in its re¬ 
 velation. 
 
 Our enquiry then is, whether men do receive this 
 revelation as unto thefe ends, and ufe it for thefe pur¬ 
 pofes, and thefe only. I might evince the contrary, 
 by pafting through the general abufes of the do&rine of 
 grace, which are mentioned in the fcripture, and com¬ 
 mon in the world ; but it will not be needful. Inftead 
 of believing, the mod; of men feem to put a ftudied def- 
 pight on the gofpei. They either proclaim it to be an 
 unholy and polluted way, by turning its grace into laf- 
 civioufnefs, or a weak and infufficient way, by driving 
 to twift it in with their own righteoufnefs, both which 
 are an abomination unto the Lord. 
 
 From thefe, andfuch other considerations of the like 
 
 im- 
 
Ver. 4. Exhortations unto Believing. 257 
 
 importance, as might be added, it is evident that oar 
 word is not in vain ; nor the exhortation which is to he 
 built upon it. It appears, that notwithftanding the 
 great noife and pretences to this purpofe that are in the 
 world, they are but few who feriouily receive this fun- 
 damental truth of the gofpel; namely that there is for- 
 givenefs with God. Poor creatures fport themfelves 
 with their own deceivings, and perifh by their ow'n de- 
 lufions. 
 
 Exhortation unto the belief of the forgivenefs 
 that is with God.——lieafons for it, and the 
 neccfliry of it. 
 
 • 
 
 We fhall now proceed unto the dire£l ufes o'fMliis 
 great truth: For having laid our foundation in the 
 word that will not fail, and having given, as we hope,r 
 fufficient evidence unto the truth of it, our laft work is 
 to make this improvement of it unto the good of the 
 fouls of men, which all along was aimed at. The per- 
 fons concerned in this ccuth are all Tinners whatever; 
 no fort of finners are unconcerned in it, none are ex¬ 
 cluded from it: And we may call them all under two 
 heads. 
 
 First, Such as never fincerely clofed with the pro- 
 mife of grace ; nor have ever yet received forgivenefs 
 from God, in a way of believing. Thefe we have al¬ 
 ready endeavoured to undeceive ; and to difeover thole 
 falfe prefumptions whereby they are apt to ruin and 
 deftroy their own fouls: Thefe we would guide now 
 into fafe and pleafant paths, wherein they may find 
 affured reft and peace. 
 
 Secondly, Others there are, who have received 
 it, but being again entangled by fio, or clouded by dark- 
 nefs and temptations, or weakened by unbelief, know 
 nor. how to improve it to their peace and comfort. This 
 is the condition of the foul reprefented in this pfalm, 
 
 K k and 
 
ayg Exhortations unto Believing . Ver. 4. 
 
 and which we fhall therefore apply ourfelves unto in an 
 efpecial manner, in its proper place. 
 
 Our exhortation then is unto both ; to the firft, that 
 they would receive it, that they may have life, to the 
 latter that they would improve it, that they may have 
 peace. To the former, that they would not overlook, 
 difregard, or negleft fo great falvation as is tendered 
 unto them ; to the latter, that they would Itir up the 
 grace of God that is in them, to mix with the grace of 
 God that is unto them. 
 
 1 fhall begin with the firft fort, thofe who a^e yet ut¬ 
 ter flrangers from the covenant of grace ? who never 
 yet, upon faving grounds, believe this forgivenefs; 
 who never yet once tailed of gofpel pardon. Poor Tin¬ 
 ners ! This word is unto you. 
 
 Be it that you have heard or read the fame word 
 before, or others like unto it, to the fame purpofe; it 
 may be often, it may be an hundred times. It is your 
 concernment to hear it again. God would have it fo ; 
 the teflimony of Jefus Chrifl is thus to be accomplifhed. 
 This counfel of God we mull declare, that we may be 
 free from the bloadof all men , A£ts xx. 26, 2 7. and that 
 not once or twice, but in preaching the word, we mull 
 be inflant in feafon f out of feafon, reproving , rebuking, 
 exhorting , with all long-fuffering and dodrine y 2 Tim. 
 iv. 2. And for you, wo unto you, when God leaves 
 thus fpeaking unto you ; when he refufeth to exhort you 
 any more, wo unto you. This is God’s departure from 
 any perfon or people, when he will deal with them no 
 more about forgivenefs; and faith he, Wo unto them 
 when 1 depart from them y Hof. ix 12. O that God 
 therefore would give unto fuch perfons feeing eyes, 
 and hearing ears, that the word of grace may never 
 more be fpoken unto them in vain. Now, in our ex¬ 
 hortation to fuch perfons, we fhall proceed gradually, 
 according as the matter will bear, and the nature of it 
 doth require. Confider therefore, 
 
 i. That notwithstanding all your fins, all the evil 
 that your own hearts know you to be guilty of, and 
 
 that 
 
Ver. 4. Exhortations unto Believing. 259 
 
 that hidden mafs or evil treafure of fin, which is in you, 
 which you are not able to look into notwithftanding 
 that charge that lies upon yb 1 from your own confci- 
 ence, and that dreadful fentence and curfe of the law 
 which you are obnoxious unto; notwithftanding all the 
 juft grounds that you have to apprehend that God is 
 Jour enemy, and will be fo unto eternity yet there are 
 terms of peace and reconciliation provided and propof- 
 ed between him and your fouls. This, in th e firft place 
 is fpoken out by the word we have infilled on. What¬ 
 ever eife it informs us of, this it pofitively aflerrs; 
 namely, that there is a way whereby fmners may come 
 to be accepted with God : For there is forgivenefs with 
 him that he may be feared. And we hope that we have 
 not confirmed it, by fo many teftimonies, by fo many 
 evidences, in vain. Now, that you may fee how great 
 a privilege this is, and how much your concernment 
 lies in it; confider, 
 
 1 ft. That this belongs unto you in an efpecial manner, 
 it is your peculiar advantage. 
 
 It is not fo with the angels that finned. There were ' 
 never any terms of peace or reconciliation propofed un¬ 
 to them, nor ever fhall be unto eternity. There is no 
 way of efcape provided for them. Having once finned, 
 as you have done a tboufand times, God Ipared them 
 not, but call them down to hell, and delivered them 
 unto chains of darknefs, to be referved untojudgmeni, 
 
 2 ?et. ii. 4. 
 
 It is not fo with them that are dead in their fins, if 
 but one moment part. Ah, how would many fouls, 
 who are departed, it may be not an hour fince, out of 
 this world, rejoice for an intereft in this privilege, the 
 hearing of terms of peace once more between God and 
 them ■, but their time is paft, their hou-fe is left unto 
 them defolate. As the tree falleth, fo it muff iy : It is 
 appointed unto all men once to die> and after that is the 
 judgment , Heb. ix. 27. After death there are no terms 
 of peace, nothing but judgment. The living, the liv¬ 
 ing, he alone is capable of this advantage. 
 
 K k 2 
 
 It 
 
260 Exhortations unto Believing . Ver. 4. 
 
 It is not fo with them to whom the gofpel is not 
 nreached. Cod fuffers them to walk in their own ways, 
 and calls them not thus to repentance. The terms of 
 reconciliation, which fome fancy to be offered in the 
 Alining of the fun, and failing of the rain, never 
 brought fouls to peace with God. Life and immortali¬ 
 ty are brought to light only by the gofpel. This if 
 your privilege who yet live, and yet hav,e the word 
 founding in your ears. 
 
 It is not thus with them who have finned again!! the 
 Holy Ghoft, though yet alive, and living where the word 
 of forgivenefs is preached. God propofeth unto them 
 no terms, of reconciliation, Blafphemy againft him, 
 faith Chrift, (hall not be forgiven, Matth. xii. 3 r. There 
 is no forgivenefs for fuch Tinners; and we, if we 
 knew them, ought not to pray for them, 1 John v. 16. 
 Their fin is unto death. And what number may be in 
 this condition God knows. 
 
 This word then is unto you ; thefe terms of peace 
 are propcfed unto you. This is that which in an efpe- 
 ■eial manner you are to apply yourfelves unto : and wo 
 unto you, if you fliall be found to have neglected it at 
 the la ft day. Wherefore ccnfider, 
 
 idly. By whom thefe terms are propofed unto you, 
 and by whom they were procured for you. By whom 
 are they propofed ? Who (hall undertake to impire the 
 bufinefs, the controverfy between God and finners ? No 
 creature doubtlefs is either meet or worthy to interpofe 
 in this matter ; I mean originally on his account. For 
 who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath 
 been his counfellor ? Wherefore, it is God himfelf 
 who propofeth the terms; and not only propofeth them, 
 but invites, exhorts, and perfuades you to accept of 
 of them. This the whole fcriptures teftify unto. It is 
 fully exprefted, 2 Cor. 19,20. he hath provided them, 
 he hath propofed them, and makes ufe only of men, 
 of minifters, to aft in his name. And excufe us if we 
 are a little earneft with you in this matter: Alas, cur 
 utmoft that we can, by zeal for his glory, or compaffi- 
 
 on 
 
i6i 
 
 Ver. 4 . Exhortations unto Believing . 
 
 on unto your fouls, raife our thoughts, minds, fpirits, 
 words, unto, comes infinitely Ihort of his own prefling 
 earneftnefs herein. See Ifa. lv. 1,2,3, 4. Oh infinite 
 condefcenfion ! O bleflfed grace ! Who is this that thus 
 befpeaks you ? He againft whom you have finned, o', 
 whom you are juftly afraid. He whofe laws you have 
 broken, and whofe name you have difhonoured ; He 
 who needs not you, ncr your love, nor your friendfliip, 
 nor your falvation. It is he who propofeth unto you 
 thefe terms of reconciliation and peace. Confider the 
 exhortation oftheanoftle upon this confideration, Heb. 
 xii. 25. See that you refufe not him that fpeaketh from 
 heaven, it is Gcd that lpeaks unto you in this matter; 
 and he fpeaks unto you from heaven. And he doth 
 therein forego all the advantage that he hath againfl: 
 you for your deftruCHon. Wo would be unto your fouls, 
 and that for ever, if you Ihould refufe him. 
 
 3 dly. By whom Were thefe terms procured for you ? 
 and by what means ? Do not think that this matter was 
 brought about by chance, or by an ordinary undertak¬ 
 ing. Remember that the propofal made unto you this 
 # day ccfl: no lefs than the price of the blood of the Sop 
 of God. It is the fruit of the travail 6f his foul. For 
 this he prayed, he wept, he fuflered, he died. And 
 fhall it now be neglefted or defpifed by you ? Will you 
 yet account the blood of the covenant to be a common 
 thing? Will you exclude yourfe Ives from all benefit of 
 the purchafe of thefe terms, and only leave your fouls 
 to anfwer for the contempt of the price whereby they 
 were purchafed ? 
 
 4 thly , Confider, that you are Tinners, great Tinners, 
 curfed finners; fome o f you, it may be worfe than in¬ 
 numerable of your fellow-finners who are now in hell: 
 God might long fmee have caff you of everlaflingly, 
 from all expectation of mercy, and have caufed all your 
 hopes to perifh: Or he might have left you alive, and 
 yet have refufed to deal with you any more. He could 
 have caufed your fun to go down at noon-day, and have 
 given you darknefs inflead of vifion. He could refpite 
 
 your 
 
2 <5 2 Exhortations unto Believing. Ver. 4. 
 
 your lives for a feafon, and yet fwear in his wrath, that 
 you fliould never enter into his reft. It is now other- 
 wife ; how long it may be To, nor you, nor 1 know any 
 thiug at all. God only knows what will be your time, 
 what your continuance. We are to fpeak whilft it is 
 called to-day : And this is that for the prefent which 
 1 have to offer unto you: God declares that there is 
 forgivenefs with him; that your condition is Dot def- 
 perare nor helplefs: There are yet terms of peace pro¬ 
 posed unto you. Methinks it cannot but feem ftrange, 
 that poor finners (hould not at the leaft ftir up thera- 
 felves to enquire after them. When a poor man had 
 fold himfelf of old, and his children, to be fervants, 
 and parted with the land of his inheritance unto ano¬ 
 ther, becaufe of his poverty ; with what heart do you 
 think did he hear the found of the trumpet, when it 
 began to proclaim the year of jubilee, wherein he and 
 all his were to go out at liberty, and to return unto his 
 poffeftion and inheritance ? And fhall not poor fervants 
 of fin, flaves unto Satan, that have forfeited all their 
 inheritance in this world, and that which is to come, 
 attend unto any proclamation of the year of reft, of the 
 acceptable year of the Lord ? And this is done in the 
 tender of terms of peace with God in this matter. Do 
 not'put it off j this thing belongs unto you ; the great 
 concernment of your foul lies-in it. And it is a great 
 matter: For confider, 
 
 $thly. That when the angels came to bring the news 
 of the birth of our Lord Jefus, they fay. We bring 
 tidings of great joy to the whole people, Luke ii. 10. 
 What are thefe joyful tidings ? What was the matter 
 of this report ? Why, This day is born a Saviour, Chrifi 
 the Lord, ver. 11. It is only this; a Saviour is born ; 
 a way of efcape is provided, and further they do not 
 proceed. Yet this they fay is a matter of great joy, as 
 it was indeed. It is fo to every burdened convinced 
 finner, a matter of unfpeakable joy and rejoicing. Oh 
 blefled words! a Saviour is born. This gives life to a 
 finner, and opens a door of hope in the valley of Achor, 
 
 the 
 
Ver. 4. Exhortations unto Believing . 263 
 
 the fir ft refcue of a fin diftrefled foul. Upon the mat¬ 
 ter, it was all that the faints for many ages had to live 
 upon ; and that not in the enjoyment, but only the ex¬ 
 pectation, They lived on that word, The feed of the 
 •woman fkall break the ferpents head ; that is, a way of 
 deliverance is provided for finners. This with all dili¬ 
 gence they enquired into, 1 Pet. i. 10, 11, 12. and im¬ 
 proved it to their eternal advantage. As of old, Jacob, 
 when he faw the waggons that his fon Jofeph had fent 
 to bring him unto him, it is faid his fpirit revived : So 
 did theyupon their obfcure difcoveryof away of forgive- 
 nefs. They looked upon the promife of it, as that which 
 God had fent to bring them unto him; and they faw 
 the day of the coming of Chrifl: in it, and rejoiced. 
 How much more have finners now reafon fo to do, when 
 the fubftance of the promife is exhibited, and the news 
 of his coming proclaimed unto them. This then is a 
 great matter; namely, that terms of peace and re¬ 
 conciliation are propofed; in that it is made known, 
 that there is forgivenefs with God. Upon thefe confi- 
 derations then we purfue that exhortation which we 
 have in hand. 
 
 If any of you were juftly condemned to a cruei and 
 fiiameful death, and lay trembling in the expectation of 
 the execution of it, and a man defigned for that pur- 
 pofe Ihould come unto him, and tell him, that there 
 were terms propounded on which his life might be 
 fpared only he came away like Ahimaaz before he heard 
 the particulars; would it not oe a reviving unto him? 
 Would he not cry out. Pray enquire what they are, for 
 there is not any thing fo difficult which I will not under¬ 
 go to free myfelf from this miferable condition : Would 
 it not change the whole frame of the fpirit of fuch a 
 man, and as it were put new life into him ? but now, if 
 inftead hereof, he fiiould be froward, Uubborn, and 
 obllinate, take no notice of the meflenger, to fay. Let 
 the judge keep his terms to himfelf, without enquiring 
 what they are ; that he would have nothing to do with 
 them; Would not fuch a perfon be deemed to perifh 
 
 de- 
 
264 Exhortations unto Believing. Ver. 4. 
 
 defervedly ? Doth he not bring a double dePlru&ron u- 
 pon himfelf; firft of deferving death by his crimes* and 
 then by refufing the hoaeft and good way of delivery 
 tendred unto him ? I confefs it oftentimes falls out, that 
 men may come to enquire after thefe terms of peace, 
 which when they are revealed, they like them not, but 
 with the young man in the gofpel, they go away for- 
 rowful. The curfed wickednePs and mifcry of which 
 condition, which befals many convinced perfons, (hall 
 be fpoken unto afterwards. At prefent I fpeak unto 
 them who never yet attended in fincerity unto thefe terms 
 nor ferioufly enquired after them. Think you what you 
 pleafe of your condition, and of your felves ; or choofe 
 whether you will think of it or no, pafs your time in a 
 full regardlefnefs of your prefent and future ellate. 
 Yet indeed thus it is with you, as to your ererna) con¬ 
 cerns ; you ly under the fentence of a bitter, (hamelul, 
 and everlafling death; you have done fo in the midPt 
 of all your jollity, ever fince you came into this world ; 
 and you are in the hand of him, who can in the twink¬ 
 ling of an eye deftroy both foul and body in hell fire. 
 In this Plate and condition, men are fent on purpofe, 
 to let you know' that there are terms of peace, there 
 is yet a u r ay of efcape for you ; and that you may not a- 
 voidtheifliie aimed at, they tell you, that God that cannot 
 lie, hath commanded them to tell you fo : If you quef- 
 tion the truth oi what they fay, they are ready to pro¬ 
 duce their warrant under God’s own hand and Peal j 
 here then is no room for tergiverfation or excufes. Cer¬ 
 tainly, if you have any care of your eternal ellate, if 
 you have any drop of tender blood running in your veins 
 towards your own fouls, if you have any rational con- 
 fiderations dwelling in your minds, if all be not defaced 
 and obliterated through the power of lull, and love of fin, 
 you cannot but take your felves to be unfpeakably con¬ 
 cerned in this propofal. But now, if inPtead hereof, 
 you give your felves up unto the power of unbelief, the 
 will of Satan, the love of your lulls, and this prefent 
 world, fo as to take no notice of this errand or mePTage 
 
 from 
 
Ver. 4. Exhortations unto Believing, 265 
 
 from God, nor once ferioufly to enquire after the nature 
 and importance of the-terms propofed, Can you efcape ? 
 Shall you be delivered ? Will your latter end be peace i 
 The Lord kuows it will be otherwife with you, and 
 that unto eternity. 
 
 So the apoftie allures us, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. If our go ]- 
 pel be kid , it is hid to them that are lojl r in whom the 
 god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that be¬ 
 lieve not , left the light of the glorious gofpet of Chrijf 
 who is the image of Godfhould Jhine into them, if you 
 receive not this word, if it be hid from you, it is from 
 the power and efficacy of Satan upon your minds. And 
 what will be the end ? Perifh you mud, and lhall, and 
 that for ever. 
 
 Remember the parable of onr Saviour, Luke xiv. 
 
 3 3 2. What king , going to make tear again]} another 
 
 king, fit teth not down fir fit and confulteth , whether he be 
 able with ten thoufand to meet him that cometh again]} 
 him with twenty thoufand ; or efe , while the other is 
 yet a great way off, he fendeth an ambajjage, and defir- 
 eth conditions of peace. That which he teacheth in this 
 parable, is, the neceffity that lies on us, of making 
 peace with God, whom we have provoked and juftiy 
 made to be our enemy; as alfo, our utter impotency 
 to refid and withdand him, when he dial! come forth 
 in a way of judgment and vengeance jigaiuft us. But 
 here lies a difference in this matter, fuch as is allowed 
 in all fimilitudes; amongft men at variance, it is not 
 his part who is the ftroriger, and fecure of luccefs, to 
 fend to the weaker, whom he hath in his power, to ac¬ 
 cept of terms of peace. Here it is otherwife, God who 
 is infinitely powerful, juftiy provoked, and able to de¬ 
 ft roy poor tinners in a moment; when now he is not 
 very far off, but at the very door, fends himfelf an 
 arabaftage with conditions of peace. And (hall he be 
 refufed by you ? Wnl you yet negleft his offers ? How 
 grea' then will be your deftiu<ftion i 
 
 Heav then, once more, poor fm-hardened fenfelefs 
 iotil, r -,cuy-hearted, that are far from rtgbteoujhtjs, 
 
 L 1 ‘ is 
 
266 
 
 Exhortations unto Believing. Ver. 4. 
 
 Is it nothing unto you, that the great and holy God 
 ■whom ye have provoked all your days, and whom you 
 yet continue to provoke, who hath not the leaf! need 
 of you, or your falvation, who can, when he pleafeth, 
 eternally glorify himfelf in your dedruflion, Ihould of 
 his own accord fend unto you, to let you kr«ow 'hat he 
 is willing to be at peace with you, on the terms he had 
 prepared ? The enmity began on your part, the dan¬ 
 ger is on your part only; and he mightjuftly expeft, 
 that the meffage for peace ihould begin on your part 
 alio : But he begins with you ; and (hall he be reject¬ 
 ed ? The prophet well exprefieth this, Ifa. xxx. 1 e. 
 Thus Jaith the Lord God, the holy One of Ijrael , in re¬ 
 turning and reft Jhall ye he faved, in quietnefs and con¬ 
 fidence/hall be your ftrength ; and you would, not. The 
 love and condefceniion that is in thefe words, on the 
 one hand, cn the part of God, and the folly and ingrati¬ 
 tude mentioned in them cn the other hand, is inexpref- 
 fible. They are fearful words ; But you would not. Re¬ 
 member this againft another day. As our Saviour fays 
 in the like manner to the Jews; You will not come unto 
 me, that ye may have life. Whatever is pretended, it 
 is will and dnbbornefs that ly at the bottom of this re- 
 fufal. 
 
 Wherefore, that either you may obtain advantage 
 by it, or that the wdy of the Lord may be prepared 
 for the glorifying of himfelf upon you, 1 {hall leave this 
 word before all them that hear, or read it, as the tefti- 
 njony which God requires to be given un.to his grace. 
 There are terms of peace with God provided for you, 
 and tendred unto you ; it is yet called to-day, harden 
 not your hearts , like them of old, who couid not enter 
 into the reft of God, by reafon of unbelief, Heb iii. 19. 
 Some of you, it may be, are old in fins, and unacquaint¬ 
 ed with God ; fome of you, it may be, have Teen great 
 finners, fcandalous finners; and fome of you, it may be, 
 Rave reafon to apprehend yourfelves near the grave, and 
 fo alfo to hell ; fome of you, it may be, have your con¬ 
 fidence difquieted and galled; and it may be, fome of you 
 
 1 are 
 
Ver. q. Exhortations unto Believing. 267 
 
 are under fome outward troubles, and perplexities, that 
 caufe you a little to look about you ; and fome of you, 
 it may be, are in the madnefs of your natural flrength 
 and lulls; your breads are full of milk, and your bones 
 of marrow, and y cur hearts of fin, pride, and contempt 
 of the ways of God : All is one : This word is unto you 
 all; and I (hall only mind you, That it is a fearful thing 
 to fall into the hands of the living God: You hear the 
 voice, or read the words of a poor worm, but the mef- 
 fage is the meflage, and the word is ihe word of him 
 who ihaketh heaven and earth. Confider then well what 
 you have to do: and what anfwer you will return unto 
 him who will no? be mocked. 
 
 But you wui fay ; Why, what great matter is there 
 that you have in hand ? Why is it urged with fo much 
 earnednefs ? We have heard the fame words an hun¬ 
 dred rimes over. The lad: Lord’s day, fuch a one, or 
 fuch a one, preached to the fame purpofe , and what 
 need it be i Allied on cow again, with fo much impor¬ 
 tunity ? 
 
 J 
 
 But is it fo indeed, that you have thus frequently 
 been dealt withal, and do yet continue in an edate of 
 ^reconciliation ? My heart is pained for you, to think 
 of your woful and almod remeddefs condition. If he 
 that heino often reproved , and yet jhjfeneih his neck, [hall 
 perifh fuddenly, and that ’without remedy, Prov. xxix. 1. 
 how much more will he do ip, who being often invited 
 unto peace with God, yet hardeneth his heart, and re- 
 fufeth to treat with him ? Methinks I hear his voire con¬ 
 cerning you ; :/ hofe mine enemies, they / ball not tafle of the 
 fupper that I have prepared. Be it then, that the word 
 in hand is a common word unto you, you fet no value 
 upon it; then take your way and courfe in fin ; Humble, 
 fall, and perilh ; It is not fo flight a matter to poor con¬ 
 vinced dinners, that tremble at the word of God ; thefe 
 will prize it, and improve it. We fliaii follow then 
 that counfel, Prov. xxxi. 6. Give flrong drink unto him 
 that is ready to perifh, and wine to thofe that be of an 
 heavy heart. We fliail render this new wine of the 
 
 L1 2 ' j gofpei 
 
. / 
 
 2<5S Exhortations unto Believing. Ver. 4. 
 
 gofpel to poor fad-hearted, confcience-diftrefled finners, 
 finners that are ready to perifb ; to them it will be plea- 
 fant, they will drink of it , and forget their poverty , and 
 remember their mifery no more. It fhali take away all 
 their forrow and fadnefs; when you fhali be drunk with 
 the fruit of your lulls, and fpue, and ly down, and not 
 rife again. 
 
 But now, if any of you (hall begin to fay in your 
 hearts, That you would willingly treat with God ; Oh 
 that the day were come wherein we might approach un¬ 
 to him ! Let him fpeak what he pleafeth, and propofe 
 what terms he pleafeth, we are ready to hear. Then 
 con fid er, 
 
 Secondly , That the terms provided for you, and pro* 
 pofed unto you, are equal, holy, righteous, yea plea- 
 fant, and eafy. This being another general head of 
 our work in hand, before 1 proceed to the further ex¬ 
 plication and confirmation of it, 1 (half adduce one or 
 two obfervations from what hath been delivered on the 
 fi rft. As, 
 
 1. See here on what foundation we preach the gof- 
 pel. Many difputes there are, whether Chrift died for 
 all individuals of mankind, or no : If we fay, No, but 
 only for the elect, who are fome of all forts; fome then 
 tell us, we cannot invite all men promifcuoufty to be¬ 
 lieve. But why fo ? we invite not men, as all men ; 
 no man, as one of all men, but all men as finners: And 
 we know that Chrift died for finners. But is this the 
 iirft thing that we are in the difpenfation of the gofpel 
 to propofe to the foul of a finner, under the law ; that 
 Chrift died for him in particular? Is that the beginning 
 of our meflage unto him ? Were not this a ready way 
 to induce him to conclude, Let me then continue in fin 
 that grace may abound ; No, but this is in order of 
 nature our firft work ; even that which we have had in 
 hand. This is the beginning of the gofpel of Jefus 
 Chrift, this is the voice of one crying in the wildernefs, 
 prepare ye the way of the Lord. There is a way of 
 reconciliation provided. God is in Chrift reconciling the 
 
 world 
 
Ver. 4. Exhortations unto Believing. 269 
 
 world unto himfelf There is a way of acceptance; 
 there is forgivenefs with him to be obtained. At this 
 tbrefhold of the Lord’s houfe, doth the greateft part of 
 men to whom the gofpel is preached fail and perilh, ne¬ 
 ver looking in to fee the treafures that are in the houfe 
 itfelf, never coming into any fuch (lace and condition, 
 wherein they have any ground or bottom to enquire, 
 
 - whether Chrift died for them in particular or no. They 
 beiieve not this report, nor take any ferious notice or 
 it. This was the miniftry of the Btptid, and they, who 
 received it not, reje&ed the counfel of God concerning 
 their falvation, Luke vii. <0. And fo perilled in their 
 fins. This is the fum of the blefled invitation given by 
 wifdom, Prov. ix. t, 2, 3, 4, 5. And here men Hum¬ 
 ble, fall, and perim, Prov. i. 29, 30. 
 
 2. You that have found grace and favour to accept 
 of thefe terms, and thereby to obtain peace with God; 
 learn to live in an holy admiration of his condefcenfion 
 <tnd love therein. That he would provide iuch terms; 
 that he would reveal them unto you ; that, he would en¬ 
 able you to receive them. Unfpeakable love and grace 
 lies in it all. Many have not thefe terms revealed un¬ 
 to them; few find favour to accept of them ; and of 
 whom is it that you have obtained this peculiar mercy. 
 
 Do you aright confider the nature of this matter ? 
 The fcripture propofeth it as an objeft of eternal ad¬ 
 miration, So God loved the world ! herein is love, not that 
 we loved God but he loved us fir ft. Live in this admira¬ 
 tion, and do your utmoft in your feveral capacities to 
 prevail with your friends, relations, acquaintance, to 
 hearken after this great treaty of peace with God, vvhofe 
 terms we fhall nextly confider, as before in general 
 they were exprdfed. 
 
 Secondly , The terms provided for yon, and propofed 
 unto you, are equal, holy, righteous, yea pleafant and 
 eafy, Hof. ii. 18, 19. They are not fuch, as a curfed 
 guilty (inner might juftly expert, but fuch as are meet 
 for an infinitely good and gracious God to propofe; 
 nor fuited to the wildom of man, but full of the wifdom 
 
270 derms of Peace with God , Ver. 4. 
 
 of God. 2 Cor. ii. 6 , 7. The poor convinced wretch 
 thinking of dealing with God, Micah. vi. 6 , 7. rolls a 
 his mind what terms he is like to meet withal; and f Ti¬ 
 es on the mod dreadful, difficult, and impoflible terms 
 that can be imagined. If, faith he any thing be done 
 with this great and mod high God, it mud be by rivers, 
 thoufands, and ten thoufands, children, fird born. 
 whatever is dreadful and rerrible to nature, whatever 
 is impoflible for me to perform, that is it which he 
 looks for. But the matter is quite otherwife; the 
 terms are wholly of another nature ; it is a way of mer¬ 
 cy, a way of free forgivenefs. The apoflle lays it 
 down, Rom. iii. 23, 24, 25 it is a way of propitiation, 
 of pardon, of forgivenefs, in the blood of Chrift ; the 
 terms are the acceptance of the forgivenefs that we 
 have deferibed. Who would not think now, that the 
 whole world would run in to be made partakers of thefe 
 terms, willingly accepting of them. But it proves for the 
 mod part quite otherwife. Men like not this way of 
 all others. It had been fomething, fays Naaman, if 
 the prophet had come and done fo and fo ; but this. 
 Go, waft) and be clean , I do not like it, I am but de¬ 
 luded. Men think within themfelves, that had it been 
 fome great thing that was required of them that they 
 might be faved, they, would with all fpeed addrefs them¬ 
 felves thereunto ; but to come to God by Chrid, 10 be 
 freely forgiven without more ado, they like it not. 
 Some rigid audere penances, fome compenfatpry obe¬ 
 dience, fome fatisfrnflory mortification, or purgatory, 
 had been a more likely way. This of mere pardon, 
 in and by the crofs, it is but folly, 1 Cor. i. 18. 20. 
 1 had rather, faith the Jew, have it as it were by the 
 works of the law. Root. ix. 32. and chap. x. 3. This 
 way of grace and forgivenefs, I like not, fo fay others 
 alfo : So pra&ife others every day ; either this way is 
 wholly rejected, or it is mended by fome additions; 
 which, with God, is all one with the rejection of it. 
 
 Here multitudes of fouls deceive themfelves and pe- 
 rifh. I know not whether it be more difficult to per- 
 
 fwade 
 
Ver. 4. Equal and Holy. 271 
 
 fwade an unconvinced perfon to think of any terms, or 
 a convinced perfon to accept of thefe. Let men fay 
 what they will, and pretend what they fdeafe; yet 
 pra&ically they Hke not this way of forgivenefs. I fhali 
 therefore offer forne fubfervient confiderations, tending 
 to the furtherance of your fouls, in the acceptance of 
 the terms proposed. 
 
 This is the way, thefe are terms of God's own 
 choofmg ; He found out this way, he edablifhed it him- 
 felf. He did it Dot upon our defire, requeft or pro- 
 pofal, but merely of his own accord ; and why ihould 
 we contend with him about it ? If God will have us 
 faved in a way of mere mercy and forgivenefs; if his 
 wifdom ; and fovereignty be in it, (hall we oppofe him, 
 and fay we like it not l Yet this is the language of un¬ 
 belief, Rom. x. 3, 4. Many poor creatures have dif- 
 puted it with God, until at length, being over-powered 
 as it were by the Spirit, have faid, If it muff be fo, and 
 God will fave us by mercy and grace, let it be fo, we 
 yield ourfelves to his will; and yet throughout their 
 difputes dreamed of nothing, but that their own un- 
 worthinefs only kept them from clofmg with the pro- 
 mife of the gofpel. 
 
 Of this nature was that way of Satan whereby he de¬ 
 ceived our fird parents of their intercd in the covenant 
 of works; the terms of it, faith he, as apprehended by 
 you, are unequal. Tea , hath God faid , Te Jhall eat of 
 every tree of the garden, hut of the tree of knowledge of good 
 and evil, ye (hall not eat, left ye die ; come, you fhali not 
 die , for God doth know , in the day you eat thereof your 
 eyes Jhall be opened There is no proportion between 
 the obedience and the threatning. The iffue cannot 
 be fuch as is feared : And by thefe means he ruined 
 them. Thus alfo he proceeds to deprive fouls of their 
 intereft in the covenant of grace, whereunto they are 
 invited. The terms of it are unequal, how can any 
 man believe them ? There is no proportion between 
 the obedience and trie pronnte. To have pardon, for¬ 
 givenefs, hie, and bleffcd eternity on believing, who 
 
 can 
 
272 Terms of Feace with God , Ver. 4. 
 
 can reft in it ? And here lies a confpiracy between Sa¬ 
 tan and unbelief, againfl the wifdom, goodncfs, love, 
 grace and i'overeignty of God. The poifon of this deceit 
 lies in this, that neither the righieoufnefs. nor the 
 mercy of God is of that infinitenets, as indeed they are. 
 The apoftle, to remove this fond imagination, calls us 
 to the pleafure of God, 1 Cor L 2s. it plea fed God by 
 thefoolifhnefs ofpreaching, that is, by the gofpel preach¬ 
 ed, which they efleemed foolifhnefs, to fave believers. 
 He fuffered men indeed to make trial of other ways; 
 and when their inefficiency for the ends men propofed 
 to themfelves was fufHciently manifefted, it pleafed him 
 to reveal his way. And what are we, that wc fliould 
 contend about it with him i This rejection of the way 
 of perfonal righteoufnefs, and choofmg the way of grace 
 and forgivenefs, God averts, Jer. xxxi. 3 f, 32, 33, 
 34. Behold the days co'tie faith the Lord , that / will make 
 a new covenant with the houfe of Ifrael and the houfe of 
 Judah. Lot according to the covenant which 1 made with 
 their fathers : (in which adroini fixation of the covenant, 
 as far as it had refpeft unto typical mercies, much de¬ 
 pended on their perfonal obedience) But this fhall be 
 the covenant that / will make with the houfe of Ifrael^ af¬ 
 ter thofe days faith the Lord ,./ will put my laws t 
 
 8 cc. and l will forgive their iniquities, and remember 
 their fins no more. Let then this way hand, and the' 
 way of mans wifdom and feif righteoufnefs perifh for 
 ever. 
 
 2. This is the way that above others tends directly 
 and immediately to the glory of God. God hath man¬ 
 aged and ordered all things in this way of forgivenefs, 
 fo as no flefhJhould glory in his prefence , but that he that 
 gloriethfhould glory in the Lord, 1 Cor. i. 29= 31. Where 
 then is boafiing f It is excluded ; by what law f By the 
 law of works ; nay , but by the law of faith , Rom. iii. 2 7. 
 It might be eahly manifefted, that God hath fo laid the 
 defign of faving finners by forgivenefs according to the 
 law of faith, that it is utterly impoffible that any foul 
 fliould, on any account whatever, have the leail ground 
 
 of 
 
Ver. 4. Equal and Holy. 273 
 
 of glorying or boafling ia id elf, either absolutely or in 
 comparifon with them that perifh. If Abraham faith 
 the lame apoflle, were justified by works , he had where¬ 
 of to glory , but not before God , chap. iv. 2. The obedi¬ 
 ence of works would have been lo infinitely difpropor- 
 tionate to the reward, which was God himfelf, that 
 there had been no glorying before God ; but therein 
 his goodnefs and grace mud be acknowledged , yet in 
 comparifon with others, who yielded not the obedience 
 required, he would have had wherein to glory; but 
 now this alfo is call off by the way ol forgivenebq <nd 
 no pretence is left for any to claim the lea't (hare <n the 
 glory of it, but God aione ; and herein iies the excel¬ 
 lency of faith, thas it gives glory unto God, Rom. iv. 
 20. the denial wheieof, under various pretences, is 
 the ilTue o' proud unbelief. And this is that which 
 God will bring all unto, or they fhall perith ; namely, 
 that ihame be curs, and the whole glory of our falva- 
 tion his alone So he expreffeth his defign, Ifa. 
 xlv. 22, 23, 24, 25. ver. 22. he propofeth himiel; as 
 the only relief for Tinners; Look unto me (faith he) and 
 te Javedy all the ends of the earth : But what if men. 
 take fome other courfe, and look well to themfelves, 
 and fo decline this way of meie mercy and grace ? 
 Why, faith he, ver. 23. 1 have jworn by myfelj , the 
 •word is gone out of my mouth in righteoufnefs , and Jh all 
 not return, that unto me , every knee Jhall bow , and every 
 tongue /hall f wear Look you unto that ; bu e I have 
 fworn that you (hall either do fo, or anfwer your 
 obtdience at the day of judgment; whereunto Paul 
 app’iesthofe words, Rom. xiv. 1 1. Whar do the faints 
 hereupon ? ver. 24, 25. Surely / hall one fay in the Lord 
 have I righteoufnefs and jlrength. In the Lord /hall all 
 thejeed of Ifrael be juflifed, and fb all glory. They bring 
 their hearts to accept ot all righteoufnefs from him, and 
 to give all glory unto him. 
 
 God at firft placed man in a bleffed Hare and condi¬ 
 tion, in fuch adependance on himfelf, as that he’might 
 have wrought out his eternal happinefs with a gfeat 
 
 M m re- 
 
274 Terms of Peace with God, Ver, 4. 
 
 reputation of glory unto himfelf. Men leing in this 
 honour faith the pfalmift, abode not. God now fixes on 
 another Way, as 1 faid, wherein all the glory (hall be 
 his own, as the apoftle at large fets it forth, Rom. iii. 
 23, 24, 25, 26. Now, neither the way from which 
 Adam fell, nor that wherein fome angels continued, 
 which for the fubftanccwere the fame, is to be compar¬ 
 ed with this of forgivenefs, as to the bringing glory un¬ 
 to God. i hate curiofities and conjectures in the things 
 of God • yet, upon the account of the inrerpofition of 
 the blood of Chrift, 1 think I may boldly fay, there 
 comes more glory to God, by faving one fmner in this 
 way of forgivenefs, than in giving the reward of blef- 
 fednefs to all the angels in heaven ; fo feems it to ap¬ 
 pear, front that fulemn reprefentation, we have of the 
 afeription of glory to God by the whole creation, Rev. 
 v. 9, 10, 1 t, 12, 13. All centers in the bringing forth 
 forgivenefs by the blood of the Lamb. 
 
 1 infifl the more on this, becaufe it lies fo dire&ly a- 
 gainft that curfed principle of unbelief, which reigns 
 in the hearts of the inofl, and often difquiets the bed. 
 That a poor ungodly fmner, going to God with the guilt 
 of all his fins upon him, to receive forgivenefs at his 
 hand, doth bring more glory unto him, than the obe¬ 
 dience of an angel, men are not over-ready to think, 
 nor can be prepared for it, but by itfeffl And the for- 
 mal nature of that unbelief, which worketh in convin¬ 
 ced finners, lies in a refufal to give unto God the whole 
 glory of falvation. There are many hurtful controver- 
 fies in religion, that are managed in the world with 
 great noife and clamour; but this is the greateft and 
 mod pernicious of them ail, and it is for the moft part 
 filently tranfa&ed in the fouls of men ; although under 
 various forms and pretences. It hath alfo broken forth 
 in writings and deputations, that is, whether God or 
 man (hall have the glory of falvation; or, whether it 
 fhall wholly be aferibed unto God, or that man alfo on 
 one account or other, may come in for a fhare. Now, 
 if this be the date and condition with any of you, that 
 
 you 
 
Ver. 4. Equal and Holy. . 275 
 
 you wiil rather perilh, than God fhould have his glory, 
 what fhall we fay, but, go ye curled fouls, perifti for 
 ever, without the lead companion from God, or any 
 that love him, angels or men. 
 
 If you {hall fay, For your parts you are contented 
 with this courfe, let God have the glory, fo you may 
 be forgiven and faved ; there is yet juft caute to fuf- 
 pe<ft, left this be a felflli conrempt of God. It is a 
 great thing to give glory unto God by believing, in a 
 due manner. Such flight returns feem not to have the 
 leaft relation unto it. Take heed, that inftead of be¬ 
 lieving, you be not found mockers, and fo your bands 
 be made ftrong. 
 
 But a poor convinced finner may here find encourage¬ 
 ment : Thou would ft willingly come to acceptance with 
 God, and fo attain falvation ; Oh, my foul longeth for 
 it; wouldft thou willingly take that courfe for the ob¬ 
 taining thofe ends which will bring mod glory unto 
 God ? Surely it is meet and moft equal that 1 fhould do 
 fo; What now, if one fhouid come and tell thee from 
 the Lord, of a way whereby thou poor, finful, felf- 
 condemned creature, miglateft bring as much glory un¬ 
 to God, as any angel in heaven is able to do ? Oh, if 
 I might bring the leaft glory unto God, I fhould rejoice 
 in it Behold then the way which himfelf hath fixed 
 ou for the exaltation of his glory; even that thou 
 fhonldft come to him merely upon the account of grace 
 in the blood of Chrift, for pardon and forgivenefs, and 
 the Lord ftrengthen thee to give up thyfelf thereunto. 
 
 3. Confider, That if this way of falvation be refuf- 
 ed, there is no other way for you. We do not pro- 
 pofe this way of forgivenefs as the beft and moft pleaf- 
 ant, but as the only way. There is no other name gi ¬ 
 ven but that of Chrift; no other way but this of for¬ 
 givenefs. Here lies your choice; take this path, or 
 perilh for ever. It is a fhame indeed unto our curfed 
 nature, that there {hould be any need to ufe this argu¬ 
 ment, that will neither fubmit to God's fovereignty, 
 cor delight in his glory; but feeing it mult be ufed, 
 
 Mm2 y 1 let 
 
27 6 Terms of Peace with God, Ver. 4. 
 
 let it be To. i intend neither to flatter men, nor to 
 frighten them ; but to tel! them the truth as it is. If 
 you continue in your prefent flare and condition, if you 
 reft on what you do, or what you hope to do, if you 
 fupport yourfelves with general hopes of mercy, mix¬ 
 ed with your own endeavours and obedience, if you 
 come not up to a thorough gofpei-clofure with this way 
 of God, if you make it not your All, giving glory to 
 God >herein ; perifli you will, and muft, and that to e- 
 tenrry. 'There remains no more facrifice for fins, nor 
 wa\ of efcape for your fouls. You have not then only 
 the excellency of this way to invite you, but the abfo- 
 lutc iiidifpenlable necefffty of this way to enforce you. 
 And now lei me add, that I am glad this word is lpok- 
 en, is written : You and I muft one day be accountable 
 for this difeourfe ; tha word that hath already been 
 fpoken. if negle&ed, will prove a fore leftimony againfl: 
 you It will not fare with you, as with other men who 
 have nor heard the joyful found. Ail thefe words 
 that (hill >e f mnd confonant to the gofpel, if they, are 
 noi turned to grace in your hearts here, will turn into 
 torment unto your fouls hereafter. Choofe not any o- 
 tber way, it will be m vain for you ; it will not profit 
 you ; and take heed left you fuppofe you embrace this 
 way, when indeed you do not, about winch I have giv¬ 
 en caution before. 
 
 4 This way is free and open for and unto finners. 
 He that ff d to the city of refuge, might well have ma¬ 
 ny perplexed ihoughrs, whether he fhould find the 
 gates of it opened unto him or no, and whether the a- 
 venger of 'flood might not overtake and flay him, whilft 
 he was calling for entrance Or, if the gates were al¬ 
 ways open, yet fome crimes excluded men thence. 
 Numb. xxxv. 24. It is not fo here, A<fts xiii. 38, 39. 
 
 This is ihe voice of God even the father ; come, faith 
 he, to the marriage, for all things are prepared, no 
 fear of want of entertainment, Matth xxii. 4. Whence 
 the preachers of the gofpel are faid, in his ftead, to 
 befeech men to be reconciled, 2 Cor. v. 18, 
 
 It 
 
Ver. 4. Equal and Holy . 277 
 
 Ii is the voice of the Son ; whofoever, faith he, 
 comedi to God by me, 1 will in no wife cajl out, John 
 vi. 37. Who ere he be that comes, lhail afluredly find 
 entertainment; the fame is his call and invitation in o- 
 tber places, as Matth. xi. 28. John vii. 37. And 
 
 This is the voice of the Spirit and of the church, and 
 of all believers, Rev. xxii. 17. The Spirit and the bride 
 fay. Come ; and let him that heareth fay , Come ; and let 
 him that is a thirjl come ; and who foever will , let him 
 take of the water of life freely ; All centre in this, that fin- 
 ners may come freely to the grace of the gofpel. And 
 
 It is the known voice of the gofpel itfelf, as Ifaiah lv, 
 1, 2, 3 Prov. ix. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And it is the voice 
 of all the faints in heaven and earth, who have been 
 made partakers of fo r givenefs; they all teftify, that 
 they received it freely. 
 
 Some indeed endeavour to abufe this concurrent tef- 
 timony of God and man. What is fpoken of the free¬ 
 dom of the grace of God, they would wreft to the pow¬ 
 er of the will of man : But the riches and freedom of 
 God’s mercy do not in the leaft interfere with the effica¬ 
 cy of his grace. Though he proclaim pardon in the 
 blood of Chrifi: indefinitely, according to the fulnefs and 
 excellency of it, yet he giveth out his quickning grace 
 to enable men to receive it, as he pleafeth ; for he hath 
 mercy on whom he wi 1 have mercy : But this lies in 
 the thing itfelf, the way is open and prepared ; and it 
 is not becaufe men cannot enter, but becaufe they will 
 not, that they do not enter. As our Saviour Chrill 
 tells the Pharifees, Te therefore hear not God's word, 
 becaufe ye are not 0f God , John yiii. 47. and John vi. 44. 
 So he doth, Te will not come unto me that ye may have 
 life , John vj 40. In the negleft and inadvertency of the 
 molt excufable, there is a pofitive aft of their will put 
 forth in the refufing of Chrilt,and grace by him; and this 
 is done by them under the preaching of the gofpel every 
 day. There is nothing that, at the laft day, will tend 
 more immediately to the advancement of the glory of 
 God, in the inexculablenefs of them who obey not the 
 
 gofpel, 
 
a/8 Terms of Peace with God> Ver. 4 
 
 gofpel, than' this, that terms of peace, in the blelTed 
 way of forgivenefs, were freely tendered unto them. 
 Some that hear or read this word, may perhaps have 
 lived long under the difpenfation of the word of grace, 
 and yet it may be have never once ferioufly pondered 
 on this way of coming to God by forgivenefs through 
 rhe blood of Chrift ; but think, that going to heaven 
 is a thing of courfe, that men need not much trouble 
 themfelves about; Do they know what they have done ? 
 Hitherto all their days they have pofitively refufed the 
 falvation that hath been freely tendered unto them in 
 Jefus Chrift. Not they, they’ll fay, they never had 
 luch a thought, nor would for all this world. But be 
 it known unto you, in as much as you have not effec¬ 
 tually received him, you have refufed him; and whe¬ 
 ther your day and feafon be paft or no, the Lord only 
 knows. 
 
 5. This way is fafe. No foul ever mifcarried in it. 
 There is none in heaven, but will fay it is a fafe way; 
 there is none in hell can fay otherwife. It is fafe to all 
 that venture on ir, fo as to enter into it. In the old 
 way we were to preferve ourfelves and the way. This 
 preferves itfelf and us; this will be made evident by 
 the enfuing confiderations. 
 
 Fir ft 9 This is the way which in the wifdom, care, and 
 love of God in Chrift, was provided in the room of 
 another, removed and taken out cf the way for this 
 caufe and reafon, becaufe it was not fafe, nor could 
 bring us unto God, Heb. viii. 7, 8. For if the firfl co¬ 
 venant had been faultlefs , then fhould no place have been 
 fought for the fecond ; but finding fault with them i he 
 faith. And, 
 
 jy?, He tells us, the firil covenant was not faultlcfs, 
 for if it had, there would have been no need of a fe¬ 
 cond. The commandment indeed, which was the mat¬ 
 ter of that covenant, the fame apoftle informs us to be 
 holy, juft, and good, Rom. vii. 12. But it was faulty as 
 to all ends of a covenant, confidering our date and con¬ 
 dition as fmners j it could not bring us unto God. So 
 
 he 
 
Ver. 4. Equal and Holy. 2 79 
 
 he acquaints us, Rom. viii. 3. It was made weak thro* 
 the flefh ; that is, by the entrance of fin, and fo be¬ 
 came unufeful as to the faving of fouls. Be it fo then ; 
 through our fin and default this good and holy law, this 
 covenant, was made unprofitable unto us; But what 
 was that unto God ? Was he bound to defert his own 
 inftitution and appointment, becaufe through our own 
 default it ceafed to be profitable unto us? Not at all; 
 he might righteoully have tied us all unto the terms of 
 that covenant, to Hand or fall by them unto eternity; but 
 he would not do fo. But, 
 
 idl)\ In his love and grace, he finds fault with it, 
 verfe 8. not in itfelf and abfolutely, but only fo far 
 as that he would provide another way, which (hould 
 fupply all its defers and wants in reference to the end 
 aimed at. What way that is, the apoftle declares in 
 the following verfes, to the end of this chapter. The 
 fum is, verfe 12. I will he merciful to their unrighteouf 
 nefsy and their fins and tbcir iniquities will I remember 
 no more. It is the way of pardon and forgivenefs. This 
 is fubftituted in the room of that inefficient way that 
 was removed. 
 
 Lei us confider then, whether the infinitely wife and 
 holy God, purfuing his purpofe of bringing fouls unto 
 himfelf, laying afideone way of his own appointment as 
 ufelefs and infirm, becaufe of the coming in or fin, a- 
 gainfl which there was no relief found in it, and fub- 
 ftiiuting another way in the room of it; would not pro¬ 
 vide fuch an one, as (hould be abfolutely free from the 
 faults and inconveniences which he charged upon that, 
 which he did remove. That which alone rendered the 
 former way faulty was fin ; it could do any thing but 
 fave a fmner; this then was to be and is principally pro¬ 
 vided againft in this way of forgivenefs. And we fee 
 here, how clearly God hath fevered, yea, and in this 
 matter oppofed thefe two things; namely, the way of 
 perfonal righteoufnefs, and the way of forgivenefs. He 
 finds fault with the firft ; What then doth he ? whai 
 courfe doth he take ? Doth he mend it, take from it 
 
 what 
 
280 Terms of Peace with God , Ver 4. 
 
 what Teems to be redundant, mitigate its feverity, and 
 fuppjy it where it is wanting by forgivenefs, and To fet 
 it up anew ? This indeed is the way that many proceed 
 in their notions, and the moft in their practice. But 
 this is not the way of God ; he takes the one utterly a- 
 way, and eflablifhes the other in its place ; and mens 
 endeavours to mix them will be found ot little ufe to 
 them at the laft. I can have no great expe&ation from 
 that which God pronounced faulty. 
 
 Secondly, The unchangeable principles and foundati¬ 
 ons that this way is built upon, render it fecure and 
 fafe for Tinners • For, 
 
 (1.) It is founded on the purpofe of God, Gal. iii. 8. 
 The fcripture forefeeing that God would juflify the heathen 
 thro ’ faith, God would do To, he had purpofed and 
 determined to proceed this way; and all the purpofes 
 of God are attended with immutability: And, 
 
 (2.) His promife alio is engaged in it, and that given 
 out in the way of a covenant, as hath been already de¬ 
 clared s And, 
 
 ($.) This promife is confirmed by an oath; and it 
 may be obferved, that God doth not in any thing inter- 
 pofe with an oath, bur what relates to this happy way 
 of coming to himfelt by forgivenefs. For the oath of 
 God, wherever it is ufed, refpefteth either Chrifl typi¬ 
 cally or perlonally, or the covenant eltablilhed in him: 
 For, 
 
 (4) This way is confirmed and ratified in his blood, 
 from whence the apoftle at large evinceth its absolute 
 Tecurity and fafety, Hebrews ix. Whatever foul then, 
 on the invitation under confiderarion, fhall give up h ; m- 
 felf to come to God by the way propofed, he fhall affur- 
 edly find abfolute peace and Tecurity in it. Neiiher 
 our own weaknefs or lolly from within, nor the oppo- 
 fition of any of all our enemies from without, fhall be 
 able to turn us out of this way. See Ifaiah xxxv. 4, 5, 
 6 , 7> 8, 9 > io- 
 
 Thirdly , In the other way, every individual perfon 
 hands upon his own bottom, and muff do fo to the lad:, 
 
 aud 
 
2 8 i 
 
 Ver. q. Equal and Holy. 
 
 and utmoft of his. continuance in this world. You are 
 defirous to go unto God, to obtain his favour, and come 
 to an enjoyment of him. What will you do ? what 
 courfe will you fix upon, for the obtaining of thefe ends ? 
 If you were fo holy, fo perfect, fo righteous, fo free 
 from fin as you could defire, you fhould have fome bold 
 ncfs in going unto God ; why, if this be the way you 
 fix upon, take this along with you : you (land upon your 
 own pcrfonal account all your days; and, if you fail in 
 the leaf!, you are gone lor ever; For whcfoever Jhali 
 keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point , he is guilty 
 of all, James ii. io. And what peace can you polfibly 
 obtain, were you as holy, as ever you aimed or de- 
 fired to be, whiift this is ySur condition ? But, in this way 
 of forgivenefs, we all Hand upon the account of one 
 common Mediator, in whom we are complete, Col. hi. 
 io. And a want of a due improvement of this truth, 
 is a great principle of difconfoiation to many fouls. Sup- 
 pofe a man look upon himfelf as loofed from the cove¬ 
 nant of works, wherein exa£l and perfe£l righteoufnefs is 
 rigidly required ; and to be called unto gofpel'evange- 
 lical obedience, to be performed in the room thereof, 
 in fincerity and integrity; yet, if he be not cleared in 
 this alfo, that he (lands not in this way purely on his 
 own account, he will never be able to make his com¬ 
 forts hold out to the end of his journey. There will 
 be found in the bell of men fo many particular failings, 
 as will feem, in difficult feafons, to impeach their inte¬ 
 grity ; and fo many queflionings will after arife, through 
 the darknefs of their minds, and power of their tempta¬ 
 tions, as will give but little reft unto their fouls. Here 
 lies the great fecurity of this way; we abide in it :m 
 the account of the faithfulnefs and ability of our com¬ 
 mon Mediator, jefus Chrift. 
 
 And this is another confideration, ftreogthning our 
 invitation to our clofure with the way of coming unto 
 God under propofal. There is nothing wandng that is 
 needful to give infallible fecurity to any foul that (hail 
 venture himfelf into it, and upon it. There are terms 
 
 N n of 
 
282 Terms of Peace with God , Ver. 4. 
 
 of peace propofed, as you have heard. Thefe terms 
 are excellent and holy, and chofen of God, tending to 
 the intereft of his glory, free, fafe, and fecure unto 
 finners. What hath any foul in the world ro objeft a- 
 gainft them P or wherein do men repofe their truft and 
 confidence, in the negleft of this fo great falvarion P Is 
 it in their lulls and fins, that they will yield them is 
 much fatisfa&ion and contentment as they lhall need to 
 defire P Alas 1 they will ruin them, and bring forth no¬ 
 thing but death. Is it in the world P it will deceive 
 them ; the figure of it paffeth away. Is it in their du¬ 
 ties and righteoufnefs? they will not relieve them ; for 
 did they follow the law of righteoufnefs, they could not 
 obtain the righteoufnefs of the la\v. Is it in the conti¬ 
 nuance of their lives P Alas! it is but a fhadow, a va¬ 
 pour that appeareth for a little while. Is it in a future 
 amendment and repentance P Hell is full of fouls perifli- 
 ing under fuch refolutions. Only this way of pardon re : 
 mains, and yet of all others is mod defpifed. But yet, 
 I have one confideration more to add, before I further 
 enforce the exhortation. _ ! 
 
 6 . Confider, that this is the only way and means to 
 enable you unto obedience, and to render what you do 
 therein acceptable unto God. It may be, that fome of 
 you are under the power of convictions, and have made 
 engagements unto God, to live unto him, to keep your- 
 felves from fin, and to follow after holinefs. It may be, 
 you have done fo in affliction, dangers, fickneffes, or 
 upon the receipt of mercies; but yet you find, that you 
 cannot come unto {lability or conffancy in your courfe : 
 You break with God and your own fouls, which fills 
 you with new difquietments, or elfe hardens you, and 
 makes you fecure and negligent; fo that you return 
 unto your purpofes no onner than your convictions or 
 a£ffi<ffions befal you anew. This condition is ruinous and 
 pernicious, which nothing can deliver you from, but 
 this clofing with forgivenefs. For, 
 
 (1.) All that you do without this, however it may 
 pleafe your minds, or eafe your confidences, is not at 
 
 all 
 
Ver. 4. 
 1 
 
 Equal and Holy. 
 
 all accepted with God. Unlefs this foundation be laid, 
 
 : all that you do is loft. All your prayers, all your du¬ 
 ties, all your amendments are an abomination unto die 
 Lord; until peace is made with him, they are but the 
 a£ts of enemies, which he defpifeth and abhorreth. You 
 run it may be earneftly, bat you run out of the way; 
 you ftrive, but not lawfully, and (hall never receive the 
 crown. True gofpel-obedience is the fruit of the faith 
 of forgivenefs; whatever you do without it, is but a 
 
 ( building, without a foundation, a caftle in the air. You 
 may fee the order of gofpel-obedience, Eph. ii. 7, B, 9, 
 10. The foundation muft be laid in grace; riches of 
 grace by Chrift, in the free pardon and forgivenefs of 
 fin. From hence muft the work of obedience proceed, 
 
 > if you would have them to be of God’s appointment, 
 or find acceptance with him. Without this, God will 
 fay of all your ftrvices, worfhip, obedience, as he did 
 to the Ifraelites of old, Amos v. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. I 
 defpife all, reject it all; it is not to him, nor to his glo¬ 
 ry ; Now, if you are under convi&ions of any fort, there 
 is nothing you more value, nothing you more place your 
 confidence in, than your duties, your repentance, your a- 
 mendment, what you do, and what in good time you 
 will be. Is it nothing unto you to Iofe all your hopes 
 and all your expectations which you have from hence ? 
 To have no other reception with God, than if all this 
 while you had been wallowing in your fins and luffs r* 
 Yet thus it is with you, if you have not begun with God 
 on his own terms; if you have not received the atone¬ 
 ment in the blood of his Son ; if you are not made par¬ 
 takers of forgivenefs, if your perfons are not pardoned, 
 all your duties are accurfed. 
 
 (2.) This alone will give you fuch motives and encou¬ 
 ragements unto obedience, as will give you life, alacrity, 
 and delight in it. You perform duties, abftain from 
 fins, but with heavinefs, fear, and in bondage, Gould 
 you do as well without them, as with them, would con¬ 
 fidence be quiet, and hope of eternity hold out, you 
 would omit them for ever. This makes all your obedi¬ 
 ence burdenfome, and you cry out in your thoughts 
 
 N n 2 
 
 with 
 
284 Terms of Peace with Godi Ver. 
 
 wiib him in the Prophet, ; Behold what a wearinefs is 
 it! the fervice of God is the only drudgery of your lives., 
 which you dare not 01r.it, and delight not to perform. 
 From this wretched and curled frame, there is nothing 
 can deliver you, but this clofmg with forgivenefs. This » 
 •will give you fuch motives, fuch encouragements, as will 
 greatly influence your hearts and foujs. It will give you 
 freedom, liberty, delight, and chearfulnefs in all duties 
 of gofpel-obedience. You will find a conftraining pow¬ 
 er in the love of Ohrid therein ; a freedom from bon-- 
 dage, when the Son truely hath made you free. Faith 
 and love will work genuinely and naturally in your fpirits; 
 and that which was your greateft bitrden, will become 
 your chiefefi joy; 2 Cor. vii. 1. Thoughts of the love 
 of God, of the blood of Chrifi, or the covenant of grace, 
 and fcnfe of pardon in them, will enlarge your hearts, 
 and fweeten all your duties. You will find a new life, 
 a new pleafure, a new fatisfa&ion, in all that you do. 
 Have you yet ever underftood that of the wile man, 
 Prov. iii. 17. The ways of wifdom are pleafantnefs , and 
 her paths are peace f Have the ways of holinefs, of o- 
 bedience, of duties, been fo unto you ? Whatever you 
 pretend, they are not, they cannot be fo, whilft you 
 are firangers unto that which alone can render them fo 
 unto you. I fpeak unto them that are under the law; 
 would yon be free from that bondage, that galling yoke 
 in duties of obedience ? Would you have all that you 
 do towards God, a delight and a pleafantnefs unto you? 
 This, and this alone will effeft it for you. 
 
 (3.) This will place all your obedience upon a fure 
 foot of account in your own fouls and confciences; even 
 the fame that is fixed on in the gofpel. For the pre- 
 fenr, all that you do, is indeed but to compound with 
 God for your fin ; you hope by what you do for him, 
 and to him, to buy off what you have dfone againft 
 him; that you may not fall ieto^he hands of his wrath 
 and vengeance. This makes all you do to be irkfome. 
 As a man that labours all his days, to pay an old debt, 
 aou brings in nothing to lay up for himfcdf, how tedi- 
 
 - ous 
 
Ver. 4. Equal and Holy. 285 
 
 ous and wearifome is his work and laboar to him ? It 
 is odds but that at one time or other, he will give over 
 and run away from his creditor. So it is in this cafe, 
 men who have fecret referves of recompenfing God by 
 their obedience, every day find their debt growing up¬ 
 on them ; and have every day !efs hopes of making a 
 fadsfa&ory payment. This makes them weary, and 
 for the mofi: part they faint under their difcouragements, 
 and at length they fly wholly from God. This way a- 
 lone will (bate things otherwife in your confciences; it 
 will give you to lee, that all your debts are paid by 
 Chrift, and freely forgiven unto you by God. So that 
 what you do is of gratitude or thankfulnefs, hath an 
 influence into eternity, leads to the glory of God, the 
 honour of Chrift in the gofpel, ana ypur own comfort¬ 
 able account at the laft day. This encourageth the 
 foul to labour, to trade, to endeavour; all things noW 
 looking forward unto his advantage. 
 
 (4.) Fijid you not in yourfelves an impotency, a dif- 
 ability unto the duties of obedience, as to their perfor¬ 
 mance unto God in an acceptable manner ? it may he 
 you are not fo fenfible hereof as you ought to be. For 
 refpefting only or principally the outward part and per¬ 
 formance of duties, you have not experience of your 
 own weaknefs. How to enliven and fill up duties with 
 faith, love, and delight, you know not; and are there¬ 
 fore unacquainted with your own infufiiciency in this 
 matter; yet if you have any light, any convifhons, 
 (and to fuch I (peak at prefent) you cannot but per¬ 
 ceive and underftand, that you are not able in your o- 
 bedience to anfwer what you aim at; you have not 
 ftrength or power for it Now, it is this faith of for- 
 givenefs alone that will furnifli you with the ability, 
 whereof you (land in need. Pardon comes not to the 
 foul alone ; or rather Chrift comes not to the loul with 
 pardon only. It is that which he opens the door, and 
 enters by ;"but he comes with a fpirit of life and power. 
 And as without him we can do nothing, fo through 
 his enabling us we may do all things. Receiving o? got- 
 
286 Terms of Peace with'God , Sc c, Ver. 4. 
 
 pel forgivenefs engageth all the grace of the gofpel un¬ 
 to our afliftance. 
 
 This is the fum of what hath been fpoken, the obe¬ 
 dience that you perform under your conviftions is bur- 
 denfome and unpleafant unto you ; it is altogether un¬ 
 acceptable to God. You lofe all you do, and all that 
 you hope to do hereafter, if the foundation be not laid 
 in the receiving of pardon in the blood of Chrift. It is 
 high time to call down all that vain and imaginary fa- ' 
 brie which you have been ere&ing, and to go about 
 the laying of a new foundation, which you may fafely 
 and chearfully build upon ; a building that will abide 
 for ever. 
 
 Again, It is fuch a way, fo excellent, fo precious, 
 fo near the heart of God, fo relating to the blood of 
 Chrift, that the negleft of it will afluredly be forely re¬ 
 venged of the Lord. Let not men think that they (hall 
 defpife the wifdom and love of the Father, the blood 
 of the Son, and the promifes of the gofpel, at an eafy 
 rate. Let us in a very few words take a view of what 
 the Holy Ghoft fpeaks to this purpofe. There are 
 three ways whereby the vengeance due to the neglect 
 of doling with forgivenefs or gofpel grace is exprefled. 
 
 (1.) That is done pofitively : He that helieveth not 
 fhall be damned, Mark xvi. 16. That is a hard 
 word ; many men cannot endure to hear of it. They 
 would not have it named by their good wills, and are 
 ready to fly in the face of him from whofe mouth it pro¬ 
 ceeds. But let not men deceive themfeives, this is the 
 fofteft word, that mercy, and love itfelf, that Chrift, 
 that the gofpel, fpeaks to defpifers of forgivenefs. It 
 is Chrift who is this legal terrifying preacher; it is he 
 that cries out, If you believe not , you Jhall be damned; 
 and will come himfelf in flaming fire , to take vengeance 
 of them that obey not the gofpel, 2 Thelf. ii. 8. This is 
 the end of the difobedient; if God, if Chrift, if the 
 gofpel may be believed. 
 
 < 2.) Comparatively in reference unto the vengeance 
 due to the breach of the law, 2 Cor. ii, 16. We are in 
 
 the 
 
Vcr. 4. Exhortations to Believing enforced. 287 
 
 the preaching of forgivenefs by Chrift, unto them that 
 perifh, a favour of death unto death, a deep death, a 
 fore condemnation, fo Heb. x. 29. Of how much forer 
 punifhment fuppofe ye fJjall he be thought worthy f Sorer 
 than ever was threatned by the law, or infli&ed for the 
 breach of it; not as to the kind of punifhment, but as 
 to the degrees of it: Hence arifeth the addition of ma¬ 
 ny flripes. 
 
 (3.) By the way of admiration at the unexpreffibje- 
 nefs, and unavoidablenefs of the punifhment due unto 
 fuch finners, Heb. ii. g. How Jhall we efcape , if we 
 neglett fo great falvation? Surely, if there is no way 
 for men to efcape, they fhall unavoidably perifh who 
 neyleft fo great falvation. So the Holy Ghoft fays, 
 1 Pet. iv r 11. What fhall be the end of them that obey 
 not the oofpel f What underftanding can reach to an ap» 
 prehenfion of their miferable and woful condition ?■ 
 None can, faith the Holy Ghofl; nor can it be fpoken 
 to their capacity ; ah ! what fhall their end be ? There 
 remains nothing but a certain fearful looking for of judg¬ 
 ment^ and fery indignation that fhall confurne the adver - 
 fatiesy Heb. x. 27. A certain fearful expectation of 
 aftonifhable things that caqnot be comprehended. 
 
 And thefe are the enforcements of rhe exhortation in 
 hand, which 1 fhall infill upon. On thefe foundations, 
 on the confideration of thefe principles, • let us now a 
 little confer together, with the words of truth and fo- 
 briety. 1 fpeak to fuch poor fouls, as having deceiv¬ 
 ed themfelves, or negle&ed utterly their eternal condi¬ 
 tion, are not as yet realiy, and in truth, made partak¬ 
 ers of this forgivenefs. Your prefent date is fad and 
 deplorable; there is nothing but the woful uncertainty 
 of a dying life between you and eternal ruin. That 
 perfuafion you have of forgivenefs, is good for nothing, 
 but to harden you, and deflroy you; it is not the for¬ 
 givenefs that is with God ; nor have you taken it up on 
 golpel grounds or evidences. You have flollen painted 
 beads, and take yourfelves to be lawful poffeffors of 
 
 pearls 
 
288 Exhortations to Believing enforced. Ver. 4, 
 
 pearls and jewels. As you are then any way concerned 
 in your own eternal condition, which you are entring 
 imo, (and how foon you (hall be engaged in it you 
 know not) prevail with yourfelves to attend a little un¬ 
 to the exhortation that lies before you ; it is your own 
 bufinefs that you are entreated to have regard unto. 
 
 1. Confider ferioufly what it is you bottom your 
 hopes and expectations upon as to eternity. Great men, 
 ?md in other things wife, are here very apt to deceive 
 themfelves. They fuppofe they think and believe 
 much otherwife, than indeed they think and believe, 
 as their crv at the lafl: day will manifeft. Put your fouls 
 a little unto it. Do you all ferioufly thiak of thefe 
 things ? Or are you fo under the power of your luffs, 
 ignorance, and darknefs, that you negleft and defpife 
 thfin ? Or do you rife up and ly down, and perform 
 fome duties, or negleft them with a great coldnefs, rc* 
 mifnels, and inclifferency of fpirit, iike Gallionot much 
 caring for thefe things ? Or do you relieve yourfelves 
 with hopes of future amendment, purpofing that if you 
 live, you will be other perfons than you are, when fuch 
 and fuch things are brought about and accomplifhed ? 
 Or, do you not hope well in general upon the account 
 of what you have done, and will do ? If any of thefe 
 exprefs your condition, it is unfpeakably miferable. 
 You ly down and rife up under the wrath of the great 
 God, who will prevail at lafl: upon you, and there fhall 
 be none to deliver. If you fhail fay, Nay, this is not 
 our Hate ; we rely on mercy and forgivenefs; then let 
 me, in the fear of the great God, entreat a few things 
 yet further of you. 
 
 2. That you would feriouily confider, whether the 
 forgivenefs you reft on, and hope in, be that gofpel 
 forgivenefs which we have before deferibed ? or is it on¬ 
 ly a general apprehenfion of impunity, though you are 
 finners j that God is merciful, and you hope in him, 
 that you fhall elcape the vengeance of hell-fire ? If it 
 be thus with you, forgivenefs itfelf will not relieve you. 
 This is that of the prefumptuous man, Deut. xxix. 19. 
 
 gofpel- 
 
Ver. 4. Exhortation to Believing enforced. 279 
 
 gofpel-pardon is a thing of another nature ; it hath its 
 fprmg iu the gracious heart of the Father, is made out 
 by a fovereign a£t of his will; rendered confident with 
 the glory of his jufliee and hoiinefs by the blood of 
 Chrift, by which it is purchaled in a covenant of grace 
 as hath been fhewed : If you (hall fay. Yea, this is the 
 forgivenefs we rely upon, it is that which you have de- , 
 fcribed. Then I defire further that you would. 
 
 3. Examine your own hearts, how you came to have 
 an interell in this forgivenefs, to clofe with it, and to 
 have a right unto it. A man may deceive himfelf as ef- 
 fe&ually by fuppofing that true riches are his, when 
 they are not, as by fuppofing his falfe and counterfeit 
 ware to be good and current; how then come you to be 
 intereiled in this gofpel-forgivenefs ? If it hath befallen 
 you, you know not how, if a lifelefs, barren, inoperative 
 perfwalion of it hath crept upon your minds; be not mis¬ 
 taken, God will cotne and require his forgivenefs at 
 your hands, and it fhall appear that you have had no 
 parr, nor portion in it. If you fhali fay, Nky, but we 
 were convinced of fin, and rendered exceeding unquiet 
 in our ccnfciences, and on that account looked out after 
 forgivenefs, which hath given us reft. Then 1 defire. 
 
 4. That you would diligently confider, to what ends 
 and purpofes you have received, and to make ufe of 
 this gofpel forgivenefs. Hath it been to make up what 
 was wanting, and to piece up a peace in your own con- 
 fciences ? that whereas you could not anfwer your con¬ 
 victions with your duties, you would feek for relief from 
 forgivenefs. This, and innumerable other ways there 
 are, whereby men may lofe there fouls, when they’ 
 think all is well with them, even on the account of par¬ 
 don and mercy. Whence is that caution of the apoftle. 
 Looking diligently left any one Jhould feem to fail , or come 
 fhort of the grace of God, Heb. xii. 15. Men rnifs it and 
 come fhori of it, when they pretend themlelves to be in 
 purfuit of it; yea to have overtaken and pofleffed it. 
 Now r , if any of thefe fliould prove to be your condition, 
 
 1 defire. 
 
 O 0 5. 
 
 TInr 
 
 >- Lx tU 
 
2So Exhortation to Believing enforced. Ver. 4. 
 
 5. That you would cenfider ferioufly, whether it be 
 not high time for you to look out for a way of deliver¬ 
 ance, and efcape. that you may fave yourfelves from 
 this evil world, and fly from the wrath to come. The 
 judge (lands at the door. Before he deal with you as 
 a judge,, he knocks with a tender mercy. Who knows 
 but that this may be the laft time of his dealing thus 
 with you ? Be’ you old or young, you have but your 
 feafon, but your day ; it may perhaps be night with 
 you, when it is day with the reft of the world. Your 
 fun may go clown at noon ; and God may fwear that 
 you (hall not enter into his reft. If you are then re- 
 folved to continue in your prefent condition, 1 have no 
 more to fay unto you. 1 am pure from your blood, in 
 that 1 have declared unto you the counfei of God in 
 this thing, and fo 1 muft leave you to a naked trial be¬ 
 tween the great God and your fouls at the laft day ; 
 poor creatures, 1 even tremble to think, how he will 
 tear you'in pieces, when there (hall be none to deliver. 
 Methinks 1 fee poor deftittue forlorn fouls, ferfaken of 
 lufts, fins, world, friends, angels, men, trembling be¬ 
 fore the throne of God, full of horror, and fearful ex- 
 pc&ation of the dreadful fentence. Oh drat I could 
 mourn over you, whilft you are joined to all the living; 
 whilft there is yet hope, oh that in this your day, ycu 
 knew the? things of your peace ! 
 
 But now, if you ftiali fay. Nay, but we will feek the 
 Lord whilft he may be found, we will draw nigh unto 
 him before he caule darknefs; then confider I pray, 
 
 6 . What Jofliua told the children of 3 frael, when 
 they put themfelves upon fuch refolucion, and cried 
 out. We ivillferve the Lord our God , chap. xxiv. ver, 
 19. Te cannot ferve the Lord, for he is an holy God , a 
 
 jealous God , he will net forgive your tran fgrejfions , nor 
 your fins. Go to him upon your own account, and in 
 your own ftrength, with your own bed endeavours and 
 duties, you will find him too great and too holy for you 
 \o deal withal, You will obtain neither acceptance of 
 your perfons, nor pardon of your fins. But you wilt 
 
Ver. 4. Exhortation to Believing enforced . 281 
 
 fay, this is heavy tidings. If you fit fliil you perifh, 
 and if you rife to be doing, it will not be better ; is 
 there no hope left for your fouls ? mull we pine away 
 under our fins and the wrath of God for ever ? God 
 forbid. There are yet other directions remaining to 
 guide you out of thefe entanglements. Wherefore, 
 
 7. Ponder ferioufly on what hath been fpoken of this 
 way of approaching unto God. Confider it in its own 
 nature, as to all the ends and purpofes for which it is 
 propofed of God ; Confider vvhether you approve of it 
 or no ; Do you judge it a way fuited and fitted to bring 
 glory unto God ? Doth it anfwer all the wants and dif- 
 trefles of your fouls ? Do you think it excellent fafe, 
 and glorious unto them who are entered into it ? Or 
 have you any thing to objeCf againtl it ? Return your 
 anfwer to him in whofe name, and by whofe appoint¬ 
 ment thefe words are fpoken unto you. If you (hall 
 fay, We are convinced that this way of forgivenefs is 
 the only way for the relief and deliverance of our fouls. 
 Then, 
 
 8 . Abhor vourfelves for all your blindnefs and ob- 
 ftinacy, whereby you have hitherto defpifed the love 
 of God, the blood of Chrift, and the tenders of pardon 
 in the gofpel. Be abafed and humbled to the duff, in 
 a fenfe of your vilenefs, pollutions, and abominations ; 
 which things are every day fpoken unto, and need not 
 here be repeated. And, - 
 
 9. Labour to exercife your hearts greatly with 
 thoughts of that abundant grace that is manifefted in 
 this way of finners coming unto God ; as alfoof the ex¬ 
 cellency of the gofpel wherein it is unfolded. Confider 
 the eternal love of tne Father, which is the fountain 
 and fpring of this whole difpenfation ; the inexpreflible 
 love of the Son, in eflablifhing and confirming it, in re¬ 
 moving all hindrances and obftruClions by his own blood, 
 bringing forth unto beauty and glory this redemption or 
 forgivenefs of fin, as the price of it. And let the glo¬ 
 ry of the gofpel which alone makes this di (cover y of for¬ 
 givenefs in God, dwell in your hearts. Let your minds 
 
 O o 2 ’ " be 
 
282 Exhortation to Believing enforced. Ver. 4 
 
 be exercifed about thefe things. Yon will find effe&s 
 from them, above all that hath as yet been brought 
 forth in your fouls. What for the mod part have you 
 hitherto been converfant about ? When you have rifen 
 above the turmoyiing of lufls and corruptions in your 
 hearts, the entanglements of your callings, bufinefs, and 
 affairs, what have you been able to rife your hearts un¬ 
 to ? Peiplex'rg fears about your condition, general 
 hopes, without favour or reliih, yielding you no refrefh- 
 frient; legal command^, bondage-duties, diftrafled con¬ 
 fidences, broken purpofes and promifes, which you 
 have been toiled up and down withal, without any cer¬ 
 tain red. And what effects have thefe thoughts pro¬ 
 duced ? Have they made you more holy, and more hum¬ 
 ble ? Have they given you delight in God, and ftrength 
 unto new obedience ? Not at ail. Where you were, 
 there you full are, without the lead progrefs: But 
 now, bring your fouls unto thefe fprings; and try the 
 Lord if from that day you be not blefied with fpiritual 
 (lores. 
 
 10. If the lord be pleafed to carry on your fouls 
 thus tar, then dir up yourfelves, to cnoofe and clofe 
 with the way of forgivenefs that hath been revealed. 
 Cnoofe it only, chooie it in companion with, and op- 
 pofi ion unto ail others. Say you will be for Chrift, and 
 not for another, and be fo accordingly. Here’venture, 
 Here repofe, here reft your fouls. It is a way of peace, 
 fafety, holinefs, beauty, ftrength, power, liberty, and 
 giory ; you have the nature, the name, the love, the 
 purpofes, the promifes, the covenant, the oa r h of God; 
 rhe love, life, death, or blood, the mediation, or ob¬ 
 lation and imerceftion of Jefus Chrift. The power and 
 efficacy of the'Spirit and gofpel grace by him admini- 
 ftred, to give the aflurance of the excellency, the one- 
 nefs, the fafety of the way, whereunto you are engag- 
 iog. 
 
 If now the Lord fhall be pleafed to perfwade your 
 hearts and fouls, to enter upon the path marked out 
 before you, and fhall carry you on through the various 
 
 exercifes 
 
Ver. 4. Exhortation to Believing enforced. 285 
 
 exercifes of it, unto this clofure of faith, God will have 
 the glory, the gofpel will be exalted, and your own 
 fouls (hall reap the eternal benefit of this exhorta- 
 tion. 
 
 But now, if notwithftanding all that hath been fpok- 
 en, all the invitations you have had, and encourage¬ 
 ments that have been held out unto you, you (hall con¬ 
 tinue to defpife this fo great falvation, you will live 
 and die in the (late and condition wherein you are ; 
 why then, as the prophet faid to the wife of Jeroboam, 
 Come near, for 1 am fent unto you with heavy tidings. 
 
 I fay then, 
 
 11. If you refolve to continue in the neglect of this 
 falvation, and fhall do fo accordingly, then curfed be 
 ' you of the Lord, with all the curfes that are written in 
 the law, and all the curfes that are denounced againft 
 defpifers of the gofpel. Yea, be you Anathema Mara- 
 natha ; curfed in this world always, until the coming of 
 the Lord, and when the Lord comes, be ye cuffed 
 from his prefence into everlafiing deflru&ion. Yea, 
 curfe them, all ye holy angels of God, as the obflinate 
 enemies of your King and Head, the Lord Jelus Chrifl; 
 curfe them, all ye churches of Chrill, as defpifers of 
 that love and mercy which is your portion, your life, 
 your inheritance ; let all the faints of God, all that love 
 the Lord, curfe them, and rejoice to fee the Lord com¬ 
 ing forth mightily, and prevailing againfl them to their 
 everlafiing ruin. Why fhouid any one have a thought 
 of compaflion towards them, who defpife the compaflion 
 of God ? or pf mercy towards them, who trample ou 
 the blood of Chrifl ? Whilft there is yet hope, we de¬ 
 fire to have continual forrow for you; and to travail in 
 foul for your converfion to God ; but if you be harden¬ 
 ed in your way, fhall we join with you againlt him ? 
 fhall we prefer you above all his glory ? fhall we defire 
 your falvation with the defpoiling God of his honour ? 
 Nay, God forbid ; we hope to rejoice iii feeing all 
 that vengeance and indignation, that is in the right 
 hand of God, poured out unto eternity upon your fouls, 
 
 Frov. 
 
2 84 Chrifi the only Judge of Ver. 4. 
 
 Prov. i. 2i, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, *8, 29, 30, 31, 
 
 Rules to be obferved by them who would come to 
 
 (lability in obedience..-The firft rule. 
 
 Chrifi the only infallible judge of our fpiritual 
 
 condition..How he judgeth, by his word and 
 
 fpirit. 1 
 
 That which remainech to be further carried on, up¬ 
 on the principles laid down, is to perfuade fouls, more 
 or Lefs intangled in the depths of fin, to clofe with this 
 forgivenefs by believing, unto their peace and confo- 
 lation. And becaufe fuch perfons are full of pleas and 
 obje&ions againfl themfelves, I fhall briefly, in what 1 
 have to fay, endeavour to obviate thefe obje&ions, fo 
 to encourage them unto believing, and bring them un¬ 
 to fettlement. And herein whatever 1 have to offer, 
 flows naturally from the do&rine at large laid down and 
 afferted. Yet I fhall not in all particulars apply myfelf 
 thereunto, but in general fix on thofe things that may 
 tend to the eflablifliment and confolation of both dif- 
 trefled and doubting fouls. And I fhall do what I pur- 
 pofe thefe two ways. 
 
 Firft, I fhall lay down fuch general rules as are ne- 
 ceffary to be obferved by all thofe who intend to come 
 to gofpel-peace and comfort. And then, Secondly , fhall 
 confider forne fuch objeftions as feem to be mod com- 
 prehenfive of thofe fpecial reafonings wherewith dif- 
 trefled perfons do ufually intangle themfelves. 
 
 I fhall begin with general rules, which through 
 the grace of Chrifi, and fup'plies of his Spirit, may 
 be of ufe unto believers in the condition under confide- 
 ration. 
 
 RULE 
 
Ver. 4. 
 
 cur Spiritual Condition . 
 
 2 85 
 
 RULE I. 
 
 Be not judges of your own condition, but let Chrift 
 judge. You are invited to take the comfort of this gof- 
 pel-truth, That there is forgivenefs with God. You 
 fay not for you, fo faid Jacob, My way is hid from the 
 Lord , Ifa. xl. 27. and Zion faid fo too, chap. xlix. 14. 
 The Lord hath forfaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten 
 me. But did they n.ake a right judgment of themfeives. 
 We find in thofe places, that God was otherwife mind¬ 
 ed. "1 his falfe judgment made by fouls in their entan¬ 
 glements, of their own condition, is oft-times a mod un¬ 
 conquerable hinderance unto the bettering of it: They 
 fill themfeives with thoughts of their own about it, and 
 on them they dwell, inftead of looking out after a re¬ 
 medy. Mifgiving thoughts of their diftempers, are 
 commonly a great part of fome mens ficknefs. Many 
 difeafes are apt to cloud the thoughts, and to caufe mif- 
 apprehenfions concerning their own nature and danger ; 
 and thefe delufions are a real part of the perfons fick¬ 
 nefs. Nature is no lefs impaired and weakned by them, 
 the efficacy of remedies no lefs obftrutfted, than by any 
 other real di(temper. In fuch cafes we perfuade men 
 to acquiefce in the judgment of their fkiiful phyfician, 
 not always to be wafting themfeives in and by their own 
 tainted imaginations, and fo defpond upon their own mif- 
 takes; but to reft in what is informed them by him, who 
 is acquainted with the caufes and tendency of their in- 
 difpofition better than themfeives. It is oft-times one 
 part of the fouls depths, ro have falfe apprehenfions of' 
 its condition. Sin is a madnefs, Ecclef. ix. 3. So far 
 as one is under the power of it, he is under the power 
 of madnefs. Madnefs doth not fooner, nor more eife&u- 
 ally d.ifcover itfelf in any way or thing, than in poftef- 
 fing them, in whom it is, with ftrange conceits and ap¬ 
 prehenfions of themfeives. So doth this madnefs of fin, 
 according unto his degrees and prevalency. Hence fome 
 
 cry. 
 
2 86 Chrifl the only Judge of Ver. 4. 
 
 cry, Peace, peace, when hidden deftru&ion is at hand, 
 1 Theft". v. It is that madnefs, under whofe power 
 they are, which gives them fuch groundlefs imaginations 
 of themfelves, and their own condition. And fome Gy 
 they are loll for ever, when God is with them. 
 
 Do you then your duty, and let Chrifl judge of your 
 ftate. Your concernment is too great, to make it a rea- 
 ionable demand, to commit the judgment of your condi¬ 
 tion to any other. When eternal welfare or woe are 
 at the flake, for a man to renounce his own thoughts, 
 to give up hitnfelf implicitely, to the judgment ot men 
 fallible and liars like himfelf, is fluidity ; but there is 
 no danger of being deceived by the fentence of Chrifl. 
 The truth is, whether we will or no, he will judge ; and 
 according as he determines, fo (hall things be found at 
 the laft day, John v. 22. 'The Father judgeth nc man , 
 (that is, immediately and in his own Perlon, but hath 
 committed all judgment unto the Son. All judgment that 
 refpe&s eternity, whether it be to be pafled in this world, 
 or in that to come, is committed unto him. According¬ 
 ly, that«place he judgeth both of things and perfons. 
 Things he determines upon, verfe 24, He that heareth 
 my word , and believeth on him that j'ent we, hath ever - 
 lafting life , and /hall not come into condemnation , but 
 is pajfed from death unto life, Let men fay what they 
 pleaie, this fentence {hall fland ; faith and eternal life 
 are infeparably conjoined. And fo of perfons, verfe 
 38. Tou have not , (faith he to the Pharifees, who 
 were much otherwife minded) the word of God abiding 
 in you. 
 
 Take not then the office and prerogative of Chrifl 
 out of his hand, by making a judgment upon your own 
 reafonings and conclufions, and dedu&ions of your ftate 
 and condition. You will find that he oftentimes, both on 
 the one hand and on the other, determines quite con¬ 
 trary to what men judge of themfelves ; as alio to what 
 others judge of them. Some he judgeth to be in an evil 
 condition, who are very confident that it is well with 
 them, and who pleafe themfelves in the thoughts of 
 
 many' 
 
Ver, 4. our Spiritual Condition. 287 
 
 many to the fame purpofe : And he judgeth the date of 
 fome to be good, who are diffident in themfelves, and 
 it may be defpifed by others. We may fingle out an 
 example or two in each kind. 
 
 1. Laodicea’s judgment of herfelf, and her fpiritual 
 (late we have. Rev. hi. \ 7. I am rich and increafed with 
 goods , and have need of nothing. A fair hate it feems, 
 a blefled condition : bile wants nothing that may contri¬ 
 bute to her reft, peace, and reputation ; (he is orthodox, 
 and numerous, and flouri'hing ; makes a fair profcfii- 
 on, and all is well within. So (he believes, fo fhe re¬ 
 pot ts of herfelf; wherein there is a fecret reflection al- 
 fo upon others whom die delpifeth. Let them drift as 
 they Jilt, 1 am thus as I fay. But was it fo with her 
 
 d? was that her true condition, whereof die ,was 
 f aded, as to profefs it unto all ? Let jefus Chrift 
 rd to fpeak in this caufe, let him come and judge? 
 
 1 do fo, faith he, verfe 14. Thus faith the Amen? 
 
 I jaithful ajid true Witnefs. Coming to give fentence 
 a cafe of this importance, he gives himfelf this title, 
 vat we may know his word is to be acquiefced in. 
 hvery man, faith he, is a liar; their teftimony is of no 
 v ilue, let ihem pronounce what they will of themfelves, 
 or cf one another; I am the Amen , and I will fee whofe 
 word fhall Hand, mine or theirs. What then faith he 
 of Liodieea ? dhou art wretched, and miferable , and 
 poor , and blinds and naked. O woeful and fad difap- 
 pointment: O dreadful furprifal! Ah how many Lao¬ 
 dicean churches have we in the world ? How many pro- 
 fdfors are members of thefe churches ? Not to mention 
 the generality of men that live under the means of grace, 
 all which have good hopes of their eternal condition, 
 wmlft they are defpifed and abhorred by the only fudge. 
 Among profedors themfelves, it is dreadful to think how 
 many will be found light when they come to be weigh¬ 
 ed in this balance. 
 
 2. Again, he judgeth Tome fo be in a good condition, 
 be they ihemieives never fo diffident. Rev. ii. 9. faith 
 he to the church of Smyrna, J know thy poverty ; Smyr- 
 
 *P p na 
 
288 Chrifi the only Judge of Ver. 4. 
 
 na was complaining that (he was a poor contemptible 
 congregation, not fit for him to take any notice of. Well 
 faith he, fear not; I know thy poverty whereof thou 
 complained:*; but thou art rich; that is my judgment, 
 tefttmony, and fentence concerning thee and thy condi¬ 
 tion. Such will be his judgment at the laft day, when 
 both thole on the one hand and the other, lhall be fur- 
 prifed with his fentence ; the one with joy at the riches 
 of his grace, the other with terror at the feverity of 
 his juftice, Matth. xxv. 37, 38, 39, and 44, 49. This 
 cafe is directly Hated in both the places mentioned in 
 the entrance of this difeourfe; as in that for initance, 
 lfa. xlix. 14. Zion faid, the Lord hath forfaken me. That 
 is Zion’s judgment of herfelf, aud her Hate and condi¬ 
 tion ; a fad report and conclufion : But doth Chrifi: a- 
 gree with Zion in this fentence ? The next verfe gives 
 ns his refolution of this matter ; Can, faith he, a woman 
 forget her fucking child, that fhe fhould not have compaf- 
 fion on the Jon of her womb ; yea they may forget, yet 
 will not 1 forget thee. The fiate of things in truth is 
 as much otherwife as can pofiibly be thought or ima¬ 
 gined. v 
 
 To what purpofe is it for a man to be palling a judg¬ 
 ment upon themfelves, when there is no manner of 
 certainty in their determinations; and when there pro¬ 
 ceeding thereon will probably lead them to further en¬ 
 tanglements,- if not to eternal ruin. The judging of 
 fouls as to their fpiritual fiate and condition is the work 
 of Jefus Chrifi ; efpecially as to the end now under en¬ 
 quiry. Men may, men do take many ways to make a 
 jodgment of themlelves : Some do it on flight and trivial 
 conjedttires; fome on bold and wicked preemptions^ 
 fome on defperate atheiflical notions, as Deut. xxix. 17. 
 fome with more fobriety and fenfe of eternity, lay down 
 principles, it may be good and true in themfelves; from 
 them they draw conciufions, arguing from one thing 
 unto another ; and in the end oft-times either deceive 
 themfelves, or fit down no lefs in the dark, than they 
 were at the entrance of their felf-debate and examina¬ 
 tion. 
 
Ver. 4. our Spiritual Condition. 289 
 
 tioD. A man’s judgment upon his own reafonings is 
 feldotn true, more feldom permanent. 1 fpeak not of 
 felf-examination, with a due difcuHion of graces and 
 a&ions, but of the final fentence as to date and condi¬ 
 tion, wherein the foul is to acquiefce. This belongs un¬ 
 to Chrilt. 
 
 Now, there are two ways whereby the Lord Jefus 
 Chrid gives forth his decretory fentence in this mat¬ 
 ter. 
 
 1. By his word. He determines in the word of the 
 gofpel of the date and condition of all men indefinitely. 
 Each individual coming to that word, receives his own 
 fentence and doom ; he told the Jews that Mofes accuf- 
 ed them, John v. 45. his law accufed and condemned 
 the tranfgreifors of it. And fo doth he acquit every 
 one that is dlfcharged by the word of the gofpel. And 
 our felf-judging is but our receiving by faith his fentence 
 in the word. His procefs herein we have recorded, 
 Job xxxiii. 22, 23. His foul , (that is of the (inner) draw - 
 etb near to the qrave, and his life to the deftroyers ; this 
 feems to be his date; it is fo indeed ; he is at the very 
 brink of the grave and hell. What then : why, if 
 there be with him, or ftand over him, in the (Heb.) 
 the angel interpreting, or the angel of the covenant, 
 who alone is in the (Heb.) the one of a thoufand ; 
 what (hall he do ? He (hall (hew unto him his upright- 
 nefs. He (hall give unto him a right determination of 
 his intered in God, and of the dare and frame of his 
 heart towards God ; whereupon God (hall fpeak peace 
 unto his foiil, and deliver hirn from his entanglements, 
 verfe 24. Jefus Chrid hath, in the word of the gofpei, 
 dated the condition of every man. He tells us, that 
 Tinners of what fort foever they are, that believe, are 
 accepted with him, and (hall receive forgivenefs from 
 God, that none (hall be refuted or cad ofif that come 
 to God by him. The foul, of whom we are treating, 
 is now upon the work of coming unto God for forgive¬ 
 nefs by Jefus Chrid. Many and weighty obje&ions 
 it hath in and againd itfelf, w r hy it (hould not come. 
 
 P p 2 Why 
 
290 Chrifl the only Judge , &®. Ver. 4. 
 
 why it {hall not be accepted. Our Lord Jefus, the 
 wifdom of God, forefaw all thefe obje&ions; he fore¬ 
 knew what could be faid in the cafe, and yet he hath de¬ 
 termined the matter, as hath been declared. In general, 
 mens arguings againfl; themfelves arife from fin and the 
 law'. Chrift knows what is in them both. He tried 
 them to the uttermoft, as to their penalties; and yet 
 he hath fo determined as we have {hewed. Their par¬ 
 ticular objeftions are from particular confiderations of 
 fin ; their greatnefs, their number, their aggravations, 
 Chrifl knows all thefe alfo ; and yet Hands to his firmer 
 determination. Upon the whole matter then, it is meet 
 hi* word fhould (land. I know when a foul brings itfelf 
 to be judged by the word of the gofpel, it doth not 
 always in a like manner receive and reft in the fen- 
 term e given. But.when Chrift is pleafed to fpeak the 
 woid with power to men, they {hall hear the voice of 
 the Son of God, and be concluded by it. Let the 
 fcl then that is riling out of depths, and prefiing to¬ 
 wards a (tnfe of forgivenefs, lay itfelf down before the 
 word of Chrifl; in the gofpel. Let him attend to what 
 he fpeaks; and if for a while it hath not power 
 upon him to quiet hi? heart, let him wait a feafon, and 
 light fhall arife unto him out of darknefs. Chrift: will 
 give in his fentence into his confidence with that power 
 and efficacy, as he (hall find reft and peace in it. 
 
 x. Chrift alfo judgeth by his Spirit; not only in mak¬ 
 ing L?s fentence of the gofpel to be received effe&ually 
 in the foul, but in and by peculiar a&ings of his upon 
 he heart and foul of a believer, 1 Cor. ii. 11. We have 
 recaved the Spirit of Cod, that we may know the things 
 that are freely given us of God. The Spirit of Chrift 
 acquaints ’he foul, that this and that grace is from him, 
 tha f this or that duty was performed in his ftrength. 
 lie brings to mind, what at fuch and fuch times was 
 Wrought in men by himfelf, to give them fupportment 
 and relief in the time? of depths and darknels. And 
 when it hath been clearly difeovered unto the foul at 
 any time by the Holy Ghoft, that any thing wrought in 
 
Ver. 4. Self-Condemnation conf/lent, 8 z c. 291 
 
 it, or done by it, hath been truely faving; the com¬ 
 fort cf it will abide in the midft of many lhakings and 
 temptations. 
 
 3. He alfo by his Spirit bears witnefs with our fpi- 
 rits, as to our ftate and condition. Of this I have 
 fpoken largely elfewhere, and therefore lhall now pafs 
 it by. 1 
 
 This then is our firft general rule and direction. S Jf- 
 determinations concerning mens fpiritual ftate and con¬ 
 dition, becaufe their minds are ufually influenced by 
 their diftempers, are feldom right, and according to rule. 
 Miftakes in fuch determinations are exceedingly pre¬ 
 judicial to a foul feeking out after relief, and fenfe of 
 forgivenefs; let Chrifl then be the judge in this cafe by 
 his word and Spirit, as hath been dire&ed. 
 
 R U L E II. 
 
 Self-condemnation and abhorrency for fin confident 
 with gofpel juftification and peace..The na¬ 
 ture of gofpel affurance..What is confident 
 
 with it.-.What are the effetts of it. 
 
 Self-condemnation and abhorrency do very well con- 
 fift with gofpel juftification and peace Some men have 
 no peace, becaufe they have that, without which it is 
 impoflible they Ihould have peace ; becaufe they can¬ 
 not but condemn themfelves, they cannot entertain a 
 fenfe that God doth acquit them. But this is the my- 
 ftery of the gofpel, which unbelief is a ftranger unto ; 
 nothing but faith can give a real fubfiftence unto thefe 
 things, in the fame foul, at the fame time. It is eafy 
 to learn the notion of it, but it is not eafy to experience 
 the power of it. For a man to have a fight of thar 
 within him, which would condemn him, for which he 
 is troubled, and at the fame time to have a difcovery 
 of that without him, which will juftify him, and to re¬ 
 joice therein, is that which he is not lead unto, but by 
 
 faith 
 
292 Gofpel-AJJurancej wherein it conjijleth. Ver. 4. 
 
 faith io the myfiery of the gofpel. We are now under 
 a lav.’ for junification, which excludes all boafting, Horn, 
 iii. 27. So that though we have joy enough in another, , 
 yet we may have, we always have fufficient caufe of 
 humiliation in ourfelves. The gofpel will teach aVmtn 
 to feel fin, and believe righteoufnefs at the fame time. 
 Faith will carry heaven in one hand, and hell in the 0- 
 ther; fhewing the one deferved, the other purchafed. 
 
 A man may fee enough of his own fin and folly to bring 
 Gehennam e caelo y a hell of wrath out of heaven ; and 
 yet fee Chrifl bring caelum ex inferno y a heaven of 
 blefiednefs out of an hell of punifhment 1 And thefe 
 muff needs produce very divers, yea contrary efie&s and 
 operations in the foul. And he who knows not how 
 
 k 
 
 to aflign them their proper duties and feafons, muff 
 needs be perplexed. The work of felf-condemnation 
 then, which men in thefe depths cannot but abound 
 with, is in the difpofition of the covenant of grace, no 1 
 way inconfiftent with, nor unfuited unto juftification, 
 and the enjoyment of peace in the fenfe of it. There 
 may be a deep fenfe of fin on other confiderations be- 1 
 fides hell. David was never more humbled for fin, than 
 when Nathan told him it was forgiven; and there may 
 be a view of hell as deferved, which yet the foul may 1 
 know itfelf freed from as to the ifiue. 
 
 To evidence our intendment in this difcourfe, I (hall 
 briefly conlider what we intend by gofpel afinrance of 
 forgivenefs, that the foul may not be felicitous and per¬ 
 plexed, about the utter want of that, which perhaps 
 it is already in fome enjoyment of. 
 
 Some men feem to place gofpel afiurance in an high 
 unafiauited confidence of acceptance with God ; they 
 think it is in none but fuch, as, if a man fhould go to 
 them, and alk them, Are you certain you fhall be fav- 
 ed i have boldnefe, and confidence, and ofienration to 
 anfwer prefently, yea, they are certain, they fhall be 
 laved : But, as the blefled truth of afiurance hath been 
 reproached in the world under fuch a notion of it, fo 
 fuch exprefiions become not them who know what it is 
 
Ver. 4. Senfe of Sin , conftftent with AJfurance. 293 
 
 to have to do with the holy God, vcho is a confuming 
 fire. Hence fome conclude, that there are very few be- 
 lievers who have anyaflurance, becaufe they have not this 
 confidence, or are more free to mention the oppofnion 
 they meet with, than the fupportment they enjoy. And 
 thus it is rendered a matter not greatly to be defired, 
 becaufe it is fo rarely to be obtained ; mod of the faints 
 ferving God, and going to heaven well enough without 
 it: But the matter is otherwife. The importance of it, 
 not only as it is our life of comfort and joy, but aifo as 
 it is the principle means of the flourifhing of our life of 
 holinefs, hath been declared before ; and might be fur¬ 
 ther manifefled, were that our prefent bufinefs ; yea, 
 and in times of trial, which are the proper feafons for 
 the effeftual working and man ife ft at ion of aflurance, it 
 will and doth appear that many, yea, that molt of the 
 faints of God, are made partakers of this grace and 
 priviledge. 
 
 I (hall then in the purfuit of the rule laid down, do 
 thefe two things, Firjl, Shew what things they are 
 which are not only confident with aflurance, but are e~ 
 ven neceflary concomitants of it, which yet, if not duly 
 weighed and confidered, may feem fo far to impeach 
 a man’s comfortable perfuafion of his Condition before 
 God, as to leave him beneath the aflurance fought after. 
 And, Secondly , lfliall fpeak fome what of its nature ; e- 
 fpecialiy as manifefting itfelf by its effefh. 
 
 1. A deep fenfe of the evil of fin, of the gui’t or 
 man’s own fln, is no way inconliflent with gofpel aflur- 
 ance of acceptance with God through Chrifl, and of 
 forgivenefs in him. By a fenfe of the guilt of fin, 
 i underfland two things. (1.) A clear convi&ion of fin 
 by the Holy Ghoft, faying unto the foul, thou art the 
 man; and, (2.) A fenfe of the difpleafure of God, or 
 the wrath due to fin, according to the fentence of the 
 law. Both thefe David exprefleth in that complaint, 
 Pfal. xxxi. 10. My life is Jpent with grief, and my years 
 with fghing , my jlrength faileth becauje of mine iniqui¬ 
 ty , and my bones are confumed . His iniquity was before 
 
 him. 
 
294 borrow of Sin confident with Affurance, Ver. 4. 
 
 him, and a fenfe of it prefled him fore. But yet, nor- 
 withftanding all this, he had a comfortable perfwaGon, 
 that God was his Gpd in covenant, ver. 14. I trujled 
 in thee , 0 Lord , I /aid thou art my God . And the te¬ 
 nor of the covenant, wherein alone God is the God of 
 any perfon, is, that he will be merciful unto their iin 
 and iniquity. To whom he is a God, he is fo accord 
 ing to the tenor of that covenant; fo that here theft 
 two are conjoined. Saith he, Lord, I am prefled with 
 the fenfe of the guilt of mine iniquities, and thou art 
 my God who forgiveft them ; and the ground hereof is, 
 that God by the gofpel hath divided the work of the 
 law, and taken part of it out of its hand. Its whole 
 work and duty is to condemn the fin and the fluner. 
 The ftnner is freed by the gofpel, but its right lies a- 
 gainft the fin till that it condemns, and that jullly. 
 Now, though the (Inner himfelf be freed, yet finding his 
 fin laid hold of and condemned, it fills him with a deep 
 fenfe of its guilt, and of the difpleafure of God againft 
 it; which yet hinders not, but that, at the fame time, 
 he may have fuch an infight as faith gives unto his per- 
 fonal intereft in a gofpel acquitment. A man then may 
 have a deep fenfe of fin all his days, walk under the 
 fenfe of it continually, abhor himfelf for his ingratitude, 
 unbelief, and rebellion againft God, without any im¬ 
 peachment of his affurance. 
 
 2. Deep forrow for fin is confident with aflurance of 
 forgivenefs; yea, it is a great means of prefervation of 
 it. Godly forrow, mourning, humiliation, contritenefs 
 of fpirit, are no lefs gofpel graces, and fruits of the 
 Holy Ghoft, than faith itfelf; and fo are confident with 
 the higheft flourifhings of faith whatever. It is the 
 work of heaven itfelf, and not of the affurance of it, to 
 wipe all tears from our eyes. Yea, thefe graces have 
 the mod eminent promifes annexed to them, as, Ifa. 
 Ivii. 15. chap. Ixvi. 2. with bleffednefs itfelf, Mat. ver. 
 4. yea, they are themfelves the matter of many graci¬ 
 ous gofpel promifes, Zech. xii. 10. fo that they are af- 
 furedly confident with any other grace or priviledge 
 
 that 
 
Vcr. 4. Sorrow for Sin confident with Affurance. 295 
 
 that we may be made partakers of, or are promifed 
 unto us. Some finding the weight and burden of their 
 fins, and being called to mourning and humiliation on * 
 that account, are fo taken up with it, as to lofe the 
 fenfe of forgivenefs, which, rightly improved, would 
 promote their forrow, as their forrow feems directly to 
 fwceten their fenle of forgivenefs. Sorrow abfolutely 
 cxclufive of the faith of forgivenefs, is legal, and tend- 
 eth unto death ; a flu ranee, abfolutely e,:dufive of god¬ 
 ly forrow, is prefumptiou, and not a periwafion from 
 him that calleth us. But gofpel forrow, and gofpel af- 
 furance may well dwell in the fame bread at the fame 
 time, indeed, as in all worldly joys, there is a fecret 
 wound j fo in all godly forrow and mourning, confider- 
 ed iu icfelf, there is a fecret joy and refrediment; hence 
 it doth not wither and dry up, but rather enlarge, o- 
 pen, and fweeten the heart. I am perfwaded that ge¬ 
 nerally they mourn mod, who have mod affurance. And 
 all true gofpel mourners will be found to have the root 
 of affurance fo grafted in them, that in its proper fea- 
 fon (a time of trouble) it will undoubtedly flourifft. 
 
 3. A deep fenfe of the indwelling power of fin, is 
 confident with gofpel affurance. Senfe of indwelling 
 fin will caufe manifold perplexities in the foul. Trouble, 
 difquietments, forrow, and anguifti of heart, expreding 
 themfelves in fighs, mourning, groaning for deliver¬ 
 ance, always attend it. To what purpofe do you fpeak: 
 to a foul, highly fenfible of the redlefs power of in¬ 
 dwelling fin, concerning affurance ? alas, faith he, I 
 am ready to perifh every moment, my luds are ftrong, 
 aftive, redlefs, yea outragious; they give me no red, 
 no liberty, and but little fuccefs do I obtain. Affur¬ 
 ance is for conquerors; for them that live at red and 
 peace. I ly groveling on the ground all my days, and 
 mud needs be uncertain what will be the iffue. But 
 when fuch an one hath done all he can, he will not be 
 able to make more woful complaints of this matter than 
 Paul hath done before him, Rom vii. and yet he clof- 
 eth the difeourfe of it with as high an exprdlion of af- 
 
 fu ranee 
 
2 96 Senfe of Zin confident with AJJurance. Ver. 4. 
 
 furance as any perfon needs to feek after, ver. lad, and 
 chap. viii. 1, it is not afl'urance, but enjoyment that 
 excludes this lenfe and trouble. But if men will think 
 they can have no affurance, becaufe they have that, 
 without which it is impodible they fhould have any, it 
 is hard to give them relief. A little crufe of fait of the 
 gofpel cad into thefe bitter waters, will make them 
 lweet and wholefome. Senfe of the guilt of fin may 
 confid with faith of its pardon, and forgivenefs in the 
 blood of Chrid. Godly forrow may dwell in the fame 
 heart, at the fame time, with joy in the Holy Ghofl; 
 and groaning after deliverance from the power of fin, 
 with a gracious perfwafion that fia (hall not have do¬ 
 minion over us, becaufe we are not under the law , but 
 grace. 
 
 4. Doubtings, fears, temptations, if not ordinarily 
 prevailing, are confident with gofpel affurance. Tho’ 
 the devils power be limited in reference unto the faints, 
 yet his hands are not tied ; though he cannot prevail a- 
 gaiod them, yet he can affault them : And although 
 there be not an evil heart of unbelief in believers, yet 
 there will dill be unbelief in their hearts. Such an e- 
 vidence, conviction, and perfwafion of acceptance with 
 God as are exclufive of ail contrary reafons, that differ 
 the fcul to hear nothing of objections, that free and 
 quiet it from all affaults, are neither mentioned in the 
 feripture, nor confident with that date wherein we walk 
 before God, nor poffible on the account of Satan’s will 
 and ability to tempt, or of our own remaining un¬ 
 belief. Affurance encouragetb us in our combat, itde- 
 livereth us not from it. We may have peace with God, 
 when we have none from the affaults of Satan. 
 
 Now, unlefs a man do duly confider the tenor of the 
 covenant wherein we walk with God, and the nature 
 of that gofpel obedience which he requires at our hands, 
 with the date and condition which is our lot and portion 
 while we live in this world; the daily fenfe of thefe things, 
 with the trouble that mud be undergone on their ac¬ 
 count, may keep him in the dark unto himfelf, and 
 
 hinder 
 
Yer. 4* Nature and Effects of Goff el A [finance. 297 
 
 hinder him from that eftablilhment in believing which 
 otherwife he might attain unto. On this account, fome 
 as holy perfons as any in this world, being wholly tak¬ 
 en up with the confideraiion of thefe home-bred per¬ 
 plexities, and not clearly acquainted with the way and 
 tenor of alluring their fouls before God, according to 
 the rule of the covenant of grace, have palfed away 
 their days in a bondage frame of fpirit, and unacquaint¬ 
 ance with that ftrong confolation which God is abund¬ 
 antly willing that all the heirs of promife fhould receive. 
 
 5. Evangelical afthrance is not a thing that coo- 
 fifteth in any point, and fo incapable of variation. 
 It may be higher or lower, greater or lefs, obfcure, or 
 attended with more evidence. It is not quite loft, when 
 it is not quite at its higheft. God fometimes marvel- 
 oully raifeth the fouls of his faints with fome clofe and 
 near approaches unto them ; gives him a fenfe of his 
 eternal love ; a tafte of the embraces of his Son, and 
 the inhabitation of the Spirit, without the leaf! inter- ■ 
 veening difturbauce; then this is their afturance. But 
 this life is not a feafon to be always taking wages in ; 
 our work is not yet done, we are not always to abide 
 in this mount; we mult down again into the battle, 
 light again, cry again, complain again; Shall the foul 
 be thought now to have loft its afturance ? Not at all; 
 it had before afturance with joy, triumph, and exalta¬ 
 tion ; it hath it now, or may have, with wreftling, cries, 
 tears, and fupplications: and a man’s afturance may be 
 as good as true, when he lies on the earth with a fenfe 
 of fin, as when he is carried up to the third heaven witn 
 a fenfe of love, and foretafte of glory. In brief, this 
 afturance of falvation is fuch a gracious evangelical per- 
 fwafion of acceptance with God in Chrift, and of an in- 
 tereft in the promifes of prefervation unto the end, 
 wrought in believers by the Holy Ghoft, in and through 
 the exercife of faith, as for the moft part produced! 
 thefe eftefts following. 
 
 ifl. It gives delight in obedience, and draws out 
 love in the duties that we do perform unto God. So 
 
 Q^q 2 much 
 
2$>3 Effects in Gofpel AJJitrance in Believers. Ver. 4. 
 
 much aflfurance of a comfortable iflfue of their obedi¬ 
 ence, of k blelTed end of their labours and duties, of 
 their purifying their hearts, and prefling after univer¬ 
 sal renovation of mind and life, as may make them 
 chearful in them, as may give love and delight in the 
 purfuit of what they are engaged in, is needful for the 
 faints, and they do not often go without it; and where 
 this is, there is gofpel aflfurance. To run as men un¬ 
 certain, to fight as thofe that beat the air, to travel as 
 not any way perfwaded of a comfortable entertainment 
 or refrefhment at the journey’s end, is a (late and con¬ 
 dition that God doth not frequently leave his people 
 unto. And when he doth, it is a feafon wherein he 
 receives very little of glory from them, and they very 
 little of increafe of grace in themfelves. Many things, 
 as hath been {hewed, do interpofe, many doubts arife, 
 and intangling perplexities, but dill there is a comfort¬ 
 able perfwafion kept alive, that there is a reft: provided, 
 which makes them willing unto, and chearful in their 
 mofl difficult duties. This prevaileth in them, that their 
 labour in the Lord, their watchings, praying, differing, 
 alms, mortification, fighting againft temptation, cruci¬ 
 fying the flefti with the lulls thereof, {hall not be in 
 vain. This gives them fuch a delight in their molt dif¬ 
 ficult duties, as men have in a hard journey towards a 
 defirable home, or a place of reft. 
 
 idly. It cafts out fear, tormenting fear, fuch as fills 
 the foul with perplexing uncertainties, hard thoughts 
 of God, and dreadful apprehenfions of wrath to come : 
 There are three things fpoken concerning that fear, 
 which is confident with the alfurance of forgivenefs (1.) 
 With refpect unto its principle, it is from a fpirit of 
 bondage, Rom. viii. 25. We have not received the fpirit 
 §f bondage again to fear : It is not fuch a fear as makes 
 an occafional incurfion upon the mind or foul; fuch as is 
 excited and occafioned by incident darknefs and temp¬ 
 tation, fuch as the belt and perfons of the highed 
 affiurance, are liable and obnoxious unto ; but it is fuch 
 as hath a complete abiding principle in the foul, even a 
 
 fpirit 
 
Ver. 4. Effects of Gofpel Ajfurance in Believers . 
 
 fpirit of bondage, a prevailing frame condantly inclin¬ 
 ing it to fear, or dreadful apprehenfions of God and its 
 own condition. (2.) That it tends to bondage, it brings 
 the foul into bondage, Heb. ii. 14, 15. He died to de¬ 
 liver them, who by fear of death were in bondage all 
 their days. Fear of death as penal, as it lies in the 
 curfe, which is that fear that proceeds from a fpirit of 
 bondage, brings the per Tons in whom it is into bondage, 
 that is, it adds wearinefs, trouble, and anxiety of mind 
 unto fear, and puts them upon all ways and means ima¬ 
 ginable, unduly and diforderly to feek for a remedy or 
 relief. (3.) It hath torment; fear hath torment, 1 John 
 iv. iB. It gives no red, no quietnefs unto the mind; 
 now, this is lo call out with gofpel affurance of forgive- 
 nefs, that though it may affault the foul, it (hall not 
 poffefs it; though it make iricurlions upon it, it fhall 
 dwell, abide and prevail in it. 
 
 %dly, It gives the foul an hope and expectation of 
 the glory, that fhall be revealed, and fecretly ftirs it 
 up and enlivens it unto a fupportment in fufferings, 
 trials and temptations. This is the hope which makes 
 not alhamed, Rom. v. 5. and that becaufe it will never 
 expofe the foul unto difappointment. Wherever there 
 is the root of affurance, there will be this fruit of hope. 
 The proper objeCt of it is things abfent, invifible, eter¬ 
 nal ; the promifed reward in all the notions, refpe&s, 
 and concernments of it. This hope goes out, unto, in 
 diftreffes, temptations, failings, and under a fenfe of 
 the guilt and power of fin. Hence arifes a fpring of 
 fecret relief in the foul, fomething that calms the heart, 
 and quiets the fpirit in the midft of many a dorm. Now, 
 as wherever affnrance is, there will be this hope; fo, 
 whereverthis fecret relieving hope is, it grows on no 
 root, but a living perfuafion of a perfona! iutered in the 
 things hoped for. 
 
 4 thly. As it will do many other things; fo that 1 
 may give one comprehenfive inftance, it will carry them 
 out, in whom it is, to die for Chrid. Death unto men 
 who faw not one dep beyond it, was edeemed of all 
 
 things 
 
30o Waiting necejjary to obtain Peace. Ver. 4: 
 
 things mod terrible. The way and means of its ap¬ 
 proach add unto its terror; but this is nothing, in com¬ 
 panion of what it is unto them who look through it as 
 a paffage into enfuing eternity. For a man then to chufe 
 death rather than life, in the mod terrible manner of 
 its approach, expecting an eternity to enfue, it argues a 
 comfortable perfuafion of a good date and condition af¬ 
 ter death. Now, I am perfuaded that there are hun¬ 
 dred?, who, upon gofpel faving accounts, would em¬ 
 brace a dake for the tedimony of Jefus, who yet know 
 not at all that they have the affurance we fpeak of, and 
 yet nothing elfe would enable them thereunto. But 
 thefe things befides the main of my intendment, I lhali 
 purfue them no further; only the rule is of ufe. Let 
 the foul be furs to be well acquainted with the na¬ 
 ture of that which it feeks after, and confeffeth a fenfe 
 of the want of. 
 
 RULE III. 
 
 Continuance in waiting neceflary unto peace and 
 
 confolation..The fourth rule .Remove 
 
 the hindrances of believing by a fearching out 
 of fin.——Rules and directions for that duty. 
 
 Whatever your condition be, and your appreheofion 
 of it; yet continue waiting for a better iffue, and give 
 not over through wearinefs or impatience. This rule 
 contains the fum of the great example given us in this 
 Pfalm. Forgivenefs in God being difeovered, though 
 no fenfe of a particular intered therein as yet obtained ; 
 that which the foul applies itfelf unto, is diligent, care¬ 
 ful, condant, perfevering, waiting; which is varioufly 
 expreffed in the 5th and 6th verfes. The Holy Ghod 
 tells us, that light is fown for the righteous , and gladnefs 
 for the upright in heart, Pfal. xcvii. it. Light and 
 gladnefs are the things now required after. Deliver¬ 
 ance from darknefs, mifapprehenfions of God, hard and 
 
 , • ' mif- 
 
Ver. 4. Waiting necejfary to obtain Peace. 3 o 1 
 
 tnifgiving thoughts of his own condition, is that which 
 a foul in its depths reacheth towards. Now, faith the 
 Holy Ghoft, Thefe things are fown for the righteous. 
 Doth the husband-man, after he calls his feed intO'the 
 earth, immediately the next day, the next week, ex- 
 peft that it will be harveft ? Doth he think to reap lo 
 foon as he hath fown ? Or doth he immediately fay, i 
 have laboured in vain, here is no return, I will pull 
 up the hedge of this field, and lay it wafte; or, I fee 
 a little grafs in the blade, but no corn, I will give it to 
 the beads to devour it ? No j his God, as the prophet 
 fpeaks, inftrufts him unto difcretion, and teacheth him, 
 namely, what he mult do, and how he mud look for 
 things in their feafon : And (hall not we be inftrufted 
 by him ? Behold, the husbandman, faith James, wait- 
 eth for the precious fruit 0} the earth , and hath long pa¬ 
 tience for it , until he receive the early and the latter rain, 
 James v. 7. And is light fown for them that are in dark- 
 nefs, and fhall they ftifle the feed under the clods, or 
 fpoil the tender blade that is fpringing up, or refufe the 
 watering and dews of the Spirit, that may bring it forth 
 to perfeftion ; Waiting is the only way to eftablHhriient 
 and afturance ; we cannot fpeed by our hafte ; yea, no¬ 
 thing puts the end fo far away, as making too much 
 hafte and lpeed in our journey. The ground hereof is, 
 that a fenfe of a fpeciai intereft in forgivenefs and ac¬ 
 ceptance, is given into the foul by a mere aft of fove- 
 reignty. It is not, it will not be obtained by or upon 
 any rational conclufions or deduftions that we can maice ; 
 all that we can do, is but to apply ourfelves to the re¬ 
 moval of hindrances. For the peace and reft fought 
 for, cotne from mere prerogative. When he giveth 
 quietnejs , who can make trouble ? and when he bideth 
 his face , who can behold him? Job xxxiv. 29. Now, 
 what is the way to receive that which comes from mere 
 fovereignty and prerogative ? Doth not the nature of 
 the thing require humble waiting? If then, either im¬ 
 patience caft the foul into frowardnefs, or wearinefs 
 make it flothful, which are the two ways whereby wait- 
 
302 Waiting necejjaty to obtain Peace, Ver. 4, 
 
 ing is ruined; let not (uch an one expeft any comforta¬ 
 ble iffne of his contending for deliverance out of his 
 depths ; and let not any think to make out their diffi¬ 
 culties any other way ; their own reafonings will not 
 bring them to any eftablifhing conclufions; for they may 
 lay down proportion? and have no confiderable objec¬ 
 tions to lay againft either of them, and yet be far enough 
 from that fweet confolation, joy and affurance, which is 
 the product of the ccncluficn, when God is pieafed to 
 give it in; yea a man may fometimes gather up confo- 
 lation to himfelf upon fuch terms, but it will not abide : 
 So did David, Pfah xxx. 6, 7. He thus argues with 
 himfelf, “ He whofe mountain is made ftrong, to whom 
 “ God is a defence, he (hall never be moved, nor be 
 “ (haken ; but 1 am thus fettled of God, therefore I 
 “ (hall rot be moved And therein he rejaiceth. It 
 is an expreffion of exultation that he ufeth ; but what is 
 the iffue of it ? In the raidfl of thefe pieafing thoughts 
 of his, God hides his face, and he is troubled; he can¬ 
 not any longer draw out the fweetnefs of the con- 
 clufion mentioned. It was in him before from the 
 fhines of God’s countenance, and not from any argu- 
 ings of his own. 
 
 No difappointment then, no tedioufnefs or wearinefs 
 (hould make the foul leave waiting on God, if it intend 
 to attain confolation and eflablifhment. So dealeth the 
 church, Lam. iii. 21. This I recal to mind, therefore have 
 I hope : What is it that (he calls to mind ? This, that 
 it is of the Lord's mercy that we are not confumed, becaufe 
 his compajfions fail not , verfe 22. I will yet hope, I will 
 yet continue in my expe&ation upon the account of ne¬ 
 ver-failing compaffion ; of endlefs mercies in him, what¬ 
 ever thy prefent condition be. And thence (he makes a 
 bleffed conclufion, verfe 26. It is good that a man Jhould 
 both hope , and quietly wait for the falvation of the Lord. 
 And this is our third rule. It is good to hope and wait 
 whatever your prefent condition be, and not to give 
 over, if we would not be fure to fail; whereunto I 
 
 fpeak 
 
Vcr. 4. Search of Sin necsjjary to Confolation. 303 
 
 fpeak no more, beeaufe the clofe of this Pfalm infills 
 wholly on this duty, which mud be further fpoken 
 unto. 
 
 RULE IV. 
 
 Seeing in the courfe of our believing and obedience, 
 that which is chiefly incumbent on us, for our coming 1 
 up to eftablifhment and confolation, is fpiritual diligence 
 in the removal of the hindrances thereof; let the foul 
 that would attain thereunto, make thorough work in 
 the fefcrch of fin, even to the fins of youth, that all 
 fcores on that account may clearly be wiped out. If 
 there be much rubbifli left in the foundation of the 
 building, no wonder if it always fliake and totter. Mens 
 leaving of any fin unfearched to the bottom, will poifon 
 all their confolation. David knew this, when in dealing 
 with God in his diftrefles, he prays that he would not 
 remember the fins and tranfgreflions of his youth, Pfal. 
 v. 7. Youth is oftentimes a time of great vanity and un- 
 mindfulnefs of God ; many flains and fpots are therein 
 ufnally brought upon the confciences of men ; Childhood 
 and youth are vanity , Ecclel. xi. 10. Not beeaufe they 
 foon pafs away, but beeaufe they are ufually fpent in 
 vanity, as the following advice (of chap. xii. 1.) to re¬ 
 member God in thofe days, doth manifeft. The way of 
 many is to wear fuch things out of mind, and not to 
 walk in a fenfe of their folly and madnefs, never to 
 make thorough work with God about them. 1 fpeak of 
 the faints themfelves; for with others that live under 
 the means of grace, whom God intends any way to make 
 irfeful and induftrious in their generation, this is the 
 ufual courfe; by convi&ions reftraining grace, affii&i- 
 ous, love of employment and repute, God gives them 
 another heart than they had for a feafon. Another 
 heart, but not a new heart. Hence another courfe of 
 life, another profeflion, other a&ions, than formerly, 
 do flow; with this change they do not content them- 
 
 R r felvesj 
 
304 Search of Sin necejjary to Confolation. Ver. 4. 
 
 felves; they look on what is part perhaps with delight, 
 or as things fit enough for thofe days, but not for thofe 
 they have attained unto ; Here they reft, and therefore 
 never come to reft. 
 
 But I fpeak of the faints thetnfelves, who make not 
 fuch thorough, full, clofe work in this kind as they ought. 
 An after-reckoning may come in on this hand to their 
 own difturbance, and an unconquerable hindrance of 
 their peace and fetdement be brought in, on this ac¬ 
 count. So was it with Job, chap. xiii. 26. He makes me 
 pojjefs the fins of my youth . God filled his heart, his 
 thoughts, his mind with thefe fins ; made them abide 
 with him, fo that he poifefied them; they were always 
 prefent with him : He made the fins of his youth the 
 fufferings of his age. And it is a fad thing, as one fpeaks, 
 when young fins and old bones meet together; as Zo- 
 phar, chap. xx. 11. His bones are filled with the fins of 
 his youth. The joyous frame of fome mens youth makes 
 way for fad work in their age. Take heed young 
 ones, you are doing that which will abide with you to 
 age, if not to eternity. This pofleffion of the fins of 
 youth. Job calls, the writing of bitter things againft 
 him ; as indeed it is impofiible but that fin fhouid be bit¬ 
 ter one time or other. God calls it a root that beareth 
 gall and wormwood , Deut. xxix 18. A root of bitternefs 
 fpringing up unto defilement. Heb. xii. *5. This then is 
 to be fearched out to the bottom. Ifrael will not have 
 fuccefs nor peace whilft there is an Achan in the camp : 
 Neither fuccefs in temptation, nor confolation in believ¬ 
 ing is to be expected, whilft any Achan, any fin unrec¬ 
 koned for, lies in the confcience. 
 
 Now, for them who would ferioufly accomplilh a 
 diligent fearch in this matter, which is of fuch impor¬ 
 tance unto them, let them take thefe.two directions. 
 
 Firfl, Let them go over the confideration of thofe 
 fins, and others of the like nature, which may be re¬ 
 duced unto the fame general heads with them which we 
 laid down before, as the fins which generally call men 
 
 into 
 
Ver. 4. Search of Sin neceffary to Confolation. 305 
 
 into depths and intanglements. And if they find they 
 have contra&ed the guilt of any of them, let them not 
 think ftrange that they are yet bewildered in their con¬ 
 dition, and do come fhort of a refrefhing fenfe of peace 
 with God, or an interest in forgivenefs; rather let them 
 admire the riches of patience, grace and forbearance, 
 that they are not caft utterly out of all hopes of a reco¬ 
 very. This will fpeed an end unto their trouble, accord¬ 
 ing to the dire&ion given. 
 
 Secondly , Let them caft the courfe of their times un¬ 
 der fuch heads and feafons, as may give them the more 
 clear and diftinft view and apprehenfion of the paffages 
 in them between God and their fouls, which may have 
 been provoking unto him. As, 
 
 1. For the ftate of their inw r ard man, let them con- 
 fid er. 
 
 (1.) The unregenerate part of their lives, that which 
 was confefledly fo before they had any real work of 
 God upon their hearts, and therein enquire after two 
 things. 
 
 1 Jl, If there were then any great and fignal erup¬ 
 tions of fins againft God ; for of fuch God requires that 
 a deep fenfe be kept on our fouls all our days. How 
 often do we find Paul calling over the fins of his life and 
 ways before his converfion. 1 was, faith he, injurious , 
 and a blafphemer . Such reflections ought perfons to 
 have on any great provoking occafions of fin, that may 
 keep them humble, and neceflitate them conftantly to 
 look for a frefh fenfe of pardon through the blood of 
 Chrift, If fuch fins ly neglefted and not confidered 
 according to their importance, they will weaken the 
 foul in its comforts whilft it lives in this world. 
 
 2 dly. If there were any fignal intimations made of 
 the good will and love of God to the foul, which it 
 broke off from the thorough power of its corruption 
 and temptation, they require a due humbling confide- 
 ration all our days; but this hath been before fpoken 
 unto. 
 
 (2.) In 
 
 R r 2 
 
3 06 Unbelief and Jealoufy difttnguijbed. Ver. 4. 
 
 (2 ) In that part of our lives, which upon the call of 
 God we have given up unto him. There are two forts 
 of fins that do effectually impeach our future peace and 
 .comfort, which ought therefore to be frequently re¬ 
 newed and iffued in the blood of Chrifl:. 1. Such as by 
 reafon of any aggravating circumftances have been ac¬ 
 companied with fome efpecial unkindnefs towards God. 
 Such are fins after warnings, communications of a fenfe 
 of love, after particular engagements againfi: them, re- 
 lapfes, omiffions of great opportunities, and advantages 
 for the furtherence of the glory of God in the world. 
 Thefe kinds of fins have much unkindnefs attending 
 them, and will be fearched out if we cover them. 2. Sins 
 attending with fcandal towards fewer, or more, or any 
 one fingle perfon who is or may be concerned in us: 
 The aggravations of thefe kind of fins are commonly 
 known. 
 
 (3.) The various outward ftates and conditions which 
 we have paffed through, as profperity and afflictions, 
 Ihould in like manner fall under this fearch and con- 
 fideration. It is but feldom that we fill up our duty, 
 or/anfwer the mind of God in any difpenfation of pro¬ 
 vidence. And if our negleCt herein be not managed 
 aright, they will undoubtedly hinder and interrupt our 
 peace. 
 
 RULE V. 
 
 The fifth rule.-DiftinCtion between unbelief and 
 
 jealoufy.-The fixth rule.——-DiftinCtion be¬ 
 
 tween faith and fpiritual fenfe. 
 
 Learn to diftinguilh between unbelief and jealoufy. 
 There is a twofold unbelief. (1.) That which is uni- 
 verfal and privative, fuch as is in all unregenerate per- 
 fons; they have no faith at all; that is, they are dead 
 men, and have no principles of fpiritual life. This I 
 fpeak not of; it is eafily diftinguifhed from any grace, 
 
Ver. 4. Unbelief and Jealoufy diftinguifhed. 307 
 
 being the utter enemy and privation as it were of them 
 all. (2.) There is an unbelief partial and negative, 
 confifting in a daggering at, or queftioning of the 
 promifes. This is difpleafing to God, a (in which is at¬ 
 tended with unknown aggravations, tho’ men ufually in¬ 
 dulge it in -themfelves. It is well expreffed, Pfal. Ixxviii. 
 19, 20. God had promifed his prefence to the people 
 in the wildcrnefs, to feed, fuftain, and preferve them. 
 How did they entertain thefe promiles of God ? Can 
 he, fay they, give bread f Can he give flejJ) unto his 
 people? ver. 20. What great fin, crime, or offence is in 
 this enquiry ? Why, ver. 1.9. this is called fpeaking a- 
 gainfl: God ; They /peak againjl God ; they Jaid , Can he 
 fumifh a table in the wildernefs ? Unbelief in queffion- 
 ing of the promifes is a fpeaking againfl God ; a limit¬ 
 ing of the Holy One of lfrael, as it is called, ver. 41. 
 an afligning of bounds to his goodnefs, power, kind- 
 nefs and grace, according to what we find in ourfelves, 
 which he abhors. By (his unbelief we make God like 
 ourfelves; that is, our limiting of him, expelling no 
 more from him, than either we can do, or fee how it 
 may be done. This you will fay was a great fin in the 
 Ifraelites, becaufe they had no reafon to doubt or quef- 
 tion the promifes of God. It is well we think fo now ; 
 but when they were fo many thoufand families, that 
 had not one bit of bread, nor drop of water aforehand 
 for thcmfelves and their little ones, there is no doubt 
 but they thought themfelves to have as good reafon to 
 queftion the promifes, as any one of you can think that 
 you have We are ready to fuppofe, that we have all 
 the reafons in the world ; every one fuppofeth, he hath 
 thofe that are more cogent than any other hath, to*quef¬ 
 tion the promifes of grace, pardon, and forgivenefs; 
 and therefore the queftioning of them is not their fin, 
 but their duty. But pretend what we will, this is 
 fpeaking againft God, limiting of him, and that which 
 is our keeping off from ftedfaftnefs and comfort. 
 
 But now, there may be a jealoufy in a gracious heart 
 concerning the love of Chrift, which is acceptable un¬ 
 to 
 
go8 Unbelief and Jealoufy diflinguifhed. Ver. 4. 
 
 to him, at leaft which he is tender toward, that may be 
 miftaken for this queftioning of the promifes by unbelief, 
 and fo help to keep the foul in darknefs and difconfola- 
 tion; this the fpoufe expreffeth in herfelf. Cant. viii. 6. 
 Love is Jlrong as death, jealoufy is cruel as the grave, the 
 coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a mojl vehement 
 flame. Love is the foundation, the root; but yet it 
 bears that fruit which is bitter, although it be whol- 
 fome; that which fills the foul with great perplexities, 
 and makes it cry out for a nearer and more fecure ad- 
 million into the prefence of Chrift. Set me , faith the 
 fpoufe, as a feal upon thy heart , as afeal upon thy arms , 
 for jealoufy is cruel as the grave. I cannot bear this dif- 
 tance from thee, thefe fears of my being difregarded by 
 thee. Set me as a feal on thy heart. 
 
 Now, this fpiritual jealoufy is the folicitoufnefs of 
 the mind of a believer, who hath a fincere love for 
 Chrift, about the heart, affe&ion, and good will of 
 Chrift towards it, arifing from a confcioufnefs of its 
 own unworthinefs to be beloved by him, or accepted 
 with him. All caufelefs jealoufy arifeth from a fecret 
 fenfe and convi&ion of unworthinefs in the perfon in 
 whom it is, and an high efteem of him that is the obje<ft 
 of it; or concerning whofe love and affe&ion any one is 
 jealous. So it is with this*fpiritual jealoufy ; the root 
 of it is love, fincere love, that cannot be quenched by 
 waters, nor drowned by floods, ver. 27. which nothing 
 can utterly prevail againft, or overcome. This gives 
 the foul high thoughts of the glorious excellencies of 
 Chrift, fills it with admiration of him; thefe are mixed 
 with a due fenfe of its own bafenefs, vilenefs and un¬ 
 worthinefs to be owned by him, or accepted with him. 
 Now, if thefe thoughts on the one hand and on the o- 
 tlier be not direfled, guided, and managed aright by 
 faith, which alone can (hew the foul, how the glory 
 of Chrift confifteth principally in this, that he being fo 
 excellent and glorious, is pleafed to love us with love 
 unexprefilble, who are vile and finful; queftionings a- 
 bout the love of Chrift, and thofe attended with much 
 
 anxiety 
 
I 
 
 Ver. 4. Different Effects of 309 
 
 anxiety and trouble of mind, will arife. Now, this 
 frame may fometimes be taken for a queftioning of the 
 promifes of God, and that to be a defeat in faith which 
 is an excefs of love ; or at mod fuch an irregular acting 
 of it, as rhe Lord Chrift will be very tender towards, 
 and which is confident with peace and a due fenfe of 
 the forgivenefs of fins. Miftake not then thefe, one 
 for another, left much caufe'efs unqnietnefs enfue in the 
 judgment which you are to make of yourfelves. 
 
 But you will fay, How fhall we diftingudh between 
 thofe two, fo as not caufelefly to bedifquieted and per¬ 
 plexed ? 1 anfwer briefly. 
 
 1. Unbelief, working in and by the queftioning of 
 the promifes of God, is a weakning, difheartning, dif- 
 piriting thing. It takes off the edge of the foul from 
 fpiritual duties, and weakens it both as unto delight and 
 ftrength. The more any one queftions the promifes of 
 God, the lefs life, power, joy and delight in obedience 
 he hath. For faith is the fpring and root of all other 
 graces; and according as that thriveth or goeth back¬ 
 wards : fo do they all. Men think fometimes, that their 
 uncertainty of the love of God, and of acceptance with 
 him by the forgivenefs of fin, doth put them upon the 
 performance of many duties, and they can have no reft 
 or peace in the omiftion of them. It may be it is fo ; 
 yea, this is the ftate and condition with many. But 
 what are thefe duties ? And how are they performed? 
 And what is their acceptance with God ? The duties 
 themfelves are legal, which denomination arifeth not 
 from the nature, fubftance or matter of them, for they 
 may be the fame that are required and enjoined in the 
 gofpel, but from the principle from whence they pro¬ 
 ceed, and the end to which they.are ufed. Now thefe , 
 in this cafe are both legal, their principle is legal fear, 
 and their end is legal righteoufnefs, the whole attend¬ 
 ance unto them, a feeking of righteoufnefs as it were 
 by the works of the law ; aud how are they perform¬ 
 ed ? Plainly, with a bondage frame of fpirit; without 
 love, joy, liberty, or delight; to quiet confcience, to 
 
 pacify 
 
3 id Unbelief and JealoaJy. Vep. 4. 
 
 pacify God, arc the things in them aimed quq all iiv op- 
 pofition to the blood and righteoufnefs of Chrift. And 
 are they accepted with God ? Let them bp multiplied 
 never fo much, he every where teftifieth, that they are 
 abhorred by him. This then unbelief mixed with con¬ 
 victions will do. It is the proper way of venting and 
 exercifing itfelf, where the foul is brought under the 
 power of conviction. But as unto gofpel obedience in 
 all the duties of it, to be carried on in comitiuuion with 
 God by Chrift, and delight in him, all queftioning of 
 the oromifes weakens and difeourageth the foul, and 
 makes them all wearifome and burdenfome unto it. 
 
 But the jealoufy that is cxercifed about the perfon 
 and love of Chrift unto the foul, is quite of another 
 nature, and produceth other effeCts. It cheats, enliv¬ 
 ens, and enlargeth the foul, ftirs up to activity, earneft- 
 nefs, and induftry in its enquiries and defires after 
 Chrift. Jealoufy y faith the fpoufe is cruel as the grave, 
 therefore fet me as a feal upon thy heart , as a feal upon 
 thy arm. It makes the foul reftlefly pant after nearer, 
 more fenfible, and more allured communion with Chrift ; 
 it ftirs up vigorous and aCtive fpirits in all duties. 
 Every doubt and fear that it ingeneraies concerning the 
 love of Chrift, ftirs up the foul unto more earneftnefs 
 after him, delight in him, and fedulous watching a- 
 gainft every thing that may keep it at a diftance Lorn 
 him, or occafion him to hide, withdraw, or abfent him- 
 felf from it. 
 
 2. Unbelief that works by queftioning of the promi- 
 fes, is univerfaliy felfiih; it begins and ends in felf. 
 Self-love in defires after freedom from guilt, danger and 
 punifhment, are the life and i&ul of it. May this end 
 be attained, it hath no delight in God ; nor doth it care 
 what way it be attained. May fuch perfons have any’ 
 perfwafions that they fhall be freed from death and 
 hell, be it by the works of the law, or by the obferv- 
 ance of any inventions of their own, whether any glo¬ 
 ry arifeth unto God from his grace and faithfulnefs or 
 no, they are not folicitoas* 
 
 The 
 
Ver. 4. Differences between Faith and Senfe. 3 11 
 
 The jealoufy we (peak of hath the perfon of Chrift 
 and his excellency for its conltant object. Thefe it fills 
 the mind with in many and various thoughts, fiill repre- 
 fenting him more and more amiable, and more defir- 
 able unto the foul. So doth the fpoufe upon the like 
 occafion, as you may fee at large, Cant. v. 9, 10, n f 
 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Being at fome lofs for his prefence, 
 for he had withdrawn himfelf, not finding her wonted 
 communion and entercourfe with him, fearing that up¬ 
 on her provocation lhe might forfeit her interefi: in his 
 love, (he falls upon the confideration of all his excel¬ 
 lencies, and thereby the more euflames herfelf unto 
 defires after his company and enjoyment. And thefe 
 divers things may be thus diflinguithed and difeeraed. 
 
 R U L E VI. 
 
 Learn to diftinguilh between faith and fpirituai 
 fenfe This rule the apoflle gives us, 2 Cor. v. 7. We 
 walk by faith and not by fight. It is the fight of glory 
 that is efpecially here intended. But faith and fenfe in 
 any kind are clearly diftinguilhed : That may be be¬ 
 lieved, which is not felt; yea, it is the will and com¬ 
 mand of God, that faith fiiould (land and do its work, 
 where all fenfe fails, Efa. 1 . 10. And it is with fpirituai 
 fenfe in this matter, as it is with natural. Thomas 
 would not believe, unlefs he faw the object of his faith 
 with his eyes, or felt it with his hand ; but faith our 
 Saviour, Ble£ed are they who believe, and have not feen ; 
 who believe ijpon the tenimony of God, without the 
 help of their own lenfe or reafon. And, if v;e will be¬ 
 lieve no more of God, of hk love, of grace, of our ac¬ 
 ceptance with him, than we have a fpirituai aife&ing 
 fenfe of, we (hall be many times at a lofs. Senfible 
 imprefiions from God’s love, are great fprings of joy, 
 but they are nor ablclutely nsesfiary unto peace; nor 
 unto an evidence that we do believe. 
 
 . ' S s We 
 
312 Differences between Faith and Senfe . Ver. 4. 
 
 We will deal thus with the vileft perfon living ; we 
 will believe him whilft we have the certainty of our fenfe 
 to fecure us. And if we deal fo with God, what is 
 there in our fo doing, praife-worthy ? the pr6phet tells 
 us, what it is to believe, in refpeft of providence, Hab. 
 iii. 17. When there is nothing left outward and vifible 
 to fupport us, then to reft quietly on God, that is to 
 believe. So Pfal. lxxiii. 26. And the apoftle, in the 
 example of Abraham, Chews us what it is to believe 
 with refpett unto a fpecial promife, Rom. iv. 18. A- 
 gainfl hope , he believed in hope. When he faw not a- 
 ny outward ordinary means for the accomplifhment of 
 the promife, when innumerable obje&ions arofe again ft 
 any fuch hope as might have refpeft unto fuch means, 
 yet he refolved all his thoughts into faithfulnefs of God 
 in the promife, and therein raifed a new hope in its ac¬ 
 complifhment ; fo in hope believing againft hope. 
 
 To clear this matter, you mu ft obferve what I intend 
 by this fpirirual fenfe, which you muft learn to diftin- 
 guilh faith from ; and to know that true faith, intereft- 
 ing the foul in forgivenefs, may be without it, that fo 
 you may not conclude unto a real want of pardon, from 
 the want of the refrefhing fenfe of it. 
 
 Grace in general may be referred unto two heads: 
 (i.) Our acceptation with God through Chrift ; the 
 fame upon the matter with the forgivenefs of fin that we 
 are treating of. And (2.) Grace of fan&ification from 
 God in Chrift ; Of each of thefe there is a fpiritual 
 fenfe or experience to be obtained ; in both diftinguifh- 
 ed from faith that gives us a real intereft in forgive¬ 
 nefs. 
 
 Of the firft, or the fpiritual fenfe that we have of 
 acceptance with God, there are fundry parts or degrees ; 
 As, 1. Hereunto belongs peace with God, Rom. v. 1. 
 Being jufiified by faith , we have peace with God. This 
 peace is reft and compofure of the foul emerging out 
 of rroubles, upon the account of the reconciliation and 
 friendfhip made for it by the blood of Chrift : And it 
 hath, as all peace hath, two parts; (1.) A freedom 
 
 from 
 
Ver. q. Spiritual Senfe wherein it confifts. 313 
 
 from war, trouble, and diftrefs ; and, (2.) Reft, fatis- 
 fa&ion and contentment in the condition attained. And 
 this, at lead che fecond part of it, belongs unto the fpi- 
 ritual fenfe that we enquire after. Again, there is in 
 it joy in the Holy Gholt, called joy unfpeakable, and full 
 of glory, 1 Pet. i. 8. as alfo glorying in the Lord , upon 
 the account of his grace, Eia. Ixv. 26. with many the 
 like effects, proceeding from a fhedding abroad of the 
 love of God in our hearts, Rom. v. 5. 
 
 Yea, you fay thefe are the things you aim at; thefe 
 are the things you would attain, and be filled withal. 
 It is this peace, this joy, this glorying in the Lord, that 
 you would always be in the pofteflion of; 1 fay you do 
 well to defire them, to feek and labour after them ; they 
 are purchaled by Chrift for believers : But you will do 
 well to confider under what notion you do defire them. 
 If you look on thefe things as belonging to the eflence 
 of faith, without which you can have no real intereft 
 in forgivenefs, or acceptance with God, you greatly 
 deceive your own fouls, and put yourfelves out of 
 the way of obtaining of them. Thefe things are not 
 believing, nor adequate effects of it, fo as immediately 
 to be produced where-ever faith is: But they are fuch 
 confequents of it, as may, or may not, enfue upon it, 
 according to the will of God. Faith is a feed that con¬ 
 tains them virtually; and out of which they may be, 
 in due time, educed by the working of the word and 
 fpirit. And the way for any foul to be made partak¬ 
 er of them, is to wait on the fovereignty of God’s grace, 
 who createth peace in the exercife of faith upon the 
 promifes. He then that would place believing in thefe 
 things, and will not be perfwaded that be doth believe, 
 until he is pofTeffed of them; he doth both lofe the 
 benefit, advantage, and comfort of what he hath, and 
 neglecting the due aCting of faith, puts himfelf out or 
 the way of attaining what he aimeth at. 
 
 Thefe things therefore are not needful to give you 
 a real, faving intereft in forgivenefs, as it is rendered 
 in the promife of the gofpel by the blood of Chrift. 
 
 S s 2 And 
 
3*4 
 
 Spiritual Senfe wherein it confifls, Ver. 4. 
 
 And it may be it is not the will of God, that ever you 
 (bould be entrufted with them. It may be, it would 
 not be for your good and advantage fo to be. Some 
 fervants that are ill husbands, muft have their wages 
 kept for them to the year’s end, or it will do them no 
 good. It may be fome would be fuch fpend-thrifts of 
 Satisfying peace and joy, and be fo diverted by them 
 from attending unto lome neceflary duties, as of humi¬ 
 liation, mortification, and feif-abafement, without which 
 their fouls cannot live, that it would not be much to 
 their advantage to be entrufted with them. It is from 
 the fame care and love, that peace and joy are detain¬ 
 ed from fome believers, and granted unto others. 
 
 You are therefore to receive forgivenefs by a pure 
 aft of believing, in the way and manner before at large 
 defcribed ; and do not think that it is not in you, unlefs 
 you have conftantly a fpiritual fenfeofit in your hearts, 
 bee in the mean time that your faith bringeth forth o- 
 bedience, and God in due time will caufe it to bring 
 forth peace. 
 
 The like may be faid concerning the other head of 
 grace ; though it be not fo direft unto cur purpofe, yet 
 tending alfo to the relief of the foul in its depths. This 
 is the grace that we have from God in Chrift for our 
 fanftification : When the foul cannot find this in him- 
 felf, when he hath not a fpiritual fenfe and experience 
 of its inbeing and power, when it cannot evidently dif- 
 tinguifh it from that which is not right or genuine*, it is 
 filled with fears and perplexities, and it is yet in its fin. 
 He is fo indeed who hath no grace in him; but not he 
 always who can find none in him : But thefe are differ¬ 
 ent things. A man may have grace, and yet not have 
 it at fome times much afting ; he may have grace for 
 life, when he hath it not for fruitfulnefs and comfort, 
 though it be his duty fo to have it, Rev. iii. 2. 
 1 Tim. i. 6. a man roay have grace afting in him, 
 and >et not know, not be fenfible, that he hath afting 
 grace. We fee perfons frequently under great temp¬ 
 tations, of apprehenfion that they have no grace at all 
 
Ver. 4. Foundation and Spiritual Building , &c. 315 
 
 and yet at the fame time, to the cleareft conviftion of 
 all who are able to difcern fpiritual things, fweetly and 
 genuinely to aft faith, love, fubmilfion unto God, and 
 that in an high and eminent manner, Pfal fxxxviii. He- 
 man complains, that he was free among the dead ; a 
 man of no ftrength, ver. 4, 5. as one that had no fpiritual 
 life, no grace. This afflifted his mind, and almoft de¬ 
 ft rafted him, ver. 15. and yet there can be no greater 
 expreffions of faith and love to God, than are mixed 
 with his complaints. 
 
 Thefe things I fay then, are not to be judged of by 
 fpiritual fenfe, hut we are to live by faith about them. 
 And no foul ought to conclude, that becaufe it hath not 
 the one, it hath not the other; that becaufe it hath 
 not joy and peace, it hath no intereft in pardon and for¬ 
 given els. 
 
 RULE VII. 
 
 The feventh rule.-Mix not foundation and build- 
 
 work together..The eighth..Spend not 
 
 time in heartlefs complaints, &c. 
 
 Mix not too much foundation and building work to¬ 
 gether. Our foundation in dealing with God, is Chrift 
 alone, mere grace and pardon in him. 
 
 Our building is in and by holinefs and obedience, as 
 the fruits of that faith by which we have received the 
 atonement: And great miftakes there are in this matter 
 which bring greats intanglements on the fouls of men. 
 Some are all their days laying of the foundation, and are 
 never able to build upon it unto any comfort to them- 
 felves, or ufefulnefs unto others; and the reafon is, be¬ 
 caufe they will be mixing with the foundation, (tones 
 that are fit only for the following building. They will 
 be bringing their obedience, duties, mortification of fin, 
 and the like, unto the foundation. Thefe are precious 
 ftones to build with, but unmeet to be firft laid, to bear 
 
 upon 
 
q 16 Foundation and Spiritual Ver. 4. 
 
 upon them the whole weight of the building. The 
 foundation is to be laid, as was faid, in mere grace, 
 mercy, pardon in the blood of Chrift. This the foul is 
 td accept of, and to reft in merely as it is grace, without 
 the consideration of any thing in it felf, but that it is 
 iinful and obnoxious unto ruin : This it finds a difficul¬ 
 ty in, and would gladly have fomething of its own to 
 mix with it: It cannot tell how to fix thefe foundation- 
 ftones without fome cement of its own endeavours and 
 duty ; and becaufe thefe things will not mix, they fpend 
 a fruitlefs labour about it all their days. But if the 
 foundation be of grace, it is not at all of works; for 
 otherwife grace is no more grace. If any thing of our 
 own be mixed with grace in this matter, it utterly de- 
 ftroys the nature of grace ; which, if it be not alone, it 
 is not at all. But doth not this tend to licentioufnefs l 
 doth not this render obedience, holinefs, duties, morti¬ 
 fication of fin, and good works, needlefs ? God forbid ; 
 yea, this is the only way to order them aright unto the 
 glory of God. Have we nothing to do but to lay the 
 foundation ? Yes, all our days we are to build upon it, 
 when it is furely and firmly laid: And thefe are the 
 means and ways of our edification. This then is the 
 foul to do who would come to peace and Settlement. Let 
 it let go all former endeavours, if it have been engaged 
 unto any of that kind ;.and let it alone receive, admit of 
 and adhere to mere grace, mercy, and pardon, with a 
 full fenfe that in it felf it hath nothing for which it 
 fhould have an intereft in them, but that all is of mere 
 grace through Jefus Chrift. Another foundation can no 
 man lay. Depart not hence until this work be well over. 
 Surceafe not an earned endeavour with your own hearts, 
 to acquiefce in this righteoufnefs of God, and to bring 
 your fouls unto a comfortable perfuafion, that God for 
 Chrift his fake hath freely forgiven you all your fins. 
 Stir not hence until this be effected. If you have been 
 engaged in another way, that is to feek for an intereft 
 in the pardon of fin by fome endeavours of your own, 
 it is not unlikely but that you are filled with the fruit of 
 
 your 
 
Ver. 4. Building diftinguijbed. 3 17 
 
 your own doings ; that is, that you go on with all kind 
 of uncertainties, and without any kind of conftant peace. 
 Return then again hither; bring this foundation work 
 to a bleffed iffue in the blood of Chrift, and when that 
 is done, up and be doing. 
 
 You know how fatal and ruinous it is for fouls to 
 abufe the grace of God, and the apprehenfion of the 
 pardon of fins in the courfe of their obedience, to 
 countenance themfelves in fin, or the negligence of any 
 duty ; this is to turn the grace of God into wantonnefs, as 
 we have elfewhere at large declared. And it is no lefs 
 pernicious to bring the duties of our obedience, any 
 referves for them, any hopes about them, into' the 
 matter of pardon and forgivenefs, as we are to receive 
 them from God. But thefe things, as they are diftinft 
 in themfelves, fo they muft be diftin&ly managed 
 in the foul; and the confounding of them, is that which 
 difturbs the peace, and weakens the obedience of many. 
 In a confufed manner they labour to keep up a life 
 of grace and duty, which will be in their places con¬ 
 joined, but not mixed or compounded. 
 
 Firft to take up mercy, pardon, and forgivenefs 
 abfolutely on the account of Chrift, and then to yield 
 all obedience in the ftreugth of Chrift, and for the 
 love of Chrift, is the life of a believer, Eph. ii. 8, 
 9, 10. 
 
 RULE VIII. 
 
 Take heed of fpending time in complaints, when vi¬ 
 gorous actings of grace are your duty. Fruitlefs and 
 heartlefs complaints, bemoanings of themfelves and their 
 condition, is the fubftance of the profeftion that fome 
 make. If they can objgft againft themfelves, and form 
 complaints out of their conditions, they fuppofe they 
 have done their duty. I have known fome who have 
 fpent a good part of their time in going up and down 
 from one to another with their objections and com¬ 
 plaints. 
 
318 Objections and Complaints to be avoided . Ver. 4. 
 
 plaints. Thefe things are contrary to the life of faith. 
 It is good indeed, in our fpiritual diftrefles, to apply. 
 ourielves unto them who are furniftied with the tongue 
 of the learned, to know how to fpeak a word in feafon 
 unto him that is weary : But for perfons to fill their 
 minds and imaginations with their own objections and 
 complaints, not endeavouring to mix the words that 
 are fpoken for their relief and direction with faith, but 
 going on (till in their own way, this is of no ufe or ad¬ 
 vantage; and yet iome, I fear, may pleafe themfelves 
 in fuch courfe, as if it had fomewhat of emiuency in 
 religion in it. 
 
 Others, it may be, drive the fame trade in their 
 thoughts, although tney make not outwardly luch com-* 
 plaints. They are converfant, for the mod part, with 
 heartlefs defpondings; and in fome they are multiplied 
 by their natural conditutions or diftempers. Examples 
 of this kind occur unto us every day. Now, what is 
 the advantage of thefe things ? What did Zion get when 
 file cried, The Lord hath forfaken me , and my God hath 
 forgotten me ? or Jacob when faid, My way is hid from 
 the Lord, and my judgment is pajjed over from my God f 
 Doubtlefs they did prejudice themfelves, How doth 
 Pavid roufe up himfelf, when he found his mind in¬ 
 clinable unto fuch a frame ? For having faid, Why dofl 
 thou cafl me off^ 0 God f why go 1 mourning becaufe of 
 the cpprejfion of mine enemy f He quickly rebukes and 
 recolleCls himfelf, faying, Why art thou cafl down , 0 
 my foul , and why art thou difquieted within me f hope in 
 God , Pfal. xliii. 2, 5. 
 
 We mud fay then unto, fuch heartlefs complainers, 
 at God did to Jodiua, Get you up, why lye you thus upon 
 your face ? Do you think to mend your condition by 
 widiing it better, or complaining it is fo bad ? are your 
 complaints of want of an intered in forgivenefs, a fanc- 
 tified means to obtain it ? Not at all! You will not deal 
 fo with yourfelVes in things natural or civil. In fuch 
 things you will take an indudrious courfe for a remedy, 
 or for relief. In things of the fmalleft importance in 
 
 this 
 
Ver. 4. . Objections and Complaints to be avoided . 319 
 
 this world, and unto this life, you will not content your- 
 feives with wifhing and complaining ; as though induflry 
 in the ufe of natural means, for the attaining of natu¬ 
 ral ends, were the ordinance of God, and diligence in 
 the ufe of fpiritual means, for the obtaining of fpiritua! 
 ends, were not. 
 
 Do not confult your own hearts only. What is it 
 that the fcripture calls for in your condition ? Is it not 
 induflry and a&iviiy of fpirit ? And what doth the na¬ 
 ture of the thing require ? Diflrefs that is yet hoped to 
 be conquered, evidently calls for induflry and diligence 
 in the ufe of means for deliverance. If thou art paft 
 hope, it avails not to complain ; if you are not, why 
 do you give up yourfejves to defpondencies ? Our Sa¬ 
 viour tells us, that the kingdom of heaven fujfereth violence , 
 and the violent take it by force y Matth. xi. 12. It is not 
 of the outward violence of its enemies feeking to de- 
 ftroy it, that our Saviour fpeaks, but of that fpiritual 
 fervency and ardency of mind that is in thofe who in¬ 
 tend to be partakers of it: For Ms*?**, is taken by force t 
 Luke xvi. 16. is no more but lvxryt\ii(ieu, is preached ; the 
 kingdom of God is preached, and every man pref- 
 feth into it; prefting into it, and taking by force, are 
 the fame thing. There is then a violence, a refllefs 
 activity and vigour of fpirit to be ufed and exercifed 
 for an intereft in this kingdom. Apply this to your 
 condition : Are you in depths and doubts, daggering 
 and uncertain, not knowing what is your condition, 
 nor whether you have any intereft in the forgive- 
 nefs that is with God? Are you toffed up and down be¬ 
 tween hopes and fears, want of peace, confolations and e- 
 ftablifhment ? Why ly you upon your faces ? Get up, 
 watch, pray, faft, meditate, offer violence to your lufts 
 and corruptions; fear not, ftartle not at their crying or 
 importunities to be fpared; prefs unto the throne of 
 grace by prayers, fupplications, importunities, refllefs 
 requefts: This is the way to take the kingdom of hea¬ 
 ven. Thefe things are not peace, they are net affur- 
 
 T t since, 
 
320 Objections and Complaint to be avoided. Ver, 4. ' 
 
 ance, but they are part of the means that God hath ap¬ 
 pointed for the attainment of them. 
 
 What then is the peculiar inftru&ion that is proper 
 for fouls in this condition ? That plainly of the apoftle, 
 
 2 Pet. i. 1 o. Give all diligence to make your calling and 
 election Jure. Alas ! faith the foul, 1 am at no certain¬ 
 ty, but rather am affli&ed and tofled, and not comfort¬ 
 ed ; my heart will come to no (lability ; 1 have no af- 
 furance, know not whether 1 am chofen or called : yea, 
 fear that my latter end will be darknefs and forrow: 
 There is, 1 confefs, forgivenefs with God, but juftly 
 fear that 1 (hall never be made partaker of it. What 
 is the ufual courfe that is given in fuch complaints by 
 them to whom they are made ? Moftly they have a good 
 opinion of them that come with thefe complaints : They 
 judge them to be godly and holy, though much in the 
 dark if they knew them not before, yet upon thefe 
 complaints they begin to be well perfuaded of them. 
 Hereupon they are moved with pity and compalfion, 
 and troubled to fee them in their perplexities, and fet 
 themfelves to tender relief unto them : They mind them 
 of the gracious promifes of the gofpel ; it may be, fix 
 upon fome one or more of them in particular, which 
 they explain unto them: Thence they mind them of 
 the abundant grace and tender love of the Father, of 
 the merciful care of our high pried, his readinefs and a- 
 bility to fave, his communications of fuch favours unto 
 them as they perceive not. By fuch ways and means, 
 by fuch applications, do they feck to relieve them in 
 the date and condition wherein they are. But what is 
 the iflue ? Doth not this relief prove for the mod part 
 like the morning cloud, and as the early dew ; a little 
 refrelhment, it may be, it yields for a feafon, but it is 
 quickly again dried up, and the foul left in its heartlefs 
 withering condition. 
 
 You will fay then. Do you condemn this manner of 
 proceeding with the fouls of men in their doubts, fears, 
 and didrelfes ? or would you have them pine away un¬ 
 der the fenfe of their condition, or abide in this uncer¬ 
 tainty 
 
Ver. 4. Objections and Complaints to be avoided. 321 
 
 tainty all their days ? I anfwer. No ; I condemn not 
 the way, I would not have any left comfortlefs in their 
 depths : But yet I would give thefe two cautions ; 
 
 1. That fpiritual wifdom and prudence is greatly re¬ 
 quired in this matter, in the adminiflration of confola- 
 tion to diftreffed fouls; if in any thing, the tongue of 
 the fpiritually learned is required herein, namely in 
 fpeaking a word in feafon to them that are weary. A 
 promifcuous drawing out of gofpel-confolations, without 
 a previous right judgment concerning the true date and 
 condition of the fouls applied unto, is feldom ufeful, 
 oft-times pernicious. And let men take care, how they 
 commit their fouls and confciences unto fuch who have 
 good words in readinefs for all comers. 
 
 2. if counfel and confolation of this kind be ■given, 
 fpecial and diftinft from the advice we are upon of 
 watchfulnefs, diligence, fpiritual violence in a way of 
 duty ; it is exceeding dangerous, and will affuredly 
 prove ufelefs. For let us fee what counfel the Holy 
 Ghoft gives in this condition unto them who would make 
 their calling and ele&ion fure, who would be freed from 
 their prefent fears and uncertainties, who complain of 
 their darknefs and dangers; why, faith he, giving all 
 diligence, add to your faith virtue ; and fo on, verfe 5. 
 For, faith he, if you do thefe things , an entrance fhall be 
 adminijlred unto you abundantly into the everlafting king¬ 
 dom of our Lord and Saviour jefus Chrifl, verfe 1 1. You 
 who are now in the ikirts of it, who know not whether 
 you belong unto it or no, you fhall have an entrance in¬ 
 to the kingdom of Chrift, and all the joy, comforts, 
 confolations and glory of it, fhall’be richly adminiflred 
 unto you. This is the advice that the Holy Gholt gives 
 in this cafe ; and this is the bleffed promife annexed 
 unto the following of this advice : And this the former 
 compaffionate courfe of adminiftring confolation is not 
 to be feparated from. 
 
 But you will, it may be here fay, “ We are fo dead 
 “ and dull, fo chained under the power of corruptions 
 “ and temptations, that we are not able thus to put 
 
 T t 2 “ forth 
 
322 Objection and Complaints to be avoided. Ver. 4. 
 
 “ forth the fruit of a fpiritual life in adding one grace 
 “ unto another.” But do you ufe diligence, ftudy, 
 endeavour all diligence, diligence at all times, in all 
 ways by God appointed, all manner of diligence within 
 and without, in private and public, to this end and pur- 
 pofe ? Do you ftudy, meditate, pray, watch, faft, ne- 
 gle<ft no opportunity, keep your hearts, fearch, try, 
 examine yourfelves, fly temptations, and occaflons of 
 cooling, deadning, and (lifting grace? Do thefe things 
 abound in you ? Alas, you cannot do thus, you are fo 
 weak, fo indifpofed; but alas, you will not, you will 
 not part with your eafe, you will not crucify your lufts, 
 you will not ufe all diligence ; but muft come to it, or 
 be contented to fpend all your days in darknefs, and 
 to Im down in forrow. 
 
 Thus do men frequently mifcarry. Is it any news 
 for perfons to bewail the folly of their nature and ways 
 in the morning and evening, and yet fcarce (land upon 
 their watch any part of the day, or in any occafion of 
 the day ? Is this giving all diligence ? Is this working 
 out our falvation with fear and trembling ? And may 
 we not fee profeflors, even indulging themfelves in 
 ways of vanity, folly, wrath, envy, (loth and the like, 
 and yet complain at what a lofs they are, how unquiet, 
 how uncertain ? God forbid it fhould be other wife 
 with you ; or that we fhould endeavour to fpeak peace 
 unto you in any fuch a frame. To hear of a perfon, 
 that he walks flothfully, carelefly, or indutgeth his cor¬ 
 ruptions, and to find him complaining, that he is at a 
 lofs whether he have any intereft in pardon or no, to 
 give or tender comfort to fuch mourners without a due 
 admonition of their duty, to ufe diligence in the ufe of 
 means, for to help on their delivery out of the condition 
 wherein they are, is to tender poifon unto them. 
 
 To this then the foul muft come that is in depths, if 
 it intend to be delivered. Heartlefs complaints, with 
 excufes to keep it from vigorous fpiritual diligence, 
 muft be laid afide ; if nor, ordinarily, peace, reft, and 
 liability will not be obtained. A great example hereof 
 
 we 
 
Ver, 4. Kafty Exfrejfions^ &c. 323 
 
 we have in the fpoufe, Caut. v. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 > 7, 8. 
 She is droufy and indifpoi'ed unto communion with 
 Chrid, whereunto (he is iuvited, ver. 2. this puts her 
 upon making excufes from the unfitnefs of the time, 
 and her prefent indifpofition and unpreparednefs as to 
 the duty whereunto (he is called, ver. 3. Hereupon 
 Chrid withdraws his prefence from her, and leaves her 
 at a lofs as to her former comforts, ver. 6. what courfe 
 doth die now take ? Doth (he now ly down again in her 
 former (lumber l Doth (he make ufe of her former ex¬ 
 cufes and pretences, why (he could not engage into the 
 duties (lie was called unto ? No fuch things! But now, 
 with all carneftnefs, diligence, fedulity and importuni¬ 
 ty, (lie engageth in all manner of duties, whereby die 
 may recover her former comforts, as you may fee in the 
 text. And this mud be the courfe of others, who 
 would obtain the fame fuccefs. Spiritual peace and 
 doth will never dwell together in the fame foul and cou- 
 fcience. 
 
 RULE IX. 
 
 The ninth rule.-Take heed of undue expreffi- 
 
 ons concerning God, aDd his ways, in diftrefs. 
 
 Take heed in doubts, didrefl'es, and perplexities, of 
 hard thoughts of God; hafty un weighed expredions con¬ 
 cerning him or his ways, with, or of, fecret refolves, 
 that it were as good give over waiting, as continue in 
 the date wherein you are, feeing your condition is re- 
 medilefs. 
 
 On three-occadons are fuch thoughts and refolves 
 apt to befal the minds of men, which fometimes break 
 forth into unwarrantable expredions concerning God, 
 himfelf and his ways. 
 
 1. In deep perplexities of mind, by reafon of fome 
 prefling terror from the Lord. 
 
 2. On 
 
g «4 Hcifty Exprefions, &c. Ver. 4. 
 
 2. On the long wearifome continuance of fome 
 tempting diflrefs, and hereof we have many examples 
 fome whereof (hall be mentioned. 
 
 3. In fpiritual difappointments through the ftrength 
 of luff or temptation. When a perfon hath, it may be 
 recovered himfelf through grace, from a perplexing 
 fenfe of the guilt of fome fin, or it may be from a courfe 
 fhorter or longer, leffer or greater, of backfliding and 
 negligent walking with God, and therein goes on 
 chearfully for a feafon in the courfe of his obedience, 
 if this perfon, through the power of temptation, fub- 
 tilty of luffs, negleft of watchfulnefs, by one means 
 or other, is furprifed in the fins, or ways that he had 
 relinquifhed ; or is turned afide from the vigour of that 
 courfe wherein he was engaged, he may be expofed 
 not only to great defpondencies, but alfo be overtaken 
 with fecret refolves to give over contending, feeing it 
 is to no more purpofe, nay, to no purpofe, and that 
 God regards him not at all. 
 
 Take an inflance or two in each kind. 
 
 The firfl we have in Job in the extremity of his trials 
 and terrors from the Lord. See among other places, 
 chap. x. ver. 3. Is it, faith he to God , good for thee , that 
 thou fhouldjl opprefs , that thou Jhouldf defpife the work 
 of thy hands f Ah poor worms, with whom have we to 
 do ? Who fhall fay unto a king. Thou art wicked , and 
 to princes, Te are ungodly ? And will ye fpeak fo to him 
 who refpeffeth not the perfons of princes, nor regards 
 cth them more than the pooreff in the earth; And fee 
 what conclufions from fuch thoughts as thefehe doth in¬ 
 fer, chap. xiv. 15, 16, 17. Thou numberefl myfeps,dof 
 thou not watch over my fin f my tranfgrejjion is fealed up 
 in a bag, and thou fowef up my iniquity. He chargeth 
 God to be his enemy, one that watched for all oppor¬ 
 tunities and advantages againft him, that feemed to be 
 glad at his halting, and take care that none of his fins 
 lhould be miffing when he intended to deal with him. 
 Had this indeed been the cafe with him, hehadperifh- 
 ed unto eternity, as elfewhere he acknowledged. 
 
 Of 
 
Ver. 4. Judgment of Men's State in Chrift's Hand. 325 
 
 Of the other, we have an inftance in the church, 
 Lam. iii. 18. I/aid, my Jlrength and my hope is perifhed 
 from the Lord. Prefent grace in fpiritual ftrength, and 
 future expe&ation of mercy, are all gone. And what 
 is got by this ? Secret hard thoughts of God himfelf are 
 hereby ingenerated ; as ver. 8. When I cry and fbout> 
 he jhutteth out my prayers, ver. 44. Thou haft covered 
 thyjelf with a cloudy that our prayers Jhould not lafs 
 through. Thefe things are grievous unto God to bear, 
 and no way ufeful to the foul in its condition. Yea, 
 they more and more unfit it for every duty that may ly 
 in a tendency to its relief and deliverance. 
 
 So was it with Jonah, chap. ii. 4. 1 j'aid I am caft 
 
 out of thy fight; All is loft and gone with me, as good 
 give over as contend ; I do but labour in vain; perilh 
 1 muft as one call out of the fight of God. The like 
 complaints fell alfo from Heman in his diftrefs, Pfal. 
 lxxxviii. 
 
 The General, who heard one of his foldiers cry out 
 upon a frefti onfet of the enemy. Now we are undone. 
 Now we are ruined, called him traitor, and told him it 
 was not fo, whilft he could wield his fword. It is not 
 for every private foldier, on every danger, to make a 
 judgment of the battle. That is the work of the Gener¬ 
 al. Jefus Cnrift is the Captain of our falvation, he 
 haffi undertaken the leading and condmft of our fouls 
 through all our difficulties. Our duty is to fight and 
 contend ; his work is to take care of the event; and to 
 him it is to be committed. 
 
 That then you may make a due ufe of this rule, keep 
 always in your minds thefe two confiderations. 
 
 1. That it is not for you to take the judgment of 
 Chrift out of his hand, and to be paffing fentence upon 
 your own fouls. Judgment, as to the ftate and conditi¬ 
 on of men, is committed unto Chrift, and to him it is 
 to be left. This we were dire&ed unto in our firft rule, 
 and it is of fpecial ufe in the cafe under confideration. 
 S, I-' -judging in reference unto fin, and the demerit of it 
 is our duty. The judging of our ftate and condition 
 
 in 
 
326 The leaft Appearances Ver. 4. 
 
 in relation unto the remedy provided, is the office and 
 work of Jefus Chrift, with whom it is to be left. 
 
 2. Confider, that hard thoughts of what God .will do 
 with you, and harfh defponding fentences pronounced 
 againft yourfelves, will infenfibly alienate your hearts 
 from God. it may be, when mens perplexities are at 
 the heighr, and the moft fad expreffions are as it were 
 wrcfled from them, they yet think they mull: jufiify 
 God, and that they do fo accordingly. But yet fuch 
 thoughts as thofe mentioned, are very apt to in fed the 
 mind with other inclinations. For after a while 
 they will prevail with the foul to look on God as an en¬ 
 emy, as one that hath no delight in it; and what will 
 be the confequent thereof is eafily difcernable. None 
 will continue to love long, where they exped no re¬ 
 turns. Suffer not then your minds to be tainted with 
 fuch expreffions, as refled on that infinite grace and 
 compaflion which he is exercifing towards you. 
 
 RULE X. 
 
 The tenth rule..Duly improve the leaf! ap¬ 
 
 pearances of God in a way of grace 01 pardon. 
 
 If you would come to liability, and a comforting per- 
 fuaflon of an imereft in forgivenefs by the blood of 
 Chrift, improve the leaf! appearances of him unto your 
 fouls, and the leaf! intimations of his love in pardon, 
 that are made unto you in the way of God. 1 he fpoul'c 
 takes notice of her husband, and rejoiceth in him, when 
 he ftands behind the wall, when he doth but look forth 
 at the window, and {hew himfelf at the lattice, when 
 (he could have no clear fight of him. Cant. ii. 9. She 
 lays hold on the leaf! appearance of him to fupport her 
 heart withal, and to ftir up her affedions towards him. 
 Men in dangers do not fit ftill to wait untill fomething 
 prefents itfelf unto them that will give affured deliver¬ 
 ance ; but they clofe with that which firft prefents it¬ 
 felf 
 
Ver. 4. of Grace to be improved . 327 
 
 fe!f unto them, that is of the fame kind and nature with 
 what they look after. And thus God doth in many 
 places exprefs fuch fupportments, as give the foul lit¬ 
 tle more than a poffihility of attaining the end aimed at. 
 As Zeph. ii, 3. It may be ye Jball be bid in the day of 
 the Lord’s anger. And foel ii. 14. Who knoweth but 
 he •will return and leave a blejjrng f It may be we {hall 
 be hid ; it may be we {ball have a bleffing. And this 
 was the bed ground that Jonathan had for the great 
 undertaking againft the enemies of Gol, 1 Sam. xiv. 6. 
 It may be God will go along with us. And to what end 
 doth God at any time make thefe feemingly dubious 
 intimations of grace and mercy ? Is it that we (hould, 
 by the difficulty included in them, be difeouraged and 
 kept from him ? Not at all; he fpeaks nothing to de¬ 
 ter Tinners, efpecially diftreffed finners, from trufting 
 in him. But his end is, that we (hould clofe with, and 
 lay hold upon, and improve the lead appearances of 
 grace, which this kind of expreffions do give unto us. 
 When men are in a voyage at fea, and meet with a 
 dorm or a temped which abides upon them, and they 
 fear will at lad prevail againd them ; if they make fj 
 far a difeovery of land, as that they can fay, It may be 
 there is land ; it may be it is fiich a place where there 
 is a fafe harbour, none can ponrively fay, it is not; 
 there lies no demonftration againd it; in this condition, 
 efpecially if there be no other way of efcape, delivery 
 or fafety propofed to them, this is enough to make 
 them follow on that difeovery, and with all diligence 
 to fteer their courfe that way, until they have made a 
 trial of it unto the utmoft. The foul of which we fpeak 
 is affli&ed a^d toiled, and not comforted. There is 
 in the intimation of grace and pardon intended a remote 
 difeovery made of fome relief. This may be Chrid, 
 it may be f'orgivenefs. This it is convinced of; it can¬ 
 not deny but at fuch or fuch a time, under fuch ordi¬ 
 nances, or in fuch duties, it was perfwaded that yet 
 there might be mercy and pardon for it. This is e- 
 nough to carry it to deer its courfe condaudy that way: 
 
 U u * to 
 
328 Lhe leajl Appearances Sc c. Ver. 4. 
 
 to prefs forward unto that harbour which will give it reft* 
 How little was it that David had to bring his foul unto 
 a compofure in his great diltrefs, 2 Sam. xv. 25. If 
 faith he, 1 /hall find, favour in the eyes of the Lord , he 
 •will bring me again , and lhew me the ark , and the place 
 of his habitation ; but if he thus fay , / have no delight 
 in thee , behold here am /, let him do unto me as feemeth 
 good unto him. He hath nothing but fovereign grace to 
 reft upon, and that he gives himfelf up unto. 
 
 Faith is indeed the foul’s venture for eternity. Some¬ 
 thing it is to venture on, as to its eternal condition. It 
 muft either adhere unto itfelf, or its own vain hopes of 
 a righteoufnefs of its own ; or it muft give over all ex¬ 
 pectation, and ly down in darknefs, or, it muft fhut out 
 all dreadful apprehenfions of eternity, by the power 
 and a&ivity of its lufts and carnal affe&ions ; or, it muft, 
 whatever its difcouragements be, caft itfelf upon par¬ 
 don in the blood ot Jefus Chrift. Now, if all the for¬ 
 mer ways be deteftable and pernicious, if the beft of 
 them be a direct oppofition unto the gofpel, what hath 
 the foul that enquires after thefe things to do, but to 
 adhere unto the laft, and to improve every encourage¬ 
 ment, even the leaft to that purpofe. 
 
 As a clofe unto thefe general rules, I {hall only add 
 this laft direction : Confider in particular where the 
 ftrefs and hindrance lies, that keeps you off from peace 
 through an eftablifhed perfv/afion of an intereft in e- 
 vangelical pardon. Do not always flu&uate up and 
 down in generals and uncertainties; but drive things un¬ 
 to a particular iffue, that it may be tried whether it be 
 of fuffrcient efihcacy to keep you in your prefent intan- 
 glements and defpondencies. Search out your wound, 
 that it may be tried whether it be curable or no. 
 
 Now, in this cafe we cannot expeCt that perfons 
 ftiould fuggeft their own particular concerns, that fo 
 they might be confidered and be brought unto the rule; 
 but we muft ourfelves reduce fuch diftreffes, as may, or 
 do, in this matter befal the minds of men, unto fome 
 general heads, and give a judgment concerning them 
 
Ver. 4, Afflictions a Caufe 529 
 
 according to the word of truth. Indeed particular cafes 
 as varied by circumftances, are endlefs; nor can they 
 be fpoken unto in this way of inftruCtion and direction, 
 but they mult be left unto occafional confiderations of 
 them, as they are reprefented unto them who are en- 
 trufted to difpenfe the myfteries of God. Belides, ma¬ 
 ny have laboured already in this matter, and their en¬ 
 deavours are in, and of general ufe. Although it muff 
 be faid, as was before obferved, that fpecial cafes are 
 fo varied by their circumftances, that it is very rare that 
 any refolutions of them are every way adequate, and 
 fuited unto the apprehenfions of them that are exercif- 
 ed with them. I lhall therefore call things unto fome 
 general heads, whereunro molt of the objections that 
 diftrefled finners make againft their own peace, may be 
 reduced ; and leave the light of them to be applied in 
 particular unto the relief of the fouls of men, as God 
 (hall be pleafed to make them effectual. 
 
 Second general head, of the application of the truth 
 
 infilled on..Grounds of fpiritual difquietments 
 
 confidered..The firft, afflictions..Ways and 
 
 means of the aggravation of afflictions.--Rules 
 
 about them. 
 
 That which now iieth before us, is the fecond parr 
 of the fecond general ufe educed from the trudi infilled 
 on. Our aim is, to lead on fouls towards peace with 
 God, through a gracious perfwafion of their intereft in 
 that forgivenefs which is with him ; and it confifts, as 
 was declared, in a confideration of fome of thofe dif¬ 
 quietments which befal the minds of men, and keep 
 them off from eftablifhment in this matter. 
 
 And, fir ft, fuch difquietments and objections againft 
 the peace of the foul, and its acceptance with God, will 
 arife from afflictions; they have done fo of old, they 
 do fo in many at this day. Afflictions, I fay, greatned un¬ 
 to the mind from their nature, or by their concomitants, 
 do oft-times varioully affeCt it, and fometimes prevail 
 
 U u 2 to 
 
330 of Spiritual Difquietments. Ver. 4. 
 
 to darken it fo far, as to engenerate thoughts, that they 
 are all mefTengers of wrath, all tokens of difpleafure, 
 and fo confequently evidences that we are not pardon¬ 
 ed or accepted with God. 
 
 Now, this is a time of great affliction unto many, and 
 thofe, fome of them, fuch as have innumerable aggra¬ 
 vating circumflances accompanying of them. Some 
 have come with a dreadful furprizal in things not look¬ 
 ed for; fuch as falls not out in the providence of God 
 in many generations: Such is the condition of them 
 who are reduced to the utmoft extremity by the late 
 confuming fire; fome have had their whole families, 
 all their pofterity taken from them ; in a few days they 
 have been fuddenly bereaved, as in the plague. Some 
 in their own perfons, or in their relations, have had 
 fore, long and grievous trials, from oppreflions and per- 
 lecutions; and thefe things have various effeCts on the 
 minds of men. Some we find crying with that wicked 
 king. This evil is of the Lord , why Jhould we wait any 
 longer for him f and give up themfelves to feek relief 
 from their own luffs. Some bear up under their trou¬ 
 bles with a natural ffoutnefs of fpirit; fome have re¬ 
 ceived a fanCtified ufe and improvement of their trials, 
 with joy in the Lord. But many we find to go heavily 
 under their burdens, having their minds darkned with 
 many mifapprehenfions of the love of God, and of their 
 own perfonal intereff in his grace. It is not therefore 
 unfeafonable to fpeak a little to this head of trouble in 
 our entrance. Outward troubles, I fay, are often¬ 
 times occafions, if not the caufes of great inward dif- 
 treffes. You know how the faints of old expreffed their 
 fenfe of there, and conflicts with them. The complaints 
 of David are familiar to all who attend unto any com¬ 
 munion with God in thefe things ; fo are thole of Job, 
 Heman, Jonah, Jeremiah, and others; Neither do 
 they complain only of their troubles, but of the fenfe 
 which they had of God’s difpleafure in and under them, 
 and of his hiding of his face from them, whilff they 
 were fo exercifed. 
 
 It 
 
Ver. 4. Afflictions a Caufe See. 331 
 
 It is not otherwife at prefent, as is known unto fuch 
 as converfe with many, who are either furprized with 
 unexpe&ed troubles, or worn out with trials and dif- 
 appointments of an expeffed end. They confider them- 
 felves both abfolutely, and with refpeft unto others, 
 and on both accounts are filled with dark thoughts and 
 defpondencies. Saith one, I am rolled from one tr ial 
 unto another; the clouds with me return it ill after the 
 rain. All the billows and water fpouts of God go o- 
 ver me : In my perfon, it may be, preffed with licknefs, 
 pains, troubles; in my relations, with their fins, mif- 
 carriages, or death ; in my outward Hate, in wants, 
 lofifes, dif-reputation ; 1 am even as a withered branch. 
 Surely, if God had any efpeciai regard unto my foul, 
 it would not be thus with me ; or fome timely end would' 
 have been put unto thefe difpenfadcns. On the other 
 hand, they take a view of fome other profeffors; they 
 fee that their tables are fpread day by day ; that the 
 candle of the Lord fhines continually on their taberna¬ 
 cle, and that in all things they have their hearts defire. 
 Setting afide the common attendencies of human nature, 
 and nothing befalls thpm grievous in the world. Thus 
 it is with them. “ And furely, had 1 an interefl: in 
 “ his grace, in pardon, the God of llrael would not 
 “ thus purfue a flea in the mountains, nor let himfelf 
 in battle aray againfl a leaf driven to and fro with 
 “ the wind; he would fpare me a little, and let me 
 <{ alone for a moment; but as things are with me, 1 
 “ fear my way is hidden from the Lord, and my judg- 
 “ meat is palled over from my God*” Thefe kind of 
 thoughts do perplex the minds of men, and keep them 
 oil from partaking of char ftrong confolation which God 
 is abundantly willing they fhouid receive, by a comfort¬ 
 able perfwafion of a bleffed intereft in that forgivenefs 
 that is with him 
 
 And this was the very cafe of David; or at lead, 
 thefe outward troubles were a fpecial part of thofe 
 depths, out of which he cried for relief, by a fenfe of 
 pardon, grace and redemption with God. 
 
 I anfwer 
 
332 Means of the Aggravation of AjfUttions . Ver. 4. 
 
 I anfwer to thefe complaints ; Firft , that there are 
 fo many excellent things fpoken concerning affl ftions, 
 their neceflity, their ufefulnefs, and the like ; inch 
 blefied ends are afligned unto- them^and in mat)y have 
 been compafled and fulfilled by them, that a man un¬ 
 acquainted with the exercife wherewith they are attend¬ 
 ed, would think it impoffible that any one fliould be 
 lhaken in mind, as to the love and favour of God on 
 their account. But, as the apoftle tells us, that no af¬ 
 flictions are joyous at prefent, but grievous; fo he who 
 made, in the clofe of his trials, that folemn profefli >n, 
 that it was good for him that he had been affli&ed, yet 
 we know, as hath been declared, how he was diftreffed 
 under them. There are therefore fundry accidental 
 things w'hich accompany great affli&ions, that feem to 
 exempt them from the common rule, and the promife 
 of love and grace : As, 
 
 1. The remembrance of pall and buried mifearriages 
 and fins lies in the bofom of many afflictions : It was fo 
 with Job ; Thou makeft me, faith he, to pofjefs the fins 
 of my youth. See his plea to that purpofe, chap, xiii: 
 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. In the midft of his troubles and dif- 
 treffes, God revived upon his fpirit a fenfe of former 
 fins, even the fins of his youth, and made him to pof¬ 
 fefs them ? he filled his foul and mind with thoughts of 
 them, and anxiety about them. This made him fear 
 left God was his enemy, and would continue to deal 
 with him in all feverity. So was it with Jofeph’s breth¬ 
 ren in their diftreftes, Gen. xlii. 21. They faid one to 
 another , We are verily guilty concerning, our brother , in 
 that we faw the anguifh of his foul , when he befought us , 
 and we would not hear , therefore is this dijlrefs come u- 
 pon us. And verfe 22. Behold his blood is required . 
 Their diftrefs revives a deep perplexing fenfe of the 
 guilt of fin many years paft before, and that under all 
 its aggravating circumftances, which fpoiled them of 
 all their reliefs and comforts, filling them with confufi- 
 on and trouble, though abfclutely innocent as towhat 
 was come on them. And the like appeared in the widow 
 
Ver. 4. Means of the Aggravation of Afflictions. 333 
 
 of Zirephath, with whom Elijah fojourned during the 
 famine. Upon the death of her fon, which it feems 
 was fome what extraordinary, the cried out unto the 
 prophet, What have / to do with thee , thou man of God? 
 Art thou come to call my fins to remembrance , and to Jlay 
 my fon? 1 K ngs xvii. 18. It feems fome great fin file 
 had fore ’ .y contracted the guilt of, and now upon 
 her fore affliction in the death of her only child, the 
 remembrance of it was recalled and revived upon her 
 foul. Thus deep calleth unto deep at the noife of God’s 
 water fpouts, and then all his waves and billows go 
 over a perfon, Pial. x;ii. 7. The deep of afflictions cal* 
 leth up the deep of the guilt of fin, and both in con¬ 
 junction become as billows and waves paffing over the 
 foul. We fee only the outfide of men’s afflictions, they 
 ufually complain only of what doth appear. And an 
 eafy thing it is fuppofed to be, to apply relief and com¬ 
 fort unto thofe that are didreffed The rule in this 
 matter is fo clear, fo often repeated and inculcated, the 
 promifes annexed unto this condition fo many and pre¬ 
 cious, that every one hath in readinefs what to apply 
 unto them who are fo exercifed. But oftentimes, we 
 know nothing of the gall and wormwood that is in men’s 
 affliction ; they keep that to themlelves, and their fouls 
 feed upon them in fecret, Lam iii. 12. God hath ftir- 
 red up the remembrance of fome great fin, or fins, and 
 they look upon their afflictions as that wherein he is 
 come or beginning to enter into judgment with them. 
 And is it any wonder if they be in darknefs and filled 
 with difconfolation ? 
 
 2. There is in many afflictions fomething that feetn 
 new and peculiar, wherewith the foul is furprized, and 
 cannot readily reduce its condition unto what is taught 
 about afflictions in general. This perplexeth and en- 
 tangleth it. It is not affliction it is troubled withal, but 
 fome one thing cr other in it that appears with an e- 
 fpecial dread unto the foul, fo that he queftioneth whe¬ 
 ther ever it were fo with any other or no, and is there¬ 
 by deprived of the fupportment which from former 
 , examples 
 
334 Means of the Aggravation of Afflictions. Ver. 4. 
 
 examples it might receive. And indeed, when God in¬ 
 tended that which fhail be a deep affliction, he will 
 put an edge upon it in matter, or manner, or circurn- 
 ftances, that (hall make the foul feel its lharpnefs; he 
 will not take up with our bounds and meafures, and with 
 which we think we could be contented : But he will 
 put in the imprefs of his own greatnefs and terror upon 
 it, that he may be acknowledged and fubmitted unto. 
 Such was the (late with Naomi; when from a full and 
 plentiful condition, (he went into a flrange country with 
 an husband and two fons, where they all died, leaving 
 her deflitute and poor : Hence in her account of God's 
 dealing with her, (he fays. Cal! me not Naomi , (that is 
 pleafant) but call me Mara t (that is bitter) for the Al¬ 
 mighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full 
 and the Lord hath brought me again empty ; why then 
 call ye me Naomi , fince the Lord hath tejhfied againfl me ; 
 and the Almighty hath afflicted me f Ruth i. 20, 21. So 
 was it with Job, with the widow of Zarephath, and 
 with her at Naim who was burying her only child. 
 And dill in many afflictions God is plea fed to put in an 
 entangling fpecialty, which perplexeth the foul, and v 
 darkens it in all its reafonings about the love of God 
 towards'it, and its iniereft in pardon and grace. 
 
 3. In feme, afflictions are very llrong and importu¬ 
 nate, as fixed on lawful things; whereby their nature 
 is made fenfible and tender, and apt to receive very 
 deep impreffions from urgent afflictions: Now', altho* 
 this in it felf be a good natural frame, and helps to pre- 
 ferve the foul from that flout hardnefs which God ab¬ 
 hors ; yet if it be not watched over, it is apt to per¬ 
 plex the foul with many intangling temptations. The 
 apoftle intimates a double evil that we are obnoxious 
 unto under trials and afflictions, Heb. xii. 5. My fon , 
 defpife thou not the chaftening of the Lord t nor faint when 
 thou art rebuked of him. Men may either, through a 
 natural ftoutnefs, defpife and contemn their fufferings, 
 and be obftinate under them, or faint and defpond, and 
 fo come (hort of the end which God aims at for them, 
 
 to 
 
Vcr. 4. Means of the Aggravation of Afflictions. 
 
 to be attained in a way of duty. Now, though the 
 frame fpoken of, be not obnoxious unto the firfi: ex¬ 
 treme, yet it is greatly to the latter, which, if not 
 watched againft, is no lefs pernicious than the former. 
 AffeCHons in fuch perfocs being greatly moved, they 
 cloud and darken the mind, and fill it with ftrange ap- 
 prehenfions concerning God and themfelves. Every 
 thing is prefented unto them through a glafs, compof- 
 ed of fear, diead, terror, forrow, and all forts of dif- 
 confolations. This makes them faint and defpond, 
 unto very fad apprehenfions of themfelves and their 
 conditions. 
 
 4. AffliCHons find feme entangled with very ftrong 
 corruptions, as love of the world, or the pleafure cf it, 
 of name or reputation, of great contrivances for pof- 
 tericy, and the like ; or it may be in things carnal or 
 fenlual. Now, when thefe unexpectedly meet together, 
 great afflictions and ftrong corruptions, it is not conceiv¬ 
 able what a combuftion they will make in the foul. 
 As a ftrong medicine or portion meeting with a ftrong 
 or tough d idem per in the body ; there is a violent con¬ 
 tention in nature between them and about them, fo that 
 oftentimes the very life of the patient is endangered. 
 So it is where a great trial, a fmart ftroke of the hand 
 of God, falls upon a perfon in^the midfi of his purfujt 
 of the effeCts of fome corruptions ; the foul is amazed 
 even to diftraCtion, and can fcarce have any thought, 
 but that God is come to cut the perfon off in the midfi: 
 of his fin. Every unmortined corruption fills the very 
 fear and expectation of affliction with horror. And 
 1 there is good reafoo that io it fhould do ; for although 
 God fhould be merciful unto mens iniquities, yet if he 
 fhould come to take vengeance of their inventions, their 
 condition will be dark and forrowful. 
 
 Satan is never wanting in fuch occafions to attempt 
 the compafflng of his ends, upon perfons that are ex- 
 ercifed under the hand of God. In the time of his fuf- 
 fering it was, that he fell upon the head of the church, 
 turning it into the very hour of the power of darknefs. 
 
 X x And 
 
336 Rules to be obferved, Ver. 4. 
 
 And he will not omit any appearing opportunities of 
 advantage againft his members: And this is that which 
 he principally in fuch feafons attacks them withal, name¬ 
 ly, that God regards them not, that they are fallen 
 under his judgment and feveritv, as thofe who have no 
 fhare in mercy, pardon or forgivenefs. 
 
 From thefe and the like reafons, I fay it is, that 
 whereas affli&ions in general are fo teftified unto, to be 
 fuch pledges and tokens of God’s love and care to be 
 defigned unto bleffed ends, as conformity unto Chritl, 
 and a participation of the holinefs of God ; yet by rea- 
 fon of thefe circumftances, they often prove means of 
 calling the foul into depths, and of hindering it from 
 a refrefhing inrereft in the forgivenefs that is with God: 
 That this may prove no real or abiding ground of in¬ 
 ward fpiritual trouble unto the foul, the following 
 rules and dire&ions may be obferved. 
 
 1. Not only afHi&ions in general, but great and ma¬ 
 nifold affliftions, and thofe attended with all forts of ag¬ 
 gravating circumltances, are always confident with 
 the pardon of fin, after fignal tokens and pledges of it, 
 and of the love of God therein, Job vii. 17, 18. What 
 is man that thou fhouldfl magnify him , and that thou 
 jhouldjl Jet thine heart upon him , and that thou JhouldJ} 
 vifit him every mornings and try him every moment ! What 
 were the confiderations that cad him into this admira¬ 
 tion of the care and love of God, is exprelfed, ver. 12, 
 13, 14, 15, 16. There are no words of a more difraal 
 import in the whole book than thofe here exprelfed; 
 yet when he recolle&ed himfelf from his overwhelming 
 didrefs, he acknowledged that all this proceeded from 
 the love and care of God ; yea, hts fixing his heart u- 
 pon a man to magnify him, to fet him up, and do him 
 good ; for this end doth he chaden a man every morn¬ 
 ing, and try him every moment; and that with fuch 
 affli&ions as are for the prefent, fo far from being joy¬ 
 ous, as that they give no red, but even weary the loul 
 of life, as he exprelfeth their efle&s on himfelf, ver.' 
 15, 16. And hence it is obferved of this Job, that 
 
 when 
 
Ver. 4. concerning Afflictions. 357 
 
 when none in the earth was like to him in trouble, God 
 gave him three tedimonies from heaven, that there was 
 none on the earth like unto him in grace. And althc* 
 it may not be laid down as a general rule, yet for the 
 mod: part in the providence of God, from the founda¬ 
 tion of the world, thofe who have had mod of afflictions, 
 have had mod of Grace, and the mod eminent tedi- 
 monies of acceptance with God. Chrid Jefus, the 
 Son of God, the Head of the church, had all afflicti¬ 
 ons gathered into an head in him; and yet the Father 
 always loved him, and was always well pleafed with 
 him. 
 
 When God folemnly renewed his covenant with A- 
 braham, and he had prepared the facrifice whereby it 
 was to be ratified and confirmed, God made a fmokhm 
 furnace to pafs betwen the pieces of the facrifice, Gen. 
 xv. 17. It was to let him know, that there was a fur¬ 
 nace of affliction attending the covenant of grace and 
 peace. And fo he tells Sion, that he chofe her in the fur¬ 
 nace of affliction, Ila. xlviii. 10. that is, in Egyptian 
 affliction, burning, flaming afflictions, fiery trials, as 
 Peter calls them, 1 Pet. iv. 12. There can then no ar¬ 
 gument be drawn from affliction, from any kind of it, 
 from any aggravating circumdance wherewith it may be 
 attended, that fliould any way difcourage the foul in its 
 comforting fupporting perfwafion of an intered in the 
 love of God, and forgivenefs thereby. 
 
 2. No length or continuance of afflictions ought to 
 be any impeachment of our fpiritual confolation. Take 
 for the confirmation hereof, the great example of the 
 Son of God. How long did his afflictions continue? 
 What end or iflue was put to them ? No longer did they 
 abide, than until he cried with a loud voice, and gave up 
 the ghod. To the moment of his death, from his man¬ 
 ger to his crofs, his affliClions dill increafed, and he 
 ended his days in the midd of them. Now, he was 
 the Head of the church, and the great reprefentative 
 of it; unto a conformity with whom we are prededi- 
 nated. And if God will have it fo with us, even in 
 
 X x 2 this 
 
338 Rules to be ob/erved , Ver. 4. 
 
 this particular, fo as that we {hall have no reft, no 
 peace from our trials, untill we ly down in the grave, 
 that whatever condition we pafs through* we (hall be 
 fhut out of none, but only from immortality and glory, 
 what have we herein to complain of? 
 
 3. Where the remembrance and perplexing fenfe 
 of paft fins is revived by prefent afflictions, feparate 
 them in your minds, and deal diftinCily about them. 
 So long as you carry 00 the confideration of them joint¬ 
 ly, you will be rolled from one to another, and never 
 obtain reft unto your fouls. They will mutually ag¬ 
 gravate each other. The fharpnefs of affliction will add 
 to the bitternefs of the fenfe of fin ; and the fenfe of 
 fin will give an edge to affliction, and caufe it to pierce 
 deeply into the foul, as we (hewed in the former in¬ 
 stances. Deal therefore diftinCtly about them, and in 
 their proper order : So doth the pfalmift here. He 
 had at prefent both upon him, and together they brought 
 him into thefe depths concerning which he fo cries out 
 for deliverance from them; fee Pfal. xxxii. 3, 4. 5. 
 And what courfe doth he take ? He applies himfelf ia 
 the firft place to his fin, and the guilt of it, and that 
 diftin&ly and feparately. And when he hath got a dif- 
 cbarge of fin, which he waited fo earneftly for, his 
 faith quickly arofe above his outward trials, as appears 
 in his blelfed clofe of all; He Jhall redeem Ifrael out of 
 all his troubles ; the whole Ifrael of God, and myfelf 
 amongft them. This do then, fingle out the fin or fins 
 that are revived in the fenfe of their guilt upon the con- 
 fcience ; ufe all diligence to come to an iftue about 
 them in the blood of Chrift. This God by your afflicti¬ 
 on calls you unto. This is the difeafe whereof your 
 trouble is but the fymptom, This therefore, in the 
 cure you feek after, is firft and principally to be attend¬ 
 ed unto; when that is once removed, the other, as to 
 any prejudice unto your fouls, will depart of it felf. 
 The root being once digged up, you (hall not long feed 
 on the bitter fruit that it hath brought forth; or if you 
 do, the wormwood (hall be taken out of ir, and it fhall 
 
 be 
 
Ver. 4. concerning Afflictions. 339 
 
 be very pleafant unto you, as well as wholefome. How 
 this is to be done by an application unto God for for- 
 givenefs, hath been at large declared. But if men will 
 deal with confufed thoughts about their fins and their 
 fins troubles/their wound will be incurable, and their 
 forrow endlefs. 
 
 4. Remember that a time of affliftion is a time of 
 temptation. Satan, as we have (hewed, will not be 
 wanting unto any appearing opportunity or advantage 
 of fetting upon the foul- When Pharaoh heard that the 
 people were intangled in the wildernefs, he purfued 
 them. And when Satan fees a foul intangled with its 
 di ft relies and troubles, he thinks it his time and hour 
 to aiTault it. He feeks to winnow, and comes when 
 the corn is under the flail. Reckon therefore, that 
 when trouble coraeth, the prince of the world cometh 
 alfo, that you may be provided for him. Now is the 
 time to take the fliield of faith, that we may be able to 
 quench his fiery darts. If they be neglected, they will 
 inflame the foul. Watch therefore and pray, that you 
 enter not into temptation ; that Satan do not represent 
 God falfly unto you. He that durft reprefent Job falf- 
 ly to the all feeing God, will with much more boldnefs 
 reprefent God falfly unto us, who fee and know fo lit¬ 
 tle. Be not then - ignorant of his devices; but every 
 way let yourfelves againft his interpofing between God 
 and your fouls, in a matter which he hath nothing to 
 do withal. Let nor this make-bate by any means in¬ 
 flame the difference. 
 
 5. Learn to diflinguilh the effect of natural diftem- 
 pers from lpirirual diftreffes. Some have fad, dark and 
 tenacious thoughts fixed on their minds from their na¬ 
 tural diftempers. Thefe will not be cured by reafon- 
 ings, nor utterly quelled by faith. Our defign muft be 
 to abate their efficacy and confequents, by confidering 
 their occafions. And if men cannot do this in them- 
 felves, it is highly incumbent on thofe who make ap¬ 
 plication of relief unto them, to be careful to difeern 
 
 what 
 
34° Rules to be obferved , &c. Ver. 4. 
 
 what is from fuch principles, whereof they are not to 
 expeCt a fpeedy cure. And, 
 
 6 . Take heed in times of peace and eafe, that you 
 lay not up, by your negligence or carelefs walking, 
 fad provifion for a day of darknefs, a time of afflictions* 
 It is fin that imbitters troubles; the fins of peace are 
 revived in the times of diftrefs. Fear of future afflic¬ 
 tion, of impendent troubles, {hould make us careful 
 not to bring that into them which will make them bit¬ 
 ter and forrowful. 
 
 7. Labour to grow better under all your afflictions, 
 left your afflictions grow worfe; left God mingle them 
 with more darknefs, bitternefs and terror. As Joab faid 
 unto David, if he ceafed not his fcandalous lamentation 
 on the death of Abfalom, all the people would leave 
 him, and he then {hould find himfelf in a far worfe 
 condition than that which he bemoaned, or any thing 
 that befel him from his youth. The fame may be faid 
 unto perfons under their afflictions. If they are not 
 managed and improved in a due manner, that which is 
 worfe may, nay, in all probability will befal them. 
 Wherever God takes this way, and engageth in afflict¬ 
 ing, he doth commonly purfue his work until he hath 
 prevailed, andhisdefign towards the afflicted party be 
 accompli filed. He will not ceafe to threfti and break 
 the bread-corn untill it be meet for his ufe. Lay down 
 then the weapons of thy warfare againft him ; give up 
 yourfelves to his will; let go every thing about which 
 he contends with you; follow after that which he calls 
 you unto, and you will find light arifing unto you in the 
 midft of darknefs. Hath he a cup of affliction in one 
 hand, lift up your eyes and you will fee a cup of con- 
 folation in another. And if all ftars withdraw their light, 
 w 7 hilft you are in the way of God, allure yourfelves, 
 that the fun is ready to rife.' 
 
 8. According to the tenor of the covenant of grace, 
 a man may be fenfible of the refpeCt of affliction unto 
 fin; yea, unto this or that fin in particular, and yet 
 have a comfortable perfwafion of the forgivenefs of fin. 
 
 Thus 
 
Ver, 4. Objections againft Believing , 341 
 
 Thus it was in general in God’s dealing with his peo¬ 
 ple; He forgave them , but he took vengeance on their in- 
 ventions, Pfal. xcix. 8. Whatever they fuffered under 
 the vengeance that fell upon their inventions (and that is 
 as hard a word as is applied any where unto God’s deal¬ 
 ing with his people,) yet at the fame time he allured 
 them of the pardon of their fin : So you know was the 
 cafe with David. His greateft trial and affliction, and 
 that which befel him on the account of a particular fin, 
 and wherein God took vengeance on his invention, was 
 ulhered in with a word of grace, that God had done 
 away, or pardoned his fins, and that he fhould not die. 
 This is expreffed in the tenor of the covenant with the 
 feed of Chrilt, Pfal. lxxxix. 31, 32, 33, 34. 
 
 Objections againft believing from things internal.. 
 
 The perfon knows not whether he be regenerate 
 
 ot no.-State of regeneration afferted.. 
 
 Difference of faving and common grace..This 
 
 difference difcernible..Men may know them- 
 
 l'elves to be regenerate..The objection an- 
 
 fwered. 
 
 Another head of objections and defpondencies arifeth 
 from things internal, things that are required in the 
 foul, that it may have an intereft in the forgivenefs 
 that is with God, Some whereof we {hall fpeak unto ; 
 and thefe refpeCt, frjt, the ftate of the foul; and' 
 fecondly , fome aCtings in the foul. 
 
 First, As to the ftate, fay feme, unlefs a mao be 
 regenerate, and born again, he is nor, he cannot be 
 made partaker of mercy and pardon. Now, all things 
 are here in the dark unto us: For firft we know not 
 well what this regeneration is, and it is varioully difput- 
 ed amongft men. Some would place it only in the out¬ 
 ward figns of our initiation unto Chrift, and fome other- 
 wife exprefs it. Again, it is uncertain, whether thofe 
 that are regenerate do or may know that they are fo; 
 or whether this may be in any meafure known unto 
 
 others 
 
342 Two Eftates where unto all Men belong. Ver. 4. 
 
 others with whom they may treat-about it: And if it may 
 not be known, we muft be uncertain in this alfo. And 
 then, it may be for their parts, they neither know the 
 time when, nor the manner how any fuch work was 
 wrought in them *, and yet without this, feeing it is 
 wrought by means, and fprings , from certain caufes, 
 they can have no eftablilhmtnt in a not-failing perfwa- 
 fion of their acceptance with God, by the pardon of 
 their fins in the blood of Chrift. This is the head and 
 fum of the moil of the objections which perplexed fouls 
 do manage againft themfelves as to their hate and con¬ 
 dition. Hence indeed they draw forth realonings with 
 great variety, according as they are fuggehed by their 
 particular occafions and temptations. And many proofs 
 taken from their fins, mifcarriages and fears, do they 
 enforce their objections withal. My purpofe is to lay 
 down forne general rules and principles, which may be 
 applied unto particular occafions and emergencies; and 
 • this fhall be done in anfwer to the feveral parts of the 
 general objection mentioned before. I fay then, 
 
 Firjl , It is mold certain that there are two eftates and 
 conditions that divide all mankind ; and every one that 
 lives in the world, doth completely and abfolutely be¬ 
 long unto one of them. Thefe are the hate of nature, 
 and the ftate of grace, of fin, and of righteoufnefs by 
 Chrift, every man in the world belongs unto one of 
 thefe ftates or conditions. This the feripture fo abounds 
 in, that it feems to be the firll principal thing that we 
 are taught in it. It is as clear, that there are two dif¬ 
 ferent ifates in this world, as that there are fo in that 
 to come; yea, all our faith and our obedience depend 
 on this truth: And not only fo, but the covenant of 
 God, the mediation of Chrift, and all the promifes and 
 threats of the law and gofpel are built upon this fuppo- 
 fition. And this lays naked unto a fpiritual eye, that 
 abounding atheifm that is in the world. Men are not 
 only like Nicodemus, ignorant of thefe things, and 
 wonder show they can be, but they fcorn them, defpife 
 them, feoff at them. To make mention of being re¬ 
 generate 
 
Ver. 4. Two Eftates whereunio all Men belong. 343 
 
 generate is expofed to reproach in the world. But whe¬ 
 ther men will or no, unto one of thefe conditions they 
 mud belong. 
 
 Secondly, As thefe two eftates differ morally in 
 themfelves, and phyfically in the caufes conftitutive of 
 that difference ; fo there is a fpeciftcal difference be¬ 
 tween the things that place men in„ the one condition 
 and in the other. Whatever there is of gOodnefs vir¬ 
 tue, duty, grace in an unregencrate perfon, there is 
 in him that is regenerate fomewhat of another kind that 
 is not in the other at all; for the difference of thefe 
 ftates themfelves it is plain in feripture. The one is a 
 ftate of death, the other of life ; the one of darknefs, 
 the other of light ; the one of enmity a gain ft God, the 
 other of reconciliation with him. And that the one 
 ftate is conflituted by that of grace, which is of a pe¬ 
 culiar kind, and which is not in the other, I fhall brief¬ 
 ly declare. 
 
 1. The grace of regeneration proceederh from an e- 
 fpecial fpring and fountain, which emptieth much of 
 its living waters into it, no one drop whereof falls on 
 them that are regenerate. This is ele&ing love; it is 
 given out in the way of purfuit of the decree of e!e<fti- 
 on ; God hath chofen us that we fhould be holy, Fph, 
 i« 4 Our boiinefs, whofe only fpring is our regenera¬ 
 tion, is an effe&of our election ; that which God works 
 in our fouls, in the purfuit of his eternal purpofe of his 
 ove and good will towards us. So again, faith the a- 
 poftle, 2 TheiT. ii. 13. God hath from the beginning 
 chofen you to falvation through fandlification of the Spirit? 
 God having defigned us unto falvation as the end, hath 
 alfo appointed the fanftification of the Spirit to be the 
 means to bring us orderly unto the attainment of that 
 end. But the beft common grace or gifts that may be 
 in men unregenerate, are but products of the provi¬ 
 dence of God, ordering all tilings in general unto his 
 own glory, and the good of them that fhali be heirs of 
 falvation. They are not fruits of de&ing eternal love, 
 
 Y y nor 
 
344 Saving Grace fpecifically Ver. 4. 
 
 nor defigned means for the infallible attaining of eter¬ 
 nal lalvation. 
 
 2. The graces of thofe that are regenerate have a 
 manifold refpeCt or relation to the Lord-Chrift, that the 
 common graces of others have not. I (hall name one 
 or two of rhele refpe&s. 
 
 (1.) They have an efpecial moral relation to the me¬ 
 diatory a&s of Chrift in his oblation and interceffion. 
 Efpecial grace is an efpecial part of the purchafe of 
 Chrift. By his death and blood-lheding, he made a 
 double purchafe of his ele& ; of their perfons to be his; 
 of efpecial grace to be theirs. He gave himfelf jor his 
 church , that he might Janclify and cleanfe it with the 
 wafhing of water by the word , that he might prejent it 
 unto himfelf a glorious churchy not having fpot or wrinkle, 
 or any fuch thing , but that it Jhould be bc,ly and without 
 blemijh , Eph. v. 26, 27. The defign of Chrift in giv¬ 
 ing himfelf lor his church, was to procure for it that 
 elpecial grace, whereby, through the ufe of means, it 
 might be regenerate, fanftified and purified. So Titus 
 ii. 14. He gave himfelf that he might redeem us from all . 
 iniquity , and purify unto himfelf a peculiar people zealous 
 of %ood works. Real purification in grace and holinefs 
 hath this efpecial relation unto the death of Chrift, that, 
 he defigned therein to procure it for them for whom 
 he died. And in purfuit of his purchafe or acquilition 
 of it, his purpofe was really to beftow it upon them, 
 or effectually to work it in them. Moreover, it hath 
 an efpecial relation unto his interceffion ; and that in a " 
 diftinguifhing manner from any other gifts or common 
 graces that other men may receive. Giving us the rule 
 and pattern of his interceffion, John xvii. he tells us, 
 that lie fo prays not for the world, but for his eleft; 
 thofe which the Father had given him, becaufe they 
 were his, ver. 9. And what is it that he prays for them, 
 in diftin&ion from all other men whatever ? Amongfl 
 others, this is one principal thing that he infifts on, ver. 
 
 17. Sandify them through thy truth. Their fanftifica- 
 tion and holinefs is granted upon that prayer and inter- 
 
 , n ' cefiion « 
 
Ver. 4. diflind from common Grace . 545 
 
 cefiion of Chrift, which is peculiar unto them, with an 
 excluiion of a! bothers; 1 pray for them , 1 pray not for 
 the world. Now, the common grace of unregenerate 
 perfons, whereby they are diftinguifhed from other 
 men, whatever it be, it hath not this efpecial relation to 
 the oblation and interceffion of Chrift. Common grace 
 is not the procurement of efpecial interceffion 
 
 (2.) They have a real relation unto Chrift as he is 
 the living quickning head of the church ; for he is fo, 
 even the living fpiritual fountain of the fpiritual life of 
 it, and of all vital a<fts whatever. Chrift is our life, and 
 our life is hid with him in God, Col. iii. 2, 3. That 
 eternal life which confifts in the knowledge of the Fa¬ 
 ther and the Son, Joh. xvii. 3. is in him as the caufe, 
 head, fpnng and fountain of it. In him it is in its ful- 
 nels, and from thence it is derived unto all that believe, 
 who receive from his fulnefs grace for grace, Joh. i. 16. 
 Ail true faving fan&ifying grace, all fpiritual life, and 
 every thing that belongs thereunto, is derived dire&ly 
 from Chrift as the living Head of his church, and 
 fountain of all fpiritual life unto them. This the a- 
 poftle exprefleth, Eph. iv. 15, 1 6. Speaking the truth 
 in love , grow up unto him in all things , which is the 
 Head , even Chrifl ; from whom the whole body fitly join¬ 
 ed together^ and compacted by that zvbich every joynt fup- 
 plietl >, according to the effectual 'working in the meafure of 
 every part , maketh increafe of the body unto the edifying 
 of itfelfin love. To the fame purpofe he again expreft- 
 eth the fame matter, Col. ii. 19. All grace in the whole 
 body comes from the Iiead Chrift Jefus; and there is 
 no growth or furtherance of it, bat by his effectual 
 working in every part, to bring it unto the meafure de- 
 figned unto it. Nothing then, no not the leaft of this 
 grace, can be obtained but by virtue of our union unto 
 Chrift as our Head, becaufe it conlifts in a vital effe&ual 
 influence from him, and his fulnefs. And this kind of 
 relation unto Chrift, all grace that is, or may be in un- 
 regenerate men, is incapable of. 
 
 Y y 2 (3.) Thg 
 
34 6 Saving Grace fpecifually different , &c. Ver. 4. 
 
 (3.) The grace of regeneration, and the fruits of it, 
 are adminillred in and by the covenant. Thi£ is the 
 promife of the covenant, that God will write his law in 
 cur hearts, and put his fear in our inward parts, that we 
 fha!l not depart from him, Jer. xxxii. 40. This is that 
 grace whereof we fpeak, whatever it be, or of what 
 kind foever. It is bellowed on none but thofe who are 
 taken into covenant with God ; for unto them alone it 
 is promifed, and by virtue thereof is it wrought in and 
 upon their fouls. Now, all unregenerate men are 
 llrangers from the covenant, and are not made partak¬ 
 ers of that grace which is peculiarly and only promifed 
 thereby, and exhibited therein. 
 
 (4.) The lealt fpark of having regenerating grace is 
 wrought in the foul by the Holy Gholl, as given unto 
 men to dwell in them, and abide with them. He is the 
 water given by Jefus Chrift unto believers, which is in 
 them a well of water /fringing up to everlafling life y 
 John iv. 14. Firll they receive the water, the fpring 
 itfelf, that is, the Holy Spirit; and from whence liv¬ 
 ing waters do arife up in them; they are wrought, af¬ 
 fected, produced by the Spirit, which is given unto 
 them: Now, although the common gifts and graces of 
 men unregenerate are effe&s of the power of the Holy 
 Gholl wrought in them, and bellowed on them, as are 
 all other works of God’s providence; yet it doth not 
 work in them, as received by them, to dwell in them, 
 and abide with them, as a never-failing fpring of fpiri- 
 tual life. For fo our Saviour fays exprelly, that the 
 world, or unbelievers, do not know the Spirit, nor 
 can receive him abiding in them. All which, in a con- 
 tradillinClion unto all unregenerate perfons, are affirm' 
 ed of all them that do believe. 
 
 (5.) The lead of faving grace, fuch as is peculiar un¬ 
 to them tjiat are regenerate, is fpirit, John iii. 6 . That 
 which is born of the fpirit , is fpirit. Whatever it is 
 that is fo born, it is fpirit, it hath a fpiritual being, and 
 it is not educible by any means out of the principles of 
 nature. So it is faid to be a new creature, 2 Cor. v. 27. 
 
 Be 
 
Ver, 4. Difference between the State , &c. 347 
 
 Be it never fo little or fo great, however it may differ 
 in degrees in one and in another, yet the nature of it 
 is the fame in all It is a new creature. As the lead 
 worm of the earth, in the order of the whole creation, 
 is nolefs a creature than the fun, yea, or the mod glo¬ 
 rious angel in heaven ; fo in the order of the new crea¬ 
 tion, the lead fpark or dram of true grace that is from 
 the fan&ifying fpirit, is a new creature, no lefs than 
 the highed faith or love that ever was in the chiefed 
 of the apoftles. Now, that which is fpirit, and that 
 which is not fpirit; that which hath a new fpiritual 
 being, and that which hath none, whatever appearance 
 of agreement there may be among them, do yet differ 
 fpecifically from one another. And thus it is with the 
 faving grace that is in a regenerate, and thofe common 
 graces that are in others which are not fo. So that as 
 thefe are divers dates, fo they are eminently different 
 and diftinfl: the one from the other ; and this anfwers 
 the fecond thing laid down in the obje&ions, taken from 
 the uncertainty of thefe dates, and of regeneration it- 
 felf, and the real difference of it from the contrary 
 date, which is exclufive of an inrereft in forgivenefs. 
 
 (6.) This is laid down in the enquiry, whether 
 this date may be known unto him who is really partak¬ 
 er of it, or tranflated N into it, or unto others that may 
 be concerned therein ? To which 1 fay, the \iifference 
 that is between thefe two dates, and the conditutive 
 caufes of them, as it is real, fo it is difcernible ; it may 
 be known by themfelves who are in thofe dates, and 
 others. It may be known who are born of God, and 
 who are yet children of the devil; who are quickned 
 by Chrid, and who are yet dead in trefpaffes and fin. 
 But here alfo obferve. 
 
 1 ft y That I do not fay, This is always known to the 
 perfons themfelves concerned in this didribution. Many 
 cry peace, peace, when fudden dedruftion is at hand. 
 Thefe either think themfelves regenerate when they 
 are not, or elfe wilfully defpife the conlideration of what 
 is required in them, that they may have peace, and fo 
 
 delude 
 
348 Difference between the State of Ver. 4. 
 
 delude their own fouls unto their ruin. And many 
 that are truly born of God, yet know it not; they may 
 for a feafon walk in darknefs and have no light. Nor, 
 idly. That this is always known to others. It is not 
 known to unregenerate men in refpeft of them that are 
 fo. For they know not really and fubftantially what it 
 is to be fo. Natural men perceive not the things of 
 God ; that is, fpiritually, in their own light and na¬ 
 ture, 2 Cor. ii. And as they cannot aright difcern the 
 things which put men into that condition, (for they are 
 foolilhnefs unto them,) fo they cannot judge aright of 
 their perfons in whom they are. And if they do at any 
 time judge aright notionally concerning any things or 
 perfons, yet they do not judge fo upon right grounds, 
 nor with any evidence in or unto themfelves of what 
 they do judge. Wherefore, generally they judge a- 
 mifs of fuch perfons; and becaufe they make profeffi- 
 on of fomewhat which they find not in themfelves, they 
 judge them hypocrites, and falfe pretenders unto what 
 is not. For thofe things which evince their union with 
 Chrift, and which evidence their being born of God, 
 they favour them not, nor can receive them; nor is 
 thh always known unto, or difcerned by, them that 
 are regenerate. They may fometimes with Peter think 
 a Simon Magus to be a true believer; or with hli an 
 Hannah to be a daughter of Belial. Many hypocrites 
 are fo fet forth with gifts, common graces, light and 
 prcfeflion, that they pafs amongft all believers for fuch 
 as are born of God. And many poor faints may be fo 
 difguifed under darknefs, temptation, fin, as to be look¬ 
 ed on as ftrangers from that family whereunto indeed 
 they do belong. The judgment of man may fail, but 
 the judgment of God is according unto righteoufnefs; 
 wherefore. 
 
 3 dly, This is that we fay : It may be known in the 
 fedulous ufe of means appointed for that end, to a 
 man’s felf and others, which of the conditions mention¬ 
 ed he doth belong unto; that is, whether he be regener¬ 
 ate or no, fo far as his or their concernment lies therein. 
 
 This 
 
Ver. 4. Grace and Nature difcernible. 349 
 
 This I fay may be known, and that infallibly andaffur- 
 edly with reference unto any duty wherein from hence 
 we are concerned. The difcharge of fome duties in 
 ourfelves, and towards others, depends on this know¬ 
 ledge, and therefore we may attain ir, fo far as it is 
 neceflary for the difcharge of fuch duties unto the glory 
 of God. Now, becaufe it is, not dire&ly in our way, 
 yet having been mentioned, I fhall briefly in our palfage 
 touch upon the latter, or what duties do depend upon 
 our judging of others to be regenerate, and the way 
 or principles whereby fuch a judgment may be made. 
 
 1. There are many duties incumbent on us to be per¬ 
 formed with and towards profeffors; which, without 
 admitting a judgment to be made of their ftate and con¬ 
 dition, cannot be performed in faith : And in reference 
 unto thefe duties alone, it is, that we are called to 
 judge the ftate of others. For we are not giving coun¬ 
 tenance unto a rafh uncharitable cenfuring of mens fpi- 
 ritual conditions, nor unto any judging of any men, 
 any other than what our own duty towards them, doth 
 indifpenfibly require. Thus, if we are to lay down our 
 lives for the brethren, it is very meet we ftiould fo far 
 know them fo to be, as that we may hazard our lives 
 in faith when we are called thereunto. We are alfo 
 to join with them in thofe ordinances, wherein we make 
 a folemn profeftion that we are members of the fame 
 body with them, that we have the fame head, the 
 fame fpirit, faith and love : We muft love them, be¬ 
 caufe they are begotten of God, children of our hea¬ 
 venly Father ; and therefore muft on fome good ground 
 believe them fo to be, In a word, the due perform¬ 
 ance of all principal mutual gofpel-duties, to the glo¬ 
 ry of God and our own edification, depends on this 
 fuppofition, that we may have fuch a fatisfying perfwa- 
 fion concerning the fpiritual conditions of others, as 
 from thence we may take our aim in what we do. 
 
 2. For the grounds hereof I fhall mention one only; 
 
 which all others do lean upon. This is expreffed, 1 
 Cor. xii. 12, 13, As the body is one, and hath many 
 ' • 1 , * members 
 
350 Difference between the State of Ver. 4. 
 
 members f and all the members cf that one body being ma¬ 
 ny , are one body , fo is Chrift. For by one fpirit we are 
 all baptized into one body , whether we be Jews or Gen¬ 
 tile j, whether we be bond or free y and have been all 
 made to drink into one fpirit . They are all united unto, 
 and hold of one head : For as are the members of the 
 body, natural under one head, fo is Chrift myfticai, 
 that is, all believers under Chrift their Head. And 
 this union they have by the inhabitation of the fame 
 quickning fpirit, which is in Chrift their Head, and by 
 him they are brought all into the fame fpiritual date 
 and frame ; they are made to drink into one and the 
 fame fpirit ; for this fame fpirit produceth the fame ef¬ 
 fects in them all, the fame in kind though difteiing in 
 degrees, as the apoftle fully declares, Eph. iv. 3,4, 5, 
 6, And this fpirit is in them, and not in the world, 
 John xvi. And as this gives them a naturalnefs in their 
 duties one towards another; or in mutual caring for, 
 rejoicing and forrowing with one another, as members 
 one of another, 1 Cor. xii. 25, 26. So it reveals and 
 difcovers them to each other, fo far as is neceflary for 
 the performance of the duties mentioned, in fuch a 
 manner as becomes members of the fame body. There 
 is on this account a fpiritually natural anfwering of one 
 to another, as face anfwereth face in the water. They 
 can fee and difcern that in others whereof they have 
 experience in themfelves; they can tafte and reliih that 
 in others, which they feed upon in themfelves, and 
 wherein the lives of their fouls do confift ; the fame fpi¬ 
 rit of life being in them, they have the fame fpiritual 
 tafte and favour. And unlefs their paliats are diftemp- 
 ered by temptations or falfe opinions, or prejudices, 
 they can, in their communion, tafte of that fpirit in 
 each other, which they are all made to drink into. 
 This gives them the fame likenefs and image in the in- - 
 ward man, the fame heavenly light in their minds, the 
 fame affe&ions; and being thus prepared and enabled 
 to judge and difcern of the ftate of each other, in re¬ 
 ference unto their mutual duties, they have moreover 
 *, , v . the 
 
Ver. 4. Grace and Nature d'tfcermble. a 51 
 
 the true rule of the word to juJge of all (pints and fpi- 
 ricual effects by. And this is the ground of all that love 
 without diflitnulation, and real communion that is a* 
 mong the faints of God in this world. But here two 
 cautions mud be allowed. 
 
 1. Thar we would not judge the date and condition 
 of any men in the world, no further than we are cal¬ 
 led thereunto in a way of duty ; and we are fo called 
 only with reference unto the duties that we are to per¬ 
 form towards them. What have we to do to judge 
 them that are without, that is, any one that w r e have 
 not a call to confider in reference unto our own duty. 
 Herein that great rule takes place; Judge not y that ye 
 be not judged. Let us leave ail men, the worft of men, 
 unlefs where evident duty requires other actings, to the 
 judgment-feat of God. They are the fervants of an¬ 
 other, and they hand or fall unto their own mafter. 
 There have been great tr.ifc .rriages amongft us in this 
 matter, fome have been ready to condemn all that go 
 not along with them in every principle, yea opinion or 
 practice And every day flight occcafions and proba¬ 
 tions, are made the grounds and reafons of fevere cen- 
 fures: But nothing is more contrary to the condutt of 
 the meek and holy fpirit of Chrih. This is our rule, 
 are we called to s6t towards any as faints, as living 
 members of the body of Chrih, and that in fuch duties 
 asAvecatmo* perform in faith, unlefs we are perfwaded 
 that fo they are ? Then are we on the grounds and by 
 the ways before-mentioned, to huf fy ourfelves in one 
 another. 
 
 2. Do we endeavour mutually to difeern the condi¬ 
 tion of one another, in reference unto fuch ends? Let 
 us be fure to look into and purfue thofe ends, when 
 we have attained our fatisfa&ion. What thefe ends 
 are hath been (hewed. It is that we may love them 
 without dilfimulation, as members of the fame my- 
 flical body with us; that we may naturally take care of 
 them, and for them; that we may delight fincerely in 
 them ; that we may minifter unto their wants, temporal 
 
 Z z * and 
 
3 £2 Believers may know themfelves Ver. 4. 
 
 and fpiritual; that we may watch over them with pity 
 and compaffion. Thefe, and the like, are the only 
 ends for which we are, at any time, called to the con* 
 fideration of the fpiritual condition of one another ; if 
 thefe be neglected, the other is ufelefs. And here 
 lies a great aggravation of that negleft, in that fuch a 
 way is made for the avoidance of it. Here lies the life 
 or death of all church-fociety. All church fociery and 
 relation is built on this fuppofition, that the members 
 of it are all regenerate. Some lay this foundation in 
 baptilm only, profdfing that all that are baptized are re¬ 
 generate ; others require a farther fatisfa&ion in the 
 real work itfelf: But all build on the fame foundation, 
 that all church-members are to be regenerate. And to 
 what end is this ? namely, that they may all mutually 
 perform thofe duties one towards another, which are 
 incumbent mutually on regenerate perfons. If thefe 
 are omitted, there is an end of all profitable ufe of 
 church-fociety. Churches without this are but mere 
 hufks and fhells of churches, carcafles without fouls. 
 For as there is no real union unto Chrift without faith, 
 fo there is no real union among the members of any 
 church without love, and that a&iog itfelf in all the 
 duties mentioned. Let not this ordinance be in vain. 
 
 But w ? e mult return from this digreffion, to that 
 which lies before us, which is concerning what a man 
 may difcern concerning himfelf being regenerate or 
 born again. I fay then. 
 
 Secondly, Men may come to an allured fatisfac- 
 tory perfwafion that themfelves are regenerate, and 
 that fuch, as is fo far infallible, as that it will not de¬ 
 ceive them, when it is brought unto the trial. For there 
 are many duties, whofe performance in faith unto the 
 glory of God, and the edification of our own fouls doth 
 depend on this perfuaGon and convi&ion. As, 
 
 1. A due fenfe of our relation unto God and an an- 
 fwerable comportment of our fpirits and hearts towards 
 him. He that is born again, is born of God j he is be¬ 
 gotten of God by the immortal feed of the word. With¬ 
 out 
 
Ver. 4. to be born of God. 353 
 
 out a perfuafion hereof, how can a man, on grounds of 
 faith, carry himfelf towards God as his Father ? And 
 how great a part of our obedience towards him, and 
 communion with him, depends hereon, we all know. 
 If men fluctuate all their days in this matter, if they 
 come to no fettlement in it, no comfortable perfuafion 
 of it, they fcarce ever aft any genuine childlike afts of 
 love or delight towards God, which exceedingly im- 
 peacheth their whole obedience. 
 
 2. Thankfulnefs for grace received is one of the 
 principal duties that is incumbent on believers in this 
 world. Now, how can a man in faith blefs God for 
 that which he is utterly uncertain whether he have re¬ 
 ceived it from himor'no ? 1 know fome men run on in 
 a road in this matter. They will blefs God in a formal 
 way, for their regeneration, fanftification, junification, 
 and the like : But if you afk them, whether themfelves 
 are regenerate or no, they will be ready to feoff at it j 
 or, at leafi, to profefs that they know no fuch thing. 
 What is this but to mock God, and in a prefumptuous 
 manner to take his name in vain ? But, if we will praife 
 God, as we ought, for his grace, as we are guided and 
 direfted in the feripture, as the nature of the matter re¬ 
 quires, with fuch a frame of heart as may influence 
 our whole obedience, furely it cannot but be our du¬ 
 ty to know the grace that we have received. 
 
 3. Again the main of our fpiritual watch and diligence 
 confifteth in the cheiidling, improving, and increafing 
 of the grace that we have received ; the drengthening 
 of the new creature that is wrought in us : Herein 
 confids principally the life of faith, and the exercife of 
 that fpiritual wifdom which faith furnidieth the foul 
 withal. Now, how can any man apply himfelf here¬ 
 unto, whild he is altogether uncertain whether he hath 
 received any principle of living faving grace, or no ? 
 Whereas therefore God requires our utmod diligence, 
 watchfulnefs and care in this matter, it is certain that 
 he requires alfo of us, and grants unto us, that which 
 is the foundation of all thefe duties, which lies in an 
 
 Z z 2 ' acquaint- 
 
254 Rules whereby Men -may judge of their Ver. 4. 
 acemaintance with that ftate and condition whereumo 
 
 x 
 
 we do belong. In brief,' there is nothing we have to 
 do in reference r.nto eternity, but one way or other it 
 hath a refpeft unto our light and convictions* as to our 
 flare and condition in this world. And thofe who are 
 negligent in the trial and examination thereof, do leave 
 aft things between God and their fouls at abfoiute un- 
 certainties, and dubious hazards; which is not to lead 
 the life of faith. 
 
 We fhall now, upon thefe premifes, return "unto 
 that part of the obje&ion which is under confideration. 
 Say fome ; “ We know not whether we are regenerate 
 or no, and are therefore altogether uncertain whe- 
 “ ther we have an interefl in that forgivenefs that is 
 u with God; nor dare we, on that account admit of 
 the confolation that is tendered on the truth infifted 
 “ on.” 
 
 Suppcfing what hath been fpoken in general, I {hall 
 lay down the grounds of refolving this perplexing doubt 
 in the enfuing rules. 
 
 RULE I. 
 
 See that the perfuafion and aflurance hereof, which 
 you look after and defire, be regular, and not fuch as 
 is fuited merely unto your own imaginations. Our fe¬ 
 cund and third general rules about the nature of all fpi- 
 ritual aflurance, and what is confiftent therewithal, are 
 here to be taken into confideration. if you look to 
 have fuch an evidence, light into, and abfoiute con¬ 
 viction of this matter, as fhall admit of no doubts, fears, 
 queflionings, juft occafions and caufes of new trials, 
 teachings, and felf-examinations, you will be greatly 
 deceived. Regeneration induceth a new principle into 
 the foul, but it doth not utterly expel the old ; fome 
 would have fecurity, not aflurance. The principle of 
 fm and unbelief will ftill abide in us, and flill work in 
 us. Their abiding and their a&ing mu ft needs put the 
 
Yer. 4 Condition in rcfpefl; of inherent Grace . 3 c5 
 
 foul upon a fevere enquiry, whether they are not pre¬ 
 valent in it beyond what the condition of regeneration 
 will admit. The conftant conflicts we muff have with 
 fin, will not fuffer us to have altvays fo clear an evi¬ 
 dence of our condition as we would defire. Such a 
 perfuaflon as is prevalent again ft flrong objections to 
 the contrary, keeping up the heart to a due perform¬ 
 ance of thofe duties in faith, which belong unto the 
 ftate of regeneration, is the fubftance of whgt in this 
 kind you are to look after. 
 
 RULE IT. 
 
 If you are doubtful concerning your date and condi¬ 
 tion, do not expeCt an extraordinary determination of 
 it by an immediate teftimony of the Spirit of God. I 
 do grant that God doth fometiir.es, by this means, bring 
 in peace and fan&ification unto the foul; he gives his 
 own Spirit immediately to bear witnefs with ours, that 
 we are the children of God, both upon the account of. 
 regeneration and adoption. He doth fo, but, as far 
 as we can obferve, in a way of fovereigmy, when and 
 to whom he plealeth. Befides, that men may content 
 and fatisfy themfelves with his ordinary teachings, con- 
 folations, and communications of his grace, he hath left 
 the nature of that peculiar teftimony of the Spirit very 
 dark and difficult to be found our, few agreeing where¬ 
 in it doth confift, or what is the nature of it: No one 
 man’s experience is a rule unto others; and an undue 
 apprehenfion of it, is a matter of great danger. Yet 
 it is certain, that humble fouls, in extraordinary cafes, 
 may have recourfe unto it with benefit and relief there¬ 
 by. This then you may defire, you may pray for, 
 but not with fuch a frame of Spirit as to refufe that o- 
 ther fatisfa&ion, which in the ways of truth and peace 
 you may find. This is the putting of the hand into the 
 fide of Chrift ; but bleffed are they who believe, and 
 yet have not feen. 
 
 RULE 
 
3 5 6 Rules whereby Men may judge of their Ver. 4. 
 
 RULE III. 
 
 •»' 
 
 If you have, at any time formerly, received any e- 
 fpeciai or immediate pledge or teftimony of God given 
 unto your fouls,' as unto their fiocerity, and confequent- 
 ]y their regeneration ; labour to recover it, and to re¬ 
 vive a fenfe of it upon your fpirits, now in your dark- 
 nefs and trouble. 1 am perfwaded there are but few 
 believers, but that God doth at one time or other, in 
 one duty or other, entering into, or coming out of one 
 temptation or another, give fome fingular tedimony un¬ 
 to their own fouls and confciences concerning their fin- 
 cerity, and his acceptance of them. Sometimes he doth 
 this in a duty, wherein he hath enabled the foul to make 
 fo near an approach unto him, as that it hath been 
 warmed, enlivened, fweetened, fatisfied with the pre¬ 
 fence the gracious prefence of God, and which God 
 hath made unto him as a token of his uprightnefs. 
 Sometimes, when a man is entering into any great temp¬ 
 tation, trial, difficult or dangerous duty, that death it- 
 felf is feared in it, God comes in by one means or o- 
 ther, by a fecret intimation of his love, which he gives 
 him to take along with him for his furniture and provi¬ 
 sion in his way, and thereby teftifies to him his fincerity. 
 And this ferves like the food of Elijah, for forty days 
 in a wildernefs condition. Sometimes he is pleafed to 
 ffiine immediately into the foul in the midft of its dark- 
 nefs and forrow, wherewith it is furprized, as not look¬ 
 ing for any fuch expreffion of kindnefs, and is thereby 
 relieved againfl its own preffing felf condemnation. And 
 fometimes the Lord is pleafed to give thefe tokens of 
 iovq unto the foul as its refreffiment, when it is coming 
 off from the dorm of temptations wherewith it hath 
 been toffed. And many other times and feafons there 
 are, wherein God is pleafed to give urto believers fome 
 efpeciai teftimcny in their confciences unto their own 
 integrity. But cow, thefe are all wrought by a tranfi- 
 
 ent 
 
Ver. 4. Conditions in refpett of inherent Grace. 357 
 
 ent operation of the Spirif, exciting and enabling the 
 heart unto a fpiritual fenfible apprehenfion and receiv¬ 
 ing of God’s expreffing kindnefs towards it. Thefe 
 things abide not in their fenfe, and in their power 
 which they have upon our affettions, but imediately 
 pafs away. They are therefore to be treafured up in 
 the mind and judgment, to be improved and made ufe 
 of by faith, as occafion (hall require ; but we are apt 
 to lofe them. Molt men know no other ufe of them, 
 but whilft they feel them ; yea, through ignorance in 
 our duty to improve them, they prove like a fudden 
 light brought into a dark place, and again removed 
 which feems to increafe, and really aggravates, our 
 fenfe of the darknefs. The true ufe of them is to lay 
 them up, and ponder them in our hearts, that they may 
 be fupportments and teftimonies unto us in a time of 
 need. Have you then, who are now in the dark as to 
 your hate and condition, whether you are regenerate 
 or no, ever received any fuch refrelhing and chearing 
 tellimony from God given unto your integrity, and your 
 acceptance with him thereupon ? Call it over again, and 
 make ufe of it againft thofe difcouragements which a- 
 rife from your prelent darknefs in this matter, and 
 which keep you off from (haring in the confolation tend- 
 red unto you in this word of grace. 
 
 RULE IV. 
 
 A due fpiritual confideration of the caufes and effcfb 
 of regeneration, is the ordinary way and means where¬ 
 by the fouls of believers come to be fatisfied concern¬ 
 ing that work of God in them, and upon them. The 
 principle or caufes of this woik, are the Spirit and the 
 word. He that is born again, is born of the Spirit, 
 John iii. 6 and of the word ; Of his own will begat he 
 us by the word of his truth , fames i. 18. We are born 
 again by the word cf God that abidcth for ever , 1 Pet. 
 
 i. 23. Wherever then a man is regenerate, there hath 
 
 been 
 
358 Rules whereby Men may judge of their Ver. 4. 
 
 been an effe&ual work of the Spirit, and of the word 
 upon his foul. This is to be enquired into, and after. 
 Ordinarily it will difcover itfelf. Such imprefiions will 
 be made in it upon the foul, fuch a change will be 
 wrought and produced in it, as will not efcape a fpiri- 
 tual diligent fearch and enquiry. And this, is much of 
 the duty of fuch as are in the dark, and uncertain con¬ 
 cerning the accomplifhment of this work in themfelves: 
 Let them call to mind what have been the a&ings of 
 the Spirit by the word upon their !ouls; what light 
 thereby hath been communicated unto their minds; what 
 difeoveries of the Lord Cbrifl, and way of falvation, 
 have been made to them ; what fenfe and d sedation 
 of fin have been wrought in them ; whar faiisfa&ion 
 have been given unto the foul, to choofe, accept, and 
 acquiefce in the rightcoufnefs of Chrifl; what refig- 
 nation of the heart unto God, according to the tenor of 
 the covenant of grace, it hath been wrought unto. Call 
 to mind what tranfa&ions there have been between 
 God and your fouls, about thefe things; how far they 
 have been carried on ; whether you have broken off the 
 treaty with God, and refufed his terms; or, if not, 
 where the ftay is between you ; and what is the reafon, 
 fince God hath gracioufly begun to deal thus with you, 
 that you are not yet come to a thorough clofe with him 
 in the work and defign of his grace ; the defe<d mud of 
 neceffity ly on your parts. God doth nothing in vain ; 
 had he not been willing to receive you, he would not 
 have dealt with you fo far as he hath done. There is 
 nothing then remains to firm your condition, but a re- 
 folved a<ff of your own wills, in anfwering the mind and 
 will of God. And by this fearch may the foul come to 
 fatisfa&ion in this matter, or at lead find out and difco¬ 
 ver where the dick is, whence the uncertainty doth a- 
 rife, and what is wanting to compleat their defire. 
 
 Again, this work may be difeovered by its effe&s. 
 There is fomething that is produced by it in the foul, 
 which may alfo be confidered either with refpeft unto 
 its being and exiftence, or unto its a&ings and opera¬ 
 tions ; 
 
Ver. r\. Condition in refpedf of inherent Grace. 359 
 
 operations ; in the firft regard, it is Spirit, John iii. 6 . 
 That which is born of the Spirit, which is produced by 
 the effectual operation of the Spirit of God, it is fpicit ; 
 a new creature, 2 Cor. v. 17. He that is in Chrift Je- 
 fus (who is born again) is a new creature , a new life, a 
 fpiritual life, Gal. ii. 20. Eph, ii. 1. In brief, it is an 
 habitual furnifhment of all the faculties of the foul, 
 with new fpiritual vital principles, enabling a perfon, 
 in all indances of obedience, to lead a Ipiritual life 
 unto God. This principle is by this work produced 
 in the foul; and in refpeft of its attings, it confifts in 
 all the gracious operations of the mind, will, heart or 
 affe&ions, in the duties of obedience which God hath 
 required of us. This is that which gives life unto our 
 duties (without which the bed of our works are but 
 dead works) and renders them acceptable unto the liv¬ 
 ing God. it is not my buiinefs at large to purfue and 
 declare thefe things; I only mention them, that perfons 
 who are kept back from a participation of the confola- 
 tion tendered from the forgivenefs that is with God, be- 
 caufe they cannot comfortably conclude that they are 
 born again, as knowing that it is unto fuch per/ons alone 
 unto whomthefe confolations do truely and really belong 
 may know how to make a right judgment of themfelves. 
 Let fuch perfons then not flufruate up and down in ge¬ 
 nerals and uncertainties, with heartlefs complaints, 
 which is the ruin of the peace of their fouls; but let 
 them really put things to the trial, by the examination 
 of the caufes and effects of the work they enquire after. 
 It is by the ufe of fuch me'ans, whereby God will be 
 pleafed to give them all the affurance and eftablifhment 
 concerning their date and condition, which is needful 
 for them, and which may give them encouragement 
 in their courfe of obedience. But fuppofing all that 
 hath been fpoken ; what if a man, by the utmob fearch 
 and enquiry that he is able to make, cannot attain any 
 fatisfa&ory perfuafion, that indeed this great work of 
 God’s grace hath paffed upon his foul; is this a fuffi- 
 cicnt ground to keep him off from accepting of fupport- 
 
 A a a ment 
 
360 Rules whereby Men may judge of their Ver. 4. 
 
 ment and confolation from this truth, that there is for- 
 givenefs with God, which is the defign of the obje&ion 
 laid down before ? I fay therefore further, that, 
 
 1. Regeneration doth not, in order of time, precede 
 the foul’s intereft in the forgivenefs that is with God, 
 or its being made partaker of the pardon of fin ; I fay 
 no more, but that it doth not precede it in order of 
 time not determining which hath precedency in order 
 of nature ! That, I confefs, which the method of the 
 gofpel leads unto, is, that abfolution, acquitment, or 
 the pardon of fin, is the foundation of the communica¬ 
 tion of all faving grace unto the foul, and fo preced¬ 
 ed all grace, in the finner whatever. But becaufe this 
 abfolution, or pardon of fin, is to be received by faith, 
 whereby the foul is really made partaker of it, and all 
 the benefits belonging thereunto j and that faith alfo 
 is the radical grace which we receive in our regenera¬ 
 tion ; for it is by faith that our hearts are purified, as 
 an inflrurnent in the hand of the great purifier, the Spi¬ 
 rit of God; I place thefe two together, and fhall not 
 difpute as to their priority in nature; but in time the 
 one doth not precede the other. 
 
 2. it is hence evident, that an afliirance of being 
 regenerate, is no way previoufly neceiTary unto the be¬ 
 lieving.of an intereft in forgivenefs; fo that although a 
 man have not the former, it is or may be his duty to 
 endeavour the latter. "When convinced perfons cried 
 out, What fhall we do to be faved ? the anfwer was. 
 Believe and you fhall be fo ? Believe in Chrift, and in 
 the remiffion of fin by his blood, is the firfl thing that 
 convinced finners are called unto. They are not direc¬ 
 ted firit to fecure their fouls that they are born again, 
 and then afterwards to believe; but they are firfl to 
 believe that the remiffion of fin is tendered unto them 
 in the blood of Chrift, and that by him they may be 
 juftified from all things from which they could not be 
 juftified by the law ; Nor upon this propofition is it the 
 duty of men to queftion whether they have faith or no, 
 but a&ually to believe. And faith in its operation 
 
 will 
 
Ver. 4. Condition in refpett of inherent Grace. 361 
 
 Will evidence itfelf. See A<fts xiii. 38, 3^, Suppofe 
 then that you do not know that you are regenerate, 
 that you are born of God ; that you have no prevail¬ 
 ing, refreihing conftant evidence or perfuafion thereof; 
 Should this hinder you ? Should this difcourage you 
 from believing forgivenefs, from clofing with the pro- 
 miles, and thereby obtaining in yourfelves an intereft 
 in that forgivenefs that is with God ? Not at all; nay, 
 this ought exceedingly to excite and ftir you up unto 
 your duty herein. For, 
 
 (1.) Suppofe that it is otherwife; that indeed you 
 are yet in the date of fin, and are only brought under 
 the power of light and convittion ; this is the way for 
 a tranflation into an eftate of fpiritual life and grace : If 
 you will forbear the afting of faith upon, and for for¬ 
 givenefs, until you are regenerate, you may, and pro- 
 bably you will, come ftiort both of forgivenefs and re¬ 
 generation alfo. Here lay your foundation, and then 
 your building will go on. This will open the door un¬ 
 to you and give you an entrance into the kingdom of 
 God. Chrift is the door ; do not think to climb up o- 
 ver the wall; enter by him, or you will be kept out. 
 
 (2.) Suppole that you are born again, but yet know 
 it not, as is the condition of many; this is the way 
 whereby you may receive an evidence thereof. It is 
 good embracing of all figns, tokens and pledges of our 
 fpiritual condition; and it is fo to improve them : But 
 the bell; courfe is to follow the genuine natural a&ings 
 of faith, which leads us into the mod fettled apprehen- 
 fions concerning our relation unto God, and acceptance 
 with him. Believe firffc the forgivenefs of fin, as the 
 effeft of mere grace and mercy in Chrift. Let the faith 
 hereof be nourillied and (Lengthened in your fouls. 
 This will infenfibly influence your hearts into a comfort¬ 
 ing gofpel perfuafion of your ftate and condition to¬ 
 wards God, which will be accompanied with allured 
 reft and peace. 
 
 To winde up this difeourfe; remember, that that 
 which hath been fpoken with reference unto the ftate 
 
 A a a 2 of* 
 
362 Rules whereby Men may judge , &c. Ver. 4. 
 
 of regeneration in general, may be applied unto every 
 particular obje&ion, or caufe of fear or difcouragement, 
 that may be reduced to that head. Such are all objec¬ 
 tions that arife from particular fins, from aggravations 
 of f:n by their greatnefs of circumftances, or relapfes 
 into them. The way that the confideration of thefe 
 things prevail upon the mind unto fears, is by beget- 
 ing an apprehenfion in men that they are not regener¬ 
 ate ; for if they were, they fuppofe they could not be 
 fo overtaken or intangled. The rules thereof laid down 
 are fuited to the ffraits of the fouls of finnersin all fuch 
 particular cafes : ■ ■ - 
 
 Lajlly , There was fomewhat in particular added in 
 the clofe of the obje&ion, which although it be not 
 dire&ly in our way, nor of any great importance in it- 
 felf, yet having been mentioned, it is not unmeet to 
 remove it out of the way, that it may not leave intan- 
 glement upon the minds of any. Now this is, that 
 fome know not, nor can give account of the time of 
 their converfion unto God, and therefore cannot be fa- 
 tisfied that the faving work of his grace hath pafled up¬ 
 on them. This is ufually and ordinarily fpoken unto : 
 .And I (hall therefore briefly give an account concern¬ 
 ing it. 
 
 1. It hath been (hewed, that in this matter, there 
 are many things whereon we may regularly found a 
 judgment concerning ourfelves; and it is great folly to 
 wave them all, and put the iflue of the matter upon 
 one circumftance. If a man have a trial at law, where¬ 
 in he hath many evidences fpeaking for him, only one 
 circuraflance is dubious and in queflion ; he will not cad 
 the weight of his caute on that difputed circumftance, 
 but will plead thofe evidences that are more clear, and 
 teftify more fully in his behalf. I will not deny, but 
 that this matter of the time of converfion is oft-times an 
 important circumftance : In the affirmative when it is 
 known, it is of great ufe, tending to liability and con- 
 folation ; but yet it is (fill but a circumftance, fuch as 
 that the being of the thing itfelf doth not depend upon. 
 
Ver. 4. Objections from Weaknefs in Duty, &c. 363 
 
 He that is alive may know that he was born, though 
 he know neither the place where, nor the time when 
 he was fo. And fo may he that is fpiritually alive, and 
 hath ground of evidence that he is fo, that was bora 
 again, though he knew neither when, nor where, nor 
 how. And this cafe is ufual in perfons of quiet natur¬ 
 al tempers, who have had the advantage of education 
 under means of light and grace. God ok-times, in fuch 
 perfons, begins and carries on the work of his grace 
 infenfibly, fo that they come to good growth and ma¬ 
 turity before they know that they are alive. Such per¬ 
 fons come at length to be fatisfied in faying with the 
 blind man in the gofpel, How our eyes were opened 
 .we know not, only one thing we kno$', whereas we 
 were blind by nature, now we fee. 
 
 2. Even in this matter alfo, we muff, ft may be, be 
 content to live by faith, and to believe as well what C*od 
 hath done in us, if it be the matter and fubjeft of his 
 pronaifes, as what he hath done for us, the ground 
 whereof alfo is the promife and nothing elfe. 
 
 Qbje&'tons from the prefect hate and condition of 
 the foul :.Weaknefs and imperfekion of du¬ 
 ty,-Oppofition from indwelling fin. 
 
 3. There is another head of objekions againfl the 
 foul’s receiving confolation from an intereff in forgive- 
 nefs, arifing from the confideration of its prefent Hate 
 and condition as to akual holinefs, duties and fin. 
 Souls complain, when in darknefs and under temptati¬ 
 ons, that they cannot find that holinefs, nor thofe fruits 
 of it in themfelves, which they fuppofe an intetefi in 
 pardoning mercy will produce. Their hearts th$y 
 find are weak, and all their duties worthlefs; if they 
 were weighed in the ballance, they would be all found 
 too light. In the beft of them there is fuch a mixture 
 of felf, hypocrify, unbelief, vain glory, that they are 
 even afhamed and confounded with the remembrance of 
 them. Thefe things fill them with difcouragements. 
 
364 Objections from Weahnefs in Ditty , Ver. 4. 
 
 fo that they refufe to be comforted, or to entertain any 
 ■refrefhing perfuafion from the truth infifted on ; but 
 rather conclude that they are utter ftrangers from that 
 forgivenefs that is with God; and fo continue helpleft 1 
 in their depths. 
 
 According unto the method propofed, and hitherto 
 purfued, I (hall only lay down fome fuch general rules, 
 as may (upport a foul under the defpondencies, that 
 are apt in fuch a condition to befal it, that none of 
 thefe things may weaken it in its endeavour to lay hold 
 of forgivenefs. And, 
 
 Firfiy This is the proper place to put in execution 
 our feventh rule, to take heed of heartlefs complaints, 
 when vigorous a&ings of grace are expetted at our 
 hands. If it be thus indeed, why ly you on your faces, 
 why do you not rife, and put out yourfelves to the ut- 
 moft, giving all diligence to add one grace to another, 
 untill you find yourfelves in a better frame ? Suppof- 
 ing then the putting of that rule into pra&ice ; 1 add, 
 that. 
 
 1 fly Known holinefs, is apt to degenerate into felf- 
 righteoufnefs. What God gives us on the account of 
 fan&ification, we are ready enough to reckon on the 
 fcore of juftification. It is a hard thing to feel grace, 
 and to believe as if there were none. We have fo much 
 of the Pharifee in us by nature, that it is fometimes 
 well that our good is hid from us. We are ready to 
 take our corn and wine, and beftow them on other lov¬ 
 ers. Were there not in our hearts a fpiritually fenfible 
 principle of corruption, and in our duties a difcernible 
 mixture of feif; it would be impofiible we fliould walk 
 fo humbly, as is required of them who hold communi¬ 
 on with God in a covenant of grace and pardoning mer¬ 
 cy. It is a good life, which is attended with a faith 
 of righteoufnefs, and a fenfe of corruption. Whilft I 
 know Chriflds righteoufnefs, I fhall the lefs care to 
 know my own holinefs. To be holy is neceifary ; to 
 know it, fometimes a temptation. 
 
 2 dly. Even duties of God’s appointment, when turn- 
 
 . ed 
 
Ver. 4. and the Power of Sin. 365 
 
 cd into feif-righteoufnefs, are God’s abhorrency, Ifa. 
 Ixvi. 2,3. What hath a good original, may be vitiated 
 by a bad end. 
 
 3 dly y Oftentimes holinefs in the heart is more known 
 by the oppofition that is made there to it, than by its 
 own prevalent working ; the Spirit’s operation is known 
 by the flefh’s oppofition. We find a man’s ftrength by 
 the burdens he carries, and not the pace that he goes. 
 Oh y wretched man that 1 am y who Jhall deliver me from 
 the body of this death f is a better evidence of grace 
 and holinefs, than God J thank thee I am not as other 
 men. A heart preffed, grieved, burdened, not by the 
 guilt of fin only, which reflects with trouble on an 
 awakened confcience ; but by the clofe adhering power 
 of indwelling fin, tempting, feducing, foliciting, hind* 
 ering, captivating, conceiving, reftlefly difquieting ; 
 may from thence have as clear an evidence of holinefs, 
 as from a delightful fruit-bearing. What is it, that is 
 troubled and grieved in thee ? what is it, that feems to be 
 almoft killed and deftroyed ; that cries out, complains, 
 longs for deliverance ? Is it not the new creature ? is it 
 not the principle of fpiritual life, whereof thou art par¬ 
 taker ? 1 fpeak not of trouble and difquietments for fin 
 committed, nor cf fears and perturbations of mind, 
 led fin fhould break forth to Iofs, fhame, ruin, di(hon¬ 
 our ; nqr of the contending of a convinced confcience, 
 left damnation fhould enfoe ; but of the ft riving of the 
 fpirit againfl fin, out of a hatred and a loathing of it, 
 upon all the mixt confiderations of love, grace, mercy, 
 fear, the beauty of hoiined, excellency of communion 
 with God, that are propofed in the gofpel. If thou 
 feemed to thyfelf to be ouly paffive in thefe things, to 
 do nothing, but to endure the affaults of fin ; yet if thou 
 art fenfible, and handed under the droke of it, as un¬ 
 der the droke of an enemy, there is the root of the 
 matter. And as it is thus, as to the Subdance and be¬ 
 ing of holinefs, fo it is alfo as to the degrees of it. De¬ 
 grees of holinefs are to be meafured more by oppofiti¬ 
 on, than felf operation. He may have more grace 
 
 than 
 
g 66 Objections from Weaknefs in Duty , Ver. 4. 
 
 than another, who brings not forth fo much fruit as 
 the other; becaufe he hath more oppolition, more temp¬ 
 tation, Ifa xli. 17. And fenfe of the want of all, is a 
 great fignof fomewhat in the foul. 
 
 Secondly , As to what was ailedged to the nothing- 
 nefs, the felfifhnefs of duty ; 1 fay, 
 
 It is certain, whilft we are in the fiefti, our duties 
 will tafte of the vefiel whence they proceed. Weak¬ 
 nefs, defilements, treachery, hypocrify will attend them. 
 To this purpofe, whatever fome pretend to the con¬ 
 trary, is the complaint of the church, Ifa. Ixiv. 6. 
 The chaff oftentimes is fo mixed with the wheat, that 
 corn can fcarce be difcerned. And this know, that 
 the more fpiritual any man is, the more he fees of his 
 unfpiritualnefs in his fpiritual duties. An outfide per¬ 
 formance will fatisfy an outfide Chriftian, Job abhor¬ 
 red himfelf mod, when he knew himfelf bed. The 
 clearer difcoveries we have had of God, the viler will 
 every thing of felf appear. Nay further, duties and 
 performances are oftentimes very ill meafured by us ; 
 and thofe feem to be firft, which indeed are lad, and 
 thofe to be laft, which indeed are firft. I do not doubt, 
 but a man, when he hath had diftra&ions to wreftle 
 withal, no outward advantage to further him, no ex¬ 
 traordinary provocations of hope, fear or forrow on a 
 natural account in his duty, may rife from his knees 
 with thoughts that he hath done nothing in his duty 
 but provoked God ; when there hath been more work¬ 
 ings of grace, in contending with the deadnefs caft on 
 the foul by the condition that it is in ; than when by 
 the concurrence of moved natural affe&ions, and out¬ 
 ward provocations, a frame hath been raifed, that hath 
 to the party himfelf feemed to reach to heaven ; fo that 
 it may be this perplexity about duties, is nothing but 
 what is common to the people of God, and which 
 ought to be no obftruclion to peace and fettlement. 
 
 2. As to the pretence of hypocrify, you know what 
 is ufually anfwered ; it is one thing to do a thing in 
 hypocrify, another not to do it without a mixture 
 
 of { 
 
Ver. 4. and the Power of Sin, 367 
 
 ofhypocrify. Hypocrify, in its long extent, is every 
 thing that tor matter or manner comes fhort of finceritv. 
 Now our fincerity is no more perfect than our other 
 graces; fo that in its meafure it abides with ns, and 
 adheres to all we do. In like manner, it is one thing 
 to do a thing for vain glory, and to be feen of men, 
 another not to be able wholly to keep off the fubtile 
 inlinuations of felf and vain glory. He that doth a 
 thing in hypocrify, and for vain glory, is fatisfied with 
 fome eorrrupt end obtained tho’ he be fenfible that he 
 fought fuch an end. He that doth a thing with a mix¬ 
 ture of hypocrify, that is, with fome breaches upon 
 the degrees of his fincerity, with fome infenfible ad¬ 
 vancements in performance on outward confiderations, 
 is not fatisfied with a felf end attained, and is difiatkfi- 
 ed with the defeat of his fincerity. In a word, wouldft 
 thou yet be lincere, and doft endeavour fo to be in pri¬ 
 vate duties, and in publick performances 5 in praying, 
 hearing, giving alms, zealous adings for God’s glory 
 and the love of the faints, though thefe duties are not, 
 it may be, fometimes done without fenfible hypocrify, 
 
 I mean as traced to its molt fubtile infimlations of felf 
 and vain glory ; yet are they not done in hypocrify, 
 nor do not denominate the perfons, by whom they are 
 performed, hypocrites? Yeti fay of this, as of all 
 that is fpoken before, it is of ufe to relieve us under 
 a troubled condition, of none to fupport us or encou¬ 
 rage us unto an abode in it. 
 
 3. Know that God dcfpifeth not final! things; he 
 takes notice of the leaf! breathings of our hearts after 
 him, when we ourfelves can fee and perceive no fuch 
 tiling. He knows the mind of the Spirit, in thofe 
 workings which are never formed to that height, that 
 we can refled: upon them with our obfervation. Every 
 thing that is of him, is noted in his book, though not 
 in ours ; he took notice, that when Sarah was ading 
 unbelief towards him, yet that he (hewed reiped and 
 regard to her husband, calling him Lord, Gen. xviii. 
 12. 1 Pet. iii. 6. And even whilft his people are fin- 
 
 Bbb 
 
 ning 
 
Objections from Weaknefs in Duty , Ver. 4. 
 
 ning, he can find fomething in their hearts, words or 
 ways that pleafeth him, much more in their duties. 
 He is a fkilful refiner, that can find much gold in that 
 ore where we fee nothing but lead or clay. He re¬ 
 members the duties which we forget, and forgets the 
 fins which we remember : He juftifies our perfons tho’ 
 ungodly, and willalfo our duties tho* not perfe&ly godly. 
 
 4. To give a little further lupport in reference unto 
 our wretched miferable duties, and to them that are in 
 perplexities on that account, know, that Jelus Chrift 
 takes out whatever is evil and unlavoury out of them, 
 and makes them acceptable. When an unfkilful fer- 
 vant gathers many herbs, flowers and weeds in a gard¬ 
 en, you gather them out that are ufeful, and call the 
 reft out of fight. Chrift deals fo with our performan¬ 
 ces. All the ingredients of felf that are in them on 
 any account, he takes away, and adds incenfe to what 
 remains, and prefents it to God, Exod. xxviii 39. This 
 is the caufe that the faints at the laft day, when they 
 meet their own duties and performances, they know 
 them nor, they are fo changed from what they were 
 when they went out of their haud. Lord when Jaw we 
 thee naked or hungry ; fo that God accepts a little, and 
 Chrift niakes our little a great deal. 
 
 5. Is this an argument to keep thee from believing? 
 The realon why thou art no more holy, is, becaule 
 thou haft no more faith. If thou haft no holinefs, it 
 is becaufe thou haft no faith ; holinefs is the purifying 
 of the heart by faith, or our obedience unto the truth. 
 And the reafon why thou art no more in duty, is, be¬ 
 caufe thou art no more in believing ; the region why 
 thy duties are weak and imperfe&, is, becaufe thy faith 
 is weak and imperfeft. Haft thou no holinefs, believe 
 that thou mayft have ; haft thou but a little, or that 
 which is imperceptible, be ftedfaft in believing, that 
 thou mayft abound in obedience, Do not refolve not 
 to eat thy meat until thou art ftrong, when thou haft 
 no means of being ftrong, but by eating thy bread, 
 which ftrengtheus the heart of man. 
 
 ObjeCl. 
 
Ver. 4. and the Power of Sin. 3 ^9 
 
 Objeft. 4. The powerful tumultuating of indwelling 
 fin or corruption, is another caufe of the fame kind ot 
 trouble and defpondency. They that are Chrifi’s have 
 crucified the flefh with the lufts thereof. But we find, 
 fay fome, feveral corruptions working effe&ually in our 
 hearts, carrying us captive to the law of fin ; they dif- 
 quiet with their power, as well as with their guilt. Had 
 we been made partakers of the law of the Spirit of life, 
 we had ere this been more fet free from the law 
 of fin and death. Had fin been pardoned fully, it 
 would have been fubdued more effectually. 
 
 There are three confiderations which make the ag¬ 
 ings of indwelling fin to be fo perplexing to the foul, 
 
 1. Becaufe they are unexpected. The foul looks 
 not for them upon the firft great conqueft made of fin, 
 and univerfal engagement of the heart unto God. When 
 it firff fays, 1 have Jw 6 rn i and am fiedfafly purpofed to 
 keep thy righteous judgments , commonly there is peace 
 at leaft for a feafon from the diffurbing vigorous aClings 
 of fin. There are many reafons why it fhould be fo : 
 Old things are then palled away, all things are be¬ 
 come new ; and the foul, under the power of that u- 
 niverfal change, is utterly turned away from thofe 
 things that fhould foment, ftir up, provoke or cherrilh 
 any luff or temptation. Now, when fome of thefe 
 advantages are paff, and fin begins to ffir and aCf again, 
 the foul is furprized, and thinks the work that he hath 
 palTed through was not true and effeClual, but temper 
 ary only. Yea, he thinks perhaps that fin hath more 
 ffrength than it had before, becaufe he is more fenfi- 
 ble than he was before. As one that hath a dead arm 
 or limb, whilff it is mortified, endures deep cuts and 
 launcings, and feels them not; when fpirits and fenfe 
 are brought into the place again, he fee's the leaff cut, 
 and may think the inftruments (harper than they were 
 before, when all the difference is, that he hath got a 
 quicknefs of fenfe, which before he had not. It may 
 be fo with a perfon in this cafe; he may think luff more 
 powerful than it was before, becaufe he is more fen- 
 
 B b b 2 fible 
 
37 0 Objections from Weaknefs in Duty , Ver. 4.' 
 
 fible than he was before. Yea, fin in the heart, is 
 like a fnake or ferpent; you may pull out the fling of 
 it, and cut it into many pieces; though it can fling 
 mortally no more, nor move his whole body at once, 
 yet it will move in all its parts, and make an appear¬ 
 ance of a greater motion than formerly : So it is with 
 lull, w’hen it hath received its death’s wound, and is 
 cm in pieces, yet it moves in fo many parts as it were 
 in the foul, that it amazes him that hath to do with it; 
 and thus coming unexpectedly, fills the fpirit oftentimes 
 with difconfolation. 
 
 2. It hath alfo in its aCtings an univerfality. This 
 alfo furprizeth ; there is an univerfality in the aCtings 
 of fin, even in believers. There is no evil that it will 
 not move to ; there is no good that it will not attempt to 
 hinder; no duty that it will not defile : And the reafon 
 of this is, becaufe we are fanCtified but in part. Not 
 in any part wholly, though favingly and truly in every 
 parr. There is fin remaining in every faculty, in all 
 the affeCtions, and fo may be aCting in and towards any 
 fin that the nature of man is liable unto. Degrees of 
 fin there are that all regenerate perfons are exempted 
 from ; but unto folicitations to all kinds of fin they are 
 expofed, and this helps on the temptation. 
 
 3. It is endlefs and refllefs; never quiet, conquering 
 nor conquered ; it gives not over, but rebels being o- 
 vercome, or affaults afrefh having prevailed. Oft- 
 times after a victory obtained, and an oppofition fubdu- 
 ed, the foul is in expectation of reft and peace from 
 its enemies: But this holds not. It works and rebels 
 again and again, and will do fo whilft we live in this 
 world ; fo that no iftue will be put to our conflict but 
 by death. This is at large handled elfewhere in a" trea- 
 tife lately publifhed on this peculiar fubjeCt. 
 
 Thefe and the like confiderations attending the act¬ 
 ings of indwelling fin, do oftentimes intangle the foul 
 in making a judgment of itfelf, and leave it in the dark 
 as to its ftate and condition. 
 
 A few things fhall be offered unto this objection alfo. 
 
 1. The 
 
Ver. 4. and the Power of Sin, 371 
 
 1. The febfible powerful agings of indwelling fin, are 
 not inconfiftent with a (late of grace, Gal. v. 17. There 
 are in the fame perfon contrary principles, the flefli and 
 the Spirit; thefe are contrary ; and there are contra¬ 
 ry a£lings from thefe principles: fheflefb lufleth againfl 
 the fpirit, and the fpirit againfl the flejh ; and thefe 
 actings are defcribed to be greatly vigorous in other 
 places. Lufl wars againfl our fouls , James iv. 1. i 
 Pet. ii. 11. Now, to war is not to make faint or gen¬ 
 tle oppofition, to be flighted and contemned ; but it is 
 to go out with great ftrength, to ufe craft, fubtilty 
 and force, fo as to put the whole iflue to a hazard. So 
 thefe lufts war; fuch are their actings in and againfl: 
 the foul. And therefore faith the apoflle, You cannot 
 do the things that you would; See Rom. vii. 14, 15, 
 16, 17. In this conflict indeed the underflanding is 
 left unconquered ; it condemns and difapproves of the 
 evil led unto ; and the will is not fubdued ; it would not 
 do the evil that is prefled upon it, and there is'an hat¬ 
 red or averfation remaining in the affe&ions unto fin; 
 but yet notwithftanding, fin rebels, fights, tumultu- 
 ates, and leads captive. This objection then may re¬ 
 ceive this fpeedy anfwer. Powerful adlings and work¬ 
 ings, univerfal endlefs flrugglings of indwelling fin, 
 ledacing to all that is evil, putting itfelf forth to the 
 difturbance and diflfettlement of all that is good, is no 
 fufficient ground to conclude a flate of alienation from 
 God 5 fee for this the other treatife before-mentioned 
 at large. 
 
 2. Your (late is not at all to be meafured by the op¬ 
 pofition that fin makes to you, but by the oppofition 
 you make to it ; be that never fo great, if this be good, 
 be that never fo reftlefs and powerful, if this be fin- 
 cere, you may be difquieted, you can have no reafon to 
 defpond. 
 
 I have mentioned thefe things only to give a fpeci- 
 men of the obje&ions which men ufually raife up a- 
 gainft an a&ual clofing with the truth infilled on to 
 their confolation: And we have alfo given in upon 
 
 . 4 them 
 
g72 Verfes $th and 6 th Opened . Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 them fome rules of truth for their relief, not intending 
 in them abfol,ute fatisfa&ion as to the whole of the cafes 
 mentioned, but only to remove the darknefs raifed by 
 them fo out of the way, as that it might not hinder any 
 from mixing the word with faith, that hath been dif- 
 penfed from this bleffed teftimony that there is forgive- 
 hefs with God that he may be feared. 
 
 VERSES V, VI. 
 
 P Roceed we now to the fecond part of this pfalm, 
 which contains the deportment of a fin-perplex¬ 
 ed foul; when by faith it hath difcovered where its 
 reft doth ly, and from whom its relief is to be expec¬ 
 ted; even from the forgivenefs which is with God, where¬ 
 of we have fpoken. 
 
 There are two things in general, as was before men¬ 
 tioned, that the foul in that condition applies itfelf un¬ 
 to ; whereof the firft refpe&s its felf, and the other 
 the whole Ifrael of God. 
 
 That which refpe&s it felf, is the defcription of 
 that frame of heart and fpirit that he was brought in¬ 
 to, upon faith’s difcovery of forgivenefs in God ; with 
 the duties that he applied himfelf unto, the grounds 
 of it, and the manner of its performance, ver. v. vi: 
 
 Ver. 5. I wait for the Lord, my foul doth wait, and 
 in his word do I hope. 
 
 Ver. 6 . My foul waiteth for the Lord, more than 
 they that watch for the morning : / fay more than 
 they that watch for the morning. 
 
 Herein I fay he defcribes both his frame of fpirit, 
 and the duty he applied himfelf to, both as to matter 
 and manner. 
 
 I fhall, as in the method hitherto obferved, firft con- 
 
 fider 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Verfes $th and 6 th Opened. 373 
 
 fider the reading of the words, then their fenfe and 
 importance, with the fuitablenefs of the things menti¬ 
 oned in them, to the condition of the foul under con- 
 fideration ; all which will yield us a foundation of the 
 obfervations that are to be drawn from them. 
 
 The words rendered ftriCtly, or word for word, ly 
 thus'': 
 
 1 have earnejlly expended 'Jehovah ; my foul hath ex¬ 
 pended, and in his word have I tarried , or waited. 
 
 My foul to the Lord, ?nore than (or before) the watch¬ 
 men in the morning ; the watchmen in the morning ; or 
 unto the morning. 
 
 / have waited or expected; the word in the original 
 fignifies to expeCt, to hope , to wait, Ver bum hoc ejl y mag- 
 no cinimi defiderio , in aliquem intentum ejfe , dr refpicere 
 ad eum , ex eo pendere. The word denotes to be intent 
 on any one with great defire ; to behold or regard him, 
 and to depend upon him ; and it aifo exprelfeth the 
 earned inclination and intention of the will and mind. 
 
 Paul feems to have exprefled this word to the full, 
 Rom. viii. 19. by an intent or earneft expecta¬ 
 
 tion, exprefling itfelf by putting forth the head, and 
 looking round about with earneftnefs and diligence. 
 And this is alfo fignified exprefly by this word, Pfal. 
 Ixix. 20. (in the Heb.) And I looked for fome to take pi¬ 
 ty ; hue iltuc anxie circumfpexi , fiqui forte me commifera - 
 turns effet. 1 looked round about, this way and thac 
 way, diligently and folicitoufly, to fee if any would 
 pity me, or lament with me. 
 
 Thus, 1 have waited, is as much as, “ I have dili- 
 ** gently, with intention of foul, mind, will, and af- 
 “ feCtions looked unto God, in earneft expectation of 
 “ that from him, that I ftand in need of: And which 
 “ muft come forth from the forgivends that is with 
 “ him.” 
 
 2. I have, faith he, w T aited for, or expeCted Jeho¬ 
 vah ; he ufes the fame name of God in his expecta¬ 
 tion, that he firft fixed on in his application to him. 
 
 And it is not this or that means, nor this or that 
 
 aflift- 
 
374 Verfes 5 th and 6 th Opened. Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 affiftance, but it is Jehovah himfelf that he experts 
 and waits for. It is Jehovah himfelf that mull fatisfy 
 the foul; his favour and loving-kindnefs ; and what 
 flows from them. If he come not himfelf, if he gives 
 not himfelf, nothing elfe will relieve. 
 
 3. My joul doth wait or expeCt; it is no outward duty 
 that 1 am at, no lip-labour, no bodily work, no formal, 
 cold, carelefs performance of a duty ; no, my foul doth 
 wait ; it is foul-work, heart work I am at: I wait, 
 
 I wait with my whole foul. 
 
 4. In his word do I hope , or wait. There is not any 
 
 thing of difficulty in thefe words ; the word ufed (in the 
 Hebrew) fignifies to hope , expett , endure, and fuflatn , 
 with care , folicitoufnefs , and endeavours . Hence the 
 lxx have rendered the word by and the vulg. 
 
 Lat. fujlinui , / have fujlained and waited with pati¬ 
 ence. 
 
 $ And this on the word ; or he fuflained his foul 
 with the word of promife that it (hould not utterly faint. 
 Seing he had made a difcovery of grace and forgive- 
 nefs, though yet at a great difiance ; he had a fight of 
 land though he was yet in a fiorm at fea ; and there¬ 
 fore encourageth himfelf, or his foul, that it doth not 
 defpond. 
 
 But yet all this that we have fpoken reaches not the 
 intenfenefs of the foul of the Pfalmift in this his ex¬ 
 pectation of Jehovah. The earnefi engagement of his 
 foul in this duty rifeth up above what he can exprefs. 
 Therefore he proceeds, verfe 6 . My foul , faith he, for 
 the Lord , (that is, expeCte him, looks for him, waits 
 for his coming to me in love and with forgivenefs more 
 than the watchers for the morning , the watchers for the 
 morning. 
 
 o 
 
 Thefe latter words are varioufly rendred and variouf- 
 ly expounded. The lxx, and vulgar Latin render 
 them, from the morning watch until night ; others, from 
 thofe that keep the morning watch , unto thofe that keep 
 the evening watch. More than the watchers in the 
 morning, more than the watchers in the morning. 
 
 The 
 
Ver. 4, 5. Verfes $th and 6th Opened. 375 
 
 The words alfo are varioofly expounded. Auiiin 
 would have it to fignify, the placing of cur hopes ou the 
 morning of Chriit’s refurreclion, and continuing ia 
 them until the night of our own death. 
 
 Hierom who renders the words, from the morning 
 watch to the morning watch, expounds them of continu¬ 
 ing our hopes and expe&ations from the morning that 
 we are called into the Lord’s vineyard, to the morning 
 when we (hall receive cur reward, as much to the fenfe 
 of the place as the* former: And fo Chryfoflom inter* 
 prets ol our Vyhole life. 
 
 It cannot be denied but that they were led into thefe 
 midakes by the tracflation of the lxx, and that of the 
 vulgar Latin, who both of them have divided thefe 
 words, quite contrary to their proper dependance ; and 
 read them thus, My foul expected the Lord. From the 
 morning watch to the ni^ht watch , let Ifrael trufl in the 
 Lord. So making the words to belong to the follow¬ 
 ing exhortation unto others, which are plainly a part of 
 the expreflion of his own duty. 
 
 The words then are a coraparifon, and an allufion 
 unto the watchmen, and may be taken in one of thefe 
 two fenfes. 
 
 1. In things civil; As thofe who keep the watch of 
 the night, do look, and long for, and expeft the morn¬ 
 ing, when being difmilTed from their guard, they may 
 take that fleep that they need and defire, which ex- 
 preffes a very earned expe&ation, enquiry and defire : 
 Or, 
 
 2. In things facred ; With the Chaldee paraphrad, 
 which renders the words, more than they that look for 
 the morning watch , which they carefully ohferve , that 
 they may offer the morning Jacrijice. Ia this fenfe, as 
 faith he, the warders and watchers in the temple, do 
 look diligently after the appearance of the morning, 
 that they may with joy offer the morning facrjfice in th$ 
 appointed feafon ; fo, and with more diligence doth 
 my foul wait for Jehovah. 
 
 , C c c 
 
 You 
 
376 Verfes 5th and 6th Opened . Ver. 4, 5. 
 
 You fee the reading of the words; and how far the 
 fenfc of them opens itfelf unto us by that confidera- 
 tion. 
 
 Let us then nextly fee briefly the feveral parts of 
 them as they Hand in relation one to another. We 
 have then, 
 
 1; The expreflion in the duty wherein he was ex- 
 ^ercifed, and that is earned waiting for Jehovah. 
 
 2. The bottom and foundation ot that his waiting 
 and expectation ; that is, the word of God ; the word 
 of promife, he diligently hoped in the word. 
 
 3. The frame of his fpirit in, and the manner of 
 his performance of this duty exprefled. 
 
 (1.) In the words themfelves that he ufes, according 
 as we opened them before. 
 
 (2.) In the emphatical reduplication, yea, trip'ication 
 of his expreflion of it; “I wait for God, my foul wait- 
 u eth for God, my foul waiteth for the Lord.” 
 
 (3.) In the comparifon inftituted between his dif- 
 charge of his duty, and other performances of a cor¬ 
 poral watch, with the greateft care and diligence; more 
 than they that watch for the morning : So that we 
 have, 1 
 
 1. The duty he performed ; earned waiting and ex¬ 
 pectation. 
 
 2. The objeCt of his wailing, Jehovah himfelf. 
 
 3. His fupportment in that duty, the word of pro- 
 mi fe. 
 
 4. The manner of his performance of it. 
 
 1. With earneftnefs and diligence. 
 
 2. With perfeverance. 
 
 Let us then now confiqer the words, as they contain 
 the frame and working of a fin-entangled foul. 
 
 Having been raifed out of his depths by the difco- 
 very of forgivenefs in God, as was before declared; 
 yet not being immediately made partaker of that for¬ 
 givenefs, as to a comforting fenfe of it, he gathers up 
 his foul from wandering from God, and fupports it from 
 finking under his prefect condition. 
 
 It 
 
Ver. 5, y. Yerfes $th and 6th Opened. 377 
 
 It is, faith he, “ Jehovah alone with whom is for- 
 “ givenefs that caa relieve and do me good ; his favour, 
 *' his loving-kindnefs, his communication of mercy and 
 “ grace from thence, is that which I ftand in need of; 
 <£ on him therefore do I with all heedfulnefs attend • 
 “ on him do I wait; my foul is tilled with expectation 
 “ from him : Surely he will come to me, he will come 
 u and refrefh me ; though he feem as yet to be afar off. 
 “ and to leave me in thefe depths; yet I have his word 
 “ of promife to fupport and flay my foul, on which I 
 “ will lean, until I obtain the enjoyment of him, and 
 “ his kinduefs which is better than life/’ 
 
 And this is the frame of a fin entangled foul, who 
 hath really by faith difeovered forgiveuefs in God, but 
 is not yet made partaker of a comforting refrefhing fenfe 
 of it. And we may reprefent it in the enfuing obfer- 
 vations. 
 
 Obferv. 1. The firfl proper fruit of faith’s difeovery 
 of forgivenefs in God unto a fin-didreiled foul, is wait¬ 
 ing in patience and expectation. 
 
 Obferv. 2. The proper objeCt of a fin didreffed foul’s 
 waiting and expeCfmg, is God himfelf as reconciled in 
 Chrift ; 1 have waited for Jehovah. 
 
 Obferv . 3. The word of promife is the foul’s great 
 fupportment in waiting for God ; in thy word do 1 
 hope. 
 
 Obferv. 4. Sin-didreffed fouls wait for God with ear¬ 
 ned intention of mind, diligence, and expectation ; from 
 the redoubling of the expreflion. 
 
 Obferv. 5. Continuance in waiting until God appears 
 to the foul, is neceffary and prevailing ; NTecellary, as 
 that without which we cannot attain aiiidance ; and 
 prevailing, as that wherein we (hall never fail. 
 
 Obferv. 6. Eftablifhment in waiting where there is 
 no prefent fenfe of forgivenefs, yet gives the foul much 
 fecret red and comfort; This obfervation anfeth from 
 the influence that thefe verfes have unto thole that fol¬ 
 low. The Pfalmid having attained thus far, can now 
 
 C c c 2v look 
 
->78 Verfes $th and 6th Opened . Ver. 5, 6 
 
 look about him, and begin to deal with others, and 
 exhort them to an expectation of grace and mercy. 
 
 And thus, though the foul be not abfolutely in the 
 haven of cqnfolation where it would be, yet it hath 
 call out an anchor that gives it eftablifhmetit and fecu- 
 rity. Though it be yet tofied, yet it is fecured from 
 (hipwreck, and is rather Tick than in danger : A waiting 
 condition is a condition of fafety. 
 
 Hence it is that he now turns himfelf to others, and 
 upon the experience of the difcovery that he had made 
 of forgiveoefs in God, and the eftabliftiment and con- 
 folation he found in waiting on him, he calls upon, and 
 encourageth others to the fame duty, ver. 7, 8. 
 
 The propofitions laid down, I (hall briefly pafs thro’; 
 /till with refpcCt unto the ftate and condition of the foul, 
 reprcfented in the Pfalm. Many things that might 
 juftly be infixed on in the improvement of thefe truths, 
 have been anticipated in our former general rules. To 
 them we mufl therefore fometimes have recourfe ; be- 
 eaufe they muff not be again repeated. On this ac¬ 
 count 1 fay, we (hall pafs through them with all brief- 
 nefs poffible ; yet fo, as not wholly to omit any direc¬ 
 tions that are here tendred unto us, as to the guidance 
 of the foul, whole condition, and the working of whofe 
 faith, is here deferibed. This therefore in the firft 
 place is propofed, 
 
 The firft proper fruit of faith’s difcovery of forgive- 
 nefs in God unto a fm-diftrefted foul, is waiting 
 in patience and expectation. 
 
 This the Pfalmifl openly and direCtly applies himfelf 
 unto, and expreffeth to ha.ye been as his duty, fo his 
 practice. And he doth it fo emphatically, as was ma- 
 nifefted in the opening of the words, that 1 know not 
 that any duty is any where in the feripture fo recom¬ 
 mended and lively reprefented unto us. 
 
 You mufl therefore, for the right undemanding of 
 ir, call to mind what hath been fpoken concerning the 
 
 ftate 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Waiting the fir ft Fruits cf Faith. 379 
 
 (late of the foul enquired into ; it? depths, intangle- 
 menrs, and fenfe of fin, with its application unto God 
 about thofe things; as alfo remember what hath been 
 delivered about the nature of forgivenefs, with the re¬ 
 velation that is made of it unto the faith of believers: 
 And that this may be done, where the foul hath no re- 
 frefhing fenfe of its own interelf therein. It knows not 
 that its own fins are forgiven, although it believes that 
 there is forgivenefs with God. Now, the principal 
 duty that is incumbent on fuch a foul, is that laid down 
 in the proportion, namely, patient waiting and expecta¬ 
 tion. 
 
 Two things muft be done in reference hereunto : 
 Firft, The nature of the duty itfelf is to be declared. 
 And, Secondly , The nece.fiity and ufefulnefs of its prac¬ 
 tice is to be evinced and deraonftrated. 
 
 For the nature of it, fomething hath been intimated 
 giving light into it, in the opening of the words here 
 ufed by the Pfalmilf to exprefs it by. But we may ob- 
 ferve that thefe duties, as required of us, do not confift 
 in any particular aCling of the foul, but in the whole 
 fpiritual frame and deportment of it, in reference unto 
 the end aimed at in‘and by them. And this waiting, as 
 here and elfewhere commended unto ns, and which is 
 comprebenfive of the efpecial duties of the foul in the 
 cafe infixed on, and defcribed, comprehends thefe three 
 things; 1. Quietnefs in oppofition to hafle, and tumuitu- 
 ating of fpirii. 2. Diligence in oppofition to fpiritual 
 floth, defpondency and negleCl of means. Expec¬ 
 tation in oppofition to defpair, didrulf, and other pro¬ 
 per immediate aClings of unbelief. 
 
 1. Quietnefs. Hence this waiting itfelf is fometimes 
 exprefled by filence. To wait is to’ be filenr, Lam. iii. 
 26. It is good both to hope, (in the Heb.) and to be 
 filent for the falvation of the Lord; that is, to Wait 
 quietly, as we have rend red the word. And the fame 
 word we render fometimes to reft, Pfai. xxxvri. 7. Reft 
 on the Lord , (in the Heb.) beftlent unto him ; where 
 it is joined with hoping or waiting, as that which be- 
 
380 Waiting on God wherein it confifts , Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 longs unto the nature of it; and fo in fundry other 
 places. And this God in an efpecial manner calleth 
 fouls unto in ftraits and diftreffes. In quietnefs and 
 confidence , (faith h e) fhall be your firengthy lfa. xxx. 15. 
 And the effeft of the righteoufnels of God by Chrift, 
 is faid to be quietnefs and affurance for ever , lfa. xxxii. 
 17. Firft quietnefs, and then affurance. Now, this 
 filence and quietnefs which accompanieth waiting, 
 yea, which is an effential part of it, is oppofed (1 ) to 
 hafte ; and hafte is the foul’s undue lifting up itfelf, 
 proceeding from a wearinefs of its condition, to prefs 
 after an end of its troubles, not according to the con¬ 
 duct of the Spirit of God, Thus, when God calleth 
 his people to waiting, he expreffeth the contrary act¬ 
 ing unto this duty, by the lifting up of the foul, Hab. 
 ii. 3,4. Though the vifion tarry , wait for it; behold 
 his foul which is lifted up is not upright in hiniy but the 
 juft (hall live by faith . God hath given unto the foul 
 a vifion of peace, through the difcovery of that for- 
 givenefs which is with him; but he will have us wait 
 for an actual participation of it unto reft and comfort. 
 He that will not do fo, but lifts up his foul, that is, 
 in making hafte beyond the rule and method of the Spi¬ 
 rit of God in this matter, his heart is not upright in 
 him, nor will be know what it is to live by faith. This 
 ruins and difappoints many a foul in its attempts for 
 forgivenefs. The prophet fpeaking of this matter, tells 
 us, that He that believeth fhall not, nor will not , ?nake 
 hafte , Ifa.xxviii. 16. Which words the apoftle twice mak¬ 
 ing ufe of, Rom. ix. 33. chap. x. ii. in both places 
 renders them, Whofoever believeth on him fhall not be a- 
 ftoamedy or confounded. And that becaufe this hafte 
 turns men off from believing, and fo difappoints their 
 hopes, and leaves them unto ihame and confufion. 
 Men with a fenfe of the guilt of fin, having fome dif¬ 
 covery made to them of the reft, eafe and peace which 
 they may obtain to their fouls by forgivenefs, are ready 
 to catch greedily at it, and to make falfe, unfound, 
 undue applications of it unto themfelves. They cannot 
 
 bear 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Waiting on Cod wherein it confifts. 38 1 
 
 bear the yoke that the Lord hath put upon them, but 
 grow impatient under it, and cry with Rachel, Give me 
 children or I die. Any way, they would obtain it. 
 Now, as the firft duty of fuch a foul is to apply itfelf 
 unto waiting; fo the firft entrance into waiting confifts 
 in this filence and quietnefs of heart and fpirit. This is 
 the foul’s endeavour to keep itfelf humble, fatisfied 
 with the fovereign pleafure of God in its condition, and 
 refufing all ways and means of reft and peace, but 
 what it is guided and directed unto by the v/ord and 
 fpirit. 
 
 (2.) As it is oppofed unto hafte, fo it is unto tumui- 
 tuating thoughts, and vexatious difquietments; the 
 foul is filent, Pfal. xxxix. 9. I was dumb I opened not my 
 mouth , becaufe thou didft if He redoubles the expref- 
 fion, whereby he lets out his endeavour to quiet and 
 ftill his foul in the will of God* In the condition dif- 
 courfed of, the foul is apt to have many tumuituating 
 thoughts, or a multitude of perplexing thoughts of no 
 ufe or advantage unto it. How they are to be watch¬ 
 ed againft and reje&ed, was before declared in our ge¬ 
 neral rules : This quietnefs in waiting will prevent 
 diem. And this is the firft thing in the duty prescribed. 
 
 3. Diligence in oppofition unto fpiritual iloth, is in¬ 
 cluded in it alfo. Diligence is the a&ivity of the mind 
 in the regular ufe of means, for the puriuit of any 
 end propofed. The end aimed at by the foul, is a com¬ 
 forting, refrefhing irtereft in that forgivenefs that is 
 with God. For the attaining hereof, there are fundry 
 means inftituted and bleffed of God. A negleft of them 
 through regardlefnefs or iloth, will certainly difappoint 
 the foul from attaining that end. It is,confeftedIy fo 
 in things natural. He that foweth nor, muft not think 
 to reap ; he that cloatheth not himfelf, will not be 
 warm; nor he enjoy health, who neglects the means 
 of it. Men underftand this to their outward concerns : 
 And although they have a clue refpect unto the blefting 
 of God, yet they expeft not,to be rich without indus¬ 
 try in their ways. It is fo alfo in things fpiritual. God 
 
 hath 
 
382 Waiting on God wherein it conjifls . Ver. 5, 6. 
 
 hath appointed one thing ro be the means of obtaining 
 another ; in the nfe of them doth he blefs us, and from 
 the ufe of them doth his glory arife ; becaufe they are 
 his own appointments. And this diligence wholly ref- 
 pe&eth pra&ice, or the regular ufe of means. A man 
 is faid to be diligent in bufinefs, to have a diligent 
 band ; though it be an affeflion of the mind, yet it (im¬ 
 ply refpe&s practice and operation. This diligence in 
 his waiting David exprelfeth, Pfal. xl. 1. we render it, 
 I have waited patiently ; that is (in the Heb.) waiting 
 I have waited , that is diligently ; earneftly in the ufe 
 of means. So he deferibes this duty by an elegant (i- 
 militude, Pfal. cxxiii 2. Behotd , as the eyes of ferv * 
 ants look unto the hand of their maflers ; and as the eyes 
 of a maiden to the hand of her miflrefs ; fo our eyes wa it 
 ■upon the Lord our God , until he have mercy on us. Ser¬ 
 vants that wait on their matters, and look to their hands, 
 it is to expert an intimation of their minds as to what 
 they would have them do, that they may addrefs them- 
 felves unto it. So, faith he, do we wait for mercy; 
 not in a flothful negleft of duties, but in a conftant 
 readinels to obferve the will of God in all his commands. 
 An in (lance hereof we have in the fpoufe, when (he 
 was in the condition here deferibed, Cant. iii. 12. She 
 wanted the prefence cf her Beloved, which amounts to 
 the fame ttate which we have under confideration for 
 where the prefence oDCnrift is not, there can be no 
 fenfe of forgivenefs. At firft (he feeks him upon-her 
 bed ; By night upon my bed, I fought him whom my foul 
 loveth , l fought him , but I found him not She feems 
 herein to have gone no further than delires; for (he 
 was in her bed, where (he could do no more ; and the 
 iflue is, (he found him not; but doth (he fo fatisfy her- 
 felf; and ly (till, waiting untill (he (hould come there 
 unto her ? no, (lie fays, I will rife now f and go about 
 the city , in the f reels and in the broad ways , I will feek 
 him whom my foul loveth. She refolves to put herfelf 
 into the ufe of all means, whereby one may be fought 
 that is wanting. In the city, flreets, and fields, (he 
 
 would 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Waiting on God wherein it confifts . 383 
 
 would enquire after him, And the bleffed fuccefs fhe 
 had herein is reported ver. 4. She found him floe held 
 him , fhe would not let him %o. This then belongs unto 
 the waiting of the foul. Diligence in the ufe of means, 
 whereby God is pleafed ordinar.ly to communicate a 
 fenfe of pardon and forgivenefs, is a principle part of it. 
 What thefe means are, is known. Prayer, meditation, 
 reading, hearing of the word, difpenfation of the fa- 
 cramems, they are all appointed to this purpofe ; they 
 are all means cf communicating love and grace to the 
 foul. Be nor then heartlefs or flothful; up and doing ; 
 attend with diligence to the word of grace ; be fervent 
 in prayer, ailiauous in the ufe of all ordinances of the 
 church, in one or other of them, at one time or other, 
 thou wilt meet with him whom thy foul loveth ; and 
 God through him will fpeak peace unto thee. 
 
 3. There is expectation in it, which lies in a direCc 
 oppofition to all the actings of unbelief in this matter, 
 and is the very life and foul of the duty under confider- 
 ation. So the Pfalmift declares it, Pfal. lxii. 5. My 
 foul , wait thou only upon God ; for my expectation is on • 
 ly from him. The foul will not, cannot in a due man¬ 
 ner, wait on God, unlefs it hath expectations from 
 him ; unlefs, as James fpeaks, he looks to receive fome- 
 what from him, chap. i. 7. The foul in this conditon 
 regards forgivenefs, not only as by itfelf it is defired, 
 but principally as it is by God promifed; thence they 
 expeCt it. This is expreffed in the fourth propofition 
 before laid down, namely, that Gn-didrefTed fouls wait 
 for God, with earneftnefs, intention of mind, and ex¬ 
 pectation. As this arifeth from the redoubling of the 
 exprefiion ; fo principally from the nature of the com- 
 parifon that he makes of himfelf in his waiting with 
 them that watch for the morning. Thofe that watch 
 for the morning do not only defire it, and prepare for 
 it, but they expeCt it, and know affuredly that it will 
 come. Though darknefs may, for a time, be trouble- 
 fome, and continue longer than they would defire, yet 
 they know, that the morning hath its appointed time ol 
 
 D d d return 
 
384 "Waiting on God wherein it confifis, Ver. 5, 6. 
 
 return, beyond which it will not tarry; and therefore 
 they look out for its appearance on all Occafions: So it 
 is with the foul in this matter. So fays David, Pfal. v. 
 3. 1 will dired my -prayer unto thee, (in the Heb.) and 
 look up. So we; the words before are defective, (in 
 the Heb.) in the Morning, or rather every morning, / 
 will order unto thee. We reftrain this unto prayer : I 
 will dired my prayer unto thee. But this was ex prefled 
 direftly in the words foregoing : In the morning thou 
 Jhalt hear my voice, that is, the voice of my prayer and 
 fupplications, as it is often fupplied. And although the 
 Ffalmift doth fometime repeat the fame thing In diffe¬ 
 rent expreflions, yet here he feemeth not fo to do, but 
 rather proceeds to declare the general frame of his 
 fpirit in walking with God. 1 will, faith he, order all 
 things towards God, fo as that 1 may wait upon him in 
 the ways of his appointment; (in the Heb ) and will 
 look up K It feems in our tranflation to exprefs his pof- 
 ture in his prayer. But the word is of another import¬ 
 ance. It is diligently to look our after that which is 
 coming towards us, a looking out after the accomplifli- 
 ment of our expe&atiou. This is a part ot our wait¬ 
 ing for God ; yea, as was faid, the life of it, that which 
 is principally intended in it. The prophet calls it, his 
 handing upon his watch tower, and watching to fee 
 what God would fpeak unto him, Hab. ii. 3. namely, 
 in anfwer unto that prayer which he put up in his trou¬ 
 ble. He is now waiting in expectation of an anfwer 
 from God. And this is that which poor, weak, trem-. 
 bling finners are fo encouraged unto, Ifa. liii. 3. 
 Strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees . 
 Say unto them that are of a feeble heart , Be flrong, fear 
 not, behold your God will come. Weaknefs and difcou- 
 ragemenrs are the effects of unbelief. Thefe he would 
 have moved with an expe&ation of the coming of God 
 unto the foul, according to the promife : And this I 
 fay belongs unto the waiting of the foul in the conditi¬ 
 on defcribed. Such a one doth expeft and hope that 
 God will, in his feafon, manifefl: himfelf and his love 
 
 unto 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Waiting on God •wherein it confifls. 385 
 
 unto him, and give him an experimental fenfe of a 
 bleffed inr^reft in forgivenefs. And the accomplifh- 
 ment of this purpofe and promife of God, it looks out 
 after continually. It will not defpond and be heartlefs, 
 but ftir up and ftrengthen itfelf unto a full expeftation, 
 to have the defires of his foul fatisfied in due time ; as 
 we find David doing in places almoft innumerable. 
 
 This is the duty that in the firft place is recommend¬ 
 ed unto the foul, who is perfwaded that there is for¬ 
 givenefs with God, but fees not its own intereft there¬ 
 in. Wait on, or for the Lord. And it hath two pro¬ 
 perties, when it is performed in a due manner; name¬ 
 ly, patience and perfeverance. By the one, men are 
 kept to the length of God’s time; by the other, they 
 are preferved in a due length of their own duty. 
 
 And this is that which was laid down in the firll pro- 
 pofition drawn from the words; namely, that continu¬ 
 ance in watching, until God appears unto the foul, is 
 neceffary, as that without which we cannot attain what 
 we look after, and prevailing, as that wherein we ftiall 
 never fail. 
 
 God is not to be limited, nor his times prefcribed 
 unto him. We know our way, and the end of our 
 journey ; but our ftations of efpecial reft, we muft wait 
 for at his mouth, as the people did in the wildernefs. 
 When David comes to deal with God in his great dif- 
 trefs, he fays unto him, 0 Lord y thou art my God y my 
 times are in thine hand y Pfal. xxxi. 14, 15. His times 
 of trouble, and of peace, of darknefs and of light, he 
 acknowledged to be in the hand, and at the difpofaj oi 
 God ; fo that it was his duty to wait his time and feafon 
 for his {hare and portion in them. 
 
 During this date the foul meets with many oppofiti- 
 ons, difficulties and perplexities, efpecially if its ctark- 
 nefs be of long continuance; as with fome it abides 
 many years, with fome all the days of their lives. Their 
 hope being hereby deferred, makes their hearts lick, 
 and their fpirits oftentimes to faint; and this fainting 
 is a defett in waiting, for want of perfeverance and 
 
 t> d d 2 continu- 
 
386 Waiting on God wherein it confijts. Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 continuance, which fruftrates the end of i*. So Da¬ 
 vid, Pfal. xxvii. 13. I had fainted unlefs I had believ¬ 
 ed , to fee the goodnefs of the Lord. Had 1 not received 
 fupportment by faith, I had fainted. And wherein 
 doth that confift ? what was the fainting which he had 
 been overtaken withal, without the fupportment men¬ 
 tioned ? it was a relinquiftiment of waiting on God, as 
 he manifells by the exhortation which he gives to bim- 
 felf and others, ver. 14. Wait on the Lord, be of good 
 courage , and he (hallflrengthen thy heart ; wait I fay on 
 the Lord. Wait with courage and refolution that thou 
 faint not. And the apoftle puts the bleffed event of 
 faith and obedience upon the avoidance of this evil. 
 Gal. vi 9. We fhall reap if we faint not. Hence we 
 have both encouragements given againft it, and promi- 
 fes that in the way of God we fhall not be overtaken 
 with it. Confider the LordChrift, faith the apoftle, the 
 Captain of yGur falvation , left you be wearied and faint 
 in your minds , Heb. xii. 3. Nothing elfe can caufe 
 you to come fhort of the mark aimed at. And they 
 faith the prophet, who wait on the Lord , that is, in 
 the ufe of the means by him appointed, fhall not faint, 
 Ifa. xl, if. 
 
 This continuance then in waiting is to accompany 
 this duty, upon the account of both the things menti¬ 
 oned in the propofition ; that it is indifpenfibly neceffary 
 ou our own account, and it is affuredly prevailing in 
 the end ; it will not fail. 
 
 1. It is neceffary. They that watch for the morn¬ 
 ing, to whofe frame and actings the waiting of the foul 
 for God is compared, give not over until the light doth 
 appear, or if they do, if they are wearied and faint, 
 and fo ceafe watching, all their former pains will be 
 loft, and they will ly down in difappointments : So will 
 it be with the foul that deferts its watch, and faints in 
 its waiting. If upon the eruption of new luffs or cor¬ 
 ruptions ; if upon the return of old temptations, or the 
 affaults of new ones ; if upon a revived perplexing fenfe 
 of guilt, or on the tedioufnefs of working or labouring 
 
 fo 
 
Ver. 5, 6. Waiting on God wherein it conftfls. 387 
 
 fo much and fo long in the dark, the foul begins to fay 
 in itfelf, 1 have looked for light, and behold darknefs; 
 for peace, and yet trouble cometh ; the fummer is part:, 
 the harveft is ended, and 1 am not relieved ; fuch and 
 fuch bleffed means have been enjoyed, and yet I have 
 not attained rert, and fo gives over its waiting in rhe 
 way and courfe before prelcrihed, it will at length ut¬ 
 terly fail, and come rtiort of the grace aimed at. Thou 
 haft laboured and haft not fainted , brings in the reward, 
 Rev. ii. 3. 
 
 2. Perfeverance in waiting is affuredly prevalent; 
 and this renders it a neceftary part of the duty itfelf. 
 If we continue to wait for the vifion of peace, it will 
 come, it will not tarry, but aniwer our expe&ation of 
 it: Never foul mifcarried that abode in this duty unto 
 the end. The joys of heaven may fometimes prevent 
 confolations in this life ; God lometimes gives in the full 
 harveft without fending of the firft fruits aforehand, but 
 fpiritual or eternal peace and reft is the infallible end of 
 permanent waiting for God. 
 
 This is the duty that the Pfalraift declares himfelf to 
 be engaged in, upon the encouraging difcovery which 
 was made unto him of forgivenefs with God. There is 
 forgivenefs with thee , that thou may ft be feared ; 1 wait 
 for the Lord , my foul doth wait , and in his word do I 
 hope : And this is that which in the like condition is re¬ 
 quired of us. This is the great dire£b'on which was given 
 us in the example and pra&ice of the Pfalmift, as to 
 our duty and deportment in the condition defcrib 
 ed. This was the way whereby he rofe out of his 
 depths, and efcaped out of his entanglements ; Is this 
 then the ftate oi any of us ? Let fuch take direftions 
 from hence. 
 
 1. Encourage your fouls unto waiting on God. Do 
 new fears arife, do old difconfolations continue, fay un¬ 
 to your fouls, yet wait on God ; why are you caft down, 
 O our fouls, and why are you difquieted within us ? hope 
 in God, for we fhall yet praife him, who is the health 
 of our countenance, and our God, as the Pfamift doth 
 
 in 
 
388 Waiting on God wherein it confifts. Vcr. 5, 6 . 
 
 in the like cafe, Pfal. xliii. 5. So he peaks elfew'n re ; 
 Wait on God, and be of good courage ; lhake of.floth, 
 rouze up yourfelves from under delpondeDcies, let not 
 fears prevail. This is the only way for fuccefs, and it 
 will afluredly be prevalent: Opoofe this refolutic to 
 every difcouragement, and it w . give new life to i ith 
 and hope : Say, My flelh faileth , and my heart faith ; 
 but God is the rock of my heart , and my portion for ever 5 
 as Pfal. lxxiii. 26. Though tny perplexed thoughts have 
 even wearied and worn out the outward m in, as in ma¬ 
 ny they do, fo that flefh faileth ; and though thou haft 
 no refrefhing evidence from within, from thyfelf, or 
 thy own experience, fo that thy heart faileth; yet re- 
 folve to look unto God, there is ftrength in him, and 
 fatisfa&ion in him, for the whole man; he is a-rock, 
 and a portion : This will {Lengthen things which other- 
 wife will be ready to die : This will keep life in thy 
 courfe, and ftir thee up to plead it with God in an ac¬ 
 ceptable feafon when he will be found. Job carried up 
 his condition unto a fuppofltion that God might flay 
 him; that is is, add one ftroke, one rebuke unto an¬ 
 other, until he was confumed ; and fo tak 1 him out of 
 the world in darknefs and in forrow : Yet he refolved 
 to truft, to hope, to wait on him, as knowing that he 
 Ihould not utterly mifearry in fo doing. Phis frame 
 the church expreffeth fo admirably, that nothing can 
 be added thereunto, Lam. iii. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 
 23, 24, 25, 2 6. Thou haft removed my foul far off from 
 peace , I for gat profperity . And Ifaid y My flrength and 
 my hope isperijhedfrom the Lord ; Rnr.embring mine af¬ 
 fliction and my mifery , my wormwood and my gall. My 
 foul hath them fill in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 
 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of 
 the Lord's mercies that we are not confumedy becaife his 
 companions fail not. They are new every morning : Great 
 is thy faithfulnefs. The Lord is my portion faith my foul, 
 therefore will 1 hope in him. The Lord is good unto them 
 that wait for him , to the foul that feeketh him. It is good 
 that a man fhould both hope , and quietly wait for thefaL 
 
 vat ion 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Waiting on God wherein it con ft [is. 389 
 
 vation of the Lord, We have here both the condition 
 , and the duty infilled on, with the method of the fouPs 
 actings, in reference unto the one and the other, fully 
 expiefted. The condition is fad and bitter, the foul is 
 in depths, far from peape and reft, ver. 14. In this 
 ftate it is ready utterly to taint, and to give all for loft 
 and gone, both ftrength for the prefent, and hopes for 
 the future, ver. 18. This makes its condition full of 
 forrow and bitternefs, and its own thoughts become un¬ 
 to it like wormwood and gall, ver. 19, 20. But doth 
 he ly down under the burden of all this trouble ? doth 
 he defpoud, and give over ? No, faith he, I call to mind, 
 that there is forgivenefs with God , grace, mercy, good- 
 nefs, for the relief of diftrefled fouls, fuch as are in my 
 condition, ver. 21, 22, 23. Thende the conclufton is, 
 that as all help is to be looked for, all relief expetted 
 from him alone ; fo it is good that a man ftiould quietly 
 wait, and hope for the falvation of God. This he ftirs 
 up himfelf unto, as the beft, as the moft blefted courfe 
 for his deliverance. 
 
 2. Remember, that diligent ufe of the means, for 
 the end aimed at, is a neceflary concomitant of, and in¬ 
 gredient unto waiting on God. Take in the confidera- 
 tion of this do&rine alfo. Do not think to be freed from 
 your intanglements by reftlefs, heartlefs defiring that it 
 were orherwife with you : Means are to be ufed, that 
 relief may be obtained. ✓ What thofe means are, is 
 known unto all: Mortification of fin, prayer, meditati¬ 
 on, due attendance upon all gofpel ordinances; conferr¬ 
 ing in general about fpiritual things, advifing in particu¬ 
 lar about our own ftate and condition, with fuch who, 
 having received the tongue of the learned, are able to 
 fpeak a word in feafon to them that are weary, are re¬ 
 quired to this purpofe, And in ail thefe are diligence 
 and perfeverance to be exercifed ; or in vain fhall men 
 defire a delivery from their entanglements. 
 
 God 
 
390 Gad himfelf the Objed of our waiting. Vcr, 5, 6. 
 
 God the proper object of the foul’s waiting in its 
 diltreffes and depths. 
 
 We have feen what the duty is, intended in the pro- 
 pofition ; we are nextly to confrder the reafon alfo of 
 it, why this is the great, fmt, and principle duty of 
 fouls, who in their depths have it difcovered unto them 
 that there is forgivenefs with God; and the reafon 
 hereof is, that which is expreffed in our fecond obfer- 
 vation before-mentioned,- namely, 
 
 That the proper object of a fm-diftreffed foul’s wait¬ 
 ing and expectation, is God himfelf as revealed in Chrift. 
 
 I have, faith the Pfalmilt, waited for Jehovah : It is 
 not this or that mercy or grace, this or that help or re¬ 
 lief ; but it is Jehovah himfelf that I wait for. 
 
 Here then we muft do two things ; Firfl, Shew in 
 what fenfe God himfelf is the objeft of the waiting of 
 the foul. Secondly , How it appears from hence, that 
 waiting is fo neceffary a duty. 
 
 Firfl ^ It is the Lord himfelf, Jehovah himfelf, that 
 the foul waiteth for. It is not grace, mercy, or relief 
 abfolutely confidered, but the God of all grace and 
 help, that is the full adequate objeCt of the foul’s waiting 
 and expectation ; only herein he is not confidered abfo¬ 
 lutely in his own nature, but as there is forgivenefs with 
 him. What is required hereunto, hath been at large 
 before declared. It is as he is revealed in and by Jefus 
 Chrift. As in him he hath found a ranfom, and accep¬ 
 ted the atonement for imners in his blood ; as he is a God 
 in covenant \ fo he is himfelf the objeCt of our waiting. 
 And that, 
 
 1. Becaufe all troubles, depths, entanglements arife 
 from, (1.) The abfence of God from the foul \ and (2.) 
 From his difpleafure. 
 
 The abfence of God from the foul, by his departure, 
 withdrawing, or hiding himfelf from it, is that which 
 principally calls the foul into its depths. Wo unto them 
 (faith the Lord) when 1 depart from them, Hof. ix. 12. 
 
 And 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . God himfeif the Object of cur waiting. 391 
 
 And this wo, this iorrow, doth not attend only an uni- 
 verfa), a total departure of God from any ; but that 
 alfo which is gradual or partial in fome things, in feme 
 feafons. When God withdraws his enlightning, his 
 refrefhing, his comforting prefence, as to any ways or 
 means whereby he hath formerly communicated him- 
 felf unto the fouls of any ; then wo unto them, forrows 
 will befal them, and they will fail into depths and en¬ 
 tanglements. Now, this condition calls for waiting. 
 If God be withdrawn, if he hides himfeif, what hath 
 the foul to do, but to wait for his return ? So faith 
 the prophet, Ifa. viii, 17. I will wail upon the Lord 
 that bideth his jace from the houfe oj Jacob , and I will 
 look for him. If God hide himfeif, this is the natural 
 and proper duty of the foul, to wait and to look for 
 him : Other courfe of relief it canoot apply itfelf unto. 
 What this waiting is, and wherein it doth• confift, hath 
 been declared. Patient feeking of God in the ways of 
 his appointment if comprifed in it: This the prophet 
 expreffeth in that word, I will look for hi?n ; indeed 
 the fame in the original with that in the pfahn, and l 
 will earnejliy look out after him with expectation of his 
 return unto me. 
 
 2. A fenfe of God’s difpleafure is another caufe of 
 thefe depths and troubles, and of the continuance of 
 the foul in them, notwithftanding it hath made a bieffed 
 difeovery by faith that there is with him forgivenefs \ 
 this hath been fo fully manifefted through the whole 
 preceeding difeourfe, that it need not again be infilled 
 on. All hath re.fpecl unto fin ; and the reafon of the 
 •rouble that arifeth from fin, is becaufe of the difplea¬ 
 fure of God again ft it. What then is the natural pof- 
 ture and frame of the foul towards God as difpleafed ? 
 Shall he contend with him ? fhall he harden himfeif a- 
 gain.ft him? fhall he defpife his wrath and anger, and 
 contemn his threatnings ? or fhall he hide himfeif from 
 him, and fo avoid the eftefls of his wrath ? vyhp know? 
 not how ruinous and pernicious to the foul fuch courfes 
 would be; and how many are ruined by them every 
 
 E e e day 
 
g 92 Confiderations of God's Being and Ver. 5, 6. 
 
 day ? Patient waiting is the foul’s only referve on this 
 account alfo. And, 
 
 Secondly , This duty in the occafion mentioned is ne- 
 ceffary, upon the account of the greatnefs and fovereign- 
 ty of him with whom we have to do : My foul wait- 
 eth for Jehovah. Indeed waiting is a duty that depends 
 on the diftance that is between the per Tons concerned 
 in it, namely, he that waiteth, and he that is waited 
 on , fo the Pfalmift informs us, Pfal cxxiii. 2 It is an 
 a&ion like that of fervants and handmaids towards their 
 inafters or rulers. And the greater this diftance is, the 
 more cogent are the reafons of this duty on al! occafi- 
 ons. And becaufe we are pra&ically averfe from the 
 due performance of this duty, or at leaf! quickly grow 
 weary of it, notwithflanding our full convi&ion of its 
 neceftity, I fhall a little infill on fome fuch confiderati¬ 
 ons of God and ourfelves, as may not only evince the 
 necdfity of this duty, but alfo fatisfy us of its reafon- 
 ablenefs; that by the firft we may be engaged into it, 
 and by the latter preferved in it. 
 
 Two things we may to this purpofe confider in God, 
 in Jehovah, whom we are to wait for. Firfl, His Be¬ 
 ing, and the abfolute and effential properties of his na¬ 
 ture. Secondly, Thofe attributes of his nature which 
 refpcft his dealing with us ; both which are fuited to 
 beget in us affe£lions,'and a frame of fpirit complaint 
 with the duty propofed. 
 
 Confiderations of God rendering our waiting on 
 
 him reafonable and neceflfary..His glorious 
 
 Being. 
 
 First, Let us confider the infinite glorious Being 
 of Jehovah, with his abfolute incommunicable effential 
 excellencies ; and then try whether it doth not become 
 us in every condition to wait for him, and efpecially 
 in that under confideration. This courfe God himfelf 
 took with Job, to recover him from his difcontents and 
 complaints, to reduce him to quictnefs and waiting. 
 
 He 
 
Ver. y, 6. Attributes, rendring Waiting neceffary. 393 
 
 He fees before him his own glorious greatnefs, as ma- 
 nifefted in the works of his power, that thereby, be¬ 
 ing convinced of his own ignorance, weaknefs and in¬ 
 finite diftance in all things from him, he might humble 
 his foul into the mol! fobmifiive dependance on him, and 
 waiting for him. And this he doth accordingly, chap, 
 xlii. 6 . / abhor (faith he,) myfeif , and repent in dujl and 
 ajhes. His foul now comes to be willing to be at God’s 
 difpofal, and therein he found prefent reft, and a 
 fpeedy healing of his condition. It is the high and lof¬ 
 ty one that inhabiteth eternity , whof'e name is holy, Ifa. Ivii, 
 15 . with whom we have now to do : He that fitteth upon 
 the circle of the earth , and the inhabitants of it are as 
 grajhoppers before him ; yea , the nations are as the drop 
 of the bucket , and are counted as the fnall dufl of the 
 ballance : He takes up the ifles as a very little thing ; all 
 nations before him are as nothing, they are counted unto 
 him lefs than nothings and vanity , 11a xh 15, 17, 22: 
 To what end doth the Lord fet forth and declare his 
 glorious greatnefs and power ? It is that all might be 
 brought to truft in him, and to wait for him, as at large 
 is declared in the clode of the chapter. For fhall graf- 
 hoppers, a drop of the bucket, duft of the balance, 
 things lefs than nothing, repine againft, or wax weary 
 of the will of the immenfe, glorious and lofty One ? 
 He that taketh up all the ifles as a very little thing, 
 may furely, if he pleafe, deftroy, caft and forfake one 
 ifle, one city in an idle, one perfon in a city; and we 
 are before him but fingle perfons. Serious thoughts 
 of this infinite all glorious Being, will either quiet our 
 fouls, or overwhelm them. All our wearinefs of his 
 difpenfations towards us, arifes from fecret imaginati¬ 
 ons, that he is fuch a one as ourfeives; one that is to 
 do nothing but what feems good in our eyes. But if 
 we cannot comprehend his Being, we cannot make rules 
 to judge of his ways and proceedings. And hc v fmall 
 a portion is it that we know of God ? The neareft ap¬ 
 proaches of our reafons and imaginations, leaves us ftill 
 at an infinite diftance from him : And indeed what we 
 
 E e e 2 ipeak 
 
394 Con/icier a lions of God's Being and Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 fpeak of- bis greatnefs, ' we know not well what it figni- 
 fies, we only declare our refpeft unto that which we 
 believe, admire and adore, but are not able to compre¬ 
 hend. All our thoughts come as fhort of his excellent 
 greatnefs, as our natures do of his; that is, infinitely. 
 Beheld the univerfe, the glorious fabric of heaven and 
 earth ; how little is it that we know of its beauty, or¬ 
 der and difpofal ? yet was it all the product of the 
 word of his mouth ; and with the fame facility can he, 
 when he pleafeth, reduce it to its primative nothing. 
 And what are we poor worms of the earth, an inconfi- 
 derable unknown part of the lower feries and order of 
 the works of hifc hands, few in number, fading in con¬ 
 dition, unregarded unto the refidue of our fellow crea¬ 
 tures, that we fhould fubduft ourfelves from under any 
 kind of his dealings with us, or be weary of waiting 
 for his pleafure ? This he preffeth on us, Pfal. xlvi. 10. 
 Be J.Till and knew that I am God . Let there be no 
 more repinings, no more difputings, continue wait¬ 
 ing in fiience and patience; confider who I am ; Be 
 JTill , and know that I am God. 
 
 Further, to help us in this confideration, let us a lit¬ 
 tle alfo fix our minds towards fome of the glorious, ef- 
 fential, incommunicable properties of his nature dif- 
 lin&ly ; as, 
 
 (t.) His eternity. This Mofes propofeth to bring 
 the fouls of believers to fubmifiion, truft and waiting, 
 Pfal. xc. i. From everlajling to everlajling thou art God. 
 One that hath his being and fubfiftance not in a duration 
 of time, but in eternity itfelf : So doth Habakkuk alfo, 
 chap. i. 12. My Lord , ?ny God , my holy One , art thou 
 not from everlajling : And hence he draws his conclufi- 
 on againfl making hade in any condition, and for tarry¬ 
 ing and waiting for God. The like confideration is 
 managed by David alfo, Pfal. cii. 27. How uncon- 
 ceiveahle is this glorious divine property unto the 
 thoughts and minds of men ? how weak are the ways 
 and terms whefeby they go about to exprefs it ? - One 
 fays, it is a nunc fans /^another, that it is a perpetual 
 
 duration. 
 
Ver. 5, 6. Attribute*, rendering Waiting necejjary. 395 
 
 duration. He that fays mod, only fignifies what he 
 knows of what it is not. We are of yederday, change 
 every moment, and are leaving our Ration to-morrow. 
 God is dill the fame, was fo before the world was, from 
 eternity. And now 1 cannot think what 1 have faid, 
 but only have intimated what I adore. The whole du¬ 
 ration of the world, from the beginning unto the end, 
 takes up no fpace in this eternity of God. For how 
 long foever it hath continued, or may yet continue, it 
 will all amount but to fo many thoufand years, fo long 
 a time; and time hath no place in eternity. And for us 
 who have in this matter to do with God, what is our 
 continuance unto that of the world ? a moment as it 
 were in comparifon of the whole. When mens lives 
 were of old prolonged bdycnd the date and continuance 
 of empires or kingdoms now, yet this was the winding 
 up of all; fuch a one lived fo many years/ and then he 
 died, Gen. v. And what are we poor worms, whofc 
 lives are meafured by inches, in comparifon of their 
 lpan ? what are we before the eternal God ; God al¬ 
 ways immutably fubfiding in his own infinite Being l A 
 real confide'ration hereof will fubdue the foul into a con¬ 
 dition of dependance on him, and of waiting for him. 
 
 (2.) The immenfity of his efifence, and his omnipre¬ 
 fence is the fame confideration. Do not I fill heaven 
 and earth , faith the Lord, Jer. xxiii. 24. The heavens , 
 even the heavens of heavens , the fnprerne and mod com- 
 prehenfive created being cannot contain him, faith So¬ 
 lomon. In his infinitely glorious Being, he is prefeht 
 with, and indidant from all places, things, times, all the 
 works of his hands ; and is no lefs glorioully fubfiding 
 where they are not. God is where heaven and earrh 
 are not, no lefs than where they are; and where they 
 are not, is himfelf ; Where there is no place, no fpace, 
 real or imaginary, God is; for place and imagination 
 have nothing to do with immenfity : And he is prefeht 
 every where in the creation ; where I am writing, 
 where you are reading ; he is prefent with you, indif- 
 tant from you. The thoughts of mens hearts- for the 
 
 mod 
 
396 Confideralions of God's Being and Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 mod part arc, that God, as to his effence, is hea¬ 
 ven only ; and it is well if fome think he is there, feeing 
 they live and aft as if there were neither God nor De¬ 
 vil, but themfelves. But on thefe apprehenfions, fuch 
 thoughts are ready fecretly to arife, and effectually to 
 prevail, as they were expreffed, Job xxii. 13, 14. How 
 doth God know ? can be judge through the dark f Thick 
 clouds are as a covering unto hun> that he feeth not ; and 
 he walketh in the circuit of the heavens. Apprehenfions 
 of God’s diftance from men harden them in their ways: 
 But it is utterly otherwife ; God is every where ; and a 
 man may, on all occafions, fay with Jacob; God is in this 
 place , and I knew it not. Let the foul then, who is thus 
 called to wait on God, exercife itfelf with thoughts a- 
 bout this immenfity of his Nature and Being. Compre¬ 
 hend it, fully underhand it, we can never : But the con- 
 fideration of it will give that awe of his greatnefs u- 
 pon our hearts, as that we fhall learn to tremble before 
 him, and to be willing to wait for him in all things. 
 
 (3.) Thoughts of the holinefs of God, or infinite 
 fell-purity of this eternal immenfe being, are fingularly 
 ufeful to the fame purpofe. This is that which Eliphaz 
 affirms that he received by vifion, to reply to the com¬ 
 plaint and impatience of Job, chap. xiv. 12, 13, 14, 15, 
 16, 17, i8, 19. After he hath declared his vilion, with 
 the manner of it, this he affirms to the revelation that 
 by voice was made unto him : Sbqll mortal man be more 
 juft than God f Shall a man be more pure, than his Maker f 
 Behold he puts no trujl in his fervants , and his angels he 
 chargeth with folly. How much lefs on them that dzvell 
 in houfes of clay , whofe foundation is in the duft 9 who 
 are crufhed before the mothf If the faints and angels in 
 heaven do not anfwer this infinite holinefs of God in 
 their molt perfeft condition; is it meet for the worms 
 of the earth to fuppofe, that any thing which proceeds 
 from him is not abfolutely holy and perfeft, and fo 
 bed for them ? This is the fiery property of the nature 
 of God, whence he is called a confuming fire, and ever- 
 lafling burnings: And the law whereon he had im- 
 
 preffed 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Attributes , rendring Waiting neceffary ; 397 
 
 prt fifed fome representation of it, is called a fiery law, 
 as that which will con fume and burn up whatever is 
 perverle ard evil.- Hence the Prophet, who had a re¬ 
 presentation of the glory of God in a vifion, and heard 
 the Seraphims proclaiming his holinefs, cried out, Wo 
 is me, for 1 am undone , becaufe I am a man of unclean 
 lips, Ifa. vi. 5. He thought it impoflible that he (hould 
 bear that near approach of the holinefs of God. And 
 with the remembrance hereof doth Joftiua ftill the peo¬ 
 ple with the terror of the Lord, chap. xiv. 19. Let 
 Such fouls then, as are under troubles and perplexities 
 on any account, endeavour to exercife their thoughts a- 
 bout this infinite purity and fiery holinefs of God ; they 
 will quickly find it their wifdom to become as weaned 
 children before him, and content themfelves with what 
 he (hall guide unto them, which is to wait for him. 
 This fiery holinefs fireams from this throne, Dan. vii. 
 10. and would quickly confume the whole creation, as 
 now under the curfie and fin, were it not for the imer- 
 pofing of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 (4.) His glorious majefty, as the ruler of all the 
 world. Majefty relates unto government, and it calls 
 us to fuch an awe of him as doth render our waiting 
 for him comely and necelfary. God’s throne is Said to 
 be in heaven, and there principally do the glorious 
 beams of his terrible majefty fliine forth. But he hath 
 alfo made fome reprelenration of it on the earth, that 
 we might learn to rear before him. Such was the ap¬ 
 pearance that he gave oi his glory in the giving of the 
 Jaw, whereby he will judge the world, and condemn 
 the tranfgreffors of it, who obtain not an acquitment in 
 the blood of Jefus Chrift. See the description of it in 
 Exod. xix. 16, 18 So terrible was the fight hereof, that 
 Mofies himfielf fiaid, I exceedingly fear and quake, Heb. 
 xii. 21. And what efie& it had upon all the people is 
 declared, Exod. xx. > 8, 19 They were not able to bear 
 it, although they had good afiurance that it was for their 
 benefit and advantage, that he fo drew nigh, and mani- 
 fefted his glory unto them. Are we not fatisfied with 
 
 our 
 
^p8 Confederations of God's Being and Ver. y, 6 . 
 
 our condition ? cannot we wait under his prerent difpen- 
 fations ? Let us think how we may approach unto his 
 prefence, or hand before his glorious Majefiy. Will 
 not the dread of his excellency fall upon us ? Will not 
 this terror make us afraid ? Shall we not think his way 
 bed, and his time bed, and that our duty is to be filent 
 before him ? And the like manifedation hath he made 
 of his glory, as the great Judge of all, upon the throne, 
 unto fundry of the Prophets; as unto Ifaiah, chap. vi. 
 1, 2, 3, 4. to Ezekiel, chap. i. to Daniel, chap. vii. 9, 
 10. to John, Rev. i. Read the places attentively, and 
 learn to tremble before him. Thefe are not things that 
 are foreign unto us. This God is our God. The fame, 
 throne of his grearriefs and majelly is hill eflablifhed in 
 the heavens. Let us then, in all our hades and heats, 
 that our fpirits in any condition are prone unto, prefent 
 ourfelves before this throne of God, and then confider 
 wlrat will be bed for us to fay or do \ what frame cf 
 heart and fpirit wiii become us, and be fafeft for us. 
 All this glory doth encompafs us every moment, altho’ 
 we perceive it not. And it will be but a few days be¬ 
 fore all the vails and {hades that are about us, diall be 
 taken away and depart. And then (hail ali this glory 
 appear unto us unto endlefs blifs, or everiading woe. 
 Let us therefore know, that nothing in our dealings 
 with him doth better become us, than filentiy for to 
 wait for him, and what he will fpeak unto us in our 
 depths and draits. 
 
 5. It is good to confider the indances that God hath 
 given of this his infinite greatnefs, power, raajedy, and 
 glory. Such was his mighty work of creating all things 
 out of nothing. We dwell on little mole-hills in the 
 earth, and yet we know the lead part of the exellency 
 of that fpot of ground.which is given us for our habita¬ 
 tion here below. But what is it unto the whole habita¬ 
 ble world, and the fulnefs thereof? And what an amaz¬ 
 ing thing is its greatnefs, with the wide and large fea, 
 with all forts of creatures therein! The lead of thefe 
 hath a beauty, a glory, an excellency, that the utmod of 
 
 our 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Attributes, rendering Waiting necejfary. 399 
 
 our enquiries end in admiration of. And all this is but 
 the earth, the lower deprefled part of the World. What 
 (hall we fay concerning the heavens over us, and all 
 thofe creatures of light that have their habitations in 
 them? Who can conceive the beauty, order, ufe and 
 courfe of them ? The corf deration hereof caufed the 
 Pfalmift to cry cur, Lord , our Lord> how excellent and 
 glorious art thou f Pfal. viii. 1. And what is the rife, 
 fpring, and caufe of thefe things ? Are they not ail the 
 efieft of the word of the power of this glorious God ? 
 And doth he not in them, and by them, (peak us into a 
 reverence of his greatnefs ? The like alfo may be faid 
 concerning his mighty and llrange works of providence 
 in the rule of the world. Is not this he who brought the 
 flood of old upon the world of ungodly men ? is it not he 
 who con fu ned Sodom and Gommorah with Are from hea¬ 
 ven, fettingthem forth as examples unto them that Ihould 
 afterwardsliveungodly, fufFering the vengeance of eternal 
 fire ? Is it not he who deftroyed Egypt with his plagues, 
 and drowned Pharoah with his holt in rhe red fea ? Is it 
 not he, one of wbofe fervants flew an hundred and four- 
 fcore and five thoufandinSenacherib’s army in one night ? 
 That opened the earth to fwallow up Dathan and Abi- 
 ram ? And fent out fire from the altar to devour Nadab 
 and Abihu? And have not all ages been filled with fuch 
 inftances of his greatnefs and power ? 
 
 The end why 1 have infilled on thefe things, is, to 
 Ihew the reafonablenefs of the duty which we are prefi¬ 
 fing unto ; namely, to wait on God quietly and pati¬ 
 ently in every condition of diftrefs. For what elfe be¬ 
 comes us when we have to do with this great and holy 
 One i A due conflderation of thefe things will exceed¬ 
 ingly influence our minds thereunto. 
 
 Secondly, This waiting for God refpe&eth the 
 whole of the condition cxprefled in the Pfalm, and this 
 containeth not only fpiritual depths about fin, which we 
 have at large infilled on, but alfo providential depths, 
 depths of trouble or affiiflion *, that we may be exercifed 
 
 toff . withaI 
 
400 Confederations of God y s Being and Ver. 5, 6. 
 
 withal in the holy wife providence of God. In refer¬ 
 ence alfo unto thefe, waiting in patience and filence is 
 our duty. And there are two confiderations that will 
 aflift us in this duty with refpeCt unto fuch depths, that 
 is, of trouble or affliction. And the Jirfe of thefe, is, 
 the confideration of thofe properties of God, which he 
 exercifeth in an efpecial manner in all his dealings with 
 us, and which in all our troubles we are principally to 
 regard. The fecond is, the confideration of ourfelves, 
 what we are, and what we have deferved. 
 
 Let us begin with the former; and there are four 
 things in God’s difpenfations towards us, and dealing 
 with us, that in this matter we fhould confider, all 
 fuited to work in us the end aimed at. The firft is his 
 fovereignty : This he declares, thi|we are to acknow¬ 
 ledge and fubmit unto in all the great and dreadful dif¬ 
 penfations of his providence, in all his dealings with our 
 fouls. May he not do what he will with his own ? Who 
 fhall fay unto him, What doll: thou ? Or if they do fo, 
 what fhall give them countenance in their fo doing ? He 
 made all this world of nothing, and could have made 
 another, more, or all things quite otherwife than they 
 are. It would not fubfift one moment without his om¬ 
 nipotent fupportment. Nothing would be continued in its 
 place,courfe,ufe, without his effectual influence and coun¬ 
 tenance. if any thing can be, live, or aCI a moment with¬ 
 out him, we may take free leave to difpute, its difpofal 
 with him,and to hafteunto the accomplilhmentofourde- 
 fires; but from the angels in heaven to the worms of the 
 earth, and the grafs of the field, all depend on him and 
 his power continually. Why was this part of the crea¬ 
 tion an angel, that a worm, this a man, that a brute 
 bead ? Is it from their own choice, defigning, or con¬ 
 trivance, or brought about by their own wifdor^? Or 
 is it merely from the fovereign will and pleafure of God? 
 And what a madnefs is it, to repine againfl what he 
 doth, feeing all things are, as he makes them, and dif- 
 pofeth them, nor can be otherwife : Even the repiner 
 * himfelf 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Attributes , rendering Waiting nccejjary. 401 
 
 himfelf hath his being and fubfiftence upon his mere 
 pleafure. This fovereignty of God, Elihu pleads in his 
 deaiings with Job, chap, xxxiii. 8, 9, 10, 11. He ap¬ 
 prehended that Job had reafoned againft God’s fevere 
 difpenfations towards him, and that he did not humble 
 himfelf under his mighty hand wnerewith he was exer- 
 cifed, nor wait for him in a due manner; aod therefore 
 what doth he propofe unto him, to bring him unto this 
 duty 1 what doth he reply unto his reafonings and com¬ 
 plaints ? Behold (faith he, verfe 12.) in this thou art 
 not juft) I t will anfwer thee; God is greater than man. 
 Verfe 13. Why doji thou ft rive againft himf for he giv- 
 eth not account of any of his matters. Be it that in other 
 things thou art juft and innocent, that thou art free from 
 the things wherewith thy friends have charged thee; 
 yet in this matter tljou art not juft ; it is neither juft nor 
 equal, that any man fliould complain of, or repine a- 
 gainft any of God’s difpenfations: Yea, but I fuppofe 
 that thefe dealings of God are very grievous, very dread¬ 
 ful, fuch as he hath, it may be, fcarce exercifed towards 
 any from the foundation of the world ; to be utterly 
 deftroyed, and confumed in a day, in all relations and 
 enjoyments, and that at a time and feafon, when no 
 fuch thing was looked for, or provided againft ; to have 
 a fenfe of fin revived on the confcience after pardon ob¬ 
 tained, as ir is with me ; all is one, faith he, if thou com¬ 
 plained: thou art not juft ; And what reafon doth he give 
 thereof; Why, God is greater than man ; infinitely fo, 
 in proper and fovereign glory ; he is fo abfolutely there¬ 
 in, that he giveth no account of any of his matters ;~and 
 what folly, what injuftice, is it to complain of his pro¬ 
 ceedings. Confuier hi$ abfolute dominion over the works 
 of his hands, over thyfeif, and all that thou haft; his 
 infinite diftance from thee, and greatnefs above thee, and 
 then fee whether it be juft or no to repine againft what 
 he doth. And he purities the fame confideration, chap, 
 xxxiv. 18,19. If when kings and princes ruie in righte- 
 oufnefs, it is a contempt of their authority to fay unto 
 them, they are wicked and ungodly, then wilt thou 
 
 E e e 2 fpeak 
 
*4 02 Confederations of God's Being and Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 fpeak again ft him, contend with him, that aceepteth not 
 the f e 1 Jons gJ princes , nor regardeth the rich more than 
 the peer ; for they are all the work of his hands ? and 
 verfe 2 -; When he giveth quietnefes , who can make trou¬ 
 ble ? and when he hideth his face t who can behold him f 
 whether it be dene againft a nation , or againfe a man only : 
 All is one, whatever God doth, and towards whomfo- 
 ever, be they many or few, an whole nation or city, or 
 one tingle pufbn, he they high or low, rich or poor, 
 good or bad, all are the works of his hands, and he 
 may deal with them, as feems good unto him. And this 
 man alone, as God afterwards declares, made ufe of the 
 right and proper mediums to take off Job from com¬ 
 plaining, and to compofe his fpirit to reft and peace, 
 and r> bring him to wait patiently on God: For whereas 
 his other f iends injurioufly charged him with bypocrify, 
 and that he had in an efpecial manner, above other men 
 deferred thole judgments of God which he was exercifed 
 withal; he who Was c< nlcious unto his own integrity, 
 was only provoked and exafperated by their arguings, 
 and ftirred up to plead his own innocency and upright* 
 liefs. But this man allowing him the plea of his inte¬ 
 grity, calls him to the comideration of the greatnefs and 
 fovereignty of God, againft which there is no rifmg up. 
 And this God himfelf afterwards calls him unto. 
 
 Deep and ferious thoughts of God’s fovereignty, and 
 abfolute dominion and authority over all the works ot 
 Ills hands, are an effe<ftual means to work the foul unto 
 this duty. Yea, this is that which we are to bring our 
 fouls to. Let us confider with whom we have to do; 
 are not we, and ail concernments, in his hands, as the 
 clay in the hand of the potter ? and may he not do what 
 he will with his own ? (ball we call him unto an account? 
 is not what he doth good and holy, becaufe he doth it? 
 do any epining thoughts againft the works of God arife 
 in our hearts ? are any complaints ready to break our of 
 our mouths ? Let us lay our hands on our hearts, and 
 our mouths in the duft, with thoughts of his greatnefs 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Attributes , rendering Waiting necejfary. 403 
 
 and abfolute fovereignty, and it will work cur whole 
 fouls into a better frame. 
 
 And this extends itfelf unto the manners, times and 
 feafons of all things whatever. As in earthly things: 
 If God will bring a dreadful judgment of fire upon a 
 people, a nation ; Ah ! why mult it be London ? If on 
 London, why fo terrible, raging, and unconquerable ? 
 why the city not the fuburbs ? why my houfe, not my 
 neighbour’s ? why had fuch a one help, and I none ? 
 All thefe things are wholly to be referred *o God’s fo* 
 vereign pleafure ; there alone can the foul of man find 
 reft and peace. It is fo in fpiritual diipenfations alfo. 
 
 Thus Aaron, upon the fudden death of his two eldeft 
 fons, being minded by Mofes of God’s fovereignty and 
 holinefs, immediately held his peace, or quietly humb¬ 
 led himfelf under his mighty hand, Lev. x. 3, 4. And 
 David, when things were brought into extreme confu- 
 fion by the rebellion of Abfalom, followed by the un¬ 
 godly multitude of the whole nation, relinquiflieth all 
 other arguments and pleas, and lets go complaints, in 
 a refignation of himfelf and all his concernments unto 
 the abfolute pleafure of God, 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26. And 
 this in all our extremities muft we bring our fouls un¬ 
 to, before we can attain any reft or peace, or the leaft 
 comfortable perfuafion, that we may not yet fall un¬ 
 der greater feverities in the juft indignation of God a- 
 gainft us. 
 
 2. The wifdom of God is alfo to be confidered, and 
 fubmitted unto. Job ix, 4. He is wife in heart ; who 
 hath hardened himfelf againjl him , and prcfpered f This 
 the prophet joins with his greatnefs and fovereignty, 
 Ifa. xl. 12, 13, 14. There is no fearching of his under - 
 funding , ver. 28. And the apoftle winds up all his con- 
 fiderations of the works of God in an holy admiration 
 of his knowledge and wifdom, whence his judgment 
 becomes unfearchable, and his ways paft finding out, 
 Rom. xi. 33, 34. He feeth and knoweth all things, in 
 all their caufes, efte&s, confequences and circumftances, 
 in their outmoft reach and tendency, in their correfpon- 
 
 dencies 
 
404 Confiderations of God?s Being and Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 dencies one unto another, and fuitablenefs unto his 
 own glory, and fo alone judgeth aright of all things. 
 
 The wifeft of men, as David fpeaks, walk in a (hade. 
 
 We fee little, we know little, and that but of a very 
 few things, and in an imperfect manner; and that of 
 their prefent appearances, abftra&ed from their ilfues, 
 fuccefies, ends, and relations unto other things. And 
 ff we {hould be further wife in the works of God, we 
 (hall be found to be like the wild alfes colt. What 
 is good for us or the church of God, what is evil to it 
 or us, we know not at all; but all things are open ana 
 naked unto God. The day will come indeed, wherein 
 we (hall have fuch a profpeft of the works of God, fee 
 one thing fo fet againft another, as to find goodnefs, 
 beauty, and order in them all*; that they were ali done 
 in number, weight and meafure, that nothing could 
 have been otherwife, without an abridgment of his glo¬ 
 ry, and difadvantage of them that believe in him. But 
 for the prefent, all our wifdom confifts in referring all 
 unto him. He who doth thefe things is infinitely wife ; 
 he know r s what he doth, and why, and what will be 
 the end of all. We are apt, it may be, to think, that 
 at fuch feafons all things will go to wrack with ourfelves, 
 with the church, or with the whole world; how can 
 this breach be repaired, this lofs made up, this ruin 
 recovered ? Peace is gone, trade is gone, our fub- 
 ftance is gone, the church is gone, all is gone, confufi- 
 on and utter defolation ly at the door. But if a man, 
 who is unlkilled and unexperienced (hould be at fea, „ J 
 •it may be every time the veflel, wherein he is, feeras 
 to decline on either fide, he would be apt to conceive 
 they Ihould be all caft away ; but yet, if he be not 
 childifhly timorous, when the mafter (hall tell him, that 
 there is no danger, bid him truft to his (kill, and it 
 (hall be well with him, it will yield quietnefs and fatis- 
 fa&ion. We are indeed in a florm, the whole earth 
 feems to reel and flagger like a drunken man : but 
 yet our fouls may reft in the infinite (kill and wifdom of 
 the great Pilot of the whole creation, who fleers all 
 s " . things 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . Attributes , rendering Waiting necejjary. 405: 
 
 things according to the counfel of his will: His works 
 are manifold ; in wifdom hath he made all thefe things, 
 Pfal. civ. 24. and in the fame wifdom doth he difpofe 
 of them. All the/e things come forth from the Lord of 
 Ho ft S' who is wonderful in counfel, and excellent in work¬ 
 ing, Ifa. xxviii. 29. What is good, meet, ufefnl for 
 us, for ours, for the churches, for the city, for the 
 land of our nativity, he knows, and of creatures not one. 
 This infinite wifdom of God alfo are we therefore to re- 
 fign and fubmit ourfelves unto : His hand in all his works 
 is guided by infinite wifdom. In thoughts thereof, in 
 humbling ourfelves thereunto, {hall we find reft and 
 peace; and this in all our prefigures, will work us to a 
 waiting for him. 
 
 3. The righteoufnefs of God is alfo to be confider- 
 ed in this matter. That name in the feripture is ufed 
 to denote many excellencies of God, all which are re¬ 
 double unto the infinite reffitude of his nature. I in¬ 
 tend that at prefent, which is called jufitia regiminis, 
 his righteoufnefs in rule or government. This is re- 
 membred by Abraham, Gen. xviii. 25 Shall not the 
 judge of all the earth do right f And by the apoille ; Is 
 God unjufi who taketh vengeance f God forbid. This 
 our fouls are to own in all the works of God. They 
 are all righteous ; all his, who will do no iniquity, whofe 
 throne is eftablifhed in judgment. However they may 
 be dreadful, grievous, and feem fevere, yet they are 
 all righteous. It is true, he will fometimes rife up, and 
 do ftrange a<fts, ftrange works, 1 fa. xxviii. 21. Such 
 as he will not do often, nor ordinarily ; fuch as (hall fill 
 the world with dread and amazement : He will anfwer 
 his people in terrible things; but all (hall be in righte¬ 
 oufnefs. and to complain of that which is righteous, to 
 repine againft it, is the higheft unrighteoufnefs that 
 may be. Faith then fixing the foul on the righteoufnefs 
 of God, is an efFecfual means to humble it under his 
 mighty hand: And to help us herein we may confider, 
 
 (1.) That God judgeth not as man judgeth. We 
 judge by the feeing of the eye, and hearing of the ear 
 
 according 
 
4 o 6 Confiderations of God's Righteoufnefs Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 according to outward appearances and evidences; but 
 God fearcheth the heart. We judge upon what is be¬ 
 tween man and man, God principally upon what is be¬ 
 tween himfelf and man. And what do we know or un¬ 
 derhand of thefe things, or what there is in the heart 
 of man ; what purpofes, what contrivances, what de- 
 figns, what corrupt affe&ions, what fins, what tranfac- 
 tions have been toward God and them ; what warnings 
 he hath given them, what reproofs, what engagements 
 they have made, what convi&ions they have had ; what 
 ufe they were putting their lives, their fubflance, their 
 families unto ? Alas ! we know nothing of thefe things, 
 and fo are able to make no judgment of the proceedings 
 of God upon them ; but this we know, that he is righte¬ 
 ous in all his ways and holy in all his works, yea the 
 mod terrible of them : And when the fecretsof all hearts 
 (hall be revealed ; ah ! how glorious will be his drown¬ 
 ing of the o'd world, firing of Sodom, fwallowing up 
 Dathan and Abiram in the earth, the utter reje&ion of 
 the Jews, with all other a&s of his providence, feeming 
 to be accompanied with feverity! And fo will our own 
 trials, inward or outward, appear to be. 
 
 (2.) God is judge of all the world, of all ages, times, 
 places, perfons, and difpofeth of all, fo as they may 
 tend unto the good of the whole, and his own glory in 
 the univerfe. Our thoughts are bounded, much more 
 our obfervations and abilities to meafure things within 
 a very fmall compafs. Every thing (lands alone unto 
 us, whereby we may fee little of its beauty or order; 
 nor do we know how it ought juftly to be difpofed of. 
 That particular may feem deformed unto us, which when 
 it is under his eye, who fees all at once, part, prefent, 
 and to come, with all thofe joints and bands of wifdom 
 and order, whereby things are related unto one another, 
 is beautiful and glorious: For as nothing is of itfelf, 
 nor by itfelf, nor to itfelf, fo nothing (lands alone; 
 but. there is a line of mutual refpeft that runs through 
 the creation, and every particular of it, and that in all 
 its changes and alterations from the beginning to the 
 
Ver. 5 , 6. 
 
 in his Judgments, 
 
 4°7 
 
 end which gives it its Iovelinefs, life, and order. He 
 that can at one fee but one part of a goodly (tame, or 
 Coloflus, might think it a very deformed piece ; when 
 he that views it altogether, is allured of its due propor¬ 
 tion, fymmetry, and Iovelinefs, Now, all things, ages 
 and perfons, all thus at once are obje&td unto the fight 
 of God, and he difpofeth them with refpeft unto the 
 whole, that every one may fill up its own place, and 
 fuftain its part and (hare in the common tendency of all 
 to the fame end. 
 
 And hence it is, that in public judgments and cala- 
 ties, God oftentimes fuffers the godly to be involved 
 with the wicked, and that not on the account of their 
 own perfons, but as they are parts of that body which 
 he will delfroy. This Job expreffeth fomewhat hardi¬ 
 ly ; but there is truth in his affertion, chap. ix. 22, 23. 
 This is one thing , therefore 1 faid it, he deflroyeth the 
 righteous with the wicked . if the fcourge flay fuddenly , 
 he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. God in public 
 defolations oftentimes takes good and bad r ogether; a 
 fudden fcourge involves them all; and this God doth 
 for fundry reafons : As, 
 
 [ 1.] That he may manifeft his own holinefs; which 
 is fuch, that he can, without the lead injufiice or op- 
 prefiion, even upon the account of their own provoca¬ 
 tions, take away the houles, pofieflions, eftates, liber¬ 
 ties, and lives of the bed of his own faints : For how 
 fhould a man, any man, the bed of men, be jud with 
 God, if he would contend with him ? No man can an- 
 fwer to him one of a thoufand. Job. ix. 31. This they 
 will alfo own and acknowledge ; upon the account of 
 righteoufnefs, none can open his mouth about his judg¬ 
 ments, without the highed impiety and wickednefs. 
 
 [2.] Fie doth fo, that his own people may learn to 
 know his terror, and to rejoice always before him with 
 trembling. Therefore Job affirms, that in the time of 
 his profperity he was not fecure, but dill trembled in 
 himfelf with the thoughts of the judgment of God. 
 Doubtlefs much wretched carnal fecurity would be ready 
 
 to 
 
40B. Confiderations of our Condition Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 to invade and poffefs the hearts of believers, if God 
 ihould always and condantly pafs them by in the difpen- 
 fations of his public judgments. 
 
 [3.3 That it may be a done of offence, and a flnra- 
 bling-block unto wicked men, who are to be hardened 
 in their fins, and prepared for ruin. When they fee 
 that all things fall alike unto all, and that thofe who 
 have made the drifted profedion of the name and fear 
 of God, fare no better than themfelves, they are en¬ 
 couraged to defpife the warnings of God, and the drokes 
 of his hand ; and fo to rufh on unto the. dedruftion 
 whereunto they are prepared. 
 
 [4. ] God doth it to proclaim unto all the world, that 
 what he doth here is no final judgment, and ultimate 
 determination concerning things and perfons. For who 
 can fee the wife man dying as the fool, the righteous 
 and holy perifhingin their outward concernments as the 
 ungodly and wicked; but mud conclude, that the 
 righteous God, the Judge of all, hath appointed ano¬ 
 ther day, wherein ail things mud be called over again, 
 and every one then receive his final reward, according 
 as his works dull appear to have been. And thus are 
 we to humble ourfelves unto the righteoufnefs where¬ 
 with the hand of God is accompanied. 
 
 [5., His goodnefs and grace is alfo to be confidered 
 in all the works of mighty hands. As there is no un- 
 righteoufnefs in him, foalfo all that is good and graci¬ 
 ous ; and whatever there is in any trouble of allay from 
 the utmod wrath, is of mere goodnefs and grace. Thy 
 houfes are burnr, but perhaps thy goods are faved. Is 
 < there no grace, no goodnefs .therein ? or perhaps thy 
 fubdance alfo is coufumed, but yet thy perfoa is alive, 
 and fhould a living man complain ? But fay what thou 
 wilt, this droke is not hell, which thou had deferved 
 Song ago; yea, it may be a means of preventing thy go¬ 
 ing thither: So that it is accompanied with infinite good¬ 
 nefs, patience and mercy alfo. And if the confiderati¬ 
 ons hereof will quiet thy heart, take heed led a worfe 
 thing befal thee. 
 
 And 
 
Ver. 5, 6. tending to *humble us. 409 
 
 And thefe things among!! others are we to confider 
 in God, to lead our hearts into an acquiefcing in his 
 will, a fubmiflion under his mighty hand, and a patient 
 waiting lor the ilfue. 
 
 Secondly , Conlider our mean and abjeft condition, 
 and that infinite diftance wherein we llaud from him 
 with whom we have to do. When Abraham, the fa¬ 
 ther of the faithful, and friend of God, came to treat 
 with him about his judgments, he doth it with this ac¬ 
 knowledgment of his condition, that he was mere dull 
 and allies, Gen. xviii. 27. A poor abjeff creature, that 
 God at his pleafure had formed out of the duff of the 
 earth, and which in a few days was to be reduced a- 
 gain into the afhes of it. We can forget nothing more 
 pernicioufty than what we are. Man is a worm (faith 
 Bildad) and the fon of man is but a worm , Job. xxv. 6. 
 And therefore fays Job himfelf, 1 ha ve faid to corruption t 
 thou art my father, and to the worm, thou art my mother 
 and my fifler, chap. xvii. 14. His affinity, his relation 
 unto them is the neareft imaginable, and he is no other- 
 wife to be accounted of; and there is nothing that God 
 abhors more, than an elation of mind in the forget- 
 fulnefsofour mean, frail condition. Thou fay eft (faid 
 he to the proud prince of Tyrus,) Thatthouart a god, but 
 (faith he) wilt thou fay thou art a god in hands of him 
 that flays thee l Ezek. xxviii. 9. That fevere con visi¬ 
 on did God provide for his pride. Thou (halt be a man, 
 and no God in the hand of him that flays thee. And 
 when Herod prided himfelf in the acclamations of the 
 vain multitude, (the voice of god and not of man) the 
 angel of the Lord filled that god immediately with 
 worms, wb ch flew him and devoured him, Atfls xii. 25. 
 There is indeed nothing more effeffual to abale the 
 pride of the thoughts of men, than a due remembrance 
 that they are fo. Hence the Pfalmilt prays, Pfai. ix. 
 20. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may 
 know themfelves to be but men, fo, and no more, (in the 
 Heb.) poor, miferable, frail r mortal man, as ihe word 
 fignifies j what is man ? What is his life P What is his 
 
 F f f 2 flrength ? 
 
4[o Confederations cfeour own Condition Ver. 5, 6. 
 
 drength ? Said one, the dream of a fhadow ; a mere 
 nothing ; or as David much better, every man living in 
 his be(l condition is altogether vanity, Pfal. xxxix. 5. and 
 James, Our life , (which is our belt, our all,) is but a 
 vapour that appeareth for a little time , and then vanijh- 
 eth away , chap. iv. 14. But enough hath been fpok' 
 en by manv on this lubje£t. And we that have feen fo 
 many thoufands each week in one city carried away to 
 the grave, have been taught the truth of our frailty, 
 even as with thorns and briers. Bur l know not how 
 it comes to pafs, there is nor any thing we are more apt 
 to forger, than what we ourfeives are : And this puts 
 men on innumerable miicarages towards God and one 
 another Thou therefore that are exercifed under the 
 hand of God in any fevere difpenfarion, and art ready 
 on all occafions to tid thy mouth vv : th complaints, fit 
 down a little, and take a right raeafure ct thyfeif, and 
 lec whether this frame and poltuie becomes thee. It 
 is the great God againd whom thou repined, and thou 
 art a man, and that is a name of a worm, a poor, frail, 
 dying worm ; and tt may be whild thou art no more. 
 And wilt thou 'hink it meet, for fuch a one as thou art, 
 to magnify thyfeif againd the great poffedbr of heaven 
 and earth ? boor clay, poor duft and alhes, poor dy¬ 
 ing worm, know thy Hate and condition, and fall down 
 quiedy under the mighty hand of God. Though thou 
 wrangled with men about thy concernments, let God 
 alone. The potfheards may contend with the potlheards 
 of the earth; but wo unto him that itriveth with his maker 
 Again, coofider that in this frail condition, we have 
 all greatly finned againd God. So did Job, chap. vii. 
 20. I have finned . what (kail / do unto thee , 0 thou pre - 
 feerver of men f If th ; s coalideration will not fatisfy thy 
 mind, yet it will afliirediy Hop the mouths of all the 
 fons of men. Though all the curfes of the law Ihould 
 be executed upon us, yet every mouth mud he dopped, 
 bees Te all die world is become guilty before God, 
 R. ■?’. iii. 19. And why Jbould a living man complain , 
 faith the prophet, Lam. iii. 39? Why, it may be, it 
 
 is 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . tending to humble us. 411 
 
 is becaufe that bis trouble is greatful and inexpreflible, 
 and luch as feldom or never befel any before him; but 
 what rhen, faith he, /hall a man complain againft the 
 ' tnifhmer.t of his fins f If this living man be a finful 
 re an, as there is none that liveth and finnerh nor, what¬ 
 ever his da f e and condition be, he hath no ground of 
 nnv curing or complaint. For a finful man to complain 
 eb'ccially whilft he is yet a living man, is mod unrea^ 
 fonahle. For, 
 
 t Whatever hath befallen us, it is juft on the ac- 
 cc r; hat we are finners before God; and to repine 
 again ft he judgments of God that are rendred evidently 
 righteous upon the account of fin, is to anticipate the 
 condi*.ion of the damned in hell, a great part of whofe 
 milery it is, that they always repine againb that fen- 
 tence and punifhment which they know to be the mod 
 righteous and holy. If this were now a place, if that 
 were now my defign to treat of the fins of all profef- 
 fors, how eafv were it to bop the mouths of all men a- 
 bout their troubles; but that it is not my prefent bufi- 
 nefs, I fpeak unto particular perfons, and that not with 
 an special deligo to convince them of their fins, but to 
 humble their fouls. Another reafon may be taken to 
 prefs that confideration, directly and profeffediy alfo: 
 At prefent let us only, when our fouls are ready to be 
 entangled with the thoughts of any fevere difpenfation 
 of God, and our own particular preffures, troubles, 
 miferies occafioned thereby, turn into our felves, and 
 take a view every one of his own perfonal provocations. 
 And when we have done fo, fee what we have to fay 
 to God, what we have fo complain of: Let the man 
 hold his tongue, and let the fmner fpeak, Is not God 
 holy, righteous, wife in what he hath done ? And if he 
 be, Why do we not fubferibe unto his ways, and fub- 
 mit quietly unto his will ? 
 
 2. But this is not all, We are not only fuch finners, 
 as to render thefe difpenfations of God evidently holy, 
 thefe judgments of his righteous, bur alfo to manifed, 
 that they are accompanied with unfpeakable patience, 
 
 mercy, 
 
412 Confiderations of our own Condition Ver. 5, 6 . 
 
 mercy, and grace. To indance in one particular : Is i c 
 the burning of our houfes, the fpoiling of our goods* 
 the ruin of our eftates, alone that our fins have deferr¬ 
 ed If God had made the temporary fire on earth, to 
 have been uuto us a way of entrance into the eternal 
 fire of hell, we had not had whereof righteoufly to 
 complain. May we not then fee a mixture of unfpeak- 
 able patience, grace, and mercy in every difpenfation ? 
 And (hall we then repine againft it ? Is it not better ad¬ 
 vice, go and [in no more , lejl a worfe thing befal thee ; 
 for a finner out of hell, not to red in the will of God, 
 not to humble hitnfelf under his mighty hand, is to 
 make himfelf guilty of the efpecial fin of hell. Other 
 fins deferve it, but repining againd God is principally, 
 yea only committed in it. The church comes to a blef- 
 fed quieting refolution in this cafe, Micah vii. 9. / will 
 bear the indignation of the Lord becaufe 1 have finned a - 
 gainft him ; bear it quiety, patiently, and fubmit under 
 his hand therein. 
 
 3. Confider that of ourlelves we are not able to make 
 a right judgment of what is good for us, what evil unto 
 us, or what tends mod directly unto our chiefed end^ 
 Pfal. xxxix. 6. Surely man walketh in a vain fhew ; (in 
 the Heb.) in au image full of falfe reprefentations of 
 things; in the raidd of vain appearances, that he knows 
 not what to choofe, or do aright, and therefore fpends 
 the mod of his time and drength about things that are 
 of noufe or purpofe unto him ; Surely they are difquiet 
 ed in vain. And hereof he gives one efpecial indance, 
 he heapeth up riches , and knoweth not who fhall gather 
 them : Which is but one example of the manifold fruf- 
 trarions that men meet withal in the whole courfe of 
 their lives, as not knowing what is good for them. We 
 all profefs to aim at one chief and principal end, namely 
 the enjoyment of God in Chrift, as our eternal reward ; 
 and in order thereunto, to be carried on in the ufe of 
 the means of faith and obedience, tending to that end. 
 Now, if this be fo, the fuitablenefs, or unfuitablenefs 
 of all other things being good or evil unto us, is to be 
 
 ’» meafur- 
 
Ver. 5, 6 . tending to humble us. 413 
 
 meafured by their tendency unto this end. And what 
 know we hereof? As unto the things of this life, do we 
 know, whether it will be belt for us to be rich or poor, 
 to have houfes or to be harbourlefs, to abound or to 
 want, to leave wealth and inheritances unto our chil¬ 
 dren, or to leave them naked unto the providence of 
 God ? Do we know what date, what condition will mofl 
 further our obedience, bed obviate our temptations, or 
 call mod ou us to mortify our corruptions ? And if we 
 know nothing at all of thefe things as indeed we do nor, 
 were it not bed for us to leave them quietly unto God’s 
 difpofal ? I doubt not but it will appear, at the lad day, 
 that a world of evil in the Hearts of men was dided by 
 the dedrudion of their outward concernments, more 
 than by their inward troubles: That many were deliver¬ 
 ed from temptations by it, who otherwife would have 
 been overtaken to their ruin, and fcandal of the gofpel; 
 that many a fecret impodhume hath been lanced and 
 cured by a droke; for God doth not fend judgments on 
 his own, for judgments fake, for punidiment fake, but 
 always to accomplifh fome blefled defign of grace to¬ 
 wards them. And there is no one foul in particular, 
 which (hall rightly fearch itfelf, and conlider date and 
 - condition, but will be able ro fee wifdom, grace, and 
 care towards itfelf in all difpenfations of God. And 
 if 1 would here enter upon the benefits, that through 
 the fan&ifying hand of God, do redound unto believ¬ 
 ers by affli&ions, calamities, troubles, diftreffes, temp¬ 
 tations and the like effects of God’s vibrations, it would 
 be of ufe unto the fouls of men in this cafe. But 
 this fubjeft hath been fo often and fo well fpoken unto, 
 that I (hall not infid upon it. I defire only that we 
 would fericudy confider how utterly ignorant we are of 
 what is good for us, or ufeful unto us, in thefe out¬ 
 ward things, and fo leave them quietly unto God’s 
 difpofal. 
 
 4. We may confider, that all thefe things about 
 which we are troubled, fall direftly within the com- 
 pafs of that good word of God’s grace, that he will 
 
 make 
 
414 Confederations of our own Condition Ver. c, 6 . 
 
 make all things work together for the good of them that 
 love him , Rom. viii. 28. All things that we enjoy, ail 
 things that we are deprived of, all that we do, all 
 that we fuffer; our Ioffes, troubles, miicries, diftref- 
 fes, in which the apoflle inftanceth in the following 
 verfes, they (hall all work together for good; toge¬ 
 ther with one another, and all with, and in fuboidi- 
 nation unto the power, grace and wifdom of God. It 
 may be, we fee not how, or by what means it may be 
 effe&ed ; but he is infinitely wife and powerful, who 
 hath undertaken it, and we know little or nothing of his 
 ways. There is nothing that we have, or enjoy, or 
 defire, but it hath turned unto fome unto their hurt: 
 Riches have been kept for men unto their hurt ; wifdom 
 and high places have been the ruin of many ; liber¬ 
 ty and plenty are to mod a fnare; profperity flays 
 the foolilh : And we are not of ourfelves, in any mea- 
 fure, able to fecure ourfelves from the hurt and poifon 
 that is in any of thefe things, but that they may be our 
 ruin alfo, as they have already been, and every day 
 are unto multitudes of the children of men. It is e- 
 nough to fill the foul of any man with horror and amaze¬ 
 ment, to confider the ways, and ends of mod of them 
 that are entrufted with this world’s goods. Is it not e- 
 vident, that all their lives may feem induftrioufly to 
 take care that they may perifh eternally ? Luxury, riot, 
 oppreflion, intemperance (and of late efpecially) blaf- 
 phemy and atheifm, they ufually give up themfelves 
 unto : And this is the fruit of their abundance and fe- 
 curity. What now, if God fhould deprive us of all 
 thefe things ? Can any one certainly fay, that he is 
 worfted thereby ? Might they not have turned unto his 
 everlafting perdition, as well as they do fo of thoafands 
 as good by nature, and who have had advantages to be 
 as wife as we ? And fhall we complain of God’s difpen- 
 fations about them ? And what fhall we fay, when he 
 himfelf hath undertaken to make all things that he 
 guides unto us to work together for our good ? Anxie¬ 
 ties of mind, and perplexities of heart about our Ioffes is 
 
 not 
 
» 7 er. 5, 6. tending to humble us. 415 
 
 not that which we are called unto in our troubles ; but 
 this is that which is our duty : Let us confider whether 
 we love God or no, whether we are called according to 
 his purpofe ; if fo, all things are well in his hand, who 
 can order them for our goodand advantage? Ihopemany 
 a poor foul will from hence, under all their trouble, be 
 able to fay with him that was banifhed from his country, 
 and found better entertainment elfewhere : My friends , 
 I had perifhed, if I had not per ifhed : Had 1 not been 
 undone by fire, it may be 1 had been ruined in eternal 
 fire, God hath made all to work for my good. 
 
 The end of all thefe difcourfes is to evince the rea- 
 fonablenefs of the duty of waiting on God, which we 
 are preiling from the pfalmift. Ignorance of God and 
 ourfelves, is the great principle and caufe of ail our dif* 
 quietments. And this arifeth moftly, not from want of 
 light and inflruftion, but for want of confideration and 
 application. The notions infifled on concerning God 
 are obvious, and known unto all; fo are thefe con¬ 
 cerning ourfelves; but by whom almoft are they em¬ 
 ployed and improved as they ought ? The frame of our 
 fpirits is as though we flood upon equal terms with God, 
 aod did think with Jonah, that we might do well to be 
 angry with what he doth ; did we rightly confider him, 
 did we Hand in awe of him as-we onght, it had certain¬ 
 ly been otherwife with us. 
 
 Influence of the promifes into the fours waiting in 
 time of trouble..The nature of them. 
 
 Having therefore laid down thefe considerations from 
 the fecond obfervation taken from the words; namely. 
 That Jehovah hirr.felf is the proper object of the foul’s 
 waiting in the condition deferibed ; I fhall only add one 
 dire£lion, how we may be enabled to perform and dif- 
 charge this duty aright, which we have manifelled to 
 have been fo neceffary, fo reafonable, fo prevalent for 
 the obtaining of relief; and this arifeth from another 
 
 - Hhh of 
 
416 Supportment in Trouble Ver. 5, 6 . - 
 
 of the proportions laid down, for the opening of thefe 
 verfes, not as yet fpoken unto ; namely, that 
 
 The word of promife is the foul’s great fupportment 
 in waiting for God. So faith the Pfalmift ; In his word 
 do 1 hope ; that is, the word of promife. As the word 
 in general is the adequate rule of all our obedience un¬ 
 to God, and communion with him ; fo there are efpe- 
 cial parts of it that are fuited unto thefe efpecial a&ingsof 
 our fouls towards him: Thus the word of promife, or the 
 promifein the word, is that which our faith efpecially re¬ 
 gards, our hope, trull and waiting on God, audit is fuited 
 to anfwer unco the immediate actings of our fouls there¬ 
 in. From this word of promife therefore, that is, from 
 thefe promifes, doth the foul in its dilfreffes take en¬ 
 couragement to continue waiting on'God, and that on 
 thefe two accounts. 
 
 FirJ?, Becaule they are declarative of God, his mind 
 and his will: And, Secondly , becaufe they are commu¬ 
 nicative of grace and ftrength to the foul, of which 
 latter we Hull not here treat. 
 
 Tuft, The end and ufe of the promife is to declare, 
 reveal and make known God unto believers, and that in 
 an efpecial manner in him, and concerning him, which 
 may give them encouragement to umit for him. 
 
 1. The promifes are a declaration of the nature of 
 God, efpecially of his goodnefs, grace and love. God 
 hath put an imprellion of all the glorious excellencies 
 of his nature on his word, efpecially as he is in Chrift, 
 on the word of the golpel. There, as in a glafs, do 
 we behold his glory in the face of Jefus Chrift'. As 
 his commands exprefs uuto us his holinefs, his threat- 
 nings, his righteoufnefs and feverity ; fo do his pro¬ 
 mifes, his gooiiuefs, grace, love and bounty : And in 
 thefe things do we learn all that we truly and folidly 
 know of God ; that is, we know him in and by his 
 word. The foul therefore, that in this condition is wait¬ 
 ing on, or for God, conliders the reprefentatioa which 
 he makes of himfelf, and of his own nature, in and by 
 the promifes, and receives fupportment and encourage¬ 
 ment 
 
J 
 
 Ver. 5, < 5 . from the Word of promife. 417 
 
 ment in its duty. For, if God reach us by the promif- 
 es what he is, and what he will be unto us, we have 
 firm grou.'d to expert from him all fruits of benignity, 
 kiudnefs and love. Let the foul frame in itfelf 
 that idea of God, which is exhibited in the promifes, 
 and it will powerfully prevail with it to continue in an 
 expectation o' his gracious return ; they ail expreffing 
 goodnefs, love, patience, forbearance, long-differing, 
 pardoning mercy, grace, bounty, with a full fatislac- 
 tory reward. This is the beauty of the Lord mention¬ 
 ed with admiration by the prophet; Hczv great is his 
 goodnefs ! how great is his beauty ! Zeph ix. 1 7. Which 
 is the great attractive of the foul to adhere conftantly 
 unto him. Whatever difficulties arife, whatever temp¬ 
 tations interpofe, or wearifomenefs grows upon 11s in 
 our (traits, troubles, trials and defertions, let us not 
 entertain fuch thoughts of God, as our own perplexed 
 imaginations may be apt to fugged unto us. This would 
 quickly cad us into a thoufand impatiencies, mifgivings 
 and mifcarriages; but the remembrance of and medita¬ 
 tion on God in his promifes, as revealed by them, as 
 expreded in them, is fuited quite unto other ends and 
 purpofes. There appears, yea gloriouily diines forth, 
 that love, that wifdom, that goodnefs, tendernefs and 
 grace, as cannot but encourage a believing foul to abide 
 in waiting for him. 
 
 2. The word of promife doth not only exprefs God’s 
 nature, as that wherein he propoferh himfelf unto the 
 contemplation of faith, but it alfo declares his will and 
 purpofe of aiding towards the foul, fuitable unto his 
 own goodnefs and grace ; for promifes are the declara¬ 
 tions of God’s purpofe and will, to ad towards believers 
 in Chrid jefus according to the infinite goodnefs of his 
 own nature, and this is done in great variety, according 
 to the various conditions and wants of them that do be¬ 
 lieve. They all proceed from the fame fpring of infi¬ 
 nite grace, but are branched into innumerable particu¬ 
 lar dreams, according as our ueceffities do require. 
 To thefe do waiting fouls repair for day and encou.iage- 
 
 II h h 2 ment 
 
qiB Supportment in ‘Trouble Yer. 5, 6. 
 
 ment: Their perplexities principally arife from their 
 mifapprehenfions of what God is in himfeif, and of 
 what he will be unto them ; and whither Ihould they 
 repair to be undeceived, but unto that faithful repre- 
 fentation that he hath made of himfeif-and his will in 
 the word of his grace. For no man hath feen God at a- 
 ry time , the only begotten Sen , who is in the bofom of the 
 Father , he hath revealed him, John i. 17. Now the gof- 
 pel is nothing but the word of promife explained in 
 all the fprings, caufesand efieCts of it; thither mull we 
 repair to be inftru&ed in this matter. The imaginati¬ 
 ons and rtafonings of mens hearts will but deceive them 
 in thefe things. The informations or inftructions ot 0- 
 ther men may do fo ; nor have they any truth in them, 
 further than they may be rdolved into the word of pro¬ 
 mife. Here alone they may find-reft and refrefhment. 
 The foul of whom we (peak, is under troubles, per¬ 
 plexities and difirefies as to its outward condition ; prefix¬ 
 ed with many ftraits it may be on every hand ; and as 
 to its fpiritual eftate, under various apprehenfions of 
 the mind and will of God towards it, as hath before at 
 large been explained : In this condition it is brought in 
 feme meafure unto an holy fubmifiion unto God, and 
 a patient waiting for the ifiuc of its trials. In this e- 
 ftate it hath many temptations to, and much working of 
 unbelief. The whole of its oppofitlon amounts to this, 
 that it is negietted of God, that its way is hid, and his 
 judgment is paffed over from him, that it (hall not be 
 at prefent delivered, nor hereafter faved. What courfe 
 can any one advife fuch a one unto for his relief, and 
 to preferve his foul from fainting, or deferring the du¬ 
 ty of waiting on God, wherein he is engaged, but on¬ 
 ly this, to fearch and enquire what revelation God 
 hath made of himfeif and his will concerning him in his 
 word: And this the promife declares. Here he (hall 
 find hope, patience, faith, expectation, to be all in- 
 creafed, comforted, encouraged. Herein lies the duty 
 and fafety of any in this condition. Men may bear the 
 firft imprefiion of any trouble with the firength, courage 
 
 and 
 
Vcr. 5, 6. from the Word of Prcmfe. 419 
 
 and refolution of their natural fpirits; under feme con¬ 
 tinuance of them, they may fupport themfelves with 
 former experiences, and other nfual fprings and means 
 of confolation : But if their wounds prove difficult to 
 be cured, if they defpife ordinary remedies, if their 
 difeafes are of long continuance, this is that which they 
 muff betake themfelves unto : They muff fearch into 
 the word of promife, and learn to meafure things not 
 according to the prefect flate and apprehenfions of their 
 mind, but according unto what God hath declared con¬ 
 cerning them. And there are fundry excellencies in tne 
 promifes when hoped in, or trufted in, that tend unto 
 the eftablifhment of the foul in this great duty of wait¬ 
 ing. As, 
 
 (1.) That grace in them, that is, the good will of 
 God in Cbrift, for help, relief, fatisfa&ion, pardon,' 
 and falvation, is fuited unto all particular conditions 
 and wants of the foul. As light arifeth from the fun, 
 and is diffufed in the beams thereof to the efpecial ufe 
 of all creatures, enabled by a vifive faculty to make ufe 
 of it; fo cometh grace forth from .the eternal good will 
 of God in Chrift, and is diffufed by the promifes, with 
 a bleffed contemperation unto the conditions and wants 
 of all believers. There can nothing fall out between 
 God and any foul, but there is grace fuited unto it in 
 one promife or another, as clearly and evidently, as if 
 it were given unto him particularly and immediately. 
 And this they find by experience who at any time are 
 enabled to mix effeftually a promife with faith. 
 
 (2.) The word of promife hath a wonderful, myfleri- 
 ous, efpecial impreffion of God upon it. He doth by 
 it fecretly and ineffably communicate himfelf unto be¬ 
 lievers. When God appeared in a dream unto Jacob, 
 he awaked and faid, God is in this place , and 1 knew it 
 not. He knew God was every where, but an intimati¬ 
 on of his efpecial prefence furprized him : So is a foul 
 furprized, when God opens himfelf and his grace in a 
 promife unto him. It cries out, God is here, and I 
 
 knew 
 
420 " Supportment in Trouble, &c. Ver. 5, 6. 
 
 knew it not. Such a near approach of God in his grace 
 it finds, as is accompanied with a refrefhing furprifal. 
 
 (3.) There is an efpecial engagement of the veracity 
 and truth of God in every promife. Grace and truth 
 are the two ingredients of an evangelical promife ; the 
 matter and form whereof they do confifl. 1 cannot now 
 flay to lliew wherein this efpecial engagement of truth 
 in the promife doth confifl. Befides, it is a thing known 
 and confeffed ; but it hath an efpecial influence to fup- 
 port the foul when hoped in, in its duty of waiting * For 
 that hope can never make afhamed, or leave the foul 
 unto difappointments, which flays itfelf on divine ve¬ 
 racity under a fpecial engagement. 
 
 And this is that duty which the Pfalmift engageth 
 himfelf in, and unto the performance of, as the only 
 way to obtain a comfortable interefl: in that forgivenefs 
 which is with God, and all the gracious effe&s thereof. 
 And in the handling hereof, as we have declared its 
 nature and neceflity; fo we have the Pfalmiff’s directi¬ 
 ons for its practice unto perfons in the like condition 
 with him, for the attaining of the end by him aimed 
 at, fo that it needs no further application. That which 
 remains of the Pfalm is the addrefs which he makes un¬ 
 to others, with the encouragement which he gives them 
 to fleer the fame courfe with himfelf; and this he doth 
 in the two lafl verfes, which, to compleat the expofition 
 of the v/hole Pfalm, 1 fliall briefly explain and pafs 
 through, as having already difpatchcd what I principal¬ 
 ly aiixied at. 
 
 VERSES V 1 T, VIII. 
 
 Ver. 7. Let Ifrael hope in the Lord , for with the Lord 
 there is mercy , and with him is plenteous redemption . 
 
 Ver. 8. And he Jhall redeem Ifrael from all his iniqui¬ 
 ties. 
 
 IT SHALL proceed in the opening of thefe words, 
 I. according unto the method already infilled on. I. 
 
 The 
 
Ver. 7, 8. Expofition ofVerfes 7 th and $th. 421 
 
 The meaning of the principal words fhall be declared ; 
 II. Then the fenfe and importance of rhe whole. III. 
 The relation that they have unto the condition of the 
 foul expreffed in the Pfalm mud be manifefted; From 
 all which, obfervations will arife for our inflruftion and 
 dire&ions in the like cafes, wherein we are or may be 
 concerned. 
 
 Let Ifrael hope in the Lord; (in the Heb.) Hope If 
 ratlin Jehovah. Truft, or expert; the fame word 
 with that, ver. 5. In his word do i hope ; properly to 
 expeft, to look for, which includes hope, and adds fome 
 further degree of the fouPs acting towards God ; it is 
 an earned; looking after the thing hoped for; expecia ad 
 dominum ; hope in him, and look up to him ; Lor with 
 the Lord, quia or quoniam , becaufe, feeing that with 
 the Lord *, (in the Heb ) mercy ; the verb fubllantive, 
 as ufual, is omitted, which we fupply, there is mercy , 
 grace, bounty, goodnefs, good-will. This word is of¬ 
 ten joined with another, discovering its importance, and 
 that is, (Heb.) truth , (in the Heb.) goodnefs, or mer¬ 
 cy and truth. Th^fe are, as it were, condiment parts 
 of God’s promifes. It is of goodnefs, grace, bounty, 
 to promife any undue mercy. And it is of truth or 
 faithfulnefs to make ,good what is fo promifed. The 
 lxx, commonly render this .word by W, that is, par¬ 
 doning mercy, as it is every where ufed in the New 
 Teftamenr. 
 
 And with him is plenteous redemption ; (Heb ) with 
 him; as before fpeaking unto God, verfe 4. (Heb.) 
 with thee there is; the meaning of which expreflion 
 hath been opened at large. Redemption (in the Heb.) 
 it fignifies, to redeem; the-fame with xur P «<nr, iw^cnr, 
 redemption : This word is often ufed for a proper re¬ 
 demption, fuch as is made by theintervemion of a price, 
 and not a mere affertioa unto liberty by power, which 
 is fometimes alfocalle redemption. Thus it is faid of 
 the money that the fir*-born of the children of Ifrael, 
 which were above the lumber of Levites, were redeem¬ 
 ed with ; that Mofes took (in the Heb.) the redempti- 
 
 > on 
 
^22 Expofition o/Ver/es yth and 8 th. Ver. 7, 8. 
 
 on, that is, the redemption money, the price of their re¬ 
 demption, Numb. iii. 49. And Pfal, xlix. 8. The re¬ 
 demption of mens fouls is precious; it coft a great price. 
 The redemption then, that is with God, relates unto a 
 price; goodnefs or mercy that is with refpe<ft unto a 
 price becomes redemption, a&ively the caufe or means 
 of it. What that price is, fee Matt. xx. 20. t Pet. i. 18. 
 
 Plenteous redemption , (in the Heb.) multa, copiofa , 
 much, abundant, plenteous. It is ufed both for quan¬ 
 tity and quality ; much in quantity, or plenteous, abun¬ 
 dant ; and in quality, that is, precious, excellent And 
 it is’applied in a good and bad fenfe ; fo it is faid of our 
 fins, Ezek. ix. 6. our fins (Heb.) are increafed or multi¬ 
 plied, or are great; many in number, and heinous in 
 their nature or quality. And in the other fenfe, it is 
 applied unto the mercy of God, whereby they are re¬ 
 moved ; it is great or plenteous, it is excellent or pre¬ 
 cious. 
 
 Verfe 8. And he, that is the Lord Jehovah ; he with 
 whom is plenteous redemption (in the Heb.) (hall re¬ 
 deem ; or make them partakers of that redemption that 
 is with him. He /hall redeem I/rael, that is, thofe who 
 hope and truft in him. 
 
 From all his iniquities (in the Heb.) his iniquities , 
 that is, of the elett Ifrad, and every individual amongft 
 them. But the word fignifies trouble as well as fin, ef- 
 peciaily that trouble or punifliment that is for fin. So 
 Cain exprelleth himfeif upon the denunciation of his 
 fentence ; (in the Heb.) my fin, that is, the punifhment 
 thou haft denounced againft my fin, is too great or hea¬ 
 vy for me 10 bear, Gen. iv. 13. There is a near affinity 
 between fin and trouble ; noxam pana fequitur, punifh¬ 
 ment is infeparable from iniquity. Then the word here 
 ufed fignifies, either fin with reference unto trouble due 
 to it, or trouble with refpeft unto fin whence it proceeds. 
 And both may here be well intended. God fhall re¬ 
 deem Ifrael from all his fins, and troubles that have en- 
 fued thereon. And this is the fignification of the words^ 
 which indeed are plain and obvious. 
 
 And 
 
Ver. 7, 8. Exfofition of Verfes 7 th and 2 th. 423 
 
 And thefe words clofe up the Pfalm. He who be¬ 
 gan with depths, his own depths of fin and trouble, out 
 of which, and about which he cried out unto God, is 
 fo encouraged by that profpeCt of grace and forgivenefs 
 with God, which by faith he had obtained, as to preach 
 unto others, and to fupport them in expectation of deli¬ 
 verance from all their fin and trouble aifo. 
 
 And fuch for die moft part are all the exercifes and 
 trials of the children of God. Their entrance may, be 
 a dorm, but their clofe is a calm. Their beginning js 
 oftentimes trouble, but their latter end is peace ; peace 
 to themfelves, and advantage to the church of God. 
 For men in all ages coming out of their great trials of 
 their own, have been the moft inflrumemal for the good 
 of others. For God doth not greatly exercife any of 
 his, but with fome efpecial end for his own glory. 
 
 II. The fenfe and intendment of the Pfaimifi in thefe 
 words is to be confidered, and that refolves itfelf into 
 three general parts. 
 
 Firft, An exhortation or adtponidon. Ifrael hope in 
 the Lord, or expeft Jehovah. ' > 
 
 Secondly , A ground of encouragement unto the per¬ 
 formance of the duty exhorted unto ; hecaufe with the 
 Lord there is jnuch , plenteous , abundant , precious redemp¬ 
 tion. 
 
 Thirdly , A gracious promife of a bleffed ifiue which 
 fhall be given unto performance of this duty. He fhall 
 redeem Ifrael from all his fins , and out of all his trou¬ 
 bles. 
 
 In the exhortation there occurs, 
 
 (1.) The perfons exhorted ; that is, Ifrael; not If¬ 
 rael according to the flefh ; for they are not all Ifrael 
 which are of Ifrael, Rom. ix. 6. But it is the Ifrael men¬ 
 tioned, Pfal. Ixxiii. 1. The whole Ifrael of God to whom 
 he is good, fuch as are of a clean heart; that is, all 
 thofe who are interefied in the covenant, and do inhe¬ 
 rit the promife of their forefathers, who wasfirfi: called 
 by that name l All believers, and the Ffalmifi: treats 
 
 them all in general in this matter. 
 
 I i i 
 
 1/?, Be* 
 
424 Expojition ofVerfes qth and 8th. Ver, 7, 8. 
 
 1/?, Becaufe there is none of them but have their 
 trials and intanglements about fin, more or lefs. As 
 there is none that liveth and finneth not; fo there is 
 none that finneth, and is not intangled and troubled Per¬ 
 haps then they are not all of them in the fame condition 
 with him, in the depths that he was plunged into. Yet 
 more or lefs, all and every one of them is fo far con¬ 
 cerned in fin, as to need his direfiion. All the faints 
 of God either have been, or are, or may be in thefe 
 depths. It is a good laying of Aullin on this place, 
 Valde funt in profundo qui non clamant de prof undo. None 
 fo in the deep as they who do not cry and call out of 
 the deep. They are in a deep of fecurity, who are 
 never fenfible of 2 deep of fin. 
 
 adly , There is none of them, whatever their prefent 
 condition be, but they may fall into the like depths with 
 thole of the Pfalmift. There is nothing abfolutely in 
 the covenant, nor in any promife, to fecure them from 
 it. And what befalleth any one beiiever, may befal 
 them all. If any one believer may fall totally away all 
 may do fo, and not leave one in the world, and fo an 
 end be put to the kingdom of Chrift, which is no fmall 
 evidence that they cannot fo fall. But they may fall 
 into depths of fin ; that fome of them have done fo, we 
 have teflimonies and inflances beyond exception. It is 
 good then, that all of them fhould be prepared for that 
 duty which they may all (land in need of, and a right 
 difeharge of it. Befides, the duty mentioned is not ab¬ 
 folutely reftrained to the condition before deferibed; 
 But it it proper and accomodate unto other feafons alfo. 
 Therefore are all the Ifrael of God exhorted unto it. 
 
 (2.) The duty itfelf, is hoping in Jehovah, with fuch 
 an hope or trull, as hath an expe&ation of relief joined 
 with it And there are two things included in this duty: 
 
 1. The renunciation of any hopes, in expe&ation of 
 deliverance either from fin or trouble, any other way; 
 hope in Jehovah ; this is frequently expreffed, where 
 the performance of this duty is mentioned : fee Hofea 
 
 xiv. 3. 
 
Ver. 7, 8. Expo fit ion of Verfes yth and 8 th. 425 
 
 xiv. 3, Jer. iii 21, 23. And we have declared the na~ 
 ture of it, in the expofititm of rhe t ft and 2d verfes. 
 
 2. Expe&ation from him; and this alfo hath been 
 infilled on in the obfervations from the verfes immedi¬ 
 ately preceeding, wherein alfo the whole nature of this 
 duty was explained, and directions were given for the 
 due performance of it. 
 
 Secondly , The encouragement tendred unto this duty, 
 is the next thing in the words; for with the Iwrd is plen¬ 
 teous redemption : Wherein we may obferve, 
 
 (1.) What it is that he profeflfeth as the great encou¬ 
 ragement unto the duty mentioned, and that is redemp¬ 
 tion ; the redemption that is with God ; upon the mat¬ 
 ter the fame with the forgivenefs before-mentioned ; 
 Mercy, pardon, benignity, bounty. He doth not bid 
 them hope in the Lord, becaufe they were the feed of 
 Abraham, the peculiar people of God, made partakers 
 of privileges above all the people in the w r orid : much 
 lefs becaufe of their worthinefs, or that good that was in 
 themfelves, but merely upon the account of mercy in 
 God ; of his grace, goodnels, and bounty. The mercy 
 of God, and the redemption that is with him, is the only 
 ground unto finners for hope and confidence in him. 
 
 (2.) There are two great concernments of this grace, 
 the one exprefled, the other implied in the words. The 
 if is, that it is much, plenteous, abundant. That 
 which principally difcourageth diflrefled fouls from a 
 comfortable waiting on God, is their fears left they 
 ftiould not obtain mercy from him, and that becaufe their 
 fins are fo great, and fo many; or attended with fuch 
 circumftances and aggravations, as that it is impofiible 
 they fliould find acceptance with God. This ground of 
 defpondency and unbelief the Pfalmift obviates, by re- * 
 prefenting the fulnels, the plenty, the bouudlefs plenty, 
 of the mercy that is with God. It is fuch as will fuit 
 the condition of the greateft finners in their greateft 
 depths; the ftores of its treafures are inexhauftible. 
 And the force of the exhortation doth not ly fo much in 
 this, that there is redemption with God, as that this re- 
 
 X i j 2 demption 
 
426 Expofition o/Verfes jth and 8 th. Ver. 7, 8. 
 
 denption is plenteous or abundant, idly. Here is an 
 intimation in the word irfelf of that relation which the 
 poodnefr and grace of God prapofed hath to the blood 
 of Chrift ; whence it is called redemption. This as was 
 fhewed in the opening of the words, hath refpeft unto a 
 price; the price whereby we are bought, that is the 
 blood of Chrift. This is that whereby way is made for 
 the excrcife of mercy towards Tinners; redemption which 
 properly denotes actual deliverance, is faid to be with 
 God, or in him, as the effeft in the caufe. The caufes 
 of it are his own grace and the blood of Chrift. There 
 are thefe prepared for the redeeming of believers from 
 fin and trouble, unto his own glory. And herein lieth 
 the encouragement that the Pfalmift propofeth unto the 
 performance of the duty exhorted unto ; namely, to wait 
 on God. It is taken from God himfelf, as all encou¬ 
 ragements unto Tinners to draw nigh unto him, and to 
 wait for him, rnufl be. Nothing but himfelf can give 
 us confidence to go unto him. And it is fuited unto the 
 ft ate and condition of the foul under confederation. Re¬ 
 demption and mercy are fuited to give relief from fin and 
 mifery. 
 
 Thirdly , The lafl verfe contains a promife of theiflue 
 of the performance of this duty j He Jhall redeem 
 his people from all their iniquities. Two things are ob- 
 fervable in the words. 
 
 1. The certainty of the iffue; or event of the duty 
 mentioned (in the Heb ) and he Jhall , or he will re¬ 
 deem ; he will affurediy do fo. Now, although this in 
 the Pfalmift is given out by revelation, and is a new 
 promife of God ; yet, as it relates 10 the condition of 
 the foul here exprefted, and the difeovery made by faith 
 of forgivenels and redemption with God, the certainty 
 intended in this aftertion is built upon the principles laid 
 down. Whence therefore doth it appear, whence may 
 we infallibly conclude, that God will redeem his Ifrael 
 from all their iniquities f I anfwer. 
 
 (1.) The conclufion is drawn from the nature of God. 
 There is forgivenefs and redemption with him, and he 
 
 will 
 
Ver. 7, 8. Expoftlion of Verfts qih and 8 tb. 427 
 
 will a& towards his people fuitablv to his own nature. 
 There is redemption with him, and therefore he will 
 redeem ; forgivenefs with him, and therefore he will 
 forgive. As the coriclufion is certain and infallible, 
 that wicked men, ungodly men, fhall be deflroyed, be- 
 caufe God is righteous and holy ; his righteoufnefs and 
 holinefs indifpenfibly requiring their definition ; fo is 
 the redemption and fdvation of ail that believe, certain 
 on this account; namely, becaufe there is forgivenefs 
 with him; he is good and gracious, and ready to for¬ 
 give ; his goodnefs and grace requires their falvation. 
 
 (2.) The conclufton is certain upon the account of 
 God’s faithfulnefs in his promifes. He hath promifed, 
 that thofe who Wait on him fhall not be afhaiued ; that 
 their expe&ation fhall not be difappointed; whence 
 the conciufion is certain, that in his time and way they 
 fhall be redeemed. 
 
 2. There is the extent of this deliverance or re¬ 
 demption ; fhall redeem lfrael from all their iniquities. 
 It was (hewed in the opening of the verfe, that this 
 word denotes either fin-procuring trouble, or trouble 
 procured by fin; and there is a refpet unto both fin 
 and its punifhment: From both, from all of both kinds, 
 God will redeem bis lfrael. Not this or that evil ; this 
 or that fin, but from all evil, all fin : He will take all 
 fins from their fouls, and weep all tears fiom their eyes. 
 Now, God is faid to do this on many accounts. 
 
 1. On the account of the great caufe of all atual de¬ 
 liverance and redemption, the blood of Chrift. He 
 hath laid an allured foundation of the whole work; 
 the price of redemption is paid, and they fhall in due 
 time enjoy the effets and fruits of it. 
 
 2. Of the atua! communication of the efFets of that 
 redemption unto them. This is lure to all the elet of 
 God, to his whole lfrael. They fhall all be made par¬ 
 takers of them. And this is the end of all the promif¬ 
 es of God, and of the grace and mercy promifed in 
 them, namely, that they fliould be means to exhibit 
 and give out to believers that redemption which is 
 
 pur- 
 
428 Expcfition ofVerfes -jth and 8th. Ver. 7, 8. 
 
 purchased and prepared for them; and this is done 
 two ways. 
 
 1. Partially, initially, and gradually in this life. Here 
 God gives in unto them the pardon of their fins, being 
 jollified freely by his grace; and in this fan&ification 
 of them through his Spirit, gives 'hem delivery from 
 the power and dominion of fin Many troubles alfohe 
 delivers them from, and from all as far as they are pe¬ 
 nal, or have any mixture of the curfe in them. 
 
 2. Compleatly ; namely, when he fhall have freed 
 them from fin and trouble, and from all the effetts and 
 confequents of them, by bringing them unto the enjoy¬ 
 ment of himfelf in glory. 
 
 3. The words being thus opened, we may briefly in 
 the next place, confider what they exprefs, concerning 
 the ftate, condition, or a&ings of the foul, which are 
 reprefented in this pfalm. 
 
 Having himfelf attained unto the flate before deferib- 
 ed, and being engaged refolvedly into the performance 
 of that duty which would afluredly bring him into ha¬ 
 ven of full red and peace ; the pfalrnift applies himfelf 
 unto the refidue of the Ifrael of God, to give them en¬ 
 couragement unto this duty with himfelf, from the ex¬ 
 perience that he had of a blefled fuccefs therein. As if 
 he had faid unto them ; “ Ye are now in affli&ions, 
 “ and under troubles, and that upon the account of 
 “ your fins and provocations: A condition I confefs fad 
 “ and deplorable: but yet there is hope in Ifrael con.- 
 t( cerning thefe things. For confider how it hath been 
 “ with me, and how the Lord hath dealt with me. I 
 “ was in depths inexpreflible, and faw for a while no 
 “ way or means of delivery : But God hath been pleaf- 
 “ ed gracioufly to ieveal himfelf unto me, as a God 
 t( pardoning iniquity, tranfgreflion, and fin ; and in the 
 “ confolation, and fupportment which 1 have received 
 “ thereby ; I am waiting for a full participation of the 
 “ fruits of his love. Let me therefore prevail with you, 
 " who are in the like condition, to fleer the fame courfe 
 “ with me. Only let your expectations to be fixed in 
 
 “ mercy 
 
Ver. 7, 8. Expofition ofVerfes qth and 8 th, 429 
 
 “ mercy and fovereign grace, without any regard unto 
 «* any privilege or worth in yourfelves. Reft in plente- 
 « ous redemption, thofe ftores of grace which are with 
 “ Jehovah, apd according to his faithfulnefs in his pro- 
 *• mifes, he will deliver you out all perplexing troubles.” 
 
 Having thus opened the words, 1 (hall now only 
 name the doctrinal obfervations that are tendred from 
 them, and ib put a clofe to thefe difcourfes. As, 
 
 Obferv. 1. The Lord Jehovah is tne only hope 
 for fin-diftrefted fouls ; Hope in the Lord: This hath 
 been fufficiently difcovered and confirmed on fundry 
 paftages in the pfalm. 
 
 Obferv. 2. The ground of all hope and expectation 
 of relief in Tinners, is mere grace, mercy, and redemp¬ 
 tion. Hope in the Lord , for with him there is redempti¬ 
 on. All other grounds of hope are falfe and deceiving. 
 
 Obferv. 3. Inexhauftible (lores of mercy and redemp¬ 
 tion are needful for the encouragement of finners to reft 
 and wait on God. With him is plentiful redemption. 
 Such is your mifery, fo prefling are your fears and dif- 
 confolations, that nothing lefs than boundlefs grace, 
 can relieve or fupport you; there are therefore fuch 
 treafures and ftores in God as are fuited hereunto. With 
 him is plenteous redemption. 
 
 Obferv . 4. The ground of all the difpenfation of 
 mercy, goodnefs, grace, and forgivenefs which is in 
 God to finners, is laid in the blood of Chrift. Hence 
 it is here called redemption. Unto this alfo we have 
 fpoken at large before. 
 
 Obferv./ 5. All that wait on God, on the account of 
 mercy and grace, (hall have an undoubted iftue of peace. 
 He fball redeem Ifrael ; let him, faith God, lay hold of 
 my arm, that he may have peace, and he (hall have 
 peace, Ifa. xxvii, 3. 
 
 Obferv. 6. Mc r cy given to them that wait on God 
 fhall in the clofe and iftue, be every way full and fatisfy- 
 ing. He fball redeem bis people from all their iniquities. 
 
 And thefe propofitions do arife from the words, as 
 abfolutely confidered, and in themfelves. If we mind 
 their relation umo the peculiar condition of the foul re- 
 
 prefented 
 
43° Eicpoftthn of Verfes -jih , and 8 / 7 r. Ver. 7, 8, 
 
 prefented in this pfalin, they will yet afford us the en- 
 fuing obfervations. 
 
 Obferv. 1. They who out of depths have by faith 
 and waiting obtained mercy, or are fupported in wait¬ 
 ing for a fenfe of believed mercy and forgivenefs, arc 
 fitted, and only, they are fitted, to preach and declare 
 grace and mercy unto others. 
 
 This was the cafe with the Pfahnift. Upon his e- 
 merging out of his own depths andflraits, he declares the 
 mercy and redemption whereby he was delivered, unto 
 the whole Ifrael of God. 
 
 Obferv. 2. A faving participation of grace and for¬ 
 givenefs leaves a deep impreffioa of its fulnefs and ex¬ 
 cellency on the foul of a finner ; fo was it here with the 
 pfalmift. Having himfelf obtained forgivenefs, he 
 knows no bounds or meafure, as it were, in the extoll¬ 
 ing of it. There is with God mercy, redemption, 
 plenteous redemption, redeeming from all iniquity ; I 
 have found it fo, and fo will every one do that fhall be¬ 
 lieve it. 
 
 Now thefe obfervations might ail of them, efpecially 
 the two laft, receive an ufeful improvement. But 
 whereas what 1 principally intended from this pfalm, 
 hath been at large infixed on, upon the firfl verfes of it, 
 
 I fhall not here further draw forth any meditations upon 
 them, but content rnyfelf with the expofition that hath 
 been given of the defign of the pfalmiff, and fenfe of 
 his words in thefe laid, verfes. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
d» •