HAving a purpose (if the Lord will) to go through this Psalm, I shall speak somewhat in a brief word to the Title of it. It's called A Song of Degrees, a Title that is common to fifteen Psalms in this Book, from the 120 to the 134 inclusivè, and the importance of this Title is not easily condescended upon. Popish Writers would from this make up fifteen Degrees of Vertues, each of them still above another, whereby a Sinner breathes for Redemption by Christ, from a stare of Sin and Misery, and ascendeth to Heaven; but this necessi­tates them to strain their Wits, and to put these Psalms on a Rack, to find out the distinction of these Vertues, and therefore we shall leave it. The He­brew word rendred Degrees, leads us to somewhat more certain, yet not demonstrative: That these Psalms may be called Songs of Degrees, 1. Upon the [Page 2] account of the way of singing them, the Voice in sing­ing them being raised to an high Key, as 2 Chron. 20. where it is said, the Levites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel, with a loud voice on high. It's the same word used here for Degrees. 2. There is a reason why these Psalms were to be sung with a loud Voice, a Song of Degrees may signifie a most ex­cellent Song, or a Song which in excellency sur­mounts other Songs, and so the word is rendred when it is applyed to a man of excellency, 1 Chron. 17.17. Thou hast regarded me according to a man of high degree, or a man of excellency, O Lord; and so these Psalms may be called Songs of Degrees, be­cause they are most excellent, for the sweet, grave, and pithy Sentences they contain. 3. They may be called Songs of Degrees, upon the account of the place where these excellent Songs were to be sung with an high voice. The Chaldee Paraphrast says, upon the Degrees, or Stairs, whereby they went up to the Temple, or rather, whereby they went up to Mount Sion, the City of David; one of which fifteen Psalms were to be sung on every step of these Stairs. And others will have them to be sung in the several Mansions of the People that came from the Babylo­nish Captivity, for so we find the word rendred Ez­ra 7.9. These things I only name, and pass them; and I might add one Conjecture more, when I con­sider the affinity that is betwixt the word Degrees rendred, and the Original that signifies Burnt-offe­ring or Sacrifice. I incline to think, that these Songs were sung by the Priests and Levites about the Altar, while they offered these Burnt-offerings, or Sacrifices.

[Page 3]Having thus briefly spoken to the Title, there are other general Notes common to this with other Psalms that might be insisted on, which I also pass.

For the Pen-man of the Psalm, he is not design'd, nor is it needful to enquire who he was, since the Psalm hath its authority from the Spirit of God, and not from Man. It is most like to be a Psalm of Da­vid, or that David was the Pen-man, for these dou­bled Expressions, vers. 2. of this Psalm, are used by him, Psalms 54, 55, and 61. and many others.

For the particular difficulty, to which this Psalm relates, it is not needful to determine what it was. It may suffice us for taking up the scope of the Psalm in general, that the Psalmist is in a Distress, and be­ing in a Distress, ye will find him first Wrestling, and then secondly, Victorious.

For the first, His Wrestling; ye shall take it up in three Branches, 1. Ye will find him wrestling with plunging Difficulties and Perplexities, and these he expresseth under the name of Depths, and the way he takes to win out of them, is wrestling by Prayer, vers. 1, 2.

2. Ye will find him wrestling with the Sense, and Conscience of Guilt, putting back his Prayer, and Offering to crush his Hopes; and this he wrestleth with by claiming to Pardon, vers. 3, 4.

3. Ye will find him wrestling with Delays to his Answer of Prayers, or Delays of the Outgate prayed for; and this he wrestles with by Patience and Hope, vers. 5, 6.

Again, in the last two Verses, ye have him Victo­rious; for having gotten an Issue, he hoords it not [Page 4] up, he does not conceal it, but, he brings it forth and improves it for the use of the People of God, whom he encourageth to hope in God, upon the ac­count of Mercy, and Pardon, and plenteous Redem­ption; and on the account of his redeeming Israel from all his Iniquities.

So much for the Scope and Partition of the Psalm.

To return to the first two Verses, upon which I may be the more brief, that I had occasion to speak to you before of the Troubles and Trials of Gods Peo­ple, of Prayer, and Gods Answering Prayer; yet we shall not pass this part, but we shall endeavour to gather some things useful from it.

In this his Wrestling then, take notice of these four things.

• 1. Ye have that that the Psalmist is put to wrestle with, which is expressed under the name of Depths.
• 2. The way of his wrestling therewith, out of the depths he cryed, Out of the depths have I cried.
• 3. Ye have him reflecting on this his Practice, he takes a back-look of it, and he avows it before God, Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.
• 4. Ye have the prosecution of this his Wrestling, or his pleading for Audience in a new and doubled Suit, vers. 2. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

For the first of these, the Depths out of which he cried: I cannot accord to understand it thus, that he prayed from the depths, or bottom of his Heart. So the Commentators I spoke of before, understand it of that degree of Vertue which is profound Prayer, [Page 5] from the inward parts or bottom of the Heart. There is a truth in that I confess, that Prayer should come from the bottom of the Heart, and in Prayer we should write our Hearts on our Tongues; but I find it not a Scripture Phrase, that People are said to pray from the Heart, when they cry out of the Depths. Neither can I understand it of the Conscience of Sin only, that (as some would understand it) he is un­der a deep of Despair, upon the account of Guilt that he speaks of, vers. 3, 4. and hath a promise of Redemption from vers. 8. The word is Depths in the Plural Number, and therefore it is safest to under­stand it, more generally of plunging and sinking Dif­ficulties, both outward Trouble and inward Perplexi­ty resulting thereon, and of the Conscience of Guilt wakened up in Trouble that may come in under these Depths; and this interpretation agrees best with the current of Scripture, where we find the horrible Pit, the Miry Clay, Depths, Deep Waters, Water Floods, made use of to hold out great Troubles, as Psal. 40.2. Psal. 42.7. Psal. 69.2, 14, 15.

I shall here touch upon one Observation, That not only the visible Church, but even the truly Godly, may be brought under plunging Difficulties and Per­plexities, both inward and outward, to their great sinking, or at least their apparent sinking. They may be, and are very often in the Depths, and put to their Prayers in the Depths, so it was with the Psalmist here, and in these Psalms formerly cited. And in prosecu­tion of this point,

• 1. I shall first speak a little to the Metaphor of Deep or Depths.
• [Page 6]2. How it comes to pass that the Lords People are brought to these Depths.
• 3. To a word of Use.

First, For the Metaphor of Deep or Depths, I shall shortly offer what I conceive is the Import thereof in these four.

1. That which is a deep is a thing very dark, dig a Pit, and make it deep, the light of the day cannot penetrate into it; Thus the unintelligible mysteries of Seducers are called Depths, as Rev. 2.24. the depths of Satan spoken of. Thus also the wise coun­sel of God that men cannot indagate, are called Depths, Psal. 92.5. Thy thoughts are very deep, and 1 Cor. 2.10. The Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God: and thus also Ezek. 3.6. a people of a strange speech, and of a hard language, whose whose words the people could not understand, are spoken of; in the Original it's a people of a deep Lip. Deepness then imports Darkness, Unintelligibleness, that which is Mysterious. And that this Notion is not strained even in this case of Trouble, is clear from Hemans lament, Psal. 88.6. Thou hast laid me (saith he) in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps; where to be in Darkness, and in the Deeps, are ex­prest as Synonymous, or one and the same: And truly, this is ordinarily incident to the People of God, their deep Trials are in themselves so dark, and in their effects so astonishing, that they are often at a stand, either to know what God says to them by them, and hence are these Wherefores, and Whys, as to this or that which is come upon them; as also in reference to their Duty, as Jehoshaphat ex­presseth [Page 7] his Distress, 2 Chr. 20.12. Lord, we know not what to do.

But 2ly. This Metaphor of a Deep or Depths, as it imports that which is Dark and Unintelligible, so it imports that, out of which it is not easie to get up; cast a Man upon the Ground he may easily get up, but cast him in a deep Pit he can hardly get up out of it without help. Some Emblem we have of this in Jeremiah, chap. 38. where he is put into the Dun­geon, where there was no Water, but Myre, and he sunk in the Myre; Ebedmelech had a hard task to get him up: and the People of God their Troubles may be Depths upon that account, Refuge may fail them, no man caring for their Soul, Psal. 142.4. All hope that they shall be saved taken away, (as it is said by Paul in that Voyage, Acts 27.20.) all their expectations of an outgate may be crushed, as Jer. 14.19. Why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold, trouble; yea, all their endeavours to extricate themselves out of Trouble may be frustrate, Jer. 8.18. When I would comfort my self against sorrow, my heart is faint in me: and Job 9.27, 28. If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort my self: I am afraid of all my sorrows.

But 3ly. This Metaphor of a Deep or Depths, Imports not only that which is dark and hard to get out of, but that which appears ruining; put a man into a deep Pit, if he get none to help him out of it, he must Starve and Ruine, as Ebedmelech said to the King, they have put Jeremiah in the Dungeon, and [Page 8] he will die for hunger in the place where he is, Jer. 38.9. Put a man in a Pit where there is deep Water, he will drown, if he be not taken out. So the Peo­ple of God, their Trouble may be such, as not only all ground of hope of Out-gate may be taken away, but all hope of Issue may be accompanied with appa­rent present Ruine. David is put to a humbling po­sture, when he is put to that, Psal. 69.15. Let not the water floud overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

But 4ly. The Metaphor of Depths in the Plural number, imports a plurality of them, a multitude of these depths, dark, hard, hopeless, ruining pressures, trysting all together on a Child of God, that his sad lot may be like that of the Church, Lam. 2.22. Thou hast called as in a solemn day, my terrors round a­bout; There is a Convocation of them, one trouble seldom comes it alone upon the People of God; as one Wave uses not to come its alone to beat upon the Shore, but Tryal upon Tryal, Wave upon Wave, one Depth calling upon another Depth, till their Tryal be perfected.

More particularly, the plurality of these Depths, may be taken up in these steps, 1. Their outward Trouble may be attended with other visible disad­vantages; for when a man is under trouble, then or­dinarly he is in contempt, Job 12.5. He that is rea­dy to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised, as a dy­ing out snuff in the thought of him that is at ease: Hence, Heb. 12.2. It is said, Christ endured the cross, despising the shame; The Cross and Shame, the Cross and Ignominy go hand in hand. It is not e­nough [Page 9] to be in Affliction, but thou must be content to be reproached, and counted a fool: yea, not on­ly doth outward trouble and contempt go ordinar­ly together, but outward affliction and slighting from nearest relations, which is a load above a burden, Psal. 31.11. My lovers and friends stood aloof from my sore, and my kinsmen stood afar off. Psal. 88.8, and 18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and my acquaintance into darkness.

2ly. It comes to the Depths with the people of God upon this account. That great outward trouble readily w [...]akens the Conscience of Guilt, as we see of Joseph's Brethren, when they were put into pri­son, Gen. 42.41. They said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear. Therefore is this distress come up­on us. Yea, outward trouble, and Conscience of guilt under it wakened, may break the peace of the mind, and that adds to these depths. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear? That is deep upon deep, trouble and guilt, trouble and broken mind turns to be the greatest burden.

And 3ly. It may come to Depths with the people of God on this account, that when once the mind is broken, there is no need of many real Crosses; The imagination can no sooner hatch an apprehension, but the broken Minde will make it a Cross; and then so many apprehensions, so many depths are created. And thus ye have some sort of account of the Im­portance of this Metaphor, a Depth, or Depths.

[Page 10]I proceed to the second thing, being to name a few Considerations for clearing how it comes to be thus with the people of God, That they are brought into these Depths, I shall name but a few, having been long in breaking in upon this purpose, which will save me a labour afterward.

And 1. Take this Consideration in general, The folly of the people of God puts them to this posture, That is one, Psal. 38.3. There is no soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sin. And v. 5. My wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my foolish­ness. Whatsoever there may be of a Tryal of Faith in their Trouble, Sin is the door at which their trou­bles, particularly their overwhelming Troubles, en­ter in.

But 2ly. Because the people of God may some­time through Mercy, be keeped from gross out­breakings; therefore consider that even the ordina­ry and habitual Faults of the people of God, will provoke him to put them in these Depths; I shall instance but in these two Faults. 1. The ordinary Fault of negligence in doing Duty, I do not say of neglecting Duty, custom and Conscience may keep them at Duty, but ordinary negligence in doing Du­ty hath need of a rousing Douk in a Depth, to set them to their feet: If the Psalmist cryed out of the Depths, and the poor speaks Supplications as he doth, v. 2. It intimats there is little crying, little humiliation in ordinary diligence, therefore he sends to the Depths to put an edge upon folks diligence, and to teach them to say their Prayers in earnest.

[Page 11]A 2d. Fault in ordinar is, the neglect of ordinar needy dependence upon God in all things; the ne­glect of going through the Wilderness leaning on the beloved, a small fault as ye would think, but sad in a Christian life, to live in this neglect. Hence the Apostle, 2 Cor. 1.8, 9. Saith, We were pressed out of measure above strength, insomuch that we despair­ed even of life, we had the sentence of death in our selves. And for what end? To learn us dependence that we should not trust in our selves, but in God, who raiseth the dead.

And 3. Whereas it might be thought that such faults as these and grosser, are passed in many others, I shall add, that the Lords near relation with his People, will not let them win away with their faults, win away who will, Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the Families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities: Or as it is in the Original, I will visit upon you your sins. His peo­ple will not want the Rod when their faults call for it, want who will.

4. Consider there is this to be looked upon, as a cause of his putting his people in the Depths, to wit, his purposes of love to his people, and his al­lowances upon his people are so rich, that there is need of preparations by Tryal, and Afflictions to make them capable of them; for were they not put into the Depths, they could not be capable of them. Hence it is Paul's remark in the forecited place, 1 Cor. 1.4, 5. God comforts us in all our Tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them, who are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our selves are [Page 12] comforted of God; For as the sufferings of Christ a­bound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ; we might not want these depths of tribulation, be­cause without them, we could not be capable of the consolations we receive from Christ.

And 5. To add no more, we may take notice of somewhat in the Saints tenderness above others, that occasions these Depths: many folks may be under as great outward trouble, that are not so plunged and perplexed with it as they are: Many a man has been tossed as David was by Saul, who have not so exprest their resentments as he did; How is this? The tender spiritednesse that is in the people of God, occasions their trouble of mind, they see God in their afflictions, and they would fain see more of him, and of his mind, as to their duty, and this makes affli­ction take a deeper stamp, and impression on them, and to draw Blood of them more than it doth on an unsubdued Spirit, who hath no mind of God, or Providence, but hath only the outward trouble to graple with. Thus we see how it comes to passe, that the people of God are put in the Depths.

For the 3d. thing I proposed to be spoken to, That is, the Use of the Doctrine, the whole Observati­ons to be gathered from the two following Verses, are Instructions how to improve such a lot, and con­sequently Uses of the Point in hand. Therefore I shall content my self to hint briefly at three general words here.

And 1. From what hath been said, ye would learn to be more jealous of a crosselesse life, of a life without trouble and exercise; Why? It speaks little [Page 13] of a soul thriving in the life of God: Take notice of that word, Psal. 55.19. Spoken of the wicked, because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God: And that spoken of Moab, Jer. 48.11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to ves­sel, neither hath he gone into captivity, therefore his taste remained in him, and his sent is not changed, and he rots on his lees. And as a crossess life speaks little thriving in the life of Grace, so it speaks to ve­ry many, little of Gods love and care: There is a sort of indignation kythed against sinners, that they little notice, and wherein there is a snare, when they get leave to go on in sin, and meet not with a Cross, when a person will not deinze one that is going wrong with a reproof, it speaks hatred: so that is a sad word from God, Ezek. 3.26. Thou shalt not be a reprover to them, for they are a rebellious house: and that word▪ Hos. 4.17. Ephraim is joyned to i­dols, let him alone: That is a sad dispensation; a douk to the hazard of drowning in the Depths is better company.

And 2. From this ye would be Cautioned not to mistake the sad exercises of the people of God, whose lot in ordinar is outward troubles; they get ordinar­ly the stakes to keep, (and to mark it in the by) I wonder what a mistake is befallen us, or rather a distraction is come upon us, that we should stumble at the people of God their want of prosperity; look to the frame of the people of God, they are in ordi­nary broken folk. Others can bear their afflictions with a sort of gallantry, they can drink them down, [Page 14] rant them down. But they are broken with their affliction, as if they had no spirit at all to bear them; but I say, ye would not mistake, for it is a token of Gods love and care who donks them in the Depths, to put them out of the Depths to cry unto him; and it is a more blessed posture to be put out of the Depths to cry, than to be in a Palace with ne­glect of Prayer: and therefore I can call it no better than a distraction to stumble at their want of prospe­rity, they are the folk that faint, and have no might, and yet they will lay by the young men, and the youths for all their ranting, because they wait upon the Lord, they shall renew their strength, Isai. 40.29. This I speak, not to foster discouragement in any, but to caution them that are ready to stumble at the people of God their being in trouble, and broken in that condition.

And a 3d. word of Ʋse shall be, that every one that is in the Depths would try how they improve that lot, and this Ʋse is the Key to open the Door to the following purpose, which I shall not now break in upon, only remember, The Lord doth not afflict wil­lingly, nor grieve the children of men, to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth. Therefore there must be something that in affliction, when we are in the Depths, he is calling us to, and which we would ply to in earnest; and therefore we would take heed that the Bellows be not burnt, that the Foun­der do not melt in vain, and that we provoke not God to call us reprobat silver, whom he hath rejected, Jer. 6.29, 30.

BEing so long detained in the morning in breaking in upon this Purpose, I shall now the more briefly come to that where I left.

Ye have heard that in these two first Verses, the distrest Psalmist was wrestling with the difficulties, and sinking perplexities in his condition, wherein we have an account of what he had to wrestle with, The depths; the way of his wrestling with these Depths, to wit, by Prayer, his reflecting on that exercise, and telling God, That he cried unto him out of the depths, and his Prosecution of it, or insisting and pleading with God in a new doubled suit, vers. 2.

For the first of these, the Depths wherewith he wrestled, somewhat was spoken both for Explicati­on, and to a more general Application of that pur­pose, which I shall not now repeat.

That which lyes before me in the second place, is, the way of his wrestling with these Depths, or Dif­ficulties. Others had they been in the like exercise, might fret and repine, or they might labour to rant them out, or drink them down, so far as they were [Page 16] able to rid themselves of them, or they might crush under them; but he drives another Trade, his being in the Depths puts him to Prayer, and to fervency in Prayer, he not only intimats that out of the Depths he Prayed, but out of the Depths he cryed to God in Prayer, with that earnestness, and fervour, that a drowning man, presently going to sink, cryes for relief, if any relief may be had. The general Ob­servation which I take from this, is, That the kind­ly result of sinking and surchanging exercise in the Saints, is when it puts them to Prayer, and to fer­vency in Prayer, when being in the Depths, Out of the depths they cry unto God. This is the general Doctrine of trouble, Psal. 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, &c.

And that I may so far as is necessary lay the Point in broad-band before you, before I come to a word of Ʋse, I shall deduce the Importance of it in a few particulars.

And 1. The Psalmist's practice, who is content to be at exercise, doth import, That sleeping and idle­ness is a very unsuitable posture, when the people of God are in the Depths, to be at any time without exercise is very dangerous; for as the Animal Life is still in motion, so the Spiritual Life of a Christian must still be in exercise, so in particular, to be with­out exercise in a distress, and particularly to be with­out Prayer, is yet more dreadful; an idle man in a difficult lot, I can compare him to nothing, but to that drunken man, Prov. 23.34. That is as one that lyeth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast; he is a desperat man, drunk [Page 17] with some Distemper that is not at exercise in the Depths. May I add, the idle man in the Depths, is readily the Guilty man that draws on the Storm and the Tempest; Hence we have a sad Narration, Jonah 1.5. where Jonah, a Godly man, fleeing from the presence of the Lord, in the Storm, is down in the sides of the Ship sleeping, and one might think in the case he was in, he might have an unsound Sleep there, but the Text tells he was fast asleep; and shall I add, that's a sad Posture, vers 6. when a Pagan Ship-master reproves a Prophet Jonah, what meanest thou, O sleeper? saith he, arise, and call upon thy God. That then is the first thing imported, that it is a dangerous thing to be sleeping and idle in the Depths.

2. That the Psalmist when he is in the Depths cryes out unto God, it imports, That kindly Saints, whenever they come in any Distress, have no refuge but God. It's with God and his Saints as it's with a Parent and a Child, in a Croud, as long as nothing ails the Child he will go beside any body, but when he comes in a difficulty he will leave the rest & single out his Parent to protect him; so I say it's with the Saints when any thing ails them, they have no refuge, no shift, no gate to go, but God. Would ye know the Character of a Child of God in Distress, ye have it in that fore-cited place, 2 Chron. 20.12. we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. This is the Scope of the most part of all the Psalms. A Saint is no sooner put to it, but he puts at God: a Cross is no sooner laid at his door, [Page 18] but he tells, it's the wrong Door, and he goes and layes it at God's Door: the reason of this is double, partly the difficulties of the Children of God may be so great, that they are left allenarly upon God. It is with them as it was with that hypocritical king, when he said to the Harlot, if the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the Barn-floor, or out of the Wine-press. What will become of the Saints in many difficulties and hard cases, if God step not in; David looked to all Airts, and could find no relief, Psal. 142.4, 5. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me, refuge failed me, no man cared for my soul, what follows? I cried unto thee, O Lord, I said, thou art my refuge: Kindly Saints must therefore look unto God in every Distress, partly because whatever right means they have to make use of, they must either begin at God, or they will find they have followed a wrong method. Saul pretended to this, 1 Sam. 13.12. The Philistines will come down upon me, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord, I must begin at God, saith he, and as Saul pretended to it, David really practised it, 1 Sam. 30.7. whatever mind he had to pursue the Amalekites that had burnt Z [...]klag, and taken his Wives captive, he will do nothing till he consult with God. That then is the second thing imported, that as the Saints are not a­sleep, are not idle in the Depths of trouble, so they have no refuge but God.

A third thing imported in this, that the Psalmist out of the Depths cryed unto God, is this, that there is no case of the Saints so desperate, wherein Prayer is [Page 19] useless, ye know what was that wicked Kings Deter­mination, 2 Kings 6.33. This evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? and how many in Heart and Practice, in difficult Cases say so? it is to little purpose to wait on God, to look to God. The Psalmist here was of another temper, out of the Depths have I cried unto thee, Lord, saith he, he finds it to good purpose to cry unto God. So Jonah 2.4. I said, I am cast out of thy sight; and he had as much to say for his being so as any other, the Waters com­passed him about, and went into his Soul. The Weeds were wrapped about his Head he went down to the bottoms of the Mountains. The Earth with her Bars were about him, yet even then he sees not Prayer to be an useless Trade, wherefore he adds, yet will I look again to thy holy Temple. Prayer is to good purpose for all that, and no wonder, for there is no condition of the Saints so low, no Pit so deep, wherein they can be caught, but an humble Suppli­cant will from thence reach the Throne. A David buried quick in a Cave, a Daniel in the Lyons Den, find that Prayer can win up to God, and find audi­ence; for the high and lofty One, who hath the Heaven for his Throne, and the Earth for his Foot­stool, hath an Eye also to them who are of a poor and of a Contrite Spirit, and trembleth at his Word, Isa. 66.1, 2. and he who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in the Earth, he rai­seth the poor out of the Dust, and the needy out of the Dung-hill, and therefore no desperate case of the people of God renders Prayer useless.

But 4ly. That the Psalmist out of the Depths cryes [Page 20] unto God, it imports, That as there is no case so de­sperate as it renders Prayer useless, so it imports, that it is the property of the Saints, when they are right, that be Prayer hopeless, or not hopeless, they will not quite it, they will not give it over, put them in the Depths: It's a great encouragement to them, that they know it is to good purpose to Pray; but be it to purpose, or no purpose, they must be about it, they will not quite it, that place cited in Jonah proves it, let God cast him out of his sight, yet will he look to his holy Temple and Pray; shut him out at the Door, he will be in at the Door by Prayer. Tell him his difficulty is so great (as Temptation will be ready to say) that crying to God will do him no good, it's all a matter, to Prayer he must, he'll ra­ther sink Praying, than be saved without it. Psal. 61.2. From the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. That's a notable word from a man in a deep Distress. What could a man imagine to be discouraging that he wanted? for his Case, he is as far from God as the ends of the earth; for his Heart, he is under Perplexity, his Heart is o­verwhelmed; and yet in that condition he will cry unto God, if so be he will lead him to the Rock that is higher than he, come of it what will he will Pray. And Heman is another notable instance, Psal. 88.13, and vers. 14. he says, Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? and vers. 15. I am afflicted, and ready to die from my youth up, while I suffer thy terrors, I am distracted. I am put out of my Wits, my Wit gets a rack with thy ter­rors, and yet vers. 13. Ʋnto thee have I cryed, O [Page 21] Lord. No hopelesness of my undertaking, no hard­ship I meet with could put me from crying to thee, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee; I will continue Praying, and, (to speak after the man­ner of men) Thou shalt be soon up, but my Prayer shall be at thy Door to prevent thee; That then is the 4th thing imported here, not to be put from Prayer were our Case never so desperate, nay not by the apprehension of drowning in the Depths, though at the next Bout we should sink to the bottom.

But 5ly. That he says, Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee, it imports, that not only a Saint will not be put from Prayer, through the greatness of his Distress, but his Distress will put an edge upon Prayer, when he is most fervent, and made to cry out when he is in the Depths. And this word Cry­ing, expressing Prayer in the Text suffer me to Expli­cate more particularly what it imports. I intend not to Speak of it as it is generally used in Scripture, but as it expresseth Prayer. And I shall here offer four or five Things to be looked to by them that would continue Praying in the Depths, or out of the Depths.

1. It imports a Mans being Affected with that which is his Case. The crying Man knows what ails him, when a Man Scricks or Cryes out, it is an evidence that he feels somewhat that Affects him much. Thus Crying is used upon the account of Grief, Ezek. 5.4. The marked Persons are such as sigh and cry for all the abominations done in the midst of the city. They cry out of sad oppression from Grief. And I find Crying in Prayer made us of, to signifie the fears of the Supplicant, Heb. 5.7. Our [Page 22] blessed Lord is said to offer up prayers and supplica-with strong crying and tears, and he was heard in that he feared; Grief and fear importing the sense of our Case, the source and fountain of our Cryes; a stupid Man that wots not how it's with himself, or the people of God, (who is like Pharaoh that knew not that Egypt was destroyed) will not be a crying Man.

2. This Crying imports, not only a sense of ones Case, but an earnest affection after that, which our cryes are employed about, it's not for Triffles that a Man cryes either to obtain or avoid them (at least they are not Triffles in his opinion), it's given as an estimation of Wisdom, Prov. 2.3. when a man cryes and lifts up his voice for it. And David cryes about that which he is affected with, Ps. 84.2. my soul longeth, yea euen fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God. It's a token of raised Affections either to be rid of some imminent ill or hazard, or to attain some ex­cellent good, that puts folk to Crying. A slighting of Trouble, (when a Man is like Ephraim, Hos. 7 9. gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knows it not) and a slighting of desyrable Mercies, will not produce Crying for the one, or to avoid the other.

But 3ly. This Crying imports, with sense of need and earnestness of Affection to be at the thing cryed for, a sense of a distance. Wee use to cry to folk that are far off, and not within ordinar speaking or rounding; and this follows well upon the former. When folks are put to Pray from the Depths, they will discern God at a distance from them, and them­selves at a distance from God; it is another thing [Page 23] when a man is in the Depths to be within speaking terms with God as when he is at ease. The chil­dren of God while they are at ease are like Sampson, who thinks he hath no more ado, but go out and shake himself, and have God at his command; but the Man in the depths will not find such an easie mat­ter to come near God. He will not only be sensible of his natural distance, but of that distance he is un­der upon the account of his Provocations, and so this Crying will take in sense of Guilt to be confessed and mourned for before God. But this I shall leave, be­cause it will fall in upon the third and fourth Verses following.

A 4th Thing imported in this Crying is, That not­withstanding of all that hath been said a Saint should cry out of the Depths, with Confidence in God, and of Relief from him, hence the Spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8.15. Gal. 4.6. It doth not prompt a Man to muter, or peep, or whisper his Prayer to God; but to cry out with Confidence, Abba, Father. And whatever sense we have of our need, or of our di­stance from God, or of the Guilt hath drawn it on, Confidence is needfull to usher in Prayer, Heb. 4.16. Having such an high priest, let us come boldy. The word in the Greek ( [...]) signifies, let us come with an all-saying, with an open mouth, unto the Throne of Grace, with Confidence, that we may ob­tain mercy, and find grace, to help in time of need.

5ly and lastly, This Crying out of the depths it imports, as the result of all that I have been speaking to from it, a fervency of Affection; when folks are not only sensible of that they need, have an estimation of it, [Page 24] see their distance, come with some measure of Confi­dence, but an edge is put on their Affection, and they are fervent, and raised in Prayer for it; I do not mean that Prayer with the loudest Voice is ay the most fervent Prayer, when I think upon these Tones and Voices used by some in Prayer, I often mind that word, Eccles. 9.17. the words of wise men, are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. It's not the Tone (though we ow the Voice to God) that makes fervent Pray­er to him. Moses Exod. 14.15. prayed fervently, he cried to God when he spoke not a Word, and Lam. 2.18. Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion. But my meaning is, that fre­quencie, fervency, and instancy in Prayer from the Heart is required in them that talk and cry out of the Depths; ye talk of your saying of your Prayers, and among the Prayers in the world many of them are but said Prayers, but when it comes to crying out of the Depths, your said Prayers will not do the turn our blessed Lord was never superficial in Prayer, yet Luk. 22.44. it's said, being in an agony he prayed more earnestly, there is a patern of Prayer out of the Depths, and I wish I saw a practical Commentar of that among you, which ye find Ps. 107.12, 13. He brought down their heart with labour, they fell down, and there was none to help, (that's a posture that would put many to Pray, and how far ye are from it, if ye were awake ye would discern) then they they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

So ye have heard the import of this crying out of [Page 25] the depths unto God. As for the use of this, where­of it affords divers, though all along the point is practical and applys it self; I know not if I dare break in farther upon it, I suppose to ordinar hearers, all is poyson that is spoken after the Glass; but ye shall take a few words from it, if this be the kind­ly result of blessed trouble, to be put to crying to God out of the depths, then ye may see what a dreadful plague it is, that when people are cast in the Depths, and the Spirit of Prayer is away, and there is no crying out of them to God, Shall I hold up to you a Glass to let you see your own foul Face in this matter. Read Ezek. 24.23. And I pray you forget Judah and Israel, and call this Scotland, and your selves Professors in Scotland that are spoken to, Ye shall not mourn, nor weep, but ye shall pine away for your iniquities. O that is the Cop-stone of a peoples calamity, when it is said to them, Ye shall pine away in your iniquities, and mourn, and roar one towards another. And will ye not get many such up and down the Land, folks that are like wild beasts in a net, strugling with their Calamity, tat­lers and talkers of their troubles, he blaming him, and he him, roaring for the sad case themselves and the Land are in, but where is their crying out of the depths to God? Who have added to the weight and measure of their Prayers for all that is come over them? Where will ye get a Daniel in all Scotland, that for three full weeks gave himself to Fasting and Prayer? Will ye have another Glass to see your foul spots in? Read Dan. 9.13. As it is writ­ten in the Law of Moses, all this evill is come upon [Page 26] us, yet made we not our prayer to the Lord our God, that we should turn from our iniquities and under­stand thy truth; We feel well-enough all the evil that is on us, and that it is come as it is written in the Law, yet there is no Prayer to purpose. Will ye yet take another Glass? Then read Amos 4.6. &c. Where the Lord tells what stroaks he had inflicted upon his people, every one of them heavier than a­nother. I have done this, and this to you, saith the Lord, and still the over-word is, yet ye have not re­turned unto me. Many folks are blyth when things rise to an height, and then they think God will be seen on the Mount, but they forget that continuing them in the Depths, is to set them to Prayer; it is the sin of the Generation, that they look more to their Priviledges, than their Provocations, or so to their Priviledges, as they forget their Provocations; and lean so much weight on the righteousness of their cause, as they forget that for which God hath put them in difficulties: I may say on this account, that fearers of God are self-destroyers, O tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, that God hath taken such pains to put us to pray and re­pent, and yet we will do any thing, but Pray and Repent we will not. I see no issue in this, but to put off our Ornaments, and see what the Lord will do with us. And will ye yet take another word that may give folk a sight of their foul Face? Even that Charge unjustly laid by Eliphaz against Job, chap: 15. vers. 4. Which I doubt if we can lay so well from our door as he might, Thou castest off fear (saith he) and restrainest prayer before God. There is a [Page 27] threefold restraint of Prayer before God in Difficul­ties. And I wish that one or all of them take not in the generality of the Generation we live in. 1. When folk that wont to Pray give it over. And what thousands are there of this stamp in Scotland? and not a few in the West Countrey. How many are there among us, that sometimes have worshipped God in secret, and now do not bow a knee to God? How many have worshipped God in their Families, who now have left it off? And among you there are not a few such, as we find by your shifting an­swers, when you are asked therea [...]ent, a thing that rather might be expected in the barbarous parts of the Land than among you, and is not Religion and Religious Duties much clipped where it had much place. A Prognostick of little good, when so few Families will be found having their posts sprinkled with the blood of sprinkling. Now what shall I say of them that never Prayed, when so many have quit Prayer that once used it. O! I say it again, pub­lish it not in Gath, &c. That Apostasie hath so far prevailed, that it hath driven many from the very form of Godliness.

A 2d. Restraint of Prayer is in them who have keeped up a Form, but alas they put me in mind of that word spoken of Pharaoh's Chariot Wheels, They drive heavily; There was a time when Religi­on was in request, and then folks got borrowed Wings that they Flew with, or Stilts in Religious Duties; but when a man comes in the Depths, he must have Divine Approbation, or these will not do his turn, or if he hold him by his Prayers, he will [Page 28] be looked down upon and lightly esteemed, and that he that was wont to soar in Prayer, will do much if he can creep on the Ground; but that clipping of Prayer, is a restraint of Prayer before God.

I shall add 3ly. That many restrains Prayer, that neither quites nor clips Prayer, of whom if ye judge by their frequent continuance, and the edge they have in Prayer, ye will find no difference betwixt what they are now, and what they were formerly, and ye will not easily know their restraining Pray­er, and yet they restrain it; for in stead of humble Supplications, their Prayers are made up of murmu­ring and quarrelling. And this way of Praying is much the way of them who are of the best stamp, that take out of their Prayers their quarrellings, complaints, glooms and frowns, ye will get little of the poor mans Supplications in their Prayers. Look to these things as Glasses, wherein ye may see your short-comings and guilt, and I intreat the Lord to bless them to you for that end, and for your exciting to more fervency to Prayer. And remember when I press upon you crying out of the depths, that I press a peremptor Duty on you, and that every ne­glect of Prayer while ye are in the Depths, disposes you to Apostasie, and is a step to your ruine.

THE Psalmist (as ye have heard) being in distress, is put to wrestle in the first six Verses of this Psalm, partly with the Difficulties and plunging perplexities in his case, vers. 1, 2. Part­ly, with the sense of guilt, that might hinder his access, or hope of audience: vers. 3, 4, And part­ly, with Gods delaying to answer him, and give him an issue, vers. 5, 6.

For the first contained in the first and second vers. Ye may remember that I took it up in these four. 1. That which he wrestles with, which he expresseth under the name of Depths. 2. His way of wrest­ling with these Depths, viz. by Prayer, He cryed out of the depths. 3. He reflects on this his exer­cise, and avows it before God, Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee, O Lord. And lastly, He pro­secutes his Exercise of Prayer, presses for audience in a new suite, vers. 2. Lord, hear my voice, let, &c.

For the first of these, what he wrestled with, the depths, I spake to it, and insisted to Explain that Metaphor of depth, or depths, and shew what affi­nity [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 26] [...] [Page 27] [...] [Page 28] [...] [Page 29] [...] [Page 30] there may be betwixt that and the Distresses and Perplexities of the People of God, and spoke some­what to the use of it. For the Second, of his Cry­ing out of the Depths, I have spoken also to that, and deduced the point a little, and shew you how Distresses and Perplexities puts the Saints to Prayer, and what is imported by Crying in Prayer; ye may remember that I was cut off by Time at a word of Use, which was a sad regrate, that Distresses should be upon the People of God, and yet Prayer restrain­ed, that there should be so much Trouble, and so little Crying. Several Scriptures I laid before you, where­in the People of God, as in a glass may read their foul spots in this matter.

I Proceed to some moe Uses. The second in order shall be this, if it be sad to see the People of God in Distress and yet not Praying, it must be yet more sad to see them in Distress, and in stead of Pray­ing, taking sinful shifts to extricate themselves out of the Depths, wherein they are. That the Trou­ble which is sent to call them to God, should be so improved as if it had a Commission to drive them from God. That if there be a sinful shift to be had they will try that before they think on Prayer, be­fore they stoop to think on calling on God. It's a sad Complaint of a wicked Generation that ye have, Jer. 2.30. In vain have I smitten your chil­dren, it's to no purpose that I have taken pains upon them, for they received not correction, they will not stoop to it, they will not improve it as a Correction from God for Sin; and would ye know how ye shall ponder these Scriptures, which will lay before [Page 31] you what I would say further on this Use. One is, Hos. 5.13. When that People saw their wound, what did they with it? they went to the As­syrian, and sent to king Jareb. They were so far from calling on God, that they took a sinful shift, to bring them out of the present Trouble. Another is Is. 1.5. Why should ye be stricken any more, it's to no purpose, for smite you as I will, ye will revolt more and more, to smite you, that's the high gate, if ye were ill before, to make you worse. If you was far from God, to drive you further from him. A third Scripture is that spoken of Ahaz, 2 Chr. 28.22. Who in the time of his Distress, in stead of turning to God, did trespass yet more and more against the Lord, this is that king Ahaz. who in his Di­stress would not Pray, but would worship the gods of the Syrians, who he pretended had helped them against him: I shall say no more to this Use, but look to it; it's a dreadful thing when Trouble makes folk worse, than they were before Trouble came on them; and I shall add, that a People taken pains upon by Trouble, and not Crying out of the Depths unto God, they are in the nearest capacity of any, to en­crease their Trespass under it; a Prayerless Trouble will be a singularly plagued Trouble, to them that are under it.

But a third word of Use, shall be by way of Pre­vention of a Cavillation or Objection. It may be said, there may be a great deal of din made of Crying and Turning to God in Trouble, but are there not many who never owne God in their Trouble, and who if they can have a sinful shift take them to it, [Page 32] and yet these come through when Praying folk stick in the Mire. To prevent this Cavlllation or Objecti­on, I say, take this word of Use, that if it be a duty to cry out of the Depths to God, then it is a plague for folks to be brought out of Trouble, and not sent to God by Prayer, when they are brought through their Trouble, and never sent to God to make ear­nest of their turning to him. Job. 36.13. When Elihu is pressing upon folk, the right improving of Affliction, he adds, but the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath, they cry not when he bindeth them; they heap up wrath, why? they cry not when he bindeth them. If we will believe the Spirit of God speaking in Scripture, a person not Crying to God, when God binds him, he heaps up wrath against him­self. And I shall desire such as swatter through their Trouble miskenning God, to consider these three things. 1. That it must be God that gives them any Delivery, though they do not acknowledge him in it, nor for it, and consequently it is not given in Love, but in Wrath: there may be much Wrath in Delivery from Trouble in a sad way, as well as in sending Wrath upon a wicked person by Trouble. 2. Consider, that any Delivery thou meets with, who art not Crying to God in thy Trouble, it's but a snare to thee; thou loves not Prayer in order to an issue, and God in his holy Providence lets that outgate out of Trouble come as a snare in thy way, that thou seest not the necessity of Prayer unto him; and it's the sadest of Snares to be put off Prayers in mister. To be like these spoken of, Job. 21.15. Who are brought in, saying, what is the Almighty, that we [Page 33] should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we should pray unto him? we get our turn done with­out him, and therefore we need not Pray. 3. Such as in Trouble restrain Prayer, would consider that all that is owing them is but fristed, it is not forgiven, thou gets a proof of Gods Riches, For­bearance, and Long-suffering, and that should lead thee to Repentance, but it doth it not, and thou considers not, that after thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of his righteous judgment, Rom. 2.4, 5. I can give it no better nor apposite term than what ye have, 2 Kings 13.23. The Lord was gra­cious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Abra­ham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor cast them out of his presence. As yet, there was a reserve in that Mercy, the Judgment was to come upon them, but not yet; look to it then ye who in your Trouble, get your turn done without God, that what is fristed is not forgiven.

But the fourth and last word of Use I shall give you from this Note, shall be this. Ye that are put to Pray in Trouble, I intreat you look that ye be at Crying with it. I shall not resume what I said upon this the last day, as that ye would be Affected with your Case, that ye would be in earnest, that ye would have a sense of your distance, get confidence to come speed, and withall a raised fervency of affection, after that you cry for to God, only let your Prayers look like your need of God, and the greatness of your Di­stress; Ponder that word, Isa. 29.13. A word which I [Page 34] have often cited to you, This people draws near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but they have removed their heart far from me. Mark the Phrase, he doth not say, they draw near me with their Mouth, while their Heart is far from me, but they have removed their heart far from me, which imports, that there is no more effectual mean of estranging a Soul from God, than a Trade of For­mal Worship, it is an active removing of the Heart from God. I shall only add this word, that as I have spoken to them that in trouble neglect the Duty of Prayer, that their Out-gates speak no good to them, but Wrath, and a Snare; so I would have Folks cautious in judging of their liveliness, or seriousness in Prayer by their Out-gates out of Trouble. Pon­der that place, Ps. 78.34, &c. There ye will find a Praying People and seemingly serious, they seek God and return, and enquire early after him, they remember he is their Rock and Redeemeer, Ne­vertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues, for their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his Co­venant; but he being full of compassion, forgave their ini­quity, and destroyed them not. There is a People spared and delivered when they Cryed to God, when the Lord approves not of their Prayer. We must therefore get another Testimony, to prove our not being For­mal in Prayer, than Out-gate or Delivery out of Trouble. A proof of Love and Compassion in De­livery may be Gods call to us to mourn over our For­mality, in Prayer, and for our other Sins, which he came over to do us good.

[Page 35]But I proceed to a third Head in this first part of the Words, and that is his reflecting on his Exer­cise, and his avowing it before God, O Lord (saith he) I have cryed unto thee, he looks back and con­siders what he hath been doing in Distress, and find­ing he hath been Wrestling, he layes it out and avows it before God. The general which I mark from it shall be this, That reflection on our selves, and on our way what we have done, or are doing is very necessar in all them that would approve themselves to God. Such was the Psalmists practice here, he looks back and finds the Depths put him to Crying, and is able to give an account of it. There is a twofold Reflexi­on that God calls for from the children of Men. One is a Reflection upon their Case what it is, that they be not stupid and sensless without Consideration what their lot is. Ye have that quarreled, Isa 52.25. He poured out upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battel; and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart; and Hos. 7.9. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he know­eth it not. That argues dreadful Stupidity and Senslesness, when Folks are in a low condition, and do not consider, and do not mind it, do not lay it to Heart. But there is another Reflection beside that of our Case called for, and that is a Reflection on our Carriage under our Case; when we have consi­dered our Case, we would Reflect what we are do­ing in such a case, or under such Lots as Providence makes our Portion. This is it the Psalmist expresses, [Page 36] Psal. 4.4. Commune with your own heart upon your bed; and it is that the Lord presses upon his People, Hag. 1 5. Now therefore consider your ways, set your Heart on your ways. This Reflection Self-searching or Examination is most necessary in ordi­nar; a Man wors not where he is, nor what he is do­ing in Religion, if he neglect this part of it; if he be a Stranger to Self-Examination, he is a Stranger to his Progress or Decay in Religion, his Convictions and Challenges are Confused, and without Fruit. His Prayers cannot be but Confused, if he Pray any, it must be at Random. Only the Man that is di­stinct in Examination can distinctly lay out his Case before God; and this Examination, as it's necessar in ordinar, so specially in Trouble. If a Man in Distress neglect Examination, he may be carried head-long in Stupidity, in Passion, Quarreling, Fretting, or other Sinful Improvements of his Trouble, and as it is, Eccles. 5.1. He may do all this, and not consider that he is doing evil he is quite out, and knows not of it; and ye have an Idea of that Man that is not in Reflection on his Case and Carriage under it in Trou­ble, Jer. 8.9. I hearkned and heard, but they spake not aright; no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, what have I done? every one turneth to his course, as the horse rusheth into battel. He goes Hand over Head, like a wild Horse in his Course, why? he Reflects not upon his Carriage under Trouble.

Not to dip on this, let me in short from it recom­mend Self-Examination to you, especially in Trouble, if ye would haunt it in ordinary, it would be more easy to you in a Distress; if ye be in ordinar reflect­ing [Page 37] upon your Weaknesses, and examining your Wants, upon your Predominants, your Temptations, what are your Suits that are most binding on you? and your Success? ye will the more readily (as we use to speak) hit the Nail upon the Head, when ye come to Pray. And these your Prayers that come from Self-Examination, though they be less busked, they will be to better purpose, than when a Man with all the Oratory he can reach, vents his Gift in in Prayer; and particularly look what ye are doing as to this Duty, when ye come in any Distress, I gave you before some Scriptures that speaks to them that neglect Prayer in Trouble. Now let me mind you of some words, whereby to try your Self Exa­mination in Trouble, one is Lev. 26.41. if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then ac­cept of the punishment of their iniquity; that were a blessed reflection that did produce this effect; but on the contrary, look that your reflection be not like that, Jer. 44.10. They are not humbled even unto this day. And like that Dan 9.9. All this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer unto the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, & understand thy truth, and Ezek. 24.13. Because I would have purged thee, and thou was not purged, thou shalt not not be purged from thy filthiness any more, until I have caused my fury to rest upon thee. Ye would make use of these, and the like Scriptures, in your Reflection upon your way, and what ye are doing when ye are in the Depths. And further when ye are Reflecting upon your Carri­age under Trouble, ye had need of tenderness of Con­science, Passion will give you a blind guess of your [Page 38] selves, or of your Case or Carriage under it, when the Lord says to Jonah. 4.5. Does thou well to be angry, Jonah? the passionate Man says, I do well to be angry, even unto death; they that would Re­flect on their Case and Carriage under Trouble, would seek a composed frame of Spirit, and tender Consci­ence from God.

But to come a little nearer unto this Reflection, taking the words in the by past time, Lord, I have cryed unto thee. They will import, that God had keeped him long at that Trade, and to this purpose we have a word, Ps. 69.3. After that he hath com­plained in the two first Verses, that the waters are come in into his soul, that he sinks in deep myre, where there is no standing, that he was come into deep waters, where the floods did overflow him; he adds v. 3. I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried, mine eyes fail while I wait for my God, and Ps. 119.82. mine eyes fail for thy word, when wilt thou comfort me? but this I may pass, because it will occurr v. 2.5. and 6. and because the Hebrews exprest things present in the by past time, because their Verbs have not a present time. That which I shall speak to from the words considered as a Reflecting on his bygone wrestling, I reduce to these two.

1. That he owns it as a thing that hath been, and is his Practise, to be crying to God out of the Depths.

2. Because Folks may be ready to say, what is he the better of that? he hath not got an answer of his Prayers. I shall add this, that his Supplication out of the Depths affords him a Testimony.

For the first, ye may take up the Note thus, that no [Page 39] distress, no dispensation of providence warrands the Saints to cast all that they have been doing as un­sound: though he be put to the deeps, he owns it that he is a cryer out of the deeps unto God. Out of the deeps have I cryed unto thee, O Lord. Thus the Church owns her integrity, Psal. 44.17. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant; Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way, though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, &c. Smite us as thou will, we avow it that we are in thy way. And Job 13.5. Though he should slay me, yet will I trust in him, I will main­tain mine own ways before him, that is, my integrity. And Chap. 27, 5. I will not remove mine integrity from me: And so Heman, Psal. 88, 15. Ʋnto thee have I cryed, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee; do what thou will with me, I avow it that I have been at Prayer, and I will con­tinue in it. It is true, men would be humble in this matter of avowing their integrity, they would mainly be studying their wants, and short-comings, and the iniquity of their holy things; and it is true also, that when they are in the deeps of distress, and these trysts them with Gods seeming not to notice them, but rather his anger smoaks against their Prayers, Psal. 80.4. It should humble them yet more, and make them search their imperfections in their best things; and it's also true, that the people of God in reflecting on their Di­ligence and Prayers, should be far from that quar­relsome humour in hypocrites, Isai, 58.3. Where­fore [Page 40] have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? &c. As read [...]y the greatest Hypocrites are the greatest quarreders, when they want success, yet all this notwithstanding, it is our duty to stick by what is right in our way, while we are in the deeps: Men must not be baffled out of their integrity, because they are under the Cross, and have the wind in their teeth, they must not cast their Prayers, because God holds them in the deeps; it's no small part of the Saints service to stick by, and to avow their integri­ty, that white Robes are allowed them, though their Prayers be not answered, Rev. 6.10, 11. And there­fore they have silly spirits, who when they meet with a torrent of Crosse providences, are baffled from avowing their integrity, and ly by, and dare not face the storm upon that account.

But I proceed to the 2d Observation, It may be said, what the matter of folks owning their inte­grity, and crying out of the deeps, when they are not heard, but ly in the deeps for all that? I Answer in the second Note. That what ever be the seeming success of the Saints in the deeps, their supplications out of the deeps affords them a testimony. It's good news that the Psalmist dare owne this, Lord, thou hast cast me in the deeps, but I have cryed to thee out of the deeps; It's a good Cordial to Heman, while he is in the deeps, Psal. 88.13. But unto thee have I cryed, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee, Lord, why casts thou off my soul? &c. And if ye ask what riches can be in this testi­mony, that we have cryed, and continue crying out of the deeps? I shall pass it with the time in three [Page 41] words; 1. It's a token of a blest and sanctified trouble, when folks are led to God by trouble, that's better than many out-gates, they are blest whom when God chastens, he teacheth out of his Law, Psal. 94.12. And the first Lesson God teacheth them, when he puts them in trouble, is to go to himself with the trouble. It is a remarkable word that Sampson's Mother had. Judg. 13.23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering; so many such folk say, if God had a mind to destroy them, he would not turn them in to himself in their trouble. There is more of the love of God inclining thy heart to cry to him out of the deeps, than in many out­gates, there is a rich blessing in it, 2. This testimo­ny is rich, because it warrands a man having done his duty, to cast his burden on God and in nothing to be anxious. It's no wonder a man be crusht with his trouble before he go to God with i [...], but when he goes to him, he hath a warrand to cast all his cares and fears on him, he hath Hannah's allowance, 1 Sam. 1.18. Who being a woman of a sorrowful spirit, went and poured out her heart before the Lord in his bo­some, and left her anxiety on God, and came away with her countenance no more sad. This is a practice that few of us attain unto, we seem to carry our cares to God in Prayer, but we bring them back with dis­couragement, rather augmented than diminished. 3. This testimony is rich, because it assures the Sup­plicant, whatever be his present success, (whereof if the Lord will, we may speak a word in the After­noon) that he shall come speed, crying out of the deeps, shall be heard; for Psal. 9.18. The needy shall [Page 42] not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. Israel might think God had forgotten them, when they were so long in the deeps in Egypt, and sighed and cryed to him, by reason of their bondage, but at length God heard their groan­ing, and remembred his Covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Exod. 2.24. And ye know that word, Isai. 45.19. I have not said to the seed of Ja­cob, seek ye me in vain. He never said it in any age, and he will not begin at us.

Take this word of Use from it, labour to have this Testimony, to be crying out of the deeps, so as ye may avow and owne it; and to be improving it, labour to read love and a blessing in it, to cast all your burdens on God by so doing, and confidently to expect ye shall see the end of the Lord. In a word, labour to find that by grace, in so doing, that trouble cannot take from you, to find a delivery in trouble, rather than a delivery out of it, to find that which is of more worth, than many deliveries, and infinitly of more worth than any delivery can be without it.

FROM the first Branch of the Psalmist's wrestling and exercise, I have spoken to these these three, 1. To the deeps, wherewith he was put to wrestle. 2. To his cryes whereby he wrestles with these deeps. 3. To his reflecting upon this his practice, and avow­ing it before God, as that which afforded him a te­stimony, that out of the deeps he had cryed unto God.

Now there remains the prosecution of this wrest­ling, and his pleading for audience, in a new and doubled suit, vers. 2. Lord, hear my voice, &c. While he pleads for the hearing of his voice; the meaning is not, that the voice is all that should be gi­ven to God; I confess we should give him the voice when we can give him no more, and lament that we have no more to give him but the voice; but the voice that the Psalmist would have heard here, is the voice of his crying out of the deeps, the voice of his most fervent and earnest supplication, ye see the ex­pressions [Page 44] here are doubled (as frequently in the Book of Psalms) to evidence, how earnest he was in this suit, that he is not complementing with God, when he is seeking access and audience to his Prayers. The expressions also are Metaphorical, and borrowed from the carriage of a Parent to a Child, and upon the matter his suit is this, Lord, notice me when I pray, as the Parent will notice the distressed Childs cry when he is like to ruine, and let thine ears be atten­tive to the voice of my supplications, that goes a little further; that as a Parent knowing a Child to be in hazard, he will listen and hearken attentively if he can hear him cry and notice and ponder that cry, and what he cryes for; so he pleads with God, that he would be waiting on and attentive, to see and hear if a cry should come from him, and that he would affectionatly ponder and notice it when he hears it: For this hearing of Prayer, it hath so frequently oc­curred before, that I shall pass it, and the whole Verse in three words, that I may come to other things in the Psalm, which I mainly designed to speak unto, when I broke in upon it.

The first thing that ye shall mark here is, that San­ctified affliction not only puts the Saints to Prayer, but also that they cannot rest upon the work wrought of Prayer, but they must have an answer to their Prayer; I have cryed out of the deeps unto thee, O Lord, Lord, hear my voice; he must be heard. The sensible man, when God blesses the distress he is in, to put him to Prayer, he doth not rest there, but presses for a hearing, for an answer to his Prayer; and two things evidence the truth of this, one is, a [Page 45] sensible man in trouble will find it hard to be out of speaking terms with God, hard to have any thing of Saul's case in his lot, that when he sought God in his distress, he would not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Ʋrim, nor by Prophets, 1 Sam. 28.6. When folk come into trouble, if they have any sense or feeling of their condition, they will know of what worth an intercourse with Heaven is, and what it is to have a door open to them from thence, when all doors are shut upon them from earth, and there­fore they cannot rest on Prayer, but will press for au­dience. Another is, That as it will be hard with sensible Saints to be denyed audience, so they need and prize the thing they seek: It's not for a fashion, or for a complement, or for a trifle, that they cry out of the deeps; but their life (if I may so word it) is lying in pledge of what they would be at; there is nothing betwixt them and ruine, but the answer of their Prayers, and therefore they cannot rest without it.

For Ʋse, It leaves a sad conviction on them, who if they come the length to worship God, and pray to him, their task is done, they have prayed, and that's enough; I confess, by Prayer and Supplications, folks may cast many events over upon God, but yet they would bide at Prayer, till they get an account of that which they are seeking, Psal. 5.3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord, (saith Da­vid) in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. It's an evidence that folks have little pressed upon their hearts the necessity of that they are seeking, when they look not up for an an­swer. [Page 46] And hence also they have evidence, that (as it is 2 Tim. 2.19.) Though they name the name of Christ, it is not their care to depart from their ini­quity, that they may not bring a reproach upon Pray­er, nor obstruct the success of their Prayer with God; this is the great fault of formal Professors, they will keep up a form or fashion of Prayer, but they little know, or labour to know what it is to Trafficque with Heaven by their Prayer.

But a second word shall be this, that Supplicants in distress may be exercised with delaying of the answers of their Prayers; I have cryed out of the deeps unto thee, O Lord, but he dare not say, that God hath heard him. Therefore he is put to pray over again, Lord, hear my voice, The sense of non-ac­ceptation may haunt a Supplicant, and he may find the thing that he is seeking is not granted; yea, Sup­plicants may not only be exercised with delays, and seeming denyals, as Job was, Chap. 30.20. I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me, I stand up, and thou regardest me not. And Lam. 3.44. The Church complains, Thou hast covered thy self with a cloud, that our prayers should not pass thorow. Not only I say, may Supplicants be exercised with delays and seeming denyals, but with very sad dispensati­ons on the back of their Prayers, Psal. 80.4. O Lord God of Hosts, how long wilt thou be angry? or wilt thou smoak against the Prayers of thy people? They may have smoaking wrath meeting their prayers, and that for a long time, in stead of a comfortable answer, which is sad at all times, but especially in trouble. For clearing what folk should make of [Page 47] this, I shall only name some things that I spoke more largely to at another occasion. 1. Though the Psalmist hath a testimony that he is crying indeed to God, when yet he is not heard, we should look when we are not heard, that there be nothing wrong in the supplication, Mat. 20.22. Christ saith to some, Ye know not what ye ask: And Mat. 17. when Pe­ter roved upon the Mount, it was so with him. There may be a defect in the matter, manner, or end of the supplication. James (4.3.) says, Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, to consume it upon your lusts. 2. When our supplications are not answered, we would look that there be not some­thing wrong in the Supplicant; folks may be pray­ing when there is standing unrepented of guilt, that meets them in a strait, (as I may hint on the follow­ing Verse) there may be some controversie, that God hath with the person, which till it be done away, he will not hear needy and pressing suits; and though the controversie may be done away, as to standing guilt, there may be an habitual ill frame, which the Lord would rectifie by keeping the Supplicant at his Bar. They may in ordinary be formal and carnal, and have an edge in trouble, and he will not let them stick there, and therefore will keep them at the back of the door, till they learn to walk with God in ordinary. And 3ly. when the Supplication is right, and Supplicants in a right frame, there would be the exercise of Faith, that God will not deny eve­ry suit that he doth not answer, or delays to answer. The exercise of Faith, that he is but trying us, if we will go to another door, when he delays to an­swer; [Page 48] yea, this is the exercise of Faith, to believe that many suits are not unanswered, which we think are not answered: God answers the suits of Sup­plicants, when he accepts and approves of them, Psal. 10.17. Though he grant not the thing they seek, he answers, when He strengthens the Suppli­cant with strength in his soul, Psal. 138.3. And there are answers of Faith, which should be read from the Word, and made use of. I have the more briefly passed from this, that this purpose occurred before on another Text, and from it take two brief words, and I shall leave it. One is, That Supplicants cry­ing to God in distress, and not coming speed, they would be invited to the reflection that I spoke to in the forenoon, to see how all is, that there be nothing wrong in the Supplication, nor in the Supplicant, that there be no action of guilt, no controversie that must be removed, before a comfortable answer come; that should be a searching Lot, when the Bill of the needy Supplicant is lying at the Footstool, without an answer. And another is, if even Supplicants may be humbled and exercised with delays, ere they get an answer to their Prayers, what will become of them that pray none at all? If this be done in the green tree, what will become of the dry? (as Christ says, speaking of his sufferings, compared with the calamity that was to come upon the Jews.)

But I proceed to a third word, and that is to clear what it is that God requires of needy and honest Sup­plicants, when they are put to cry, and cry again in Prayer, for an answer, and it is not given. Beside what I spoke before of reflection, I shall shortly from [Page 49] the Text point at three things to be done, or that God calls for. And 1. In this case, the Lord is calling folk to pray on, I have called to thee, O Lord, there is Prayer, Lord, hear my voice, there is a new Prayer; Let thine ears be attentive to my supplica­tions, there is a third suit: Although thy belly should cleave to the earth while thou lyes in the dust, thou must continue in supplication, although thine eyes should fail in waiting for God, and his salvation, yet pray on, there is nothing formidable in a Suppli­cants condition, so long as he is not driven from Gods Footstool, but he prays on. 2. Another direction is, that repulses or delays should promove humility in Supplications, and Supplicants. It's here supplica­tions that he puts up, when he pleads for audience: Now the poor uses supplications, supplications are the Beggers, are the Dyvours Language; many Supplicants when they have cryed long, and are not heard, may be in peril to fret, to quarrel, to repine, to bark; but that's a wrong method to come speed with God in Prayer, thou ought to be the more humble, the longer thou art delayed, thou ought to creep the nearer the dust, and come in among the poor that speak supplications. And a third direction shall be from the Phrase and Metaphor in the Text, as I explained it in the entry, that is, that there be a be­lieving, that the Lord hath an affectionat ear to listen unto, and hear the cry of humble Supplicants. This is imported in the very terms of the Prayer put up to God, as an affectionat Parent, ready to notice the cry of his Child, when he is in hazard, and crys for help; and this is a needful direction, when the Sup­plicant [Page 50] is held at the door, that beside diligence and humility, he entertain Faith, that bods well of God; Faith, that when God was seeming to destroy Job, made him say, These things hast thou hid in thine heart, I know that this is with thee, Job 10.13. I know thou hast a kindness for Job, though thou ap­pear terrible to me; so must Faith reckon, when answers to Prayer are delayed. I know he will do me good, though I seem not to be noticed.

Now I come to the third and fourth Verses, where­in we have the second Branch of the Psalmist's wrest­ling, and that is a wrestling with guilt, that might hinder audience, and to give you a general view of these two Verses, ye shall take this Branch of his wrestling in these three: 1. Ye have a very sensible and humble acknowledgment of the desert of sin, in the most godly, vers. 3. If thou, Lord, should mark iniquity, O Lord, who should stand? That is, iniqui­ties are so hainous a thing, that if thou wilt mark them as a severe Judge, and according to the Cove­nant of Works proceed with men, none would be justified.

2. Ye have the Psalmist's relief being thus hum­bled, in Gods pardoning mercy, on which he lays hold, in the beginning of the 4. vers. But there is forgivenness with thee,—

3. This pardoning mercy in God, is amplified from the end he hath before him in letting it forth, That thou mayest be feared, that is, not only in ge­neral, because thou art a merciful and pardoning God in Christ, men have access to worship and serve thee, who otherwise art a consuming fire; but in [Page 51] particular, thy pardoning mercy will excite men to fear and worship, so good a God that freely pardons iniquity, under the weight and burden of which they could not stand.

For the first of these, his sensible and humble ac­knowledgment of the desert of sin in the most godly, I may touch it the more cursorily now, because it will fall in, when afterward I come to speak of the right way of applying pardoning mercy, where I shall take a view of this Verse, as it points out the right method of obtaining pardon, and the qualifi­cation of the pardoned sinner, calling upon God in trouble; what I would say now upon it, ye shall take up in these three.

• 1. Ye have the sense of sin and guilt, joyned with the sense of trouble.
• 2. Ye have the sense of guilt meeting a godly man in the teeth, when he is sent to God by Prayer in trouble.
• 3. Ye have guilt meeting him with a terrible A­spect, that if God marked it, he nor none is able to stand.

For the first, I shall give it to you in this brief Observation, That in right exercise, the sense of sin and guilt should go along with the sense of distress and trouble; the Psalmist rests not on his being sen­sible, that he was in the deeps, but he is also lying under the sense of sin and guilt; a man that hath the meer sense of trouble without the sense of sin, he is no more than a beast that will feel a smart, and so it is a bruitish thing to be houling under the sense of trouble, without the sense of sin, Hos. 7.14. They [Page 52] have not cryed unto me with their heart, when they houled upon their beds. They houled for their trouble, but they called not sincerely unto me. And vers. 16. They return, but not to the most high, they are like a deceitful bowe: And hence Micah (6.9.) The Lords voice calls unto the City, hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it: There must be a hearing of the Appointer of the Rod, as well as the Rod it self. To evince the truth of this point, I shall shortly hint at some consequences that readily follows the sense of trouble, without the sense of sin: Not to stand upon this that readily they choise a new sin to an outgate, Job 26.1. This hast thou chosen rather than affliction. I shall name these three: 1. Where the sense of trouble is without the sense of sin, folks ex­pects to win soon out of it; There are readily a world of conceity folk, that think they will win soon and easily out of their trouble; Judah found the weight of trouble, but not the weight of sin, and when they were going to captivity, they were filled with dreams of outgate, Jer. 12.4. They said, he shall not see our last end. And Jer. 2.25. They said, because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. And when they were brought very low, that delusion did not leave them, Ezek. 11.15. They say, Get ye far from the Lord, unto us is the land given in pos­session. And Ezek. 33.24. These of them that did inhabite the wastes, said, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land, but we are many, the land is gi­ven us for inheritance. Whence it is clear, that de­luded confidence, is one of the wofull fruits of the sense of trouble, without sense of sin.

[Page 53]A 2d is, woful bitterness, and carnal distempers of Spirit, if not when the trouble comes on, because they trust to be soon delivered from it, yet when it continues long, How find ye that people? Jer. 5.19. and the parallel places, who are brought in, saying, Wherefore hath the Lord our God done all these things unto us? What's our iniquity? And what's our sin? And Isa. 51, 20. Ye may take up the temper of such a people, Thy sons have fainted, they ly at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net; they are full of the fury of the Lord, the re­buke of thy God. Ye will not tame a wild Beast, by putting him in a Net, but mad him the more; and so are they who continue long under the sense of trouble, without the sense of sin.

And a 3d Consequence is, a woful issue, when ever delivery out of trouble comes to folk in such a posture; and I find in this issue these two to concur, one is, their hungry starved lusts, meeting with mer­cies, do surfeit upon them; as the peilled Jews, when they came from the Captivity, and had not quit their covetousness, they no sooner came back, but they eat up one another: And another is, when such folk are delivered out of the strait wherein they were, their delivery ordinarily hath the plague of God with it, Psal. 78.29, &c. When that people cryed for flesh, He rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowl as the sand of the sea; they were filled, he gave them their desire; but while the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. This in short would put folk [Page 54] to it in shoring times, to see what they are most af­fected with, whether with trouble, or with sin? If ye be going with your hands on your loyns, what ails you? What affects you most? Sin or trouble? Provocation, or trouble, the fruit of your provoca­tion? Mark it, there is much exercise in sad times, when it is not about sin, and the fruit of that exer­cise will be found wind, Isa. 26.18. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind. Sense of sin over-weighing sense of trouble, were a blest mean to cure our trouble, Isa. 27.9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Ja­cob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he makes all the stones of the Altar as Chalk stones, that are beaten asunder, the Groves and Images shall not stand up.

But the 2d Note I proposed to be spoken to was, That sense of guilt meets him in the teeth, when he comes to God; The Observation is, that guilt will readily meet the people of God, in their approaches to him under trouble: when he is crying to God out of the deeps, and is earnest for audience, God's marking of iniquity stares him in the face, to put some stop and demurr to his access and audience, and the issue he would have been at.

If time would suffer, I would deduce this point in these four. 1. A tender soul is known by many heart-smitings for sin, which David was well acquaint with in the Wilderness, when he cut off the lap of Sauls garment, 1 Sam. 24.5. A very innocent thing to vindicat his own integrity, yet his heart smote him; a heart-smiting for sin was no dainty to [Page 55] him then; I confess, when men are at ease, and are not in a tender frame, they may give way to gross sins, and their heart not smite them. What a tem­per is David in, when he is at ease and secure? What a wide throat hath he to swallow down Adultery, and Murder, and to betray a part of his Army? 2 Sam. 11. The sword devours one as well as another, (saith he,) it's the fortune (as we call it) and the chance of War, let it not trouble thee. That was not like David when he was tender; but however the general holds true, that heart-smiting from sense of sin is a most infallible sign and evidence of tender­ness and nearness to God. O but the skin of a Con­science near God is thin! A little thing will draw blood of it: And as upon the one hand, ye would try your nearness to God by this, so upon the other hand, ye would look upon it as poor gallantry to di­gest sin, without a heart smiting you for it. There is a generation of men, who are called strong spirits, gallant men, and wherein doth their strength of spirit, and gallantry ly? In contemning the Law of God, in treading upon his Authority, in defying God, they can commit all wickedness, and sleep in a sound skin, and never be troubled with it; these are our Gal­lants, but the day will come, when that will be found poor gallantry, and that he is the brave spirit, that knows what heart-smiting for sin is, and hath tenderness in his walk.

There is in the 2d place this in particular, that when Saints go to God, then their guilt readily meets them, although they have little sense of guilt in or­dinary, yet when they approach to God in earnest, their sin will muster up before them.

[Page 56]3. Although in ordinary Addresses, they may be little sensible of sin, yet when a strait comes, and they are sent to God, then their sin will find them out, though they can walk in ordinary, and be little trou­bled with guilt, yet in a distress it cross-necks them.

And 4ly, Although wicked men do not readily meet with guilt, because they are plagued with stu­pidity, yet their guilt will meet with them, and they shall find it marked by God, as if when they came to God in ordinary, they came to proclaim their ini­quity.

These are the Branches of the Point, which now I cannot insist on, to deduce at large, only if ye have to do with God, and be in earnest, beware of unre­pented guilt, the longer it be in meeting with you, it will be the sadder when you and it meet, and the longer it be that ye lay it not to heart to repent of it, and turn from it, it will be the more sad. God bless what ye have heard.

YOU have heard that the Psalmist being wrestling by Prayer, with the difficulties and plunging perplexities that were in his case, vers. 1, 2. Doth here come to wrestle more parti­cularly [Page 57] with guilt, which might stop his audience and success; and (as ye heard) he doth 1. make a sensible confession of the misdeserving of sin, that if God should mark it as a severe Judge, none should be justified; none should be able to stand. 2. Ye have his relief and refuge, being thus humbled in the pardoning mercy of God, upon which he lays hold in the beginning of the 4. Verse; But there is forgi­venness with thee. And 3ly. (as ye heard) in the end of vers. 4. This pardoning mercy of God is am­plified from his end and design, in letting it forth, That thou mayest be feared. There is forgivenness with him, that sinners may draw near him, who in himself is a consuming fire, and that pardoned sin­ners may be excited to fear and worship so good a God, that freely pardons sin.

From the first of these, I spake to a general Note, That the sense of trouble, and the exercise about it, should be attended with the sense of sin, and exercise about sin; for the Psalmist here is exercised and ta­ken up with both; while he is crying out of the deeps, he is lying under the sense of sin. I confirm­ed this, and marked some sad consequences that fol­lowed sense of trouble, without sense of sin. I hint­ed also at a second general Observation but was cut short by the time, in speaking to it, that is, That godly men will very readily find guilt meeting them, when they are sent to God in trouble; for when the Psalmist here is made to cry to God out of the deeps, iniquities interpose and stare him in the face: This Point I did deduce in these four, three of which I [Page 58] could only name, and therefore shall now briefly re­sume that purpose.

1. That it is the duty of godly persons, and their Character, to be acquainted with heart-smitings for sin; what ever David was while at ease, and in prosperity, in digesting Adultery and Murder, yet when he is in trouble, and in the Wilderness, and cut off the lap of Saul's Garment, his heart smote him. Frequent heart-smitings for sin, is a great e­vidence of nearness to God, and it's a pitiful and woful Gallantry, to go on in sin, and digest sin with­out resentment.

2. The second Branch of the Note was this, That what-ever tenderness and smiting of heart for sin, the Saints have in ordinary, yet readily it will meet them, when they come to Ordinances and Duties of Wor­ship, especially to be serious with God in Prayer; for here when the Psalmist is at Prayer, guilt steps in, sin Musters, and God's marking of iniquity signified much to him; a tender heart when it is in the view of God, and hath its eye upon him, should, and will be most observant of its failings. David dare not think of coming to God, till he see what account he gets of doing away his guilt. Psal. 16.6, 7. I will wash my hands in innocency, so will I compass thine Altar, O Lord, &c. Because guilt will offer to ob­struct audience and success, in what the Supplicant would be at. 1 Sam. 14.36, &c. When Saul would consult God about going down after the Philistines, there is a fault found committed, Jonathan had tast­ed of the Honey, and the guilt meets him, he was not answered: And to say no more of this, I shall only [Page 59] mark two words from it, and proceed. One is, That it should and will be a motive to a tender walk­er to walk tenderly, circumspectly, & accuratly, when he considers, that he hath God to go unto, he will think with himself, how circumspectly ought I to walk thorow the day, that have God to go to at night? How can I, or dare I loose Reins to this or that, and offer to bow a knee to God? Will not my untenderness in this or that step of my way, stare me in the face, when I look God in the face? If folks knew what it were to have Communion with God, and what influence sin hath to obstruct it, they be­hoved either to quite their Prayers, or study a more tender and holy walk. Another word shall be this, if there be any of a loose and untender walk, slipping Buckles through the day, and they hear no news of it; at their Prayers, their guilt doth not interpose, and raise a Cloud betwixt God and them; such per­sons would look to it, that there be not a lie in their right hand, that they be not under a delusion, and feeding upon ashes; if they were tender, they would no sooner go to God, but they would say, I remember my faults this day, I have sinned, and now my guilt stares me in the face.

But the 3d Branch of the Doctrine is, That what ever be Saints tenderness in ordinary, or what-ever ills they may digest in ease, a great distress or trouble, will readily bring guilt to mind, and obstruct their access, when they are sent to God, when they are made to cry out of the deeps, God's marking of ini­quity will say something to them. For distress take notice of that place, Gen. 42.21, &c. where ye [Page 60] have the History of Joseph's Brethren, taking with their guilt; it was upwards of twenty years since they sold him, but when they come in distress, it is as recent as if it had been just now committed: They said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear, there­fore is this distress come upon us. Folks would have thought that upwards of 20 years guilt, might have been buried; and no doubt the men in that time had prayed often, but in a distress it's recent. And for going to God in trouble, we have an instance of guilt meeting folk, Judg. 10.10. where the people in trouble come and cry unto God, and take with their sin; But what answer get they? I delivered you (saith the Lord) from such and such enemies, when ye cryed unto me, but ye have forsaken me, and served other gods, wherefore I will deliver you no more, go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen, let them deliver you in the time of your trouble. Mark also that word of Moses speaking to the two Tribes and the half Tribe, Numb. 32.33. when he feared they might cheat their brethren, and desert them, he tells them, If they should do so, they should sin a­gainst the Lord. There is news (might some stout stomacks among them say) but he adds, and be sure your sin will find you out. A man may use many ways to shift guilt, but it will not do with him, his sin will find him out. Ponder that word, Psal. 49.5. Where­fore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniqui­ty of my heels shall compass me about. Iniquity is like a Slouth Hound, that rambles here and there, [Page 61] following the scent of the Prey, and an ignorant spectator wonders what he means, but he follows the Prey, and will not give over till he find it; sin unrepented of will sooner or later meet, and the long­er they be of meeting, it will be to the sinners great­er disadvantage. May I add further, when sin meets the sinner in trouble, an infirmity will pass for an i­niquity, (as here the Psalmist calls sin) and will not seem so small, as when it was committed, or be­fore the trouble came on; yea further, pardoned guilt that seemed to be buried, and done away, these green Graves may open, and that guilt may waken upon new emergents. Hence Job 13.26. says, Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. And Psal. 25.7. David prays, Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Therefore ye that meet not with sin in ordinary, see what ye can do to hold off trouble, and sins meeting you in trouble; ye now can go on in sin, and have your diversions to put away the thoughts of it, and live strangers to your selves, and your own condition; but trouble will cross-neck you, and ye will find (as the word is Gen. 4.7.) That sin is lying at the door, and will meet you.

But I shall add a fourth Branch of the Doctrine, and then come to the main Doctrine which lyes be­fore my hand. I have spoken of guilts meeting with the godly; Now what shall be said of guilts meeting with wicked men? I shall say two words to this, and leave the Note. One is, let a wicked man live never so long without minding his guilt, let him have Ordinances, and keep up a form of Worship; This [Page 62] is to be adverted to, that the wicked man never comes into God's presence to worship or pray to him, but his iniquity is marked, as if he had made a Proclama­tion of his sin. Ponder that Process, Isa. 1.15. and the foregoing Verses, Bring no more vain oblations (saith the Lord) incense is an abomination to me, the new Moons and Sabbaths, and calling of assem­blies, I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the so­lemn meeting; your new Moons, and your appointed feasts, my soul hateth: and when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood. Thou that dare come before God, without the sense of thy guilt, God may look upon thee as proclaiming thy guilt. And another word to the wicked shall be this, that, when ever a day of distress and trouble meets them, though all of them will not be honoured with repentance, and pardoning mercy, they shall find, that they have made a very sad bargain. Take it in that word, Jer. 2.19. Thy own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee; know therefore and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee.

But I leave this Note, and come to the third Ob­servation, that is, that when Guilt and Conscience meets, sin will be otherways looked upon, than men ordinarily do; or if ye will have it more distinctly, take it thus; That the right sense of sin, will lead the sensible man to see that in sin, that none, even the most Godly can stand before God, if God deal with them in strict Justice, according to the Cove­nant [Page 63] of Works. That is the very marrow of this Verse, If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, who should stand? No man, no not a godly man, nor any other can stand. And although I may (if the Lord will) have this purpose to resume when I come to speak of pardon, and the application of pardon from the next Verse following; yet this being an important truth, a verity of great weight, ye will bear with me, though I dip a little more in it than is my ordinary: What I would say on it, I shall from the Text deduce to you in six particulars, which I hope shall give a hint of what at the first view is more material in the words.

And 1. Take notice of something supposed here, that is, God's marking of iniquity, If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquity, where he makes a suppositi­on of God's marking iniquity; not that any Questi­on or doubt is to be made of Gods Omniscience, that he sees and knows all things, and particularly mens sins, he hath an exact knowledge of them all, as when one marks things most narrowly; Neither is there any supposition or question to be made of Gods see­ing of sin in the godly, so as to be displeased at it. Antinomians would be at this, they would have no sin seen in them, but the scope of this Psalm evinces the contrary: God notices the godly mans sin as well as others, till he flee to pardoning mercy through a Mediator; And David, though a godly man, ac­knowledges this, Psal. 51.4. Against thee, thee on­ly, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. But the meaning of this, the Lord's marking of iniquity, may be taken from the parallel place, Psal. 143.2. [Page 64] where it is thus expressed, Enter not into Judgment with thy servant; That's the marking of iniquity spoken of, or supponed in the Text; and in short, the importance of the Phrase is, Gods marking of sin according to the Covenant of Works, and in the rules of strict Justice, and without looking on the sinner as in a Surety. In this respect, Gods mark­ing of iniquity being accompanied with absolute ho­liness, perfect purity, and justice, he cannot away with it, nor with the sinner because of it, as Psal. 5.4, 5. Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wick­edness, neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity. And Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity. God thus marking iniquity according to the rules of strict Justice, and without looking on the sinner as in a Cautioner, cannot away with it, and consequent­ly will punish it, Job 11.11. He seeth wickedness, also will he not consider it? In order to punishment, for so that Phrase is Expounded, Psal. 10.14. Thou hast seen it, for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thine hand. And it is Jehu's remark of Ahab, 2 King. 9.26. Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, (saith the Lord) and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the Lord. The marking of iniquity this way, is to men dreadful, and ye will find in Scripture, that it is a dreadful sight of trouble that some gets, when it represents God thus as marking sin, to pursue and punish it, as in that poor widow, 1 King. 17.18. O thou man of God (saith she to the Prophet) art [Page 65] thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my Son? That was a sad sight of trouble, and of sin in trouble; and Moses in that tragical business in the Wilderness, when calamities are fal­ling thick upon that people, it is a sad sight of them that he gets, when they speak, Gods marking of sin, Psal. 90 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. Thy inflicting of calamity tells us, that thou art marking iniquity. So much for the first thing supposed here, God's marking iniquity.

2. Consider, here somewhat proposed. That if God mark iniquity as a severe Judge, according to the strict rules of Justice, to punish it, and accor­dingly do punish it, the guilty man cannot stand be­fore him. This Phrase is equivalent to that Phrase in the parallel place, Psal. 143.2. If God enter into judgment with men, no man living can be justified in his sight. And a sinners inability to stand before God, is a Phrase frequently made use of, to point out the dreadful desert of sin, as Psal. 5.5. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight. Ezra 9.15. We are before thee in our trespasses, for we cannot stand before thee, because of this. Psal. 1.5. The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. And Psal. 76.7. Thou even thou art to be feared, and who may stand in thy sight, when once thou art angry. Rev. 6.16, 17. The great day of the Lambs wrath is come, and who is able to stand? And to this also that Phrase may allude, which the men of Bethshemesh have, when so many are stricken dead, for their curious looking [Page 66] into the Ark, 1 Sam. 6.20. Who is able to stand be­fore this holy Lord God?

But that I may explain this a little more distinct­ly, I shall take it up with an eye to humane Judg­ments, or Courts among men in these four.

1. Whereas a man when he is to compear before a Court, he may stand in Judgment, and be rectus in curia, (as we use to speak) Why? He is able to plead innocent, and he may come off being found so: but here, a man in whom is iniquity, cannot stand. The sinner cannot plead sinless, as it is, Job 9.2, 3. I know it is so of a truth, but how should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot an­swer him one of a thousand. There is no pleading sinless before his Barr. And in particular, this is to be applyed to secret sins; there is no concealing of the most secret sins, when God marks them. Pro. 30.20. The way of the adulterous woman is such, that she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness; but God noticeth it. Ge­hazi abuses his Masters name, and goes to Fish from Naaman Silver and Raiment, and comes and stands before his Master, and says, He went no whither; but says Elisha, Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned again from his Chariot to meet thee? 2 King. 5.22, &c. Men may convey their sins ve­ry closely, and hide their contrivances from men, but they consider not they have an Omniscient God for their Party, whose Spirit is infinitly above the spi­rit of Elisha, to follow them in all their secret pranks. And that's it, that Moses lays to heart, Psal. 90.8. [Page 67] Thou hast set our sins before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

2. In humane Courts, when a man is made pre­sent, though he cannot stand to plead himself inno­cent, or free of the Debt he is charged with, yet he may stand, because he is able to pay the Debt, though the Sentence pass against him; but so cannot a man stand before God, when he shall mark iniquity, for he hath nothing to satisfie Justice for his fault, and hence the man sensible of sin, will not look upon the debt of sin as a trifling matter, as a matter to be dal­lied with. Those Questions Act. 16.30. What must I do to be saved? Act. 2.37. What shall we do? Job 7.20. I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? They import, that the con­fession of guilt will not be a sufficient exoneration in the sensible mans account. They import also, that it is a concerning Case or Question, how to be rid of guilt? And further they import, a submitting to any terms that can be exacted, if they be in the sin­ners power to perform; And here I confess, Hypo­crites when they are told of their fault, will offer to make a mends, Mic. 6.6, 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and how my self before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings? with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams? or ten thousand rivers of oyl? (more than he could have offered, though it had been accepted) Shall I give my first-born for my transgression? the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? O! but the sensible man will find, that he can make no mends. That there is no Fend against guilt, [Page 68] but Pardon, Job 7.20. I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity.

3. In humane Courts, when a man is made pre­sent, though he be Sentenced for a Debt he is unable to pay, or judg'd guilty of a Crime, he can undergo the punishment resolutely, and in that respect he may stand in Judgment; but here the sinner cannot stand before God marking iniquity, that is, under the burden of the desert of sin, or the deserved punish­ment thereof, without succumbing; a man may un­dergo any punishment inflicted by an humane Court, and his natural courage may support him under all that man can inflict, but who can stand under ever­lasting wrath? Who can stand before a sin-revenging God, and not succumb? Who can endure the ever­lasting torments of Hell, and not be everlastingly broken? So there is no standing for the guilty sinner before God, but he must succumb and break.

But 4. as amongst men, any ingenuous person cal­led for Debt, and not being able to pay, or being looked upon as a monstruous Criminal by the Judge, it will make him blush, that he cannot stand before the Judge with confidence: So here, (which should be the result of the former) when sinners are sen­sible of sin, and are convinced they cannot stand be­fore God, considered as out of a Cautioner, it may be matter of blushing and horrour to them, and should be so, when they find they cannot stand be­fore God marking iniquity. This was the posture of the poor Publican, who Luk. 18.13. standing a far [Page 69] off, would not so much as lift up his eyes to Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner; he had not the confidence to stand be­fore God, but he cryed out for pardon. And this was the practice of Ezra, when he went to God in behalf of the people, that had corrupted themselves, after Gods kindness towards them, and correcting of them for their sins, Ezra 9.6. O my God (saith he) I am ashamed, and blush, to lift up my face to thee, O my God, for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespasses are grown up to the hea­ven. This, I say, should be the result of all the rest, and would be a token for good, that God would find out the way how the sinner might stand before him in Judgment: If a sinner being convinced he is guilty, and that he cannot undergo the punishment, without crushing, would blush and be ashamed, if we were delivered from our brazen Brow, and Whores Fore-head, that we could not look up to God with­out shame and blushing, there were hope of pardon through a Surety.

Thus I have done with the first two, of the six particulars, I proposed to be spoken to, for finding out what is said in the Text: There are three or four moe to be battered out, with the application of the whole, which I leave till the Afternoon. The Lord bless what ye have been hearing.

I Am (as ye may remember) from this Verse, making out a very weighty and sad point o [...] truth, that there is no standing before God, mark­ing iniquities in strict Justice, according to the Co­venant of Works; and for finding out what is said in this Text, for bottoming and clearing of this point, I proposed to remark six particulars from the Text, two of which I have spoken to in the Forenoon, to wit, that which is supponed here, that God is a marker of iniquity, and what it imports: And se­condly, that which is proposed on this supposition, That if God should mark iniquity, as was explained, men, even the most godly men, could not stand, where somewhat was said to the importance of that Phrase.

Now I proceed in Explication of the Point from the Text, (for to that I confine my self) in other four particulars; The first, and third in order shall be this: That this assertion, that men cannot stand before God marking iniquity, is of infallible verity, a most certain and infallible truth, it is not a Bug-Bear to afright Children, but the infallible truth of God. This is hinted at in the Text, partly in the [Page 71] Psalmist his proposing the matter to God, If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand? He proposes it to God, who knows this matter bet­ter than any other, and who is Supream Judge in the matter, without whose determination, a Decreet in our own favours will signifie nothing at all; it imports, O Lord, let men dream what they will of their standing, thou knowest, that none can stand, if thou shalt mark iniquity, to punish it; and parti­cularly, the infallible verity of this assertion, may be gathered from the way of proposing it, and that is, by way of Question, Who shall stand? Which Question, is a very peremptory denyal of the thing questioned, for so the like Question is resolved, Job 14.4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. Yea, the proposing of it by way of Que­stion, Who shall stand? Doth import a defyance to any to attempt it, or to succeed in their attempt, and indignation at the presumption of any, that should dream of standing before God, marking iniquity.

But in the fourth place, as this assertion is of infal­lible verity, so it is of universal verity. This is held out in the Question, for the Question is, Who shall stand? That is as the parallel Question is answered, Job 14.4. None at all, good or bad, If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquity, none should stand; for the Psalmist here, a godly man, is taking in himself with others, as a man that could not stand himself, with­out pardon. And so the Phrase is, Psal. 143.2. Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. The best of men that are come of Adam by ordinary generation, shall [Page 72] not be justified, if thou mark iniquity. Hence in Scripture it is clear, that Saintship consists not in sin­lessness, but in sincerity, for, for Original guilt in that, Job 14.4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one; and for a mans endeavours after he is brought in to God, and is wrestling with cor­ruptions to have these purged out, says Solomon, Prov. 20.9. Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Eccles. 7.20. There is not a just man upon earth, that doth good and sinneth not; but as it is, Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all. Thus ye see that Saintship doth not consist in sinless­ness, but in sincerity; neither doth Saintship con­sist, in the Saints their sins not deserving condemna­tion, or in their being able to stand, though they have sinned, but in their sins being pardoned; hence ye will find them sadly exercised in wrestling under the burden of guilt, upon their gross out-breakings, as David, Psal. 51. ye have them praying for the pardon of great iniquity, Psal. 25.11. For thy Names sake pardon mine iniquity, for it is great. Ye have them pleading for mercy upon the account of innu­merable evils compassing them, and their iniquities take hold of them, and being more than the hairs of their head, Psal. 40.11, 12. And when they are delivered from gross out-breakings, ye have them with Paul, Rom. 7. groaning under a body of sin and death, till they attain to a song of thanksgiving thorow Jesus; so that not only doth the Text hold out the infallible verity of this truth, but the uni­versal verity of it, that if God mark iniquity, none can stand.

[Page 73]The 5th thing I gather from the Text is, that the infallible and universal verity of this assertion, that if God mark iniquity none can stand, might be gather­ed and closed with, if men were eying God much; this I gather from the Text, where the Psalmist re­peats the Name of God twice, If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquity: And then again, O Lord, who, &c. Wherefore is this twice repeated in this assertion? Certainly not by way of idle repetition, condemned Mat. 7.21. in many that say Lord, Lord; nor meer­ly, because the Psalmist is affected with that which he is speaking of, for so the expression of affections, or mens being affected with a thing, is expressed by a doubled Exclamation, which may come in in the own place, when I speak of the pardon of sin; but here, it is to make this truth out, that serious and frequent repeated thoughts of God, is a mean to give folk a right sense of the desert of sin: And to make out this, consider, partly that when we seri­ously think of God, we know that he is Omnisci­ent, to find out that which is hid from the world; Omniscient, to find them guilty that are innocent to others; Omniscient, to know more of us, than we know of our selves; A consideration that John would have us marking, 1 Joh. 3.20. If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and know­eth all things. If we know so much naughtiness of our selves, by our selves, what must God know, who knoweth all things? And Paul makes use of this consideration, 1 Cor. 4.4. I know nothing by my self, (to wit in the administration of his Office) yet I am not hereby justified, but he that judgeth me [Page 74] is the Lord. Partly, if we will consider what is im­ported in the Names of God, here made use of by the Psalmist. We will find it further clear; the first Name JAH, is a diminutive from JEHOVAH, that imports a Supream Independent Beeing. The second name ADONAI, signifies his Dominion and Lordship: Ponder these well, and what a dreadful sight will it afford of the unspeakable desert of sin? A sinner in sinning rebels against a Supream Beeing, from whom he hath his beeing. This is made a great aggravation of sin, to Belteshazzar the greatest Monarch on earth, Dan. 5.23. Thou hast lifted up thy self against the Lord of heaven, the God in whose hands thy breath is; thou hast renounced thy de­pendence on him, from whom thou hast thy beeing. Sin is also the casting off of the Yoke of his Dominion and Lordship, it says upon the matter, that which ye have asserted of wicked men, Psal. 12.4. They say, with our tongues we will prevail, our lips are our own, who is Lord over us? That's the Language of every sinner in sinning, and not only doth the sin­ner by sinning cast off the yoke of God's Dominion, but he denys his Power and Justice, to exercise that Dominion to do him skaith; therefore when the Lord would move men to fear him, he gives an ac­count of his Dominion over the Creatures, and in­stanceth it, in his bounding of the Sea, Jer. 5.22. Fear ye not me? saith the Lord, will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it can­not pass it, &c. A consideration that a sinner in sinning, minds not, or he does defy it. Thus it is [Page 75] not unfitly determined that though sin be not infinit­ly ill in its kind, for then no distinction should be among sins, nor an infinite ill in its beeing, for then all sins should be one, or equal, and a finite Creature cannot act that which is infinite, yet safely it may be said, that in respect of the person against whom it is committed, it hath an infinite ill in it objective­ly, as being against an infinite Majesty, in Beeing and Dignity, and consequently there is no standing if he mark it.

But 6ly, for further proof of this assertion, and for proof that the Saints do so see God, as to give them a right sense and sight of the desert of sin, I shall add this in the Text, that when the Saints are in a right frame, they are great Students of the exceed­ing sinfulness and hainousness of their sin; therefore a Saint sees that none can stand before God, mark­ing iniquity, because when a Saint sees God to be his Party, and is in a right frame, he passes no sin, as insignificant or little, but he is an aggravater of his sin; and this I gather from the name that the Psal­mist gives sin in the Text, If thou, Lord, should mark iniquities, he calls them not only many iniquities in the Plural Number, (of which I shall not now speak) but iniquities gross in their nature, and if thou, Lord, saith he, should mark sins, as such, who could stand? If I thought that I would not be cut short by the time, I would here observe, that the name of Ini­quity and Transgression, is frequently given to sins of a grosser nature, not ordinary, that are contradistin­guished to the ordinary infirmities of the Saints. To these sins Deut. 32.5. of which it may be said, They [Page 76] are not the spots of his children; To these sins, of which David says, Psal. 18.21, 23. I have not wic­kedly departed from my God, and I have kept my self from mine iniquity: And of these sins which Da­niel (9.5) confesseth, We have sinned, and com­mitted iniquity, and done wickedly, and have re­belled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgments. But yet I find the Saints, even in speaking of their ordinary infirmities, not sparing to give them the name of Iniquities and Transgressions, as Psal. 65.3. Iniquities prevail against me, O Lord, as for our transgressions thou wilt purge them away: where sins get the name of iniquities, and iniquities prevailing against Saints, and the name of transgres­sions, Psal. 40.12. The sins that were innumerable, and moe than the hairs of David's head, were his or­dinary failings, yet they are said to compass him a­bout, and are called iniquities that had taken hold of him, so that he was not able to look up. And if it be enquired upon what account the Saints do look on all their sins as iniquities, and transgressions? I might observe from that Psal. 32.5. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and thou for­gavest the iniquity of my sin. That every sin, as well as gross sins, hath an iniquity, a perversness in it, that must be pardoned; but ye shall particularly take notice of these three; 1. That the tender and sen­sible frame of Saints, leads them not to extenuat, but to aggravat their sin, they dare not minch their sin; their tender frame leads them to lay it out in all the aggravating circumstances thereof; and it's a fruit of their tenderness so to do. And 2ly, A fight [Page 77] of God, (which is here supponed in the Psalmist) is a magnifying Glass, wherein a Saint will be made to see and look upon sin, even the least sin, as most hainous. It made Job 42.6. to abhor himself; and Isai. 6.5. to cry out, Wo is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips. A sight of God will represent a very ordinary infirmity, as very hai­nous to him that sees God. But 3ly, and lastly, Every sin, even the meanest infirmity in a man, it proves an iniquity, if he think lightly of it, or thinks he may pass it lightly, without running to the reme­dy of pardoning mercy; the least sin he is guilty of, will on that account be an iniquity.

Now having taken some time to lay open this weighty Point, anent the desert of sin, before you, That which I have said in Explication of it to you, might easily be made Practical by you, if ye were at­tentive, and applying it to your selves; yet for your help herein, I shall add somewhat for Use.

The general Use is, to intreat you, as ye love the eternal happiness of your souls, to learn to say over this Text sensibly, with Application to your selves. If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, I cannot stand. It were a blessed part of a very lawful Liturgy, for a man once a day, to say this over, Lord, if thou mark iniquity, I cannot stand. Let me exhort you to mind this more, to make it your daily study to be sensible of the sinfulness of sin, and of the dreadful desert of sin, that ye be lost folk in your own eyes; this is a matter that is but dallied with by the most part, and so is seen on it. Ye are such stran­gers to the Law, and Sinai, that the Gospel and Si­on [Page 78] have but little imployment among you, it doth not relish with you as it ought; There are none that can say, But forgivenness is with thee, that thou mayest be feared; but they that can say, If thou, Lord, should mark iniquity, who can stand? Pardo­ning mercy may well get complements, it will be sweet news to none else, but such as have seen, and are sensible of the dreadful desert of sin; nay none other have right to the remedy of pardoning mercy.

And to help both good and bad to be more sen­sible, I would offer a five-fold consideration, to drive home the truth of this assertion, That if God mark iniquity, none can stand.

1. Will thou take a look of God, thy Party, in sinning; consider him in his Supream Dominion o­ver thee, to impose what duty he pleases, and that his will is the Law of Righteousness. Consider him in his Omniscience, to know how thou observes these duties he enjoyns, and comes up to that Law which is thy rule, thou may cheat the world and thy self, but God thou cannot cheat; will thou consider him further in his Holiness and Purity, abhorring sin in all, and in thee. O how loathsome and abominable is the pollution of sin to him, a holy Lord God? Which makes him say, Isai. 1.13. Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination unto me, the new Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. And lastly, consider God in his Power and Justice, that if he put forth his Dominion, to call thee to account, thou being considered in thy self, what will the issue be but that Heb. 10.31? It is a dreadful thing to fall in­to [Page 79] the hands of the living God, where there is not a Cautioner to interpose betwixt Justice and thee; con­sider God thus, if thou would be sensible of the de­sert of sin.

2. When thou hast taken a right look of God thy Party, in his Supream Dominion, Omniscience, Ho­liness, Purity, Power and Justice, cast up the Sum of thy Debt, which thou art owing to this Party, and thou wilt be like that man, Mat. 18.24. that was owing ten thousand Talents. Consider the Law in its spiritual sense and meaning, and thou wilt find that Paul found himself guilty upon the account of his concupiscence, before it came to the consent of the will, and so art thou. Consider that the Law condemns evil thoughts, unripe and indeliberat mo­tions, and how many of these art thou guilty of? Again consider the Gospel, what a Mass of Duties it commands, or recommends, upon the account of Gospel-encouragements, and what a vast count or reckoning wilt thou find over thine head? Sins of commission, and sins of omission; sins in the seed and root, and sins in the fruit, against the Law, a­gainst the Gospel, in thy particular station, and in thy general Calling. O! what a dreadful count will there be, if a man cast up the rate of his duty, and in how many things he hath offended? There will be such a Count, that as Job says, Chap. 9.3. That if God contend with him, he cannot answer one of a thousand. There is not one of a thousand chal­lenges, that a righteous man can put off, but he must say as David, Psal. 40.12. Innumerable evils compass me, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I [Page 80] cannot look up, they are moe than the hairs of my head.

But 3ly, When thou hast considered thy Party, and the Debt which may be charged upon thee, and the number of thy sins, take another look of the na­ture of them, and their aggravations, from the times wherein thou hast sinned, as if they have been times of light, and it may be also thou hast been sinning with Zimri and Cozbi, when the Congregation was weeping, Num 25. When sad affliction hath been lying upon the people of God, it may be thy sin hath been against as clear light, as Absalom's sin was, when he committed incest with his fathers concubines, upon the top of his fathers house. 2 Sam. 16.22. It may be when thou was under punishment and judgment, for former sins, to deterr thee from future. It may be it was when thou was surrounded with mercies, when God was drawing thee with cords of love, with the bonds of a man, and was to thee as they that take off the yoke from thy jaws, and laid meat unto thee, Hos. 11.4. It may be thou hast been a person much obliged to God, who hast often been refreshed with pardoning mercy, he hath spoken peace to thee, upon condition thou would not return to folly, and yet thou hast returned to it. It may be thou art one, whose example hath had influence to harden many others in sin, &c. I cannot enumerat the aggravati­ons of sin, that Professors of the Gospel have been, or are lying under, but when the Account is casten, it will not be found an Account of Cyphers, or in­significant petty Nothings, but an Account of iniqui­ties and transgressions, very hainous and dreadful, all circumstances being considered.

[Page 81]I shall (in the 4th place) when you have considered your Party, the Sum of your Debt, the number of your sins in their nature, and aggravating circumstances, ex­hort you to ponder how just God is? The truth of his threatnings against sin, and the curse. Think on that place, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them; and it were to good purpose, that these Chap­ters, Deut. 28. and Lev. 16. were more frequently read and thought upon. It were to good purpose that we heard Moses from Mount Sinai thundering oftner, not to drive us from Christ, but to him. It's a woful trick in our hearts, that leads us to look over threatnings with a light eye. We would consider that the threatnings will be accomplished, as well as the promises, and the least farthing of the sinners debt will be exacted off the sinner, or off his Cautioner. Thou must either do, or get one to do for thee, and when thou reads the threat­nings, think on the posture wherein thou stands.

And 5ly, That ye may sensibly say over this assertion, If thou, Lord, mark iniquity, who shall stand? I recom­mend to you to consider the sufferings of our blessed Lord. Consider if such things were done to the green tree, what will be done to the dry? And there a man that hath any sense of sin, will read the dreadful desert of sin, when he considers that wrath for sin made him cry out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And how his Holy Nature abhorred that Cup, and put him to pray, that it might pass from him; and how it made him in his agony sweat drops like blood, when thou judges of the desert of sin by that, thou wilt stand then, and more sensibly think, that, thou wilt not be able to stand before God marking iniquity, for if such things were done to the green tree, when his Holy Humane Nature suffered so much, being supported by his Di­vine Nature, what will be done to thee, who art a dry [Page 82] Tree out of him. If God would speak home these things to your hearts, ye would Subscribe to that Verdict So­lomon hath, Prov. 14.9. that they are fools that make a mock at sin, nay that they are distracted, that are lying under the guilt of sin, and can take rest in themselves, till they see if a remedy can be had, till they come to that which follows in the Text, But there is forgivenness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. There are some par­ticular inferences that I intended to have spoken to from this point, but the time being past, I quite them. On­ly remember that which I have been upon, what hath been spoken to you of the dreadful desert of sin, a Do­ctrine that is very necessary, but little laid to heart by many of you. Ye have got the Gospel-knack among you, and have learned to talk of sin, and of making Christ a refuge against it. But I dare not account all Gold that glisters, nor look upon all them as real Con­verts, that can talk in a Gospel-Dialect in Irwine. I would drive none of you from Christ, if any of you find your need of a Saviour, come away, he waits to re­ceive you, but lay a solid foundation, acquaint your selves more with the sinfulness of sin, with the desert of sin, and with the impossibility of standing before God marking sin, in strict Justice, that ye may close with Christ in earnest. God bless what ye have heard for Christ's sake.

YE have heard how the Psalmist in the 1st and 2d Verses, being wrestling with plunging perplexi­ties, expressed here under the name of deeps, gets [Page 83] guilt stopping his audience and success to wrestle with, in the 3d and 4th Verses, wherein as ye have heard, we have 1. A sensible confession concerning the desert of sin, Verse 3. Next we have his refuge, when he is humbled with the sense of that, and it is pardoning mercy, forgi­venness with God, to which he claims in the beginning of the 4th Verse. And lastly, ye have the end for which God lets out and bestows pardoning mercy on sinners, that he may be feared.

For the first of these, in the 3d Verse, I am near a close of what I purpose to say upon it, for beside the conjunction ye have heard ought to be betwixt the sense of sin, and the sense of trouble, without which the sense of trouble is but bruitish; and beside that ye have heard, that guilt will readily meet the people of God in straits, when they are made to cry out of the deeps unto God: Beside these (I say) I insisted the last day on that great Point, that iniquity marked by God, according to the Covenant of Works, and the Rules of strict Justice, is that which no man is able to stand under; and ye may remember, how at great length, I both Explained, and continued this truth, by several Deductions from the Text, which I shall not now repeat. I shut up the Point with a general word of Exhortation, that sinners that look for everlasting happiness, would learn to say over this Text with application to themselves, If thou, Lord, should mark iniquity, I cannot stand, and to do it sensibly; for the fixing of which, and bearing of it home, ye may remember, what Considerations were laid before you, as Considerations concerning God your Party, Consi­derations concerning the number of your sins and guilt; It's called iniquities in the Plural Number, Considera­tions concerning the nature and aggravations of your guilt, upon which account also, it's called Iniquities; Considerations also of the just threatnings of God, and of the infallible execution of them upon the sinner, or [Page 84] his Surety; Considerations concerning the sufferings of Jesus Christ, a Glass wherein the desert of sin must be seen.

Now before I come to the next Verse, I shall mark three or four particular inferences. And,

1. Ye have here a clear discovery, that there is no Justification by Works, that a man by his Works can­not think of standing before God; Justification by Works, is that only, which we know by the Light of Nature, and that first Covenant made with mankind in Adam, and therefore every man hath a natural propen­sion to do his own turn that way; The Jews being igno­rant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish their own righteousness, did not submit unto the righteous­ness of God, Rom. 10.3. Ignorant persons think to please God with their Repentance, and the mending of their faults, and doing better: Papists plead with an open mouth for Justification by Works; some Mungrel Pro­testants would mumble out somewhat that way; but ye are to consider, that the Covenant requires that which is now impossible, even perfect holiness, and that Co­venant being once broken, is everlastingly broken; and for any Evangelical Paction the Text leads us to, there is no Medium betwixt God's marking iniqiuity, and forgiving iniquity, a man must either stand to his hazard of God's sitting down on his Tribunal, and marking his iniquities, to punish them; or he must lay aside all thoughts of complementing with God in this matter, or of patching up a business of Grace and good Works in his Justification before him, they that study the first part of the Text well, that if God mark iniqui­ty none can stand, they will easily be put from that con­ceit of Justification by Works, and plead forgivenness.

And therefore 2, I would have sinners considering, that there is no standing under guilt, except Christ be fled unto for refuge; if ye have not taken Sanctuary in [Page 85] Atheism, that ye look upon all that is said in this Preach­ed Gospel as cunningly devised Fables, will you but look to it, and think with your selves, what will you do in the day of Visitation, and in the day of Wrath? when the just threatnings of God shall be execute a­gainst sin, and all sinners that are out of Christ; when many will be ready to cry out for Hills and Mountains to fall upon them, and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. O! consider it, if ye can be perswaded to be in earnest about your souls, what ye think to do in the day of Gods wrath for sin. In that day wherein the sensless sinners that made a sport of sin, will be made to sing that doleful Note, Lam. 5.16. The Crown is fallen from our head, wo unto us, for we have sinned. Then ye will find it desperate folly and madness that ye went on in sin, and fled not in time from the wrath to come. Ponder that Parable Luk. 16.24. (which is not to be stretched beyond the principal scope, as if there were charity for others in Hell,) and ye will find what a dreadful Bargain sin is, when a drop of cold Water to cool the Tongue, would be an ease to the Drunkard in torment, and he cannot have it, when his warning of others is a witness against himself, that he was a desper­at man, that run such a hazard, that is now past reme­dy: Think I say, on these things, if ye look not on this Word as Fables.

But 3. If none can stand before God's marking ini­quity, then the sense of guilt should make us justi­fie God in all the troubles that come upon his People, when we consider, that the Lord may for sin, not only, as in a solemn day, call our terrors round about, as the word is, Lament. 2.22. But may everlastingly con­demn us in hell; how dare a sinner murmur under lesser calamities or troubles? The language of a man sensible of the desert of sin, is, that which ye have, Ezra 9, 13. [Thou our God hast punished us less than [Page 86] our iniquities deserve;] and that, Lam. 3.22. [It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.] A man that is sensible of sin and of the desert of it, ye will not find him a murmurer against any cross inflicted, but a wonderer at the modera­tion, that shines in the sharpest tryals. Therefore, (as I said upon the first head) the sense of trouble, without the sense of sin, is ill company, and will breed many distempers, which the sense of sin, joyned with the sense of trouble, will bear down and prevent.

And, 4. If even the most godly man, be thus lyable to punishment, (for who can stand, if God mark in­iquity,) and even for his ordinary failings, consider, what is the godly mans case, when he falleth in grosser out-breakings. If when thou looks upon thy dayly escapes through ignorance, rashness, precipitancy, short­coming in duty, thou art made to lament, and say, (Lord, I cannot stand before thee, if thou, Lord, mark ini­quity;) how may the lamentation be hightned, when thou falls in grosse sins and spots, and by them causes the enemy to blasphem; and the truth is, were folk more frequent in laying to heart their ordinary escapes and infirmities, it would be a mean to caution them a­gainst out-breakings in grosser debordings, but when these are not laid to heart, and mourned for, it provokes God to write it with some vile blemish; and I shal add, if the Lord mark iniquity, and a godly man cannot stand, what shall become of a wicked man, who hath no in­terest in Christ? if a David (suppose he hath been the penman of this Psalm) be trembling and sinking under the Burden of iniquities, what a posture should mon­sters for prophanity, who declare their sin as Sodom be in? I confess they are not troubled with sin, because they forget that they have immortal Souls, but their trouble is coming. They see godly men plunged and perplexed, under apprehensions of wrath, when they [Page 87] are free of grosse out-breakings; and they are not af­fected with all their impieties, but O! what a witnes is that against them, who walk as monsters among men, and are never troubled? ponder that word, 1 Pet. 4.17.18. [The time is come, that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it begin at us, what shall be­come of them, that obey not the Gospel of God? and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and ungodly appear?] If godly men dare not think of standing before God, marking iniquity, how can these monsters for prophanity, and ungodliness, think to look God in the face, marking their iniquities?

But now, I proceed to the second General in the Text, and that is the refuge to which the Psalmist betakes him­self, when he is thus humbled, and abased under the sense of the dreadful deserts of sin, [But there is forgiv­ness with thee. That is, thou hast declared thy self to be a pardoner of sin on gospel-terms, and this forgiven­ness is with thee, that is, it's thy peculiar right, in op­position to all pretenders. None have a right to pardon but thou, and it's thy right, when the Law, and our own Consciences do condemn us, to stepin and forgive; and therefore though upon account of the Covenant of Works, I cannot think of standing before thee. I betake my self to the refuge, that forgiveness is with thee.

There is a General Word that I might here mark, that is, That there is a remedy in God for all difficulties. under which the Saints are humbled, and abased as in­superable, for when in the 3. verse, he hath said, [If thou, Lord, should mark iniquities, who can stand? There is a But, a reserve, an exception added, Forgiven­ness is with thee, There is indeed a hopeless case, but here is a remedy for it in God; so that there is no case (how hopeless soever it be) that is desperat, if folks go to God with it.

But this I leave, and pitch upon the main point in the [Page 88] Text, That there is pardoning mercy in God for sin, and this is the only refuge to a sensible sinner op­pressed with sin and guilt. It's here the Psalmist's only refuge and ease, when he cannot think of standing be­fore God marking iniquity. It's Job's only refuge, Chap. 7.20, 21. [ I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee? O thou preserver of men! Thou may set me as a mark against thee, and make me a burden to my self, but all that will not make thee reparation. Why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? and it's the happiness of fallen Man, not that he is sinless, or able to satisfie Justice for his sin, but that he is a pardo­ned man, Psal. 32.1.2. &c. [Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is pardoned, blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity.] This we would not need to insist on, to prove it, if souls were in the Psalmists posture here, if souls knew what it were to be under the burden of the debt of Sin, there would be no happiness to that, to have sin pardoned, God would be to them a matchless God upon this account, Mic. 7.18. [Who is a God like unto thee, that par­doneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?] he would be a matchless God upon the account of his pardoning iniquity, what­ever other proof of Love he should give, or withhold.

Now because this is a most important, and weighty Gospel point of Truth, The pardoning of Sin, and I know not, when I may fall upon it in a Catechetical way, I purpose to quite my ordinary way, and to insist upon this head, The pardon of [...]in, which would give me occasion to speak to several things, for information of judgment, and to set you to your duty, I shall re­duce what I intend to say on it, to these Heads.

• 1. What is Pardoned?
• 2. Who they are that are Pardoned?
• 3. What the nature of this Pardon is?
• 4. When Pardon passes in favours of the Sinner whe­ther it be irrevocable?
• [Page 89]5. What is the right method of the Application of Pardoning Mercy? which will lead me to the last thing in the Text, That forgiveness is with God, that He may be feared.

These and the like, through the determination of the Scriptures, may be of special use to you.

1. What is it that God doth pardon? it is sin or ini­quity, so the former verse, and this collated holds forth. It's the iniquities under which he is groaning in the for­mer verse, for which there is forgiveness with God in this verse, so in that forcited place, Mic. 7, 18. He par­dons iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, and Psal. 52.1, 2. It's sin, iniquity, trans­gression, that is pardoned, covered, not imputed, to intimat that sin, under whatever name it be expressed, is that which God pardons.

Now to prosecute this, I shall not fall upon many descriptions of sin, and its nature, it shall suffice us to know, that sin is the transgression of the Law, and that of the Law of God, neither the crossing of folks hu­mors, will make a man a sinner, James 4.11, 12. (There are a number of rigid Censurers, that would make their Will a Law to all, or have all to walk by their rash Judgment, whereas there is but one Law-giver, who is able to save and destroy) neither will the Commands of men, oblidging them in Law, conclude men to be sinners, unless there be a superiour Command of God, oblidging them to give obedience to these Com­mands of men, but waving that, to the end I may re­sume, and follow forth something to your Edification, I shall briefly speak to these four,

• 1. That all men have sin to be pardoned?
• 2. That sin is a Crime, and a Debt, that needs a par­don, a burden that a man will not willingly ly under, if he look right on it, nor be at rest till he get it off.
• 3. That Sin being a Debt that needs pardon, and a burden too heavy for any, the unpardoned man looks [Page 90] upon himself, (if in his right wits) in a doleful plight, till he be pardoned. And
• 4. That it is the chiefest of good news, to a Man sensible of the Debt of Sin, that God is a pardoner of Sin.

For the first of these, all have sinned, or done that which needs a pardon, I shal not need to repeat what I spoke the last day upon this, when I cleared the uni­versality of that assertion, That if God mark iniquity, none can stand before him v. 3. I shall only add two Scriptur­all Confirmations this day. One is, that, 1 John 1.8. Where the Apostle writing to the godly, says, as to Original Sin, [if we say we have not sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us;] and another Confirmation, when as to actual sin, he says, [ v. 10. If we say, that we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and his word is not in us. And another Confir­mation ye shall take from the Patern of Prayer, Mat. 6.12. Where these who are allowed to call God Father, even the godly are required to pray dayly, (forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; or as Luk. 11.4. hath it. [Forgive us our sins.]

I shall say no more of this, but briefly mind you of these four. 1. It serves to refute the perfectists, that pretend to sinlesness. It was the damnable error of the Pelagians, that they affirmed, that as we have no guilt by Adam's sin, so Men might live without sin, not on­ly sine crimine, without any gross scandalous out-break­ings, (as we confess some sins, or some way of com­mitting sin, are not incident to the People of God, 1 John 3.9.) But they assert, that men may live sine pec­cato, without any sin at all; And when they are urged with that Petition enjoyned in the Lords Prayer, where we are bidden pray for the daily forgivenness of sin; They Answer. That men should say that Petition humi­liter, but not veraciter, humbly, but not truly, and in [Page 91] sincerity; which is both an imputation on the Majesty of God, and a refutation of their error. An imputati­on on the Majesty of God, as if he did require, that men should lye under pretence of humility, and a refutation of their own error: for if they should lye and pray hy­pocritically, and not sincerely, they prove themselves, to be sinners, and not perfect, as they pretend.

2. We might here put Papists to mind, what they say, when they plead for the sinlesness of the blessed Virgin Mary, though in this they do not agree among themselves: The Franciscans and Jesuits, they assert, that she was conceived Immaculat: others, as the Domi­nicans, assert, that she was conceived in sin, but she was immediatly cleansed from it; but both of them agree, that she lived without actual sin. VVe are for to de­clare her blessed above all VVomen, and highly favour­ed of the Lord, but we dare not contradict Scripture, which concludes all under sin, Rom. 3.23. Nor her own confession, Luke 1.47. Where she owns God as her Sa­viour, which imports her acknowledging that she was a sinner; nor yet contradict our blessed Lord, his taxing of her as Culpable, John 2.4. When she would enjoyn him by her Motherly Authority, to work a miracle, Woman (saith he) what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come, he owns her as a Woman, not as his Mother, in the Acts of his Mediatory Office; and reflects upon her as one culpable, that would require of him to work a miracle.

But 3. I would from this recommend to all of you to grow in acquaintance with your pollutions, sinfulness, infirmities, and manifold dayly failings. And for this, alas! we need not light Candles, there is not need of any secret search, as the Word is, Jer. 2, 34. The skirts of our Garments tell what we are, to us may be applyed that Word, Isaiah 3.9. The shew of their countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their sin as So­dom, [Page 92] they hide it not, wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. But were we as spotless as Paul, it is our duty to be exercised with the root of sin, with the Body of Sin and Death, with that Law which is in our Members, rebelling against the Law of the mind, with that will that is present with us, when we delight to do good, after the Inner-man, Rom. 7. Ye would drive this trade, and mourn for your secret sins, lest God be provoked to give you up to scandalous out-breakings, which the world will read, when ye are not exercised with secret sins, ye provoked God to give you other work a do, litle to your advantage. Learn to be at that work, which the people are at, Isaiah 59.12. Our transgressions (say they) are multiplyed before thee, and our sins testifie against us, for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities we know them; And at that trade, David was at, Psal. 40.12. While he saith, In­numerable evils have compassed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up, They are mo than the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me. Estrangement from our sinfulness is an impedi­ment to our humility, all the crosses in the world will not humble, or bring a man so low, as acquaintance with his own pollutions, and sinfulness of his nature; Estrangement from sinfulness, is a great obstruction to repentance, he cannot be a penitent, that is not a dayly student of his own failings, and infirmities, and estrange­ment of our sinfulness is an impediment to pardon; for sin must be taken with, and confessed, before we can ex­pect pardon, and that cannot be while we live estrang­ed from it: Thus you see the losses that follows the ne­glect of acquainting our selves with the sinfulness of sin, our dayly pollutions and infirmities.

But the 4. and last Word I shall give you from this, (and I shall go no further for the time) shall be this, that the consideration of the universal sinfulness of all [Page 93] mankind, should excite folk much to commend God; it commends God, as upon many accounts, so parti­cularly upon these two, one is, that he spares the World dayly, though there be so much sin both of Saints and others abounding in it, who would fit with so many wrongs as God gets every day, and yet he destroyes us not, how often might he say, as he said to Moses of Isra­el, Exod. 32.10. Let me alone, that my wrath may wax bot against them, and that I may consume them, that I may sweep them away from off the earth; and yet he doth it not, how often might he do with us in this World, as he did with Sodom, and the old World, and yet he bears with us. How often might he make the visible Church a terror to it self, and all the World? and how often might he make the Saints a burden to themselves, and yet great is his goodness, that he spares a sinful VVorld, and sinners in it. And upon another account it com­mends God, and that is, that he lets not the sinfulness of his People make void their interest in him, but not­withstanding their sinfulness, allows them to call him Fa­ther; That though they be dayly, by their repeated provocations, iniquities and transgressions, drawing Rods forth from his hand, yet that doth not make void the Covenant. Psal. 89.32, 33. [That he will visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with stripes, nevertheless his loving kindness will he not utterly take from them, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail.] O! but the study of our sinfulness would make dayly a new wonder to us, it would not be common news, [but a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, That Christ came into the world to save sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. And as we grow in the study of our sinfulness, the sweeter should these Truths that holds out the re­medy of sin grow and continue.

AFter that I had spoken to this godly man his hum­bling sense, and fight of the desert of Sin, in the third verse. I have begun to speak to this re­medy of pardoning mercy with God, upon which he layeth hold; and I took up the words in that General Note, That there is pardoning mercy in God for Sin, and that is the only refuge for sinners, sensible of the burden of sin, and of the desert of sin; and told you, that I have a purpose, (if the Lord will) to prosecute this Point, in the resolution of several Questions, which yet may be reduced to a few General Heads, Which were hinted at. That which now I am upon is, the consideration of that that is pardoned, Sin, Iniquity, or Transgression, where I spoke to one particular; that all Mankind have sinned, and done that which will need a pardon. They have iniquities, even the most godly which makes them, when they are sensible of them, to look upon it as good news to hear of pardon, That which I further proposed to be spoken to, was, 1. That, as all have sinned, so sin is a crime, a debt, a burden, that men stand in need to rid their hands of. 2. That sin is a debt that man cannot satisfie, but must have it done away by Remission, it must consequently follow, That the unpardoned Man is in a woful plight. And 3. That if this be a Debt, that can only be done away by Pardon, then to a sensible man, this will be the chief­est of good news, That there is forgivenness with God.

As to the First of these, and the Second in Order, proposed to be spoken to on this Branch, when it is [Page 95] granted, that all have sinned, the stupid and carless will look lightly upon it, wherefore it is to be considered in the next place, what sin is to the right discerner, it's a crime, which, since he cannot expiat, hath need of pardon; It's a debt, which, since he cannot satisfie, hath need of forgivenness. This imports, that to be ly­ing under the burden of sin, is no light matter, to a man that knows his case through sin. I shall take notice of the Notion, under which sin is expressed, Luk. 11.4. with Matth. 6.12. Where sin is called our Debt, I shal no insist here to clear, that every mans sin is his own Debt, contracted by himself, in his own Person, or in the common Root Adam; and that he hath not others to blame for it, Though as Adam did lay over his sin on the Woman, which God gave him, so is every one rea­dy to do, yet when God and the Sinner reckons, he will find, that he must reckon for his Sin, by himself, or by a Surety; but waving that, that sin is called a Debt, it is not to be understood, that Man is oblidged to sin, for Obedience is that which is required, and which we are oblidged to pay to God, but what is imported in this metaphor, I shall lay open before you in these four.

1. A man that is adebted, and not fulfilling his Bond, is lyable to the Law, so the Law of God is an hand-writ­ting against sinful man, oblidging him, either to do his Duty, or to satisfie Justice for his Fault, or if he cannot do that, and there be no other remedy, to undergo ever­lasting punishment in hell.

2. The Debt is heightned by this, that all the means offered to Man, of directions, threatnings, promises, opportunities, power, and abilitie, to do good in the time, and station, he lives in, Gifts, and qualifications for that end, and Talents, for the not improvement of which, he becomes Debtor to God, and his sin is hight­ned thereby.

[Page 96]3. As sin resembleth a Debt, so it is a Debt above all other debts, a man under the debt of Sin, is in a more dreadful plight, than any under other debt; he may be able to pay it, and though he be broken, he may come up again; But a man under the debt of sin, can never pay; again a man under debt, if he cannot pay, he can shift his Creditor; But for a man under the debt of sin, there is no shifting of God his Creditor, Psal. 139. Whi­ther shall he go from his spirit? Or whither shall he flee [...]rom his presence! Again, though a man be under debt, and not able to shift his Creditor, yet his Creditor is not always in a readiness to attach him, though he be in his view, because he is not in a legal capacity to reach him; But we are in God's reverence every moment. Again, other Debt reaches the Body only, this Debt of Sin rea­ches the Soul also. And to add no more, other Debt may reach a man with inconveniences in his Life, but when he is dead his Debt is payed. But the punishment of this Debt reaches a man chiefly after this Life: all these clear, that Sin is a Debt above all other Debts.

And I shall add 4. That Sin may well be compared to a Debt on this account, that Sinners while they fall upon a right method of seeking pardon, they much re­semble an ill Debtor; an ill debtor desires not to hear of his accounts, far less to sit down and cast them up; so it is with these ill Debtors, they put the ill day far away. They cannot hear of a day of compt and reck­oning, nor to sit down and examine what they are ow­ing, and what is it that engadges a Man, either to es­say to be an Athiest, (I say essay to be one, for he will never be one in earnest) or turn Voluptuous, and drown himself in sensual pleasures, but to hold down the eye of his Conscience, that would call him to compt and reckon. Again, when an ill Debtor is brought to [Page 97] think upon his accounts; how ashamed and afraid may he be, not knowing when he shall be seised upon, turn­ed out of all he hath, and put in Prison. And though impenitent sinners will not let it light, that they have any fears, yet their Consciences can bear them Witness to many over-castings of heart, upon apprehension of what may be the close of their Course. Again ill Debtors are full of dilators, shifts, and delayes, they will promise fair, but will not perform; and so it is with sinners, that are not thinking on Repentance, in order to Pardon. They will take fair in hand, many have that much good Nature, Civility, or Policy to take with a reproof, and say, they will mend, and re­pent, they will cast off the course they are in, and do better, but all these are dilators, to give the Creditor fair weather, without satisfaction. And further, to add no more, an ill Debitor loves not his Credi­tor, yea often hates him; and though impenitent sin­ners dare not say, they do not love God, yet what spightful and hateful thoughts do often rise up in their hearts against God? Why? they cannot get this done, and that done, but they must be accounted sinners, and cited to appear before the Judgment Seat of God, to undergo a sentence of punishment, and is that good thus to repay him so, because he craveth this Debt? All these Resemblances, contribute to make it out, that man is a Debtor, and sin is a debt, that he cannot satisfie. Are they not fools then, that make a sport at Sin? (as So­lomon says, Prov. 14.9.) Fools make a mock at sin; but they would sport at leasure, if they considered what a debt this debt of sin is. Men in their right wits, have so smarted under it, and the consequences of it, that their hearts have been smitten, and withered as grass, and they have forgotten to eat their bread. Psal. 102.4. They have had no soundness in their flesh, because of Gods anger, nor rest in their bones, because of their sins. [Page 98] Their iniquities have been a burden too heavy for them, their wounds have stinked, and been corrupt because of their foolishness. Psal. 38.3, &c. And where art thou that art lying under that Debt, and never thinks of putting it off? Certainly thou must be under a distraction.

And this leads me to the third Thing in Order, that I proposed to be spoken to, that is, That sin being a great Debt, and a debt we cannot satisfie, a man lying under it, if he be sensible of it, will look upon it, as the sadest posture and plight he can be in. Sin will be a most heavy burden to a sensible man; and I shall in short make it out, in a five-fold respect, what a woful plight an un-pardoned criminal and debtor is in.

1. An un-pardoned Man is a dead Man, a gone man, as the Lord tells Abimilech, Gen. 20.3. Behold, thou art but a deadman, for the woman which thou hast taken, for she is ano­ther mans wife. Every unpardoned man is a dead man, he is like a condemned Malefactor, the sentence is pro­nounced upon him, the day of his death is appointed, though he eat, and drink, and sleep, he is reckoned a dead man.

2. An unpardoned man is capable of no good thing, Isai. 59, 1.2. Behold, the Lords hand is not shortned, that it cannot save, neither is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated betwixt you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. And Jer. 5.25. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. They have turned away the good things ye had, and have withholden other good things from coming to you; so that the unpardoned man is capable of no good, and all the good that he gets, is but a snare to him. The good things he hath, are feeding, and fat­ting him to destruction.

3. An unpardoned man is in a woful plight, because, all that he doth, till his person be reconciled, and taken [Page 99] into favour with God, how good soever it be in it self, is sin, and an abomination to God; He may do many good turns, that are good upon the matter, but would ye have the Scriptures verdict of them, as they come from him: read Prov. 15.18. Prov. 21.4. and 28.9. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, the plow [...]ng of the wicked is sin; He that turns away his ear from hear­ing of the Law, even his prayer shall be abomination; Whence it is clear, all the good that an unpardoned man does is sin.

4. An unpardoned man is in a pitiful plight, because to him there is no comfortable bearing of trouble, but where the pardon of sin is, it sustains a man under trouble, and makes him bear it cheerfully; Men that never trouble themselves to repent, and seek pardon, they had need of much fair weather, for unpardoned guilt will have a dreadful Eccho in a storm to them. Of the pardoned man it's said, Isai. 33.34. The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick, for the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities. A man's being for­given his iniquity, will make him forget that he is sick, and will make him bear trouble comfortably, which an unpardoned man cannot get done.

And 5 an unpardoned man is in a woful plight, be­cause death will have a terrible aspect upon him; To the pardoned man, death is a friend, a Messenger sent to call him home, a Chariot sent to carry him to hea­ven; but to the unpardoned man, death is the King of Terrors, the wages and cursed fruit of sin; O! the sweet sight of Christ, and of pardon, that meets the pardon­ed man at Death, and Judgment, somewhat whereof is hinted in these Words, Acts 3.19.26. Repent ye there­fore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, and he shall send Jesus Christ, who before was preached unto you. But O! what a dreadful lying down, [Page 100] and rising out of the Grave, will the unpardoned man have; So ye have heard, that as all have sinned, so sin is a Debt, that hath need of pardon, the non-forgive­ness whereof, puts, and keeps a man in a most wofull condition, and being so,

I proceed to the 4th, and last thing, I proposed to be spoken to here, that is, that sin being a debt, and such a debt, as can only be taken away by pardon and for­givenness, then it might be good news, the chiefest of good news to the man sensible of sin, that iniquity will be forgiven; That there is forgivenness with God, and this is it in the Text, for verse 3. he sayeth, If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, Who can stand. But verse 4. Forgiven­ness is with thee. That is it ye have, Mat. 9.2. Son be of good chear, thy sins be forgiven thee. Now for this Par­don, the nature of it, and the terms upon which it is at­tained, it will come in, in the own proper place to be spoken to. Here, I am upon consideration of the thing remitted, and that that I shall pitch upon is, That there is a remission of sin attainable by sinners in the due order. It's a blessed Article of our Creed, the re­mission of sins. When I spoke of the remission of sin, I spoke of the remission of all sins, great and small, in their nature and number. There is forgivenness with God, for iniquities. I confess there is an exception made, Math. 12.31, 32. All manner of sin and blasphemy, shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven, Heb. 10.26. They that sin afer they have received the knowledge ef the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. And 1 John. 5.1. There is a sin un­to death; But the sin against the holy Ghost, needs not trouble the sensible sinner, that would fain have pardon. It is true, it should warn all to beware of malicious sin­ning against light, and having sinned, to beware of running away from God, but the sensible sinner, that is seeking peace, and pardon, needs not to be afraid of [Page 101] it. That sin is therefore irremissible, because the sinner comes not to seek pardon, but if thou hast the sense of sin, and if it be thy desire, and endeavour to repent, and to have pardon, it is an evidence, that thy sin is not that unpardonable sin.

But that I may make something of this, I shall de­duce it in two or three Branches. The first whereof shal be,

• 1. That small sins need Pardon.
• 2. That gross sins are Pardonable.
• 3. A word to the consideration of the persons whose sins are pardonable.

1. The smallest of sins needs a pardon, we are not (as Papists would charge us) Stoicks, who affect a pari­ty and equality of all sins; we grant there are different degrees of sins, and different degrees of punishment, A beating with many stripes, and a beating with few stripes, Luke. 12.47, 48. But yet when we assert this difference, we dare not with them assert venial sins, that deserves not everlasting Wrath without repentance, and fleeing to Christ for refuge, sure the Apostle tells us. Rom, 6.23, The wages of sin is death. What death? look to the op­position, and it will clear it, but the gift of God is eternal life; if the Gift of God be eternal life, the wages of sin must be eternal death, & that he sayes it of sin inde­finitly, it's equivalent to an universal, the wages of sin is death, so that they must take away the nature of sin, from these sins they call Venial, or grant the wages thereof is death, and likewise, Mat. 12.36. Christ tells, that Every idle word that men speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment; And an idle word might seem a small sin; well then, if the smallest sin needs a pardon, look that we do not practically make a di­stinction of mortal and venial sins, even gross men, if they fall into gross out-breakings, it will affect them somewhat, when they do not heed their ordinary escapes. Godly persons also are culpable here, a scandal­ous [Page 102] sin will affect them, and so it should, but how little are they affected with wanderings of mind in holy du­ties, idle words and thoughts, habitual distance from God, and is not that a practical distinguishing of sin: It is true, none can, in repentance, distinctly overtake all their failings, for Psal. 19.12. Who can understand his errors? Yet we ought to do what we can, to over­take them, and if we cannot overtake them, be at Gods Foot-stool with them, mourning over them in the bulk.

But 2. as the smallest of sins needs a pardon, so the [...]rossest of sins are pardonable in the due order, There is forgivenness with him for iniquities, as in the Text, and Isai. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake 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, for he will aboundantly pardon. He will pardon greatest sins in their nature and kind, and hence David saith, Psal. 25.11. Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great. And Isai. 1.18. The Lord sayes, Come now, and let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they be red as crimson, they shall be as wool. And these great sins are pardonable in the due order, whe­ther they be done in ignorance, as Paul's persecution was, 1 Tim. 1.13. I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief. Or whether they be committed through the power of temptation, even against light, as Peter's three­fold denyal of his Master was, yet not being malicious it's pardoned. Again as great sins for nature and kind, are pardonable, so great sins for the multitude and num­ber of them, when they are like a cloud, and a thick cloud, he will blot them out. Isai. 44.22. I have blot­ted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and sins. And that word, Isai. 55.7. He will aboundantly pardon, In the o­riginal it is, he will multiply to pardon one and moe, a multi­tude of them, and Psal. 40.11, 12. David pleads for mercy [Page 103] for innumerable evils; for iniquities that are moe than the hairs of his head. And as God pardons great sins for kind, and many for number, so frequent relapsing in these sins, (which I may speak to afterward) Jer. 3.1. She that hath played the harlot with many lovers, is al­lowed to return. And he that bade Peter, Mat. 18.22. Forgive his brother, not only seven, but seventy times, will much more do so, to his penitent People, renewing their repentance: But when I say he will pardon great sins, I would have it well applyed. It is not to embold­en any body to sin, thou that so improves this Doctrine, does turn the grace of God into wantonness; and thou that ventures on sin, because God is merciful, to pardon great, and many sins, and thinks thou may take a whelps fill of sin, and then go and repent, and get mercy, (the woful shift that many follow) O! remember that Re­pentance is not in thine own hand; nay, I will say more, thou bears a sad evidence of one that will never get the grace to Repent; but that abuse of this doctrine being laid aside, ye shall (while I am upon the explication of this great Article of Faith,) take a word or two of Infer­ence, in the by. And 1. It may be great encouragement to sensible sinners, thou who art sensible of thy sins, thy Dyvour-bill of great and many sins, if thou come in the right order, needs not keep thee back, thy desire to come and repent, and seek pardon, tells that thou art not guilty of that unpardonable sin, and therefore stand not a back for scarlet and crimson coloured sins, nor for re­lapsing in these sins, There is forgivenness with God for those iniquities; and that ye may grip the better to this when it is intimate, that God is such a pardoner of sin, ye would look to the infinit price of the Son of God, whereby he purchased pardon, and upon which pardon of sin is founded, and ye would look to that infinite and superabounding grace in God, inclining him to par­don; and when these two are laid together, & well con­sidered, [Page 104] all thy doubts about pardon, will amount to this, whether thy iniquities, or Christ's death, thy abounding sin, or Gods superabounding Grace, will carry it? And reason will determine it in favours of Christs purchase, and the super-aboundant Grace of God.

2. Let me leave this as a Witness against slighters of this offer of pardon, I believe there are many engadged as the Jews were, Jer. 2.25. Who said, There is no hope, no, for we have loved strangers, and after them we will go; The matter is past redding. There is little ap­pearance that ever we will do well, and therefore we mind not to do well. But here is a Witness laid at thy door, whatever thy condition be, God and thou art yet in trysting terms, and thou hast the offer of Pardon upon Repentance, and turning to him, art thou as mad, as the man that had the legion of Devils, Mark 5.9. will thou employ Christ, he can cure thee; Though thou were like Mary Magdalen, out of whom Christ cast seven devils, Luk. 8.2. He can cast them out, and set thee down a worshipper of him at his feet. Thy scarlet and crimson coloured sins, he can make white as the snow or wool. Thy scattered affections, as the wind, he can fix upon the nail fastened upon the sure place, if thou wilt come and reason with him, thou shalt find him as good as his Word, and shall not this be a Witness against slighters of pardoning Grace, that such profligat wretches, runnaways, and backsliders; are within the reach of pardoning mercy, and there is a Royal Proclamation made of it, wherein it is offered un­to them▪ and yet they slighted it. All the wrath of Sinai shall not be so terrible to such, as this will be one day, that in the Name of Christ, we proclaimed pardon to you, providing ye seek it in the right order, and look how ye will answer the Lamb sitting down on his tri­bunal of Majesty.

[Page 105]I thought to have spoken to the persons, who they are that are pardoned, and that they may call God Father, who seek pardon, and how that it secluds not the vilest of sinners upon repentance, and how it makes against the Novatian error, that thrusts repentance out of the Church; And to that case of godly men their relapsing in sins, they have repented of, and whether such be par­donable, but the time having cut me short, I shall for­bear to break in upon these for the time. The Lord blesse for Christs sake, what ye have been hearing.

I Have now broken in a litle upon this great Article of of our Creed, the remission of sins, The great Gospel-news, the glad tidings of the Gospel of peace to them that are in the Psalmist's posture, in the third verse, that there is no standing before God, marking iniquity in strict justice, according to the Covenant of Works. I am as yet detained on the first head, that I proposed to be spoken to on this Subject, that is, the consideration of that which is pardoned, it is iniquity, as in the pre­ceeding verse, sin or transgression, let it be called by what­soever name it will, and as to this, I spake to these things. 1. That all have sin. 2. That sin is a Debt and Burden, which they who take a right look of, will see great cause, will desire to be rid of it. That sin being such a debt or burden, the unpardoned man, if he get a right look of his own condition, he will find himself in a wo­full plight, and 4. That sin being such a debt, as can only be done a way by pardon, and such a burden as puts the unpardoned man in a woful plight? It follows, that it is good news, the best of all news, to a sensible sin­ner, [Page 106] That there is pardon for iniquity in God, When a man hath said. verse 3. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark ini­quity, who can stand, that he may add. verse 4. But there is forgivenness with thee: And here ye may remember, that it was cleared, how the least sins needed a pardon; As also how the greatest sins for nature, number, or o­ther circumstances, are pardonable & that sensible sinners needed not be troubled with that sin against the holy Ghost, seing their very flying to the remedy of sin in Christ, is a sufficient evidence, that it was not in them. I was the last day cutshort by time, from speaking a word to these persons, whose sins are pardonable. And this I wold now speak to, before I go to the other Heads, I propos­ed to be spoken to; And the ground of that which I would say of them, whose sins are pardonable, I shall take it from that pattern of Prayer, Mat. 6.9.—12, Father, forgive us our debts. They are Children who may come to God for pardon of sin; and to open this a litle, I shal speak to these three from it. 1. It would be remembred, that these who are not Children, must come and become children in the due order, that they may attain to the priviledge of pardon; when Children only are allow­ed to beg pardon of sin, it secludes none who are un­pardoned, from coming to God, through the elder bro­ther Jesus Christ, that they may be put among the Chil­dren by Adoption, for, Isai. 55.7. Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto Lord, and he will have mercy vpon him, and to our God, for he will aboundantly pardon, or multiply to pardon; and Ezek. 33.15.16. When the wicked man restores the pledge, gives again that which he had robbed, doth walk in the statutes of life, without committing ini­quity, he shall surely live, he shall not die, none of the sins he hath committed, shall be mentioned unto him; There shal be no more word of them; which (as I said the last day, when I spake from these words) leaves a sad [Page 107] check and ground of dittay, at the doors of Rebels, to whom the Fountain for Sin and Uncleanness is keeped open, and they have pardon in their offer, but will not follow the right method of obtaining mercy and pardon. They will not come and be children, but continue re­bels still; And it leaves also a caution and a check to many, who, if any thing be hinted at of their faults, will claim to pardon, and yet they will not give up themselves to be Children, they would live Rebels, and yet be pardoned. But ye would come to be made Chil­dren, who in Faith would pray, Forgive us our sins.

A 2d. Word which I would say from this, is, That as Children are dayly falling in sin, so their dayly sins are pardonable; There were many dangerous and damnable errors in the ancient Church, concerning the sins of Church-members, that come here to be reproved. Some who looked upon the sins of Church-members, as the old Gnosticks, the Progenitors of the Libertines did, they held that sins in godly persons consisted only in opini­on, that regenerat men do what they would, if they should commit the most vile and abominable Acts, they were not sins in them. This is nothing but corrupt principled monstruous prophani [...]y, or monstruous pro­phanity rooted in a corrupt principle; and those that would hold themselves out of that fearful gulf, they would beware of the Antinomian principles, as that God sees no sin in Believers, that his Law is not to be the Rule of their walk, that they need not repent, &c. For Liber­tinisme is but a new Edition of Antinomianism in Folio. Others again acknowledged sin to be in the godly, but they slighted repentance, and therefore, when scandals fell out in the church, they did not require any acknow­ledgment of their Offence, who had fallen in these scan­dals, but while they were reiking in these abominati­ons, they entertained Church-communion and fellow­ship with them. This was a turning of the Grace of [Page 108] God into lasciviousness, and it is the result in part of that Antinomian principle of the remission of sins, from all Eternity; so that according to their opinion, Repen­tance was not required inorder to pardon of sin, but for intimation of pardon. And there were a 3d. sort, such as the Novatians, who looked so on gross sins after Baptism, as though they would seclude them from pardon on repentance, nor would they seclude such sin­ners from making profession of their Repentance, yet they would not absolve them, nor admit them to Church Communion, and fellowship, particularly in the Sa­crament of the Lords Supper, but left them to God, to make of them what he pleased. Now in opposition to all these, is the truth I am upon, we confess sins after the receipt of Great mercies, are very hainous, Ezra 9.14. Should we again break thy commands, and joyn in affini­ty with the people of these abominations? wouldest thou not be angry with us, till thou hadst consumed us? Judges 10.13. Ye have forsaken me, and served other gods, therefore I will deliver you no more. And sin in particular after regene­ration, is so much the more hainous, that God hath been gracious; therefore the Apostle having spoken of the abounding grace of God, where sin had abounded, Rom. 5. At the close, he begins the next Chapter, with these words, What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? He abominats that after regeneration, there should be a relapsing in sin, yet the Text here intimats, thereis forgivenness with God, for the iniquities of Godly men; and the Pattern of Prayer Mat. 6. Tells the Children, that they may go to God, and seek the forgivenness of sins, which sayes, they would be dayly sinning, and God would allow dayly pardon on them in the due order; and consequently, it was hor­rid cruelty in the Novatians, to seclude such as fall in sins after Baptism, from Absolution and Church-fellow­ship, [Page 109] and they would not pardon, where God did par­don, which made Constantine at the Council of Nice, to say to Aclesus their Bishop. I see no other of it, but ye would make a Ladder to go to Heaven your alone, and would have one with you. I confess the godly are not to be hugged under their failings, but their failings are ra­ther to be aggredged, yet upright Walkers, as they are most tender in their Conversation, so are they most charitable in passing Judgment upon others, though they have their failings.

But there is a 3d. word I would say from this, and that is to clear, whether all sorts of sins in the godly, are pardonable? This is a case that hath troubled the Lear­ned, and may trouble tender Consciences, whether, when a man hath repented a sin, and found the bitter­ness of it, and hath found God's favour and pardon in­timat upon his repentance, he may again fall into that sin, and get it pardoned over again. A case, I say, that some who are tender, may be troubled with, when they have fallen in sin, and thereafter have found it bitter, and have been at God, confessed it, and believ­ed pardon, and yet they have been over-hailed in the same sin over again. This I confess, before I say any thing to it, is a sad case, it's sad to see folks, after rege­neration, and tasting of the Grace of God, falling in the same Sins again; and it's yet sadder to see a person, after he hath been smarting for it, running back to that very folly; particularly if it be an out-breaking Sin, and the Learned could hardly find an instance in Scripture of that relapsing in Sin in the Godly; it's true, Peter did thrice deny his Master, and Lot was twice drunken, and twice fell in Incest, but none of these were after Repen­tance, and intimation of Pardon; for Peter was keeped in the hurry of the Temptation, till his Sin was thrice out with him; and so it was with Lo [...], yet I shall give two words for clearing the case. 1. That [...] regenerati­on [Page 110] makes not the Saints perfect, so neither do I see a ground, that a Saint his repenting for a particular fault should keep him from a relapsing in that fault, and need­ing of pardon. It is true, Psal. 85.8. God's speaking of peace to his people, is with a caution, That they turn not ogaîn to folly; But to say, if Repentance be true, a man will not fall in that folly he hath repented, it is not Scriptural: Regeneration is our initial Repentance, and if that do not prevent falling in Sin, it is no wonder, that a particular Act of renewed Repentance do it not, all the Repentance grief or sorrow that a person hath at­tained to for Sin, is but a creature, that except God con­curr, cannot keep him from falling in sin; and God hath not made an absolute promise, so to concur with a penitent, that he shall not again fall in the same Sin. How often doth a penitent, when he hath repented to day of his passion pride, wandering of mind in duty, &c. fall in the same Sins to morrow; and if he may notwith­standing of Repentance, fall into lesser faults, why may he not after Repentance fall in grosser; we find also godly men after their repenting for their failings, falling in grosser out-breakings. David after he had repented his falling in trouble, and his using sinful shifts to be out of it, fell in these gross and scandalous sins, of Adultery and Murther; and he that fell in these sins after repen­tance, for other escapes, why might he not after re­pentance have fallen in these same sins over again? if the grace of God had not prevented it; for though Re­pentance for particular faults, leave behind it an impres­sion of the bitterness of these sins, and make them to be loathed, which will make it more improbable, they will be relapsed in, yet it is not impossible, otherwise true Repentance being for all sin, it should prevent re­lapsing in any Sin.

A 2d. word which I shall say for clearing the case [Page 111] shall be this, that as true repentance is not to be measured, by relapsing in sin, so it is contrary to Scripture to de­termine, that relapsing in sin after Repentance is un­pardonable, It's not the sin against the holy Ghost, and therefore pardonable. Isai. 55.7. Our God will multiply to pardon; Even as often as the sinner repents, and comes aga [...]n to him, to seek pardon, were it till seventy times seven times, as he bids us forgive others, when they sin against us, Matth. 18, 22. and Hos. 14.4. He hath pro­mised to heal backslidings. Now these are after Repen­tance, when his people fall back in the same sins, out of which they have been recovered by Repentance; and for instances of this, ye shall only ponder these two. One is, 2 Chron, 18. Jehosaphat his joyning in affinity with Achab, for which he is reproved by a Prophet, Ch. 19.2. And his Repentance is apparent in the reforma­tion he fell about. And yet Chap. 20.35. He falls in the same Sin, in joyning with Achaziah, to make Ships to go to Tarshish in Eziongeber, which were broken, for which he was also reproved, repented, and was pardon­ed. Another instance is that of Jonah, A man that fled from the presence of the Lord, when sent to Nini­veh, and is brought to Repentance for that sin in the bel­ly of the Fish. Chap. 2, Yet he falls in the same sin. Ch. 4.2. Not in fleeing away from God, but in repining at his mercy, and in his opinion, declaring it was need­less to go to Niniveh, and justifying his former fleeing away: These are two clear instances of relapsing in sin after Repentance and Pardon for it. This I would not have abused. I may have occasion hereafter to speak to what prejudice relapsing in sin brings with it; as that it will bring former pardon in question, and under debate, and though a penitent may be pardoned, yet it's dangerous to bourd with sin, after God hath spoken peace to re­turn to folly, and to proclaim, that all the bitterness folk [Page 112] have found in sin is nothing; only I cannot conceal the truth of God, from any that may be under a Tempta­tion; that having repented such and such sins, they have relapsed in them, and therefore, as they question their Repentance; so they think they are to expect no more pardon: ye have it cleared from Scripture, that these are but Temptations, That God would multiply to pardon upon repentance, Isai. 55.7 And though folks have played the harlot with many lovers, and among hands have rewed their wandrings, they may return a­gain unto the Lord, Jer. 3.1. Now I have done with the first general head of this Doctrine, concerning the remission of sin, To wit, the consideration of that which is pardoned.

I proceed to the second general Question, and that is, anent the Author of pardon, or who it is that par­dons iniquity, even God, There is forgivenness with thee, says the Text, That is, (as I exponed in the entry) it's thy property, in opposition to all pretenders, it's thy Property and Prerogative, when both the Law and the Conscience have condemned, to pardon and forgive Sin. This is a truth that was held fast in the Jewish Church, when it was most corrupt; Therefore Mark 2.7. When Christ pardoned the man sick of the Palsie, The Scribes say. Why doth this man speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God only? And it's one of God's Titles, [ Exod. 34.6, 7. That he forgives iniquity, trans­gression and sin:] and he taketh it to himself, as his Prerogative, [ Isai. 43.25. I, even I am he, that blotteth out thy transgressions;] and Matth, 9.2, &c. Christ, in curing the Palsie man, paralels the pardoning of his sins with the healing of his disease, as proofs of his Deity: shewing, that both were alike difficult, and proved him to be God. I must here clear a seeming difficulty, that is, That pardon of sin is attribut to others, both Mi­nisters [Page 113] and private persons; It's attribute to Mini­sters, as John 20.—23. As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you, receive ye the holy Ghost, whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained; and whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; But certainly it's God only can loose a man from everlasting wrath due to him for sin, and it's the Word of God only can declare whom God will pardon. Only (as Ambrose sayes well) Ministers are Judges in the matter of pardon; but without any absolute Authority in that matter. And for clearing of this, ye would distinguish betwixt the external Court in the Church, and the internal Court in the Conscience. In the external Court in the Church, Ministers have a power from Christ to remit scandals to scandalous per­sons, upon their serious profession of Repentance, to take in a man that hath fallen in a scandalous sin, upon the profession of Repentance, and to remit the scandal. In the [...]nternal Court of the Conscience, Ministers have a Mi­nisterial power upon scandalous sinners their repentance, Ministerially to declare, they are pardoned upon their Repentance, & they walking according to their Commissi­on, [Whose sins they bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever they shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven,] Mat. 16.19. and 18.18. But Mi­nisters, ex pleni [...]udine potestatis (as the Pope speaks) have not an absolute and illimited power to pardon whom, and when, and as they will. They are but Delegats, and must walk according to their Commission, in pardoning of sin, or rather pronouncing pardon of sin, neither have they power of pardong sin upon conditions of their own devising, such as Pennances, Pilgrimages, visiting of Rome in the year of Jubile, &c. where (to mark it in the by) the Pa­pists method in this is preposterous; They first pardon, and then enjoyn pennance, and such things as Christ hath not prescribed; Neither must they take Money, and dispence with Repentance, a fruit of Faith, upon which pardon is promised. This is but a cheat, to hold their Ki [...]chen [Page 114] reeking. Caesar Borgia, the Son of Alexander the sixth, when he had lost an hundred thousand Crowns at the Dice, he passed it in a sport, saying, Those are the sins of the Ger­mans, that is, they had been purchased for the remission of their sins. Again it is attributed to privat persons; and for privat Persons their pardoning of sin, the Scriptures speaks clearly to it, as in that patern of prayer, [ Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors] so Eph. 4.32. [Forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,] and Col. 3.13. (For­give one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. But private persons forgiving of sins, is the forgiving the injuries done by mens sinning to them; rules anent which I may meet with ere I have done with this Theme. But though a pri­vat person is bound to forgive injuries done against them; It is still with a reservation of God's interest, and the sin­ner must count to God; notwithstanding from all which (to resume) it's clear, whatsoever hand man hath in for­giving sin, God is the principal Creditor, whose Law is violat, whose Majesty is offended, whose Justice must be satisfied, and therefore it's his property and prerogative to forgive sins, and louse from the obligation to wrath that sin deserves.

In making use of this, I shall not digress to deal with Papists, who in receiving pardons from their Priests, use not a judgment of discretion, whether the persons pardon­ing them, be acting according to their Instructions, and according to their own principles; for if they did, they might be easily nonplus'd. They put the power to give in­dulgences intirely in their Pope, and assert that their Priests are Commission at by him to dispense them, but they can only have a humane Faith concerning that Commission; For beside that the Popes Power to do so, is upon many ac­counts questionable; They ask, how we know the Scrip­ture▪ to be the word of God? we might ask them, how [Page 115] they know the Pope (who must give these Indulgences to be the Pope?) That he is a Christian, and hath gotten Baptism? For according to their own principles the Pope is no Pope except he be Baptized? Now they cannot cer­tainly know their Pope is baptized, that being one of their grounds, that Baptism is not administred, except the in­tention of the Priest go along. Now they cannot be cer­tain that the Priest, who baptized the present Pope, hath had an intention to baptize him while he went about that Action, therefore they cannot be certain of any pardon this present Pope shall give them, nor can they have any thing but a humane Faith, as to the pardon of their sins. But the Judgment of God is visible upon them for not receiv­ing the truth inlove, God hath been provocked to give them up to strong delusions to believe lies, and (shall I add fur­ther?) It's a plague, and a snare to prophane men, that walk in the imagination of their own heart, adding drun­kenness to thirst, that they have this woful shift, get them a a Priest, and let them have an Absolution, and then they are as ready to take in a new swack of sin, as ever they were; this is the woful cheat that follows theit way, if folk walked like a principle of Conscience, they were to be pitied, but when profligat men run that way, they drive their carnal interest, or have a sleeping God to their Con­science, under all their abominations: But passing this, and leaving particular Inferences till the afternoon. I shall give you these three words. 1. If God be the only pardon­er of sin, they make a very blind block, that pardon them­selves for all their faults, that is, who can commit all sorts of iniquities, and cast them over their thumb when they have done; Thou that does so, shall know that God only is the pardoner of sin ere long, and that thy pardon will not stand. 2. It leaves a sad check on all them, that satisfie themselves with the plaudites of the world, Why? they are good folk, cryed up and commended of their neigh­bours; if they have done wrong, they will confess it, make [Page 116] reparation, or restitution, but what is all that, if God par­don thee not? though thou should get never so many to hugg thee, or assoil thee, so long as God the only pardon­er of iniquity doth not assoil thee. And 3. It leaves a sad check also on them that care not to displease God, to please Men; and O! what snares to men are these, that give them­selves to be pleasures of men, with displeasing of God. They make no bonds of any sins, if they can please them they are obliged to. But thou that dost so, will find thou hast made an ill bargain, when the reckoning comes; for they cannot forgive thy sin, when thou stands before God; neither will thou get men for thy Intercessors, God only is the pardoner of iniquity, and therefore they make a very foolish bargain, who to please any, stand not to displease God.

IN handling of this great Point, the Remission of sins, (which is in effect the great Article of the New Covenant; Jer. 31.34. I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more:) After that I had spo­ken in the first place to that which is pardoned, or par­donable, sin; I entered in the morning, to speak to the Author of pardon, that forgivenness is with God, whatever hand Ministers or privat persons may have in pardoning; the one in carrying the word of Reconciliation and par­don, the other in forgiving sins, so far as they are injuries done to themselves, yet God is still the principal Credi­tor, and pardon from him, is still to be looked after, from which (as I told you) not only Papists, who ly down, and sleep on the pillow of mens pardon without consider­ing, whether they act according to their Commission, come [Page 117] to be reproved, but these Self-absolvers, and these who rest on the applause of others, and these who to please men, stand not to displease God, are found to be culpable.

Now before I leave this Head, I would draw somewhat from it, for incouragement of these who are in earnest about the pardon of sin, and here that there is forgivenness with God, it should, and will affect sensible sinners as a wonder; he will not only be a matchless God to them, but upon the account that he passes by iniquity, and pardons transgression, Mic. 7.18. But it will be a wonder to them, that there should be a pardon for iniquity, that pardoning mercy should be with him, whose holy justice is so great, who is of purer eyes than that he can behold iniquity, who hath no pleasure in wickedness, and who hateth all the workers of iniquity, that such a holy and just God should pardon sin, that his Holiness and Justice should combine so sweetly with mercy to the sinner, is a wonder of wonders; yea, further, this may heighten the wonder, that pardoning mer­cy gives access to them who are secluded by the Covenant of works, that when, (as it is verse 3.) (If he should mark iniquity, none could stand,) yet as verse 4. [there should be forgivenness with him,] That as it is deduced, Rom. 3.20. —22. [When by the deeds of the law, no flesh can be ju­stified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin, now the righteousness of God without the Law is mani­fested, being witnessed by the Law, and by the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by the faith of Je­sus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that believe] with­out difference. That there should be a righteousness by the faith of Christ, closing with him for pardon, O! what a wonder is that, and how good news should that be to sinners? how should it quicken up, and revive any that are ready to sink under the burden of the sense of sin? That when they look upon a holy and just God, that hates sin with a perfect hatred, they may also look upon him as one who will pardon: That when they look to the Law and Cove­nant [Page 118] of Works, their expectations are to be limited there­by, because there is a Righteousness without the Law ma­nifested to be had by Faith in Christ.

3. But because sensible souls may readily think, how can this be? And may be afraid to lean their weight on a Pardon, they have so much Guilt, and the Conscience i [...] alarmed with it, and pardoning mercy is an Act of free Grace, whereupon they know not that they may venture; Therefore to enforce this, that God is a pardoner of Iniqui­ty, I shall not anticipat, what may come to be spoken to this afterwards, but the sensible Sinner would consider, 1. That the pardon of Sin is an Act of Royal Prerogative in free Grace. It's an act of Princes Royal Prerogative to pardon Criminals in many cases, and shall we deny that to God, which we give to Creatures? Seing He is above all Law, who can hinder him to have Mercy on whom he will have mercy? to do with his own what he will, and pardon whom he will, Salvation belongs to him, as his Prerogative Royal. 2. Sensible sinners would con­sider, that satisfaction is payed to Justice, for their Sins, though he freely pardons, (which will come in afterward) only here, such would remember, that thoughts of the Ho­liness and Justice of God needs not afright the sensible Sinner, why? Justice is fully satisfied. That fire that brunt continually on the Altar, and was not quenched by these Sacrifices under the Law, is now quenched, the burning fire of the Justice of God is now satisfied; and hence God in pardoning sins, is not only Merciful, but Just; there­fore, Rom. 3.26. Upon Christ the Redeemer his being set forth as the propitiation, through Faith in his Blood, it follows to declare his Righteousness, [that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus] with­out reflection upon his Justice, and hence the Apostle, (1 Joh. 1.9.) says, [If we confess our sins, he is faith­ful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness] not only upon the account of his fide­lity, that he will keep his promise, but upon the account [Page 119] of the Paction past betwixt him, and the Mediator, and u­pon the account of the Satisfaction, and Price payed by the Mediator, upon that account, he is faithful and just to par­don sin. And hence 3ly Things being thus, when sensible sinners come to Christ, or to God through him for pardon, and yet are filled with doubts and fears, they would con­clude, that there hesitation results not on the uncertainty of their pardon; for the holy and just God will not break bar­gain with his Son, but partly it results on our ignorance of that Righteousness, which is by the Covenant of Grace, we know no Righteousness by the Covenant of Works, but that which is inherent, and the Ignorance of that Righteousness, which is by the Covenant of Grace, is the gro [...]d of our hesitation, and of many doubts and fears; partly it results on a proud competition, whether thy abounding sin, or his superabounding grace should carry it, Rom. 5.20, [Where sin abounded, grace did much more super-abound] and therefore thou that comes to Christ for pardon, and yet will not settle upon it, thou would say upon the matter, that thy abounding sin should carry it, & not his Super-abounding Grace. So much for the second head proposed to be spoken to, concerning the Author of Pardon:

The 3d. Thing I proposed to be spoken to, was anent the na­ture of the pardon of Sin, what this pardon of Sin Imports, or Is? And this when I have spoken to it at this time, will give the rise to several other Questions, which will come in in their own place; and may be useful for you. I shall not detain you upon the signifi­cation, and importance of these Words and Phrases, that ex­presses pardon in Scripture, that may come in afterward, that word, Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our Debts, signifies the dismissing of one accused, and a loosing of one bound for Debt, both concurr here, as sins are a Debt, they are forgiven; and they are a Bond tying the Conscience to answer at the Tribunal of God, they are remitted and loosed; and considering sins, as accusations, as they that are in a Court accused, a pardon remitts & assollzies them. So the pardoned man may say, as Rom 8.33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect, it is God that Justifies, &c. The word rendered pardon, or forgivenness ( Col. 2.13. Having forgiven you all trespasses) hints at the freedom of the grace of God in pardoning of Sin; It's the Publicans Word. Luk. 18.13. God [Page 120] (God be merciful to me a sinner;) the word in the Ori­ginal expresses pardon, with an eye to the propitiation; Pauls word also, [I obtained mercy,] (1 Tim. 1.13.) which also is a word made use of in the new Testament, or Cove­nant, Heb 8.12.) Intimats the yearning of the bowels of God, relative to the miserable state of the pardoned sinner, expressed in pardoning. That word, Psal. 32.2. Rom. 4.8. [not imputing of sin or iniquitie,] is borrowed from Merchants, that in casting up accompts, pass some Debts. And that word, [ Psal. 32.1. Of covering sin,] imports, that as sin is a loathsome thing, so the pardoning of Sin, takes sin out of the sight of Gods vindictive Justice. Now all these ex­pressions put together, might give some general hint, what pardon of sin is, when God out of his free grace, out of the yearning bowels of his mercy & compassion, accepts of the propitiation made by Jesus Christ, and upon that accompt remitts the sinners obligation to wrath, by pardoning sin, dismisses him from the accusation laid against him; looses him of his Bonds, puts his Debts out of his Books, and covereth the loathsomness of his Sin.

But to follow out this a little more distinctly, what this pardon is; I shall take up both negatively, what it is not? and then positively, what it is? For an error here is an er­ror in the first digestion, or concoction, that will not be gotten well helped in the second.

For the first of these, negatively, what the pardon of sin is not, and for clearing of this, what I would say upon it, ye shall take in these five, 1. Pardon with God, is not to be confounded with our forgetting Sin, slighting of Sin, or taking a pardon of it to our selves, Gods pardon of Sin is one thing, and mens taking of pardon to themselves is ano­ther; There are many folk that think God sees no Sin in them, and why? they have no leisure to look after sin in themselves, they think God hath forgotten Sin, Why? They themselves through length of time, or other diversions, have forgotten them. This is all that many have for that great Article of their Creed, [I believe the Remission of Sins.] [Page 121] But do not cheat your selves, as I cleared before to you, from Josephs Brethren Gen. 42.21. Sin long ago commit­ted, even upwards of twenty or two & twenty years, if it be not pardoned, will be as g [...]een when the Conscience is wa­kened, as the first hour it was committed; Therefore look to it ye who forgive your sins by forgetting them, and take not your forgetting of Sin, for God' [...] pardoning of it.

2 In taking up the nature of pardon, we must not look so lightly on Sin, as if there were no more ado, but we to Sin, and God to forgive; it's indeed pardoned, as to any satisfaction to Justice, that's exacted of thee, but Justice be­hoved to be satisfied, that God might pardon freely. There is a Question agitat amongst Orthodox Divines, whether God, out of his Royal Prerogative might not pardon Sin without a satisfaction? a Question that they determine va­riously, either as they grapple with Arminians, who say, the satisfaction of Christ was only to loose God from any Bond lying upon him, resulting upon a necessity to punish Sin, or as they grapple with the Socinians, who deny there was any satisfaction for Sin, payed by Christ. But were I worthy to umpire in such a thing, there is so much ha­zard in Debates started anent the Nature of God, when it is inquired, what he might do? and what he may not do? That I would judge it safer to forbear it. This is sufficient for us, that in the case in hand, he hath declared what he will do, or not do, particularly that he will not pardon sin without a Satisfaction. So Rom. 3.24. [Being justified free­ly by his grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation throgh Faith in his Blood,] he would have his Righteousness de­clared for the remission of Sins; And that [as it is, Heb. 9.22. Without shedding of blood there is no remission.] Thus the pardon of our Sin cost Christ dear, and yet it runs freely to us, because God freely laid the burden on Christ, & Christ freely undertook it, & God freely accepts of his satisfaction in our Name; & so we come to be freely par­doned, [Page 122] but remember sin is with God no triffle, no light thing, that he would easily pass, no, he would have his Ju­stice satisfied, that he might freely pardon, and the consider­ation of this will not only comm [...]nd the love of God, and the love of Christ, in finding out such a way, whereby par­don might come to sinners, without prejudice of Justice. But further the freedom of pardon will not hide from the sinner that is pardoned the odiousness of sin, but make it so much the more loathsome and vile, when he sees his pardon seal­ed with the Blood of Christ, and all his exinanition that went before, O! the pardoned sinner looking to Christ crucified, and considering that he hath pierced him by his Sins, it will make him mourn most bitterly, as one that mourneth for his only Son, and like that of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon, Zech. 12.10.—So when thou looks upon pardoning mercy, thou takes not a right look of it, except thou look also on the satisfaction made to Ju­stice by Christ, that a free pardon might come out to thee.

3. In taking up the nature of Pardon, beware that ye do not confound the pardon of Sin with Gods forbearing, or not inflicting punishment on sinners; if ye confound these, ye will imbrace a shaddow, & get a lie in your right hand in stead of pardon. Ye know what the Apostle says, Rom. 2.4. There is a riches of Gods goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering. How long did God forbear the old World, for an hundred and twenty years, Gen. 6.3. How suffered he his peoples manners for about 40 years. Now this for­bearance of God, as it is often a temptation to godly men, so it is a snare to the wicked, or they make it a snare to them­selves. It's often a temptation to godly men, as Psal. 73.1. O! what a temptation was it to the Psalmist, his feet were almost gone his steps were well near slipt, he was envious at the foolish when he saw the prosperity of the wicked, how they had no bonds in their death, & their strength was firm, they were not in tr [...]ble as other men, &c. O! he thought if he had been on the Throne, he would have made these Chil­dren know themselves sooner nor God did, and Hab. 1.13. [Page 123] Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity, wherefore looks thou on them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked de­voureth the man that is more righteous than he. There ye see the forbearance of God is a temptation to the godly. Wicked men also make a snare of it to themselves. O! the wicked Doctrines, that wicked men build on Gods forbear­ance, One is, wrong thoughts of God, Psal. 50.21. [These things thou hast done, and I kept silence, thou thought that I was altogether such a one as thy self. There is a Doctrine that wicked men found on Gods forbearance, they think God is like themselves; another is that thereby they are embolden­ed to go on in sin, Eccles. 8.11. Because Sentence against an evil work is not execute speedily, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do evil, so Rom. 24. They harden themselves by God's forbearance. The riches of Gods goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, should lead them to repentance, but they abuse it to produce hardness, and impenitent hearts, & further, they bless them­selves in prospering in wickedness, Hos. 12, 7. [Ephraim is a Canaanite, a Merchant, the ballance of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress, and he saith, yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance. Let the Bible say of me what it will, the Sun of prosperity shines on my tabernacle, as well as on your tenderest folk; I am as far from any mis­chance, as the most upright in their coversation. But still re­member, forbearance in God is no pardon, that which is frest­ed is not forgiven; It's no sign of Divine approbation, when thou art forborn, and prospers in a sinful way; to these ends ye shall remember these 3. Scriptures, and they will help you not to confound forbearance with pardon. One is Ec­cles. 12.—Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I knovv that it shall be well with them that fear God. How will ye prove that? because he fears before him, but it shall not be vvell with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shaddow, because he feareth not before God. No approbation lyes in the bosom of forbearance. Another Scripture that gives a dreadful refutation to them that take forbearance for pardon, is that Psal. 50.21. [Page 124] [These things thou hast done, and I kept silence, thou thought that I was altogether such a one as thy self, but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes; Now consider this, all ye that forget God, lest I tear you in peices, and there be none to deliver.] There is a refutati­on of all the wicked mans dreams anent God, and his forbearance. And if ye would have a third Scripture, take the forecited place, [ Rom. 2.4, 5. Thou despisest the rich­es of his goodness, forbearance and long suffering, not knowing that it leadeth thee to Repentance, but after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up to thy self, wrath against the day of wrath: Thou may treasure up other things as thou will for thy advantage, but thou shalt find, thou treasurest up wrath to thy ruine, thou may think, because thou prospers in Sin, God approves of thee (as the saying is, prosperum & faelix scelus, virtus vocatur, Wick­edness is called a virtue, because it thrives) yet remember, that forbearance is no Pardon.

4. In taking up the nature of pardon negatively, Con­sider, That God's pardoning of particular Sinners, where­by he restores them in favour, is not to be confounded with National Pardons, which God gives to Nations. This pardon is many times spoken of in Scripture, though by analogy, we may draw them to a particular pardon. So the scope of that place, Num. 14.19. — runs another way than to particular Persons, and respects a National Pardon, [Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people, (sayes Moses) according to the greatness of thy mercy, as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt, even untill now. [I have pardoned according to thy word (sayes the Lord) but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the know­ledge of the Lord.] I have pardoned, but yet I will punish, and vindicat mine honour. So that passage, Psal. 78.38. But he being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not, when they deserved, That was a pardon of the Nation, or a National Pardon; Now a Na­tional [Page 125] Pardon amounts only to this, when the Lord for­bears to root out a Nation, as the Lord threaten [...]o Moses, that he would root out Israel in that forecited place, Num. 14.12. That he would Dis-inherit them, and make of him a greater Nation, and a Mightier than they, when he keeps them in their own Land, as he did Israel, and does not root them out, or when he continues with them the priviledge of a Church, though he plague them, and weed out a godless generation from among them, as he did out of Israel, that in the space of 38 years time, there was not a man of them left that were 20 years old and upwards, when they came out of Egypt, save Caleh and Joshua. So the Lord may pardon a Nation, and yet punish them, he may by his Judgments weed out the generality of a Generation, and send them to the Pit, which may consist with a Natio­nal pardon, when he doth not cut off the Nation, or suf­fers them to enjoy the priviledges of a Church. But the par­don of a particular Sinner, is, when he sits down at God's Footstool, and Judges himself, and closes with Christ for righteousness, and that's another thing.

And 5. In taking up the nature of pardon Negatively. We must beware of confounding the pardon of Sin with the removal of Sin; the prosecution whereof, would lead me to speak Positively; wherein pardon of Sin consists, to the guilt and pollution of Sin, and the different acts of God about both; but because that will give the rise to other Questions, I shall remit it to another occasion, only here ye shall distinguish these three. The filth of Sin, the power of Sin, and the guilt of Sin. The filth of Sin, is the foul stain that Sin leaves behind it. The guilt of Sin is the Offence done to God, and the Obligation to punishment, resulting thereupon; the power of Sin, is the Tyrrany that Sin ex­ercises over the Sinner. Now when I say, we are not to con­found the pardon of Sin, with the removal of Sin, ye would understand it aright, I grant that God strikes at the guilt of Sin, and the power of Sin, both at once, which is this in [Page 126] plain languege, that a pardoned sin, must not be a reigning sin; where the vertue of the blood is applyed for pardon, the power of the blood will also be applyed for the subju­gating of sin, and putting it from the Throne; and there­fore in the by, ye may take it as a noble evidence of pardon, when sin is subdued, or if it be not subdued, yet ye are en­gadged against your own sinful disposition, that it prevails not with your consent; but for the filthiness of sin, though it be stricken at as soon as any of the former, Regeneration layes the Ax to the Root of that Tree, yet it remains in the Saints till death make the separation. Paul Rom. 7. Hath a Law in his members, rebelling against the Law in his his mind till Death, but the pardon of sin is attainable be­fore death, and given in Justification, and afterward, u­pon the justified persons Repentance, for particular faults, and therefore consequently it is not to be confounded with the removal of sin, sin may be pardoned, and pardon of sin is consistent with the sight of the filthiness of sin, for which the soul is abased before God dayly after Regeneration, though sin doth not reign, and that's it wherein the pardon of sin consists, even in the taking away of the guilt of sin, and the souls obligation to wrath, though the filth of sin remain.

I Am now insisting upon the refuge to which the man abased with the conscience of sin betaketh himself: who, when he hath reflected upon Gods proceedings in strict Justice, according to the tenor of the Covenant of Works with sinners, and who, when he hath found, that, if God should thus mark iniquity, none, even the most godly should be able to stand, he subjoyns this, as a blest after­gain in mans deplorable case. But forgivenness is with thee; [Page 127] In prosecution of this great truth, that there is pardoning-mercy with God, to be a relief for Self-condemned sinners, I have spoken to two of the five heads that I proposed to be spoken to upon it. 1. I have spoken to the Consideration of that which is pardoned, that is Iniquity, Sin or Transgres­sion, or call it by what name ye will. 2. I have spoken to the Consideration of the Author of Pardon, who it is that pardons sin, and whatever hand Ministers have in this, or what ever hand private persons have in it, in remitting in­juries done to them, yet the Text determins God still to be the principal Creditor; it's with thee, (says he) It's with thee alone that forgivenness is. I entered upon the 3d thing, I proposed to be spoken to, which is the main thing in thing purpose, that is to inquire after the nature of this pardon, what this forgivenness of sin, which is with God imports, and after a brief touch upon some passages of Scripture, whereby pardon of sin is expressed, I proceeded negatively, to tell you what it is not, where I shew that pardon of sin is not to be confounded with mens forgetting of sin, and taking a pardon to themselves; as also, that sin is not to be lightly looked on, as a thing that God lightly passes by, when he pardons it, for he pardons none but u­pon satisfaction made to his Justice, by sinners surety; like­wise, that pardon of sin is not to be confounded with Gods forbearing, or not inflicting punishment for it for a time, for they may be long forborn, who yet may be unpardon­ed, and whose forbearance is no sign of Divine Approba­tion. Further it was cleared, that the pardoning of parti­cular sinners, and their restoring in favour, is not to be con­founded with a National pardon, conferred on a Nation, whom he may pardon, and yet punish. And lastly, it was cautioned and cleared, that we should not confound the pardon of sin, with the removal of sin, in the pollution of it; for though God strike at the guilt and power of sin, both together, yet whereas pardon of sin is attained before [Page 128] Death, some filthiness of Sin will remain in the pardoned Sinner, as long as he is in this life, and pardon of Sin may consist with the sight of the filthiness of Sin, for which the Sinner is abased before God daily.

And this leads me positively to point out what pardon of Sin imports: all that I shall say to it in general, before I break in to tell you more particularly what it is, shall be this ye shall distinguish in Sin these two. There is in Sin a blot or pollution of the Soul and a defaceing of God's Image thereby And there is in Sin a guilt, that is, an of­fence done to God, by the violating of his Law, whereby the Sinner becomes obnoxious to the punishment that He hath threatned in his Law. These two are clearly distin­guishable among men, a child running in a puddle, pol­lute [...] himself, and by so doing, he becomes guilty of trans­gressing his Parents command, and is lyable to their cor­rection, or punishment. Now as to these two, the guilt and the blot of Sin, there are diverse and distinct Opera­tions of God conversant about them; for as the blot of Sin begins to be stricken at, in Regeneration, so that work is carried on by Piece-meal in Sanctification, till Sanctifi­cation be perfected, and end in Glorification. Regenerati­on and Sanctification are the Acts of God, conversant a­bout the Blot and Filthiness of Sin, but pardon of Sin takes not away the beeing, nor the Filthiness of Sin, as Antinomians say, but it takes away the guilt of Sin, and the guilt of Sin being pardoned, the Sinner is delivered from the Punish­ment that his guilt deserves, and this is also distinguish­able among Men; for a person having committed an e­normous crime, that crime continues still a filthy thing, and evidences a naughty disposition, yet when that crime is pardoned, the man that committed it loses not their fa­vour, against whom it was committed, and is freed from the punishment that it deserves. So a Child that hath pud­dled himself in a mire, suppose the Parents forgive the of­fence, the filth that he hath got in the mire sticks to him [Page 129] still, till it be washed away another way. So I say, par­don of sin takes not away the filthiness of sin, but the guilt of sin. And this I mention not meerly for speculation, and information of the Judgment, but it says something for their Advantage and Encouragement, who in the sense of sin are flying to Christ for pardon, that they be not scarred by the pollution of sin, from relying on him, for the pardon of guilt. A tender Soul, so long as it finds the blot of sin, it will readily doubt if the guilt of sin be taken away▪ but if we take up pardon Scripturally, the guilt of sin is done away by pardon, though the blot of sin re­main: I confess the blot of sin, must not remain unmourn­ed for, it must not remain unsubdued, or without an en­deavour to subdue it, yet it may remain, when the guilt and violation of the Law of God by Sin, is pardoned, and past, that sin may be near thy sight in the blot and polluti­on, which pardon hath put far off, as to the guilt of it. Jer. 50.20. [In those days and in that time (saith the Lord) the iniquity of Israel shall be sought, and there shall be none, and the sin of Judah, and they shall not be found, Why? For I'le pardon them whom I reserve,] only let me add that, that thou who grips to the pardon of guilt, when yet thou finds the blot of sin remaining, and art mourning for it, remember that pardon must not be only a simple exemption from punishment, but that it is only a Restitution into his Favour, whom thou hast of­fended. Thy pardon must not be an Absalom's par­don, that brought him back to Jerusalem, but he saw not the King's face. Thou must not satisfie thy self with that, but thou must be accepted, and come into favour, that was David's prayer, Psal. 51.8. [Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce, and verse 12. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thine holy Spirit from me, restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me by thy free Spirit.] But of this I will have occasion to speak in the progress, therefore I leave it.

[Page 130]And having given you this general Notion of Pardon, I shall proceed to batter it out a little, for the clearing of four Questions 1. How the guilt of sin can be separated from the blot of sin, and the sinner pardoned. 2. Whether in pardon the obligation to punishment be so taken off, as the pardoned man falleth under no Chastisement for sin. 3. Whether the real passing of Pardon be one in the Court of Heaven, with that which is in the Court of Conscience, or if the truth of pardon depends on the intimation of it to our hearts. 4. Whether, what the Lord pardons, He pardons Irrevocably, or whether upon the Contracting of new guilt, the former pardon be made void to the par­doned man; These four Questions I shall touch upon as briefly as I can, and sure I am, these of you, whose plight anchor pardon of sin is, ye will not weary to hear them spoken unto.

For the First, Having said, that the pardon of sin takes away the guilt of sin, while the blot of sin remains; It's a Question how that can be, seing these two are inse­parable, it's (as we say) propitum quarto modo, an essential property of sin, that it draws under guilt, and makes the sinner lyable to punishment, and it's as absurd to say, that sin can be without guilt, as to say, fire can be with­out heat, or the Sun without Light, guilt being as insepar­able a property of sin, as heat is to fire, or Light to the Sun: But for Answer, this distinction will clear it, di­stinguish betwixt guilt it self, and the result of that guilt on the person sinning, as also betwixt Gods offence, and displeasure at sin, and his offence and displeasure at the sinner; hence, if we consider guilt in it self, it is insepara­ble from sin, there is no pardon that God gives unto the sinner, that takes away the desert that sin hath in it self of the wrath of God. But if we consider guilt, as it results upon the person sinning, and brings him under the lash of God's displeasure, in that respect, guilt may be separat from sin. Sin cannot be sin, if it bring no guilt with it, [Page 131] yet the pardoning of sin brings freedom from the actual obligation of the sinner to punishment. Sin hath that evil with it, that it deserves wrath, but a free pardon Suspends that ill deserving, that it doth not take effect against a sin­ner that is fled to Jesus Christ: I may illustrat it by a si­militude of a massie Hammer that is lift up, and falls down by an Engine, and crushes that which is under it, and a strong hand holding it up, and keeping it up, that it never falls down, it's as inseparable from sin, to deserve everlasting Wrath, as it's inseparable from a ponderous weight falling down to crush that which it falls on, but pardon keeps up that weight of deserved Wrath, that it falls not down to crush them that are fled to Christ; and this also serves not only for Information of the Judgment, but to meet with another case incident to the People of God, who, when they are fled to Christ for refuge, they not only meet with the Pollution and Blot of sin, but with the guilt and ill-deserving of sin, which troubles them, who being sensible of Sin, and assaying to close with par­don, when they look to the dreadful Rod of Iron, that they know their sins deserve, they cannot get pardon of sin clos­ed with. That's a strong temptation to a tender walker, to stand a back; but in this case, we would distinguish be­twixt what we deserve, and the execution of it, a pardoned Sinner would remember, that it commends Gods free Grace in pardoning Sin, that whatever his ill-deserving be, he will not get that which he deserves, God will not give him according to his deserving. And though the Man fled to Jesus Christ, may be dayly humbled with the sight of the pollution, and desert of sin, yet he may be comfort­ed in the free Grace of God, that his ill-deserving shall ne­ver take effect to his prejudice.

Now because this is a great Point, and folk that are in earnest about the pardon of sin, when they are fled unto Christ for pardon, they may have many a sad thought a­bout the pollution and desert of Sin. The tender walker [Page 132] will, no doubt say, I am a vile body, I have that which deserves everlasting wrath, nay that, that God will pursue to root out, though he doth not look on us as an enemy: Because that may be ground of many doubts about this matter, touching the pardon of sin, I shall desire you to take notice of some Scriptural expressions, that are very full and satisfactory for pardon, notwithstanding of the pollution of sin, and the desert of sin; and in following this, I would desire you to take a look of these two, one is, how the Scripture declares, that pardoned sin is look­ed on by the Creditor (to wit God)? And another is, how it stands with the pardoned man?

For the First, whatever thou feel who art fled to Christ for pardon, yet O how fully and satisfactory doth the Scripture speak to thy pardon; I dare not fall on all the Scriptural expressions that hold it forth, but shall briefly touch on some of them in these four steps. And 1. The Scripture tells, that pardoned sin is a blotted out sin, Psal 51.9. Blot out all mine iniquities: and Isai. 44.22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins. It is an allusion to a man that deletes or blots out of his Compt-book, that which is either payed or forgiven: and hence this phrase tells, that pardoned sin is a debt, that will never be craved nor called for; it is a debt, that God the principal Creditor hath given over, and will no more call for, seing it is blotted out. But 2. Because it might be supponed that a debt delete in a Compt-book, may be looked on and read, though not to crave the debt, yet to waken resentments. Therefore the Scripture goes a fur­ther length in the pardon of sin, and tells that pardoned sin is not only blotted out, that it cannot be gotten read, but it is c [...]vered and hid out of Gods sight, Psal. 32.1. Ble [...]st is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Numb. 23.21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Ja­cob, nor hath be seen perversness in Israel. It is not only blotted out, but it is covered, and so covered, as is not [Page 133] seen to be pursued with the punishment it deserves; and here, the Scripture is very copious to express how sin is covered, as that he casts pardoned sins behind his back, or over his shoulders (to speak so) that they shall be no more in his view, Isai. 38.17. Thou hast cast all my sins be­hind thy back, saith Isaiah. And because a man may turn about and see that which is behind his back, therefore pardoned sin is said to be so covered, that (as it is Mic. 7.19.) it is said to be cast not in the shallow places, but in the depths of the sea: And ye use to say of a thing that is lost irrecoverably, it is as tint as it were in the Sea-bot­tom. But further, because though a thing be in the depth of the Sea, it may be dived after, and sought out; there­fore it is added in that fore-cited place, Jer. 50.20. The iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sin of Judah, and they shall not be found: So that the pardon of sin, covers sin, takes it out of Gods sight, and puts it in the depths of the Sea, that though it be sought for, it shall not be found. But 3ly. If there remain any doubt, how it can be, but the Omniscient God must see sin, and seeing it, must be angry at it; therefore the Scrip­ture gives a further account of the fulness of pardon, that it hides God's Face from it; as David prays, Psal. 51.9. Hide thy face from my sins; and it is a notable word, Mic. 7.18. That God passes by, or over-pardons transgressi­ons, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardons iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage; though he be an Omniscient God to see sin, yet when sin is pardoned, he will, (as we use to say) see, and not see, he will see, and misken, as he that passes by that which might irritat him, he will not set his Face in that art; so deals the Lord with pardoned sins in his people. But 4ly, Whereas ye have a cursed distinction of forgiving, but not forgetting of injuries, and temptations may be ready to use, and say, that though in the sense that I have been speaking of, pardoned sins be blotted out, covered, put [Page 134] out of sight, passed by, or over, that the Lord will not take notice of pardoned iniquities, to punish them; yet he may remember them by way of grudge against the par­doned person, the Scripture secures us against the fear of that, and tells us, that pardoned iniquities are not remem­bred. Isai 43.25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy trans­gressions for mi [...]e own sake and will not remember thy sins; and Jer. 31.34. with the paralel place, Heb. 8. in the New Covenant it is said, I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more; I will remember it judici­ally no more, to call them to an account for the sin I have pardoned. So that sins being pardoned, they shall be as if they had not been committed, as if they were everlast­ingly forgotten, no more to be remembred: so much for these expressions shewing how pardoned sin is looked up­on in reference to God, to which many mo might be ad­ded, and O what a full and satisfactory ground do they afford, that pardon of sin is no complement, but a real security, and firm ground of confidence; when God hath said all this who are they who looking on the pollution, or desert of sin, will take pardon of sin for a complement, and not look on it as a solid security.

And this will be further clear, if in the second place we consider how it stands with the pardoned man; for ye may say to me, much hath been said for God, and of the ful­ness of his pardon, and that it is a real Security to the par­doned man; but I find it not so with my case: Therefore I shall in a few words hint, how it stands with thee; Thou who art a pardoned sinner may find much sin and pres­sures of guilt at thy door, and lying near thy Conscience, but the Scripture tells us, that it is otherways with thee than thou apprehends, Psal. 103.12. So far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us; That which thy fears and doubts apprehends lying at thy door, and to be as an heavy burden upon thy back sinking thee, a pardon removes from thee, as far as the [Page 135] East is from the West, as far as one thing can be removed from another, as the proverbial Speech imports. Thou thinks thy self to be in a woful and wretched condition, but the Scripture determines thee to be bl [...]st. Psal. 31.1, 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven &c. Thou may be crying out, O wretched man, who shall deliver me! But the Scripture tells thee, thou art happy, and ought to thank God through Christ, Rora. 7.24, 25. Thou may­est be drooping, notwithstanding thou art fled unto Christ for pardon; but the Scripture-language of pardon is ano­ther thing, Mat. 5.2. Son, be of good chear, thy sins are for­given thee. The power and pollution of sin may make thee droop, but the pardon of sin may make thee drink and forget thy misery, and remember thy poverty no more. Thy other sores and difficulties may stick to thee and press thee down; but if thou read the pardon of sin rightly, thou may say as Isai. 33.24. The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick, why? the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their ini­quity; since I am pardoned, what can all me, what can dare at me, or trouble me, since I am forgiven of my sin? In a word, the Scripture declares, That have what thou will, or want what thou will, though thou should com­plain, loving kindnesses are wanting, thou hast not these proofs of love thou wont to receive, yet thou wants not an admirable proof of love that hast pardon; hence is that Exclamation, Mic. 7.18. Who is a God like unto, that pardoneth iniquity? Others may say, who is a God like thee in working wonders, when thou brought thy people out of Egypt? But as for me, I will say, Who is a God like thee in pardoning sin? Thus if we take the Scripture-ver­dict of pardon of sin, as well in reference to the pardoned man, as in respect of God; we will find that pardon is a sure foundation of confidence, and it is so excellent a Character, that if we could heed it, believe it, and im­prove it, to the quickning of us to run and secure pardon in the right method (whereof we may hear) we should [Page 136] find, that we have here a Treasure hid in this Field, Christ, a pardoner of iniquity, lying in the bosom of this mercy. Lord bless what ye have heard.

I Am now entred upon the 3d, and great Head of this necessary Doctrine, to clear wherein it is That the for­giveness of sin doth stand; and after a general Resolution thereof, That the pardon of sin takes away not the filthiness and pollution, but the guilt of sin: I proceed to name four Que­stions to be cleared on this Subject; And the first (to which I spoke) was, how the guilt of sin could be remo­ved, while the filthiness and pollution of sin remained, guilt being inseparable from sin; and the Resolution was, that however guilt in it self, or (as the Learned call it) The potential guilt, the guilt of sin in it self, be not taken away by pardon; yet guilt as it results on the person, or the actual ordination of the person guilty to condemnati­on is suspended everlastingly, and taken away; and for confirmation thereof, I led you through several Scriptures, to let you see what a sure character pardon is; whether we consider pardon as it is to be looked on in respect of God? or how it stands with the pardoned man? And now with­out further repetition, I shall go on with the rest of the Cases, tending to clear the nature of the remission of sin. A 2d. Question in order, is, since pardon frees the pardoned man from obligation to punish­ment, Whether is this to be held, that no justified or par­doned person can fall under any punishment, or chastise­ment for sin? And here the Adversaries of Truth, Pa­pists on the one hand, and Antinomians on the other, run on two extreames; for Papists say, That in pardon of sin, [Page 137] God remits culpam, but not paenam; That is, he remits the fault or guilt, so as not only he may chasten (which we grant) but as he reserves a punishment by way of satis­faction for sin, to be undergone by the pardoned sinner: They distinguish in this betwixt mortal and venial Sins; for mortal sins, they grant that the free Grace of God turns eternal punishment into a temporal, which the sinner must undergo; for venial sins, which they say deserves not eternal punishment, but temporal, all that temporal punishment they will have the pardoned man to sustain it. Hence is their Doctrine of Pennances in this life, and of Purgatory after death; when Pennances are not un­dergone here, where they will have pardoned sinners to make satisfaction of sin; for this Doctrine, it would be but troublesome to you to hear all that might be said a­gainst it, though we should but touch on it, and therefore passing that groundless distinction of mortal and veni­al sins, ye shall notice these five anent that their Do­ctrine:

1. That as the bulk of Popish Religion is nothing but a well contrived Policy, or Interest of State; so this Do­ctrine of Pennance and Purgatory is nothing else but a Po­litick Device to make gain for maintaining their Kitchin, Pomp, Pride, and Luxury, which (as I told you the last day) Caesar Borgia the Son of Alexander the sixth, makes to appear, who while he had lost 100000— at the Dice, past it in a sport, saying, These are the sins of the Germans, meaning, that thereby they had purchased remission of Sins; for here the policy lies. Once perswade folk, that they must do Pennances to satisfie for sin, or to go to Pur­gatory, what will they not do while they are alive, or their Friends for them when they are dead, to mitigat that satisfaction, that is their Market, and then pay well, and come to Heaven without either Pennance or Purga­tory, so that their Doctrine in this is a perfect cheat.

2. In this their Doctrine they corrupt the Doctrine of [Page 138] the antient Church, which was not so very sound; for [...] they have a trick of retaining antient Names of things, un­der which they bring in new Errors; so in this particular of Pennances and Indulgences, used by the antient Church, who while they were a distinct Society, were ve­ry strict and severe in requiring publick Pennance and Sa­tisfaction for Scandals, some they held many years in ma­king their Repentance, some they held all their life: but afterward, when the World came in to the Church, and the Emperors imbraced Christianity, and they, with o­ther great Ones were too thin-skin'd, and would not sub­mit to Discipline, the Church did degenerat from their strictness, and shortned their Indulgences; but the anti­ent Church their Pennances were not to satisfie God for sin, but the Church, they were not for privat and secret sins, but for publick and scandalous offences. And the Church willing to gratifie great persons, did mitigat these severities to many. But the Papists retaining the Name, they will have these Pennances a satisfaction to God for sin, and their Indulgences to assoil folk in the Court of Heaven.

A 3d thing to be considered in that their Doctrine, which is very unhansom for them to maintain, these Pennances which they call satisfaction, what are they? They are their Fastings, their Ave Marias, and Pater-no­sters, their Pilgrimages and Peregrinations, their Charity to the poor, or for a Religious use, their Self-scourgings and Whippings; now I enquire what are these? They are ei­ther Commanded Duties, or not, If they be not Com­manded Duties, how can they be satisfaction for sin? for will God be satisfied with that which he doth not require? Who required these things at your hand? If they be Com­manded Duties, how can they make a punishment of them? that is a dreadful Solecism in their Religion; that Commanded Duties that should be the joy and rejoicing of folks hearts, should be turned to Punishments; and ex­cept [Page 139] they be punishments they cannot be satisfaction, so that they have a bad impression of these things, which they look upon as Duties, while they make Commanded Duties punishments for sin.

And a 4th Word I say to that their Doctrine, is this, That to admit of satisfaction for sin, either as to tempo­ral or eternal punishment for it, is a blasphemous impu­tation on Christ's Satisfaction, as if any thing needed to be added to the Ocean of his Merit, who hath satisfied the Justice of God, both as to the Temporal and Eternal Curse, due to his own Elect for their sins.

And a 5th I shall say to their Doctrine, is, That it is contradictory to it self, for what is the guilt of sin, (as contra-distinct to the stain of sin) that is removed? It is not the potential guilt, the desert of sin, for that is insepa­rable from sin; it is only the actual ordination to punish­ment. Now to say, God remits the guilt, and retains the punishment of sin, it is to say, that he remits and retains, that he pardons and doth not pardon, that he takes away actual ordination to punishment, that he craves the debt which he hath forgiven. This is sufficient to refute the Papists on the one hand, in what they hold anent the par­don of sin.

Upon the other hand, the Antinomians run on another extream, and say, that pardoned, justified persons fall not so much as under chastisement, let be a proper punish­ment for sin: And they will have all Afflictions that come upon the Godly, to be meer tryals of their Faith, and no more, and think that it is a legal Spirit that teacheth folk while they are under the Rod, to search out sin, and to be humbled for it; all that a man is called to do in that case (say they) is to maintain his Faith in adhering to the Love of God in Christ, for whatever Affliction come, it is not for sin, and it is no wonder they maintain the Saints cannot fall under affliction for sin, or chastisement for sin, seing they maintain, God sees no sin in them. To [Page 140] clear the mind of God in this particular. There are some things that must be granted as truths, and there are some other things to be cautioned against as error. The truths that are to be granted, may be reduced to these four words.

1. That justified persons never meet with condemnati­on, what temporal lots soever they meet with, and though they be not secured against the cross, yet they are secured from condemnation. 2. That a pardoned and justified child of God, doth never come under the wrath of God, though justified persons may come under Gods Fatherly displeasure, yet they are never more objects of divine wrath as others; though they may often meet with Fa­therly and Divine displeasure, as children, they come not under wrath, as enemies. 3. That pardoned and justi­fied sinners never fall under proper punishments for sin, or afflictions to satisfie for their faults, though for o­ther ends they may, as to invite them to repentance, and to be humbled for their sin, to mortifie sin, to caution them against sin for the future. 4. That many trials and afflictions come on pardoned sinners, wherein God doth not pursue them for sin, but is trying their faith and their graces: Such were Jobs trials, though Elihu tells him what he was, he had sin, and his sin deserved all was come upon him; yet betwixt God and Satan all his trials were stated on this, whether he would prove a godly man, and continue so, notwithstanding of them all; and such were these trials under which the Apostles and other godly persons did glory: God in these was not pursuing sin, but taking service and proofs of their faith, love, zeal, patience &c. under the cross from them; and to this per­tains that of Joh. 9.2.3. When the Disciples asked him, say­ng, Master, Who did sin? This man, or his parents, that he was born blind. Christ answers, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: That is, God was not punishing his nor [Page 141] his parents sin in that stroak of blindness, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.

These truths being conceded, there are other some things to be caution'd against, as error, and I shall reduce what I would say for Caution, to these three Heads. 1. It is certain, that sin is the in-let to all affliction, Rom. 5.12. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Death, that is, all calamities, which are a begun death, and the great death, the separation of the soul from the body. And hence what-ever may be God's design in any affliction he sends on godly men, it is their wisdom, while they are under the Cross, to search out and be sensible of sin, and to be humbled for it before God, as we said before, when we was on the 2, and 3. verses, That sense of trouble should be attended with the sense of sin: The sense of sin is good company when sense of trouble is sharpest; and therefore though Job was under a cleanly tryal, yet Elihu tells him he had sin to deserve all that was come upon him, and if he considered his sin, he would quarrel less when his friends mistook him. What-ever other exercise af­fliction calls to, this is one, to search out and be humbled for sin; and it is a shrewd evidence, that that affliction is not blessed of God, that is not well Varnished with sense of sin.

But 2ly. Not only is sin the in-let to all afflictions, but even godly persons pardoned of sin, may be under afflicti­on upon the account of sin; I shall not speak of those com­mon and absolutely determined afflictions, as that all god­ly men must die, and godly women must have pain in child-bearing, as well as others, but godly pardoned persons may come under peculiar afflictions upon the account of sin, and that either before sin is committed, or after sin is committed; Before sin be committed, godly men may come under affliction upon the account of sin. How many [Page 142] afflictions got godly men upon the account of their cor­rupt dispositions to prevent sin, to withdraw them from their purpose, to hide pride from man, to keep back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword? Job 33.17, 18. How many are such hard Rocks, that they must have hard Wedges to rent them? How many are so prone to wandering, that were not their way hedged up with thorns, and the cross laid in their way, they would ruine themselves in following their lovers? How many would be intolerable to live with, if their nose were not holden on the Grindstone? How many are made beg­gers, because they cannot bear wealth? Thus ye see god­ly men may be put under the cross with an eye to sin to prevent sin: Again, they may be brought under peculiar afflictions, upon the account of sin, even when it is com­mitted, and that either before it be pardoned, or after it is pardoned. Before it be pardoned, as when a sinner is lying under unrepented guilt, singing himself asleep in his provocations. If a godly man with David, 2 Sam. 11. drive such a Trade, to fall into scandalous sins, and ly over in security, the Lord will send a hurl upon him, not to satisfie his justice, but to shake him out of his secure posture, and to set him to his feet, to the exercise of re­pentance and humiliation, he will send a rod, that he may hear the voice thereof, and who hath appointed it, Hence David, Psal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went astray; before I got the cross I wandered, and knew not what I was doing, but now have I kept thy word: That's affliction upon the account of sin committed, before it be pardoned, to waken out of security, and put to repent for it: again afflictions may come on the godly upon the ac­count of sin, even when it is pardoned, when the pardo­ned man falls in sin, especially if it be a scandalous sin, he may not win easily away with that escape, but may be made to go with a born-down-back after it is pardoned, [Page 143] all his days. 2 Sam. 10.12, 13. The Lord tells David, that he had pardoned him, yet that the sword should not depart from his house, for all that. We suppose the Co­rinthians were godly men, and pardoned for the abuse of the Lords Supper, yet 1 Cor. 11.30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge our selves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Where ye may see affliction is let out upon the account of sin remitted. And if ye ask, Why doth the Lord so? I answer, not to take a satisfacti­on to his justice, that's already compleatly made by Christ; but he doth it, partly to vindicat his own honour, whatever be betwixt him and his pardoned children, if they fall in sin that the world observes, he will let the world see that he will not wink at their miscarriages. The sword's not departing from David's house, was not to satisfie justice for his sins that were pardoned, but because by his scan­dalous out-breaking, he had made the enemies to blas­pheme: He will let the world see, that if his darling Da­vid bourd with him, and fall in sin, he hath made an ill bargain. Partly he doth this upon the account of sins re­mitted, that even the Saints who are pardoned may see yet more the bitterness of their folly and wandering. The Lord looketh not upon it as a sufficient discovery of sin, and the evil thereof, that a child of God may win to in repen­tance antecedent to pardon, but when he is pardoned, he will sharply afflict him, that he may know the bitterness of sin, and that he made an ill bargain when he gave way to it; and upon this it will result, that when the Lord afflicts the pardoned, they are not to forget daily to be humbled for pardoned sin. Though God be good and gra­cious in pardoning sin, we should be severe on our selves for provoking him. Though the pardoned mans Count be cleared, he must ly in the dust, for that he offended God, [Page 144] and brought so much wo and vexation on himself. And further, this will follow upon it, that God by afflicting the pardoned sinner, invites him to mortifie sin daily that he may not fall in the like sin again. Yea, and further, when he afflicts the sinner, with an eye to sin that is pardoned, he invites the sinner to more and more thankful­ness to him for the pardoning of it, when he considers what-ever afflictions or rods be inflicted, yet his pardon is ensured to him: These are some of the blessed ends, why the Lord with an eye to pardoned sin, is pleased to let out afflictions and chastisements upon justified persons; and it is upon this account, that chastisement with pardon is put in the Covenant, Psal. 89.32. That however he will not take his loving kindness from his children, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail, yet he will visit their trans­gressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes; therefore we would mind this well. It is no great won­der that Antinomians say, God chastens not the Saints at all upon the account of sin; for they say, God sees no sin in them to chasten; but let us not deceive our selves, but when the rod is laid on, let us hear the voice of the rod, and who hath appointed it, Mic. 6.9. Ye have heard, that all afflictions comes in by the door of sin, and therefore it's a sweet study under afflictions, to be sensible of sin. Ye have heard, that God may send afflictions on justified persons, to prevent sin, and to waken them out of security, and put them to repentance when sin is committed, to imprint upon their spirits the folly of their wanderings, and the bitterness that follows sin, to caution them for the future against relapsing in sin, to stir them up to mortifie sin &c. These are better Lessons than the dreams of Antinomians, that God hath no respect to the sins of his children when he afflicts them.

And yet I shall add a third word more for Caution a­gainst their error, that is, That Gods afflicting of Saints [Page 145] with an eye to sin, doth not at all clash with that which they assert, that the afflictions of the godly are for the trial of their faith. That they are meerly for the trial of their faith, we deny; that they are for the trial of their faith, we grant. For though afflictions be for the trial of faith, yet they are also for other ends, as before they re­pent to stir up to repentance, in order to pardon, and af­ter repentance to humble them, and caution against sin, and for producing other effects, yet they are still trials of faith, whether they will adhere to God; yea, so much the more trials of faith are they, as we have not only trouble to graple with, but guilt that brought on the affliction; It is easier for faith to hold its feet under a cleanly trial, than when affliction is lying on, and conscience of guilt is staring us in the face: And therefore we shall easily grant, providing the mind of God in other ends of affli­ction be not neglected; That when we have done all, we should look on the trial of faith as a main end of af­fliction, and when in affliction we cast away confidence, we miss a main end, and imped the good that we might get by affliction.

The time having prevented me, and I cannot win to the other two Questions, whether the truth of pardon depends on the intimation of it to our hearts, and whether pardon be it revocable, so that guilt makes not former pardon void, though it needeth pardon, and ought to be mourned for. I shall not now break in upon them. The Lord bless his Word to you.

THough I have insisted long, and may insist yet some while upon this great priviledge, the forgivenness of [Page 146] sins, yet ye may know that I am not upon an unnecessary Subject; I am upon a Subject that will be found absolute­ly necessary for you, to make your Testament comfor­tably with, and with the cordials thereof ye may digest any bitterness that occurreth in your empty pilgrimage.

These general Heads on which I am now treating, they want not their ground in the Text and Context. That which is pardoned (to which I have spoken) the Text tells, that it is iniquity, there is forgivenness with thee of these iniquities, which if tho [...] mark, who can stand? The Author of this benefit of pardon, is expresly held out in the Text, There is forgivenness with thee; and the benefit it self, the nature whereof I am now inquiring af­ter, is held out in that term of forgivenness, There is for­givenness with thee. Now concerning this, having clear­ed negatively, what it is not, I told you particularly, that pardon takes not away the filth and beeing of sin, but the guilt of sin. God in pardoning the sinner, remits the offence done to him, by the violation of his Law, and re­stores the pardoned sinner to his favour, and exempts him from the deserved punishment of sin; and in pursu­ance of this, I spoke to two of four Questions, which are needful to be discussed, for clearing the nature of remis­sion. I cleared to you, that though guilt be inseparable from the filth of sin, yet the sinner might be pardoned, though the filth of sin remain; and how that his pardon did not take away the desert of sin, considered in it self, but that it takes away that desert and guilt, as it results on the person sinning, so as it never taketh effect upon him; so that though the person fled unto Christ for refuge be troubled, not only with the pollution, but with the guilt of sin, yet he needs not be afraid, for it takes no effect against him, since he has betaken himself to the City of Refuge. And to confirm this, I gave you several Scriptu­ral expressions of pardon, which may quiet the Conscience, [Page 147] and be ground of peace; that although the filth of sin, and the inherent desert of sin remain, yet pardon is a real se­curity to the pardoned sinner. 2. Another case or Que­stion which I spoke unto, was, that seing pardon frees the pardoned man from obligation to punishment, whether or not doth, or may the Lord pursue a pardoned justified man with any chastisement or punishment for sin, and there, not to resume what I spoke unto you the last af­ternoon, I gave you some grounds of refutation of the Po­pish Doctrine, who will have the fault or guilt remitted when the punishment is retained; which is to say, that sin is remitted, and it's not remitted: And upon the other hand, I cleared to you against the Antinomians, how that as all trouble came in by the door of sin, and that the Lord may and doth chasten the pardoned sinner, upon the ac­count of sin; partly to prevent sin, partly to rouse him up to repentance when he hath sinned, partly to set sin­ners to their feet, that they may be rightly affected with sin when it is pardoned, and that they may be excited to make a right use of pardon.

There remains yet other two Questions or Cases to be cleared, anen [...] the nature of remission of sin, to which I shall now briefly speak, as the Lord will give.

The 3d Case or Question in order to this, whether the truth of pardon depends upon the intimation thereof to our hearts, yea, or no, so that when a sensible sinner, fallen down at Gods foot-stool, in the confession of sin, and crying for pardon through Christ, yet he finds nothing like a pardon intimate to his Conscience. In this case the Question is, whether hath he ground to doubt, that nei­ther hath he repented of sin, nor gotten a pardon from God for it. The general Answer to this is, that pardon, and Gods intimation of pardon to the Conscience, are not to be confounded. The Apostle 1 Cor. 2.12. gives a general rule concerning all supernatural gifts, that when [Page 148] we have received these things freely of God, we must re­ceive the spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God. It's one thing to get these supernatural gifts gifted to us, another thing to get the spirit which is of God, to know they are given us; and this hath place particularly in the matter of par­don of sin, for the pardon of sin is a sentence already past in the Word of God, in favours of all believers and peni­tents in Christ, so that no sooner doth the penitent sin­ner flee unto him, and look unto him, as to the brazen serpent, for pardon and cure, but as soon that pardon becomes his, before he can subsume and say, I am fled unto Christ for pardon, and am pardoned, his direct act of faith draws out pardon, before he can reflect and pass a judgment on that his pardon. And hence, when Na­than hath pronounced, that David's sin is pardoned him, 2 Sam. 12.13. Yet in the 51. Psalm he crys instantly for mercy, for pardon, and blotting out of his transgression. Why? Though he was pardoned in the Court of Heaven, yet he was not pardoned in the Court of his own Conscience. The intimation of pardon was suspended and kept up. And hence is that which I named before, Mat. 9.2. Son, be of good chear, thy sins are forgiven thee. It's one benefit to him to have his sins forgiven him, and another benefit to be of good chear on that account: Therefore, as Christ tells him, that his sins are forgiven him, so he must bid him be of good chear. Thus ye see the truth of a penitents pardon depends not on the intimation thereof to his conscience.

But this wakens up another Case or Question; the fol­lowing forth whereof will deduce this more distinctly, and that is, how it comes, and for what ends it is, that a child of God cannot get it discerned and closed with, that he is pardoned. For clearing of this Case, we should look [Page 149] first to our selves, and then to a wise hand of God, suspen­ding the intimation of pardon. If we look to our selves when we are pardoned, we cannot discern it because of our weakness, that cannot discern our happiness; we are blind and discern not our happiness, discern not our health, we confound the reality of pardon, with the sense and feeling of pardon, and we will not believe pardon, except we feel the effects of pardon; and it is also because we are ignorant of getting pardon through the satisfaction of another: when we are brought to be sensible for sin, and to look to Christ for pardon, and God hath spoken par­don, we are like the Sea, which being raised by a storm, doth tumble a while after the storm is over, and there is a calm. These are some hints on our part, why the pardoned sinner gets it not discerned that he is pardoned: But if we look up to God, he may have a holy hand in keeping up the intimation of pardon upon several accounts. As 1. The Lord would have us looking more to his Word, wherein pardon in the Gospel is holden out to us on Go­spel-terms, and less to sense, he would breed us to grip the promise while sense come, and to grip the promise that sense may come; and they that will suspend all as­surance of pardon, while it be sensibly intimat; the Lord in his holy providence keeps up the intimation of pardon from them, to teach them to pay more due re­spect to his Word, and to seek and feed upon the conso­lation that depends upon pardon promised and pronoun­ced therein, that by following his method by faith, they may come to sensible intimation of pardon. 2. The Lord may keep up the sensible intimation of pardon from the penitent and pardoned man, that he may learn him to look upon pardon not as a necessary result and effect of his repentance, but as a free gift of God, which though the Lord will not bestow without repentance, yet he doth not bestow it for repentance; therefore doth he suspend [Page 150] the intimation of pardon from the penitent man, that he may learn to look less to his Repentance, and more to the free Grace of God in obtaining of Pardon. 3. The Lord sees it fit to keep pardoned sinners in suspence, as to the sense of Pardon, or the intimation of it, that he may let them see, that when he is provocked by their sinning, it is not so easie to recover themselves, and get into his favour; Therefore though he have pardoned them, yet he will keep them at the back of the door, as to the intimation of it; partly, that they may be put to resent how bitter a thing it is to depart from God, and to raise a Cloud betwixt him and them; and partly, that they may be affrighted to dally with sin again; he will have them to know, that though he give them mercy, it is not so easie to bring a Delinquent in Court and Favour again. And, 4. The Lord keeps up the intimation of pardon from the penitent and pardoned sinner, for this among other ends, that he may be fit for sympathy with others, that may come in the like case with himself, he may cause his reconciled peo­ple feel the bitterness of departing from him, and may suf­fer them to ly in the sense, and under fears of their un-re­conciled condition, as to the intimation of pardon, that they may bear burden with others that come to be in their case. 5. The Lord keeps up the intimation of pardon from them, that he may set them on work to repent more, that they may search out sin more, and repent more for their sin, and for the sinfulness that is in their sin, that pos­sibly as yet they have not laid well to heart. These rea­sons of suspending the intimation of pardon, even where pardon is really past, were they well pondered by us, we might get a better account of our pardon, and the petitions we put up for it.

And particularly to speak a word here to them, who though they are in the use of the Means, running to the open Fountain, and seriously to know the mind of God, as to the pardon of their sin, and their being in favour [Page 151] with God, and yet can find no intimation thereof; Be­side what general Directions they may gather from that which I have spoken, I shall offer three or four words fur­ther. Thou that art a sensible sinner, in the use of the Means, fleeing to the Remedy, yet can find no warmness or sweetness, through gripping to the Promise of pardon, thou finds nothing like that, Son, or daughter, be of good chear, thy sins are forgiven thee: For such, I say, as thou art, I offer these four words of Direction: 1. I would have such persons looking upon it as a mercy, that they are not deluded as to the matter of their pardon, as many are who never doubt of it: I confess they are in an error on the one hand; but the error of the other hand, that doubts not of pardon, is the more dangerous; thy con­tinuing doubting, is dishonourable to God, and thou impedes, and provocks him to suspend thy comfort: but the other that doubts not of pardon, they are deluded, they take it for granted, that they are pardoned, or desperatly they will take their venture whether they be pardoned or not; and therefore thou that are keeped in exercise about the intimation of pardon, ought to bless God that thou art not in the error of these self-deluders. 2. I would re­commend to such, that they would justifie God whatever he do; That is David's remark, Psal. 51.4. That he might be justified when he speaks, and clear when he judges; if thou fall a carping and quarrelling, that will not shorten thy distress, it may well provock God to hide his Face yet more, till thou learn to justifie him. 3. I would recom­mend to them that are about the Means using for pardon, and yet cannot win to the intimation of it, that they would look well to their Repentance, and there are four things to be looked to in Repentance: 1. They would look well that it be sincere, that it be repentance for sin as sin, and not a ruing for it, as it is disgraceful to them and prejudi­cial; many beguile themselves with a ruing for sin, and never repent sin. 2. They would look if their repentance [Page 152] be universal for all sin, which is another mark of sincere repentance, see that thou be not seeming to rue over one sin, while thou art hugging another in thy bosom. 3. They would labour to have their repentance deep and through, I mean not to recommend to any a trade of discourage­ment, but any who reads in what plight David was, Psal. 32. Psal. 38 Psal. 51. They will readily find, that the repentance of the generality is not through. And 4. They would look to it if their repentance be constant. It is marked of Christ, That when he was in an agony, he prayed more earnestly, Luk. 22.44. So such as are suspended and keeped at the door; while they are about the work of re­pentance, they would be more fervent, and hold on in the work of repentance. 4 That they would stick well by Faith. There is a word to this purpose, Isai. 50 10. who is there among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light; no inti­mation of comfort, Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God: In this case, Faith closing with the pro­mise of pardon, must be stuck by, and to help you to stick by Faith in such an exigent, I would have you consider­ing partly, that many a Pardon is past in Heaven, where­of the sensible sinner wants the comfort. 2. When Faith is the exercise that thou hast no will to make use of, I would have thee to consider, that it is a notable refutation of temptation, to go and mourn over thy Atheism and Un­belief, and for that thou has such an aversation to the way of Faith, whereby only thou can win to the Shore. And 3. Consider that it is a most cleanly and noble Act of Faith, in despite of Satans Temptations, and the Fears of thine own Conscience, over the belly of Unbelief, to cast thy self in the arms of Christ, and in the bosom of the Promise, and if thou perish, thou perish: There thou casts thy self, and there thou leaves thy self.

Now to come to the Fourth, or last Case or Question, I proposed to be spoken to, Whether pardon of sin be a re­vocable, [Page 153] or irrevocable sentence? That is, whether when a pardoned sinner falleth in a new sin, his new guilt can­celleth all former pardon till he repent all over again, and get a renewed pardon for all. It is to no purpose here to trouble you with the differences betwixt the Cannonists, and the School-men, betwixt Gratian and his Glossator in this matter. That which lies in our plain road in clearing this Question, I shall reduce to five brief Assertions; And 1. It is to be granted, and experience witnesseth it, that in the case of new guilt, Satan by temptation may be ready to cast all loose, to call in question all former pardons, so to a mans sense, all former iniquities may come to remem­brance; and it may come in question, whether or not they have been pardoned, which is a proof of the Saints tender­ness, though it be clogged with a mistake, their pardon may fall under debate, as we may see in David and Job; in David, Psal. 15.7. Who prays that God would not remem­ber the sins of his youth: and in Job 13.26. Whose tempta­tion is, Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the sins of my youth. He looks on sins long ago pardoned, as pursued by God. 2. It is to be granted, that as Satan by temptation, and Saints through their own weakness, may bring former pardon in question; so the Lord in his Providence may see it good to concur in some­thing like that, he may, though he do not recal pardon yet bring pardoned sins to memory, open these un-ripe Graves, and hold their heads over them, when they fall in the committing of new folly. And this the Lord doth partly that he may affect the sinner the more, when he re­flects on his guilt against God, that hath pardoned him so; and partly, that the sinner may thereby be ex­cited to vomit up by repentance his new contracted guilt, all terrors for former guilt recurring, he may not dally therewith any more; and partly he calls former guilt to remembrance, that he may make the sinner afraid to be adding to that Accompt. 3. This is a thing to be yield­ed [Page 154] to, that is, That however it stand with a man as to the pardon of bygone sin, yet God allows him no conso­lation in the pardon of sin, so long as he wallows in new provocations without repentance; be his pardon revock­able or not revockable, it shall be all a matter to him, if he study not tenderness in his walk; and any man that is going on in new provocations, & doth bless himself in for­mer pardon, I shall not say that he is blessing himself with a lie, but sure he is blessing himself with a false comfort in his right hand. 4. This must be granted, that as the School-men say, That sins that are pardoned do recur up­on the commission of new guilt, not formally considered as in themselves; but in so far as these former sins that were pardoned, and virtually contained in the ungrati­tude that is in that new guilt; that is, though formerly pardoned sins return not upon the Delinquent, yet there is so much of ingratitude to God in new contracted guilt, that in some respect the sinner may be accounted no less guil­ty, as if all the former guilt were contained in that one provocation. But when these four must be granted, yet in the 5th place it is still to be held, That a pardon past by God, is a sentence irrevocable; it is a sentence not made void, nor cancelled by any new guilt. It is one of these Gifts of God that are given without Repentance, and this is clearly intimat to you in these Scriptures that I gave you before, while I shew you how satisfactorily, the Scrip­ture speaks of the pardon of sin, as it is looked on by God; how it is called a blotting out of sin, a covering of it, a putting of it out of his sight, a casting of it behind his back, and in the depth of the sea; and so, as though it be sought for, it shall not be found: and how speaking of pardoned iniquities, he says, He so blots them out, that he does not remember them; and he will forgive their iniquities so, as that he will remem­ber their sin no more. These Scriptures evince, that par­don once past, is irrevocable. As for these Scriptures the Cannonists and Lutherians urge, as Ezek. 18.24, 26. That [Page 155] when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and doth according to all the abominations of a wicked man, all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned, he shall die in his sin. That would seem to make all void, but the answer is easie, That either the Text speaks of a Temporary Righteousness of a man that was never pardoned, and from which he may totally and finally fall away: Or if it speak of true righteousness in the pardoned man, it holds only by way of supposition, That if the righteous man should fall away, his righteousness should not be mentioned; and this supposition says nothing to the possibility of the thing, but is a blessed mean to pre­vent his falling away. There is another word, Mat. 18.32. spoken of the wicked servant that had his debt forgiven him, and had no compassion on his fellow servant, and was delivered to the tormentors, that the Antients trouble themselves much about, and speak of a Baptismal Remission, that is got­ten in Baptism; but that Text is a Parable, and a Parable is not to be strained beyond its scope. Parables are like pictures wherein are many flourishes, which are not Li­neaments of the thing Portrayed. The scope of that Pa­rable is, to prove that Christ will pardon the sins of none, but such as forgive others; and such as will not forgive others, though they seem pardoned folk, they will find their sins retained; and that this is the scope, is clear from Christ's Explaining it, and no more.

From this that I have been speaking about the irrevo­cableness of pardon, there is some Uses that I intended to have spoken to, which I shall name and close; one is, That as they who have been pardoned, and can reflect how much they have been humbled for particular sins be­fore they attained to pardon, they would walk tenderly for fear of wakening old sores, and that guilt that God hath covered with the vail of Pardon, and as they would not have these laid in their Dish, and be made to look up­on these unripe Graves of Abominations. And another [Page 156] word that I intended to have spoken to, is, That a sensible Child of God, though he fall in new guilt, is not oblig­ed to look upon former guilt, which hath been pardoned, as un-pardoned, though he ought to be humbled for, and repent the present guilt; if Sathan, and the Conscience, and God in his holy Providence, call to remembrance sins par­doned, and waken them about his ears; the sensible man in that case should not question former pardon, though readily there is some unpardoned sin, where these bygone compts are back-speared, that should be sought out and mourned for; yet all are not to be looked on as unpar­doned, but as beacons and warnings, to make Conscience of repentance for unpardoned sin, that we may get that breach semented, and that wound bound up again. God bless what ye have heard.

I Did in the forenoon put a close to the third and main Head of Doctrine, that is contained and included in this high and great Priviledge of the Remission of sins, and that is to clear what this forgiveness is, and wherein the nature of it consists, and what ye heard upon it in the morning, amounts to this, That Pardon in the Court of Heaven, is a distinct thing from the intimation of that par­don in the Court of Conscience; and therefore they that are running to the Fountain, and laying hold upon the Promise of Pardon, they must not conceive that they are not pardoned, because they cannot feel by any sensible ma­nifestation that they are pardoned. And the last thing I was upon was, That however pardon past by God is ir­revocable, it is a Deed and Sentence that is never revock­ed; once be pardoned of sin, and it is eternally pardon­ed: [Page 157] And consequently the Child of God that hath been at Christ the Remedy with any sin, he must not conceive that every sin that troubles him, especially upon his falling in new guilt, is unpardoned; yet they that know how much they are in Free Graces Debt for Pardon, would walk tenderly, that they open not these unripe Graves up­on themselves, which will be much bitterness to them, e­specially when new guilt is made a prospect, where through to read old guilt, though it be pardoned.

I proceed to the 4. Head to be spoken to in this purpose, and that is the time when God pardoneth sin in his people. The Text hath a ground for this also; for the Psalmist finds it a fit time to strick in for pardoning Mercy, and by Faith to close with this, There is forgiveness with thee: When he is abased with the sight and sense of sin, when he finds sin such a Debt, such a Burden, That if God mark iniquity, none can stand, he finds it then time, I say, to strick in for par­don. But that I may speak a little more distinctly to this, which when I have done with, there will remain only the right method of application of Pardon to be spoken to, that will bring me on in the Text, and to the practical Use of all this Doctrine; I shall speak briefly to these three Questions on it:

1. Whether sin be pardoned from all eternity, or when Christ paid satisfaction to Justice on the Cross, as the An­tinomians say.

2. Supposing that sin is pardoned not from eternity, but in time; The next Question will be, Whether all sins be forgiven at once to the justified and pardoned man, whe­ther in Justification, and upon a mans closing with Christ, all sins, not only sins past and present, but sins to come are actually pardoned?

3. If sins be pardoned in time, How is it said, Act. 30 19, 20. To be done at the day of Judgment? Repent ye there­fore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when [Page 158] the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, &c.

For the first of these Questions, the Antinomians make Ju­stification and the Pardon of sin an imminent Act in God (as they call it) and they will have it past from all eter­nity, and they assert, That all the Elect are actually par­doned from eternity, and the lowest that any of them come is, That they will have all the Elect pardoned, when Christ upon the Cross finished the satisfaction to Justice for their sins, and all that a Believer gets, when he comes to Christ, and closes with Christ for Righteousness and Life, is not an actual pardon, but the intimation and declaration of his pardon, even as when a pardoned Rebel who hath a pardon in his pocket, is brought in before the King, and prays for pardon, and the King intimats the pardon, which he hath already got, unto him; To clear it according to Scripture, and so to lead you to something practical in this, ye shall take up pardon in four steps.

1. We grant, That from all eternity God Decreed to pardon the sins of all the Elect, and in this respect we shall not decline to say, that all the Elect are Justified and Par­doned in God's Decree, to whom known are all his works from the beginning of the world, Act. 15.18. Yet we must add, that that will not prove actual Pardon to the Elect from eter­nity, for all the Elect are saved as well as pardoned in God's Decree; and yet they are not actually saved till they be glorified. There is only a Decree concerning their Pardon to be in due time past, on Gospel Terms, and a­ctual Pardon is a transient Act, and changes the state of the person.

2. As Pardon to the Elect is Decreed from all eternity, so it is purchased by Christ at his Death, for then, Col. 2.14. He blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was a­gainst us, which was contrair to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his Cross: He then blotted out our Libel and Dittay; how? by paying a price for that pardon, that [Page 159] in due time, and in the use of means, was to be actually conferred, and in this sense we shall let it pass, that the E­lect were justified in Christ their Head, at his Death, he took up that Song, Isai. 50.8. He is near that justifies me, who will contend with me, that we might sing it after him, Rom. 8.34. It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth?

But there is a third step of the pardon of sin, that is, That pardon that is Decreed by God from eternity, and pur­chased by Christ at his Death, it is recorded by way of a past Sentence, and tendered in the word of the Gospel, to be imbraced by sinners in due order, in the use of the means. A sentence of pardon is past and pronounced in the word of the Gospel, that needs no more to make it ef­fectual to the sinner, but his closing with Christ, and get­ting in his name in the due use of the Means.

But yet we must add a fourth step, when pardon is De­creed, when Christ has purchast padon, and the Sentence of pardon is past and pronounced in the Word; yet no man is actually pardoned till he come unto Christ, till he be actually penitent and a Believer, he is not actually par­doned, and when he is an actual penitent, and has closed with Christ for pardon of sin, righteousness and Life, he may then look back with comfort on Gods Decree of E­lection, on Christ's purchase of pardon, on his being on Gods Heart, when pardon is holden out in the Word, but actually pardoned he is not, till he himself come to Christ, and be a Believer on him.

Many things would fall in to be spoken to for clearing of this; some whereof will come in when we come to the Resolution of the next Question; I shall here offer three words for clearing and confirming this Truth:

1 That all the Elect before Conversion are in a state of Wrath even as others, Ephes. 2.3. The Elect before they be quickned are Children of Wrath, not in their own sense only, as the Antinomians say, but really even as others, and consequently they were not pardoned, nor reconciled [Page 160] before they were quickned more than the Pagans, Chil­dren of wrath.

2. It is clear from the Tenor of the Scriptures, that they are not, nor cannot be justified and pardoned, till they be in Christ the second Adam, not in a decree, or judicially as represented by Christ, but actually by Faith, for we are justified by faith, Rom. 5.7. and consequently by Faith we are pardoned, which is a Branch of Justification; now men are in Christ by Faith, not from eternity, but in time, and on that account, Rom. 16.7. Paul tells of some of his kinsmen that were in Christ before him, and consequent­ly were not actually pardoned till they were in him by Faith.

And 3. In the pattern of Prayer, Mat. 6. We are bid­den Pray daily, Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors; The Antinomians say, when we are bidden Pray for forgiveness, that it is for the intimation of pardon but that Gloss may be easily wiped off, if we consider that we are to pray for forgiveness, as we forgive others. Now we forgive others by a real passing from the wrong they have done us, and nor by the intimation of pardon only. And further it may be cleared from that same similitude, that Antinomians bring of a Rebel or Malefactor, that hath gotten a pardon from his Prince; it is true, after he hath gotten his pardon, when he comes before his Prince, he may seek the intimation of his pardon; but he were a fool if as oft as he came in his Princes presence, he should seek the Intimation of his pardon; and consequently it is not the intimation of pardon that is to be sought daily in that Petition, but actual pardon; Thus ye see that sin is not actually pardoned from eternity: This might warn us in our practice to take a right look of the Decrees of God. Profane Mockers begin there to cast off all fear of God, and if (say they) it be decreed in Heaven, they will get it; and if not, they want it; others that are more tender are ready to question if they be decreed for Life, and if Christ [Page 161] stood in their room, and if they have interest in his death; but these are not thy first Questions, but if thou hast need of him, if that which thou misters be held our in the pro­mise, and thou needest never speir thy interest, so long as thou hast a necessity to prove it; till thou begin there, a comfortable look of Gods Decree and purpose about thee thou will never get.

But I proceed to the second Question, whether all sins of the justified be forgiven at once; The expressions of some orthodox Divines run this way, that Justification being an indivisible instantaneous act, all the sins of the justified, past, present, and to come, are pardoned in that first act of Justification, and all that we get afterward is a renewed sense of our Justification, and a renewed extract of our Discharge, when by new guilt it is dark­ned and subdued, so as we cannot read it. In the clear­ing of this, a general truth is to be granted, that when a man is once justified, no sin that he falls in after Justifica­tion shall eventually condemn him; for if we consider partly the sure decree of God, that he will save his own elect whom he hath decreed to save; partly the purchase of Christ, that he will lose none that are given to him; and partly the sure state of the justified man, that as it is Rom. 8.30. Whom he justifies, them he also glorifies; we may assert when once a man is justified, he shall never be con­demned, though he fall in new sins after Justification: But this we say not upon that account, because these sins are pardoned, but because the elect justified man shall un­doubtedly repent and get pardon, and these are the terms on which we say, that no sin the justified man falls in, shall eventually condemn him. But more particularly, in speak­ing of Justification, and the pardon of sin, ye shall in the taking of it up, go along with me in these four or five steps.

[Page 162]1. A justified man, closing with Christ by faith, his person is reconciled and received in favour with God; and that is the first great step or benefit the justified person hath, the man with Abraham becomes a friend of God of an enemy, and upon this results that distinction that is to be made betwixt a mans state and his condition. The un­renewed man, both his state and condition are cursed, but the justified, as to his state is blessed, but his condition may alter as the Moon upon his hand.

2. In Justification, not only is the justified mans per­son taken in favour with God, but all his sins past and pre­sent, all the debt wherewith he can be charged in that day when he closes with Christ, are blotted out and par­doned, no more to be remembred; and his pardon is this, when he grips by faith to Christ, and thorow Christ to the promise of pardon holden forth in the Gospel, his par­don is a pronounced sentence in the Word, and all his crimes and transgressions are then done away.

But 3. Because a justified man is not a perfect man, but falling daily in new escapes, whereby he contracts new guilt and pollution, therefore a justified man, beside the reconciliation of his person, and the pardon of his sins he is under for the time, he hath a right to that open fountain opened in the house of David for sin and for unclean­ness, Zech. 13.1. He hath a right to go to the fountain, as an open fountain to wash, upon his repentance daily, as he contracts pollution, and that's another priviledge the justified man hath, that he hath a fountain to go to upon his repentance, and wash and be clean.

And 4. This is another benefit that results on Justifica­tion, that not only hath the justified man a right to the fountain, but a promise of repentance, to fit and qua­lifie him to go to the open Fountain, and make use of it for cleansing, Zech. 12.9, 10. That God will pour upon him the spirit of grace and supplication, and cause him to look [Page 163] unto him whom he hath pierced by his sins, and mourn, he hath Christ an exalted Prince and Saviour to give him repentance, and remission of sins, and that is another pri­viledge of the justified man, that not only is he in favour with God, and hath a right to pardon, but a right to the promise of repentance, that he may have access to the o­pen Fountain for pardon.

Yet we must add 5thly, That his sins to come are not actually pardoned, till he actually come to the Fountain and wash: It's true (as the learned speak) Justification is an indivisible instantaneous act, without succession (as they call it) as to the state of the justified mans person, but yet as to the pardon of daily sins, as it is said in the Confession of Faith, Chap. 11. Sect. 5. God doth continue to forgive the sins of these that are justified; It's a con­tinued act, a frequently repeated act, as the justified man falls in new sins, humbles himself, and confesseth, begs pardon, and renews his faith and repentance.

And to clear that it is so, I shall adduce two or three Arguments briefly, which will also prove that sins are not forgiven from eternity; and passing that Argument, Mat. 6.12. where, because we are daily sinning, we are bid­den seek daily pardon and forgivenness, as we forgive others, ye shall consider these three things, to make it out, That sins to come are not actually pardoned in Justifi­cation.

1. Consider, That sin must be committed, and be a crime, before it be pardoned; common sense says, that before a pardon be, there must be a crime, and conse­quently sins to come are not pardoned, they not being as yet crimes. Hence when the Scripture speaks of pardon of sins, it speaks of these sins as committed, Ezek. 18.22. All his transgressions that he hath done shall not be men­tioned: And Jer. 33.8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against [Page 164] me, and I will pardon all their iniquities, where­by they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. Nay, the very names given to the pardon of sin, as when it is called, the blotting out of sin, the put­ting of it out of his sight, the casting of it in the depth of the Sea, the remembring of it no more, &c. All these, and the like, import an existence and beeing of sin, to be an­tecedent to the pardon of sin. What need is there of a pardon to that which is not a crime? Is not existent, hath not a beeing? Nay, there is no Prince, nor Supream Au­thority in the world, that will give pardon at that rate; it's fair enough if the delinquent get pardon when he hath committed a crime, and consequently, God pardons no sins, till they be committed, to justified persons.

A 2d Argument that inclines me to think, that all sins are not pardoned in Justification, is this, that there is no pardon of sin, but upon confession of sin, 1 Joh. 1.9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There is no par­don of sin promised, but upon repentance, Act. 5.31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give first repentance to Israel, and then re­mission of sins: Where God gives remission, he gives first repentance. Now confession of sin, and repentance for a sin, hath no place where sin hath not a beeing; con­fession of sin, and repentance for sin, presupposes the beeing of sin, and the sinners reflecting on it, and repent­ing of it.

And a 3d Consideration or Argument is, when sins are actually pardoned, a man may rejoyce, exult and boast in God, upon the account of pardon. O how may the par­doned sinner exceedingly rejoyce in God? But who dare say, that a justified person, while recking in his sin (to speak so) before he hath confessed it, and repented for it, can, or dare rejoice in God? Shall he, while he is wal­lowing [Page 165] in his abominations, rejoyce in God? That were abominable Doctrine, and yet he might in that case re­joyce, if these Abominations were pardoned before they were committed; nay more it would confound all distin­ction to be put betwixt unrepented and repented guilt; if a mans sins were pardoned before they were committed, his pardon would be as sure, as if he had repented, by their Doctrine: Therefore I conclude, that sin cannot be actu­ally pardoned before it be committed, repented, and Christ fled unto for pardon.

And this hath a practical Use, (which I but touch up­on, because the great Practical Use of all is but coming) That justified folk that are at peace with God, as to the state of their persons, would not think light of their day­ly slips into faults; thou art lying under thy daily failings, as a debt, till thou go to the open Fountain and wash; It is true (as I said before) no sin thou falls in shall even­tually condemn thee, but thou art a guilty person so long as thou lies under unrepented guilt; Therefore look to it, and let your Faith of Pardon be seen in your tenderness under new guilt; O that the Gospel would take you off the Laws hand, and press you to this tenderness, that love to Christ, and the love of Christ might incite you in your actings, and when ye fall in sin, to run to the Remedy, in the exercise of Faith and Repentance.

And to encourage you to this, another word results on this, That ye may help your selves to repent for particu­lar failings, ye would hold a fast grip of your reconciled state; remember what I said in the morning, that new guilt makes not void former pardon; so I say now, that new guilt makes not void your reconciled state; ye may go to God, not as an Enemy to his Prince, but as a faul­ty Child to his Father for pardon; access ye have to the open Fountain, ye coming humbled for sin, and making use of Christ for renewed pardon, and if ye do not im­prove this Priviledge, it will be a terrible ingredient in [Page 166] your Dittay, when God comes to deal with your Consci­ence.

The 3d. Question is, How can any pardon be said to be past within time, seing Act. 3.19, 20. It is said, our sins are to be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord? There will then be a blotting out, and Discharge of sins once for all, a Discharge open­ly declared, accompanied with all the consequences of the Discharge. Sins pardoned here, will then be openly de­clared to be pardoned; I find not only among the School­men, but our reformed Divines, a Question agitat▪ Whe­ther our sins will be ripped up in the Day of Judgment? A questi­on needlesly stated; but what will not curiosity meddle with? but whether sins will be then ripped up, to let it be seen what sort of persons he glorifies; or covered, cer­tainly their sins shall not then put them to shame, who are pardoned, though they should everlastingly remember them; They shall also sing in the remembrance of pardon; and though they should be ripped up, yet not to their shame and confusion; The consolation of pardoning Mer­cy, and all the effects of it; and the love of Christ will make them look upon their miseries, as upon the occasion of their being made everlastingly happy with him; but the time being ended, I shall go no further. God bless his Word to you, for Christs sake.

I Am now drawing towards a close of this great Point concerning the Remission of Sins; having now spo­ken at some length to that which is more Doctrinal in it; (this day I purpose (the Lord assisting) to fall up­on that which is more particular: I have spoken to you, [Page 167] 1. Of the thing pardoned, Sin and iniquity. 2. Of the Au­thor of pardon, God, with whom forgiveness is. 3. Of the nature of pardon, and what is imported in this forgiveness in the Text, and the last day in the afternoon, I came in the fourth place to speak of the time when pardon of sin is conferred, where ye heard, that neither are the sins of the Elect actually pardoned from eternity, nor when Christ paid satisfaction to Justice for them on the Cross, as Antinomians assert; neither are the Elect Justified and pardoned of all their sins past, present and to come at Ju­stification, as some Orthodox Divines incline to think; but their future sins, or sins to come after Justification, are not actually pardoned, till they be committed and re­pented of, and Christ fled into, and as the Fountain to wash away their sins, made use of.

I was cut short by time from speaking to another que­stion; That is, How pardon of sin is conferred in Time, since the Apostle, Acts 3.19, 20, Tells of a blotting out of sins to penitents, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, when Christ shall come again to Judg­ment; I shall but touch a little on this, and shall go on; It is certain, that the blotting out of the sins of the ju­stified at the Day of Judgment, does not contradict their being pardoned now; nay more, There is no sin blotted out at that great Day, or openly declared to be blotted out and pardoned, and the Elect assoiled from it; but these which are pardoned in this life; Only there are four things to be noticed in the blotting out of sin then, that heightens the advantage of the blotting out of sin here.

1. If we insist on the words of the Text, there is there at that Great Day, a blotting out of sin, not only in the guilt of it, but in the filth and pollution of it. Here (as ye heard) however Sanctification be taking sin to task in every pardoned man, yet the tender man sensible of sin cannot but be affected when he finds sin in the pollution of it to remain, though it be not reigning, though it hath not [Page 168] the Throne; but then with the publick Declaration of pardon, there shall no blot of sin, no spot, no wrinkle, nor any such thing remain, Ephes. 5.27. There shall no scar be left of these wounds, that sin hath made, which the pardoned sinner may bear about with him while he is here.

2. While the godly are here, though they get frequently pardon of sin, yet they have still need of new pardon; they must be pardoned over and over again, and as often as they get their daily bread, they must as often seek the pardon of their sins daily; but the blotting out of sin in that Day, shall be a Declaration of the Pardon of sin so fully, that there shall be no need of a reiterat pardon; they will then sin no more, nor be in hazard of sinning, and will have no more need of the open Fountain, whereunto the par­doned man while he is here, must continually resort with his foul feet to get them washen.

3. The pardon of sin here is not only Transacted be­twixt God and the sinner, without the knowledge of the World; but it is oft-times keeped up from the sense and feeling of the man that has gotten it. A man that is par­doned may be keeped in fears, as if he were not pardon­ed; a man that hath his Bonds taken off him, may be as if he were still bound: But in that Day, the Pardon of Sin shall be publickly declared in the audience of Men, An­gels and Devils; and the pardoned mans pardon will be proclaimed and perfected, in the sense and feeling of the pardoned man, the Court of Heaven, and the Court of the Conscience, will say both one thing, and there will not be a demur in the one, about what is past in the other, as now often there is.

And 4. Though sin be pardoned, yet the effects and consequences of pardon, are not at all times let out on the pardoned man here, he may be not only keeped under Desertion, but he may be under Chastisement on several accounts, (as I cleared to you before) though he may [Page 169] say (as the Apostle John speaks, 1 Joh. 3.2.) Now we are the sons of God, but he must add, it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but in that day, pardon shall not only be proclaimed, and perfected in the Conscience of the man, but all the effects and consequences of pardon, shall flow out like a River upon him; Then sighing and sorrow shall flee away, and everlasting joy shall be upon his head, and in his heart; and these stripes that here were necessary for the back of fools, shall cease, and his pardon shall be written in that blessed Sentence, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

Thus ye see what is imported in that blotting out of sin at the great day; and from it I shall shortly recommend to you two words in order to practice; one is, That this may be a strong motive to you, to make pardon of sin here sure, when ye consider that it hath such blessed effects hereafter; the rich fruit and incomes of thy fleeing to Christ for pardon here, may seem to thee (as we use to speak) to be far from the Sheaff; but there is a day co­ming, when the advantage of it will be made known to Men, Angels and Devils, their Conviction; what it is to have pardon for sin? Thou that gets a pardon here, may be looked upon as an uncouth, unknown body but thou carries about with thee a Treasure, that in that day will be found a Treasure indeed. And therefore 2ly. Ye that are fled unto Christ for pardon, and have gotten par­don believed, and now and then ye are feeling some of the fruits of pardon, it should quicken you to long for that day, wherein the effects, fruits and consequences of that pardon will be fully displayed, and let out on pardoned sinners. It it no wonder that a pardoned man long to be home, when he considers what a mercy pardon of sin will be found to be, when it is laid in broad-band in that day.

But now I come to the 5. general Head I proposed to be spoken to, and that is, To clear up to you the right me­thod of coming to close with pardon, and for attaining of pardon; I have insisted to tell you what a rich priviledge [Page 170] pardon of sin is. Now any that are not stupid and sense­less, will say, how shall I be sure of pardon, that I have closed with it, and win at it, and that I am not deluded in so great a concern? I have occasionally hinted at the chief matter of these things, that I am to say upon this in the preceeding purpose, I shall now gather them together, and lay them in view before you, that ye may order your steps aright in closing with pardoning mercy; If I should speak to this in general, I find many things mentioned in Scripture to the obtaining of pardon, I find Faith, for we are said to be justified by faith, and consequently we are pardoned by Faith. Rom. 3.25. God hath set forth Jesus Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to de­clare his righteousness for the remission of sins. 2. I find Re­pentance often mentioned in this matter, Mark 1.4. John preached the baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins. The Apostles Doctrine was to preach repentance and remission of sins in his name. Luke 24.47. Peters Doctrine is, Repent ye, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. Act. 3.19. The counsel given to Simon Magus is, Repent of thy wick­edness, and pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee, Act. 8.22. 3. I find also Confession of sin mentioned in order to pardon of sin. Psal. 32.5. I said I will confess my transgression unto the Lord, and thou forgav­est the iniquity of my sin. And, 1 Joh. 1.9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 4. I find confessing and forsak­ing of sin mentioned in order to pardon, Prov. 28.13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy. 5. I find prayer also required in order to pardon of sin, Mat. 6.12. Christ bids the Disciples pray, forgive us our debts, &c.

But that I may speak to this purpose somewhat more distinctly, and so in effect take a view of this Text, and take in the 3d. thing I proposed to be spoken to in it; I find that as the Apostle sums up Christianity, Philip. 3.3. as running upon three things, that like Letters on a Sig­net [Page 171] are drawn backward, that ye may stamp them for­ward in your practice. 1. That a man have no confidence in the flesh. 2. That from that he be led to rejoyce in Jesus Christ: And 3. That from that he be led to worship God in the spirit. So answerable to these three, the Scripture points at three sorts of means or duties to be gone about in order to the obtaining of pardon; and wee'll find some­what of all the three in the Text.

1. Something antecedent for preparation to pardon, an­swerable to that, verse 3. If thou Lord should mark iniqui­ty who can stand? 2 Something required to actual closing with Christ for pardon on the back of that antecedent pre­paration, held out, verse 4, But there is forgiveness with thee. And, 3. Somewhat required consequentially as a fruit of pardon, whereby a man comes to know, and to evidence that he is pardoned, and to improve his pardon answe­rable to that which is subjoyned to forgiveness in the Text, that thou raayest be feared.

For the first of these, that is, That which is required antecedently to pardon, and as a preparation for it, I shall briefly reduce all that I would press upon you as to that, to four Heads. And the man that would be in a near ca­pacity to get pardon on Gospel Terms, would look well to all these four;

1. He would be a diligent watcher to prevent his fal­ling in sin, which he would not mistake, this would seem rather to be required to prevent the need of pardon; but it comes in suitably to be adverted unto in order unto the obtaining of pardon, whoever essayes the seeking of par­don, will find that their stumbling in this step is a great obstruction to pardon, that they have not been watchful and careful to prevent sin, a man that hath that to meet him in the Teeth, when he comes to seek pardon, that he hath sold himself to work wickedness, That he adds drun­kenness to thirst, that he hath drunk in iniquity, as the ox doth water; He will have a harder pull for pardon, than a man [Page 172] that hath been watchful to prevent sin, and in falling in sin, hath been as the chast Virgin forced; that will be the first question the Conscience will put to him, how came ye in this posture? whether voluntarly like a Ship going in her course, or like a tempest beaten Ship, through stress of Weather, forced to take the nearest shore? whe­ther were ye hurried and driven into such a sin by the vio­lence of tentation, or was ye readier to tempt a tentation, than a temptation was to tempt you? O but that will be a sad challenge in a mans way, in order to the obtaining of pardon; if he hath been a voluntar yielder unto sin, and a committer of it with greediness: Nay more, a justified per­son, that upon the account of his justification, and being pardoned, doth walk more lously or heedlesly, though he get his soul for a prey, he may lay his count to go by the gates of Hell to Heaven, that is, to be keeped at hard la­bour, in a fighting life with enemies, with his back on the City, and his face to his foes, till he lay down his wea­pons at the gates thereof; therefore in order to the obtain­ing of pardon, I recommend to you careful diligence to prevent falling in sin, and consequently thou would look well to the sin of thy inclination, where thou art weak­est, and guard against that, as a wise man that is over a Garrison, will fortifie that part of the Wall that is weak­est, where readily the Enemy will make an assault: so it would be thy care to guard against the sin thou are most inclined to, double thy diligence to mortifie that, to pray against it, to watch against temptations that may cast fire in that powder: Thou would also look well to the sin of thy Calling and Station, the sins of mens Callings being such as they fall more readily into than others; And look well also to the Sins of the Time and Place thou lives in, to the Sins of the present Generation, wherein many are involved, and set a watch against these; these sins, I say, ye would mainly watch against, the sins of your inclina­tion, [Page 173] calling, and time or place ye live in, not neglecting to watch against all sins.

A 2d. Direction I press upon you, antecedent to the ob­taining of pardon, is, That as ye would carefully watch to avoid and prevent sin, so ye would be no less careful to examine your selves, and call your selves to account for sins, into which ye have fallen; a man cannot repent for sin, and cannot look for pardon of sin, without previ­ous examination, and finding out of the guilt for which he seeks pardon. It is true, Psal. 19. No man can understand his errors, nor is it possible he can overtake all his escapes. Even as David who was no loose walker, found them more than the hairs of his head, but that must not be made a pre­tence to neglect Examination, look to it, if this be your work, are there none of you who have been upon a back-tract of your way, saying, what have I been doing? where have I been? how is God pleased with my frame? with my walk and conversation? I fear there are but few that have had, and have this for their exercise; and that many follow the counsel of Alcibiades, that he gave to Pe­ricles, who when he asked him, what he was doing, said, he was troubled how to make his Accompts to the States, were I said he in thy place, I would rather be troubled how I might not make my Accompt. I fear many make it their accompt to shun and eschew Self-examination like Bankrupts that shun to compare their spending with their income and their stock, lest they find themselves Dyvors, which will have a sad close. But thou that would not provock God, must not neglect Self-examination, if thou do, and let thy conditi­on run in confusion, and go out of thy sight, remember that word was sung, Psal. 50.21. These things thou did, and I kept silence, but I will reprove thee, and set them in order be­fore thine eyes. He will marshel and rank your sins before you, and give you a memory of them, to your terrour and affrightment.

[Page 174]But a 3d. Direction antecedently required in order to pardon, shall be this, That having Examined your con­dition, and found out wherein you are faulty, & guilty, ye must take a very serious and affecting look of sins desert, till it leave some impressions upon the heart; it is an ea­sie matter for a man, who needs not a secret search to find out his sin, the skirts of his garment declare it, he may shut his Eyes and grope his Abominations. It is easie to find out these sins, and to seek pardon for them, and there is an end. But O! deceive not thy self, when thou hast found out thine iniquity, thou must be in the Psalmist's po­sture here, verse 3 If thou, Lord, mark iniquity who can stand? Thou must be affected with it, and shall I add, (while I am laying down a Directory for you to follow, in order to the obtaining of pardon, so as ye may not cheat your selves) to the end ye may walk sickerly in this matter, I shall give you the impression that found out guilt after Ex­amination, should leave upon a man in four steps; 1. He must not only not deny his faults (as too many do, with whom I do not trouble my self, some being such mon­sters, that they care not to deny their vileness and other a­bominations with perjuries, to hide them from the world) but he must not deny his sin in the guilt and ill-deserving of it, he must take with it and all it's aggravations, he must see it in its sinfulness and dreadful desert. A man that would have pardon from God, must not only know his Dittay, but he must pass sentence on himself, and judge himself, if he would not be judged for it. Thou hast ex­amined, thou hast found out much sin, but what thinks thou of it? as it is an offence done by a worm to the Ma­jesty of God. And hast thou thought upon the Aggrava­tions of thy sin, from thy place and station, from the ma­ny Means thou art under, from the many Mercies has been heaped on thee, obliging thee to the contrary? This is it thou should be about, who would be affected with thy sin, in order to pardon. But 2. This taking with, and ag­gravating [Page 175] of sin, must not be an act of the Judgment on­ly, but it must sink down to the heart, many will dream of sin, and of the sinfulness of sin, and will talk of sin, and of the desert of sin, but pass it over with words of that kind; but a sight of sin, and a thought of sin, that is not heart-affecting, is a proclaiming upon the matter thy con­tempt of sin; Thy sight of sin, and speaking of it, must be like that of the Psalmist here, it makes him in nettle ear­nest, and to pour out a pathetick confession of it: It must be a sight and sense of sin, that bides not in the brain, but goes down to the bottom of thy heart, and affections, and makes thee cry out with Paul, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death! Thou can talk of sin, and the demerit of it distinctly, and elo­quently, but as men do of America, or some new found Land, they know not, but content not thy self with that. The sight of sin in order to pardon, requires a heart-pon­dering and affecting. And I shall add 3. The sight of sin, and it's sinfulness, must not be a simple affecting only at some times. Some cheat themselves with that also, Take them at some times, O how are they affected! how mad will the drunkard call himself, after that throw his drun­kenness he is distempered, and hath a sore head and pain­ed stomach? And what a monster will a profane man sometimes call himself, after a conviction or challenge of Conscience, but bide till the next bout of a Temptation, and he and his sin will be as homely as ever, The affect­ing of many with sin is like a shower upon the ice in frost, that wets it above, but brings not a ground thaw: There­fore where there is a right affecting with sin, it must bring the Man with the Psalmist here, to be restless under that burden, to see that there must be no standing still till he be relieved of it. The sluggard may have his convictions of sin, and desires to be rid of it; But the man that sees sin in it self, and the consequences of it, and is rightly affect­ed with it, he will see it to be his greatest misery, and con­sequently [Page 176] that it must be his greatest haste to be delivered from it: Many of your convictions are false conceptions, ye are in pain with them, but ye do not follow them forth, but stiffle them, they never set you to your feet, as is said of Ephraim, Hos. 13.13. He is an unwise son, he stayeth long in the place of breaking forth of children; it is a dreadful to­ken to stick in the birth, and to stiffle Convictions, bet­ter thou had never had them (though that case be most dangerous also) than when thou hast been under them to stiffle them, and set thy foot upon them, before thou get a true ease: And I shal add in the 4th. place, In this sense of sin, that is, when Souls are thus affected with sin, as I have been speaking, a pardon will be very precious, it will not be lookt upon as the scor [...]er doth, or as the Soldiers who said to Christ, Hail, King of the Jews, and then buf­feted him. O! a pardon to a most sensible sinner, will be most glad news, and God on that account will be a match­less God, Micah 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, who par­dons iniquity; He will be a blessed man whose sin is par­doned. Psal. 32.1. a good Lord that pardons his people, 2 Ch. 30.18. And so in the Text, he is to the Psalmist, If thou, Lord, should mark iniquity, O Lord, who should stand? But the Back-note is, There is forgiveness with thee; for to a sen­sible sinner, there being no remedy for sin, but pardon, and no pardon of sin, but from a gracious God; what won­der that pardon of sin be very precious! and God on that account a matchless God.

But a 4th. Direction antecedent to pardon, is, That we study Repentance for these sins, the pardon whereof we study and expect, that we may be in capacity for pardon; I shall not insist now upon this Doctrine, or Direction, only let me intreat you to make it sure work in this affair; I have laid your duty somewhat home to you, and I fear there is need, ye will take it all and more, and yet in the doing of it, my meaning is not, as if ye could produce these things called for, antecedent to pardon, of your self, or that [Page 177] when ye are not come this length, ye should bide away from Christ, no, ye must come to him for these antecedent qualifications, that ye may get pardon. But these are the true and faithful sayings of God, and whosoever they be that are not in this order seeking pardon, and yet think they are pardoned, they had need to look to it, that they have not a lie in their right hand; for this is the Scriptures me­thod, wherein the Lord leads his own to pardon, and par­doneth whom he doth pardon. The Lord bless what ye have heard, for Christs sake.

I Am now entred upon that which is the Applicatory part of this Doctrine, concerning the pardon of sins, and upon a way to hold out Directions to you, how without abusing this great Priviledge, or deceiving your selves, ye may come to it in the due order, and look like it; I was speaking before noon of some things, required ante­cedent by way of preparation for pardon; I spoke some­what to a Caution and carefulness to avoid sin, that the sins we come to God for pardon of, may not be these we have run after impetuously, as the horse runneth into the bat­tel; but such as we are driven in by the power of Tempta­tion. Likewise that there must be an exact and distinct account taken daily of our failings, and of these evils, the pardon whereof we expect and seek. And 3. When upon Examination we have found out our Debt, there must be a deep sense of the sinfulness and desert of these provocati­ons, such as the Psalmist had here, when he crys out pa­thetically, If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand?

I left at a fourth Direction, and that was, That we [Page 178] should study Repentance for these sins, the pardon where­of we expect and seek; and as the former Direction tells, that the sense that these in the way of pardon have of sin, must not ly floating in the brain, so this will press further, That the sense of sin we have, must not be a crushing and killing sense, but a sense that resolves in a kindly Repen­tance for sin, a sense and hatred of sin, and a grief and sor­row for it, in which posture they that expect pardon must resolve to come to God. This is so clear in the Scriptures, that I adduced in the morning, and it is so clear an Evi­dence of the poured out-Spirit, Zech. 12.10. Which is a mourning spirit in them that partake of it, that I shall not insist further to prove it, neither shall I digress to make a common place of Repentance here, I shall only desire you to take notice of these three concerning Repentance, and I have done. 1. That there is a legal Repentance, and an evangelical Repentance; A legal Repentance is that, which flows meerly from the sense of the terrors of the Law, and the curse and wrath due to men for sin: And evangelical Repentance is that, which hath something of Faith, and somewhat of the Gospel in its bosom: And I may again desire you to consider, that evangelical Repen­tance, is either the result of a general apprehension, that there is pardoning mercy in God, when a sinner confoun­ded with the sense of guilt, looks in general to this Truth, That there is forgiveness with God, or more particularly when the sinner closes with that pardoning mercy for his own behove, and makes application of it to himself, and so is a pardoned man. Now for the Repentance that is an­tecedent to pardon, there must be somewhat both of legal and evangelical Repentance, some Too-look to that great Truth and Encouragement. Verse 4. There is forgivenness with thee; for the legal Repentance it may crush, but evan­gelical Repentance makes the sinner to bow; legal Repen­tance is like a hammer that breaks the Rock; evangelical Repentance is like the fire that melts the mettal, only that [Page 179] Repentance that results upon the Application of Pardon to a sinners self, is not antecedent to, but consequential of pardon. 2. Ye would consider the room that Repentance hath in this bargain of the Pardon of sin, it comes not in certainly by way of merit, for all the Salvation we get first and last, is through the merit of Christ; but Repentance has place in the obtaining of Pardon, partly as it is an inseparable companion of saving Faith, that apprehends and lays hold on Christ for Pardon; a man cannot say, he has Faith, if it be not a penitent Faith, partly it comes in as a condition required in order to God's Pardoning: for God (as I said before) though he hath promised to pardon no man for his Repentance, yet he hath declared, he will pardon none without Repentance; and partly it comes in as a qualification of the person pardoned, who is thereby fitted to ly low at Gods Footstool for pardon, Re­pentance makes folk find sin as bitter, as ever they found it sweet; Repentance is that which excites them to con­demn themselves, and to justifie God; without Repen­tance it were inconsistent with the Justice of God to par­don a sinner, lying impenitent in his filth: nor would it commend the Grace of God, if it were cast a way to the despisers of Grace, as well as to the penitent, who highly esteem of Grace. And a 3d. Word I would have you to consider, is, concerning the degree and measure of repen­tance; I dare not digress on that much. There is a Word that might give folk ground of sad thoughts, Acts 2.37. compared with verse 38. where ye will find a people prick­ed in heart, and put to a peremptor, they have compun­ction, and cry out, What shall we do? Verse 37. and Peters answer, Verse 38. is Repent. They that are pricked in heart, and put to a peremptor, may have their Repentance to begin, not only they that have legal Repentance may have evangelical to begin; but even those who have made some progress in evangelical Repentance; their hard and impenitent heart may be so habituated with obduration, [Page 180] that when they have a gail of the Spirit of Repentance, they may need to employ God to help them to repent to pur­pose. I shall say no more on this, but beseech you to look to your Repentance; it fears me that few be come the length of legal Repentance, or to examine whether they have sinned or not: But suppone that ye had examined and found out sin & had some sense of it. I intreat you make Conscience of Repentance. Thou that has confidence to believe and seek pardon, give this evidence that thou art in earnest about it, by making Conscience of Repentance daily. O! how long is it since many of you sat down, and communed with your own heart, and smote upon your thigh, saying, What have I done? How long is it since ye was in Ephraim's posture, Jer. 31.19. Ashamed, yea confounded, because ye have born the reproach of your youth. O think on it in earnest, neglected Repentance daily, will make an ill revel'd Hesp daily to you, if ever ye and your Conscience meet; (and as I said before) let never folk talk of their Faith, that is not dipped in tenderness and repen­tance daily. Only take what hath been said with this Caution, if ye be convinced of your need of repentance, and yet ye want it, ye know where to get it. That exalted Prince for giving pardon, is also exalted to give repentance, Acts 5.31. So much for these things required antecedent by way of preparation for pardon.

In the 2d. place, I proposed to speak somewhat to that, whereby a soul so qualified & prepared, closes with Christ for pardon, and that is Faith, whereby a sinner having his sin discovered, the sense of it wakened up within him, and having made conscience of Repentance, for it grips unto Jesus Christ by Faith, for the pardon of it, and that is the thing which the 2d. word in the Text holds out; af­ter he has said, verse 3. If thou, Lord, should mark ini­quity, who can stand? he adds, verse 4. But there is forgiven­ness with thee; there is his Faith, closing with pardoning mercy, to get a good account of that iniquity and sinful­ness [Page 181] whereof he is convinced: So we find David, when making his Testament, 2 Sam. 23.5. Although my house be not so with God, there is his abasing of himself in the sense of sin, and shortcoming in duty; Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; he runs to the Remedy, held forth in the everlasting Cove­nant; and that is it which Paul subjoins to that which I cited in the morning, Philip. 3.3. When a man hath no confidence in the flesh, when all beside Christ is flesh to him; and consequently that which he dare not have any confi­dence in. Then the next step is, not only to close with, but to rejoice in Jesus Christ; That I may make something of this, I shall speak a short word to wicked men, and in­sist a little longer in speaking to convinced sinners.

1. For wicked men, that which I am upon may serve to discover to them a great mistake, they are afraid to grow acquaint with themselves. O! how dow they think of casting up their accounts? These black Libels, and dreadful Dittays that are lying in process against them, that were their ruine, and would undo them; if they should look thereaway, they would never have a day to do well, they would turn desperat, and I would willingly know what it will avail them, not to look over their Accompts; will they resolve never to repent? or will they get them shifted out of the way? will their forgetting of their faults mend them? will not the iniquity of a man's heels, soon or syne compass him about? Will not their sin find them out? as is said, Num. 32.23. But shall I add, thou art in a great mistake, that thinks the searching out of thy sin will un­do thee; I confess, if thou do it in earnest, thou must not continue in a course of sin as thou hast done; but it is thy advantage to search out sin and repent; if thou can say, If thou, Lord, mark iniquity, who can stand? Thou shall have reason to say, But forgiveness is with thee; Wilt thou con­sider what rich advantage is in taking with thy guilt, and being humbled for it; that it is a man's safety to be thus [Page 182] lost, & it is an argument, whereon he may plead for mercy, when he finds himself undone without it. It is thy igno­rance of the rich advantage that is on the back of Self-judging, that makes thee voluntarly continue a stranger to it.

But 2. For these who are convinced of sin, and sensible of it, who can say. They have no confidence in the flesh, and yet dare not say, They rejoyce in Christ Jesus; I would have such looking upon it as their great mistake that keeps them from resting on Christ, and rejoycing in him, and it makes all their other exercise to be but wind; though ye had so much sorrow for sin as to sink you in the pit, if ye add not, There is forgiveness with thee; if Christ be not the end of all your Exercises, they will miscarry, and leave you sinking in sin and misery. And had I many to speak to that are making conscience of Repentance of sin and yet come not up to close with the Remedy of pardoning mercy in Christ, I would point out several things that would be adverted to by such as are in such a frame; and I shall pitch on five or six of them.

1. Thou that art under convictions of sin, and does not close with pardoning mercy, thou evidence a mistake of that mercy, thou considers not that thy necessity, and im­possibility to stand without it, is a claim unto it; thou considers not that it is the design of the Gospel to rescue the lost, whose feet are sinking; thou considers not that then thou begins to be beautiful, when thou becomes loathsom in thine own eyes, and that thou begins to be sa­ved, when thou art put to cry, Save, Master, I perish; and so in standing a-loof from pardoning mercy, thou mistakes the design of the Gospel.

2. In this standing a loof thou discovers thy ignorance of Gods Design in giving, thee the sense of thy condition, what a posture art thou in? Thou art one that sees thy self abo­minable, monst [...]ously vile, the chief of sinners; But, may I say, who told thee? who shewed thee that thou was [Page 183] so, and made it out to thee? Has there not been a day when thy condition and frame was as bad, and thou saw no such thing, which says, that it hath been Christ, who by his spirit convinceth the world of sin, that has opened thine eye [...], discovered to thee thy vileness through sin. But thou may think, though he hath done it, yet it is to be the Nar­rative of a sad sentence against thee, and to send thee to the gate: But if thou abuse not Mercy, there is another thing in it, if he hath opened thy mouth wide, he will not fill it with an empty spoon, but with good things; if he hath made his Law to have a work upon thee, it is not to drive thee from him, but that the Law may be a school-master to bring to Christ: So then it is the ignorance of God's design in giving thee the sense of sin, that makes thee under con­victions stand a loof from Mercy.

3. In this aversion and unwillingness to come unto par­doning Mercy, I would have you to consider a great re­flection upon the Truth and Faithfulness of God, 1 Joh. 5.10. He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because be believeth not the record that God gave of his Son (I wish that I had many to speak unto, that have to do with these things, but I cannot pass it, being the Applicatory part of the Doctrine. Hast thou any sense of sin? art thou a­fraid of wrath because of it? what makes thee afraid? is it not the Authority and Veracity of God, speaking in his Law? when thy Conscience is wakened, and thou sees how faulty thou art, and the Law leaves thee under the curse, it afrights thee, and there is good cause; but how comes it, that when thou hast believed God speaking in his Law unto thee, thou does not believe him speaking in the Promise, seing it is the same God that speaks in both? is not this to make God a liar? and hast thou not a wit­ness against thy self, while the Faith of his threatnings troubles thee? and yet the Faith of his Promises doth not encourage and comfort thee.

But 4. In this unwillingness to close with pardoning [Page 184] Mercy, read corrupt and ill principles, man by nature is ignorant of a Gospel-righteousness, he knows nothing of Pardoning Mercy through a Mediator; but if the Cove­nant of Works be once broken, it is everlastingly broken; and hence the sensible sinner being ignorant of the New Covenant of Grace he chooses rather to ly mourning under the ruines of that first Covenant, than to look up to a better; and this ignorance of Gods righteousness, is a thing which the Saints ought rather to mourn for than to foster.

But 5. In this standing a-back of sensible sinners from pardoning Mercy, and in not closing therewith; ye would look upon pride of Heart, as having a main hand in it, Rom. 10.3. The reason why the Jews did not submit unto the righteousness of God, they went about to establish their own. A doubting Soul in its exercise, may seem to be very hum­ble and crucified, it may be, but it is not humbled; but while it stands a-loof from pardoning Mercy, proclaims its Pride, for it proclaims it would have a price to bring in its hand to God, and God is angry at that pride, he will have thee coming to him as a Dyvour, when thou hast tryed all thou can do to the yondmost.

And 6. and lastly in this aversion, read another mi­stake, folk think it presumption when they are convin­ced of their vileness, to close with pardoning Mercy; but it is so far from being presumption, that it is the greatest evidence of humility to take mercy freely, when thou comes to the Mercat of Free-grace with no price in thy hand, and not only so, but it is a high honouring of God. The man that being sensible of his sinfulness, closeth with pardoning Mercy, doth with Abraham, Rom. 4.20. Give glory to God, and by his receiving his testimony, put to his seal that God is true; Joh. 3.33. and therefore any that are sensible of sin, and have any thing of the conviction of the dreadful desert of sin, and are in any measure in the exercise of repentance for sin, they would take notice of these things that I have named, as stumbling blocks in their [Page 185] way of closing with pardoning Mercy, and labour to take them out of it, that they may come up to close with it, and say, But there is forgiveness with thee,

3. But now because folk may readily say, all that I spoke to in the Morning for preparation to closing with pardoning Mercy, is good, and when they hear it holden out as the will of God, that a sensible sinner should lay hold on Christ for pardon; who are they that will not say, they have sense of sin, and may take a pardon; there­fore to prevent the stumbling of such, I shall in the 3d. place, as I proposed in the entry, speak to some things re­quired consequentially as a fruit of pardon, whereby a man comes to know, and evidence that he is pardoned, and to improve his pardon, answerable to that subjoyned to for­giveness in the Text; and here, in speaking to the eviden­ces of pardon a posteriori, as we use to speak, or which are consequential to pardon, I might touch upon many things; but in general, as those that would see the rising of the Sun in the East, they would look to the West, where they will see by the shade of his Beams when he rises; so these that would make their pardon sure, would mind well the con­sequences of pardon, as the surest evidences of their par­don, and that they are not deluded in that matter.

And the 1st. that I would recommend to you [...] is, Love to the Pardoner; There is none hath gotten pardon, but it will kyth in this, and for proof of it, take notice of that, Luk. 7.47. Where Christ speaking of the woman that washt his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, he says, her sins which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; The meaning is not, that her great love to Christ did merit a pardon, for if ye read the Parable be­fore, from verse 40. It will clear, that that is not the mean­ing, Christ says to Simon, Which of the Debitors will love the Creditor most? Simon answers, I suppose be to whom he forgave most. There Love is the result of pardon, and the conse­quent of pardon, not the cause; and it is in that case, that [Page 186] Christ applys it to the woman, such love to me is an in­fallible evidence that much is forgiven her; I would have imbittered folk, and such as are reflecters upon, and carps at Providential Dispensations, noticing this, That it is no good evidence of pardon; and thou that has love to him, whatever be his Dispensations towards thee, it speaks good news of pardon, though thou cannot discern it.

2. I recommend much Heart-melting and Evangelical Repentance, whereof I spoke before, as it is required an­tecedently to pardon; now I press that which is consequen­tial to pardon, when a sinner hath closed with pardoning Mercy, and by a reflex act, looks back upon what hath been forgiven him: O what melting of heart hath it, as in that woman, Luke 7.47 Much is forgiven her, therefore she loveth much, and that melted her heart, and made her weep much; she is a tender melting woman; and cer­tainly if thou be a Child, the too look to pardon, and much more the application of pardon will melt the heart, and work more than many Rods.

And 3. I recommend to you as a Consequence of Pardon, a deep sense of the hainousness of the sin pardon­ed, and much compassion toward them who are yet lying in the same pollution and guilt; a pardoned sinner look­ing on his sin through the Glass of pardoning Mercy, it grows much more hainous than it was; and a pardoned man cannot but with compassion look on others lying in the puddle of Nature, Titus 3, 2, 7 Speak evil of no man, says he, but be gentle, shewing all meekness to all men, for we our selves were sometime foolish, disobedient, &c. till the lo­ving kindness of God was manifested; O what compas­sion will the pardoned man have towards others wallow­ing in that pollution, from which he is delivered.

There are other two Evidences consequential to pardon, one is, Our forgiving of others, Mat. 6.12. which is no me­ritorious antecedent cause of pardon; for it is the sense of Christ, pardoning Mercy to us, that should and doth loose [Page 187] our hearts to pardon others; we are bidden say, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors: Another Evidence in the Text, is holy filial fear; but because the one of these is a Point in the Text, and the other concerns the pardoning of one another, as an evidence we are pardoned, which will require more time to deduce, than now we have. I shall fist here for this time. The Lord bless his Word to you.

YE may remember that I have insisted long upon this excellent Priviledge, The remission, or the for­giveness of sins; I have spoken to the Object of par­don, or what it is that is pardoned, Iniquity: I have also spoken to the Author of pardon, GOD: To the Nature of Pardon, and when it is that Pardon is pronounced; and I entered the last day upon the Applicatory part of this Doctrine, to lead you in a right way of closing with par­doning Mercy, following the scope of the Context, I pro­posed to speak of somewhat required antecedently to par­don; to somewhat required in closing with pardon, and of something consequential to pardon, whereby we Evi­dence that we are pardoned, and do improve our pardon: I spoke to the first of these, and shew, that in order to the obtaining of pardon, men should be careful not to run headlong and voluntarly on in sin, for that will make the coming at pardon more difficult, that they should be fre­quent in self examination, to find out sin; That they should be serious in laying to heart the desert of sin, as the Psalmist is, verse 3. And serious in Repentance for sin: I told you also that these things being premitted, it was the duty of the penitent sinner, by Faith to close with par­doning Mercy, which I closed with a check, both to the [Page 188] wicked, who because they see not the advantage, which is on the back of Conviction of Sin, never look their sin in the face; and with a check to the godly, who notwith­standing their being humbled in the sense of sin, stand a­back from closing with pardoning Mercy. And I came in the third place to speak to what was consequentially re­quired to pardon, as the Psalmist here having said, There is forgiveness with thee; he adds, as a consequence of it, that thou mayest be feared: And upon this Head, I named two or three things, as native Consequences of pardoning Mer­cy, as that there must be love to the Pardoner, as that wo­man, Luke 7. did evince, much was forgiven her, because she loved much: That there must be a Heart-melting, when we reflect upon the pardoning of iniquity; and a Compassi­on [...] looking on them that are still lying in that pit, that through mercy we have escaped. I told you there are o­ther two consequential evidences of pardon, that I inten­ded to insist a little more on: As, 1st. The forgiving of o­thers that have injured us: And 2ly. The fearing and serving of God; the one of these I find it necessary to in­sist upon, because it is put in by Christ, in that pattern of Prayer, Mat. 6.12. And the other because it is recorded in the Text, to be a consequent of pardon.

For the 1st. of these, concerning the forgiving of others, I shall briefly speak to these three anent it, as it is spoken of in that Pattern of Prayer: 1. That the people of God are getting wrongs in the World. 2. That it is the will of God that we should forgive those that wrong us. 3. That folks forgiving of others that wrong them, is an evidence of their being pardoned themselves.

1st. The people of God, these that are allowed in the Pattern of Prayer to call God Father, they are getting wrongs in the World, they are getting debts in the World, they have their debters in it; thereby is not meant so much, men that are under civil obligations to pay the debt they owe to them, (though that may have its own place, as [Page 189] we may hear,) as chiefly and mainly, wrongs, injuries, unrighteous dealing, violating the Law of Love in their carriage and deportment. This is the condition, the woful condition, that all the Children of men are in since the fall, Tit. 3.3. They are foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving di­vers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another; and Hab. 1.13, 14. Tells, that men are like the fishes of the sea, and the creeping things that have no ruler over them, where the greater are ready to devour the smaller, and the children of God are large sharers in this matter. And Paul confesses, 1 Tim. 1.13. That before Conversion, he was a blasphemer, injurious, and a persecu­ter: and Mat. 5.44. Christ supposes the godly will have enemies, cursers of them, haters of them, such as will despite­fully use them, and persecute them; and experience in all ages makes it out, how much work fearers of God have for this sweet disposition called for in them, to be forgivers of o­thers.

All that I shall say from this, shall be in the first place to invite you to consider the state of all mankind since the fall, as the Proverb is, Homo homini lupus, one man is a wolf to another, that men are now more ready to wrong and injure one another, than the brute beasts are in their own kind; this is a sad document how far man is fallen from God by sin. 2. From this I would have the Lords peo­ple to take warning what they are to expect in the world; they will have wrongs to bear, injuries to suffer and en­dure, debts to forgive; Cement as we will these two seeds, the seed of the Woman, and the seed of the Serpent will never be one, one Family and Ark, one Womb will never make them one: But as it is Gal. 4.29. As he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so is it now. Therefore ye are not to won­der, when ye meet with trouble and persecution in the world, but rather wonder at the moderation ye meet with. [Page 190] 3. Let it be a warning to them that wrong others, that there­by they constitute themselves debitors, injurers, breakers of the Law of love, if not of justice and righteousness also. They run themselves under debt, which they must repent of, Luk. 17.4. and make restitution of, with Zacheus, Luk. 19.8. They must not stand upon their credit so to do, neither must they be as many, who if they do an in­jury, resolve to crush them utterly to whom they have done it, that they may not be able to repay it, and beside that, they may remember, that God is the principal Creditor, who will crave and exact that debt, if it be not repented and pardoned.

The second thing proposed to be spoken to, is, That it is the will of God, that these debts men contract, in refe­rence to the people of God, his people should forgive them; Christ will have them to say, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, Mat. 6.12. It is commanded, Eph. 4.32. Forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you, Col. 3.13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another; if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And our Lord Jesus, Mat. 5. when v. 44. he hath bidden his follow­ers love their enemies, bless them that curse them, do good to them that hate them, and pray for them that despitefully use and persecute them; he adds, v. 45. That thereby they should evidence their good condition, they should evi­dence themselves to be children of their Father which is in Heaven, that maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends his rain on the just and unjust.

That which I would say anent this forgiving of injuries, shall be briefly in answer to a few Questions: As

1. If it be inquired what it is that men should forgive? 1. I answer, for Civil Debts, (what-ever the Law of Cha­rity requires in some cases, as to that, yet) it is, as we [Page 191] hinted before) mainly wrongs, injuries, defraudations, persecutions, oppressions and the like.

2. If it be asked, How can we forgive these, they be­ing sins against God? Ye may remember, when I spake before of the Author of pardon, I spoke of that, a man that is wronged can only forgive what concerns his own in­terest, but the person that wrongs God, is still lyable to God for his interest; thy forgivenness of the wrong done to thee, is not a total absolution, but for what concerns God, the injurious person is still comptable to God.

3. If it be inquired on what terms should men forgive? I Answer, as to the matter of envy, malice, desire of re­venge, rancour, hatred, a man is bound to forgive, what­ever the temper of him be that does the wrong, Mark 11.24. When ye stand praying, forgive (says Christ) if ye have ought against any, that your Father which is in Heaven may forgive you; intimating, that if a man hath done thee an ill turn, thou must not because of that do thy self a worse, by keep­ing up a grudge, thou must not let rancour obstruct thy access to God in Prayer; yea, whether he repent or not, thou art bound to heap coals of fire upon his head to melt him, Rom. 12.20. And therefore Exod. 23.4, 5. When our neighbours Ox or Ass is going astray, or the Ass of him that hates us is lying under a burden, we must bring the one to him, and help up the other. And Rom. 12.20. If thine enemy hunger, thou must feed him; if he thirst, thou must give him drink, and so witness that thou art willing to pardon him; all this thou art bound to, what-ever be the carriage of him that injures thee; but for familiar or intimat converse, there is repentance in the injurer requi­red, Luk. 17.4. If thy brother trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again unto thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him.

4. If it be inquired, How shall this forgivenness be gone about and expressed? I answer, that here we must [Page 192] beware of Satans wiles; there are many that will forgive, but not forget; ye will find many in forgiving, their car­riage is like Absaloms to his Brother Amnon, 2 Sam. 13.22. He spake not to his brother good nor bad, but when he got an opportunity he killed him: This is not Christian-forgi­venness; it's the practice of many to cover their hatred with lying lips, Prov. 10.18. There are many that speak fair unto their neighbour, when seven abominations are in the [...]r hearts, Pro. 26.25 Many whose carriage is like Joa [...]s to Amasa, who came, and said, Art thou in health, my brother? And took him by the beard to kiss him; but smote him under the fifth rib, and slew him, 2 Sam. 20.9, 10. That's not Scripture-forgivenness, the Scripture presseth forgiven­ness from the heart, Mat. 18.35. So shall my heavenly Fa­ther do unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive every one his brother. And Mat. 5.44. We should love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, pray for them that despitefully use and persecute us, that's forgi­venness acceptable to God.

5. If ye inquire, how often and frequently are folk bound to forgive the debts of injuries done to them? I can give you no more fuccinct answer than Christ gives, Mat. 18.21.— Peter saith, How often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him till seven times? Christ an­swers, I say not to thee, till seven times, but till seventy times seven; that is, though injuries were never so often re­peated, that (as ye use to speak) it would provoke pa­tience it self, yet it is the will of our blessed Lord, that there be forgivenness.

6. If ye ask, Shall men then so forgive, that there shall no pursuit be of injuries done to them? Shall they ly down and take as many wrongs as folks like to do unto them, and make no more of it, but forgive them? I answer, no doubt reparations are allowed and required, and the Law and Civil Magistrat may be made use of for that end, or [Page 193] [...]n case the matter be betwixt Magistrats by a Civil War: But in so far as concerns us in our privat stations, I shall give you a few words for clearing the case: And first, when a man forgives an injury, he is not always obliged to pass the damnage; he may forgive the wicked disposi­tion of any oppressor or cheater, when he is not bound to forgo the loss he hath sustained; partly because by the eighth Command he is bound to look to his own subsist­ence, and so to recover his own for that end; partly be­cause the damnage belongs to the Civil Magistrat, to see to, and right or punish, and therefore privat persons can­not forgive these. Yet 2. in some cases, we are not only bound to forgive the injury, but the damnage also: That is, when a man may subsist without that which the in­jurer hath taken from him, and the injurious person can­not without his own ruine make satisfaction or restitution, in that case the Law of Charity, though not strict Justice, will plead for forgivenness in the matter of damnage. And 3. Even when a man is to forgive the injury, but not the damnage, he is not to make reparation at his own hand, he is not to walk out of Gods way to get the damnage re­paired; when he hath got a wrong, he is not to do him­self a wrong, and God another wrong to right it. And 4. In seeking reparation in the matter of damnage, we would take heed that we be not scandalous. The Apostle taxeth a fault in the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 6.1. — That they vexed their brethren, in going to Law with them, especially under Infidels and Heathen Judges. There are many cases which may prove scandalous among Professors, and this is one, when in petty injuries which they should bury, they vex one another in Law. And 5. When a man goes to Law, to seek reparation of a damnage, it should not only be the last refuge, as a Physitian, when he cuts off a leg or an arm, for the preservation of the life of the Patient, but his seeking reparation must be so managed, [Page 188] [...] [Page 189] [...] [Page 190] [...] [Page 191] [...] [Page 192] [...] [Page 193] [...] [Page 194] that it may bear witness to all, that he seeks the good of hi [...] Party as well as his own.

7 If it be asked, How stands all this that hath been spoken of forgivenness, with that of the Apostle, 2 Tim. 4.14. Alexander the Copper-smith did me much evil, the Lord reward him according to his works. This, if I might insist upon, would lead me to speak to these imprecations in Scripture, used against men that are not only injurious to others in private wrongs, but are enemies and injuri­ous to the work of the Gospel, and imprecations vented by godly men, led by an extraordinary spirit against them, are not a pattern to be imitat by us; only ye would know that a mans forgiving of wrongs doth not import, that he is to call ill good, a knave an honest man, or that he is to assoil him at Gods Tribunal, what-ever pardon he give, the injurer is to answer to God for his interest.

8 If ye ask, How shall folk win to this sweet conde­scending humour to forgive injuries? How shall they get their crap submitting to it? How shall they get their bit­ter disposition under their feet, that they may heartily remit wrongs done unto them? I confess this is a duty that requires more than an ordinary measure of grace, and grace in exercise, and few attain it. Alas! How few are who, when they have gotten a wrong, have that testimony, that they mourn more over their own dispo­sition, than resent the wrong, and pray for the per­son that hath wronged them: but in short, there are four words I would recommend to you in order to that me [...]k and mortified temper.

1. It were a special mean to bring you this pardoning-humour, to be daily sensible of the wrongs that ye have done, and are doing to God, and who wots but a wrong done by thee to God is laid in thy dish by a third hand, to make thee sensible of it? The man that is daily sensible of the wrongs he doth to God, is the only man to be a good [Page 195] neighbour; when he comes out loadned with the sense of his own provocations, he will be ready to forgive others: He that finds he hath ten thousand talents to be forgiven, will easily be brought to forgive an hundred pence. It's our distance with God, and the want of the sense of the wrongs done to him, that makes us keep up a revengful humour.

2. They that would have this pardoning-disposition, would be sensible of how much need they have to be for­given themselves, Eccles. 7.21, 22. Take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee; do not sash thy self with noticing every injury, were it from as mean a person as thy servant, for oft-times also thine own heart knoweth, that thou thy self hast cursed others. There is no living in the world, if (as we use to speak) we do not live and let live, if we forgive not as we would be forgiven; If thou seest a more in thy brothers eye, pull the beam out of thine own, and then thou wilt see more clearly to pull the more out of thy brother's eye: This will make thee of a meek and condescending frame.

3. I recommend to thee that would forgive, to labour to get a sight of the hand of God in the wrong done to thee: When thou gets a wrong, it may be of a person far below thee, and one that thou can easily reach, O! How doth poor dust swell with thoughts of revenge? But were the hand of God seen in that wrong, it would tame thee; when David is fleeing from his son Absalom, and Shimei comes out and curses him, Ab [...]shai says, Should a dead dog curse the King, let me go over and take off his head: O let him alone, saith David, God hath said unto him, Curse David, Who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so? 2 Sam. 16.9, 10. If the providence of God extend to the hairs of our head, that they are all numbered, Mat. 10.30. Unquestionably it is not unconcerned in the affronts and injuries done to us by men, and whatever thou hast [Page 196] to say to the person that hath injured thee; yet if thou look up to the hand of God in it, thou wilt be silent, and calm.

And 4. Remember, when thou does not pardon, but offers to revenge at thine own hand, thou usurps Gods place, Rom. 12.19. Dearly beloved, revenge not your selves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord: and con­sequently, when thou offers to revenge, thou takes his place, and provocks him to leave thee, and let thee stand to thy self, and not concern himself in any wrong done to thee.

But the third thing I proposed to speak a word to, is, That this forgivenness of others is absolutely necessary to them that would evidence, that they are pardoned of God themselves, Mat. 6.12. We are bidden pray, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive others; I shall briefly explain this, and close. And

1. As I have often hinted before, our forgiving others doth nor merit pardon; for forgiving of others is not an antecedent to pardon, but a consequence of it; it's the evidence of a pardoned man, and consequently cannot be antecedent to pardon, far less a meritorious cause of par­don.

2. While Christ bids us pray, Forgive us, as we forgive, there is no proportion to be understood; there is a vast difference betwixt Gods forgiving and our forgiving; his forgivenness extends to ten thousand talents, ours only to an hundred pence, Mat. 18.24, 28. His forgiving requires a satisfaction to justice, before he give out the sentence of pardon, not so ours; his forgivenness brings no profit to him as ours doth to us, we having thereby access to par­doning mercy; only in this the parallel holds, that we forgive frankly and freely, as God forgives us.

3. Consider the connexion a little more nearly, partly [Page 197] it is an encouragement to the sensible sinner, to believe he is pardoned, when he finds a disposition in himself to for­give others; a poor sensible sinner lying at Gods foot-stool, suing for pardon, though he be pardoned, yet he hath a hink whether he be so or not; but this encourages him to believe it, that he finds in himself a loosing of heart to forgive another, that hath wronged him often; he may reason, have I gotten many wrongs, and yet I can find in my heart to forgive, and put them in my bo­some that have wronged me, upon their repentance? and shall I doubt but God, who is a God infinite in mercy, hath pardoned me? So that thy warmness and loosing of heart to forgive others, looses and opens a door to thee, to be­lieve that the infinite God in mercy hath pardoned thee; and partly, ye would remember, that it is a condition of pardon, not antecedent, but subsequent, whereby a man may reflect and gather whether he be pardoned or not, read Mat. 6.14, 15. he contents not himself to say, For­give if we would be forgiven, but he adds, if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Ye can have no evidence that ye your selves are pardoned, except ye have a tender disposition and frame of heart to forgive others; and therefore that servant, who Mat. 18.27. had ten thou­sand talents forgiven him, and yet when he got his fellow-servant, would not forgive him an hundred pence, he pro­claimed, that though he seemed to be forgiven, he was not forgiven, but behoved to go to prison.

Now I have been detained in providence upon this Do­ctrine for this time, a Doctrine that is not unseasonable to you, if ye be in earnest in seeking the pardon of your sin; it serves to point out to you the terms on which it is at­tainable, and by which ye evidence that ye are pardoned, that ye may not in this matter cheat your selves, in taking [Page 198] a lie in your right hand in stead of pardon; and it is not unseasonable, were it but to give a check to the malicious disposition that haunts too too many in this generation. What shall I say of it? I shall only say this, that little love is the first step to this malicious disposition, when love grows cold, and folk lives uncouth and fram'd one to ano­ther, without intimations of that warmness of affection that should be, (which is much creept in among the fear­ers of God) love, I say, growing cold, then injuries, bitter resentments, back-bitings, reproaches, evil speak­ings, &c will threed in with that needle; yea, this is one of the great in-lets, to that monstruous, damnable, dreadful sin of Witchcraft, into which some have been led by their lusts, others have been tempted to through po­verty, but moe by malice than by both, to give them­selves formally over to the Devil, to renounce Christ, to renounce their Baptism, hope of happiness, and to sacri­fice all to their malicious and revengful temper; there­fore look to it, and upon this as a necessary Doctrine, that presses you to have love one to another, forbearing and for­giving one another; that love that suffers long, is not puffed up, behaveth not it self unself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provocked, thinketh no evil, rejoyceth not in ini­quity, but in the truth: beareth all things, hopeth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things, 1 Cor. 13.4.— It was the most known badge of the primitive Christians, and no wonder, their Master left it with them, Joh. 13.35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another; love to kindle up kindness, that malice drowns, love that extenuats faults that passion ag­greges, love that pities and compassionats, where malice and revenge severely punishes; love that will meet an in­jurer mid-way and more, when revenge bids run away. As ye would not be given up to the most dreadful tempta­tions, [Page 199] study love, and from love to forgive, and harbour not a malicious and revengful disposition. Lord bless, &c.

IN the morning I was detained upon that evidence of a pardoned man, which is of very common use in our walk, that we have a tender-hearted disposition, and be in a readiness to forgive others. Now there remains be­fore I leave this point, another evidence or consequence of pardon, when it is rightly closed with, held out in that, which ye may remember I made a third branch of this Text, being an amplification of pardoning mercy, taken from Gods design in letting it out, even that he may be feared; I shall not here stand on a general, how need­ful it is to look to Gods design, and what he drives at by every thing he doth unto us, and about us, as the Psalmist takes notice of Gods end in pardoning. Though it were needful that we should look to it, that we abuse no dis­pensation of God, to serve our own ends, neglecting his ends. The reason why we speed not in many suits, is, we ask and receive not, because we ask amiss, that we may consume it upon our lusts, Jam. 4.3. But passing that, I come to the word in the Text.

The word here, fear of God, it is one of these internal graces that naturally results upon the acknowledgment of a Deity, and consequently belongs to the first Command, where knowledge and acknowledgment of God, faith and hope in God, love to him, and fear of him, and patience under his dispensations, are all commanded under that of having no other gods; but frequently the fear of God is taken more largely, for all the service, and fear, and wor­ship [Page 200] of God, and that because fear and reverence is a ne­cessary ingredient called for in every part of service and worship we perform, here we need not restrict the sense of the Word, and so the meaning is, pardoning Mercy is in God, and let forth by God to the penitent, that the pardoned sinner may stand in awe to offend God, and may be invited to worship and serve God, who invites him to it by a free pardon of iniquity, under which he could not stand, if God should mark it in strict Justice. And hence in that sum of Christianity, Philip. 3.3. If a man from having no confidence in the flesh come to re­joyce in Jesus Christ, the result of that is to worship God in the Spirit; hence Job 37.23, 24. When God is taken up as one excellent in Power, Judgment, and plenty of Justice, that will not afflict, it hath this consequence re­sulting upon it, men do therefore fear him; and 1 Kin. 8.38. — when his people pray to him, he by his hearing of Prayer, forgiving of sin, doing and giving to every man according to his ways, doth hereby invite them to fear him, all the days that they live in the Land which he gave to their Fathers, and Hos. 3.5. It is said of convert­ed Israel, That they shall fear the Lord, and his goodness, in the latter dayes.

Now that I may speak somewhat of this for your edi­fication, I shall take a word or two from this purpose ab­stractly considered, and then consider it with an eye to the scope.

1. Then considering the words abstractly, we may mark, that fear and reverence is due to God, that God is a suitable Object of humble and reverential fear in the Creature; the fear of God is a thing frequently spoken of, and prest in Scripture, as most due to him. Rev. 15.4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name, Psal. 76.7, 11. Thou, even thou art to be feared; bring presents to him that ought to be feared, Isai. 8.13. Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself, let him be your fear and your dread: He [...]e [Page 201] (not to insist upon the Derivations that some give of the Greek and Latine Names of God, from the Greek word [...], signifying Fear) the Scripture sometimes Names God by this, That he is the fear of his people. Gen. 31.53. when Laban sware by the God of Abraham, and the God of Nabor, Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac, that is, by the God that was the Object of Isaac's fear: and that word is very emphatick, which ye have, Psal. 76.11. in your Translation it is, bring presents to him that ought to be fear­ed; but in the Original (and as it is rendred in the mar­gin of your Bibles) it is▪ bring presents to the fear, that is, to God, the Object of the reverential fear of his people; It may be said that the Object of fear being things evil, God who is the Chief Good, seems not to be the proper Object of fear; but that is easily cleared, affection to God, as to the chief Good, cannot be without holy solicitude, and reverential fear, lest either our sin deprive us of him, and of his favour, or he be provocked to send evil on us, upon the account of our provocations.

Now for the kinds of this fear of God, I shall not insist upon them. There is a fear of God as a plague and pu­nishment, and that's the fear of Devils, James 2.9. Thou believest there is one God, thou dost well, the devils also believe and tremble. There is a servile and slavish fear, which however it may be in a Child of God, especially at his first Conversion, while under the spirit of bondage, yet it is much of the nature of that fear, that is of God as a pu­nishment of sin; that tormenting fear the Apostle speaks of, 1 Joh. 4.18. That perfect love casts out; that fear that is not afraid of offending God, but of punishments only, is that which is in Devils; and that fear that apprehends punishments, not as they are separat from God the chief Good, but as painful and grievous to a mans self, is sla­vish and servile; but right fear is, when apprehensions of the Majesty, Greatness, and Goodness of God, fills the heart with holy awe and reverence towards him, and the [Page 202] Faith of his Greatness, seasoned with the Faith of his Con­descendency, makes the soul afraid to offend him, or lose his favour on any terms.

All that I shall say from this, shall be to exhort and per­swade you to get some stamp of this reverential fear on your heart that ye be not of them, of whom it is said, Psal. 36.1. (O dreadful Character) The transgression of the wick­ed, says within my heart, there is no fear of God before his eyes; consider and think upon this, the fear of God is the only Antidote, the only preservative against an evil course, the fear of God will make a man, that when it is in the power of his hands to do evil, he dare not do it, Gen. 42.18. Jo­seph when his brethren in ward, are afraid of him, says to them, This do and live▪ for I fear God; I might soon cut you off, and who would challenge me for so doing? but I fear God, N [...]hem 5.15. He would not be burdensom to the people, as the former Governours had been, they were chargeable to the people, but so did not I, says he, be­cause of the fear of God; among Heathens, there may be many Motives to keep men from this and that ill, but all will be like Samsons cords, if the fear of God be wanting; ponder Gen. 20.11. when Abimelech says to Abraham, What sawest thou that thou hast done this thing? Abr [...]ham answers, because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will slay me for my wifes sake; There is no protection for me here, for I see no fear of God among this people; what will men not be, if a suitable Tempta­tion come in their way, if they want the fear of God? and how calm will the fear of God make men that have it? It will make a Lion a Lamb, a Boar a Calf; O how tra­ctable will it make the wild humours of men, to have a stamp of the fear of God? and therefore I say it again, seek for it, that it may not be said of you, such a mans, or such a womans walk, says within my heart, There is no fear of God before their eyes.

[Page 203]A 2. Word from the words abstractly considered, is, That as fear is due to God, so this fear is eminently to be exprest in the service and worship of God; For that thou mayest be feared is not to be understood, as that folk should make a Bog [...]e of God; but that their fear of him should bring them to worship and serve him, and that their wor­ship and service should be seasoned with an holy awe and dread of God. I might touch here on several things, on the one hand, among other Characters of base and servile fear, this is one, when it drives from God, and his wor­ship and service, which was the result of Adam's fear after his fall. Gen. 3.8. When he heard God's voice in the garden he was afraid and hid himself. This was the Sinai fear at the giving of the Law, Exod. 20.18. When the people saw the thundring and lightning, and heard the noise of the Trumpet, they removed and stood a-far off; they went further away from God; that is never right fear that makes a Scar-crow of God; that is only right fear that chases in to him: But on the other hand, how should service and worship to God be loaded and ballanced with fear of God? when Ja­cob had some intercourse with God in a vision, Gen. 28.17. He was afraid, and said, how dreadful is this place! this is none other but the House of God, and this is the gate of Hea­ven. If we speak of the service of God in general, and would serve him acceptably, it must be with reverential and godly fear, Heb. 12.28. Not with presumption: yea, the greatest on Earth as they are commanded to kiss the Son lest he be angry, and they perish from the way; so they are bid­den, serve the Lord with fear▪ and rejoyce with trembling, Ps. 2.11. and that King, Dan. 6.26. could see that much, though he came not a full length, when he made a decree, That in every dominion of his kingdom, men should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; and for fear in duties of immediat worship (such as ye are now about) how is it pressed, Psal. 89.7. God is greatly to be feared in the assem­bly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are about [Page 204] him; and Psal. 5.7. we will find those to be the two stilts, (so to speak) that David walked on going to the publick Ordinances; As for me, I will go into thy house in the multi­tude of thy mercy, and in thy fear will I worship toward thy ho­ly temple; The faith of Gods Mercy ballanced with Fear, that it turn not in presumption; and fear again under prop­ed with Mercy, that it degenerat not into despondency; and there are many Considerations to press the seasoning and ballasting of the service and worship of God with fear, whether partly we consider the Majesty of God, com­pared with our baseness; There are few folk that converse with God at Abraham's rate, Gen. 18.27. Behold now, says he, I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes; and Solomon's rule, Eccles. 5.1. — is, keep thy foot when thou goes into the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools; be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God, for God is in Heaven▪ and thou upon Earth, therefore let thy words be few; When there is a ladder betwixt Heaven and Earth such as Jacob had, how dreadful a place should such a Sanctuary be? Or whether partly we consider the Holiness and Purity of God, compared with our Impuri­ty, This made Isaiah, Isai. 6.5. to say, Wo is me, I am un­done, because I am a man of unclean lips, and dwell among a people of polluted lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. And further, the Consideration of the Holi­ness and Jealousie of God, that he will not be affronted in the matter of his service and worship, it calls for Fear and reverence; it is a strong Argument used by the A­postle, to press us to serve God with Reverence and with Godly Fear, Heb. 12.29. For our God, says he, is a consu­ming fire; and that which Moses said to Aaron, when his two Sons were slain, burnt up with fire, which went out from the Lord, for offering strange fire before him. This is the thing which the Lord spake, saying, I will be sancti­fied in them that come near me, and before all the people I will [Page 205] be glorified; I will either be honoured by them, or I will be honoured upon them that draw near me, and take my Name in vain. Well then, have ye any thing of this Fear of God? will ye kythe it by your serving him, Mal. 1.6. A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master, if he be a Father, where is his honour, and if a Master, where is his fear? stand ye in awe of God that do misken him all your time? do ye fear him, that never take a spare hour to pay homage to him? that will not bow a knee to him: But I shall add, the service that ye pay to God, I pray you look how it is ballast with fear, that it turn not in presumption; and if ye have need of an intimation of Mer­cy to correct your fear, that it degener not in despondency: Ye come to God's House to Worship him, but how few of you when ye come here, have said, How dreadful is this place; would ye have your Character? take it from Jude verse 12. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear; ye come be­fore God, ye join in the publick Exercises of Gods Wor­ship, but without any impression of the fear of God, more than if all we did while we are together, had no relation to him; O be ashamed that the fear and awe of God doth so little ballast and season your service and worship.

But in the 2. place, we come to take a look of this pur­pose, with an eye to the Scope, There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared, says the Psalmist; then, the fear of God, more tender walking, being more frequent and serious in duty to God, more reverence of his service, it is the kindly product of a heart that hath on right terms closed with Christ in pardoning mercy, a fear to offend God, a reverential fear in his Worship and service. And hence, I shall lay these few particulars before you and close

1. Which is the main thing in the Scope, come and try by this, if ye have been closing a-right with pardoning mercy, see what is the consequence of it, and, that will tell you. Are ye closing with pardoning Mercy, to make [Page 200] [...] [Page 201] [...] [Page 202] [...] [Page 203] [...] [Page 204] [...] [Page 205] [...] [Page 206] your boast of it, that ye may sin on, and sleep more secure­ly? That is all the Dream that some have in their head of God's goodness, and mercy in pardoning sin, to take in a new Swack, but thou that does so, turns the Grace of God unto lasciviousness, and offers a contempt to pardoning Mercy, which the Gracious God will not brook. But, O! here is the blessed Fruit of pardoning Mercy, to be more tender in thy walk, more afraid of sin, more dili­gent in Duty, the further God is pleased to put thee in his bosom, the greater distance thou keeps with what may provock him, the more freely he forgive thee, the more thou delights to be active in his service; find many Scrip­tures that gives an account of the overcoming goodness of God towards ingenuous Souls, not only that, Psal. 85.8. He will speak peace to his people, and to his saints, but let them no [...] [...]urn again to folly; but that of Hos. 3.5. The goodness of God the Object of their Faith makes them fear him and his goodness; and that of David, 2 Sam. 7.27. Who when he gets a promise of building him a House, the kindness of God sets him on fire as it were, and puts wings to his Prayer. Thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house, therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee; and Hezekiah, Isai. 38 15. When the Lord had spoken of his delivery, he will not wax wanton, but he will walk softly all the fifteen years added unto his dayes in the bitterness of his soul: and when the Lord falls in upon Ephraim with sweet converting Grace, and turns him, Jer. 31.19. af­ter he is turned he repents, after he is instructed, he smites on his thigh, he is ashamed, yea, even confounded, because he hath born the reproach of his youth; see to it ye that grip to par­doning Mercy, and lay claim to it, I am so far from en­vying you, that I say, the Lord say so too. But, O! let it be seen in your tenderness, in your reverential fear and awe of God, in the constraining power that the love of Christ hath on you, if ye believe that he died for you, will [Page 207] not his love constrain you to l [...]ve to him? 2 Cor. 5.14. And ye that are tender, will ye not be afraid that that kind­ness of God ye lay claim to, is either a lie in your right hand, that produces not somewhat like this, or that ye are in a plagued condition, that the goodness and kindness of God works not upon you.

2. If pardoning Mercy be let out, that God may be fear­ed, it puts me in capacity to answer the Cavillations of the profane, they live in the contempt of holiness, they have a prejudice at it, they see no form nor beauty in it, wherefore they should desire it; What shall they get if they turn fearers of God? They see no advantage by it, but loss: But shall I say to thee, if thou looked rightly on it, thou would be ashamed to owne any such Cavillation, Piety has no enemy but an ignorant, there is none that ever knew Piety that would give it the Character thou gives it; if pardoning Mercy work up a love to holiness in men, and make them to fear him; thou that has a pre­judice at holiness, evidences that thou art not a partaker of it, and why would thou tell all the World, that thou knows not what this pardoning Mercy means; thy con­tempt of holiness proclaims, that all thy iniquities are bound upon thy back: If ever thou had layen at Gods Foot stool, and been lift up with pardoning Mercy, saying to thee, Son or daughter be of good chear, thy sins are forgiven thee, it would put an edge upon thee, to pursue after ho­liness; and therefore let me intreat you who are profane, and entertain a prejudice at holiness, not to publish your own shame, and by your contempt of the fear of God, and his service, to declare ye are yet without the pardoning Mercy of God.

But from this ye shall take a 3. word, If closing with par­doning mercy sets hearts on work to fear God, and to ten­derness in the study of holiness, then ye may see how many of the Children of God do cut the throat of all their en­deavours after holiness, and to walk tenderly through their [Page 208] not closing with pardoning Mercy: I suppose some have the Conscience, a sad Monitor unto them, a sad Wan-rest within doors, for want of tenderness, and some would fain be at serving and worshipping of God, and yet they cannot win at it, but look if thou leaves not thy encou­ragement behind thy hand, in not closing with pardon­ing Mercy, and by so doing, not only cuts thy self short of the Joy of the Lord, which is thy strength, but pro­vocks God to blast thy study of holiness, that thou would put in his room, or in the room of his pardoning Mercy; But thou that would be keeped fresh and green in thy pur­suit of holiness, here is thy method that thou must follow; first, wrap thy self in the bosom of pardoning Mercy and then try thy work and thou shalt find it more delightsome and go better with thee, than when thou leaves this en­couragement behind thee, lay thy self in his bosom for par­don, and O! but that will make thee fear him much, and love him much; that woman, Luke 7▪ that bad much forgiven her, loved much, and had abundance of tears to wash Christ's feet; her closing with pardon did so melt her heart, and so would it thine; closing with pardoning Mer­cy would heal palsie hands and feet, and make thee work, walk and run, it would kindle that love that is strong as death, and that jealousie that is cruel as the grave, the coals whereof are coals of fire, that have a vehement flame, and bring it to that, that many waters cannot quench, or the floods drown, or contemn all that would compet with it. I dare not offer to insist the day being shortened; but as on the one hand they who fall asleep on pardoning Mer­cy (as the bride of Christ may some times take a nap, but wakens and sets to her feet again) would know they make not a right use of pardoning Mercy, but sin grievously, and if they sleep on, they evidence that they cheat them­selves in that matter; and these that love not holiness pro­claim they were never partakers of it; so upon the other hand, thou that loves holiness, but cannot win at it, close [Page 209] better with pardoning Mercy, as that which will stren­then and encourage thee; and by waiting on the Lord in this way, thou shalt renew thy strength, mount up with wings as eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not be faint. Now to our God be praise and glory through Jesus Christ.

YE heard when I entred upon this Psalm, that the first six Verses contain the wrestling and the exercise the Psalmist was under, as the last two Verses contain his victory and issue, and his improvement of it.

For his wrestling and exercise, it consists (as ye heard) of three branches, ye have him wrestling with the difficul­ties and plunging perplexities in his case; these he expres­ses under the Metaphor of depths, and his wrestling with them is, by fervent wrestling and crying to God in Pray­er, verses 1, 2. 2. Ye have him wrestling with the Con­science and sense of guilt, that obstructed his audience, put back his Prayers, and offered to crush his hopes, and with that he wrestles in the 3, and 4. Verses, by taking with the dreadful desert of sin, by laying hold on God's pardon­ing Mercy, and carrying alongst with him God's end in letting out pardoning Mercy to sinners, even that he may be feared: and of this subject I have been speaking at great length, and I must exhort and intreat, that though a close be put to Preaching on it, that yet ye may not give over the minding of that Doctrine, it is that which will be your great Pasport; pardoning Mercy if ye obtain it, when ye [Page 210] come to grapple with the King of Terrors, and go through the dark valley of the shadow of death.

Now in the two Verses read, ye have the Psalmist in the third place wrestling with delays of answers to his Pray­ers, or the delays of the out-gate prayed for, and these he wrestles with by confident, patient, affection at waiting on God, I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope &c. And this purpose also we have cause to look unto, because it gives an account of a Christians constant exercise in time; he that would be a Christian indeed, it is not enough that he pray in difficulties, that he take with the desert of sin, and look to pardoning Mercy, when Conscience challenges him, but when he hath done all that, he must persevere in so doing, and wrestle with the delays of answers to his Prayer, he must give a proof of the patience, as well as of the Faith of the Saints, he must be a follower of these who through Faith and Patience in­herit the Promises.

There is a general Remark which will make way to the purpose contained in the words, which I shall insist on a little, that is That perseverance and constant waiting on God in his way, is the great task of Saints, and the Touch­stone of their sincerity in all other exercises and duties. This tryes how well breathed the Saints are, and what is their integrity in other exercises that they are at sometimes, even that they be constant, bide by it, wait on God, and persevere in waiting on him in his way, notwithstanding they meet with delays.

And that I may unfold this General to you, ye shall with me take a threefold look of this perseverance. 1. Look upon it in general, as it is opposed to Apostacy, back­sliding & giving up with the ways of Religion. 2. (Which will deduce this General more fully and particularly) ye shall take a look of this perseverance, as it imports a con­stant Tenor and course in waiting on God, and seeking of God, in opposition to folks phrases, fairds and hot fits [Page 211] at some times, wherein they are but fleeting. And 3. (Which will lead me to the particular in the Text) look on it as it is opposed to wearying, sitting up, or falling by from employing God, and waiting on him, if they be delayed, especially in sad dispensations, and exigences they meet with.

For the first of these, Perseverance in general, as it is op­posed to apostasie, back-sliding, and giving up with the ways of God, and godliness; I shall not dwell much on that Doctrine. The necessity of it appears in the Promi­ses made unto it, Mat. 24.13. It is he that endures unto the end shall be saved: and Rev. 2. and 3. Chapters, it is always to the overcomer that the Promise is made, though I con­fess the Word, there being in the present time, To him that overcometh, or is overcoming, it is to assure them, that are in earnest in the battel and in pursuit of the Victory, that they may grip the promise for their encouragement; yet it is to the overcomer, to him that endures to the end, to the compleat Victory that the Promise relates. Neither 2. shall I speak to the possibility and impossibility of this apostasie, and back-sliding. I confess if I speak of the Saints that are truely regenerat, it is impossible that they can totally and finally fall away. There is a seed that still remains in them, 1 Joh. 3.9. Not that that seed being but a Creature can preserve it self of it self, but its remain­ing and stability depends on the eternal decree of God concerning the Elect ( For whom he forknows and predestinats to be conform to the image of his Son, them be also glorifies, Rom. 9.30.) upon the paction past betwixt the Father and the Son about the Elect, that the Father shall bring them to Christ, and that Christ shall lose none of them. Joh. 6.39. Upon the Promises of the Covenant of Grace, that he will put his fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him, Jer. 32.40. And upon the in­tercession of Christ, that hath prayed for them that their faith fail not, Luke 22.32. Yet though it be certain that none [Page 212] of the truly Regenerat can totally and finally fall away: it is as certain that Temporaries, that blossom fair for a time, may totally and finally fall away: and it is no less certain that Saints may make Apostasie, and fall away from many degrees of that life and vigour which once they had; They may with David give over waiting on God, and run away to the Land of the Philistines, 1 Sam. [...]7. They may with that Church of Ephesus forsake their first Love, Rev. 2.4. Nor 3. shall I insist to lay before you the evil of Apostasie, that is, the prejudice this back-sliding hath with it, according to the degree and measure of it, as that there is first this woful ill in it, in being hindred in that which is good. Gal. 5.7. Ye run well, who hindred you, that ye should not obey the truth. And 2. That there is in it a losing of that which folks have gained, Gal. 3.4. Have ye suffered so many things in vain? Have ye lost all these sufferings ye endured in the world for Christianity? and 2 Joh. verse 8. Look to your selves that we lose not these things that have been wrought; The progress that hath been made, the victory that hath been obtained over cor­ruption, a man by Apostasy, back-sliding or sitting up in the way of God, runs the hazard of losing all that. There it also 3. a great hazard in Back-sliding, upon the ac­count of the indignity thereby offered to the Majesty of God, it is a reflection on him, as if there were some ini­quity in him, Jer. 2.5. What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me, and have walked after va­nity, and are become vain? And verse 31. Have I been a wil­derness to Israel? a land of darkness? Werefore say my people, we are lords, we will come no more to thee; and Micah 6.3. O my people wherein have I wearied thee? What have I done unto thee? testifie against me. From all which it is clear, that it is a dreadful iniquity offered to the Majesty of God, when his people back-slide from him. And 4. This course of Apostasie is full of hazard, upon the account of the stum­bling-blocks thereby laid in the way of others; the back-slider [Page 213] does all that he can to deter any to assay that course and way of Religion and Godliness, that he hath forsaken and turned his back on, when after he hath been for a time in Christ's company, he makes desertion and leaves him, he proclaims to all the World, that there is not that satis­faction to be had in him, and in his service that he expect­ed, and if all should take his verdict, never one should ingage in that course that he hath relinquished. And 5. Apostasie and back-sliding is full of hazard, on the ac­count of the dreadful consequences that follow on it. I shall not need to insist upon that, Prov. 14.14. The back-slider in heart shall be filled with his own ways; but many and dreadful are the plagues that abide such a temper, that waits on back-sliders; God will make out upon tempora­ry back-sliders, that which ye have 1 Pet. 2.21. It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy command­ment delivered to them; and for the Saints when they back­slide, they lay a foundation of many sorrows to them­selves, when God wakens them up to lay to heart their backslidings, and to return to their first Husband, when he hedges up their way with Thorns, and makes a wall that they shall not find their paths, when they follow af­ter their lovers, and cannot overtake them, seek them and cannot find them, till they find that iniquity of their back­sliding to be hateful.

Running through these words shortly, I come to draw some words of use from what hath been said: And 1. Folk would look what guilt may be among them, or upon them, of this kind; if I should speak to many in this time, there needs not a secret search to find out their guilt, to prove their Apostasie, and back-sliding. How many are there that in their younger days, it may be had their buds, blossoms, and promises fair enough, and appearances of good, which when they are grown up, are rotten and wi­thered, blasted and gone. How many seem to have come [Page 214] far on in Religion, and all the length they came in seek­ing God, they have given it over? How many made a mint of seeking God in secret, and in their Families, and now they no more assay it, than if they were Pagans? What shall I say of Negatives? many have not only tur­ned off all Religion in their Practice, but they are tur­ned openly profane, and not only profane, but mockers, if ever they had any touch of Conscience in themselves, they are ready to call it Melancholy, silliness, sordid base­ness in spirit, and to bless themselves that they have got their foot on it, and not only are they ready to mock at this work in themselves, but to hate all others that will not run with them to the same excess of riot; look to it, it is a fearful and ominous thing to see the defection that is in this generation, among the generality of the Professors of the Gospel; and without all peradventure, if Repentance prevent not, it portends hard things; Backsliding is a sin that Christ will not sit with unrevenged; and shall I in this tryal come nearer to you, ye who have keeped your feet, and are not to be ranked among these that we have been speaking of, come and try if ye may inlist your selves among the waiters on God, or if ye be backslidden and sit­ten up; I confess there may be a temptation as to this, haunting a tender soul; some may think because they make not such din and noise of their Religion as sometime they did, that they are backslidden, but thou may have more life now than thou had in thy former fraziness and forwardness; thou was before like green wood that has much din, will crack much, but hath less heat and light, but now thou art like the dry wood that has better light and more heat; and there may be also a mistake on this account, that because God is leading thee through the abominations of thine heart, and humbleth thee with the naughtiness of thy disposition, which he discovers to thee; thou may think thy self worse than sometime thou was, when thou art not worse, but sees better than thou did be­fore; [Page 215] therefore where there is tenderness we would guard a­gainst such mistakes upon that hand, where tenderness lies. But alas, we have greater cause to guard against a blind upon the other hand, that is, that because folk keep up the tale of Duty, and are as frequently about Rel [...]gious Per­formances as they wont to be, they think they are not back-slidden, nor sitten up in the way of God; and yet they are far from that love to, and delight in God, that once appeared in their Service and Worship.

And to instruct this a little to you, I would have these that would try if they be backslidden from that they had, or might have had, or that others have attained, looking to these four or five things. 1. If they be growing, accor­ding to that, 2 Pet. 3.17.— Beware lest being led away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness, but grow in grace, & in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; There is no standing still in a Christian course, the person that is not growing in the fruit, or to the root, that is not ma­king progress in Sanctification, nor is not growing in Mor­tification and Humiliation for his shortcoming, he is cer­tainly a backsliding person.

2. I would have folks looking to this, whether Reli­gion in many be not come from their hearts to their heads, so that these who wont to be full of sap, are now sapless; these who had a lively impression on their Souls, of the life and power of Religion, are now come to that, that all they have is bare tastless notions & speculations; not only do folks that are sitten up, forget to look to the frame of the heart, and few cabinet counsels are betwixt God & them; but O how tasteless, sapless, & lifeless is Religion & Religi­ous Duties to them, they have a notion of Misery and Mer­cy, of Sin and a Saviour, but it is like a dream, a thing they can look on with very little or no affecting of heart.

3. I would have folk that would try their frame▪ look­ing to this, what Conscience is made of sin, when the saints are in a right frame, they walk tenderly in a continual [Page 216] jealousie of themselves, they have many a reflex look back, check, and heart-sinking for this and that they find amiss, and this is not at a start, but it will be their trade and ex­excise: But O when it comes to this, that thou art a stran­ger to a tender walk with God, to inward checks and challenges, and thy Throat grows wide, and thou gets o­ver guilt without reluctancy, thou miscarries, and thy light tells thee of it, but thy heart is not affected with it, that tells thou art sitten up, for a growing frame is tender in the matter of sin and guilt.

4. I would have folk that would try their frame, look­ing well to their diligence, It is the hand of the diligent that makes rich, Prov. 10.4. The soul of the diligent shall be made fat, Prov. 13.4. And therefore folks that are at little pains in the Duties of Religion, for the honour of God, and their own souls advantage, but spend much of their time in laziness, and carnalness, when they cast up their ac­compts, they will find they are sitten up, withered and un­der a decay.

5. And to add no more, They that would try their frame, would consider, that though they be free of these things hinted at; yet if they be under a spirit of discou­ragement, they cannot be making progress. Look then to your frame, who are more tender, what discourage­ment ye find in it. The day was when the Duties of Religion, and closs following of Christ was thy delight; but now thy Conscience is turned a Tormenter unto thee; thou drives heavily in any task thou art called to, thou art like Thomas, Joh. [...]1.16. who followed Christ but discou­ragedly, Let us go also, says he, that we may die with him; though thou keep up the tale of Duty thy discouragement evidences thou art fallen from thy first love, from that love which once thou had, or might have had.

Well then, try your selves by these things, what your growth is, what your heart-work is, what conscience is made of sin, what diligence in Duty, what discourage­ment [Page 217] in stead of delight; and when ye have tryed, reflect on that I said before of your hazard and prejudice, what retardment in good, what loss is in what ye had gained, what indignity hath been offered to God, what reflecting on him, what stumbling-blocks have been laid before o­thers, what sorrows ye have been brewing to your selves? And I shall only add this Consideration, I wish that all back slidden and up-sitten Professors, would ponder that place, Rev. 2 [...]4, 5. Where there is a Church that is very zealous, cannot bear with them which are evil, hath tried them, which said they were Apostles, and found them liars, had born, and had patience, and for the Name of Christ had laboured, and not fainted; and yet Christ quarrels her, for that she had lost her first love; and what follows, Remember from whence thou art fallen, Repent, and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place: A Church leaving her first Love, her gradu­al decay may provock God to un-Church her, except she consider from whence she is fallen, repent, and do her first works.

But a 2. word of Ʋse, shall be to hint to you a directi­on, what folk should do with an up-sitten condition, when they find it and cannot win out of it; I confess it is not so difficult to find out the Disease, as the Remedy; and here (to say nothing to them that are so fast a-sleep, that they will not waken to consider of their up-sitten condition,) I find on the one hand, some that are sensible of their back­sliding, ready to sigh and go backward, they look upon their case as deplorable, and on themselves as in an evil plight, and yet they loiter on, and win not to their feet: And I find on the other hand, others, who if a convicti­on of this kind be called home upon them, they think they will up and to their feet, and recover themselves, but their fools haste makes no speed, while they look not to the causes of their declining, and seek not to get them heal'd; and herefore when the burnt of the Conviction is over, they [Page 218] are where they were, and do not amend; a Physitian that would cure a Disease, seeks first to know and remove the causes thereof; and that is the method I would recommend to you to follow, to consider what it is that makes the people of God back-slide, sit up, or decline in the course of Religion and Godliness; there are some Causes without, which I do not insist on, when there is a dreadful shower of Spiritual Plagues rain'd upon a visible Church; it is no wonder that some drops of it fall upon the godly; to al­lude to that, Mat. 24.12. Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold, Though I know the meaning of the place looks like another way, that because of the abounding of iniquity, folks shall not know with whom to walk, or intimatly converse; nor shall I need to put you in mind of that new-fangle humor that is in many, That when Religion is new to them, make a faird at it, and thereafter sit up, like Children that are taken up with Toyes, and presently lose conceit of them, and cast them from them; so it is with many in the matters of God and godliness; but there are several causes of upsitting within, that ye would look unto; The first I begin at is, Conceit, which not only many time evidences a man to be nothing, If a man thinketh himself something while he is nothing, he de­ceives himself, Gal. 6.3. and Rev. 3.17. Thou sayest I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not, that thou art wretched, poor, blind, miserable, and naked; But be a man what he will, if he conceit of it, his conceit of it sets his height upon his head, he can­not make proficiency, yea, Conceit is the next door to A­postasie; compare for this, these two paralel places, Hab. 2.4. his soul that is lifted up, is not upright in him, but the just shall live hy faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him, says the Apostle, Heb. 10.38. A lifted up Soul, and a drawing back Soul go together; therefore who would recover from their backslidden con­dition, and find out the causes of it, they would look first [Page 219] to conceit as a main cause. O! how many a fair profes­sion hath Conceit blasted? how many a hypocrite hath conceit discovered to be but empty casks without sub­stance? yea more, how many really godly hath conceit lost in the mire of apostasie, till they considered and laid it to heart better than they did. 2. (Which hath affinity with the former of conceit) Take notice of carnal confi­dence as another great cause; when ever a Child of God wears out of a posture of poor and needy dependence, when all beside Christ is not flesh to him, a slide abides him. When Job (29.18.) said he should die in his nest, and multiply his days as the sand, he was near a shake. When David, Psal. 30.6. said, in his prosperity he should not be moved; God hid his face and he was troubled, his carnal confidence was backed with desertion from God; There­fore beware of pride and carnal confidence, as ye would not decline and backslide: And ye that would seek out the causes of your decayed condition, and endeavour a cure, look well to these two, as bringing you in the sad posture wherein ye are lying. The Lord bless his word to you.

THat I may prepare the way for a more distinct hand­ling of this great and important Duty of waiting on God, and for God I proposed in the morning to speak somewhat upon perseverance and constancy in Religion, and that partly in general, in opposition to Apostasie and Backsliding; and partly in particular, in opposition to that fleiting, frazing humour, that may be in folk at some tim [...] but soon passes over and is gone, and in opposition [...] [...]earying to wait on, if they be delayed, especial­ [...] [...]d dispensations.

[Page 220]For the general I spoke somewhat to it, and hinted in the first place, at some Means of Tryal, whereby folks may know more distinctly their sitten-up frame, and I was cut off by the time, from searching into the causes of up-sitting or declining, that would be heeded by them that would prevent, or recover themselves out of that tem­per; several things occur, which though divers of them may be one upon the matter, yet I name them distinctly, that under one notion or another of the same thing, ye may take up your distemper.

I spoke in the first place to Conceit: And, 2. To car­nal Confidence, as main Causes of Apostasie; Now I go on, and in the third place ye shall take notice with me of this, as a great cause of declining, to wit, idleness, want of seriousness and sensible errands to Christ dayly, when folks, though they go about the Duties of Reli­gion, in privat and publick, yet the most they have for them is to fill the field, to observe a custom, or to quiet the clamours of Conscience; in this case folk are idle, they have not sensible errands to Christ, they have not their finger on their sore; and as this evidences a de­clined Frame so it is a cause of declining in many, to al­lude to that, Prov. 19 15. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer hunger: And Eccles. 10.18. By much slothfulness the building decayeth, and through idleness of the hands, the house droppeth through. So negligence in performance of Service to God, will soon bring a soul to a very poor posture and condition. Further in the fourth place, ye shall take notice of this, that the not observing of gradual Decays, is the great cause of the heightning that Decay, and coming to a height in backsliding, when folks slide down the bra [...] piece and piece, when they steal at leasure from their first Love, and it is not observed by them, it brings on a sinful frame ere they be awa [...] [...]any through want of observation, are like Sampson [...] hath his Locks cut, and knows it not till the [...] [...] [Page 221] upon him. Or like the blessed Virgin, who supposing Christ to be in the croud, miss'd him not, but afterward had him to seek with sorrow. Or as Pharaoh's Servants said to him, Knows thou not yet, that Egypt is destroyed; like Ephraim, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he know­eth i [...] not: As ye say of Hecticks, they are worst to be dis­cerned, but easily cured in the beginning, but when con­tinued in, they are easily discerned, and worse to be cured; so fares it with them that observe not their gradual decays.

And to this I shall add in the 5 place, that folks would look well to Idols, when they are harboured; it's a great cause of backsliding, and of idleness, and inadvertance, that brings on decay: If Judas love the bag, he will soon­er or later betray his Master for money: If Sampson will try conclusions, by sleeping on the knees of a Delilah, though he might once and again escape her snares, yet De­lilah will at last betray him into the hands of the Phili­stines: An Idol entertained, without mourning over it, and labouring to mortifie it; though Satan may let thee keep up a rank in good for a time, yet sooner or later it will turn thee aside.

Then 6. If we would persevere and not decline, we would lay the foundation very well, see that it be upon the Rock: It was not that which was above ground that carried the body of naughtiness in the stony ground, but it was the deepness of earth that was wanting, Mat. 13.5. The house that bides the storm hath the foundation bigged deep, Luk. 6.48. Many folk are fair above ground, but O! How naughty are they under ground? That's a good foundation that's laid in mortification, self-denial, and needy dependance on Christ: This hath relation to what I spoke before of idols, and am to speak of unbelief; yet I give it you distinctly, an ill-rooted Professor cannot per­severe, but must decline, a mortified Professor will [Page 222] be well-rooted, and long-breathed (as we use to speak) in perseverance.

7. Look upon unbelief and discouragement as a great cause of Apostacy, the joy of the Lord is the strength of the Saints, Neh. 8.10. But where this evil heart of unbe­lief is, there will be a departing from the living God, Heb. 3.12. And where there are hands hanging down, and feeble knees, that which is lame or halting will be soon turned out of the way, Heb. 12.13. As many suffer shipwrack of their pursuit in the bosome of some Idol, so many split upon the Rock of Diffidence and Discouragement, which being given way to, there is no remedy, but to fall by, or sit up dangerously.

8. And I shall add no mo, we would look well to stum­bling, as a great cause of Apostacy and declining. When a man stumbleth at the directions of the word, though alas! There are many of us not so tenty at a Sermon, as to notice them, or shall take them, not so near them, as to try if they have corruption, to stumble at them, compare Joh. 6.60, 61. with 66. Many of Christs Disciples, when they have heard him speak of the eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, say, This is a hard saying, who can hear it? Christ knowing their murmuring, saith, Doth this of­fend you? And what comes of that? v. 66. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him; they stumbled at his Doctrine, and therefore drew back: or whether folk stumble at the dispensations of providence, when they are sad and afflicting, Isai. 33.14. It is said of the Hypocrites, The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites: who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Alluding to the terrible aspect of Sennacheribs Army; they looked on these as things that could not be bidden: ye may think them weak, and hy­pocrites, that stumble at dispensations, but let him that [Page 223] stands, take heed lest he fall. Remember when David stumbled at the prosperity of the wicked, he came to that, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most high? Verily I have cleansed my hands in vain, and washen my hands in innocency. There stumbling at providence turned him foolish and ignorant, as a beast before God, Psal. 73 22.—

These things I have shortly named, and if there be any sensible of their backsliding, and of a decayed frame, and afraid of it; do not think that your whryning over it will prevent it, or cure it, but look on those things as the causes of this ill frame, and ye will find ye have them, or are ready to split on them; and to cure the disease, take away the cause and the effect will cease.

But a 3d word of Use shall be this, if declining and back­sliding be so frequent, and where it is, if it be so dange­rous, how much reason have they to bless God, whose backsliding he prevents, who are kept fresh and flourish­ing, and fat and green, and enabled to bring forth fruit in old age, Psal. 92.12.— Who in all the times they have come over, have not met with an Idol they delight to fall asleep in the bosome of, nor with a discouragement that they have not trode on, nor with a dispensation they stumbled on; they have been kept serious and diligent, humble and denyed. I am now marking a mercy of ma­ny, that it may be they do not mark themselves; some complain, that all their time they get nothing, they are kept poor and needy, from the hand to the mouth, they meet with nothing but delays, tossing and restlessness, any get leave to draw their breath but they, and they think that they are very hardly dealt with; but hast thou this mercy, that thou art kept low, thou has no ground of carnal confidence, thou gets not leave to be idle, thou art holden going, diligent, serious in errands to Christ. Thy grievances will tell thee if thou bide away; thy heart-searchings thou must vent in his bosome, and shew before [Page 224] him thy trouble: Read in that a mercy, that thou art made to persevere, though in a humbling posture. Many have had sweet hours beside thee, and have fallen asleep on them, and thou art kept waking; God is keeping thee on thy feet, when others have fallen, though with dispensations that are not satisfying to thy flesh.

But now I proceed to the other two looks that I pro­posed to be taken of this perseverance, which are compre­hended under the former, and serve to obviat two great sources and causes of Apostacy. The first is this, Perse­verance is to be looked on, as it imports a constant tract of waiting on God, and seeking of him, in opposition to that brashiness fleettingness, ups and downs that are in some, who will have some odd fits of godliness, they are now very hot, and ere ye wot as cold: This may be seen in very godly folks, if they be at Ordinances, especially solemn Ordinances, how far up the B [...]a [...] will they be, as Saul among the Prophets? Or when they are in some trouble, how keen, how eager and lively will they be? But ere ye wot they are as dead, like a Summer Brook, that in a shower is over the Banks, but within a little is quite out and dry. Ye may take an instance of this in Israel, when the Law was publish'd at Sinai, with great Majesty and terrour, who but they? Deut. 9.27. All that the Lord our God will speak unto thee, we will do it: But the History tells if they were as good as their word. Ano­ther instance ye have in Israel at the red Sea, Psal. 106.12.— Then believed they his word, and sang his praise, when the waters overflowed their enemies; but they soon forgot his works, or made haste to forget them, they waited not for his counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tem­pted God in the desart. Now in opposition to this, it's the great mercy of Saints, when not only they hold out as it may be to the end, and get their souls for a prey, but they endeavour to be solid, fixed, constant, equal, to draw [Page 225] out (as ye speak) an even threed of a godly walk; not but that they have their ups and downs of comfort and abasement, but they guard against their brashy fairds and fits, and against their being at a hight now, and sinking again as low.

And the grounds why ye would guard against this fleet­ing unstable disposition are, 1. A fleeting temper is not to be trusted to; that which light unsolid hearts are at in a faird, they are not wise that lean to it. God at the first view tells Israel, their goodness was as a morning cloud, or as the early dew, Hos. 6.4. promising fair, but passing away: And when they make their great ran [...], Deut. 5.27. Who but they for obedience? O, saith the Lord, v. 29. that there were such a heart in them; I know them better than themselves do, I know they want that heart they profess, to be solid and constant in their obedience to me. 2. This fleeting disposition would be guarded against, be­cause these hot fits that folk sometimes have in the way of godliness, will be a dreadful witness against them, when they turn their back upon it. What a sad check is that Christ gives to the Jews, Joh. 5.35. John was a burning and a shining light, and ye rejoyced to walk in his light for a season; Who but John for a time to you? but ye soon ty­red. And see how the Apostle beats home a reproof for this, Gal. 4.14.— My temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? &c. Where is that heat and edge now? 3. This fleeting disposition would be look'd to, because these unsolid fits have no present access and acceptation, as they are not lasty, so they are little noticed for the time: Hos. 6.4. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, &c. What shall I do with that? What service can I have of it? What is in it to be noticed? For thou a [...]t unstable as the morning [Page 228] [...] [Page 229] [...] [Page 224] [...] [Page 225] [...] [Page 226] cloud, is soon dispelled, and the early dew, soon evanishes. 4. This fleeting humour would be guarded against, be­cause (besides, it's not acceptance with God) it keeps folk that they know not the good of godliness: It's not fai [...]ds and brashes that will bring home the real advantage of piety, Hos. 6.3. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the former and latter rain upon the earth. And Joh. 8 31, 32. When there were ma­ny that professed to believe on Christ, he saith to them, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free; if ye hold at that which ye profess, ye shall find the good of Religion, and be Disciples to me.

From all that I have been speaking on this, folks would learn not to be cheated with brashes and fairds of this kind; it may be folks please themselves in an ill course, because now and then their minds have been under dwams, and they have had their fits and motions (and they should beware of slighting these, lest folks be given over to their own hearts lusts, to walk in their own counsels) but such folk should look to it, ye that are brashie, either hot and frazie, or key cold: There is much of this in a natural temper, that in some skips from hot to cold, from liveliness to deadness, and holds at nothing. But that ye may learn to be still the same, in so far as is attainable, in this state of misery, I would recommend to you partly, that ye would labour to fix your selves on rational prin­ciples; know what ye are doing, and the grounds where­on ye go, when ye close with Religion; be as Peter, Joh. 6.68 — When many went back, Lord, saith he, to whom shall we go? for thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe, and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Stuff thine heart solidly with rational and solid grounds to go upon in Religion, and these put in the [Page 227] hand of God, will be a constant spring to feed thy diligence. 2. To these rational grounds, add solid resolutions, that (as Barnabas perswaded the Christians, Acts 11.23.) Thou may with full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord; it must not be a surprisal, like one in a passion, that sets thee on to seek God, but a solid, fix'd purpose of heart: And when thou hast laid down rational grounds, and back­ed them with solid resolutions, thou must in the 3d place wait on God; it's he that must unite thy heart to fear his Name, Psal. 86.11. It's he that can gather the fleeting heart, and fix it on the nail that's fastened in a sure place; It's he in whose hand thou must put all thy resolutions and purposes, as David, who when he hath resolved well, Psal. 17.3.— Thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing: I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Concer­ning the works of men, I have by the words of thy lips kept me from the paths of the destroyer. He adds, v. 6. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. These are re­solutions that are settled and backed with needy depen­dence on God; else though thou were never so well fixt in thy resolutions, they may prove like Sampsons Cords, when thou art assaulted with a new temptation. These few directions through the blessing of God, may fix you in the way of godliness, prevent fleeting unconstancy, de­bording and deviating from it.

But now in the 3d place, to give you a look of perse­verance, as it is opposed to wearying, lying by, sitting up, and it may be, the taking of many sinful shifts on de­layes; and when difficulties are met with, that is, when a needy person goes about the means, frequents the Ordi­nances, and gets nothing, his Word is a sealed Book, the Preaching of the Gospel is under a Cloud: when they go to God in Prayer, they come no speed, they are not heard, and it may be wrath meets them in the teeth, such may be strongly tempted to give over and weary; and it's in op­position [Page 228] to this, the Psalmist will wait on God, and in op­position to such temptations, we are to fix this truth, that no delay we meet with in Gods way, ought to cut our perseverance short. No delay should make us say with that wicked King, 2 King. 6.33. This evil is of the Lord, why should I wait on the Lord any longer? And readily the man that will not wait on God, hath that which he had with it, v. 31. God do so to me, and more also, if the head of E [...]sha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day. The godly man resolves to be like the infirm man at the Pool, Joh. 5.57 There will he ly [...] were it never so long, till the water be troubled, and some put him in; or till Christ by his immediat hand cure him: This was the Psalmists way here, after he is put to cry out of the deeps, and to wrestle with guilt meeting him in the teeth, and to cry for pardoning mercie, and no relief appears, he re­solves during the delay, to wait on God. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope: My soul waits for the Lord, more, &c. And Psal 62. after he hath said, Truly my soul waiteth on God, from him comes my sal­vation, v. 1. he presseth it over again, v. 5. O my soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him; he will wait, and better wait, and continue in waiting.

Now the prosecution of this would lead me to the par­ticulars in the Text, wherein these four or five things are clear. 1. The Psalmists exercise, I wait. 2. The ob­ject of his exercise of waiting. I wait for the Lord. 3. His affection in waiting, My soul doth wait. 4. His support in his waiting, My soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 5. The great measure of his affection in waiting, My soul waits for the Lord, more than they that watch for the mor­ning: I say, more, &c. These are the particulars in the Text, in the prosecution whereof, we may have sundry things for laying open this exercise of waiting on God; I shall now speak a few words, and close. I shall not touch [Page 229] on this, that duty is ours, and event is Gods; a man ha­ving done his duty, may, if he could win up to the use of his allowance, sleep very sound under cross events, but it is our unhappy temper, that we would still be at the Throne, and have the guiding of things: we are like the ill Scho­lar, that's busier at his neighbours Lesson than his own. But to pass this, consider four short words, and I have done.

1. Wai [...]ing on God is a blest mean appointed of God, in order to an out-gate out of all difficulties. Isai. 30.18. Blest are all they that wait on him. A man by waiting on God, and brooking delays with faith, patience, affecti­on, and submission, may find an out gate without a de­livery.

2. Waiting on God in the case of delays, and perseve­ring in waiting, is commendable on this account, that we can do no where else so well, as to ly still at his door; a man that wearies to wait on God, would look what he will do next, ere he give it over. When Christ ask'd Pe­ter, Will ye also leave me? He answers, To whom shall we go? We had need to seek a better Master ere we quite thee, and that we cannot find, thou hast the words of eternal life. What will a man do next, if he wait not on God? Da­vid is fasht with waiting and dependence, and he will go down to the Land of the Philistines; and the History tells what befell him there, he is forced to lie, he is likely to be brought in a snare, by fighting against the people of God and his interest, and in Ziglag, in hazard of being de­stroyed by the Amalekites; a man may well get an ill Conscience by apostacy and declining, he is never a step nearer delivery, so that go the world as it will, waiting on God is the best of it.

And 3. When we weary of waiting on God, because of outward dispensations, we bewray too much affection to the things of time, thou art in a difficulty, & thou wearies because of the calamity that lies on, and thou gets not an [Page 230] out-gate; but it were better for thee to mourn over thy inordinat affection to the things of time, that makes thee weary, and that would make way for thy out-gate, and lighten thy burden:

4. Remember that even a delivery from any difficulty out of Gods way, without waiting on God, is a plague. When a man comes not under a signal plague till he come under this, that, as the word is, Mal. 3.15. he tempts God, and is delivered. And therefore rather abhor such an issue that is a plague, than lust after it.

IN these words (as ye heard the last day) is contained the 3d Branch of the Psalmists exercise, after that he hath wrestled with difficulties, by crying to God out of the depths, and wrestled with the conscience of guilt, by taking with it, and fleeing to pardoning mer­cy on right terms, he is put now to wrestle with delays of comfort, and an out-gate; and this he wrestles with by confident, affectionat, meek and patient waiting on God. I spoke to the general Doctrine of this Verse, The task of perseverance and constancy in the way of God, and followed it out a little, in opposition to apostacy and back-sliding, and more particularly, to these brashy, hot fits, that folk have at some times, which are followed with as great cools, and in opposition to delays, or weary­ing and sitting up from employing God, when folks meet with delays which is in the Text, which ye may remem­ber I divided in these five; 1. The Psalmists exercise, I wait. 2. The object of his exercise of waiting, I wait for the Lord. 3. His affection in waiting, My soul doth wait. [Page 231] 4. His support in his waiting, My soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 5. The great measure of his affection in waiting My soul waits for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning, I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

For the first of these, that he is waiting; this, if I should follow forth in all that might be said of it, I should take in that Confidence and affection the Psalmist hath in wait­ing, which will occur in their proper places, to be spoken to, when I proceed in the words of the Text; here I shall pass not only a general of the Psalmists reflecting on what he hath been doing, and his giving an account of it, which I purpose to take in afterward; but I shall handle waiting on God here only in these two:

• 1. Somewhat Supposed, That he is put to wait.
• 2. Somewhat proposed, That when he is put to wait, he doth wait.

For the first, somewhat supposed, that he is put to wait, which affords us this Observation, that the Saints even in their serious and sincere seeking of God in difficulties, may be exercised with delays of comfort, and an out-gate; when a godly man is here crying out of the Depths; when he has not only been looking upon his trouble, but sensible of sin, and following a right method for pardon of sin, on right Terms, carefully and diligently going about his du­ty, he is put to this, I wait for the Lord. The Lord indeed hath made many rich and precious Promises, relative to every pressure his people can be under, there is not a dis­tress or difficulty they can be in, but there is a Promise for it, yet he hath reserved the timing of the accomplishment, and performing of them in his own hand, Isai. 60. ult. and it is not for us to know the times and the seasons which the Fa­ther hath put in his own power; & hence it comes to pass, that though the Lord in fulfilling his Promises, never misses his own time, yet seldom doth he come at our time; we by reason of our corruption and weakness, are often put to [Page 232] cry, How long, Lord? how long? Psal. 6.3. How long wilt thou forget me? how long wilt thou hide thy face? Psal. 13.1. And as it is. Jer. 8.20. The harvest is past, the Summer is ended, and we are not saved: All which complaints do not import that God keeps not his time, but that he comes not at our time in performing his Promises; and yet further, this is to be taken along with us, during our being exer­cised with delays; that though God put us to wait, he doth not that meerly on the account of his Soveraignty (though he might do so,) but for the exercise, profit, and advantage of his people: and to clear and make out this, I shall in­stance it in four ends the Lord hath before him, in delay­ing the fulfilling of Promises till his own time; 1. Here­by the Lord trys whether we will believe the thing he hath promised, though it be delayed; it is not the tryal of Faith when we see rich and precious Promises meeting with sad times and cases, to close with them, providing God will let us see them presently accomplished when we would; but here is the tryal of Faith, if we will wait till Gods time come, Rom. 8.25. After the Apostle hath plead­ed, that hope seen is not hope, for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? he adds but if we wait for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it: If we hope to get the thing promised, though we see it not, then it will kythe in our patient waiting for it.

2. The Lord by delaying his people, searches them, whether there be any latent and hidden dross in them, or not. It is not the first heat of the furnace that will try what is in the Saints, neither is it so much the greatness of the Tryal, as the lengthning of it, that will sift them, and discover what is in them: When men at first ingage in Tryal, and have the Promises before them, and their blood hot, their whole spirit will go along with them; but stay till their blood cool, till Temptation seek and soak in, till disappointment give them a dash after dash, and till year after year, and day after day, says the matter is hopeless, [Page 233] and that will bring out that which folks did not believe was within; who would have believed the corruption and weakness that kythed in David? if the lengthning of his trouble had not discovered it; all men are liars, saith he, I shall now one day perish by the hand of Saul; There is no­thing better for me, than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines, 1 Sam. 27.1.

3. The Lord delays his people, that when they have studied Faith and Patience, and have resolved upon it as their duty, to give God his own time for performing his Promises, they may have access to the blessed Fruit that comes in at that door, Rom. 5.3. We glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, &c. There are two remarkable things in that Text, one is, That the blessing of God on cankering, fretting, irri­tating Tribulation, can make it a mean in his hand to bring forth Patience. That which puts folk out of tune, he cannot only make it fit on their back till they stand un­holden; but through his blessing on it, he can work them up to patience by it. And another is, that till a person study Patience under Tribulation, he stops the door on all the good he might get by it, or meet with under it; it is but tint labour till he win to patience, but when Tribula­tion hath wrought Patience, Patience worketh Experience.

And 4. (To add no more) The Lord delays his people, that he may wean them from Time, and these things they are given to dote upon in time. Although in time they be trysted with many needful encouragements, with Meats in their journey, in passing through the Wilderness; yet he will have them to know that their home is not here, that their Rest is not in time; therefore he so trains on his people in Time, as they find no place for satisfaction in it, but that they must feed on hunger and thirst, and so go on, seeking for that Rest that abides them beyond Time; That is one of the great Lessons that God incul­cats on his people by delays, even to wean them more [Page 234] from Time, and to make them fall in love with Eternity.

Well then, seing it is so, Take four words of Inference from it, and I shall leave it.

And 1. The godly that are seeking God sincerely, and seriously, would hence be Cautioned not to judge of their sincerity and diligence, by their present success, comfort, or out-gate; here is a man crying to God out of the depths, verse 1, 2. Taking with guilt, verse 3. gripping to pardon­ing Mercy on right terms, verse 4. And yet here he is put to wait, in opposition to delays. It is a groundless Tem­ptation to measure divine approbation by present success; here we see folk may be acceptably employed, and yet meet with delays; but this may occur afterward, and there­fore I here pass it.

2. Hence ye shall gather, that if the Lord delay a man in the posture that this holy man was, in crying, serious in Prayer, in taking with guilt, in pleading for pardon; what wonder he delay others, who under difficulties are not so exercised? much more these who are at no such ex­ercise, are not to think it strange, though they meet with such delays; What wonder the Babylonish Captivity last for seventy years, when at the close of it, it might be said, as Dan. 9.12. All this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. The carriage of the visible Church is such, as it justifies God in bringing on trouble. Ezek, 14.22. — He tells his people, when the remnant should be brought forth, and they should see their ways and doings, they should be comforted concerning all the evil that he had brought upon Jerusalem, and should know that he had not done without cause, all that he had done in it: And doth not the evil improvement of Trouble, and folks security and negligence under trouble, justifie God in the long continuance of trouble? when we are ready to cry, how long, Lord? how long shall this calamity last? The Lord may retort it upon us, Why will ye die, O house of Israel? For [Page 235] as it is, Jer. 44.10. The Lord may say, They are not hum­bled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my Law: A sight of this, that God keeps a sincere seri­ous godly man so long waiting on, under delays, for comfort and out-gate, may silence the clamors of them who are not yet begun to think on a suitable walk under their troubles, and the right improvement of them.

But 3. If the Lord, for the ends before-mentioned, may long delay his people, and keep them waiting in trouble, take heed that Faith, the great support of Patience, fail not in that exigent, as I told you in the deducing of the Do­ctrine: the great thing tryed in the people of God under delays, is their Faith, whether they will believe his word; and therefore when Faith is tryed, look that it be not found drossie; when Faith is weighed, see that it be not found light; I speak it, because I find the Faith of the Saints has gotten sore shakes under delays, when they have been put to wait on, Psal. 116.11. I said in my haste, all men ( Samuel, Gad, and others that had told me. I should come to the Crown and Kingdom) are liars; And Jer. 15.18. while speaking to God, hath a dreadful word, when he reflects on the Promises God made to be with him in his Ministry, says he, Wilt thou be to me altogether as a liar, and as waters that fail? When we find so strong Cedars so shaken, we would look well to it, that our Faith be not brangled; and that Faith be not brangled, we would beside, be looking well to the Atheism of our hearts, (for there is a seed of Atheism in every bosom;) that if the Lord put us hardly to it, and make not out that Pro­mise, Isai. 48.10. I have refined thee, but not with silver, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction; It may put us to tremble, what stuff may boil up in our hearts; and they are not sicker in the matter of their Faith, that are not mourning over their heart-atheism: but beside that (I say) we would guard against wrong conceptions of the Promise, as that wherein the great stumbling lies, as to [Page 236] this matter, when we conceive more to be in the Promise than we are allowed, and make a carnal Commentar on a Spiritual Text; and (as the saying is) The Bell to clink as the fools think: As also, we would beware of limiting God to our time, but give him his own time to make good his Promises. These that are not mourning over the A­theism of their heart, that are not cautious in understand­ing the Promises a-right, and are not leaving God to his own time for performing them, may take a snapper in their Faith, when tryals are continued.

But a fourth word of Use shall be this; That ye would learn to read Gods delays aright; delays make discove­ries, and that is the exercise of many folk, Jer. 8.15. We looked for peace, but no good came, and for a time of healing, but behold trouble; But if thou would read aright Gods delays; I shall shortly offer thee these four, and wise con­fiderers will find them to be the work of the generation.

1. If thou read delays aright, thou will find that God calls thee to exercise, and that, the best thing within thee; as in a storm, best Anchors and Ropes, and the best things of the Ship are brought out; so in a Trial, when he de­lays, he calls thee to exercise the best things in thy bosom, and if God call thee to exercise Grace, bring not out Cor­ruption; though at first thou may cast a scum of Corrup­tion, Grace is to be brought out afterwards; If he call for Affection, meet not his Call with Bitterness; if he call to Diligence, do not intertain that Call with Idleness; remember, God by delays, calls for the exercise of Gra­ces, affections and diligence in his people.

2. If thou read delays aright, Thou will read, That every days delay is a new Tryal; and I may add, every moments delay is a new Tryal. When thou art carried through the day, thou must not take that for surety, that thou wilt through the next day without Self-denial, and needy dependance. The day may discover that which the foregoing day did not discover, and the morrow may dis­cover [Page 237] that which lies hid this day; and therefore though thou may set up one Ebenezer at every step of thy way, and say, hither to hath the Lord helped; Remember, that thou art not yet off the stage, and thou must not think, because thou art hasted with the Tryal, thou art better buckled to bear it; but know there is still a necessity of Self-denial, and needy-dependance, lest the length of Trial discover that, which the greatness of the Trial did not discover.

3. If thou would read delays aright, read in them a Call, (as I said in the Explication of the Doctrine) to die to, and to be above Time, and the Consolations in Time; then men go through Afflictions rightly, when they read Their light afflictions, which is but for a moment, wor­keth for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while they look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, 2 Cor. 4.17. Then men will be patient, and stablish their hearts, when they consider that the coming of the Lord draws near, Jam. 5.8. In a word, when God exercises with delays, that is an useful Preach­ing which ye have, 1 Cor. 7.29. This I say, brethren, the time is short; (he touches the Glass, and lets them see it is near run out) It remaineth, that both these that have wives, be as though they had none, they that weep, as though they weeped not, they that rejoyce, as though they re­joyced not. One serious look of Time and Eternity, will break many a snare that mens Corruptions expose them to, while under trouble, they meet with delays.

But 4. If ye would read delays rightly, this is to be read in them, that well improved delays, are full of rich advantages; Thou art keeped under continued difficul­ties, and delayed as to comfort, or satisfaction external in thy personal and privat concerns, and as to what relates to the publick, and it may be thou wins not to inward sensible comfort; but if thou were thrifty, thou mayest find many things granted in the delay, or denyal of that which thou would be at; as much humility, morti­fication [Page 238] to Time, and the things of it, communion and fel­lowship with God; and though some particulars be de­layed, if these were pursued after, and in any measure at­tained, times of delay would not be looked on as idle times. A thrifty person may make much gain and ad­vantage out of these delays. So much for what is suppon­ed here, that the Saints, even in their sincere and serious seeking of God, are exercised with delays, as to comfort, or an out-gate under difficulties.

Follows in the 2. place, that which is proposed, That when he is put to wait, he doth wait: Hence observe, That in the case of delays, whether for comfort or an out-gate, it is the duty of Saints to wait on; this will take in all that follows in these two verses, and therefore I shall first Ex­plain the import of it, and then press the reasonablness, e­quity, and advantages of it.

For the import of this Duty of Waiting, a waiter on God, when he is delayed, he must have these three things shortly, 1. He must have somewhat to be the Basis and Ground of his Waiting, and that is the Faith of the Saints, which prepares the way for the Patience of the Saints, and so it follows after in the Text. That a soul that waits on God, hopes in the Word of God. The meaning of this shortly is, That a waiter on God, when he is delay­ed, must not judge of God, by what is present; but ha­ving the Word of God, so long as God gives him not a­nother Bible (and that will never be) whatever be his present case, he must still look for better: If he have a Cloud, he must look that it will scatter; if he have a Night, he must look for a Day on the back of that Night, as Isai. 8.17. I will wait on the Lord, that hides his face from the house of Jacob; and I will look for him, though he hide his Face at present, I will look for better things from him; and Mic. 7.7. I will look unto the Lord, I will wait on the God of my salvation, my God will hear me; and therefore rejoyce not over me, O mine enemy, when I fall, I shall arise, when I [Page 239] sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me; They must first look to that, that they cast not away their Confi­dence, who would have needful Patience, Heb. 10.35. And, 2 This waiting of the Saints imports, that they having believed the word of Promise, they must not make haste, Isai. 28.16. He that believes shall not make baste. They must not be hasty; And this is properly the Patience of the Saints, taking it generally, their Patience is the product of Faith. The waiting man must attend God's leasure; as he must not quarrel, though the Jordan of difficulties in his way should overflow all its Banks; So he must not mistake, though when he is in distress in the City, he should be sent out to the field, and when he is in distress in the field, he should be sent even to Babylon to be deli­vered, Mic. 4.10. That is the next step of a Waiter, That when he has believed the Promise, he makes no haste. But 3. In waiting, it is not enough that folks win to hang on, because either they have no other shift for help, or their Conscience will not suffer them to take another shift; but in the mean time, O how imbittered, broken and crusht in Spirit are they in waiting, that is not only a sin in them, but a shame to look upon their posture in waiting, they wait upon God, as if they never had a day to do well in his aught. Therefore in the 3. place I say, in waiting ye would beware of fretting, quarrelling, despondency of taking the snuff in your passion; and in waiting, study pa­tience, meekness and calmness of Spirit, to do it sweetly. This is the perfect work of Patience, which Christ com­mands by his own practice, Mat. 11.29. Take my yoke up­on you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and that shall bring rest to your souls. There is no waiting on without that, that will bring rest; and that is the waiting in Psal. 37. throughout, commended to you in a fretful time which ye may read at your own leisure; and ye have a rich Promise Zeph. [...].3. For a stormy time, Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judge­ments; [Page 240] (the mark of them which he hath a good turn to do to before the decree bring forth, before the day pass, as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon the rest,) Seek righteousness, seek meekness, it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger; Whatever be the proper mean­ing of the place, they speak no Heresie, who in alluding to it, do recommend to seek the imputed Righteousness of Christ to their person, and meekness of Spirit, in reference to Dispensations, who in times of difficulty, would carry rightly under delays. These are the two notable supports of a Pilgrim, the imputed Righteousness of Christ eviden­ced by inherent Righteousness, and meekness and calm­ness of Spirit; and therefore the Promise is made to such, It may be ye shalbe hid in in the day of the Lords anger; The mean­ing whereof is not only, that these who are students of Righteousness and Meekness (as indeed they who are such will not be peremptor about events) but it imports fur­ther, that they may take their venture of God, of being hid in the day of God's anger, when the storm breaks upon o­thers; So ye have had a brief view of what is the import of waiting on God under delays, there must be Faith as the ground of it, not being hasty of the result of Faith, and a meek and calm disposition, and giving God the timing of what he hath Promised, or we expect: As for the Argu­ments pressing the equity and advantage of it, the time being gone, I shall forbear to enter upon them.

I Am now (as ye may remember) laying before you the Psalmists exercise of waiting on God; and having in the morning spoken to what is supposed in these Words, That the Saints may be put to wait on Gods delaying to [Page 241] perform his promises, I came to that which is proposed, that they should wait; the import whereof I laid open to you in these three; There is the faith of the Saints, as the ground of their waiting; There is the patience & waiting on of the Saints, in opposition to their being hasty; And there is the meekness and calmness of their spirits, in opposition to their fretfulness, though they hing on when they are delayed.

It remains, that I insist a little to commend these three unto you: As for Faith, except that I touch it in the passing, it will come better in to be spoken to afterwards, and therefore I shall here speak a word for perswading you not to be hasty. 2. A word for perswading you to meek­ness, not to fret. And 3. I shall shut up both, with a general word, to perswade you to this waiting.

For the first, that ye may wait on, and not be hasty under delays, I shall offer four considerations to perswade you to it.

And the 1. (which relates to what I spoke before of Faith) is, that ye would remember, that delayed suc­cess is not denyed success; so long as the Word speaks good news, That the needy shall not always be forgotten, that the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever, Psal. 9.18. There is no cause why our hearts should envy sinners, but that our hearts should be in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end, and our expectation shall not be cut off, Prov. 23.17.— So long as the Word speaks thus, we are to bless our selves in it, that delayed success is not denyed success, and that therefore all that God hath promised, were it never so long betwixt the promise and the performance, will certainly come to pass, as is marked in the Book of Joshua 23.14. That of all the good things which the Lord had promised to that people (and many a time there seemed to be an utter impossibility of the performance of it) not one thing had failed, but all [Page 242] did come to pass. A man that hath good things laid up for him in the Scripture, though he be put to wait for them, he needs not make a cheap Market of them, they will be found forth-coming to him. And Isai. 60 22. The Lord will hasten it in his time, which is alway the best time, the Lord will afford mercy and grace to help, not when we will, but in the time of need, Heb 4. ult. He will make out his mercies in the time when they will be found double mercies for their seasonableness, Psal. 94.18. When I said, My foot slippeth, thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. And as he will thus in due time make out all that he hath promised, so in the mean time he will not deny sup­port to them that wait on him: it may be he let tem­ptations, such as are common to men, ly on: But 1 Cor. 10.13. He is faithful, and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear, but will with the temptati­on make a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it. It may be, when they are crying for a good account of a messenger of Satan sent to buffet them, that he remove it not, but he will make out that, My grace is sufficient for you; my strength is made perfect in weakness, 2 Cor. 12.9. That then is one Consideration to perswade you to wa [...]t on, That delayed success is not denyed success.

2. This may press and perswade to on-waiting, that if we be doing our duty, we may very safely trust the love and wisdom of God with the time of doing us good. There are three things which I have had occasion sometimes to hint at to you, that I shall now resume, in reference to this. We may and ought to wait, 1. Because God never comes out of time, look things never so desperat-like, to make up all that was looked for; men may come out of season, but God never comes out of season; although it were come to that, that there were nothing but dry bones in a Valley, he can make these dry bones to live, Ezek 37. Although there were no Witnesses left, (And O but it's [Page 243] sad to see a decay of a faithful Ministry, and few laying it to heart; many going off the Stage, and few coming in their room) though they were killed, after three days and an half they shall rise again, and ascend up to Heaven in a Cloud, and their enemies shall behold them, Rev. 11.11. When thou hast said, thy strength and thy hope is pe­rished from the Lord, it is as easie for him to make all things well, as when thou hast all probabilities that things shall be well. 2. We may safely remit the proofs of Gods love to himself, if we consider he never delays so long, but we may be getting good of delays. It's true, thou may be ready to tyre, fag and weary, and look on thy conti­nued trial as a lot thou wilt get no good of, and there­upon turn idle, or ly down and die; but the longest tri­al, if improven, shall yield the peaceable fruit of righte­ousness, to them that are exercised thereby, Heb. 12.11. If we were thrifty, we might be getting good of every moments delay. 3. We may and ought to wait and sub­mit to the wisdom and love of God, and trust him for good under our delays, on this account, that he never de­lays so long, but he is able to give a satisfactory account of his delays. Thou wilt say, Why doth he delay so long from com [...]ng to comfort, or give an out-gate? But he can convince thee with satisfying reasons, that his delays were needful. When (as it is Hab. 2.3.) sense says, The vi­sion tarries, he can make thy faith say, Tarry for it, because it will surely come, and not tarry; he can make thy self say, he doth not tarry, even when thy sense says, he doth tarry. This for the second Consideration, for perswading you to wait on God under delays, and not to be hasty.

3. A third Consideration to perswade to waiting, in opposition to making haste, is, That they that are sweet to wait, would look if they be busie at work, and at the work they are called to. This is a needful diversion, which I would offer to such folk, were they busie in making use [Page 244] of long and feeding storms, they would make less dinn in waiting for an issue of them, but they would be ready to say rather, Alas, let him tarry never so long, he will come ere I be ready for him, ere I have reaped the blessed fruit of the dispensations of his providence that I am under: And therefore a wearier and a hasty person, under delays, doth proclaim that he is an idle person, not about his work; for not only (as ye know) work is a mean to take away langour, but in particular, the thrifty improvement of a hard lot, would make folk wonder that God should come to them at all.

4. To perswade you to wait, and that ye would not be hasty, if none of the former Considerations will press you to it, remember the Soveraignty of God, and that ye are his Creatures: when thou wearies to wait, consider what thou art, a bit of nothing, a dependent bit of beeing, to be made or not made, formed or marred at his pleasure: if he hath given thee a back, why may he not lay on a bur­den, and continue it on so long as pleases him? Where­fore serves thy beeing in the world, but to be at his dispo­sing, and to be what seems good to him. This Argument prevailed with Job, that was put otherways to it than any of us, he was stripped in an instant of all that he had, and sitting down on the dust, he says, Chap. 1.21 Naked came I out of the womb, and naked shall I return, God gave, and God hath taken, blessed be the Name of the Lord. And Chap. 2.10. he says to his Wife, Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil. O! there is a stooping to Soveraignty in the greatest straits and shakes that ever befell any, except our Lord Jesus; and that Argument is made use of by him to his Disciples, in the matter of timing mercies, Acts 1. Lord, say they, wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel? He an­swers, It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power: Proud dust miskens it [Page 245] self, when it dare offer to prescribe to God; and were Soveraignty more studied, and practically improven in the lots that befall us, and in their continuance, we would often find matter of a song, where we make a quarrel.

Now as these Considerations might press waiting, in opposition to hastiness; so there are some other Conside­rations that serve to press meekness and calmness of spirit, in opposition to bitterness and fretfulness; and among many, I shall only name three.

1. Meekness and sweetness is commendable on this ac­count, that it takes the poison and sting out of all our lots. The Apostle, Rom. 12.21. when he hath been speaking a­gainst passion and fretfulness, at our neighbours that an­gers us, he hath a very speaking word that he closes with, Be not overcome of evil; as if he said, ye think your self victorious, when ye have gotten your crop and spleen wracked on crowing over them that have wronged you, but ye are far mistaken, the soil is yours, ye are overcome of evil, ye are slaves to your own corruption, in venting your passion and bitterness. So is it here, it's fretfulness and bitterness that poisons any sad lot we are under, Lam. 3.19.— When a man remembers the affliction and the mi­sery, and the wormwood and the gall, and hath them still in remembrance, his soul sinketh in him, but when he gets victory over these, he says, It's of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. He that had said before, that his soul was removed far from peace, and he forgot prosperity, he finds prosperity a­mong his despised and undervalued lots. It's not your continued crosses, and long delays that is your affliction, it's your bitterness that is the poison and sting of them all, and makes them so afflicting: It's with you as with that man Solomon speaks of, Prov. 19.3. The foolishness of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord: When he hath perverted his way, he would blame God [Page 246] for his own unthrift. There is no outgate of a Cross com­parable to this, the coming off with a meek mind, as that word Psal. 55.18. holds out, He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battel that was against me. O! look to the peace of your mind under continued difficulties, let not that break. Ye know not what affliction means till ye get an imbittered mind, which will make a Mole-hill a Mountain, nay, will create a Cross to it self, yea is a Cross in it self, and can contrive a Cross where there is none, even when a man is convinced his lot is good: Set him in a Paradise of pleasure, his imbittered mind will make it a torment to him; therefore look on an imbittered mind as the greatest sting and poisoner of all that can befall you, and guard against it.

2. It may perswade folks to study meekness and calm­ness of spirit, when they consider what an imbittered fret­ful disposition portends; what doth it import and por­tend to a man? I shall tell you, it portends mo and sharp­er rods to tame that wild and imbittered heart, to humble that fretful disposition: a man who though he hing on, yet is fretful, cankard, bitter, all that he meets with in his lot, is the wormood and the gall to him; he is like a fe­verish man, that hath something in his stomach that must be purged, his taste is marred, which makes that which is sweet bitter; and though thou belong to God, yet (as it is said of wicked men) if thou walk contrary unto him, he will walk contrary unto thee, Levit. 26. And thou may expect seven times more yoke upon yoke, cross upon cross, till thou be tame, and subject thy self to him. In a word, so long as a man is in a bitter frame, he evidences that the medicine God hath given him, hath never won to the root of his disease, and he may look for a harder potion.

3. It may perswade to the study of meekness, and to set against bitterness, to consider that bitterness is unreaso­nable, [Page 247] Isai. 45.9. Wo to him that strives with his Maker, let the pot sheards strive with the pot sheards of the earth; shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, what makest thou? He is the Lord, to whom, who can say, What dost thou? Ponder that word which I have often occasion to mind you of, Job 18.4. He teareth himself in his anger: (a lively and pathetick description of a fretful disposition, he would eat himself in his anger,) but shall the earth be for­saken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place? Is there no more ado but turn all the wheels of providence up-side down, when ye take the pett? When such a good­ly thing as thou art not pleased with it, says Bildad to Job, O fretful body, wilt thou sit down and ask, who should guide the world? Who should have the Throne? Whether God or thou? Whether should he guide thee, or thou guide thy self? Whether wilt thou yield to God, or have him yield to thee? Shall not God brusk his Throne and Government, but thou like a Child of Belial envyeth it? Nay further, let me plead for God, bitter body, what ails thee? what would do thy turn? Thou can name ma­ny things thou wants, and would have, but thou knows not where thy disease lyes, it is within thee that ails thee; let God cut thee short of favours, or restore them to thee, put thee in trouble, or deliver thee, it will not cure thee, thou wilt never want a cross, so long as that base lust of bitterness abides in thee unsubdued; that which was a lust in the enjoyment of favours, will turn a lust in the depri­vation of them; change thy case every day, it will not ease thee, thou art like a sick man, that crys for drink, but it doth not slocken him, the cooling of his blood, and purging of his distemper must do that; therefore look on bitterness and fretfulness in your frame, as a most absurd irrational thing.

Now as these Consideratious should perswade you to look on the excellency and advantage of waiting on God, [Page 248] in opposition to making haste, and to fretfulness several­ly; So I shall shut up both with a general Word, pres­sing waiting, from the advantages that generally results from it, and I can give you no better thing to command it, than that of our Lord, Isai. 30.18. Blest are all they that wait on him; It is beyond all peradventure, that a waiting people on God, in difficult times, are a blest people; Their lot may seem accursed; but their waiting on God proves, that the curse is taken out of it, Blest is the man and woman that wearies not, that frets not under difficult lots, Why? because they are at their duty; Thrice blest are they (as I may, if the Lord will, handle in the pro­gress) that love their duty for it self with an eye to Di­vine approbation, whatever may be the issue of it. But I shall add three Evidences of Blessedness, that attends wait­ing on God.

1. A waiter on God is blest, because by waiting, he keeps more than trouble can take from him; ye have a very Emphatick word for this, Luke 21.19. In your pati­ence possess ye your souls. Sharp Tryals long continued may dispossess you of all other things, liberty, wealth, reputa­tion, or whatever is dear to you; but, says he, if ye con­tinue patient, ye shall have this blessing, ye shall possess your selves; an impatient man is a sort of mad-man, he is not at himself, he possesses not himself, because that Time, or Instruments in Time, have done him a prejudice, he will do himself a worse, because they have taken this or that away from him, he will cast a sweet frame and mind away after it; and that is to do himself a worse turn than the world can do to him; in so doing, he casts more away than the World can take from him: So on that account, the waiter on God is blessed, even on that, because of the sweet frame he is keeped in; Cast the waiter on God where you will, still he will fall on his feet, and on that account, Blest are all they that wait on God: But again,

2. Blessed is the waiter on God, upon the account that [Page 249] the through-bearing that attends waiting on God, will at­tend him, till he get a good issue: O! to see the desperat shifts that impatient, fretful thoughts will put folk to in difficulties, they go like mad-men, as the Word is, Isai. 51.20. They are like wild bulls in a net, full of the fury of the Lord: O! how do they dash themselves on snares, and run themselves on Rocks to their ruine: The foul slips of fretful bodies are many; & though they be dear to God, that temper will bring them halting home: But would ye see the Blessedness of the waiter on God, read at your leisure, Isai. 40.29. He gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increaseth strength; He desires none of your furniture to serve him with, in a waiting posture; and, (in the by) if ye think ye have much furniture, he will empty you, and ye must be in a fainting posture, ere he give power, and be having no might, ere he increase strength; and then, even the youths (Bahurim selected ones) shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail: but they that wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint; one would think, yoke youths with the faint, and them that have no might, it were easie to determine who would carry the Prize; But here the faint, the feckless waiting on God carry it when the youths are laid by. How many a great Spirit hath Tryals broken? When thou art a weak feeble body, and yet has keeped up thine heart and held on the way; How many a gallant have got a dash? when thou a crasy crau­ling creature are kept to the fore, and made to renew thy strength through waiting on God.

And 3. (Reverencing Providence that I have been detained on this Subject,) They are necessarly blessed who are waiters on God, on the account of the out-gate: The waiter on God shall have an out-gate from all his difficul­ties, Jam. 5.11. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very [Page 250] pitiful and of tender Mercy; I dare assure you, that Song abides waiters on God, which ye have Isai. 25.9. It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, and we have waited for him, and he will save us; This is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoyce in his salvation; It is not a God wrapped up in a Promise, it is not a God covered with a cloud, of whom the World said, Where is their God? Mic. 7.10. But, lo, there he is whom we waited for; and the additional word is, We will be glad and rejoice in his salva­tion; It shall be seen and said then, Blest are they that wait for the Lord; Canst thou not then wait and watch for one hour? when thou knowest not but in the hour that thou gives over, he may come; Therefore wait on the account of the blessed out-gate, Psal. 40.1. I waited patiently on the Lord, and he inclined his ear unto me, and heard my cry; he brought me also out of a horrible pit, and miry clay, and set my foot on a rock, and establisht my goings; and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; A new Song is the result of waiting on God; Believers and the Church may hing their harps on the Willows, and they may weep, when they remember Zion, and say, How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange Land? Psal. 137. But a new Song in Gods good time, shall be put in the mouths of all that are waiters on God: And if I might insist to add a word fur­ther, I would lead you to uncipher that Text, I cited be­fore, Isai. 8.9. Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you. I shall not determine the scope of the place; but the time comes when his waiting shall be seen to be gracious; that waiters on him shall be convinced, he took the fittest opportunity to manifest himself gracious; and if such had come sooner, there should no such Grace have been seen in it; Flesh under difficulties thinks that he waits to be cruel; but look again, and thou will find, he waits to be gracious; and not only so, but he will be exalted, that he may have mercy on his on-waiters, he will make it out, that if he be an exalted God, he will be [Page 251] a merciful God; and so, as his people that wait on him, shall acknowledge him to be an exalted God in that, and shall sing, Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders; And whereas thou may think, there is little regard to be had to thy fighting, pin­gling life, in waiting on him; he will make it out, that he is a God of Judgment, pondering their condition he hath to do with; as Physitians consider the condition of their Patients, and weigh their Doses conform, and will not add a grain more than what is needful; so will he deal with them that wait on him, he will be seen to be a God of Judgment, and therefore, blessed are they that wait on him, and blest shall ye be, if ye believe these things, and if ye make it your exercise to let your patience be seen in your meek waiting for him, for there shall be a perfor­mance of these things which are told you from the Lord. I shall insist no further. The Lord bless his word to you for Christ's sake.

I Am now broken in a little upon this third part of the Psalmist's wrestling and exercise, how that after his imploying of God by Prayer, under trouble, and ta­king a right method for purging away of the guilt of Con­science; he is exercised with delays, and protracting, to his sense, of delivery and comfort, which he wrestles with, by confident, affectionat, and patient waiting on God: Having spoken somewhat to the general Doctrine of Per­severance and Constancy, and broken in the last day up­on, and spoken to the first Head of these Words, the Psal­mist's exercise, he was waiting: I spoke to these two first Heads of Doctrine: 1. That which was supponed here, [Page 252] That the Psalmist was put to wait; and shew that God may, and often doth exercise his people, when they are walking tenderly with delays. And 2. I spoke to that which is proponed, that when he is put to wait, he doth wait; under these delays, waiting for other things, from God according to his word, than the present Dispensati­on did promise; he waited, he proved, he did believe, without making haste, and he waited without bitterness, fretfulness, passion, &c. These two, I took some time the last day to press on you, as needful Lessons; that when God exercises you with delays, and suspends the perfor­mance of Promises, ye should wait for God, believing his Word, not making haste, with meekness and calmness of Spirit.

I proposed a second thing to be spoken to in the Words, to which I proceed, and that is the Object of his exercise, I wait, for what? for the Lord, says he, that was the Ob­ject of his waiting, whether he was waiting for Comfort against desertion, or for delivery out of trouble, or for both; he is waiting for the Lord, and this if we shall bat­ter out a little, will give some mo things to be taken no­tice of in a man, that is truly a waiter for God; and what I would say on it, I shall briefly reduce to these three, which I conceive imported in it.

1. A waiter on God hath his Eyes taken off all other things, and set on God only, for what he wants, and would have, That is one thing imported in it; not only is a wait­er on God taken off sinful shifts, that will disappoint all that use them, as it is said, when the Lord should smite Egypt and Ethiopia, the people of that Isle or Countrey should be ashamed of Ethiopia their Expectation, and E­gypt their Glory; and they shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither shall we flee for help? to be de­livered from the king of Assyria, and how shall we escape? Isa. 20.5. Now there our expectation is blown up: And, Jer. 3.23. Truly in vain is salvation looked for from the hills, and [Page 253] from the multitude of mountains. That is all the poor shifts they had betaken themselves to, they shall be frustrat as to their expectation of help from them; But I say, not on­ly are waiters on God taken off sinful shifts, but have what they will to eye; this is the Character of a waiting man, that his eyes are taken off all things, and set on God, Psal. 62.5. My soul, wait thou only on God, for my expectation is from him: And ye have the posture of them whom God will notice, Zeph. 3.12. I will leave in the midst of thee, an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord: They are a people emptied of all expectation from any other art, but trusting in God; they are left on him, and betake themselves to him alone.

Now the Saints that are waiters on God, indeed are put to this shift of waiting on God, on divers accounts, 1. Be­cause all other shifts may, and often do misgive upon their hand, not only sinful shifts, but all other, disappointment on disappointment, from one thing to another, may be the lot of them that are put to this exercise of waiting on God; it was not enough for David, that Saul persecute him, that the Ziphits were ready to betray him, and that near relations, Father and Mother should forsake him, as he hints, Psal. 27.10. but he must be put to that, Psal. 142.4. I looked on my right hand, and beheld but there was no man that would owne me; refuge failed me; There was no man that cared for my soul; when he is shut up in the Cave, all his men that were about him, slight him, think him an unhappy man, and themselves unhappy in following him: And Psal. 124.1.— If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us, They had swallowed us up quick, &c. There the people of God are left on him alone: And Psal. 94.17. Ʋnless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost, or (as it is on the margine) quickly dwelt in silence; There was nothing betwixt me and utter off-cutting, but God's stepping in to be my help: From this in the by, ye may take this with you, that the waiting [Page 254] people of God are never tryed enough, till all things fail them but God, till they be stripped naked of all things they expected help from, and they left on God alone; and whatever be God's condescendency to their weakness, in giving them means of help at any time, they would lay their account to be brought that low, as to have none to look to for help but God only. 2. The saints have their eyes only on God in their waiting, because when they are stript of all other things that promised help; They see there is ground enough to wait on God for all that; They look not on the blasting of all their expectations as a nolumus on the back of their Bill; or as inviting them to say there is no help: They will wait on God, when nothing in­vites them to it, and why? I shall offer to you a threefold account, on which saints afflicted, emptied, and stripped of all things without God, do not give over waiting on God. 1. This is one, they see God all-sufficient to do their turn, not only without the help of second Means; but when seemingly they combine to oppose what they would be at; they wait for Jehovah, and see their delivery or com­fort not to be further off, that there be nothing visible pro­mising it; yea when all visible means and causes threaten the contrary, why? Their King is Jehovah, who can command deliverance, Psal. 44 4. Thou art my King, O God, command deliverance for Jacob; A word from him can bring deliverance, though there were no promising evidence of it, but rather the contrary. 2. Another is, saints when stript and emptied of all things, do not give over waiting on God, because he is not only able, if he will, to do their turn, when all refuge fails them, but his owning his peo­ple in difficulties, is a special part of his glory, which he will not give to any other; little do we understand the intri­cacies of Divine Providence, little know we wherefore he blasts probabilities, and defeats all the expectations of his people; but whatever else be in it, it is for this chiefly, that Himself may be seen to be their Deliverer, and none [Page 255] other; Therefore he does with them, as he did with Gideon's army, when he brought them to three hundred, and with these three hundred, with Trumpets and lamps in pitchers, defeat the Midianites, Judges 7. That their Delivery might be seen of him; And if this were well seen, it would give the people of God a comfortable look of God's laying by all second Causes, stripping them naked of all helps, ma­king Dispensations threaten ruine; they would say, our Masters feet are behind these, this is but a dark hour be­fore the dawning. So doth David reason in that forecited Psalm, 142.4, 5. When he looked on the right and left hand, and there was no man that would know him, refuge failed him, no man cared for his soul; What follows? I cryed unto thee, O Lord; I said, thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living; And Psal. 94.18. When I said my foot slips, thy mercy, O Lord, held me up; When there was nothing betwixt him and ruine, but Gods Mercy, he found that a present help. But, 3. The Children of God when strip­ped of all things but God, have ground to wait on God, and do wait on him, not only because he is able to deli­ver them, and delights to lay by other things, that he may be seen in their delivery, but whereas guilt is a great im­pediment, and stares the waiter on God in the face, that he knows not how to expect good from God, till that be removed, and taken out of the way; yet he waits on God, on this account, that there is hope in Israel concerning that thing; that his guilt shall be no impediment to his deli­very, or any good thing he wants, and is needful for him, if he do with it, as the Psalmist doth here, verse 3, 4. If he take with it, be humbled for it, lay claim to pardon­ing Mercy in the right method, he may notwithstanding say, I wait for the Lord: There are two notable grounds of encouragement, which as they would not be abused, so being rightly improven, are very useful to waiters on God; One is, that right taking with guilt, and repentance for it, after much incorrigibleness, is attainable, when we [Page 256] have called our selves, for any thing we can see in our selves, or expect from means, reprobat silver; yet the Lord can humble and tame that uncircumcised heart, Jer. 32.19. He can turn Ephraim, who has resisted many means, and hath been as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: Another is that which I am upon, guilt taken with and acknow­ledged, needs not hinder a man to wait on God. These places that I cited the last day proves it, as Isai. 8.17. I will wait upon the Lord, that hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him: Though he be a God that is provocked to withdraw, and hide his face, yet I will wait on him, & look for him: And Micah 6.7, 8. When the Church is low, yet she will look to the Lord, and will wait for him, and wait for the God of his salvation; believing, her God will hear her; and on that ground, bids the enemy boast at leisure; She answers that Objection concerning guilt, that she will bear the indignation of the Lord, be­cause she hath sinned, she will take with guilt, and stoop to his correcting hand, till he plead her cause, and execute Judgment for her; she looks over the mountain of her guilt, when she hath taken with it, and waits for the Lord. So ye see what is first imported in this waiting for God, that the eyes of the waiting man must be taken off all things, and set on God only; and that these who would wait on God, would lay their account to be more and more stript of all things, till they be left on God, and be­ing so, they have good ground to wait on God; and the waiter on God taking with guilt, and pleading for mer­cy, may in that humble posture wait still for God.

I proceed to the second thing imported in this waiting on God, and that is, The waiting man left on God, and seeing an all-sufficiency in God to do his turn, in the faith of that, he so waits for God; That is to wait for the Lord, when the confidence of Gods help, encourages the waiting man, in waiting on God, to stick closs by the way of God, that he will not have a comfort but in his [Page 257] way, he will not have a delivery, but that which comes with Divine approbation; He will not purchase a Deli­very of Out-gate with the price of the least sin, Why? he waits for God in his way: Troubles and delays are a great temptation to shake off tenderness, the pressure, and conti­nuance of the least of troubles are ill counsellors in a wait­ing posture, they will bid run to the leest, row to the best shore, take any course for an out-gate: But he who is a waiter on God, indeed his tenderness grows, as his trouble grows, and as his delays are protracted, he studies to be the more tender. I shall not insist on this; but 1. It is certain, a waiter for God should be, and in so far as he waits rightly on God, he is, and will be a tender man, as the Word is, Psal. 37.34. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way; a waiter on God hath his Ears nailed to the Posts of Divine Direction, so that neither to the right nor left hand dare he move, but as he hath a warrand from God; So Heb. 11.35. There were folks that were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resur­rection; mark it, they were not tortured, because delive­rance was not granted, but because deliverance could not be accepted on sinful Terms, when offered: The greatness of their trouble did not diminish their tenderness, whate­ver it did augment it; if at any time they found tenderness necessary, they found it especially when their trouble was great.

2. Ye shall mark, that as true waiting requires tender­ness, so tenderness is attainable; that is, through Grace it is attainable, That a Saint waiting on God in his way, in a tender frame, may attain to go through difficulties without sinning against God; It is true, temptations to sin will go thick and threefold, when a Saint is put to wait for God in continued troubles, and meets with tem­ptations, delays, difficulties and pressures, which (as I said before) are woful counsellors in a sad day, their lan­guage is, Master, spare thy self; But yet notwithstanding, [Page 258] tenderness is attainable, 1 Cor. 10 13. God hath laid his Faithfulness in pawn for it, that he will not suffer the ten­der walker to be tempted above what they are able, but will with the temptation make a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it. There is another word more nearly relates to what I am upon, Psal. 125.3. The rod of the wicked shall not always rest on the lot of the righteous, lest they put forth their hands to iniquity; That is, God shall neither let it ly so long, nor so sore on his people, as it may drive them to commit iniquity, if they be willing to keep their feet, and walk tenderly; Therefore (as I may have occasion afterward to press) let none plead the impossibility of riding out a storm, let them never plead the greatness of a temptation and the continuance of trouble, as an excuse for an unten­der walk; seing tenderness is attainable in waiting on God for an out-gate; God lets not the rod of the wicked last on the lot of the righteous, so as it may be ground of temptation, rationally to prevail with them.

3. The last Word I shall say on this shall be. That as the right waiter on God is tender, and tenderness in the greatest difficulties is attainable; so the want of tenderness in difficulties, when folks loses, or gives up tenderness, and their feet slides; O what a sad after-game will that make! When David in his strait had played the fool changed his behaviour before the King of Gath, 1 Sam. 21.11. He got such a bitter fill of his folly in that, that he gives his Coun­sel, Psal. 34.11.— Come ye Children, hearken to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord; what man is he that desires life, and loveth many days, that he may see good, keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile, depart from evil, and do good, seek peace, and pursue it. He sets up his de­bording as a beacon, & turns a Preacher to all others, that would see the Lords end, that they walk tenderly: And ye know what a length the holy man did run, when up­on beholding the prosperity of the wicked, he was tempt­ed to cast out with Godliness, Psal. 73. and what follow­ed [Page 259] upon it, when he came to himself, verse 21, 22. My heart was grieved, I was pricked in my reins, so foolish was I and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee; he looks on him­self as not being a rational man, but as a beast before God.

I may not insist upon this, but there are three sad con­sequences, that results on untenderness in difficulties, while we should be waiting on God in his way. 1. It forslows the mans delivery and out-gate, which tenderness would hasten; folk are ready to think that the taking of a sinful course, is the way to hasten an out-gate; but an unten­der walk, the using of any sinful shift, to be out of trouble is like the Nazarites pollution, he lost all the days that went before, because his separation was defiled, Num. 6.12. And he was to begin again: Untenderness may send the people of God from Kadeshbarnea back to the Red-sea, to wander for thirty eight years in the Wilderness; never think that untenderness will bring ease, or an happy is­sue out of trouble; folk thereby may take an out-gate, or delivery at their hand, but it will prolong a lifetime of trouble. 2. Another sad Consequence of untenderness, it not only foreslows the delivery, but it makes the continu­ed trouble very dreadful; trouble and guilt, trouble and an ill-conscience will make a most sad lot in a sad time. It is a great deal better for folk to submit to Providence, to study tenderness, than to ease themselves of a Cross, by wandring our of the way of God. A 3d. sad consequence of untenderness is, the sad reflection it may give of God, when he comes to deliver his people, when the tender waiter on God says, as Isai. 25.9. Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salva­tion; untender walkers must say, we waited not for him, we would not wait, but took a sinful shift to save our selves, and so is seen on it: So much for the 2d. thing im­ported in waiting for God; That it is such a waiting, as makes the waiter keep the way of God.

[Page 260]I shall add a 3d. thing imported in this waiting for God, I wait for the Lord; It doth not only import, that the waiting man hath his eyes taken off all other things, and set on God, and that he is tender in his walk, and keeps Gods way in his waiting for God, but that God himself, and the enjoyment of him, is the great expecta­tion of the man that truly waits for him; a man that right­ly waits for God, hath not only his eyes taken off other things, and set on God, but God himself is the great ex­pectation, that which chiefly he misses, and would have; not only will he long to have God in his favour and love, with all that he gets, as Moses saith, If thy presence go not with us, carry us not hence, Exod. 33.15. And these things will I do to them, and not forsake them, Isai. 42.16. But he longs to have God in stead of all he wants, and hath the want of all made up in the enjoyment of him: This is a point that ye would press more upon your selves, as the blest Fruit of all sad Dispensations, and long continued Try­als ye have been, are, or may be under, for which ye have abundant warrand from Scripture; not only when all re­fuge fails you, would ye make it your study to walk ten­derly, to be always found in God's way, in waiting for him; but this would be a blest Fruit of such sad Dispen­sations, to have your desires spiritual, centred on God, drawn forth for him, and the shutting of all doors, looked on as a call to come and rest on him, and take him for all ye want, and would have. This were a mean to further our expectations as to other things, and to make up the want of them for the present, so as the want of them should be no want, Psal. 39.7. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee: What's this I am waiting for, I have a nearer cut to the enjoyment of all things in the enjoy­ment of thee. So Psal. 4.6. There be many that say, who will shew us any good? Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance up­on us, and that &c. And Psal. 27.4. It is David's One thing. One thing (saith he) will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, &c. Were folk Spiritual, and finding an [Page 261] up-making in God of all their desires and expectations, it were a short cut to an ease of all their grievances, and it is a great lengthner of all the afflictions of the people of God, that they do not forget prosperity, and learn to have their desires spiritual, and to make up the want of all things in God; if they were spiritual in their desires, whatever their difficulties were, it would be all a matter to them, if they got more of God, if all their difficulties and wants did run in this channel, to pursue for more of God, to have him not to be their terror, but their hope in an evil day: Though they should want the Ordinances, he should be a sanctuary to them; Though men should curse, What then? It is all a matter if he bless; Though they should be counted the off-scourings of all things, con­temned, reproached, no matter if their names be written in Heaven: O spiritual desires, would not only further an issue, but be a present issue in all difficulties; but hardly are the children of men out of one of three snares, either they are mad on their Idols, while they have them, or they are mad for the loss of them, when they want them, or when they are restored to them, they surfeit on them, as Israel did on flesh in the Wilderness; Therefore while their desires are not spiritual, carried forth on God and heavenly things, to make up the want of things earthly; It's no wonder their delivery be foreslowed of these things, and will be forslovved till they cleanse their desires of vvhat they are so much vvedded to, and cause lamenting over their buried Idols, knovving it vvill be a plague to them to have them restored.

AS in handling the former tvvo Verses, I had a great Gospel Truth and Priviledge among my hands; so [Page 262] in the fifth & sixth Verses, there is a lively description of a great and concerning Gospel-duty, patient, affectionat, and confident waiting for God; The Duty, that is a great Characteristick of a godly man, vvho hath a Well vvithin him, that neither Summers heat, nor Winters frost can dry up; but as it is Zech. 14.8. In summer and winter shall it be there; and vvho must prove this by his being well breathed to vvait on God, vvhen his Promises and Dispen­sations seem to clash one vvith another, vvhen his Word gives one report of him, and his dispensations a quit con­trair; When His Word calls him The hearer of Prayer, and His Dispensations say, That prayer is shut out, and his anger smoaks against the prayers of his people. When his vvord says, he that hath promised to come, will come, and will not tarry; and his dispensations say not only, that he tarrieth, but that he vvill never come. Here is the vvell breathed Grace of Patience, affectionat, and confident expectation, to be­lieve, to vvait on, and not to make haste, and to be keep­ed meek in vvaiting on.

I have spoken to tvvo Heads here from the Psalmist's exercise, he is waiting; and the Object of his vvaiting, he is waiting for the Lord; his eyes are taken off all other things and set on God, for vvhat he vvould be at; and in the faith of that he vvaits on God, and keeps his vvay; and vvhen any thing of that kind is not accomplished to the satisfa­ction of sense, he waits for the Lord, that more enjoyment of him may make up the vvant of these things. Sad Dis­pensations spiritualize his desires; It is not any good that vvill satisfie him; but it is one thing, to behold the beauty of the Lord, to have the communion of God, and to have the light of his Countenance.

Novv I proceed to the third thing in the Words, That is, his affection in vvaiting; vvaiting is his exercise, the Object of it is the Lord; The manner of his vvaiting is affectionat, my soul doth wait; I do vvait affectionatly, and what the measure of his affection in vvaiting is, he resumes, [Page 263] verse 6. My soul writs for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning: I shall here speak to tvvo Observations, and for the ground of the first, Mark, That the Psalmist vvhile he professes to vvait, he declares that he sets himself against all haste, passion and fretfulness, about vvhat he vvaited; in opposition to these, he waits for God: But now he finds it necessary to guard against another extream; it might be said, ye wait, and are not fretted with delays, and why? ye are indifferent for what ye wait for, it is indif­ferent for you whether ye get or want it; and therefore ye may wait inconcernedly, without wearying: No, says he, though I do wait, my affection is not asleep in wait­ing, my soul doth wait; I have affection to that which I want, yet I labour to have it, I have a waiting affection to it, with a submissive affection in waiting for it.

Hence observe, 1. That as patient waiting for God, is opposit to passion, fretfulness, bitterness and carnalness on the one hand; so on the other, it is opposite to dulness, stupidity and carelesness about what we want: Here the Psalmist professeth himself both a waiter, that is not wea­ried, nor cankered, and yet he is a soul-waiter, with his affection aloft for what he waits for. This particular may lead me to take notice of a General to be observed in the way of God's people; That is, that a mixed condition is their best condition; for here ye have a frame made up of Patience and Affection, affection running out for that it would be at, and patience clogging its wings, that it run not out of breath: We are full of Byasses, and al­ways ready to run on extreams without this mixture; if a man have affection, it is ready to pick quarrels at delays, if he have somewhat of patience, that patience is ready to fall asleep, but these two make up a sweet frame. I might here take notice of these advantages, or advantageous mix­tures, both in the frame of the Saints, and in their lots; in their lots take them successively, we will find odd mix­tures in them, a rapture to Heaven, and a Messenger of [Page 264] Satan sent to buffet them on the back of it. It was needful that that eminent servant of God in his exaltation, should be keeped with arms of such a messenger; and beside these successive mixtures, we will find few lots of the saints, but a mixture may be observed in them, Psal. 40.17. I am poor and needy, yet thought upon by God. 1 Cor. 12.10. When weak, yet strong. Isai. 40.31. When faint, yet made to run and not be weary, and to walk and not be faint; when laid-by men, yet made-up men; their foot slipping, yet Gods mer­cy holding them up. Psal. 94.18. Troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. 1 Cor. 4.8, 9. As unknown, yet well known; as dying, yet living; as chastned, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoycing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things; 1 Cor. 6.9. These are seasonable mixtures, sweet reserves, and exceptions in the lots of saints: And as there are mix­tures in their lots, so in their frames, wherein we will find confidence seasoned with deep humility; as in Abra­ham, Gen. 18.27. I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes. Gloriation seasoned with the sense of being nothing: 2 Cor. 12.11. In nothing am I behind the very chiefest Apostles, though I be nothing. Nearness to God seasoned with a sight of their own pollution. Isai. 6.5. Wo is me, I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, &c. For mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Job 42.5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhore my self in dust and ashes. Thus ye see what a sweet mixture, the frame and way of the saints is made up of, when right; and this in the Text is to be adverted, That patience in our waiting be seasoned with affection, lest our waiting turn to indifferency. There are many pretend to be waiters, but what wait they for? Their heart is not affected with it. Affection must still be keeped on foot, and meek and patient must our waiting for God be? Therefore look to it. Let not folk deceive [Page 265] themselves, in thinking that they have this patience and waiting, that I have been speaking of, when they have no­thing but a coldrife indifferency, stupidity, loitering and lying by in that waiting. What Mercies do folk want, but they pretend to wait for them from God, and yet their Conscience will bear them witness, their heart was never affected with the want of them, nor drawn forth after the enjoying of them; they cannot say, Their soul doth wait: As upon the one hand, true patience must temper the edge of right affection, that it over-reach not, or run it self out of breath: So on the other hand it would be adverted, that while patience is tempering affection; affection be not feeding on the breasts of security, carelesness, indifferency, stupidity, that with these Virgines, Mat. 25. While they are waiting for the coming of the Lord, they do not fall asleep, or slumbering, that's an abuse of patience in waiting, when it is suffered to degenerat in stu­pidity, and indifferency. In a word, that ye may know what is meant by the Saints soul-waiting for God, I shall give it to you in what is represented in the people of God in the Captivity; upon the one hand we find a Com­mand is sent unto them, Jer. 29.5 To build houses in Ba­bylon, and dwell in them, to plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them, take wives, and beget sons and daughters, that they might be increased, and not diminished, and to seek the good of the place, whither they were carried captives, and pray for the peace thereof; that is, that they should be as careful as they might without sin, to make their captivity tollerable, that was to wait for God, when their cankered haste and fret­fulness was done away: And yet on the other hand com­pare that with Psal. 137.1. By the rivers of Babel we sat down, yea▪ we wept when we remembred Sion, we hanged our harps on the willows in the midst thereof, when they requir­ed of us mirth, we said, how shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land, if I forget thee, O Jerusalem, &c. A soul-waiting affection is aloft in them, although they made [Page 266] their distresses as tolerable as they might without sin, and were warranded so to do; yet they would not suffer their patience to degener in indifferency; they would not suffer their affection to fall asleep, and forget that which their Captivity had deprived them of; and therefore the peo­ple of God in difficulties, waiting for God, they would still have somthing of that frame, Lam. 1.7. Jerusalem remembred in the day of her affliction, and of her miseries, all her pleasant things, that she had in the days of old, before the people fell into the hand of the enemy; Wait for God, there is good reason for it. Be patient and meek, Why not? But O! in your waiting, let it be seen that affection is aloft, when thou art ready bitterly to resent God's depriving thee of mer­cies, or detaining them from thee, guard against that; let bitterness be banisht; but guard also against stupidity and senselesness, that they come not in the room of it, but let thy soul be waiting.

But I proceed to a 2d. Observation from this Head, and that is a general, which I deferred to speak to, when the last day I spoke to this waiting; and it now comes in season­ably. The Psalmist not only gives an account what he is doing, but how he is doing; Though he be delayed, and mercies be keeped back, yet he dare avow he is waiting for the Lord; yea, that his waiting for God is of the right stamp, that his soul is waiting; that in his waiting he keeps off both the extreams of passion and haste, and of careless stupidity and indifferency: The Observation then is, that it is not only a commendable thing in Saints, to be able to give an account of what they are doing, especi­ally in sad times, but it is comfortable to themselves, when they are able to give an account of what they are doing, and that they are in the way of their duty, it is so to the Psalmist here, that he can say, he waits, and his soul waits for God.

This Point I shall speak to in these four, because it is, and will be your work if ye be serious.

• [Page 267]1. That work is our great business.
• 2. That work acceptable to God in a low condition, is attainable.
• 3. That as it is attainable, so a man may know he hath attained it.
• 4. That it is comfortable to him, when he knoweth it, and dare avow that he is acceptably employed.

A little to these four, as time will permit.

And first, I say, work and duty is our main bu­siness, when our lots are saddest: One would think it had been a more seasonable, and a more near concer­ning Question for the Psalmist, to be now looking what God is doing, when he had been crying out of the deeps, taking [...]ith guilt, pleading for pardon, but he looks to what he himself is doing; we would alway, as I hinted before, fain be at the Throne, and have the guiding of the world, or have God taking our advice what he should do in it; and how much of folks time and spirit, who are serious, is taken up in scanning of providence? but O! fix this, that duty is ours, event is Gods; duty is our task, and we should leave it to God, to make of us and duty what pleases him: yea more, it is one of the great ends, why sad times and lots passes over us, that we may give a proof what we think of duty, when it wants present suc­cess; whether we will take duty for a reward to it self; whether a man will bless God, go the world as it will, that he is at duty. I shall say no more of it, but thrice happy they, who esteem of duty abstract from all com­fortable events: yea more, it were a good prognostick that good events would not be long withholden, if folk were diligent at duty, but who are still poring on events, I may without breach of charity say, that these are the idlest folk, and foreslow their own mercy.

But 2. As duty is the great business, so duty acceptable to God is attainable in the worst of times, in the lowest of [Page 268] conditions. I need not stand on the general, how it's Gods mercy to his people, that they may well be deprived of comforts, or comfortable issues, but they are not put out of service, they can never want acceptable work to put their hand unto, and if they be turned idle from the work of their Calling and Station, their idleness is a work with submission to God. But that which I am upon is, that the difficulties of the Lords servants and people, are never so great, but duty acceptable to God is attainable; My soul waits, (saith the Psalmist) he wan at it. I con­fess, times and dispensations may soon fall forth to be such, that hypocrites will think duty to be impossible, Isa. 33.14. The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrites, they are afraid out of their wits; Who shall dwell with devouring fire? &c. Who can hold their feet? Who can stick by duty in such critical dispensations of pro­vidence. I confess also, things may come to that, that Balaam hath, speaking of the calamities to come on the world, Numb. 24.23. Alas, who shall live when God doth this? Such a time may come, that it may be a wonder to consider how folk can stand, how they can fend, when storms are so boisterous and thick, and temptations and snares so many: And I shall add further, that which our Lord hath, Mat. 24.22. Ʋnless these days should be shortned, no flesh should be saved; he means, both that none should be saved from cutting off by judgment, and none but they should be in peril to be eternally lost by seduction, but for the elects sake these days shall be shortned; outward trouble, and seducing snares, may be so many and impe­tuous, that if God put not some Bridle upon them, no flesh should be saved: But yet when I have said all this, I must resume the point, that in the worst of times, duty acceptable to God is attainable through his strength. A sincere man depending on God, may win to say, I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait. This I mark to give a [Page 269] check partly to the discouragements of Gods own people, who in sad times lose heart and hand. I confess, I may say to the discouragement of this generation, that which Jeremiah hath, ( Chap. 12.5.) If thou hast run with foot­men, and they have wearied thee, how then canst thou con­tend with horses? and if in the land of peace wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, how then wilt thou do in the swellings of Jordan? If any ordinary difficulties scarr this generation from duty, what would they have done if they had met with the difficulties that many before the Throne met with? But be as it will, it's thy great sin, as discouraged to ly down and die, as if there were no work for thee. The Psalmist here in his practice hath witnes­sed, that in the saddest of difficulties duty acceptable to God is attainable, if duty be set about in Gods strength; though humbling it may prove, it shall not be impossible, if thou believe, all things shall be possible; partly to leave a sad check at their door, who upon difficulties, and the impetuousness of snares and temptations, take a dispensa­tion to themselves to go wrong, to leave Gods way, and joyn in evil courses. How many are there that in diffi­cult and snaring times, for all that the Bible hath said a­gainst such and such sins, and sinful courses, yet take them by the end, and say there is no hope, and it's for no pur­pose for men to essay to keep their integrity, or think to hold off, and not imbrace such a course. The storm blows so hard, but you that take a dispensation to your selves, so to do in difficulties, know that there will be witnesses found to testify against you, that in the worst of times duty acceptable to God is attainable.

But the 3d thing I proposed to be spoken to is, That as duty is attainable, so a man may know he hath attained it, he may win not only to wait for the Lord, and with his soul to wait, but to know and avow it, that with his [Page 270] soul he doth wait: This, if I might insist on it, would again branch it self out in two or three things.

1. In order to this knowledge, it is necessary, that folk be at self examination, asking what they are doing? Ye may take many woful counsels with your selves, ha­ving sorrow in your heart daily, (it may be) and yet not come speed; but were ye enquiring, What work am I at? and examining it, that were a ground of a right walk, to be serious in that. It's the Lords complaint, Jer. 8.6. No man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turneth unto his course, as the horse rusheth into the battel.

And 2. When we set about this Examination, we should know, that we have need of the spirit of God to go along with us, and assist us in it, we have need of that spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given us of God, 1 Cor. 2.12. We have so much presumpti­on and security on the one hand, when we are at ease, ready to cheat us, and on the other hand, when we are in trouble, so much discouragement to amaze and break us, that in both conditions self-examination would de­sire a manuduction, a leading by the hand by the Spirit of God, that they get not a back-set in either.

And 3. Tender walkers examining, and assisted by the Spirit of God, may come to know they are in duty accep­table to God, and their integrity in it, to say, their soul waiteth, I am at my duty, and am acceptable to God in it. It may be sad, that trouble should discover so much guilt, and so many imperfections in our best things, yet still no dispensation of providence, or delay, should take away the testimony of our integrity, and that we are wait­ing upon him in his way; what-ever providence be an e­nemy to, it is never an enemy to integrity. There is a weakness hinted at in that word, Psal▪ 69.4. (though few be obnoxious to it) Then I restored that which I took [Page 271] not away: Some may be ready to father that on them­selves, whereof they are not guilty; but the people of God Psal. 44.17.— hold fast and avow their integrity in a sad time: All this is come upon us, say they, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy Cove­nant, &c. And Job 23.10.— when he cannot get a sight of God on the right or left hand, yet (saith he) He knows the way that I take: when he trys me, I shall come forth like gold, &c. What I would say from this, is to leave a check at their door, whom the dispensations of providence dings from all their confidence; if God delay the Psalmist, he will avow that he waits; but so silly are we, that there is nothing the storm blows against, but we are ready to question it; whereas if we see it be fair before the wind, we question it not at all, so silly spirits are we, and so full of byasses. O! lament this, and know that duty is know­able and avowable in the saddest of dispensations, for the Psalmist can say, I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait.

And 4. As duty is attainable and knowable, so it is very comfortable to a man to know it. It's good news to this tost Psalmist, that he dare say, I wait, my soul doth wait; it's good news for the present. Read often, be­lieve and improve that word, Eccles. 8.12. Though a sin­ner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, because he feareth before God. The very present reward, the Eccho of a good Conscience is sweet and comfortable, that the people of God can say, Our hearts are not turned back, nor our steps declined from thy way, though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death, Psal. 44.18. O! How sweet an Ec­cho hath that in a mans bosome? and a man that in a sad condition will not be made up in the testimony of a good Conscience, it is righteousness with God to smite him with a rod dipped in his own guilt: Look to it, and make it [Page 272] your study to have this ground of comfort when others fail. It's good when a man can say, I am sore broken, yet my heart is not turned back, I am in the deeps, yet my soul waits; I cannot win at him, yet my feet have held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined; and as this is sweet and comfortable for the present, so will it be found for the time to come, when the waiter on God in duty shall be made to say and sing, as it is, Isa. 25.9. Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us, we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation. I shall say no more, but when all costs are reckoned, it shall be found, that a doer of duty, waiting for God, shall be no loser, but a great gainer; and it shall never be grief of heart to him, that he made it his work to wait on him in his way, when others declined. As I closed the last day, with that word, Blessed are all they that wait for him; so do I this day, whatever he do to them, whatever de­lays or difficulties they meet with, they shall find, that it will be found a rich mercy, to be found waiting for God, and upon God in their duty, keeping his way, and not declining therefrom. I say no more, but the Lord bless his Word that ye have been hearing, for Christs sake.

I Told you, that as the two former Verses speak to one of the excellent Priviledges of the godly man, to wit, the remission of sins. So the 5, and 6. speak to a most necessary, though a most difficult task of the godly man to wait for God, that godly men give a proof of their subjection to him, and faith in him, by their waiting for [Page 273] him, notwithstanding they meet with so many delays and disappointments.

Somewhat hath been spoken to three principal Heads of Doctrine in these Verses, 1. The Psalmists exercise, he is a waiting man, he is put to wait, and he doth wait; where ye heard, that if God delay the Saints, and put them to wait, it is their duty to wait, not only not to be hasty, but if they hing on, they would look their waiting be not poisoned with fre [...]fulness, passion and bitterness, but seasoned and adorned with meekness and patience. I spoke 2. to the object of his exercise, I wait for the Lord; where ye heard, that the eyes of the wai [...]ing man must be taken off all things, and set on God, not only when all second causes forsake him, but when these things that seemed to promise relief seem to be against him, he must notwithstanding wait on God, and keep his way, and have all his expectation in God, or God himself must be his expectation, and he will be no loser by this; if God him­self be his great expectation, he will easily make up the want of all other things. In the third place I spoke to his affection in waiting, my soul doth wait; where beside that general, that we should be able to give an account what we are doing in difficulties, when we are exercised with delays: Ye heard, that true waiting lyes in the midst, betwixt bitterness, passion, haste, fretfulness on the one hand, and stupidity and indifferency on the other hand. The right waiter for God, as he is not fretful and passio­nat, so neither is he sleeping and careless; he so waits, as his soul doth wait, his affections are aloft, prizing and looking out for these things he is waiting for.

Now in the 4. place, I proceed to consider his support in waiting; What made him thus wait affectionatly, con­fidently, and patiently? He Answers, and in his word do I hope: He hoped in the word of God, and therefore he waits for God. It's not to great purpose to trouble [Page 274] you here with an exact distinction betwixt Faith and Hope; Faith looks to the promise, and gives a present subsistence to the thing promised, as the word is, Heb. 11.1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evi­dence of things not seen. Hope looks to the performance of the good things promised; Faith closes with the pro­mise as true, and is comforted in that which is contain­ed in it. Hope looks out till God come and make out what Faith sees and closes with in the word of promise. In this place Faith and Hope may be taken promiscuously or indifferently, in his word do I hope; that is, I wait till God make out to me that he hath promised in his Word; or take it a little more distinctly, in his word do I hope: It will import, that having closed by Faith with the good things in the word of promise, he looks out for the ac­complishment of them; so that he hath not only Faith bene, believing and closing with the Word, but he hath hope looking out till God make his Word good to him. I might here take notice of this, that waiting on God, though a man had no other, evidence, is ground of hope, when a man is in a difficulty, and sore put at, and yet he is born up in waiting on God for an out-gate, he cannot quite nor give over, he cannot go to another door for relief, that's a good evidence that there is ground of hope in such a mans lot; For certainly Psal. 9.18, the needy shall not al­ways be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for [...]ver. And he that never said, to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain, Isai. 45.29. he never engages a heart to wait on him in vain. Their very waiting on, and not giving over, is, if they could but discern it, a sufficient refutation of their temptation to diffidence and despon­dency.

But I shall leave this, and look on the words another way; and these two principal Doctrines are obvious from them to any capacity.

• [Page 275]1. That waiting on God needs the support of Faith and Hope.
• 2. That Faith or Hope must have the Word of God for its ground.

The first of these is clear, in that he says, I wait, be­cause I hope. The other is clear from that he says, in his word do I hope.

For the first of these, That waiting on God needs the support of Faith or Hope; Patience and On-waiting will never be gotten well, cherisht without Hope or Faith; a man that would keep waiting on God, would keep Faith and Hope on foot: So doth the Psalmist here, while he tells that he waits, because he hopes. And hence it is, that in Scripture we find a frequent conjunction of Faith and Patience, as Heb. 6.12. The followers of them, who through faith and patience have inherited the promises. Rev. 13.10. Here is the faith and the patience of the Saints, they must go together. Rom. 8.25 If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. It's hoping for that which is not seen, that draws along a patient wait­ing for it. 1 Thess. 1.3. True patience is called, the pa­tience of hope, that patience which is the product of hope. And (to add no more) ye have them conjoyned, Heb. 10.35, 36. Where in the first place, the Apostle says to them, Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath a great recompence of reward; and then he adds to good purpose, Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promise: Intimating, it is to no purpose to speak of patience, if folk cast away their confidence; thus ye see how these two, Faith and Pati­tience, or Patience and Hope are linked together in Scri­pture, to tell, that patient waiting on God, hath need of the support of Faith and Hope: And if we should fol­low out this a little more distinctly, we will find that the brangling of Faith and Hope cuts Patience short; when [Page 276] a mans Faith or Hope fails, he gives over waiting on God, his Patience is gone, as in that wicked King,, 2 King. 6.33 Who when God by the Prophet had promised delive­ry, would not believe it, but says, This evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? Fra [...] once he cast off confidence, he gave over waiting on God: And to clear this further, see Jer. 2.25. and 18 12. In the one place, when the Lord is perswading his people to keep his way, they say, There is no hope; and what follows on that? They say, We have loved strangers, and after them will we go. And in the other place, when they say,, There is no hope, they add, But we will walk after our own de­vices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. Thus ye see, how on the one hand the brangling of Faith and Hope cuts the throat of patient waiting for God; and on the other hand, Faith and Hope entertained, keeps life in patience, to wait still on God, Ye know what is said of Hezekiah, 2 King. 18.5 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Judah, nor any that was be­fore him. Trust in God made him singular; and in no­thing doth the singularity of a Christian appear more than in this, the drawing forth of his Faith in patient waiting on God in difficulties, 1 Sam. 27.1. When David gives over confidence, he gives over patience and waiting, and goes down to the Land of the Philistines; but look upon him again as a Believer, holding fast co [...]fidence, what says he? Psal. 27.13. I had fainted, unless I had believ­ed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Nothing but Faith kept me from giving over: But now (as Psal. 116.10. I believed, therefore have I spoken) attaining to believing, he dare subjoyn, as v. 14. Wait on the Lord, and be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart; wait I say on the Lord.

Thus ye have the point generally cleared, that patient [Page 277] waiting on God, needs the support of Faith and Hope; To break it a little smaller, and bring it nearer you, I shall branch it out in these two.

• 1. That the trials of the people of God may be such, as only Faith can see an out-gate.
• And 2. When they are so, Faith will see an out-gate, and enable a man to wait on God for the out-gate.

For the first, I say, The trials of the people of God may be such, and so ordered for their greatness, sharpness, darkness, and continuance, that an out-gate will be the object of Faith only, and not of Sense nor Reason. A mans trials may be such, that if he will betake him to Sense and carnal Reason, to see if there will be an end of the Lord, he will give it over if Faith step not in, and take him off the hand of both: A waiter for God here under difficulties must be a hoper, else he will not wait on; we are generally called in the whole course of our life to walk by Faith, 2 Cor. 5.7. We walk by faith, and not by sight; but especially in great and eminent trialls and dif­ficulties, when they are of a long continuance, to prove that we are among the just, that live by faith, Hab. 2.4. with Heb. 10.38 I might instance this, both in the great­ness, and in the long continuance of trials. In the great­ness of trials, which may be such as Faith only can see an issue, 3 Cor. 1.8 — In the trouble that came to us in Asia, we were pressed out of measure, above strength, in so much that we d [...]spaired even of life, and had the sentence of death in our selves; And why? That we should not trust in our selves but in God that raiseth the dead: We were put to it, to imploy Faith in our deadly difficulties, else we had been gone. So Jonah 2.4. is put to say, I am cast out of sight, till Faith holding a grip of God, bids him look again towards his holy Temple. S [...] Abram, Rom. 4.19.— hath all probabilities, his own dead body, and the deadness of Sarahs womb, against the thing promised; and what [Page 278] gave the issue? only this, he was not weak in the faith, he staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but was strong in faith giving glory to God. And Paul, Rom. 8.24. when he had told that we are saved by faith, adds, but hope that is seen is not hope, for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for. Hope and Faith are only for things invisible to any other sense or faculty. And for the continuance of trials, it is clear, that it's Faith must see the issue; as Hab 2.2.— with Heb. 10.37. Write the vision, and make it plain on tables, that he may run that readeth it, speak out my promise; why? For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie, though it tarry (to sense) wait for it, &c. And how shall this be done? The just shall live by faith. If it be enquired, how it comes to pass, that the Lord puts the mercies of his people so far out of sight, by the greatness and long continuance of trou­ble? That it is only Faith that can discern the issue. I shall briefly clear this to you in four words, 1. He doth it, that he may acquaint his people with the solid truth of his promises, that he may let them see, and bring them to know experimentally, that his promise is not a bla­ [...]lume; but though all things in the world were against us, it's a true word, it's a tryed word, like silver purified se­ven times in the furnace, Psal. 12.6. and shall have an ac­complishment. The longer folk rest on the Bible, and the more they try it, they will esteem of it the more: It's of Divine Authority, (to which I shall speak a word af­terwards, when I come to that of the Psalmist, where he calls it his Word.) 2. For this end the Lord gives this work to the faith of his people, that he may acquaint them more and more with himself, in whom they believe; that when they are put to the Bible, to live by faith in his Word, they may study his Divine Attributes, his Veraci­ty, that cannot lie, his Omnipotency, that in greatest difficulties, can commad deliverance to his people; his [Page 279] infinite Wisdom, that can by contraries bring out his Wis­dom about their delivery; and by this means they have a great advantage, when they are brought to know God the Author of the Promises better: Hence Psal. 9.10 [...]t's said, They that know thy Name, will put their trust in thee; They that know him, will put their confidence in him: And Paul, 2 Tim. 1.12. said, For the which cause I suffer these things, nevertheless I am not ashamed. How is that? For I know whom I have believed, and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him to keep, a­gainst that day; therefore I am not ashamed, therefore my confidence succumbs not. 3. The Lord by giving Faith, this work brings his people experimentally to know the worth of Faith, and that's a necessary Lesson; we will not [...]y get Sailing near the Shore, within sight of Land, but must Lanch forth into the deep, that Faith may be put to it; and in this case, what advantage is it to know the worth of Faith, Psal. 27.13. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the li­ving. What had become of me if I had not believed? And that gave him to know the worth of Faith, which had an excellent advantage: And Psal. 28.7. My heart trusted in him, and I was helped; I never tryed Faith, but it brought me some ease and relief, though not a compleat out-gate. And 4. The Lord give faith this work, that he may get much glory of his people, by their dependance, hoping and believing: Thus Rom. 4.20. Abraham was strong in the faith, giving glory to God. Thou thinks it would honour God much, if thy mouth were filled with songs for de­liveries, sweet comforts, love-blinks, &c. I grant these are sweet, and speaks his praise; but God is more honou­red by believing, when thou wants these, and hath only his naked word to lean to, thou then glorifies God more emi­nently, though not so satisfactorily to thy self, when thou sticks by believing in continued difficulties, when thou art tempted to cast away confidence.

[Page 280]All I say from this Branch, and come to the 2d. shall be to tell you, that were these things believed, we would not be so ready to stumble, whatever our difficulties were, when sense and carnal reason were laid by and non-pluss'd, with want of all appearances and probabilities of an issue. But who are they who when they are left on a word of God, do not find themselves at a loss, and as ye use to speak, at the next best; whereas, if we considered that this were God: way to exercise his people, with such great and continued Trials, that their Issues and Out-gates from them, may be the Object of Faith, and not of Sense or carnal Reason; and particularly were this studied, our being holden long at work, hinging on would not tempt folk to weary, and give over waiting on God; a thing which many of us have cause to mourn for; and many fear, that if God re­fine us with silver, we will discover more than we thought had been in us. O consider it, that ye stumble not, weary not, fret not, quite not your confidence; in great conti­nued troubles, it is an evil not so much to be dung from your confidence, as to take the pet, to cast it away, and give way to discouragement, and lie down and die.

But to press this, I come to the second Branch in the Point, That as the Tryals of Gods people may be such as only Faith can see an out-gate; so when they are so, Faith if it be chearfuly employed, will apprehend a promised delivery in greatest difficulties; it will make a man wait on God in the saddest exercises without succumbing, and to say this with the Psalmist, I wait, &c. for I hope in his word: If a man be living by Faith, and so a just man, Though the Vision tarry to sense, it will make him wait for it, and expect it, because at the appointed time it will speak and not lie: And for the grounds on which this truth is founded, amongst others, take these three: 1. That let Tryals be never so great and long continued, they alter not the ground of Faith, the ground that Faith goes on still continues the same. Whatever befal the people of God [Page 281] they get not a new Bible, or a new God; all the gloomy days that past over them, has not blotted out one Promise or Attribute of God; and these things they see in God, and his Promises in a fair day, they may see them to be the same in a foul day; now if the ground be the same, if the Promises be the same, if God be the same, if our Rock have not sold us; Faith closing with that ground, must wait for a delivery; were the Tryal never so great and long con­tinued. 2. As the ground that Faith goes on, does still con­tinue the same; so obedience to the Command of Believ­ing is never dispensed with; There is never a time where­in God says, I will dispense with you to Believe; he says not, believe when the waters are at the ancles, and I will dispense with you when they overflow the banks; but go things as they will, Faith is still a commanded and indis­pensible duty, ye have this clear, Luke 8.50. and the pa­rallel places, when that Ruler came to Christ about the curing of his sick daughter, he is encouraged to believe, while she is sick and not dead, but when she is dead, one comes from his house, and says to him, Thy daughter is dead, trouble not the Master, thou and we might have be­lieved the more before she was dead, but now the case is desperat, therefore it is needless to thee to employ him any more: But doth Christ homologat such a principle? no; but when he heard it, he says to the man, Fear not, believe only, for she shall be made whole; when she is sick, and when she is dead, he is bidden, believe only. And, 3. Con­sider, That not only does the ground of Faith continue the same, and the command of Believing indispensible; but Trials eminent, sharp, and of long continuance, are opportunities of eminent work for Faith. He is not coun­ted a man of courage, that in a Muster, will vapor and play the gallant; but who in the Chock of the Battle kythes his stoutness and resolution, as a famous Spartan said, when it was told him the Persians arrows were so thick, that they would cover the Sun, all the better of that, said [Page 282] he, for us, we shall fight the better in the cool; so it is with Faith. Eminent Trials, and difficulties of long con­tinuance, gives to it opportunities of eminent service and work: What is it to believe, while thou art sailing alongst the shore, but when thou lanchest out into the deeps, and meets with a storm, and neither Sun, Moon, nor Stars for many days appear, when the tryal is hightned and length­ned, and some falls off on that hand the day, and o­thers fall off on this hand the morrow, and thou art like to be left alone; that is an opportunity of eminent service and work for Faith: And thou would remember that there is a favour conferred on thee, when thy Faith is put to it, at such a time, what will thou do? If thou will cast thy self, and all thou hast, over upon God put all in his reverence, and wait upon him for an issue.

From these things that I have but superficially touched, be exhorted to study the life of Faith better, that ye may be fixt and strong in the Faith; ye must not content your selves with putting out some acts of Faith, but ye must learn to live by it, to make it your food and subsist­ence; which, if well studied, many a tentation and snare, in snary times, would be broken, and God would be wait­ed upon patiently. It is true, when ye are surcharged with bitterness, ye will get enough of things to father it on; your difficulties are many and great, your delays are pro­tracted, but ye light not on the root of your distemper, the weakness of your Faith; O thou of little faith, where­fore didst thou doubt? where is thy faith? for Isai. 28.16. He that believes shall not make haste; and consequent­ly, he that makes haste, does not believe, or is at a low pace, as to the exercise of faith, when impatience and bit­terness prevails; and therefore guard against your canke­ring fretfulness, weariness, fainting. Do not tempt God to give you a relief by a change of your condition, and be­ing seen on the mount; but rouze up your faith to exer­cise, say, how is it that I am so fearful? how is it I have [Page 283] no Faith? seek the issue of all your pressures, by rouzing up your Faith; it will discover to you Hagars well at hand, when ye are casting down your Ishmaels to die for thirst; it will bring noon day at night; and of weakness it will make you strong; when ye are faint and have no might, it will bring in power to you, and renew your strength; when ye see no appearance of an issue, it will bid you look again (as Elijah said, 1 King. 18.43.) Till ye see the cloud that will rain. When that holy man Ezra is laid by in confessing and mourning over the sins of the people, Chap. 9. There is a good man, who Chap. 10 2. bids him look again, arise from his heaviness and fall about a work of Reformation, For there was hope in Israel concerning that thing: So Jonah, when he said, I am cast out of thy sight,; rouzing up his Faith, saith, Yet will I look again towards thy holy temple: and that man, Psal. 77.7. When he begins to question, Whether the Lord will cast off for ever, and will be favourable no more, if his mercy be clean gone, if his mercy doth fail for ever, if he hath forgo [...]ten to be gracious, and in his anger he hath shut up tender mercies, and is laid by with that work; he rouzes up his Faith, and looks again: And Verse 10. saith, This is my infirmity, I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high; So would thou do, when thou looks on the sadness of thy condition, and many pressures, and art tempted to give over; rouze up thy confidence, and that will give thee a satisfactory ac­count of that which thou counted desperat and hopeless. The Lord bless his Word.

WAiting on God being a most excellent and ne­cessary Subject and Duty, in regard that only they that endure to the end, shall be saved; and [Page 284] that it is these whose Patience has had its perfect work, that shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord: we had need to study all these things, which may either set Pati­ence on work, or keep it at work. And here I am upon the great support of the Waiting Man, He waits for the Lord, because he hope in his word. In the Forenoon I spoke to the first general Observation, in these words, That Pa­tience and Waiting cannot be well cherished, without Faith and Hope; Which I branched out in two, That the Tryals of the Saints may be such, and so ordered for greatness and continuance; that Faith only will be able to discern an is­sue of them; and that faith chearfully employed, will dis­cern this issue.

Now the Lesson I am to fall upon in the 2d. general Observation is, That Faith enabling to endure hard lots, and to endure without succumbing, must take the Word of God for its ground; and Faith having the Word for its ground, so long as God alters not his Sentence in his Word, Faith must believe and hope, expect the accom­plishment of that word, I hope in his word, saith the Psal­mist; hence it is (to allude to that of the Apostle. Rom. 10 6.) That the man that would live by Faith, he must not say in his heart. Who shall ascend into heaven, to bring down Christ, or an issue from above, or who shall descend into the deep, to bring up a Christ, or an issue from the dead? But the word is near thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; The Word of Faith, the Word in the Gospel which we preach.

This Point, because there are several things in it of spe­cial concernment for us, I shall deduce and branch out to you in four Heads.

1. That really needy Saints, who are put to live by Faith, ought to be, and will be much conversant with the Word, that they may know what is for them, and suitable to their case there.

2. That as really needy Saints will be much conversant [Page 285] with the Word, so they will judge of things according to the Verdict of the Word.

3. That to fix them in that Resolution, to judge of things according to the Word, they must fix this Principle, That the Word is of Divine Authority.

4. That having fixt this, That the Word is of Divine Authority, the Believer must send out his Faith to believe, and his hope to look for all that he finds in so Divine and sure a Word.

For the first of these, I say, That really needy Saints, who are put to live by Faith, ought to be, and will be much conversant in the Word, that they may know what is for them there, and suitable to their case; This is clear­ly imported in the Text, while he saith, I hope in thy Word; He must know what is in the Word, to lean his Faith and Hope upon; for except he know he cannot lean his Faith and Confidence on it: Hence David, a great liver by Faith, was much conversant with the Scriptures, they were his meditation, his meat, his delight; the men of his counsels, his guides, as ye may read at length, what his esteem of the Scriptures was in that 119 Psalm. And this being so, it will infer not only, that really needy saints should attend upon the Word preached; but more especially, that they should, and will be much at the privat serious reading of, meditation on, and perusal of the Scriptures; a duty, that in the first place, I would prove to be a duty. And 2dly. press it on you.

1. I say, it is needful to prove that it is a duty, that the Scriptures be read by all, in opposition to that cursed Po­pish principle, that will not allow any laick or privat per­son, without a peculiar licence, to read the Scriptures, whereby they turn that in a priviledge, and confer on some only, which God hath imposed as a duty on all; yea, fur­ther, so Tyrannical are they in this, that though they per­mit some to read the vulgar Latin, or Translations accor­ding to it (as they have turned it in English) where Pro­testants [Page 286] are, lest if they shuld hinder them in the use of that, they should read other Translations without their liberty; yet in other places, as Spain and Italy, they are sparing of these Licenses. This is a damnable error, not only contrair to the way of the ancient Church (wherein they glory so much) wherin privat persons were so well acquaint with the Word, that they would make it the subject of their discourse, while they were about their ordinary callings; but is clearly repugnant to Scripture, and principles de­duced therefrom, both in the Old and New Testament. I shall not insist on controversial things, but lay down first, some instances from Scripture, to which I shall add some Scripture arguments for clearing that Truth.

For Scripture instances, look to the Old Testament, it is marked, Acts 15.21. That in old time, Moses had in eve­ry City them that preached him, being read in the syna­gogues every sabbath day; and not the Books of Moses only, but the Prophets: And therefore our Lord in his solemn Sermon, Luke 4.17. Read out of the Prophecy of Isaiah, that Book being delivered to him: Beside publick reading of the Scriptures, we find privat reading enjoyned, Deut. 17.18. The King was to have a Copy of the Law in a Book, out of that which was before the Priests and Le­vits, to be with him, and he was to read therein, all the days of his life. Josh. 1.8. The Commander of the people was not to let the book of the Law depart out of his mouth, but to meditat therein day and night: It was also to be read by mean persons, for Deut. 6.6. These words command­ed to the Jews, they were to teach them diligently to their chil­dren▪ to talk of them when they sat in their houses, when they did walk by the way, when they did ly down, and when they rose up; and this they could not do in all the ages of their Church, unless they read the Books of Moses, when Moses was gone. We find that Eunuch in returning from Jeru­salem in his journey, reading the Scripture, Act. 8.30. We find Timothy from a child instructed in the Scriptures, 2 Tim. [Page 287] 3.15. drinking it in with his milk; and in a word, Psal. 1.2. We find the blest man in those days, and in all ages of the Church, to be that man, who hath his delight in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth meditate day and night: If again we turn to the New Testament, we find that Christ commands the Jews to search the Scriptures, Joh. 5.39. We find the Bereans commended for comparing Christ A­postles Sermons with the Scripture, searching the Scrip­tures whether these things were so, Act. 17.11. We find it required, That the word of Christ a well in us richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, Col. 3.16. which necessarily requires frequent reading of the Scrip­tures; we find the Apostle supposing the Corinthians read them, 2 Cor. 1.13. We wrote none other things to you than that you read and acknowledge, and Eph. 3.4. Whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge: We find him com­manding it, Col. 4.16. When this Epistle is read amongst you, cause also that it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans, and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea; 1 Thes. 4.27. He charges them by the Lord, that that epistle be read unto all the holy brethren; and if the Apostle John, Rev. 1.3. pro­nounces them blest, who reads the words of that prophesie, which is a dark obstruse Book. It is not the purpose of the Spirit of God, that other plain Scriptures should be shut up from people.

But 2. Unto these Scripture instances, we shall add a few Scripture Arguments, as 1. For what end were the Scriptures plainly and legibly written, and at first in a known language, if not to be made use of and read; when the Vision is written and made plain upon Tables, Ha­bakkuk tells the end of that is, That he may run that readeth it. 2. If the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, did not spare to preach their Doctrine in the audience of all, it cannot be rationally thought, but that we may read the Scriptures that contains the sum of their Doctrine. 3. The Scriptures are not only written to all, but are recommended to all; [Page 288] therefore they concern all, and are to be read by all, Rom. 15.4. Whatsoever things were written afore-time, were writ­ten for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope▪ The Epistles of Paul were di­rected to all the Saints. John's 2d. Epistle was written to an elect lady; his 3d. Epistle to Gaius. In his first, he writes to fathers, young men, and children, and how irrational is it to assert, that that which is directed to all, should be keep'd up from any concerned. 4. The use that all have for the Scriptures, do prove, that they should be read by all, they are the Rule by which we are to walk; and therefore the man that would walk right, must know the Rule: They are the Charter of our Inheritance, and that we be not cheated, we would know it. They are our elder Brothers Testament, and therefore we ought to read it, that we may know our Legacy: All the Epithets given to the Scripture in relation to our need, tell it is the will of God we should be conversant with them. And Lastly, There are many du­ties required of Christians, that they cannot perform, un­less they be conversant with the Scriptures; they are bid­den try the spirits, whither they be of God, 1 Joh. 4.1. And how shall they try them, but by the Touchstone of the Scrip­tures. They are bidden prove all things, 1 Thes. 5.21. And how shal they do that, unless they make use of the standard of the Scripture, they are bidden add to their faith vertue, and to their vertue knowledge, 2 Pet. 1.5. And how shal they increase in knowledge, if the Scriptures be not conversed with? nay more, How shall ignorance be proven to be a sin, if the Scripture, the only Illuminator of the Under­standing, be not to be conversed with? But I shall forbear further debating with Papists, the imitators (in this) of other Hereticks, whom Tertullian calls Lucifugae scriptura­rum, who while they prohibit the promiscuous reading of Scripture, proclaim how little kindness they expect of the Scripture: It is with them as it is with a Tyrrant and his Subjects, he dares not trust them with armslest they should [Page 289] rise against him; so they will not let people read the Scrip­tures, lest thereby they should soon discover their abomi­nations and cheats; therefore it is that they keep them in a mass of ignorance, and please them with that, That Ig­norance is the Mother of Devotion.

But 2. To press this Duty upon you (for I would not so much have us Disputants for this Truth, as Practisers of this Duty) I would not have men having Bibles in their Houses, and yet as little acquaint with them, as if they had none; if this be a duty, it would be followed forth in practice. I shall not enter upon the way of read­ing Scripture here, but in bearing home the practice of the duty, I shall say this: 1. Ye that have Children, train them up at Schools, a thing wherein the heat of persecu­tion made the ancient Church very deficient, they had no Schools to put their Children to: But how made they up that loss? by procuring Copies of the Scriptures, they got in some to read to them, whom they lodged with them, or going far to hear them read, by such as could read them. And I might here instance Pambo, who came to a Friend, that he might read a Psalm to him; and he beginning the 39 Psalm, I said, I will take heed to my way, that I sin not with my tongue; hold there, said he, till I learn that well; and when he came again, being asked why he tar­ried so long away; O said he, I think that one lesson of the Government of the Tongue, shall suffice me all my life: But this I leave as a digression. But if these who wan­ted Schools, were put to such pains and charges to sup­ply that defect; what a great defect is it in you that have Schools; and yet there are so many of you in the place and Countrey about, that can read none at all; Is not this a great neglect of a special mean of Salvation, and to find it in such a place, where Religion has had countenance, and where Learning might be had with ease, that so ma­ny persons should be found not able to read the Scriptures; O what a lamentable defect is it, and I wish it may not [Page 290] be continued in, in this generation. And I shall add to this, of putting your Children to read, ye would beware of in­dulgence to them while they are learning. This sinful in­dulgence of Children is an ill symptom for the generation to follow; and more, it is a sad presage, that these your sinful indulged Children, shall prove your greatest plague, experience hath proven it, and ye would look to it; if the Children ye have indulged, do skaith to Church or State, readily ye may get the first draught of the Cup, they will be your greatest cross.

But 2. I would recommend to you, that ye that can read, would make use of that gift, that is a thing ye may do with little interruption to your lawful affairs, and a thing ye have liberty to go about without hazard; ye are not like Incodemites, as many are called in other parts of the world, wherein Inquisitions are so terrible to people, that if they have a Bible, or any portion of it, they must hide it for fear of the Inquisition; ye are not in that ha­zard; and if ye refuse to make use of the Scripture when it is dadded on you, and have liberty to be conversant with it; it shall be righteousness with God to take that liber­ty from you, and give you up to Inquisitions, as a punish­ment for that dreadful neglect. I see Bibles among you, and bless God for it; but it is not enough to have them, go through them, and seek to be acquaint with the mind of God held out to you in them.

But to press this duty a little more distinctly, I would briefly point at four or five things, which I would have you to consider:

1. I would have the excellency of the Scripture considered; ye know men of Spirits, if they hear of an excellent Book written by a very learned person O how would they long for it, be at pains to have it, and read it? how greedily will some seek after, and peruse Histories and Romances, who are little in reading the Scripture; but I shall come nearer you: If there came News to Scotland, that there [Page 291] were a Book written by God in Spain, or some other re­mote Countrey, how would it be longed for? how would ye be earnest to seek and peruse it? and if so, what a sin and a shame is it, when that Book inspired by the Spirit of God, written by infallible Instruments, is among your hands? and yet how many are there, that neither in their Families, nor in secret have a testimony of their reading of it? what a monstruous neglect is it?

2. Consider that it is a mean of God's Converse with us; There is a double mean of intercourse and converse betwixt God and us; on our part, we converse with him by Prayer, by sending up our beggar supplications to Him; we traffick with Heaven by our necessities vented in Prayer to God, upon the one hand; and upon the o­ther hand, it is by these Scriptures that God corresponds visibly with us, and sends messages to us: Hence I infer, (and look to it) That neglecters to converse with the Scripture, not only obstruct God's intercourse, and pro­vocks him to give up correspondence with them in his Word: nay his dwelling in them, for Joh. 15.7. Speak­ing of his abiding in us, and we in him, he says. If ye abide in me, and my words in you, he in stead of putting in his a­biding, puts in his words abiding in us; because it is by his word he abides in us: But I say, it is to be feared, that ne­glecters of converse with the Scripture, not only obstruct God's correspondence with, and dwelling in them; but that they also cut short the converse on their side with Heaven, by needy Prayer. Let them never say, that they are serious in Prayer, that neglect to read the Scriptures; though a man may read much, that prays not (for these are not reciprocal) yet he can never be serious in prayer, that reads none; he must be a delighter in the Scripture, that converses with God by prayer; if then ye neglect reading, ye not only obstruct Gods intercourse with you, but yours with him.

And I shall add in the 3d. place, there is not a more in­fallible [Page 292] mark of Grace and Regeneration, nor to be much acquaint and conversant with the Scripture, delighting therein, and feeding thereon. I shall not urge that natu­ral Axiom iisdem nutrimur ex quibus constamus we are nou­rished of the same things we are made of; but I shall give it you in Scripture terms: Compare these two, 1 Pet. 1.23. and 2.2. [...]n the one passage, it is said, Ye are born a­gain, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. In the other pas­sage, as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If a man be begotten and born by the word, he will desire the sincere milk of the Word, that he may grow and be nourished by it; and in this, I may allude to that of David, Psal. 119.93. I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me. A man that hath found the Word powerful, pulling him from Nature to Grace, from the power of Sathan to God, will not for­get it, but must be conversant with it.

And I shall add in the fourth place, as the frequent use of the Scripture is a blessed proof of Regeneration, so it is an evidence of a tender man: The untender man takes advice from any thing, that may bring him pleasure, ad­vantage or preferment, and accordingly steers his course; but the tender man must have directions from the Word, else he will not stir in any thing; he far transcends these Grecians, who being at their Sacrifice, would not stir from it, though the enemy approached, and killed some, and wounded others, till they got some good signs, and then they got up, and went to it: So the tender man in all his cases and difficulties, will take his directions from the Bi­ble, and then he goes to it for his encouragements; and hence Psal. 1.2. The blest man is he who delights in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth meditat day and night. He must not want his Bible, what ever he want: and that is a tender man who like David in a distress, must encourage [Page 293] himself in the Lord his God, 1 Sam. 30.6. or else he will not be encouraged.

There is a 5th. thing that presses this duty of conversing with the Scripture, and it is the thing in hand, the godly man hath so many needs, that he must not want the Bible to make up and supply them, he is put to fend by Faith and Hope, and Faith and Hope must not want the Scrip­tures, the ground of both; there is no pasture for Faith and Hope but the Scripture: Therefore the godly man must be conversant with it, he must have his all in God, and must study to know the mind of God that he may please him in all things. The godly man is called to live by Faith, and must know what Faith hath to feed on, and this puts him to converse with Scripture. As I said before, The Bible is the Charter of his Inheritance, the Rule that he must walk by, his Elder Brother's Testament, the Com­pass he must steer his course by in storms, his Magazine for weapons and furniture, his Touch-stone, that he must try all Duties and Comforts by; in all these, and many mo, he hath need of the Bible: and therefore if his grace be in exercise, he must be much conversant with it.

I shall not fall on any of the other Heads, but exhort you, while ye have the light, to walk in the light, and while ye walk in the light, make use of the Bible; let this Word not be sown in the wind, but let it be as a good and a nail fastened by the Masters of Assemblies. Acquaint your selves with the Bible through and through, read it, and depend on God for the blessing, delight in it, meditat [...]on it, here­by ye shall evidence your esteem of it, as most excellent above all other Books. Hereby ye shall evidence your e­steem of, and converse with God, your Regeneration and walk with God, that ye dwell in God, and have your all in him, and that ye rest on what he has spoken in the Scrip­tures, for making up all your wants. God bless his Word to you for Christs sake.

WAiting for God being (as ye have heard it) the excellent, yet difficult and trying task of the Saints, surely they stand in great need to be well beam-fi [...]led and stocked, that would engage in such an undertaking, lest they weary of waiting on God, and row to some other shore; and this is it that the Psalmist here is from his own experience and practice, directing us in; after that he hath in the first place asserted his wait­ing, and next his waiting for the Lord. And 3. That his waiting is not degenerat in a careless indifferency and stu­pidity; but however, he did cast out bitterness, haste and fretfulness out of his waiting; yet it did not cool, his af­fection was not blunted for his soul did wait; after that, I say, he proceeds to give an account of his support in waiting, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope; he tells that it was Faith and hope that enabled and supported him to wait for God. Ye may remember, that the first note I took up here was, That waiting on God will not be got­ten cherisht without faith and hope; I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait, because I hope. The Tryals of the people of God for greatness, sharpness and continuance, may be so ordered, as an out-gate from them, can only be discerned by faith, and looked after by hope; yet when it is so, that things are most dark, faith chearfully imployed, will ap­prehend a promised delivery in the greatest difficulties; Faith will see an issue worth the waiting for, I wait, and I hope, says he. The second general Observation that I pro­posed from these Words was, that the faith and hope that sends a believer, and carries him through in waiting for God, that enables him to endure hard lots, without suc­cumbing, [Page 295] must take the Word for its ground. I wait, because I hope, and I hope, because I have the Word of God for the ground of my hope. Ye know that I proceed­ed to speak to four Heads, in the prosecuting of this Note, That really needy souls, who are put to live by Faith, ought and will be much conversant with the Word of God, to know what is for them, and their through-bear­ing there. 2. That as they will be conversant with the Word, so they will judge of things according to the ver­dict of the Word, that it may ground their Faith, and be­get Hope. 3. That to fix the Saints in this resolution, and to the end they may lean weight on the Word, they would be fixt in this Principle, that the Word of God is of Divine Authority, and infallibly certain, In his Word do I hope. 4. That the waiter having fixt this Principle, that the Word is of Divine Authority, he must send out his Faith to believe, and his Hope to look for all he finds in so divine and sure a Word, that he may be sure under foot, as the Word of God makes him. It's his duty to put forth Faith and Hope to fend.

For the first of these, that needy Saints, who are put to live by Faith and Hope, ought to be, and will be much conversant with the Word: I spoke to it the last day. I both proved it that it was lawful and incumbent on all to read and be acquaint with the Scriptures, against the tyranny of the man of sin, that will have no Laick [...], [...]s they call them, to read the Scripture without his li­cence; and I insisted to press the duty on you by several arguments, which I shall nor resume. Only I shall de­sire that it may be a Preaching daily practised, as ye would prove your selves to be among these blessed folk, who have their delight in the Law of God, and meditate therein day and night, who have the Word dwelling richly in you, that ye may be acquaint with the Charter of your inheritance, with your Card and your Compass, your el­der [Page 296] Brothers Testament, the Magazine and Store-house of your Furniture, and Touch-stone whereby ye try all things. Let me, I say, exhort you, that that Preaching may be conspicuously seen in your practice daily.

A 2d thing in the point is, that as really needy Saints will be conversant with the Word, so they must learn to judge of things according to the rule of the Word; they must learn to be determined by what the Word says, to have the Scriptures ending all controversies and debates, to have the Scriptures grounding their Faith and Hope in all things. The Psalmist doth so here, he contents not himself to take a look of the word, but he is so acquaint with, and so improves it, as he lives by Faith and Hope in it. This Point will lead me to the 3d, and therefore I shall pass it briefly, by recommending to all that would be acquaint with the Scripture, and judge things accor­ding to it, that they would avoid two extreams; one is, the practice of wicked men, who will not be determined by the Word, but live and feed upon their own presumptu­ous dreams. Let the Word of God say what it will a­gainst the generality of men, and the way wherein they walk, they will not take the Word for Gods final answer, but still look out for some other thing from God, I can com­pare the generality of Church-members to none better than these, Luk. 20. where Christ tells of the ill usage of the Servants, sent to seek the fruit of the Vineyard, and of their killing of the Heir, and said, he will come and de­stroy these Husband-men; they perceiving that he meant by them, (as the other Evangelist hath it), v. 16. say, God forbid: They would not take that for Gods final an­swer; and so it is with the generality of men, speak of the Scriptures in general to them, they will acknowledge them; but shew unto them, how the Scripture condemns their way, and what judgments it hath denounced against sins that they are living in, they will not take that for [Page 297] Gods final answer, they will still look out for some o­ther thing from God. I shall not stand on this, though it be the general disease of the visible Church; but in oppo­sition to that extream of wicked men, I shall desire you to mark that word, Joh. 12.48. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him at the last day. Thou wilt not take that word for Gods final sentence, yet it is that which shall judge thee in the last day, and all self-deceiving, and self deluding souls shall find, God is, and will be no other thing, than what he hath declared himself in his Word to be. If this were believ­ed and laid to heart, folk would more labour to live so, as they may have the Word more their friend. But on the other hand, as men in making use of the Word, would guard against the presumptuous dreams of wicked men, so they would guard against the faithless fears of the god­ly, who see enough in the Word to make them and needy sinners happy; but their fears, and want of probabilities lays them by from improving what they find in the Word for their comfort and encouragement in duty, and lean as little weight on the Word upon the one hand, as wicked men do on the other. I shall not resume what I said at another occasion, what use ye should make of reason in the matters of Religion: Sure ye should make use of it for taking up things revealed in Scripture, in gathering what is exprest therein, or may be drawn from it by na­tive consequence. But ye would remember, that Reason must stoop to Divine Revelation; your Reason must stoop and strike Sail to what God hath revealed in his Word, though ye have no probability of the thing; yea, though ye have probability of the contrary, remembring that Numb. 23.19. God is not as man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken, and shall he not perform [Page 298] it? And Psal. 56.4. In God I will praise his word. And Psal. 60.6, 7. God hath spoken in his holiness, I will re­joyce, &c. In a word, It's to little purpose to the chil­dren of God in a waiting posture, to offer to be acquaint with the Word, and make use of it, except they lean their weight on it, and be determined by it, otherwise a man may s [...]arve beside his allowance, he may see enough in the Bible to make him up, and yet not be the better of it, be­cause he will not captivat his sense, reason, and carnal imaginations, to credit and lay weight on it.

But to press and follow this forth, I proceed to the 3d thing I proposed to be spoken to in this Head of Doctrine, and it is the main thing; to the end we may lean weight upon the Word, and it may put an end to all controversies that may arise in our bosoms, we would fix this principle, that the Word of God is of Divine Authority, and of infal­lible verity and certainty: That's a Principle a man that would live by Faith must fix, that as it is Tit. 1.2. The Scriptures are the word of him that cannot lie. Here it is, that Faith resolving to wait on God, must begin his ex­ercise, to fix this well, that the Scriptures, and the Do­ctrine contained therein, are the Word of the faithful God, that they are of infallible verity, and Divine Authority; and therefore when the Apostle, 2 Pet. 1.19. is pressing u­pon believers, to take heed to the Scriptures, as a more sure word of prophecy than the voice that came from heaven; He intimats in the two following Verses, that that will be to no purpose, except they know first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation: The meaning whereof is not, that privat spirits must not Expone or give the sense of Scripture, for the Passage speaks not of the interpretation, or giving of the sense, but of the authority of the Scripture. In which sense Prophets were inspired to reveal the Word of God, and his will betwixt him and men, as Aaron was betwixt Moses and Pharaoh, when Moses [Page 299] was unto him as a God, (as the Heathen Sybills wer [...] cal­led Deorum Interpretes) and so the meaning is, that the Scriptures are not of any private inspiration by men, but from God, as is contained in the reason which he gives in the next Verse, For the Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. These sure words of Prophecy ( [...]ould he say) to which I invite you to take heed, are of Di­vine Authority, spoken by holy men, as they were inspi­red by the Spirit; and his ye must know and believe ere ye can receive light and comfort from them. Hence Paul dealing with Agrippa, Act. 26.27. presses him to look to the Scriptures Divine Authority, as being a solid ground of Faith, King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou believest; he threaps upon him that he be­lieved. This Principle being necessary to be fixt, our work in fixing it might soon be at an end, if we were quit of the wicked and perverse clamours of Papists, who expecting little kindness of the Scriptures (as I asserted the last day) are in tops with it at every bout, they will have none to read the Scriptures without their licence, and when they are read, they will not have them a perfect rule for Faith and Manners, without their traditions, not will they grant that they can be understood without their interpretations. And in the point I am upon, they will not have the Scriptures to be of Divine Authority, in re­spect of us (what ever Authority they have of themselves) more than the Fables of Aesop, without the testimony of their Church, so blasphemously speak they against that Scripture, from which they expect so little friendship. For us, we acknowledge it is a mercy that there is a Church to hand down the Scriptures to us, and that we have the testimony of the Church by her Ministry; [...] sure that testimony is not from the Romish Church only. The Ancients when they speak of Testimonies concerning [Page 300] the Doctrine of the Scriptures adduce the Testimony of the Romish Church (being then Orthodox) only among other Churches; and there are many other Churches be­side the Protestants, who acknowledge the authority of the Scripture, and yet do not acknowledge the authority of the Church of Rome, such as the Grecian, Ethiopian, Arme­nian Churches, and others; whatever the Church do in asserting the Authority of the Scriptures, she is in that like the woman of Samaria, Joh. 4. Who testified to the Sa­maritans concerning Christ, saying, Come see a man that told me all that ever I did, is not this the Christ? but when they came to him on her information, they said, Now we believe, not because of thy information, and saying, for we have seen and heard him our selves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world: They founded not their faith on her Testimony, though that was inductive to their meeting with Christ, but ascended to their own perswa­sion, which was founded on their hearing of him them­selves.

But to batter out this a little, which ye may have to do with ere long, & to let you see that the Scripture must not subject its authority to the Roman Church; I shall speak a little to these four: 1. I enquire whether they have given this Testimony or not? Further, Whether it be arbitrary for them to give it, or not? if it be arbitrary, and the Word have no Authority but at their pleasure, they put a cheat upon the World, by asserting the authority of that which hath no antecedent authority in it self: But if it be not arbitrary, but they are bound to give it, and have gi­ven their Testimony already (as Pope Innocent long ago pronounced his authority in his Decretal concerning the Scripture) Then they can no more be heard, pleading against the Authority of the Scriptures, determining in these Controversies that are betwixt them and us.

2. Who gives this Testimony? The Pope? or his Coun­sel? or both? Again, How came they to give this Testi­mony? [Page 301] They are perswaded, or not perswaded; are they not perswaded, and yet give it? then are they the grandest cheats in the world. If they are perswaded, how came they to that perswasion? If they go up to the Church pre­ceeding, how was that Church perswaded? and let them ascend as far as they can ascend, they must still fist at some who were perswaded of the truth of the Authority of the Scriptures, without any antecedent Testimony of the Church; as for Revelations witnessing the Divine Autho­rity of the Scriptures, they will not pretend to them, they call us Enthusiasts (though falsely) on that account, and if they had that perswasion from the Scriptures themselves, why may not others having the Spirit of God, discern that Divine Authority of the Scriptures, without the Testimo­ny of the Church, as well as they?

But I shall add 3dly. If any should ask who gave them that warrand to determine concerning the Authority of the Scriptures? If they should say to a Pagan, that is the Word of God, I say it, and I have authority to declare it; If the Pagan should say, where is your evidence that ye have that authority? if they cannot adduce any, may not he justly alledge, that they bear Witness of them­selves? All the evidence they afford to any is, that the Church of Rome is infallible; and when they are put to that, they adduce these passages, Mat. 16.18. Thou art Peter, &c. Luke 22.32. Joh. 21.15. well, say I, have these Testimonies Divine Authority to perswade men concern­ing the infallibility of the Church of Rome? and must men believe that antecedently to their receiving their testimo­ny concerning the Scriptures? If so, then not only them­selves who testify, but others who are to receive their te­stimony, must be perswaded of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures antecedently to that testimony. In a word, when they would prove their Authority, they run to the Scriptures, and in proving the Authority of the Scrip­tures, [Page 302] they recurr to their own testimony, and so run in a circle.

I might add a 4th. thing to discuss their Authority from their own principles; for the clearing of which, I shall hint at three words, I hope they will grant, that they who testify concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, must be Christians, not Pagans; Church-Officers, not Laicks; Now by their principles, how can they satisfie the Christian world, that their Pope is not an un-baptized Pagan? or a meer privat person. I shall not found my doubt upon Pope Leo the Tenth his Creed, that said, The Fable concerning Christ had been a gainful Fable; but upon their making the real administration of the Sacra­ments to depend upon the real intention of the Priest that administrats them: And so I reason, it is impossible mo­rally to know that the present Pope is a baptized Christi­an, or a Church officer in regard we cannot know, what were the intentions of him that baptized or ordained [...]im; and what a blind is it to cause the authority of the Scrip­tures depend upon such an uncertainty. 2. Consider again their sin of Simony, we find their Histories full (especi­ally in these dark times, some while b [...]fore the Reforma­tion) of their Symoniacal Popes, who by budds and bribes, and one by faigning a Voice from Heaven, to out his Predecessor, did advance themselves into the Chai [...]. Now by their own Cannon Law Symony makes void the E­lection, and nullifies all the Acts following thereon. Now suppose a Pope get into the Ch [...]ir by Symo [...]y, and [...]eats Cardinals who elect his successor, their Act, & his Electi­on are null and it is impossible they can be capable of any Ecclesiastical Act & particularly for testifying concerning the authority of the Scriptures. 3. I would know how the Christian world should know the Popes declaring con­cerning the authority of the Scriptures (since very few have access to him,) except we take the Testimony of humane Writings, or some wandring Priest with his Papal Bulls, [Page 303] and Lead affixt to them: Shall we give credit to these Bulls, carried by his Priests? because they have the ordi­nar Characters of Papal Bulls, and shall [...]e not for all the Divine Characters that are found in the Scriptures, cre [...]t them to be the Word of God▪

From all which, ye would learn to look upon the Ro­mish Religion, as a Religion wherein ye have no ground of certain [...]y to go on, and so that there is no Faith in the Romish Religion, but that which is ultimatly a humane Faith; for if they give us Scripture, how know [...] that it is Scripture? They tell us, their Church says so, [...] know we the certainty of the Churches Testimony? [...] Pope says so, and for that we have but the testimony of his humane Writings, and of his Priests Bulls; and suppose we should go to Rome, we should not get easie access to him; and though we should get access to him, we know not what he is, whether a baptized Christian, or an un­baptized Pagan, and the Priest that baptized him had not the due intention; so that ultimatly, all the Faith in the Romish Religion, result into an humane report; but, if the Lord will, I shall in the afternoon let you see other evi­dences of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, that we shall not need to go to Rome for their Testimony. Take the Bible, seek that Spirit that dictated the Bible, look on the Scripture as a true History, look o [...] it with that credit, ye look on Titus Livius, Quintus Curtius, Buchannan, or any other humane writing, and they will prove their own Divinity. This, I say (if the Lord will) I shall follow forth more distinctly in the afternoon; and therefore I leave it, and speak a word to profane Cavillers at the Scriptures authority. There is a word Christ hath in assort­ing the Divine Authority of H [...]. Doctrine, which ye would notice, Job. 7.10. My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me, if any man will do his will, be shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of my self. The mean­ing whereof is not, that folks must first obey, ere they [Page 304] know the Divinity of his Doctrine; nor is it, that the Word needs the charity of well disposed persons; but this is it, that he must be in a good frame, that would take up the Divine Authority of the Word; I mark it for this end, because there are so many Atheists, Anti-scripturists, mock­ers of Scripture, denyers of the Being of Spirits, immor­tality of the Soul, and of Rewards and Punishments after this Life; and it is to little or no purpose to discourse to them of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures. It is with them, as with that man, who said, non persuadebis, etiamsi persuaseris, although thou convince me, thou shalt not perswade me; they have done with their part of happiness, if the Scriptures be of Divine Authority; and therefore they will not be perswaded that it is so: for these I shall leave them to these two words, one is, Psal. 9.16. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth. They that will not see God in his Bible, shall see and find him in the execution of his Judgments upon them. The other word is Zech. 1. when verse 4. he has spoken of their Fathers, who when they were bidden turn, would not hear, nor hearken; he says, verse 6. But my words and my statutes, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned, and said, as the Lord of Hosts thought to do unto us according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us. I leave these malitious and desperat men, who are hardned in their impiety, to have the Scripture verified on them; but a man that does the will of God, that walks humbly and soberly, shall find, that there are as many Characters shi­ning in the Scripture it self, as may refresh and satisfie him, and all those who have their all in God. God bless his Word to you for Christ's sake.

A Person without skill will readily mistake the best contrivances, whoso without skill should look slightly upon a man building an House, and dig­ging very deep, to seek a sure foundation for it, whereby a great part of his expenses and pains, is hid under ground, would they not be ready to go and count that great cost? but when the foundation is well laid, the superstructure will stand the better. So may it be with many in reference to the purpose I am now upon, needy bodies would fain have something presently to fill their mouth, they are not for frist, but little do they consider, that the Doctrine of this Text lays the foundations that cannot be destroyed; The foundation of all their other food that they get from the Scripture: and because this foundation is not well laid, other things relating to their cases in the superstructure proves slip [...]y. I am now upon the great Task of the Psal­mist here, waiting for God. I have shewed the necessity of Faith and Hope, for that undertaking; the fastning of Faith and Hope, in waiting, on its sure ground, the Word of God. And I have laid before you the necessity of be­ing acquaint with the Scriptures; that it is your duty to be determined by the Scripture, and to judge of all things according to the verdict of the Word; and in prosecuti­on of that, I am led upon this great Truth, That the Scrip­tures are of Divine Authority, they are the Word of God; I laid by the pretence of the Romish Church, to assert the Authority of the Scriptures, whose principles lead men in the matters of Religion to a labyrinth of unextricable uncertainties. Now it would remain, that I should hint at some things to clear the Divinity and [Page 306] Divine Authority of the Scriptures, and the Doctrine therein contained; not to Atheists, to Whom I spake a word in the close of the mornings Exercise, but to sober minded folk, who would fain have their Faith helped in that concern; and as the last day I recommended your Bibles to you to be made more use of, that ye might have the word dwelling richly in you: So this day I would recom­mend to all, to take another, and a better look of their Bi­bles, that they may see them, and the Doctrine held out therein, clearly and distinctly to be Divine. One word I premit, which would lead me to that I would speak to here, and ye will find it, Psal. 119.152. You read it in your Translation, Concerning thy testimonie. I have known of old, that thou hast founded them for ever: but the Original reads it word for word thus. From thy testimonies I have learned of old, that thou hast founded them for ever; wherein ye may take notice of these three, 1. What he learned concerning the Scriptures, that God had founded them for ever, that is, That they were, and are an unalterable and everlast­ing foundation of Faith, having a Divine Authority stam­ped upon them. 2. When he learned this, of old, not on­ly from experience, but he learned it as the first principle he had drunken in, That was, would he say, the A, B, C. of my Religion, a Peter hath the word in that forecited place, 2 Pet. 1.20. Know this first, &c. 3. Whence he learned this, From thy testimonies, I learned it, saith he, I needed not another evidence; thy Testimonies, when my eyes were open, discovered to me their divine authority, and infal­lible verity. Hence ye may gather, that which I closed with in the morning. That if ye suppose the Historical verity of the Scriptures, they will prove their Divinity, to any who have the Spirit of God, or to any who receive the Scrip­tures as a true History, the Scriptures themselves will prove themselves to be Divine Writings.

So here ye have 1. The Historical verity of the Scrip­tures supposed.

[Page 307]2. Their Divine Authority proposed: and

3. The necessity of the Spirit to discern that:

1. I suppose that men receive the Scriptures as a true History, that is, that men will give that credit to the Word, that they give to any common History, handed down to their days, to wit, that there was such a Nation as Israel, that there was such a man as Moses, that gave them Laws, that was instrumental in working miracles, in bringing them out of Egypt, and in the Wilderness; that there was such an one as Jesus Christ, that preached in Palestine, was crucified at Jerusalem, that he had twelve Apostles that followed him, &c. This is to be supposed in this inquiry concerning the Authority of the Scriptures; neither is it irrational to suppose it. Though there be no vestige of that antient City of Troy now, yet who doubts but such a Ci­ty was: And that Homer wrote not a meer Romance (what­ever Poetical enlargements he has) when he wrote of it. Who doubts of Alexander the Great, though his Empire be now gone; and that Q: Curtius wrote of him. Who doubts of the Roman Wars and that Titus Livius wrote of them; when men get these Books in their hands, they look not on them as fables; and if so, how rationally do we plead, that the like Credit be given to the Scriptures, & that they may have the like acceptance; if any account this irrational, he must grant that he will not believe any thing done before his own time, nay that he will not believe any thing done in his own time, if he see it not done with his eyes, and thus a man questioning the Hi­storical verity of things, should nonpluss himself with absurdities, and declare that he were fitter for a Bedlam than to be Disputed with.

But 2. This being supposed, there is their Divine Au­thority proposed to be spoken to, the Scripture it self will prove it self, a true Divine word, they often do solemnly declare they are of God, that God spoke them to Moses & the Prophets, and assert that what they spoke are the truths [Page 308] of God, and that they do not cheat in this assertion, who­so will go through the Characters of the words Divinity, they will be convinced of it. But a man falling on that subject, must say, as Psal. 106.2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can shew forth all his praise?

I might here speak of the form and stile of Scripture, of the scope and end of it, leading to God, and Everlasting happiness, but I shall limit my self to the antiquity of the Scripture, the instruments employed in transmitting it to us, the matter of the Scripture, the efficacy and success of them, and the adjuncts of the Scripture.

1. For the antiquity of the Scripture, that is most true, which is most antient, and so is the Scripture, for how­ever error may plead antiquity, yet truth had still the fore­start of it, from the beginning it was not so, says Christ, Mat. 19.8. What Book so antient as the Book of Moses, out of which the rest are to be proven. The Hebrew was the most antient Language; Moses who wrote in the He­brew Language, was dead long before the Theban War, and Siege of Troy, the first thing written by the Heathen; and for the antiquity of the matter, it is the most antient, the matter first, whereof it treats, concerning the Creation of the Heaven and the Earth, the Creation of Man, and his fall, the effects whereof the Heathen have felt, though they could not ascend to the cause. The History of the Worlds Creation being first, Man that was made the sixth day could not have known, unless God had revealed it unto him: Nay Tit. 1.2. It speaks of Promises made by God, that cannot lie before the World began, and that these are not Impostures of men, their accomplishment in every age makes out.

2. For the Instruments imployed in transmitting the Doctrine of the Scriptures to us, some of them were learn­ed, as Moses, Daniel, Paul, though all their Learning could not reach that Doctrine, but generally they were simple illiterat men; and to convince us further, their Doctrine [Page 309] was of God, they could not be deceived, they would not deceive, and though they would, they could not deceive. 1. They could not be deceived, Why? Either they had their Doctrine from God, and a good Spirit, or from Sa­than, and an evil Spirit; if they had it from God and a good Spirit, (as indeed they did have it) they could not be deceived; and from Sathan and an ill Spirit, they could not have it, for he would not inspire Doctrine in men so destructive to his Kingdom and interest. 2. As they could not be deceived, so neither would they deceive; when im­postures comes out to cheat others, any with half an eye cannot but see some design in their cheat; but what de­sign could the instruments employed to carry this Do­ctrine have? They walked not in craftiness, they hand­led not the Word of God deceitfully; they affected not humane Wisdom, but by manifestation of the Truth, com­mended themselves to every mans Conscience, as in the sight of God, 2 Cor. 4.2. The world saw they reaped no advantage by their Doctrine, but a sore skin; they relin­quisht all their own interest, and worldly advantages, in their faithful discharge of their trust. And 3. As they could not be deceived, and would not deceive, so though they would, they could not deceive, and that because these things they preached, and wrote of, were not done in a corner, but before all; they came not out as the Papists, to tell of miracles in corners, which none saw but them­selves, but of things done in the open view of the world, so that if they had vented any untruth, there were myri­ads of men to witness against them, and give them the lie. Apian confesses many things concerning the Jews. The Pharisees confesse of the Apostles, Acts 4. That a notable miracle was wrought by them, which was manifest to all that dwelt at Jerusalem, and none could deny it. The Philo­sophers and Heathens confessed, that many things were true of the Christians.

But 3. Let us consider the matter of the Scriptures, and [Page 310] O! what beams of Divinity will we find shining there? look on it in the bulk, no such systeme of Doctrine con­cerning God and his Attributes; the Creation of Man, and Providence; the Fall of Man, and his Redemption; concerning mans Duty, the immortality of the Soul, the resurrection of the Body, Eternal Life and happiness, &c. as this Book holds out. Consult all the Philosophers, all the Druids and Brachmans, all the Magicians that ever spoke or wrot of Divine things, and put all their Doctrines to­gether in one, they cannot parralel this Book and the mat­ter contained in it, it is such a compleat Transcript and System of Doctrine; and this proves it to be of God, Why? Could the mind of man what way soever, have found out what is in this Book? no certainly, these wonders of Nature, parts & abilities, would never have left it to some poor illi­terat Fisher Men to discover & that they should bring forth such transcendent & sublime Truths, demonstrats the Scrip­tures to be the word of God, Look upon it in the parts, the Histories contained in it, though written by so many seve­ral men, living in so far distant ages & places of the world, yet have a wonderful harmony, holding out a true Chro­nology and supputation of time, which proves their divine authority, and infallible verity. Here ye have a true Hi­story of what the Heathen involved in Fables, for (if it were fit to insist on it) I could clear their first Saturn was Adam, and the next Noah, whose three Sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth were Transformed by them, Ham into Jupi­ter, Japheth into Neptune, and Shem (because they hated the blessed race) into Pluto, and that all their other Fables are but obscure and dark intimations of the Histories, which in the Bible are clear and plain; here we have Hi­stories not so much concerning great Kings and Princes, as of poor Believers, not so much concerning things that occurred, as the Providence of God in bringing them a­bout: And as Scripture Histories are exact, true and di­stinct: So Scripture dogmata, and Doctrines are so clear, [Page 311] many of them, and so consonant with Natures light, that in some measure, they may be known by it, as that there is one God, the first cause of all; That it is reasonable he should be served &c. That reasonable Creatures have im­mortal souls, and die not as beasts, which made the Hea­then to cry out, as Deut 4.8. What nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous? and others of them, though they be not known by natural reason, yet they are not contrary to principles that are naturally known, concerning the Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God; and being revealed, will be acknowledged to be very rational: Thus though man know not the way of Redemption, but by Divine Revelation; yet he may find himself an object of pity, (which alone can be expected from God) and of justice, if he find not out some reme­dy. Again, though some mysteries transcend the Light of Natural Reason, as the Trinity of Persons, the Incarna­tion of Christ, &c. Yet that will not bring the Doctrine in question, partly, because no Doctrine, even of the Hea­thens, but it hath its own secrets; and partly, because there are many things in nature which we see are, and yet we cannot tell why, what, and whence they are. But fur­ther, consider the Scriptures, and as we will find them clear, as to the Histories and Doctrines therein set down; so as to the Prophesies therein contained, we will find an exact answerableness of so many future events to their pre­dictions in the Word: The Heathens hold their am [...] ­guous Oracles so adapted to the events, that they might put their own Commentars upon them; but as the Scrip­ture is most distinct and clear in its Predictions, and in the circumstances of things foretold. So there is an exact answerableness in the event, as in that of Genes. 49.10. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Law-giver from betwixt his feet, until Shiloh come: How exactly was it ac­complisht at the birth of Christ? and these Predictions, and their exact accomplishments do evince, that these Pro­phesies [Page 312] could come from none but the supream God, who is Omniscient, and has a Dominion over the Universe, and who, because He purposed these things foretold, & brought them to pass.

But 4. Take a look of the success and efficacy of Scriptures and Scripture Doctrine, and that will tell it is of God. I know not well where to begin or close, in lay­ing open this Consideration; only I shall deduce it short­ly in these four steps:

1. The Doctrine of the Scriptures proves it self to be of God, by its prevalency in the World among men, and its prevalency when it had nothing extrinsick to back it, it hath come in on men when they read it, and hath been the ministration of death and terror, when all things were going well with them, and hath raised them out of the pit of despair, when all things spoke sadness to them; It hath had a singular power in it, to terrifie and humble the mind of men, and then to give them peace and comfort, that they have been perswaded (notwithstanding long fix: in contra­ry perswasions) to relinquish their former way with great joy, and to imbrace the greatest misery in the world, as their greatest happiness; and that it should make such a conquest on men, and bring in such fresh sweetness in the greatest bitterness, it proves it to be Divine.

To this secondly add the universality of this conquest in so short a time. Paul carried the Doctrine of the Gospel from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum, Rom. 15.19. and within 200 years or thereby, after Christ, it came the length of Scotland, and with whom did it prevail? not with a few of the meaner, but with many Learned Phi­losophers, such as Dionysius the Areopagite, Justin Martyr, many who used curious Arts, who brought their books together, and burned them before all men, Acts 19 [...]9. with great men, Kings and Princes, Constantine the Great and his successors, not with moderat persons only, but with enemies, with Judges, that sat upon Benches and condem­ned [Page 313] the Saints, it made them come down from the Benches, and go with the Christians to the Stakes; was not that a proof that the Doctrine was of God?

And I shall thirdly add, that the Scripture and the Do­ctrine thereof, was thus successful, when it had nothing extrin [...]ck to commend it, but was every where opposed; Pagan Religion flourishes, but where it hath the Authori­ty of Princes to back it. The Mahumetan Religion also prevailed at first, because it promises liberty from subje­ction to Superiors. The satisfaction of mens lusts and pleasures while they live, and a Paradise of pleasures when they are dead; but after its first prevailing, it hath not spread, but where the sword made way for it; but Chri­stianity a Sect every where spoken against, Act. 8.22. yet prevailing doth evidence it is of God. Consider again the men that carried this Doctrine, poor men, insignifi­cant persons, that were more ready to beget contempt of it, than reception of it; men that set not themselves to seek mens interests, but pressed them to deny all ungodli­ness and fleshly lusts. They held out no worldly encou­ragement to men, to imbrace their Doctrine, but on the contrary, told them, that upon the reception of their Doctrine, they behoved to undergo the hardest of lots, and evil usage in the world, whereof themselves were visible sampla [...]s, and yet Christianity prevailed, and the Doctrine of the Gospel had success, which proves it to be of God.

4. This Religion and Doctrine had such an impression, that whosoever embraced it, there was no parting of them and it; men might take their estates and lives from them, but could not part them and the Doctrine of the Gospel, and these were not fools, but men that in other things e­videnced themselves to be intelligent, sober understan­ding persons; but when it came to the matter of their Religion, no torments devised by men could move them to relinquish it, but they did run to the Stakes, and offe­red [Page 314] themselves willingly to the Fires, to the beheading Sword and other cruel deaths; and how could they have done this, if not supported by the efficacy of the Doctrine they had embraced, which proves it to be of God.

In the 5. and last place, consider the Adjuncts of this Doctrine of the Scriptures, the great miracles whereby it was confirmed; wonders may be wrought by the power of second causes, but miracles are only of God, being a­bove, if not contrary to the course of nature. How clear and convincing were these miracles wrought by Moses in Egypt? by Christ and his Apostles, so in that forecited place, Act. 4 16. The Rulers confess, that indeed a no­table miracle had been done by these men, is manifest to all, &c. Their miracles were so clear, so infallible, and ma­ny for kind, that it were blasphemous to think or say, God would afford them to confirm any Doctrine but his own. And to this I shall add the providence of God, in preserving the Scriptures, and the Church cleaving to the Doctrine thereof, against all the malice of Satan and wic­ked men bended against both. How long is it since they sought to root out Israel, and yet she is to the fore? How long since Antiochus made search for all Copies of the Scri­pture, destroyed some, and sought to destroy the rest, and yet it is preserved, and hath spread? How long since crouds of Errors and Hereticks have sought to adulterat and corrupt the Scriptures, since the days of Christ and his Apostles, and yet the providence of God hath so vigi­lantly watched over it, that it is kept pure and uncorrupt, and so transmitted to us at this day in th [...] primitive lan­guage from the Church of Rome, which no doubt would have done with the Scriptures, as they did with other Writings of the ancient Fathers, had they known that use would have been made of them against them: And to this I may add the providence of God against the Enemies of the Scriptures, and the Church professing them, Antiochus [Page 315] fell without hand, the Babylonian Monarchy no sooner med­led with the Church of the Jews, but it came to an end; and in all ages the providence of God hath been eminent­ly seen, in the judgments of God upon these that opposed the Scriptures, and the Professors thereof: These are some evidences that the Scriptures are of God, and of Di­vine Authority.

In the 3d place I told you, that beside the Historical ve­rity of the Scriptures supposed, and the Divine Authority of them proposed, there is need of the Spirit to discern these things. I shall not trouble you with the quirks used by the Papists against us, concerning the Spirits testimony; it is not by way of Enthusiasme, or any new Revelation, but by way of gift from God, opening our eyes to discern the wonders of his Law; and so it is not required to prove the Scriptures to be Divine, but to assure us they are Di­vine; because there be some to whom the Gospel is hid: not that a saving work of the Spirit is requisite to take up these evidences of the Divinity of the Scriptures, for a temporary may taste of the good Word of God, and yet fall away, Heb. 6. But a common illumination of the Spirit is necessary to take up these evidences the Scripture gives of its Divinity.

Now I have been long upon this Head which is Doctrinal, and though it be so, it shall not be in vain, if it be a mean to fix your Faith and Hope in this Principle, that the Scriptures are the Word of God, and of Divine Authority. The Scriptures are the Word of Truth, by which we are begotten, Jam. 1.18. His Law is the truth, Psal. 119.142. The Scriptures are a more sure word of prophesie, whereunto ye do well to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, 2 Pet. 1.19. When David is comforting himself against the rising of enemies, like the mighty Waters, and Waves of the Sea, he says, Thy testi­monies are very sure, Psal. 93.5. And then, they are a tryed [Page 316] word. Psal. 12.6. The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Ye would reduce these things to your practice, and seek to have the Word of God to be found that which it is called in your experience. But that which I intended to have in­sisted upon, is to leave a sad check upon the generality of you that see so little of God in your Bible. Something hath been said to hold forth the Divine Authority of the Scriptures; but I confess it's but a spilt commendation that hath been given this word: yea, it fears me, more hath been said, than even ye that have Bibles discern. O, will ye consider how men of old have experienced the Divinity of this word, and have found it to be of God, and have fallen down and confessed, worshipping God, saying, God is in you of a truth, 1 Cor. 14.25. All the fores that Christianity now hath, do not contribute to make the Word so successful as it hath been in times of persecution, where­fore it is so soon passed from by many in times of trial, be­cause the Divine Authority thereof is not stamped on hearts, and God is not made use of and imployed to write it upon the heart. Let this be looked upon partly as the practical use of what ye have heard, partly to excite you to bless God ye have this Word: Ye are not behind, so long as ye have your Bibles, though ye were straitned in many other things; and partly to humble you, that ye may blush and be ashamed, that the Divine vertue and effica­cy that wont to accompany the Scriptures, is so little found in this generation, and upon your hearts.

WAiting for God being the great and trying task of of the godly man, as ye have heard, who after­hend [Page 317] his wrestling with the deeps of difficulties, and with insupportable pressures of guilt, must learn also by pati­ent waiting for God, to wrestle with delays to the an­swers of Prayer, or the longed for outgate prayed for, whether as to issue, or comfort: These that are put to this trying task, and seriously engaged in it, had need to be well supported, that they may bide it out till they meet with the end of the Lord. This is it which I am now upon in these words, wherein the Psalmist, after that he hath profes [...] he is waiting, waiting for the Lord, & that his soul doth wait; he adds in the next place an account of his support in waiting, that therefore he waited, be­cause he hoped in the Word of God, I wait, &c.

I have spoken already to the first general Doctrine in these words, that patient waiting on God cannot be got­ten cherisht without the exercise of Faith and Hope; no man can say, I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, but he that can say, he hopes and trusts in God. I wait, (saith he) because I hope. I have also near put a close to what I would say from the second general Obervation, to wit, that this Faith and Hope that supports the patient waiter for God, that sends the believer, and carries him thorow in waiting for God, till the outgate come, must take the Word for its ground and measure; I wait, be­cause I hope, and hope, because I have the Word of God for the ground of my hope. Ye may remember, that from this I have spoken to these three (which I wish may not evanish with the Preaching.) 1. That really needy Saints, put to wait for God, and in waiting for him, put to live by Faith and Hope, will be much conversant with the Word of God; they must learn to be acquaint with the Scriptures, to know what is there for their direction, or encouragement, or both. 2. That these who would wait for God in the way of believing and hoping, must learn to judge of things according to the Word, and be de­termined [Page 318] by the Word, that it may be the ground of Faith, and beget Hope, otherwise it will be to little purpose for a man to be acquaint with the Scriptures from end to end, if he improve it not, but starve beside his allowance. And 3. For this end such as are put to wait for God, and to have their encouragement from the Word; that they may lean weight upon it, they would be fixed in this Principle, that the Word of God is of Divine Authority, and infallible certainty; they would believe and hope in in it as Gods Word, In his Word do I hope. And as the day before I pressed upon you th [...] use of your Bibles, that ye might be better acquainted with them, and with the grounds of your Faith and Hope therein contained; so the last day I insisted long to give you a right impression of the Bible, that it is the Word of God, and of Divine Authority; the Historical verity whereof being granted, which cannot rationally be denyed, the Scriptures will prove themselves to be of Divine Authority; and I would now intreat you to study these two Sermons well, that ye may have the Divine Authority of the Scriptures fixt upon your hearts, that ye may lay weight on them, feed on them, and converse with them with more delight: And then what shall I say for the need of proofs for the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, when the efficacy of it upon your hearts shall be a proof thereof, as the effects and suc­cess of it of old is a standing Witness, that it is not the word of man, but the Word of God, that works effectu­ally in them that believe.

I proceed now to a 4 thing which I have yet to add, and that is to put the two Points together, Faith and Hope, and hoping in his word; That since we have the Scriptures, and since the Scriptures are of Divine Authority, we would put forth Faith and Hope to feed upon that which is contained there; Faith to believe, and Hope to look for all that we find in so divine and sure a word, and that I [Page 319] may make something out of this (and so have done with this Verse) I shall hint at some things distinctly required, both to Faith and Hope.

And 1. For Faith, the Apostle tells, Heb. 11.1. That faith is the substance of things hoped for. The word ( [...]) properly signifies, that it is the subsistence of things hop­ed for; Things hoped for being held forth in the Word, Faith gives them a subsistence, before they exist in them­selves, which is not to be understood absolutely, for it is in the Promises of God, revealing the purposes he hath con­cerning these things, and the Power of God effectuating them, that gives them an absolute subsistence before they be; Faith gives them a subsistence instrumentally and re­latively, while it leads the believer to close with the Pro­mises, wherein those things subsists, and while it gives them a subsistence in the heart of the believing man. Now this subsistence Faith gives to things promised two ways. 1. More absolutely, while Faith enables the believing man, to look on whatever God hath promised, as no less certain than if it were in his hand, like these that reckon their riches, not so much by their present stock, or that which they have in their hands, as by what they have owing them by Bonds of responsal Debitors. So the Believer reckons God's Promises as so many Bonds, making the things promised as sure, as if they were in his hands, and this had need to be looked to by us; for I know not if eve­ry man that hath the Promises among his hands puts forth his Faith vigorously to believe them; a man may have the Promises, and not contradict them, nor doubt of them, while he lets them ly by him, and does not rouze up his Faith to actual exercise in closing with them, and rest­ing upon them; and when folks are not actually doubt­ing, Christ finds it necessary to rouse up and quicken them actually to believe, as Mark 11.22. Have faith in God, (saith he to the Disciples) look that your Faith be on foot, and in exercise, that ye take not the Promises lying by you, [Page 320] without contradicting them for Faith, but rouze it up to improve them: and Joh. 11.25. When Christ is holding out precious Promise [...] to Martha, That he is the resurrection and the life; That he that believeth on him, though he were dead he shall live, he shall never die: He finds it necessary to put her to it with this question, Believest thou this? I sup­pose thou wilt not doubt of it, Martha; but is thy Faith quickned, and put forth to exercise, on what I have said to thee, actually to close with it and rest upon it, as the true and faithful sayings of God?

But 2. Faith gives things a subsistence, not only by way of contemplation in bringing the Believer to believe they are true, but by way of application to himself; that is, it so gives a Subsistence to them, as the believing man gets the substance of them (as the word is Translated in that forecited place, Heb. 11.1.) for his present use, comfort and encouragement, till the performance come: It gives them a subsistence, when the substance of the things pro­mised is made out to the believer, as if they were perform­ed: ye use to account them dyvors and spend christs that forenail their rent continually; but Faiths vertue stands in forenailing, yet without diminishing the things promi­sed; the believer suspends not all the things in the Promi­ses till he get them in his hand the beeing of the Promise is a foundation to him, and Faith brings in the substance of the thing promised, 1 Pet. 1.8. Though he see not Christ, yet believing, he rejoyceth with joy unspeakable and full of glory: and it is a notable word which ye have, Joh. 3.36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He is not a man only that shall have everlasting life but he hath it already in several respects, in right and tittle and in the first fruits; his very believing puts him in a begun posses­sion of everlasting life; this is the unknown Art of the Life of Faith, that it fetches its food from far to him that hath it, it brings the first fruits of the promised Land, to the wanderer in the wilderness, a cluster of Grapes from the [Page 321] brook Escol, to the barren desart; it mounts up with wings as Eagles, to bring down life and quickning to our creep­ing and wrestling motions here below.

Thus ye have a very brief hint of Faith, of that Faith whereby ye are to live and feed on what is in the Word of Promise, though it be not accomplished. I shall only give you one instance of it, which may discover to many, how little they know of this Act of living by Faith, clo­sing with the Promise, and feeding on it ere the perfor­mance come. The instance is that of the Patriarchs, who lived before Christs Exhibition in the flesh, look upon it in Abraham, of whom it is said, Joh. 8.56. He rejoyced, or (as the word will bear) he skipped for joy to see Christ's day, and he saw it, and was glad; whether he saw it in the Promises only, or generally in the Sacrifices also, or par­ticularly in that Providence of the Ram, put in his hand to offer up in stead of his Son Isaak, Gen. 22.13. It is all a matter, he got such a sight of Christ in those, and so closed with the thing Promised that he skipped for joy. And the like instances we have given of all the Patriarchs in that word, Heb. 11.13. (which may make many blush when they read it) These all (says the Apostle) died in faith; They were not content meerly to have a life of Faith, but they died in faith, not having received the promises; or though they received not the things promised. But what did they? Having seen them a far off (to wit in the Promises, and in the Types illustrating them) What more? They were perswaded of them (the first thing I said before of Faiths giving a subsistence to things hoped for; and what more?) They embraced them, they hugged them, and what more? They confest they were pilgrims, or strangers on the earth; They saw as much by Faith in the Promises, which were not to be accomplisht in all their lifetime, as made them up, and made them to confess that they were pilgrims here; Try your selves by these measures, and see what ye have won to, like this Faith; believing and putting forth Faith [Page 322] to exercise, feeding on, and fending by Faith in the word of Promise.

In the next place, I shall speak somewhat to hoping in his word; The term in the Text is, In his word do I hope; as Faith gives subsistence to things promised, and doth not suspend all benefit and use of the Promises until they be performed; So hope looks out for the actual accomplish­ment and performance of the Promises. A Saint believing the Word, and feeding on that which Faith gives a sub­sistence to in the word, he looks out by hope for the ac­complishment of that which it finds to subsist in the word.

I shall deduce this as briefly as I can, (and leave this Note and the Verse) in these two, 1. Remember, that true Believers wealth lyes in hope, or things before their hand; They have no existence but in the word of promise; The first, or at least a very conspicuous mark of an adopted Child of God is, that he is put to his Hopes; to his Too-looks, and to live that way; he that 1 Joh. 3.2. can say, I am a son of God, and it doth not appear what I shall be, but when he appears, I shall be like him, for I shall see him as he is: Must add in the 3. verse, He that hath this hope in him must purifie himself, &c. He that according to Gods abundant mercy is begotten again, is begotten unto a lively hope. His Regeneration breaths out Hope, because his happiness is before his hand, 1 Pet. 1.3. And beside his too-looks to issues here that he holds by hope, his great too-look is his Hope, which is laid up for him in Heaven, Col. 1.5. and in that forecited place, 1 Pet. 1.3. He that is begotten again un­to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead; it is to the hope of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved for him in Heaven; his great hope is, the hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began, Tit. 1.2. His hope is a hope set be­fore him, Heb. 6.18. Now a Believers wealth lies in things before his hand, or the Saints portion lies in their hopes and too-looks, because God is reserving their happiness [Page 323] for the fittest place and season, he will have them brought where their happiness is, before he give them the wealth he hath promised; because neither could they be capable of it, nor guide it here: and while he suspends their Hope, he does them good by holding them waiting, looking out, and pursuing for these things promised; a pursuers life being the best life.

2. As the great portion of the Saints is before their hand, so their great work lyes in the exercise of Hope; It is not enough for a saint to be begotten again to a lively hope of an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved for him in heaven; but he must be putting out his Hope to feed upon it, to look and long for it. If ye consi­der Negatively, what a saint is without hope, in reference to temporal issues. David will tell you in that Psal. 27.13. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living; if my hope had failed me, I had been undone, and in reference to Eternity, Paul tells us, 1 Cor. 15.19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable; which may be understood both of things hoped for, & of the Grace of Hope looking for them; and hence Heb. 6.19. Hope, is called, the anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast, entring into that within the vail, to as­sure us, that if hope be not exercised, storms will drive a tos­sed soul, and make it run the hazard of shipwrack; but hope, the souls anchor, cast upon good ground, drives not, and preserves the soul from ruine. Hence also, Eph. 6.17. Hope, is called, the helmet of salvation, because it is that which keeps off many a deadly stroke off a saint. The head being the seat of the senses, especially of the judgment and memory; If a man keep his head, and a bit about his heart well, there is the less hazard of wounds in other places of his body, that they prove deadly. Now Hope is an Helmet to keep the head. And as considering Negatively, what a saint is without hope, we will find great need of the exercise of hope. So look on it positively; hope exer­cised [Page 324] and kept at work, brings in many noble advantages to the soul, as I said of the man that is a Believer, so may I say of him that is a hoper indeed; O what a made up man is he, he may say, I will wait, because I hope in his word; he is a great gainer by Tribulation, and may glory in it, when tribulation works patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope makes not ashamed, Rom. 5.3.— Ye have it recommended, Rom. 12.12. To rejoyce in hope, and that will produce patience in tribulation, and conti­nuing instant in Prayer; hope exercised, makes patience and prayer to thrive well, and a man to go on in his way, not heartlesly, but rejoycing. And Heb. 3.6. We are bid­den hold fast our confidence, and the rejoycing of hope firm un­to the end: & what shall I say of them, Heb. 10.34. who not only sympathised with others in affliction, but took joyful­ly the spoiling of their goods; Why? knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance, they had the hope of a better Treasure.

From all that hath been said on this, let me exhort you, who have been put, and may yet more be put to it, To wait for God, to study to be better acquaint with your Bibles, to believe the divine Authority of the Scriptures, and on that account, to put forth your Faith and Hope to exercise upon the Scriptures, that ye may feed on the Promises by Faith, and rejoyce in hope of the accomplishment of them; that will make you patient in tribulation and to continue instant in prayer: And for a close of all that hath been said to you on this matter; would ye know what ye are doing in this exercise of Hope, in your waiting for God, or the good things be hath promised; or what Characters ye have of it, I shall only desire you to look to these three;

1. Look to Hopes langour, if ye be waiting for God, and if your waiting be an affectionat waiting, if your soul be waiting and looking out in hope to that great and ulti­mat hope of Believers; try what languor is in thy affecti­on for the marriage day, What languor thou hast to see [Page 325] how the Crown and the Robe will set thee, to see God as he is, to see God incarnat in thy own nature, to see the Lamb, and to follow him wherever he goes, and to be made like him. Try what there is of warmness of affecti­on longing without fretfulness, haste, or passion upon the one hand, and careless indifferency and stupidity upon the other, that is a good sign of a lively hope, when thy af­fection is keeped warm in waiting for the things promised; Art thou saved by hope, then with the whole Creation thou wilt be groaning waiting for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of thy body, Rom. 8.23. — Thou wilt be looking for, and hastning unto the coming of the day of the Lord, 2 Pet. 3▪13.

And 2 Thou that would look to thy Hope, and have it of the right stamp, see what purging vertue is in it, look if thy languor resolves in thy study of the increase of San­ctification, that thou mayest be ripened and fitted for the issue that thou art looking out for, 1 Joh. 3.3. He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. And 2 Pet. 3.11 [...]eing all these things shall he dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, look­ing for, and basting unto, &c. Tit. 2.13. The grace of God that brings salvation, teacheth us, that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour. And Phil. 3.20. Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile bo­dy, &c. There is a Character of a lively hope, a Touch­stone of true languor, when thy hope bids thee haste to ri­pen fast for that thou hopest for, that thou may be like Enoch, walking with God, and who was not, for God took him; Gen. 5.24. That thy grace may be increased, till grace take needfire in glory.

And 3. Thou that would look to thy hope, see what mortification is in thy hope, what thou can submit to want [Page 326] and be weaned from, upon the account of thy hope; that hath been the practice of Saints in reference to out-gates hereaway, To study mortification, see it in David, while enemies sought his life, and laid snares for him, spoke mis­chievous things, and imagined devices all the day long; he was as a deaf man that heard not, and as a dumb man that opened not his mouth, to all the injuries done or devised a­gainst him. Why? In the Lord did he hope, and believ­ed that he would hear him, Psal. 38.12. And in refe­rence to a mans everlasting happiness, this also would be his study, 1 Pet. 1. compare the 3, 4, and 5. Verses, with the 6. Ye are begotten again unto a lively hope, to an inheri­tance incorruptible, undefiled, that fades not away, reserved in the heaven for you, who are keeped through the power of God to salvation, through faith, ready to be revealed in the last time; wherein ye greatly rejoyce, though now for a season, if need be ye are in heaviness, through manifold tentations. In a word, ye that are hopers in God, look well to these three, what warmness of affection and languor is in your hope, for the things promised, look what endeavours are to be prepa­red and fitted for them; and what mortification to the things in time, upon the account of the great happiness ye expect when time is gone, and your hopes shall be fulfil­led, and made out to you.

I Have now (as ye have heard) gone through several Heads upon this Branch of the Psalmists wrestling, and grapling with delays of comfort, or an out-gate, even when he is crying to God under trouble, and making a right use of discovered sin, and its ill deserving, wherein [Page 327] somewhat hath been spoken to these four; 1. His exercise, He is waiting. 2. The Object of this his exercise, He waits for the Lord. 3. His affection in this exercise▪ his soul is wait­ing. 4. His support in this exercise, he waits for the Lord, his soul doth wait, because he hopes in his word; I shall not repeat what hath been spoken to these.

I come now to the 5. and last Head of this wrestling, contained in the sixth Verse, wherein he gives an account of the measure of his affection in waiting; He hath said in the preceeding Verse, my soul waits for the Lord; and now it does not suffice him to repeat that, but will tell what measure of affection he had in that waiting, and he sets it out in comparison of them that watch for the morning; and says, that his soul waited more instantly and affectionat­ly for God, than they did for the morning light; Who these are that watch for the morning, it is not very neces­sar to determine. It was the lot of Shepherds, see Luke 2.8. They watched all night over their flocks; and Jacob, Gen. 31.40. Tells us, That in keeping Labans flocks, the drought consumed him by day, and the frost by night, and his sleep departed from his eyes; and these shepherds, especial­ly, when they had cold and stormy nights, would think long for the break of day, the light whereof would be comfortable to them, and refresh them again; there were Travellers in those desarts, that bordered on the Land of Canaan, who wanted the accommodations of Inns by the way, who were forced to lodge abroad in the fields: and these considering the uncomfortableness of the dark night, especially if stormy, and the hazard they were in by Ara­bian Thieves and Robbers, they would long for the day light. And besides, these in Wars, they had their Centi­nels and Perdeus for watching, and those of them especi­ally whom they set nearest the Enemy, lying nearest the hazard in the dark night, and being there alone, especial­ly if the Season was stormy; How instantly and eagerly would they long for the morning light, that they might be [Page 328] relieved, whether the allusion be to one or all of these, or to somewhat else, we shall not determine. The Psalmist fears not to assert his Soul in waiting for God, is more earnest and ardent than any of these; my soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning. And lest a­ny should think he had over-reached in so saying, he will repeat it, I say more, &c.

The substance of this Verse, having occurred before on these words in the preceeding Verse, My soul doth wait, where ye heard of the Psalmists affection in waiting for God, and how necessary and comfortable it is, when the Saints are right, to be able to reflect, and to give an account of what they are doing in trouble; therefore I shal pass it with a few short Notes, partly from what is alluded to here, partly from the Psalmists assertion of himself.

1. As to what is alluded to here, of these that wanted the nights rest, or being in hazard, were put to look gree­dily out, and long for the morning light. I shall give you what I would gather from it, in these three.

1. Ye may here read the hard and bitter toil, with which many of the sons of men are exercised in time, so that in the night appointed by God for rest, they are in a condi­tion that puts them to long for the morning light, I shall not speak of these, who Deut. 28.67. are so hard put to it, that in the morning they wish it were even, and at even they wish it were morning; but setting that aside, many of the Children of men are put to very hard and bitter toil, as Soldiers, Travellers through desarts, Ship-beaten men at Sea in Storms; Shepherds in these before-mentioned Coun­treys, many are so toiled, that their great expectation is to look out for an end of it. And what toil are many up and down the Land, and it may be among your selves put unto for a present throw-bearing, ye know it better than I can lay it before you; I mark it, that others that have an easier lot, may be excited to prize that mercy. Discontentment is a Viper that sucks poyson out of the best [Page 329] lots that befal the Children of men. How many can ly down and rise at their conveniency, exempted from the toil and bondage, that the generality of men are exposed unto; and yet if ye will seek for contentment, ye will not readily find it amongst them that have the best accom­modations, ye wil find men that have but very sober fare and apparel, and much labour and toil to win at it, for contentment to exceed them that fare deliciously and sum­ptuously, and wear fine apparel, and what is that but a curse upon them from God for their ingratitude, a plague accompanying them, and what they have; who consider not what toil others are put unto [...]or their little, and who have contentment in it, and yet they are not sa­tisfied with their abundance: And much more does it speak sadly to them, who when God affords them more ease and rest, than he doth others, will not take ease, but weary themselves to commit iniquity, who will be­reave themselves of rest, not because they cannot get it, but because they will not take it when it is given them; but either in their imaginations or practice, weary themselves to commit iniquity, as the word is, Jer. 9.5. And part­ly from this toil, the children of men are put into; I would press upon them, who experience this toil, to consider what a poor bargain they make, when having such toil and labour here, labour not to secure that rest which abides the people of God. I confess I may say to them that have ease and good accommodations, that with Heaven and ever­lasting Life, is very fair; and I shall add, more than conditi­on, for the Spirit of God hath forwarned us to lay our ac­count, that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God: But shall I lay to poor miserable bodies, that toil out their life for the bit and the brat (as ye use to say) That and Hell too is very sad, That and Everlasting Perdition is most dreadful. There is something to say when a rich glutton slips from his sumptuous fare and fine cloa­thing, down to the pit, Son, (says Abraham) remember that [Page 330] thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, and now thou art tormented. But for a poor miserable wretch that time never smiled upon, that was pudled in the earth, and ne­ver got up his back, in fending for his daily bread, and yet he gets Hell in end, that will be a Hell in the bosome of Hell, that such a wretch understood not the language of providence towards him.

But a 2d word I take from that which is alluded unto here, and that is, That the satisfaction of the sons of men in time, is generally, if not constantly before their hand, like these poor men alluded to here, what-ever be their lot in the dark night, that which they would be at, is the morning light. I need not astrict this to folk that are in toil and misery; take me the rich fool and his full Barns, it is not that which he hath in his hands at pre­sent, but his expectation of many years to come, that is his satisfaction, Luk. 12.19. Be thy felicity what it will, as to earthly enjoyments, consult thy Conscience, and it will tell thee, that it doth not satisfy, by drinking at these Puddles, thou but augments thy thirst, still thy satisfacti­on is before thy hand, and in nothing thou possesses; I mean not now of them that have placed their satisfaction in God, but of those that are seeking satisfaction in crea­ture-comforts: Have what thou wilt, it will not satisfy, when thou hast gotten such a thing as thou would have had, thou must still have another; and when thou hast gotten that, thou must have more of it: Hence the mind of man, when it is not centered on God, is still lusting and expecting satisfaction in this and that, in something it wants. This Note preaches to all sorts of folk; it's a docu­ment to them that are in a mean condition, and think, O were they the length of other folk, and had that which they want, and others have, then they would be well, and at ease: But consider thou, that these who have got­ten these things, and have not gotten God with them, [Page 331] never attained to satisfaction; and though thou had them, and have not God with them, where art thou for satisfa­ction? thy Straw-Pad, and their Down-Bed, are alike for giving satisfaction, and it may be thine, is the softest of the two; and art not thou a fool then in placing satisfacti­on in these things, when they that have them, are as far from satisfaction as thou art; and it may be further; thou art like the Bairn, who thinks, that if he were at the Hill head, he would be at the Sun when it is going down; but when he is at the head of the Hill, he is as far from satisfaction as he was; so it is with thee who art in a mean condition, and thinks thou would be satisfied if thy lot were like others. It may be also a document to dis­contented folk, that have (if they consider) what they would be at, and yet it will not satisfy; if they consider that they are creatures, and things of time, what means these dissatisfactions, discontents, and to-looks to many things in the midst of enjoyments? Certainly upon this hand it's a dreadful Preaching of an unmortified mind. O what a vast bottomless Gulf is an unmortified mind? It's like Hell and the Grave, that never have enough. And O that many would seek out the guilt that is in their dis­satisfaction, lament their discontents, and mourn over their abuse of rich allowances, the Crumbs whereof would be gathered up as a mercy by many, rather than be rest­less for more, which being had would not satisfy. And upon the other hand, it's a Proclamation to all, that hap­piness is not here; have what thou wilt, project or get what thou wilt, thou wilt drink all these puddles dry; suppose thou had all the profits, pleasures and preferments in the Universe, they will not satisfy nor quench thy thirst after more. Why? God by the vanity of what thou seeks after, is proclaiming that thy happiness is elsewhere. And as I said to them that are put to toil, and kept low, though they had the things that others have, they will [Page 332] not satisfy without God. So I repeat it to them that have many things to enjoy, and have no satisfaction in them, and yet will not sift their minds, to see if that be in God which they seek and miss in Creatures, they shall never have satisfaction that's in him only, which will satisfy and hold in thy mind from running out on many things.

And to press this further, I shall give you a third word from that which is supposed here, that is, that change as a man will in time, he will find any change still insigni­ficant. The weary Shepherds in the night might long for the day, but they behoved not to be careless in the day when it came, otherways some mischance might be­fall the Flock. These Travellers in those Desarts, might think the day sweet, in comparison of the dark night, and yet they might be set on by Arabian Robbers in the day, as well as in the night. The Centinel Pardiu's, when they were relieved from off the Watch by night, knew not but they might lose their life in Battel in the day: So that for as eager as men are for changes in time, change as men will in time, they will find any change they meet with in time still insignificant; and this is worth our consideration, as Solomon says, Eccles. 6.10. That which hath been is known already to be man. Change as we will, we will not get out of time, and so will not be free of va­nity, if we seek an happiness in time; let a man shift as he will in time, if he carry himself with him, he will carry his Cross with him, he will carry his unmortified mind, though he were in a Paradise of Pleasure, that will create a Cross to him; Why? He is but still in time, and there will be dissatisfaction attending any change to that man that seeks a happiness in time. I shall say no more of this, but were it well studied, it would cut short ma­ny of our anxious expectations, it would bring us to that which Solomon hath, Eccles. 2.20. (though I will not say to Solomons sense) that he went about to cause his [Page 333] heart despair of all the labour which he took under the Sun, it would make a man [...]ne hope of satisfaction in any change or lot, and discover unto him that he will never find it, if it be not in God; and therefore whatever his case be, and whatever he do as to duty, to be better, he would labour to find his present condition an out-gate; he would think with himself it is but time, and change as I will, I may be worse, and therefore it's my best, if I can, to clout up my present condition with the least dis­satisfaction may be win at, and he that doth so hath made a good bargain: Why? Shift as he will while he is in time, he will find Wormood in his Cup, and a Worm at the root of his Gourd, which will marr his satisfaction. So much to be gathered from that which is alluded to here.

I shall in the next place (having spoken to the sub­stance of the matter on the fifth Verse, except what re­lates to the measure of his affection in waiting) give you what the Psalmist proposes here in three words, and go briefly through them, if the Lord will.

And 1. See here that the Children of God can never be sure enough that they have that blest measure of pati­ence and affection in waiting for God, that they are free of passion, haste, bitterness, and fretfulness upon the one hand, and carelessness, indifferency, and stupidity on the other, and yet have their affections engaged, and set on that they are waiting for. It is not easie, I say, to win to this, and folks can never be sure enough that they are in such a temper, and therefore the Psalmist having said, v. 5. that he waits for God, his soul waits; he repeats it again in this vers. as a thing that he would be sure of. The ground of this is, that it's hard to keep off one of these extreams I named before, in waiting for God: either a man is ready to turn passionate, furious and fretful, or if he fall off that extream, he is ready to give way to loiter­ing, [Page 334] to fall lazy, stupid and careless. The man that in waiting is not hasty, and yet not careless, that is affectio­nate, and yet not stupid, is a rare man; and therefore they that took upon the Saints waiting for God as an easie task, they that sleep in, or slip in it without difficulty, they would look well to it, that any waiting they have be not a cheat. The Psalmist here finds it needful to look again and again, and make it sure, that he is waiting.

A 2d. Note I give you from that proposed here, that the affection of the patient man in waiting for God, should be in some sort suitable to the excellency of the thing he waits for, and suitable to his need of it. The Psalmist contents not himself, to say he is waiting, and that his soul is waiting, that his affection in waiting is not asleep, but he asserts, that his affection is screwed up in waiting, so that his affection in waiting for God, doth far transcend these that wait for the morning, and he bides by it▪ and repeats it. Ye know how David speaks of his waiting, Psal. 119.82. Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, when wilt thou comfort me? He looks out for God, as one looks out for a person that they expect home, while he became bleared and failed, and he looks upon that, as having a pathetick cry to God, saying, O, when wilt thou comfort me? And Psal. 123.2. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their Masters, &c. How greedily and eagerly these slaves looked for favour of them whom they served, so our eyes (say they) wait on the Lord our God, untill he have mercy on us. I say no more of this, but if God be infinitly excellent, and if that which he brings with him be infinitly excellent, above all other objects of out expectation, a creeping affection in waiting for God, is but a proclaimed contempt of God. Thou thinks thou ho­nours God, by making many addresses to him; but where is thy suitable affection to him, and that which thou waits for from him? Mal. 1.7. tells thee, that thou offers pol­luted [Page 335] bread upon his altar, and says, his table is contemptible. A man that waits not for God at all, speaks out what is in his heart, and that he is a beast, and worse than a beast; but thou that pretends to wait for God, and hast no suit­able affection to him in thy waiting, proclaims thy con­tempt of him; thou waits for him, but thou would wait with more affection for the poorest triffle thou would be at, or expect: And I shall add, that as waiting for God would be with much affection, with affection suitable to his excellency, so it would be suitable to thy need of him, and these things thou waits for from him. Thou sayest, God is thy excellency, Jerusalem is thy chief joy, the joy of the Lord is thy strength; but is thy affections suitable to thy need of him, and his consolations? when, if thy comfort be suspended, if thou can win at comfort in any other thing, thou waits not for him and his consolation.

3ly. I shall add, that when affection is indeed aloft for God, there is no hazard, no want of accommodation, that would pinch men so sore, as the want of God will pinch a man that is set to enjoy God. The Psalmist, whose af­fection is aloft, he waits more for God, than they that watch for the morning. I shall not dip upon this, it is a mercy not to get leave to sleep, till folk be out of an ill condition, when folks get no rest to the soles of their feet out of God. And I wish them who want him, more disquietness, nor many loiterers have, till they get to their feet, and seek for their Husband, and find him, and I wish them no ill, while I pray for this to them. And I shall add, raised af­fection for God; Who knows what a prognostick it might be of a sweet and comfortable out-gate; and that such a souls song should be with the Psalmist here, Let Israel hope, &c. Affectionat waiting for God, getting to the feet to run after him; O! What a cloud might that be, like an hand-breadth at first, that will cover the Sky, and at length bring abundance of rain? But want of affection [Page 336] leaves folk in a woful condition, to rot to dead. And I shall add, if affection should be put out thus for God, and if want of God to an affectionat waiter be a distress that pinsheth him above any hazard they are in, who are put to wait for the morning: Then certainly the enjoyment of God, according to the measure that a man doth enjoy him should make him drink and forget his misery, and re­member his poverty no more: And the man that enjoys God, Though the fig-tree do not blossom and though there be no fruit in the vine, and the labour of the olive fail, no meat in the fields, no flock in the folds, no herd in the stall. Hab. 3.17. Though the earth be removed, and the mountains carried into the midst of the sea, &c. Psal. 46.2. He will be as far above the men of the world in their enjoyments, as his affection while he wanted God, was above their resentments. I shall go no further, God bless his word unto you.

YE may remember in the first six verses of this Psalm, we have the Psalmists wrestling, which (as we shewed you before) hath three Branches; He hath been wrestling with difficulties, and plunging perplexities in his case, which are represented under the notion of depths, in the first and second Verse, he hath been wrest­ling with the Conscience, and sense of Guilt, putting back his Prayers, and offering to crush his hopes, and so inter­posing to obstruct his success and access, verse 3, 4. and in the 5, and 6. he hath been wrestling with delays, either of comfort, or an out-gate, or both, and (notwithstanding [Page 337] of all his hard exercise, in crying to God by Prayer in his trouble and perplexity, in taking with the dreadful desert of guilt, and claiming to pardoning mercy and forgive­ness) he doth therewith wrestle by patience and hope. He waited on God, and that affectionatly; and his patience in waiting was supported by hope in God, grounded on the Word of God.

Now in these two verses read, ye have the second part of the Psalm, containing the Psalmists delivery, or victo­ry; His delivery or victory is not expresly asserted, but it is very sweetly implyed in his improvement of the exercise he hath been under, and holding forth the good he hath gotten; when it is well with him, the issue he hath gotten, he doth not conceal it, nor only speak it out, but he im­proves and layes it out for the good of God's Israel; when he hath got a sweet sight of the good of waiting and hop­ing in God, he conveens them all, as it were, to come and write after his Copy, and encourages them to hope in God, upon the account of mercy and pardon, and plenteous re­demption; and redeeming Israel from all his iniquities.

So the words contain first, an Exhortation to Israel, in the beginning of the 7. verse, Let Israel hope &c.

2. They contain motives and encouragements, pressing the exhortation, by way of arguments, that this counsel should be hearkned unto; and these motives or encou­ragements, are taken partly in the first place, from what is in God: In the end of the 7. verse, Let Israel hope, &c. for with the Lord there is mercy, &c. There is mercy and power, and authority in God, to bring redemption to his people from all their sins and miseries. And the 2. Ar­gument is taken from this, that God will let out that mer­cy and redemption that is in him, for the good of his peo­ple: Not only is there mercy and power with God, if he please to let it out to redeem; but it is expresly asserted, that he will redeem his people, verse 8. He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities; a promise which howsoever it be [Page 338] made out to Israel in all ages, yet it is signally to be eri­fied to the Jews in their Conversion in the latter days; for the Apostle, Rom. 11.26. adduces this promise out of Isai. 59.20. As it is written, there shall come out of Zion the Deli­verer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob; That is, that shall redeem Israel (as was hinted) from all his ini­quities.

To return to the Exhortation, Let Israel hope in the Lord; I have been (would he say) assaying to hope in the Lord, and have found the good of it, for when I was waiting for God, I was supported by hope in his Word, and now I have gotten so good an account of my hope, that I dare recommend it from mine own experience to all, and I have such a kindness to Israel, that any experience I have got­ten by waiting for God, and hoping in his Word; I will not hoord it up, I will be no hookster of it, but recom­mend it to them as a common-good; Therefore let Israel hope in the Lord.

That I may get somewhat digged out of the Treasure here, I shall reduce the grounds of Observations to be ga­thered from this Exhortation, to four general Heads.

1. I shall touch upon what is implyed, and held out in the general scope of these words.

2. I shall speak to the Duty recommended, and that is, Hope in the Lord.

3. I shall remark somewhat on the Recommender of this duty; it is the Psalmist who had been trying Hope, and had found the good of it.

4. I shall add somewhat by way of reflection, on these to whom this Duty is recommended, Let Israel hope; it is the Israel of God, among whom (as the word is, Ezra 10.2.) there is hope concerning cases and lots, otherwayes hopeless and desperat.

1. For what is implyed, and is the general scope of this Exhortation; I shall (the Lord willing) deduce these two from it: 1. That the Psalmist is here delivered, and is a [Page 339] victor, or hath goten some good account of his former wrestling, waiting for God, and hoping in his word.

2. That the good account he hath gotten, he communi­cats his experience of it to the People of God.

1. I say, it is clear here, that if the Psalmist has not been actually delivered from all his pressures; yet he hath got­ten so comfortable an account of his hoping in God, that he dare from his experience recommend it to others to hope in him; he bears witness of the great good to be reaped by hoping in God. The Observation then is, That there will be a blest account of all the exercises of the Saints, and particularly of their waiting for God, and hoping in his Word. The Psalmist essayed it here, and is able to give a good account of it. This Point imports in the first place, That real needy Saints have many errands to God, they are never out of his mister, and holden going to him, which is a very enriching Trade, though it be not always pleasing and satisfying to their flesh.

2. It supposes this, that as they have much ado with God, so they are very earnest, till they get a good account of what ever it be they are waiting for from him, they are not such as can cry out of the depths, and be indifferent, whether they get a hearing, fall asleep, or turn stupid, but their pressures ly so sore upon them, that they cannot be laid by and worn out with time, but they must have access, and a good account of their suits.

And 3. As the point supposes these two; so it proposeth that there will be a good account gotten of all their exer­cises, and particularly of their waiting for God, and ho­ping in his Word, their exercises are not lost labour; The Lord bids them open their mouth wide, and he will fill it, Psal. 81.10. When he bids his people seek him, he can appeal to malice it self, to instruct, if ever he bade them seek him in vain, Isai. 45.19. If he put poor Job to exercise patience, he will make the world see the end of the Lord, that he is very pitiful, and of tender mercy, Jam. 5.11. He hath made it [Page 340] out in the manifold experience of all his Saints, that that song, Psal. 5.8. ult. Was and is still abiding them, verily there is a reward for the righteous, a God that judges in the earth. I might prove it further from the whole Book of Psalms, wherein what ever sad exercise the Psalmist has been put unto, in the beginning or progress of these Psalms, for the most part they all close comfortably with some sweet word, intimating an issue and victory. And where­as ye find Heman Psal. 88. Closing sadly, yet ye will find him. 1 Kings 4.30, Put in among these great wits, and understanding persons in his time.

But leaving all these, I shall give you these three words of Confirmation of this Observation.

And 1. I say, they are all living that died in waiting on God, and hoping in his word; I dare not say, that they were not affrighted, or that they were not humbled, but they are living that died in that way of waiting on him. Gather all Believers together, that have been from the be­ginning of the world, ye will not find among them all, a Saint that has perished in this attempt, in waiting for God by Faith and Hope.

2. Though the saints have been affrighted, and humbled, yet many a blest disappointment have exercised saints met with, and will meet with of their fears and perplexing thoughts. It is no strange thing to hear the waiting man say, I am cut off; and yet meeting with a blest beguile, Ps. 31.22. I said, I am cut off from before thine eyes, nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication, &c. The answer of my prayers, gave sense and suggestion the lie. Nay, it is no wonder that flesh tempted, tempt the waiting man, to say, all men are liars. So says the Psalmist, Psal. 116.11. But see and hear him, verse 12. What shal I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me. Behold a man casting the Bi­ble, and all the Promises at the one bout, and at the next, nonpluss'd with a burden of benefits and mercies.

3. I shall say this, that though exercised saints, and wait­ers [Page 341] on God have essayed, and may essay many means in vain, as to any present success, yet that proves not their case to be hopeless. The Bride, Cant. 3.1, 2, 3. Seeks her beloved on the bed, in the streets, and broad-ways, and at the watch-men, in all the means, and finds him not; yet when she went a little further, she found him. Though the waiter for God hath assayed all the means, without sensible success, he is not to tine hope for all that, but to essay them again, we may find that in the second essay, which we found not in the first.

For Use, If it be so then, that there will be a blest ac­count of all the exercises of Saints, and particularly of their waiting for God; I would enquire, who they are among you. 1. Who have any thing of this account to bring forth to God's commendation? There may be a woful genera­tion taking up that desperat Note, that ye have Mal. 3.14, 15. Who say, it is in vain to serve God, and what profit is it, that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully, &c. And like these, Isai. 58.3. Who say, Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not? and wherefore have we afflicted our soul? &c. But hast thou any thing to say for God, to refute that? Can thou say, It is good for me to draw near to God, to wait upon him, I have not sought him in vain; let the song fall on whose side it will, it shall not fall on my side, I will keep it up to his commendation, I will sing, and say, that his Name endures for ever; I was brought low, and he helped me, I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears, Psal. 34.4, 6. Blessed are they who have so good a report to bring upon God; who can bear witness for him, to shew that the Lord is upright, He is their Rock, and there is no un­righteousness in him, Psal. 92.15. But 2. Thou that hast not found this, thou art waiting on God in the use of the means; but thou hast little to say to the commendation of God, of hoping in him; will thou believe that there shall be a good account of all thy exercise in waiting, believe [Page 342] that thou shall not for ever return ashamed, that there will be an end of the Lord, and a good end, that thy expecta­tion shall not perish for ever, that though thou be laid in the grave with crushing, thy dead men shall live, there shall be an end, and thy expectation shall not be cut off; take the exhortation, that word to Mary, Luke 1.45. Blessed is she that believes, for there shall be a performance of these things, which were told her from the Lord. Thou that art running to God, and waiting on him, for an issue of thy pressures, and sees no appearance of the day breaking, but rather that the night groweth darker, do not think that it will be ay so. Do not follow out thy work and task, as a hopeless undertaking; follow not Christ as Thomas did, to die with him, but sow in hope; expect that he that hath opened thy mouth wide will fill it, and not with an em­py spoon, only do not mistake while thou art holden at work; needful exercise is still requisit, which will come in afterward, when I speak to the exercise of Faith and Hope; and therefore here I shall leave it, and proceed to the next thing which I marked, as implyed.

2. When the Psalmist hath got a breathing, and good account of his hope, he is very communicative of it, he poures it out in Israels bosom: That which I mark from it is, That the exercises and out-gates of the Saints, when they are blessed of God to them, they make them very pub­lick minded; when the Lord drops out any good thing to them, they would fain deal about them, for the good of Gods people, and make many sharers in it. Ye know there is a Communion of Saints, it is an Article of our Creed, it is a communion and entercourse, such as is betwixt the members of the body, that when one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, and when one rejoyceth, all re­joyce with it; What one hath, is (at least should be) communicat for the good of the rest, and of the whole bo­dy; and I might add, it is a sad thing when the duties of the communion of Saints must be looked on as a crime, [Page 343] and transgression: But that which I am now upon is, That this communion of Saints will be improved by all, who are lively, and who are blessed of God, in their exercises and out-gates, as we may see the Psalmist here, what good he hath gotten by waiting on God, he communicats it to Israel. I may confirm this two ways, 1. We find in Scrip­ture, when the people of God are in trouble themselves, they are never so throng about their own case, or so taken up with themselves, but they have spare time for the case of the Church, or others who are in the same or like exercise; If our blessed Lord suffered being tempted, that he might succour them who are tempted, Heb. 2.18. Then the saints when they are under tentation, pressures and hard exercise, will find that to be a call to them, to have a large and ten­der heart towards others, under the same exercise; yea to bring in the pressures of all that are about them, as ye may see in that holy man, Psal. 102. what a hard exercise he is under, from the beginning of the Psalm to verse 12, 13, and 14. — Ye will find the blessed improvement of this I am upon, thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Si­on, for the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come, for thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust, &c. All that he hath to do within doors, though his days be consumed like smoke, his bons brunt as an hearth, his heart smitten and withered as grass, his bones cleav­ing to his Skin; though he be like a P [...]lican in the wilder­ness, and an owl in the desart (as in that 102 Psalm) yet all that hinders him not to cry, That God would arise and have mercy upon Sion, but rather excites him.

And a 2d Confirmation of the Point, I take from Scrip­ture Precepts and examples, that press us to communicat what good we get of God, to others for their good, Luke 22.32. When Christ hath told Peter of his fall and reco­very, he subjoyns to that: When thou art converted, stren­then thy brethren: And whoso will read, Psal. 32.6. and the Verses following. Psal. 66.16. — They will find, that [Page 344] the Psalmist, when ever he hath gotten a proof of Gods goodness to himself, he is very careful to communicat it to others, in direction, instruction, encouragement, or com­fort, according as God hath communicat it to him; I shall say no more from this, but let it condemn the selfish Disposition of many, who being in trouble, the whole ben­sil of their Spirit is little enough for themselves, and they have no inlet for the griefs and pressures of others, and if it be well with them, if they be delivered, they are far from remembring Joseph in Prison: They do not endeavour this publick-mindedness, to communicat their experience for others good; such selfish frames provock God to give folk humbling exercises, to learn them to be publick min­ded. Now I have done with the first general Head of the Doctrine, implyed in the Exhortation, Let Israel hope, &c.

I proceed in the 2d place, to the matter of the Exhor­tation, or the Duty recommended, that is, to hope in the Lord, to exercise Faith and hope in God; of this, ye may remember, I have been speaking at some length upon the 5. verse before, which may save me a labour of insisting much on it now. But this of Faith and Hope being a work and task of the people of God, while they are in time, there can never be too much said to it. Therefore I shall offer to you two grounds of Observation, which I shall take from the Psalmists recommending of it to the people of God here over again.

• 1. His Exhortation implys the constant need, that the Saints will have of Faith and Hope in time.
• 2. That the Saints have a constant warrand of Hoping, and Believing in God.

1. Consider, though the Psalmist (as would appear) hath gotten a good account of his hope, yea, for all the is­sues he hath gotten before; and that the saints and peo­ple of God, in that generation, and before, had gotten of Faith and Hope, they had trusted in God, and He had delivered them from all their fears, and they were not a­shamed, [Page 345] yet still he presses Faith and Hope, as that which the Saints will still have need of, and wherein their life consists. The Observation then is plain, That Faith and Hope are Graces whereof the Saints will constantly stand in need, what-ever deliveries or issues they get in time. As here it is supposed the Psalmist hath gotten an issue, yet he will not have Faith and Hope out of request, with him, self and others of the Lords people. Ye know it is said. 2 Cor. 5.7. That here we walk by faith, not by sight; we must always have to do with the graces of Faith and Hope, as long as we live. In all the times of our life they will never be useless, nor out of fashion, and consequently these graces should never be out of esteem with us.

To deduce the constant need that we have of Faith and Hope, and so the constant obligation that lyes upon us to esteem of them, I shall branch the point in five particu­lars.

1. Consider, that whenever the people of God get any good account of their Faith and Hope in God, when they attain to any proofs of his help by Faith and Hope; then without all peradventure they are engaged to praise God, and will have an high esteem of these graces. It's no small part of God's praise, when he hath done his people a good turn, to speak it out to the commendation of God, as the Psalmist doth, Psal. 28.7. The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: And Psal. 2. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him: And with that Messenger to Mary, Blessed is she that belie­ved. If all the proofs of kindness that folks get by the ex­ercise of Faith and Hope, were well improved, it would be no small part of their improvement, to cry up to Gods praise, these noble graces of Faith and Hope in him.

2. Consider, that even when the Saints are put to ex­ercise their Faith and Hope in him in trouble; more Faith and Hope, to believe more, and hope more, is, and will [Page 346] be found an out-gate and delivery in its own kind: To love the way of believing and hoping in God better, is no small part of an out-gate. Thou it may be mistakes the success of thy endeavours, thou cryes to God from under thy pressures, and thou hopes in God, yet thou sees no out-gate; but art thou helped to believe and hope on? There thou hast an out-gate till more come. If thou do not weary to believe, if thy Anchor of Hope be not come home, but keeps ground. And I shall add, were thou falling more in love with Faith and Hope, thou were more delivered. When a man goes to God under his pressures, and puts Faith and Hope in exercise, and comes away content to believe and hope on till delivery come, he gets a double answer of his Prayer, and when he goes to God again, and comes away with a greater love to Faith and Hope, he is yet more delivered, though he get not an out-gate. It's like Elijah's Meal, in the strength where­of he walked 40 days, 1 King. 19.8. And that was an out-gate, when Christ said to the poor woman, Luk 8.50. Fear not, only believe, and she shall be made whole. So when David can say, Ps. 56.3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. He is a saved man, for all the fears and perplexi­ties that assaulted him, that's all a matter, he hath an out-gate. So long as he can trust in God, he will not fear what flesh can do unto him. So ye see there will be a constant need of Faith and Hope to the Saints, and a con­stant obligation lyes on them to esteem of them as a Plank to carry them to the Shore, and as an out-gate in them­selves. Several other things would be touched, for the clearing of this, which I remit to the Afternoon.

FRom what is supposed in this Exhortation, and from the general scope thereof already ye have heard part­ly, that there will be a good account of all the exercises of the Saints, particularly of waiting on God; and partly, that it is an evidence of blessed exercises and issues, when the Saints are publick-minded, and communicative of what is betwixt God and them, for the edification and good of others. I came in the morning to speak to the second Head of Doctrine, to be gathered from this Exhortation, that is the duty recommended, to hope in the Lord. From which (without any large repetition) I proposed to de­duce two Notes. The first on which I brake in, was, That Faith and Hope are Graces that the Saints will constantly need, and which therefore they will constantly esteem of, or at least should prize highly, for all the issues the Psal­mist himself, or the people of God, before or in the present Generation had gotten, he will have Faith and Hope in God looked on as constantly necessary. I deduced this first, in shewing how, many proofs of Gods help, attained to by Faith and Hope, should be an engagement to praise God, by highly commending of these Graces. And 2. By shewing, that in the greatest pressures of Gods people, to get grace to believe more, is a blessed out-gate.

I proceed now to deduce the Point further; and in the third place, this presses the constant necessity of Faith and Hope, and our obligation to esteem of them, that no issues, no deliveries or out-gates warrands us to lay them by, as if we had no more need of them. It is true (as it is 1 Cor. 13.) Love is the great Grace, because of the longest con­tinuance; [Page 348] and Faith and Hope will be laid by in the next life, as to the way of exercising them now, but that says not, that they will ever be unnecessar to us, while we are here upon earth. David took a wrong measure, when Psal. 30.6. He said in his pro­sperity, he should never be moved: Therefore when God hid his face, he was troubled. When the most glo­rious issues to be had here-away, are afforded, the Belie­ver and hoper in God must make for new storms, when he hath gotten a Harbour, he must look upon it but as a Creek, to take in new refreshment, and he must weigh Anchor, and make to Sea again, and exercise his Faith and Hope.

4. If we consider the relation that Faith and Hope have to Duty, it will discover the constant need that we have of them, and consequently the esteem that we should have of them. The Fountain of all acceptable doing of duty is, by abiding in Christ, by abiding in him we bring forth fruit, Joh. 15. and we abide in him by Faith. The foun­tain of all our doing duty, is Faith and Hope; Therefore saith Paul, 1 Tim. 1.10. We both labour, and suffer re­proach, because we trust in the living God. Would a man have his heart purged from pollutions? It's faith that pu­rifies the heart, Acts 15.9. Would a man go about any duty in Religion? he must draw his Furniture out of Christ by Faith. To go about duty with discouragement, is the way not only to render duty unacceptable, but to cut the throat of it: Not only a man must make use of Faith for furniture to do duty, but when duty is gone about, he hath work for Faith to renew his strength to continue in it; and when he hath done his duty, and hath denyed himself, and in his best performances is humbled for the iniquity of his holy things, he hath need of Faith to sit down under Christs shadow, to put it up in his hand, and to close with impu­ted [Page 349] righteousness. Thus ye see what need there is of Faith and Hope, in respect of the relation they have to duty.

And 5. There is constant need of Faith in relation to Sense, and manifestations of comfort and love. A man that wants Sense, and would be at it, the only right way is by believing, that he may see, by believing, that he may rejoyce with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1.8. Believing, that he may be sealed with the holy Spirit of pro­mise, Eph. 1.13. And when a man is win up to believing, and finds no sensible comfort, it's no call to cast away his Faith, but he must cherish his Faith more, and yet more, till God be pleased to send Sense: He must still hold the grip of Faith, if he would have sensible manifestations flowing out rightly and solidly to him: Again when he hath gotten Sense, he hath need of Faith still to try Sense, when he doubts of his comfort, whether it be a delusion or not, and whether it be of God, or a lie in his right hand; it is by Faith, and the rule of Faith, by which he must examine and try that: So that when he is hugged in his Fathers bosome, there is need of Faith, walking by its rule, to assure him that he is not deluded. And yet further, when he hath gotten Sense, and tryed it by the rule of Faith, he hath need of Faith still; he must not observe Peters way, while he was on the Mount with Christ, Master (saith he) it is good to be here, if thou wilt, let us make three tabernacles, Mat. 17.4. But he must lay his account to come down again, he must not reckon, now I see, and it will never be dark again, now I have peace, and I shall have no more perplexity; but after a Sun-blink, he must come down from the Mount of sensible enjoyment, and meet with desertion; and when he hath sensible manifestations, he must lay them at his Masters feet, and be content to return to the Trade of Believing; Even as the Bride, Cant. 2.17. when there hath been [Page 350] much fair Weather betwixt the beloved and her; what says she, Until the day break and the shadows flee away, turn my beloved, as if she had said, I look not upon this as my ordinary allowance within time, the day is not broken in time; The shadows are not fled away as yet, therefore I will submit to it, that thou turn or flee, that thou with­draw, only on this condition, that when I need, thou wilt come swiftly unto me like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether, or division.

Thus ye see how in all cases and lots, there is constant need of Faith and Hope, and that there should be a con­stant esteem of these Graces; all that I shall say from it by way of inference, shall be in the first place, to press you to study this necessity well, that ye may not mistake, that ye may not be surprized, what ever ye may meet with, if ye have Faith and Hope, God will not let it rust, he will give you clouds to see thorow, dark nights of Dispensati­ons to grapple with. And once fix your self in the perswa­sion of the constant usefulness and necessity of Faith and Hope, and it will help to break many snares and tempta­tions, and particularly your fretting and petting, and the casting away of your confidence. Let Faith be your one thing. O how cruel are they to themselves, that weaken their confidence, and cast away their esteem of Faith and Hope? They consider not the constant necessity of these Graces.

And 2dly. Particularly I would recommend to you, that (as I hinted in the forenoon) ye would take, grace to be­lieve for an out gate. Do never complain that ye are ill-guided, so long as Faith keeps the Feet; that were the mo­deration and sobriety becoming a Christian Spirit, That whatever means for an issue be used, that it be a mans sa­tisfaction to get grace to judge well of God, and of all his dealing; Paul counted it a great favour, 2 Cor. 4.1. That having received mercy, he fainted not; if folk knew what a woful life, want of delivery and issue joyned with un­belief [Page 351] makes, they would think them delivered folk, who get grace to believe, whose faith is not brangled; or though it be brangled, yet it is not put off the field. Ye that have advanced to believing, bless God for it, and follow it as your chiefest mercy.

And 3. I shall add as a consequence of what I had in the Explication of the Point, that ye would learn to hold a loose grip of all things that come to give Faith relief, when either ye meet with a temporary delivery from a dif­ficulty, or with a sun-blink of Consolation coming to Faith as its post, and saying, sit down and rest you a while, hold a loose grip of the one, and the other. It is but a fair blink in a Winter stormy day, and it will overcast again; Remember when ye have drawn your breath a little, ye must up, and make to your Faith and hope again, when ye have seen your Sun, he must be overclouded, and ye must wait on the Lord, who hides his Face from the house of Jacob, and through the clouds ye must look for him, Isai. 8.17. And therefore, as ye would not cast your Sun-blinks, because they are not lasty (as many do) so ye must take heed, ye sit not down upon them, like a tir'd body, set down to rest him, he sits not long, least he grow stiff; The sober mind is a fixt mind, he feeds with an eye to his journey, he takes his comfort, with an eye to the sight, wherein he knows not how soon he may be engaged. So much for the first Note on the second general Head of Do­ctrine, that the Saints will have constant need of Faith and Hope, and therefore should highly esteem of them.

The second is, That if Faith and Hope be constantly necessary, then there is need for a constant warrand for be­lieving and hoping in God; Now what is my warrand, the Psalmists Exhortation to hope in the Lord, imports the constant will of God, concerning this, as a duty, even a constant warrand to believe and hope, without any re­striction of time, lot, person, or condition, Let Israel hope, &c. The Observation then is clear, That it is allowed to [Page 352] the Saints at all times to believe and hope in God, at all times, whatever their lot or case be, or seem to say, there is no time wherein this duty wears out of fashion, or the Command enjoyning it, wears out of date; whatever times pass over them, or lots they fall under; it is a con­stant duty, and it is a sin to neglect it; If ye speak of Faith, for personal reconciliation, and the influence it hath on Duty, 1 Joh. 3.23. This is the commandment, that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ; if ye respect Faith, as it is exercised about the various lots and times, that pass over Gods people; it is a commanded duty at all times, Psal. 62.8. Trust in him at all times; there is no time wherein ye are dispensed with, not to trust in him; yea, even these times wherein ye will need God for a refuge, and if I might insist, I would let you see how Faith is a com­manded duty in the most desperat conditions and lots, Ps. 46.1, 2, 3. God is our refuge, a very present help in time of trouble, Therefore we will not fear though the earth be remo­ved, and though the mountains he carried into the midst of the sea, &c. The Believer in God thinks himself in a surer po­sture, than the course of nature: The World may turn up­side down, but the Believer is then sure, having God for a refuge and a present help Hab. 3.17. Though the fig-tree do not blossom, though no fruit be in the vine▪ &c. yet he finds warrand to believe, I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation, a fruit of Faith. Many would have been ready to say. What should I do believing? if the try­al had come half that length, but come what will come, he finds ground to believe, Luke 8. A man comes to Christ with his sick daughter, and she is a dead daughter, ere he come to the house, and they say, thy daughter is dead, trouble not the Master. But what says Christ, verse 50. Fear not, be­lieve only, Faith hath a warrand, when trouble goes from sickness to death, not to fear, but only to believe; David was tryed with formidable things, as Psal. 56. Yet that takes not away his warrand to believe; Therefore verse 3. [Page 353] He says, what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee; my fear shall feed my confidence, and not drive me from it. Look on him again as a man, whose troubles and fears had con­founded and run down; yet he looks not on himself as a man, that might quit Faith for all that, Ps. 61.2. When I am at the ends of the Earth, says he, when my heart is over­whelmed, when I have perplexity like to make me swoun, when I am surcharged and laid by with them; yet from the ends of the Earth I will cry unto thee, (an act of Faith) when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I; my heart and my flesh failing, shall not warrand me to cast away my confidence, and the Acts re­sulting thereon; and Job 3.5.14. Elihu says to Job, Although thou sayest, thou shalt not see him, yet Judgment is before him; Therefore trust thou in him, and that was Abraham's pra­ctice, who against hope, believed in hope, Rom. 4.18. when he could see no probability of the thing promised [...] it is in that case, in that Paroxism, the Believer is to trust in God; so ye see the Point is clear, that Faith is the al­lowance of the Saints at all times, in all conditions; and Faith hath still a warrand, to put forth it self to exercise. The rich good will of God, the immutability of God and his promise, bottoms Faith in all times & conditions; it was a good word that David had, when the sycophant Doeg came and told Saul of his coming to the house of Abime­lech, and flew fourscore five of the Priests; Why boastest thou in mischief, O mighty man, the goodness of God endureth continually; and seing it is so, Faith hath con­tinual ground to go upon.

For Use, I would give you these three words from it, The first shall be to represent this as a mercy. 2. To press upon this ground constant believing and hoping in God, as a duty. And 3. To speak a word to them that are trou­bled, because they cannot get this Command constantly obeyed.

1. I wold represent this as a mercy that its thy duty, to believe [Page 354] & hope in God at all times, though I fear, I have but few to speak to on this score, few would ever venture an hair of their head on Faith, or on God, if they could get any o­ther fend, so long as they could have any sinful shift ou [...] of hell, ( I had almost said in hell) it is to no pur­pose to speak to them of Faith; But are there any of you sensible of the ill of Unbelief, that when ye would sit down and take a lift of your self, or of your condition, or of any­thing that is dear to you, your unbelief and discourage­ment is like to break you; the discouragement of some, through the prevailing power of Unbelief, is so great, that they turn like dyvors, they dare as soon look on hell, as on all the perplexities that are in their case; I would say to such, does thou in this case resent it as a mercy, that thou knows it is thy duty to believe, and a sin to give way to discouragement and unbelief: O bless God, thou may venture on Faith, which if thou had not, it is sad to think, what thou would do next; I am now speaking to them that have any thing to do betwixt God and their souls, though I fear there be few that have ado with what I am now upon; And O that I could lament over you, and that ye could lament over your selves! But are there any of you pressed with your souls condition, and yet ye are too fool hardy in venturing upon unbelief and discourage­ment: One of two, either ye have never tryed these deep foords of discouragement and unbelief; or otherways ye are under a dreadful tentation; for of all the mercies next unto Christ, a soul that is crusht with discouragement and unbelief, will think this the greatest mercy, that it hath a warrand to believe; and if ye could bless him for that, who knows what it would produce? if ye would bless him, that ye know, ye have a command to believe, and that it is a sin to misbelieve, and give way to discourage­ment.

But 2. If it be a constant commanded duty to believe and hope, will ye constantly obey that command? Trust [Page 355] in him at all times; Whatever ye read in your cases or lots, or in the times, read this, never to cast away your confi­dence, but to believe and hope in God. Thou will say, I have few motives to it; but on what account does thou for­bear murther or theft, or any other gross sin? Is it be­cause thou wants temptations to them, or because God hath forbidden them? and hast thou not a command for believing? Thou must not abstain believing, till thy faith be budded; but because he has commanded, fall about it; Thou thinks thy Faith little worth, it is a blind guess, like the blind mans gropping for the wall. But shall I say. Faith in obedience to a Command, believing with the judgment against the stream of thy own inclination, is more acceptable to God, than if in thy believing, thou were sailing before the wind; ye will say, ye press a com­mand constantly to believe, but what should I believe? I have no work for Faith but I have work enough for Diffi­dence and distrust; I cannot stay now to deduce the Answer to this in particular instances, relating to several cases and times: but (as I marked before on this subject) there are general foundations that cannot be moved, Catholick Cor­dials for every condition, and labour to believe these▪ when thou cannot dip on particulars: As 1. Believe at all times, and in all conditions, that thou art in God's hand, Remember that word, Mat. 14.27. It is I be not a­fraid, believe that all the world cannot pull thee out of his hand; thou mayest think thou art in frem'd handling, A messenger of Satan is sent to buffet thee, a wicked man is sent to oppress thee, but believe thou art still in Gods hand. 2. Believe, that as thou art in God's hand, so he in whose hand thou art, doth all things well, that is his Motto in all his dealing, Mark 7.37. And he will not begin at thee, to give beguile to Trusters in him. 3. Believe, that his thoughts are not as your thoughts, neither, are his ways as your ways, Isai. 55.8. And therefore although thou can see no outgate, yet he sees it, and the way how to bring it about, [Page 356] and let him take his own way, and do not limit him to thy model. 4 Believe that he hath wisdom, power & love, that thou may venture thy all upon, and that it cannot be so well, as when thou ventures it upon these. 5. Believe that he is God and not man, thou would have out-wearied the patience of men and angels, having had to do with them, but he is God and not man, with whom thou hast to do. 6. Believe that all that he saith or doth to his people, or thee, [...]ver says, go a way. The scope of all, the sound of all, he does or says, is come, and go not away; desertions, tryals, scourges, or whatever else he sends, says, come. 7. Believe, that many a disappointment will he give to thy false and deceitful heart, when thou hast said, Wilt thou cast off for ever? will he be favourable no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his pro­mise fail for evermore? hath he forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? He will give these thoughts the lie, and make thee re-cant, and eat in that language with shame and repentance, and believe this, and say, I am treasuring up matter of repentance and mourning for my self, when God comes and calls me to an account for such thoughts of him. 8. Believe, that God is concerned in thee and his people and interest, more than thou art, his stake is greater than thine; art thou come un­to him? Thou art given to him and he will count for thee, and every one of his people; He that touches them, touches the apple of his eye. And remember that argument Joshua hath, Josh. 7.9. What wilt thou do unto thy great Name? Believe that, and it will put thy mind to rest; these are foundations, and Catholick Cordials, that thou may­est trust to at all times, and make use of in all cases, when thou knows not how to put forth Faith, as to particulars; And O! what sweet Cordials will flow out of them, for Faith and Hope to feed upon, in the darkest of dispensa­tions.

But 3. If time would permit, a word would be spoken [Page 357] to them, that are troubled, because they cannot get this Command of believing and hoping in God, constantly o­beyed. Thou art convinced it is a commanded Duty, but thou cannot win at it; Unbelief makes a slave of thee, when thou would comfort thy self against sorrow, thy heart is faint within thee, thou would look through the Cloud, but thine Eyes are dim, that thou cannot see through it; thou that art so overpowered with Unbelief, look that it be thy weakness and not thy wilfulness; How shall I evidence that, will thou say? Here is a proof of it, mourn over that which thou cannot overcome; thou art overpowered with Unbelief, and cannot help it come, and sit down before God, and cry, violence is done thee. Tentation and Unbelief prevails with thee, and thou cannot master them, but they overcome thee: lament that to God; if thou debate with Unbelief, it will turn like a Snow Ball, that grows the more, the more it be rolled; but mourning over it to God, is the best way to get it o­vercome: I thought to have deduced this at more length; and shewed you, it is an evidence of a blessed frame, to be mourning for Gospel sins, as well as for sins against the Law; but the day being short, I shall detain you no longer. God bless what ye have heard.

I Am now entered (as ye heard) upon the second part of the Psalm, wherein the Psalmist, who, just before was wrestling with very humbling things in his case, is now triumphant and victorious; and though it be not exprest, that he has gotten an outgate, yet he implyes it very legibly in the improvement of it, in his communica­ting the good that he had gotten to Israel the people of [...] [Page 356] [...] [Page 357] [...] [Page 360] an hour of temptation, may be lookt on as a very great folly, and a poor shift for a man to betake himself unto, and a man may then be tempted to cast them away; but when men have tryed them well, they will see cause to revock all the misconstructions that they had of Faith and Hope, and to commend them from the rich advantage they have found in them, if ye will consider David, an e­minent example and pattern of believing, and hoping in God, ye will find these three in him; one is, that he was as much put to it as any, to live the life of faith; ye will find, that sometimes there is nothing betwixt him and fainting, and over-giving, but believing; as Psal. 27.13. I had fainted, unless I had believed, &c. Ye will find that he had nothing for a casten-down soul, and dis­quieted within, but hoping in God, Psal. 42.43. Ano­ther is, that as ye find him often put to it, to live by faith and hope. So ye will find him now and then under a temptation, that he was at the next best under this shift, and tempted to quite it. How often is he put to that of the Church, Lam. 3.18, I said, my hope and my strength is perished from the Lord. So 1 Sam. 27.1. I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul. And Psal. 116.11. I said in my haste, all men are liars. Behold what a sad conjuncti­on is in this case, and what a low opinion he hath of faith and hope in an hour of temptation. But in the third place, take him again at the turn of the Tide (as ye use to speak) ye will find him in another tune, Psal. 116 10. I believ­ed, therefore have I spoken: Not only esteeming of faith for his own use, but a man that dare commend it to o­thers, as Psal. 27.14. Wait on the Lord, be of good cou­rage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.

All that I shall draw from this Head, shal be first, to recom­mend to the people of God, who have hard pulls in time, to assay this Trade of trusting in God, and hoping in him; [Page 361] it hath not an enemy but an ignorant, one that's a stran­ger to it, that knows not the worth that is in it, & the rich advantages that follow it; were it more tryed, it would have more to commend it, therefore let it be more your study; and thou that would set about the Trade of believ­ing and hoping in God, must not take the report concer­ning faith and hope, from every fit of a temptation, thou must lay thy account to meet with many a fiery dart, and with many a reproach cast upon thy confidence, and to have thy self counted a fool for cleaving to that way, but hold at it, and the more thou do so, thou shalt like it the better; not only wilt thou not need any to commend it unto thee, but thou wilt commend it to all that will take thy advice and counsel.

And 2. They that have been essaying faith and hope, and have gotten good of it, they would be afraid in any after-assault they may be put to, to bring up an ill report upon the way of faith and hope; thou may let these that never got good of it, suspect it; but thou that hast been helped to believe and wait on God, and hast seen an end of the Lord, and found the good of believing, that can with the Psalmist, Psal. 28.7. say, My heart trusted in him, and I am helped. How guilty must thou be, if thy faith and hope be to seek in a new strait? If after thou hast found the good of believing, thou be put out concerning it in a new trial, when that Song is cast up, Psal. 107.1. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy en­dureth for ever: who-ever let that Note ly by the second Verse tells thee, Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy. Who ever have a slender opinion of faith and hope, it ill becomes thee to have it, who has tryed it, and has found the good of it, or to be to seek in esteeming of it in a new trial.

But now I proceed to the 4th thing I proposed to be spoken to from this Exhortation, that is, the considera­tion [Page 362] of the persons, who they are, to whom this hope in God is recommended, Let Israel hope in the Lord, saith he: Hope in God is not an Anchor that will be budded on every one. It's true, none are secluded from coming to seek a right to hope in the right method, and due order; but there is an hope of the hypocrite, that will perish; that will be like the giving up of the Ghost, and that hope is only for fair weather, and for little to do, but this hope of the Saints is the peculiar allowance of the Saints at all times. Now for what is mean'd by Israel here, I shall not deny, but in the first place we are to understand, that Nation of Israel, a peculiar people to God, who in various Ages, while they continued a Church and Nation, were meeting with work for their hope, and with many rich advantages and proofs of the good of hoping in God; and in the latter days, when as it is Rom. 11.26 All Israel shall be saved; they shall find this made out to them, that they may hope in God. But it is not to be restricted to them only; since their off casting, there is an Israel come in their place, as the Apostle tells us, Rom. 9.6. That they are not all Is­rael, which are of Israel, all that Nation were not true Israelits in Gods account: So Phil. 3.3. There is a circum­cision even among the Gentiles, who do worship God in the spi­rit, and rejoice in Jesus Christ, and have no confidence in the flesh. And Gal. 6.16. he tells, There is an Israel of God, Gods peculiar people, of whatsoever Nation, upon whom, walking according to the Rule of the new Creature given them, there shall be peace and mercy. Again we may consider Israel either Collectively, or Distributively; Con­sider Israel Collectively for the Church of God, correspon­dent to the ancient Nation of Israel: Then by Israel we are to understand the invisible Church, the society of Gods converted Elect through the World, yet not excluding particular visible Churches, who partake of the priviledg­es of the true Israel of God, according to their purity, and [Page 363] the number of true Israelites that are among them. Again, Israel taken Distributively, takes in every Child of God, who in his own place, according to the tenor of the pro­mises made to Israel, hath no less ground to hope in God, than Israel taken Collectively hath.

In the prosecution of this Head, three things occurr to be spoken to,

1. That Israel is a Society that is allowed to hope in God.

2. That this hope is the common allowance of all and every one that is indeed an Israelite, as well as of the Bo­dy of Israel in general. And

3. That it concerns every one that would claim to hope in God in all exigencies, to make it sure that they are true Israelites indeed, and may put their names in those passages and promises, wherein Israels priviledges are con­tained.

For the first, Israel are a people, that however mat­ters go, have ground to hope in God, however things fare in the world, or whatever may be said of the desperat case of others, Israel is a Society that may still hope in God. Hence when Ezra, Chap. 9 is laid by with mour­ning for that generation that had mingled with the abo­minable Heathen, a godly man, Chap. 10.2. comes and tells him, It's true, we are guilty, yet there is hope in Isra­el concerning this thing: Had such a thing fallen forth a­mong others, it had been a presage of dreadful news; but in Israel there is hope of pardon, hope of redress, hope of making up this breach, in Israel things otherwise despe­rate, are not hopeless, Jer. 31.15, 17. Though in Isra­el there be a Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are not. She looks upon it as needless to offer to comfort her, when her Children are gone; yet even when they are not, and she thinks, that rationally she refused to be comforted. Verse 17. There [Page 364] is hope in thy end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border. It's Israels priviledge, that she can say that none else can say: It's Israels Song Psal. 129. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up, may Israel now say: She might say it, when others might forbear it, yet have they not prevailed against me▪ Nebuchadnezar got me swallowed down quick, but I proved spending mea [...], and he was forced to cast up that sweet morsel, The plowers plowed upon my back, and they made long their furrows, but the righteous Lord hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. It's Israel's priviledge, as it is Isa. 51.22, 23. To have the cup of trembling taken out of her hand, and put into the hand of them that afflicted her &c. It's long since, if it had been prestable or practicable, that Israel should have been sweept off the earth, Psal. 83.4. There is a com­bination, Come, let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance; and yet Israel is to the sore, hoping in God. It is true, it's dan­gerous to be peremptor in applying this to particular visible Churches, for God has taken away his Candlestick from many visible Churches, for their provocations, yet there are two things that we may safely go upon in the application of this; one is, That where God in his glo­ry is much concerned, as having signally interposed for a people, to make them his own; there is ground of hope that God will not cast off that people for their provocati­ons. For this consider Exod. 32.12. and Numb. 14. v. 13, 14, 15, 16. When God is threatning to cut off his people for their provocations, Moses interposes and inter­ceeds with God, O let not that be, saith he, Why should the Egyptians say, for mischief he brought them out, to stay them, in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth, because thou was not able to bring them into the land which thou promised them; as if he had said, Lord, thou hast been eminently seen in owning this people, and if thou [Page 365] shalt ruine them, it will eminently reflect upon thy Glory, as well as it will destroy them. And Joshua Chap. 7. when Israel is smitten upon the account of the accursed thing, [...]nd he hath strong apprehensions, that the Nations about will environ them, and cut them off; his great argument ( v. 9.) is, What wilt thou do unto thy own great Name: Thou hast been eminent in owning thy people, and if they shall be ruined, thy great Name will suffer. And Psal. 74. Those complaints of the desolation of the Sanctuary, and the insolency of the Enemy, are closed with that, How long shall the enemy reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name for ever? This is one thing then that we may hold, that where God hath been eminently seen in working for a people, he will see to his great Name, that there be no ill report brought up upon his guiding [...]em, as if for mischief he brought them out, to slay them upon the moun­tains. And another thing we may close with, which is more general, that whatever God do with a particular visible Church, he will never want a Church, though he should take his leave of one Nation for their provocations, he will go to another. So long as he is a Head, he will not want Members; so long as he is a Husband, he will not want a Spouse; so long as he is a King, he will not want Subjects. There must be an Israel, who will have ground to hope in God.

There are many things which might be inferred from this, I might from it exhort all wisely to consider of the case of God's Israel, and that they would beware of con­cluding that there is no hope for them in God. Beware of looking upon them, with a look of rejoycing over them, and speaking proudly in the day of their distress, Obadi­ [...]ah vers. 12, 13 There is hope in Israel, though Israel were as dry bones, and as dead men, their dry bones shall live, they shall up again; and therefore take heed both what judg­ment thou passes on them, and what thy carriage is to­wards [Page 366] them; they may be laid low, as for their own sins and provocations, so for a trial to thee, to bring out what was lurking in thy bosome before, and thou durst not bring it out while thou got such an opportunity; and when he hath done both, he will make it appear, that there is hope in Israel.

But to leave this, I would press upon the people of God, to improve this their priviledge and allowance of hope in God; tine not heart, cast not away your confidence, which hath a great recompence of reward. I press not carnal confidence, or carnal hopes upon any, I pray the Lord, the troubles many are under, may crush these; but yet I would bid you cherish the hope of God's being great in Israel, cherish divine hope, that is bottomed on the Word; ye who have it, your hopes are better than other folks possessions, your Bible is better than any security ye could seek without it: And in deducing this Use, I would in the first place recommend to you that are Israelites, that ye would mind your work, Isai. 43.21. This people have I formed for my self, they shall shew forth my praise. Israel are set apart for celebrating Gods praise, and to celebrate his praise in that particular, by hoping in him, when their souls are cast down and disquieted in them. Thou art not at thy work in thy generation, who are not shewing forth Gods praise, by thy believing and hoping in him. 2. Ye would remember how peremptory, resolute and in­plicite Israel may be, and should be, in hoping in God▪ Israel must believe, when she cannot see, and when she cannot give a distinct account of what she believes, she must believe, when she cannot give the grounds of it. I shall give you an account of Israels Faith and Hope, in the words of Mordecai to Esther, Chap. 4.14. If thou altogether hold thy peace at this time, then shall there deliverance and enlargement arise to the Jews from another place; But &c. It would have [Page 367] puzled his wit, and the wit of all the Israelits, to tell from what airt deliverance and enlargement should come to the Jews; If Esther should hold her peace, how was it possible they should be delivered; if God should not make use of her, the Heathen in an hundred and twenty seven Pro­vinces would soon cut them off, when a decree was past to do it. But though Esther should hold her peace, Morde­cal believes enlargement will come to Israel, perish they cannot; therefore delivered they must be, though he could not tell from whence it should come. The not con­sidering of this is a dreadful temptation to many; when Israel is low, not only to cast away their confidence, but to betake themselves to some sinful shift for their security; but it were better for thee so long as thou hast the Bible, for the ground of thy hope, to hold the conclusion, that Israel shal not perish. 3. I recommend to Israel, to consi­der how they may be called, to stoop ere they quit their hope of delivery, 2 Kings 6. Give wicked Jeboram a pro­mise that Israel shall be delivered, and relieved of the fa­mine, he will go in sackcloth, in hopes of performance; but let it come to that, that one harlot contends with ano­ther about the eating of her son, have at Elisha's head, he will not wait for the Lord any longer; but Israel in his hope must stoop low, his anchor of hope must have a long cable, (If I may so word it) to reach the bottomless Sea of hopelesness, Israel must not lose hope, when it comes to that, Ezek. 37. That she is like dry bones in a valley; and the question is, Let these bones li [...]e; yet they did live. And Psal. 141.7. Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the Earth; we are like the Spales of Trees about the Hewer, hand; then Israel is low; yet verse 8. Mine eyes are unto thee, says he, O God the Lord, in thee is my trust. Nay, Is­raels hope must not be quite, when natural hope is gon [...]. Abraham, Rom. 4.18. Against hope believed in hope; he had hope when his hope is contradicted by another hope. And [Page 368] Jon, 2.4. I said, I am cast out of thy sight, yet will I look a­gain towards thy holy temple. And I shall add but this one word, Israel must not quite hope for growing trouble, Mic. 4.10. When the Daughter of Zion is in pain, like a wo­man in travail, and thinks she is low enough already within the City, she must go forth of the City, and dwell in the field; yea, the Lord will not have her to quite hope, though she go even to Babylon; for there shall she be de­livered, there the Lord shall redeem her from the hand of her enemies. Thus ye see how ye are called, what ever your condition be, to cherish hope, and to let your hope be seen in all the Gospel fruits of hope, in repentance for sin, in taking encouragement for duty, though ye should have the storm in your teeth, for so doing. God bless his word to you.

WE are here upon a very useful Counsel, a coun­sel dictated by the Holy Spirit of God, and com­municat by a man that had tryed the good and ill, both of having and wanting it; ye have heard how the Psalmist being delivered, is communicative of his ex­perience to others; ye have heard also, as ye will have constant need of Hope, so there is a constant warrand for it: And ye have heard further, that whatever be the o­pinion of others, yet whosoever have most tryed Faith and Hope, they will commend them most, and be most free in recommending them, to those that have most use for them. I entered in the morning to consider the persons, to whom hope in God is recommended, Let Israel hope in the Lord. Whether that Nation while it stood a Church, or the Israel of God; The Gospel Church, or the true mem­bers [Page 369] thereof; I closed with this, That go things as they will, Israel is a society that still may hope; many may think that there is no hope for them in God, That they are fallen down, and shall no more rise up; but Israel are never a hopeless society.

I proceed now to the 2d thing I mentioned in this Head, to wit, That Hope in God is the common allowance of all the people of God, not only taking Israel collectively, but distributively, one by one, they are allowed to hope in God; yea, (which will further clear the ground of the Doctrine) although many that were true Israelits, did indeed come short of the Psalmist; and therefore though he might hope, it might be thought they should stand a [...] back, yet he is free to encourage any, how mean and low soever they be, provided they be of Israel, to hope in God. I confess, this Point is to be understood, with much cau­tion and warriness: There are general Promises made to the Church, that every particular Believer may not ap­ply, but with many restrictions. There are also Promis­es made to some saints on particular accounts, to which every one may not claim; but if we consider the great bull [...] of the Promises, which are the ground of hope, and the main scope of all the Promises; the Scripture takes in one and other, as to sexes; the Promise is deduced. 2 Cor. 6.18. I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, &c. where the weaker and stronger, and sexes are equally taken in, also as to the Degrees of grace, if it be true, it takes in all, Psal. 115.13. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great, the small as well as the great are taken in to the share of Blessings; The precious Oyntment poured upon Aarons head, stays not about his shoulders, or the principal parts of his Body, but goes down to the skirts of his Garments, to the meanest and lowest Members; Psal. 133.2. And hence it is, that a Promise made to a great Joshua, (1.5.) in order to a great employment to possess the people in the Land of Ca­naan; [Page 370] I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee; though one would have thought that that was a peculiar allowance to a Joshua, that might grip to that in so great an under­taking; yet Heb. 13.5. None of the persecuted Hebrews are secluded from it, Let your conversations be without cove [...] ­tousness, and be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee: he that said that to the great Captain of his People Joshua, said it to the meanest believing Hebrew; I might deduce this more distinctly, and shew that the weak Lambs are so far from being excluded, that there is a Promise, that they shall be carried in his bosom, when the stronger shall get leave to walk on foot; and because the heavy with young, will be put hardly to it, he will gently lead them, Isai. 40.11. These that are sensible of their eminent worthlesness, that are but dead things in their own eyes, and that think the crumbs that fall from the Childrens Table too much for them, they may think to find in God a magnifying of mercy, for e­minent worthlesness, in stooping to them, and being gra­cious and merciful to them; yea, these that have little or nothing of their own, if they be sensible of it, and lying at the Fountain for supply, they may look for the more of him, the less they had of their own; the weaker they be, his strength shall be the more perfected in weakness; the more ignorant they be, and as beasts before him, they may look to have the wonderful Counseller taking the conduct and guiding of them; and as it is, 1 Cor. 12.13. These Members of the Body, which we think to be less honour­able, upon them we bestow more abundant honour, and our uncomly parts have more abundant comliness; so, the meanest member, providing that it be a member, may look for more of him, than if they had much in their own hand, so far are they from being neglected.

[...] shall not insist any more on this, there being something before my hand, which I would speak at more length un­unto, I know not if there be any among you that are loath [Page 371] to look out to those riches in the Promises; but ye would know, that hope in God is the allowance of all the Isra­el of God, that on the nail fastned in a sure place, and who is given as a glorious Throne to his Father's House, not only will be hung the Vessels of Flagons, but the off-spring and the issue, and all Vessels of small quantity, Isai. 22.24. That in noticing his followers, he will lose none, he will despise none; the dust shall be as near to his Footstool, as the most eminent, and things shall go well, thou shalt not want, so long as the supply is betwixt him and thee, if he have, thou needs not fear want; these may much en­courage them, who look upon themselves as the out-wails and draiglers of the Flock, and have not the confidence to look to the priviledges of the Children. Thou ma [...] hope in God, and lay claim to the Promises made to Is­rael, as well as the most eminent Believer, if thou be stu­dying to be an Israelite indeed.

And this leads me to the 3d thing that I proposed, to be spoken to upon this Head, That is, That however hope in God be the common allowance of all Israel great and small, yet it is the allowance only of them, who are Is­raelites indeed; and therefore all that I have spoken hi­therto, concerning an allowance, to hope in God will be of little purpose to thee and me, except that we can make it out, that we are of the Israel of God, who are al­lowed to hope in him; it is dangerous for dogs to take the childrens bread: No but when folk endeavour to be children, they may have hope; but when they cheat them­selves with hoping they are children, and take a blind guess to lean to, in stead of hope, it is dangerous. Remem­ber what I marked in the morning, from Rom. 9 6. That they are not all Israel, which are of Israel, there is a Jew outwardly, and a Jew inwardly, and there is a circum­cision and baptism, which is outward in the flesh, and there is a circumcision and baptism which is inward of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter, a circumci­sion [Page 372] whose praise is of men, and another whose praise i [...] not of men, but of God, Rom. 2.28, 29. And therefore hope being the great cordial that is allowed to the Israel of God, I would have all excited in order to the making of it sure, to make sure work in this business, to prove and try whether they be Israelites indeed, upon whom this cor­dial is allowed, and here, if I should follow out this pur­pose at large, it would lead me to give all the marks of Re­generation, the marks of an Israelite indeed; or if I should insist on these Characters of the true Circumcision, that worship God in the Spirit & rejoyce in Jesus Christ, that have no confidence in the flesh, Philip. 3.3. A man can­not get true Religion in shorter bounds nor in these words, whether ye read them backward or foreward, or both backward and foreward, as bairns do the A, B, C. A true Israelite must have no confidence in the flesh, all must be flesh to him that's not Christ, and he must deny all confidence in it, whether they be fleshly priviledges, or any thing but Christ; and his renouncing confidence in the flesh, should lead him to believe in Christ alone for Salvation, and rejoyce in him; and the truth of his re­joycing in Christ, should appear in worshipping God in Christ, with inward and spiritual affections. And go backward, his worshipping of God in Spirit, leads him back to rejoyce in Christ Jesus for his salvation; and his rejoycing in Christ leads him back to renounce all confi­dence in the flesh, and to look upon believing in Christ, as no hopeless bargain: But I say, if I should insist upon these, I should digress too much on this Head: Therefore in deciphering who are true Israelits, that have ground of hope in God, I shall confine my self to these two;

1. The time and occasion of Jacob's getting the Name of Israel, when he wrestles with God in prayer.

2. The Epithet of a clean heart that is given to Israel, Psal. 73.1. A little to these two, as time will permit.

For the first, if ye will read the 32 of Genesis, the first [Page 373] time Jacob got this name of Israel was when he is at Pray­er with God; and compare it with Hos. 12.4. Ye will find some notable Characters of an Israelite indeed, and espe­cially of an Israelite or regenerat man, when he should be at the exercise of Hope, in particular difficulties and exi­gencies.

And first in general, Jacob got that Name when he was at his Prayers, that was the posture wherein he was, when instead of Jacob, he got the Name of Israel, a prince and pre­vailer with God; the Lord tells it him, verse 28. He was a man, who when he had any thing to do in the world, he seyed God first with it, he laboured to discuss all his diffi­culties at the Throne of Grace. A Prayerless frame, al­though it be not alwayes an evidence of a graceless man, yet it is an evidence of a graceless frame, wherein the ground of Hope is much under the water, in a cloud, and in the dark; a Praying Supplicant is an Israelite indeed, in nearest capacity to put forth Hope on God; thou that can go through thy difficulties, and not begin at God to discuss them, to seek an account of thy pressures and griefs, remember Sauls pretence, 1 Sam. 13.12. For his sa­crificing, he would force himself, and offer a burnt offe­ring without Samuel, before he made not supplication and intreated the Face of God for favour and peace; now this of Prayer being the general, the other particulars that fol­low will deduce it more distinctly.

2. When he is called Israel, he is at occasional Prayer; Jacob as he was a godly man, he had his ordinar addres­ses to God; Isaac his Father had his times of going out to the fields to pray, Gen. 24.62. and David at evening, at morning, and at noon will cry aloud, Psal. 55. [...]7. But Jacob's ordinar diligence in prayer, will not serve him, when a particular emergent of Providence presses him, but he then doubles his diligence, we find him twice at it, once verse 9. when he hears that Esau was coming against him, he runs first to God by prayer; and another application [Page 374] we find verse 24. — when he had sent over his Goods, and his Wives and Servants over the foord, he falls a wrestling with the Angel of the Covenant, until the break of day; what shall I say to many Israelites in profession, who have not an habite of ordinary conversing with God in prayer? But what shall I say further to them, who though they have ordinary addresses to God; yet when they have peculiar occasions of prayer put in their hands, do not double their diligence in that duty. O! but diffi­culties growing, and diligence in Prayer not out-grow­ing them; when eminent difficulties put not folk to double their diligence in prayer, what wonder they get a sad ac­count of them, and that their neglect of prayer obscure the evidences of their being Israelites indeed.

But 3. Consider that this prayer of Jacob's, when he gets the Name of Israel, as it was an occasional Prayer, so it was a secret prayer, it is when verse 23. he has sent all that he had over the brook, verse 24. he is left alone, and there are none with him, that he wrestles with the Angel till the dawning of the day, that is like an Israelite indeed, and like an Israelite that hath very clear ground of hope, when whatever be betwixt God and them in publick, or in the view of others, they have ay somewhat to lisp to God in secret, some counsel is betwixt God and them, they have somewhat to say to him, and seek of him, to which they would not willingly have others witness, that is an Is­raelite indeed, whose inside is best, whose secret diligence is that wherein he meets with most of God, who loves to retire himself out of the croud of publick worshippers, to mutter somewhat in his Fathers bosom; look to it, what conscience ye make of secret prayer; some have no occa­sion of prayer, but that which is secret, other some, be­side secret, have the burden of publick prayer, and ye know how it lies in the mire, totally neglected in the Fa­mily, and when ye put God out of the family, what won­der ye get worse company? But ye who are about Fami­ly [Page 375] Prayer, consider how it goes with you in secret Pray­er, think with your selves, here it is that I am put to the Test, here I must give an account, if I be an Israelite indeed, when I want the wind of applause, when I have no ob­server but God, and am without fear of censure, now I am to look to what is under my tongue; diligence in secret prayer, is the character of an Israelite indeed, who hath ground to hope in God.

But 4. If ye consider these prayers of Jacob's, ye will find, that it is a very humble prayer, O! but he is very humble when he begins, and when he comes away from prayer. The Preface verse 10. is, Lord, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies; The Original (as it is in the Margin) emphatically reads it, I am less than the least of all thy mercies, and all the truth which thou hast shewed to thy Servant; O! but there was an humble man, the least of all the mercies that had been droped on him, so bulks with him, that he is less than the least of them. Was not that a fit man (if I may speak of the fitness of sinful dust) to speak to God? yea, as he began humble, so he comes off humble; though he wrestled fervently, and would not let the Angel of the Covenant go, till he blest them, yet he came off halting, he gets an humbling halt in his wre­stling, that made him lame all his days, and why? even to teach us that the most eminent, and near access, that true Israelites gets to God, puts them, and keeps them in the dust; look to it, puffed up persons, that do not, that cannot be at a low sail. I shall not determine on your Grace, but sure it is not like an Israelite indeed, and con­sequently it is not like them, that have eminent ground of hope; the humble Supplicant is the Israelite indeed.

And I shall add 5th. when Jacob got the Name of Is­rael, he is not only praying, but he is very fervent in pray­er, he is wrestling in prayer; it is so called, Gen. 32.24. And he so wrestled with the Angel, that he would not let him go till he blessed him, verse 26. And that's another bl [...]st [Page 376] Character of a blest Supplicant, that is an Israelite in­deed, when his Supplication is fervent; ye have a re­markable word to this purpose, Jam. 5.16. where encou­raging folk to pray one for another, he says, The effectu­al fervent prayer of the righteous man avails much; an Israel­ite, and lukewarm prayer, an Israelite, and coldrife prayer agree ill, an Israelite put to his prayers for the blessing, & for his hopes, that hath all lying on his prayers, as ye talk of them, that have their fortune lying on their sword, so hath the Israelite indeed, all lying on his prayers; he hath nothing but from the hand to the mouth, till he get it by Prayer; he is like Israel in the wilderness, whose Manna must come down from Heaven, else he will starve: for such an one not to be fervent in prayer, O, what a So­lecism i [...] it?

But 6. These prayers of Jacob's, on the account where­of he got the Name of Israel, were not only fervent, but penitential, he is said, as a prince, to have power with God. verse 28. And Hos. 3.4. He had power with God, and he had power with the Angel, and prevailed: and how? He weeped and made supplication to him, he grat upon the Ang [...]l ill he came speed; and he wept not only fervent­ly, but penitentially; ye know how J [...]shua (ch. 7.) wrestled and came no speed, because Israel had sinned, and had not repented of it, till the accursed thing was taken from a­mong them. Ye know how Judg 10. Israel cry for help, God will not hear them, till they repent, and put away the strange gods from among them. Levit. 26, 40.— It's when they confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fa­thers, and that they have walked contrary unto him, and when their uncircumcised hearts were humbled, and they accept of the punishment of their iniquity, that God re­members his Covenant. There are many Prayers seem fervent like, which considering the pressures folks are un­der, are but tint Prayers, not Israelites Prayers, because [Page 377] they are not penitent; we lay our Thumb upon our guilt in Prayer, and till guilt be taken with, and repented of, God will not hear.

But 7. This Prayer of Jacob's, wherein he got the name of Israel, was a fiducial Prayer; he began to pray, vers. 9. by reflecting on the command God gave him, to return to his Countrey, and to his kindred, and he would deal well with him, and therefore he was sure God would protect him. And Hos. 12.4. He deals with the Angel of the Covenant: And though all the Characters named before were in a person, if this one be wanting, it will not make up the Israelite indeed, who hath ground of hope to come speed with God. Time hath exceedingly pre­ [...]ented me, but I hope not to ill purpose; I shall reverence providence in it. Ye have heard much, how ye will be put to it to hope in God, and how it's the allowance of Israel; and I have letten you see how ye may be Israelites to hope in God. Particularly, I have laid Jacob the first Israelites prayer before you, that ye may learn to write after his copy, that ye may feed on it, and bring the first fruits from Heaven, by intercourse with God in Prayer, rightly regulated and ordered. God bless his Word to you for this end.

THE Psalmist, as ye have heard, when he sees through his own wrestling, he cannot, will not be but pub­lick-minded to the Lord's Israel; and if he hath gotten any good in wrestling with God under difficulties, guilt and delays of comfort or issue, the very good he hath got­ten, enlargeth his heart, and makes him publick-minded [Page 378] towards others; and what ever be the hight of his own enlargement, he doth not forget, that Faith and Hope will be still necessary; neither doth he forget, that there is a constant warrand for Faith and Hope in God, and that they are of so universal and constant use; and what-ever others may think of that exercise, or what­ever it might be he himself thought of it, when he was in the midst of the trial, yet he now in his practice makes it out, that these who try Faith and Hope most, will esteem them most, and will be most confident in recommending them to all others of the Lords people.

That which now I am upon, is the consideration of the persons to whom hope in God is recommended, it is to Israel, whether we take them Collectively or Distributive­ly, one by one; ye have heard that hope in God is the common allowance of all the people of God: Not only is Israel a society, that may still hope, however matters go, or what-ever their case be, but hope in God, according to the nature and tenor of the promises, is the common al­lowance of all and every one of them; and in pursuance of this, I broke in upon that great point, and our duty, that seing however hope be the cōmon allowance of all & every one of Israel, yet it is their allowance only who are Is­raelites indeed. Therefore these that would claim to that allowance of hope in God, they would make it sure that they are Israelites indeed, that though they be not all Israel that are of Israel, yet that they are Israelites in the spirit, though not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. And forbearing to speak abstractly of the marks of regeneration, I offered two things to be spo­ken to, for clearing up who they are who are Israelites indeed, and may claim to this allowance. One is, the occasion of Jacob's getting this name of Israel, when he was with God in Prayer; to which I have spoken, and led you through some Characters of Israelites indeed, who have [Page 379] ground of hope in God, which I gathered from his Prayers.

Now I am to touch a little upon that other thing I pro­posed to be spoken unto, to find out these Israelites, to whom hope in God belongs, and that is the Character gi­ven to them by way of Explication, who they are, Psal. 73.1. Truly God is good to Israel, and who are there? Even such as are of a clean heart. I shall not offer to make any common place of this, but in reference to my scope in following forth this point, as ye heard the last day, that the Israelite indeed is a praying man; so ye would take a look here of an Israelite indeed: First, as a self-purifying man, one that purifies his heart. An Israelite indeed, his great work is about his heart, he is one that desires to look as God doth, 1 Sam. 16.7. Man looketh on the out­ward appearance, but God looketh on the heart; and so doth the Israelite indeed, he desires to have that Character, Rom. 2.28.— Not to be a Jew outwardly, or to have that circumcision or baptism which is outward in the flesh; but to be a Jew or Christian inwardly, and to have that cir­cumcision and baptism of the heart, to be one in the spirit, and not in the letter, to be one, whose praise is not of men, but of God. An Israelite indeed, is one whose great study is, to keep the heart with all diligence, as Solomon enjoyns, Prov. 4.33. for out of it are the issues of life.

2. A true Israelite in looking after his heart, is a man that finds very much pollution there, and that needs to be cleansed and purged. He is a man that the further he goes in searching after himself, he finds still the greater and the greater abominations. He is a man, that though he bless God (as he hath reason) that he is kept from outward out-breakings; yet when he looks within him­self, he never wants that which makes him humble, and to carry a low Sail, so long as he finds his heart a Cage of unclean Birds. He is a man in whose ears doth sound a­loud [Page 380] that word which ye have Jer. 4.14. O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved, how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? He is one that abom [...]nats, and is sensible of the manifold pollutions of his heart, not only upon the account of the many and gross evils that he finds there, of the suspitions of hypo­crisie and formality in the performance of duties, that he is afraid he please himself with; or on this account, that his heart should be Gods Throne, and kept at the Brides Chamber for the Beloved, and he finds it no such thing; but further upon this account and consideration, that he finds his heart can act more wickedness in a short time, than many bodies could commit for a long time.

3. The sense that the Israelite indeed hath of his heart-pollutions, appears in his endeavours to be cleansed from them, that he may have his heart washed from wicked­ness: He is a man that will not pay God with a sighing and going backward; he is not satisfied, that his pollu­tions he knows them, and his uncleannesses are with him: No, no, he must be further benn, nothing but bosome­washing, heart-cleansing will satisfy, and he must be set seriously on work to that; and whereas other folk take their Faith, their Hope and Confidence to play them with, all the stock that he hath of Faith, Hope and Confidence, or that he can win to, he puts it out to help to purge his heart, according to that word, Act. 19.5. Purifying their hearts by faith. It not only imports that the Israelite in­deed finds, that there is no way of purging he heart, but by Faith in Christ. But further, if he get any Faith, he sets it on work to purifie his heart. And 1 Joh. 3.3. He that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure. If he get any hope of being made like Christ, his sense of the pollution of his heart is such, that it sets him on work to purify the heart.

4. This endeavour of a true Israelite will not be alto­gether [Page 381] in vain, and without success, but he may win, through grace, to be of a clean heart, as the Psalmist sup­pones, although he win not to perfection, yet he may win to that commended in Nathanael, Joh. 1.7. Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile: Do not understand it, that there is any Israelite that hath not the seeds of hy­pocrisie and guile, But he is an Israelite indeed, that hath not approved of predomining, or reigning guile and hy­pocrisie, and that may be win at, which I speak for their encouragment who are true Israelites.

And 5. This sense of inward pollution, and endeavour to purify the heart, through the exercise of Faith in Christ, it will appear in the outward conversation; if a man be an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no approven guile, that must accompany him which ye have, Gal. 6.16. He must be a man that walks according to the Rule of the new Creature.

Now these are some brief hints, which I have given you of the Characters of an Israelite indeed; but when I have minted thus to decipher him, I have not done with this point, it's a concerning point indeed, to make it sure that ye are true Israelites, who may lay claim to hope in God: And therefore I would press it a little further, in the do­ing of which, if I should offer to you motives from what I said before, of Israels having still ground of hope in God, I should run in a round, and come back upon that which ye have heard; and therefore to press it another way, I shall press you to consider what is said of the Israel of God, which may help to stir you up to make it sure that ye are of that number, that have ground of hope in God. I find in that fore-cited place, Gal. 6.16. Mercy and peace to be to their allowance, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon all the Israel of God; mercy for their miseries, and peace for their disquiets and vexations. And I find it said, Psal. 73.1. That truly God is good to Israels It is [Page 382] beyond all peradventure, that he is good to them, which goodness is a solid ground of hope in all exigencies, that it shall be well with Israel. And to press this motive, if the Lord may please to bless it for your quickening and up-stirring, to make it sure ye are of that number, and so have good ground to hope in God, I shall deduce this goodness of God to Israel in three or four steps only.

And 1. In the general consider, that the goodness of God to his people, is unquestionably so great, and so sa­tisfying, that were it well known, it could not but ra­tionally invite all to share in it, by becoming true Israe­lites. I may say of Gods goodness to Israel, as Christ said to that woman of Samaria, Joh. 4.10. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. If folk knew this goodness, they would need no other motive to excite them to be Israelites, that they might share in it. That is remarkable which we find of it, Jer. 31.12. They shall come and sing in the hight of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and wine, and for oyl, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not sorrow any more at all. What a refresh­ful satisfying thing must the goodness of God be, that hath such effects: And vers. 14. I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord. It's beyond all peradventure, that the goodness of God to his Israel, is so satisfying and satiating, that it hath not a slighter, but he that is igno­rant of it; were it known, mens reason would tell them that they were irrational, if they should not seek to share in it.

But 2. For your exciting to enquire after it in general, ye would consider, that it is a goodness whereof little account can be given, but by experience; there is no [Page 383] describing of it, but by feeling of it. David when he is overcome with it, Psal. 34.8. says, O taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man that trusts in him. A man must experimentally taste of, before he can see this goodness of God as it is: And we find, 1 Pet. 2.23. the Apostle lays a great stress on this, that no man as a new born babe can desire the sincere milk of the word, that he may grow thereby, but he that hath tasted that the Lord is gra­cious. If one should enquire, what is all this goodness of God that should invite me to make it sure, that I am an Israelite, that I may share in it? There is no answer comparable to this, Taste and see that the Lord is good: Speak of it to a stranger to it, in experience he cannot take it up; Prov. 14.10. The heart knoweth its own bitterness, and a stranger doth not intermedle with his joy. The world knows not what is betwixt God and his people, either in their ups or downs: And if it be thought, that these who have tasted of this goodness, can give an account of it, ye will find them profess, that the hight of the account they can give of it, is to sit down and wonder at it, to admire it, as being surcharged and overcome with it. What saith David of it, Psal. 36.7, 8. How excellent is thy loving kind­ness, O Lord! therefore the children of men put their trust un­der the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satis­fied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pl [...]asure. And Psal. 31.19. O how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee! &c. He wonders at it, as being overcome with it, but he cannot well make language of that which he feels of Gods goodness to Israel; so that experience is the only sit mean, to bring folk to know and take up how good God is.

But yet 3. The Scripture is not wanting to give such hints of it, as we are capable of, and such as may tell us, that it is a matchless goodness; I shall not offer [Page 384] to enter upon this deep, to speak of all the goodness and kindness of God to Israel, from Election to Conversion, from Conversion to Glorification. To essay to find out or fathom this Ocean, were to lose our selves in this Sub­ject. There are three general words, which if we would ponder, might give some hints of this matchless goodness of God to his people: As 1. That in an appropriated and peculiar sense, it is said, That God is good to Israel: Is he good to none else? Yes, Psal. 145.9 The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works, Psal 104.24. The earth is full of his riches. Psal. 33 5. The earth is full of his goodness; yet notwithstanding all that good­ness to all his creatures, it is said in an appropriat and pe­culiar sense, Truly God is good to Israel. It's a goodness indeed, a goodness by it self; whence I infer, that if the common goodness of God to all (which being compared with his peculiar goodness to Israel, doth scarce deserve that name) be so rich and full, how rich and full must that his appropriat and peculiar goodness to his chosen people be? If the crumbs cast to the dogs, and cast to them in wrath, be so plentiful, what must the covered Table of his goodness to his children be? If the common out-Pasture be so rank and fat, what must the Inclosure be? If his common communications be such a goodness, what a goodness is that, and what are these special communicati­ons, that are reserved for the Chambers? O! When thou sees the men of this world glutting themselves with Gods common goodness, and blessing themselves in it, as being so rich and satisfying to them, wilt thou then consider how much more rich and satisfying must his peculiar and Chamber-goodness be? that kindness must be a far other thing.

A 2d thing that may offer some account of this goodness, I take from the various names it gets in Scriptu;e; that one Attribute of the goodness of God, which ye have in [Page 385] your Catechism, comprehends several under it, or it may undergo several notions of this goodness of God, in refe­rence to the several cases of the children of men; consi­der, it's called goodness, it's all good; and therefore all that thou an Israelite meets with in thy way homeward, thou may write upon it, This shall work together for my good, Rom. 8.28. We know, &c. Thou mayest say, as Psal. 23.6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Thou may say, as Psal. 119.68. Thou art good, and dost good, and therefore he will do good to thee. Thou may say, It is good for me that I was afflicted. That is one blest hint of the goodness of God to Israel, that what ever an Israelite meets with, it is goodness, or it hath goodness written upon it. Again, this goodness is cal­led his love, Jer, 31.3. I have loved thee with an e­verlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. It is called love, to make sure the former, that he will do nothing to his people, but that which is good for them, because his love cannot endure to hurt them. Who can expect any thing from love, but that which is good. And love, because he will rest in his love, Zeph. 3.17. Love, that when any thing would interpose to interrupt it to Israel, will not hear tell of it, he will rest in his love: he hath loved them, and will love them still. A­gain, because an Israelite hath no price to purchase good­ness, when he needs it, therefore goodness is called grace, upon the account of his freedom, that all the goodness he communicats to his Israel, it shall be without money, and without price: That if an Israelite has no price, and con­sequently has nothing to give for it, he hath to do with one, that can take no price, but communicats his good­ness freely. And further, if thou be one that art not on­ly worthless, and hast no price, but thou art such an one, as art lying low in misery, hast none to have pity on thee, or bemoan thee, or to turn aside to ask how thou dost? [Page 386] His goodness is mercy, with a relation to thy misery, to consider thy trouble, to know thy soul in adversities, Psal. 31.7. To remember thee in thy low estate, Psal. 136.23. To sit down beside thee, and to stoop to the very dust unto thee, that's his goodness. And I shall add fur­ther, for finding out of this goodness, that if thou who art an Israelite, be vexed with thy own waywardness, untractablness, what will then the goodness of God do unto thee in that case? The goodness of God to thee in that case, is patience & long-suffering, to wait long upon a pee­vish Israelite, to suffer his manners in the Wilderness, not to chide with thee continually, nor to retain anger for e­ver, but to see thy ways, and heal thee, Isai. 57.17. in Further, if thou be one that is not only wayward, but hath provocked him to strike thee with the rod, what will good­ness do to thee then? I shall not resume what I said be­fore, that Psal. 119.71. It is good for thee that thou art afflicted; but in that case, the goodness of God shall be clemency and moderation to thee, to punish thee less than thy iniquities deserve, Ezra 9.13. When thy luxuriant branches of corruption shoot forth, to debate with thee in measure, to stay his rough wind in the day of his east-wind, Isai. 27.8. He shall exercise such clemency and modera­tion towards thee, that shall be admired and wondred at by thee, when thou gets a right look of it. Thus, as the common goodness of God to all, is one step to lift thee up to the consideration of his appropriat and peculiar good­ness to his people, so the many notes put upon his pecu­liar goodness, or the many shapes (if I may so term it) wherein it turns it self unto thee, of goodness, love, grace, mercy, patience, long-suffering, clemency, and moderati­on; how do these set forth how good God is to Israel, and to thee who art one of them. There is yet a 3d hint of this goodness, which may be taken up more particularly, in reference to Israels various cases. And there's a 4th general [Page 387] word to be said of it, that it is no complement, but a real goodness; both which I leave till the Afternoon. God bless what ye have heard, for Christs sake.

HOpe in God being of constant use, and a duty for which there is a constant ground and warrand, it is not ill employed time that is spent in enquiring who they be that (go the world as it will) hope in God. They are in­deed the Israel of God, to whom the warrand of hope is appropriated; and though these may be discerned by all the marks of regeneration, yet none do give a more clear encouragement to hope in God, than their wrestling with God as a Prince in Prayer, and their endeavour to purge their hearts of sinful pollutions, that God may have a Throne and Dominion there, and to exercise you to study to be Israelites indeed (for though ye be of Israel, that is Chri­stians by profession, yet they are not all Israel, who are of Israel,) I was laying before you some considerations, of the goodness of God to Israel; ye remember it was told you in general, that the goodness of God was such to his people, as might rationally perswade folk to seek to share in it with his Israel. 2. That this goodness of God is better known by experience, than it can be talked of, even by them that have tasted of it; for it is a ravishing and over­coming goodness, Zech. 9.17. For how great is his good­ness, and how great is his beauty! And yet 3. I was mint­ing to lay it before you from some hints the Scripture gives of it; and in the first place was telling, that if the com­mon goodness of God to all be so rich, how rich must his peculiar goodness to his people be? And in Explication [Page 388] of this, I was hinting at the various names and notions o [...] this goodness of God, held out in the Word, how it keeps all temptations that they hurt not the true Israelites, but makes them work for their good; how it is love and ten­derness, how it is grace and free grace to the unworthy, mercy to them in misery, patience and long-suffering to the way-ward, clemency and moderation to them that wring stroaks out of his hand.

I shall now add a word or two further, that will help to give an account what this goodness of God is to Israel; and that is in the 3d place, to take a look of it in reference to the various cases of the Saints; though the considera­tions we had of it in the morning do look here-away, yet I shall now deduce this consideration of it more di­stinctly.

And 1. That God is good to Israel, it may encourage Is­rael under weakness; for why? It's one of the Lord's designations, that he is called, the strength of Israel, 1 Sam. 15.29. Also, the strength of Israel will not lie. The word strength (as it is in the Margin) signifies not only strength, but eternity and victory, and all may very well go toge­ther here, in this goodness of God to them; he is strength to Israel out of weakness, to make them strong, when they faint, to give them power, 2 Cor. 12.10. Heb. 11.34. When they have no might, to increase strength to them, Isai. 40.29. He hath strength to make the weak say, I am strong, Joel 3.10. And he hath streng [...]h to Israel, not for a fit, but to eternity; Israel cannot be continued so long weak, that everlasting arms will not give him strength, for in the Lord Jehovah is, everlasting strength, and he is str [...]ngth to Israel; not simply to bear them through diffi­cu [...]ties, and to keep them from total sinking, but he is so the strength of Israel, as he is the victory of Israel, in due time to make them Conquerours, and more than Conque­rours, through him that hath loved them.

2. That God is good to Israel, it may encourage them (as I was hinting in the morning) against unworthiness in themselves, For (as ye will hear in the progress) with the Lord there is mercy, for Israel, saith the Text; Seek all Christs Court, there is not a worthy person of all he hath, but himself; and if there be any addition, any competition a­mongst Christ's train and followers, it lies in this, who shall be the greatest dyvors and debters to free Grace, who shall be the most unworthy, less than the least of his mercies; who shall be the Mephibosheth, these whom David will al­low to sit at his Table; but worthlesness is a noble claim in Israel, a dyvor bill is a noble pasport [...]s dittay is a claim, For with the Lord there is mercy.

3. That God is good to Israel, it may encourage all true Israelites, under the multitude of their frequent recurring necessities, accompanied with the sense of the ill improve­ment of what good things he hath done for them, and to them. I suppose amongst the many humbling considera­tions that the Israelites have of their case, this is not the least, that they are daily needing, daily getting, and day­ly misguiding proofs of love; they are like that man, Prov. 19.19. That when he is delivered, must be delivered a­gain; How often do they think with themselves, What should they do looking again to God for relief? they have so often needed, so often gotten, and as often proven dy­vors, misguiding all they got, selling themselves without money, and without price, which makes them blush to look to God again for new supply, and new delivery; but the goodness of God may encourage them to look a­gain, For with the Lord (saith the Text) is plenteous redem­ption; that is, not only delivery, but delivery in great plen­ty, so oft as they need.

4. That God is good to Israel, it may encourage Is­rael under the Conscience of guilt in particular, for so the Psalmist saith here in particular, He will redeem Israel from all his iniqui [...]ies, these things I but name now, because (if [Page 390] the Lord will) I will have occasion in the progress to speak more amply.

5. The goodness of God to Israel may encourage them against the contempt they meet with, and the mean and low condition, wherein they are put in the world, many a time our hearts think it a wonder, that the Blood-Royal of Heaven, the excellent Ones in the Earth should be no more esteemed of in the World, while we little mind that word, 1 Joh. 3.1. Therefore the world knoweth us not, be­cause it knew him not. Otherwayes we would think it a wonder that the Israel of God, are not made the filth and off-scourings of all things; yea, but the goodness of God is a cordial to Israel in this case, let the world count them the filth and off-scourings of all things, yet the Lord hath chosen Jacob for himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure, Psal. 135.4. Let their nearest relations cast them off, he will not cast off any of his Israel; Hence David could sing, Psal. 27.10. when my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up; and Isai. 44.21. O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me, saith the Lord, that is Israel's priviledge; and verse 23. The Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. The world may leave the Is­rael of God, to send for themselves, but in that case Israel may sing, as Psal. 121.4. He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep, the Lord is his keeper, the Lord is a shade upon his right hand, the Sun shall not smite them by day, nor the Moon by night; the Lord shall preserve them from evil, he shall preserve their soul, he shall preserve their going out, and their coming in, from this time forth and even for evermore; So that in all cases Israel hath ground of encouragement in the goodness of God, and who would look upon these things and believe them, and not think themselves enga­ged to make it sure, that they are of the Israel of God, that share in these mercies, and priviledges.

And this leads me to the 4th word, that I proposed to be spoken to, for pressing you to study to be Israelites in [Page 391] Spirit, and that is, that this goodness of God to Israel, that I have been minting to lay before you (though I have been but spilling it in the speaking to it) it is not cunning­ly devised fables, it is not to trapane you in a course, wherein your expectations will be defeat; but all that is said of it, are the true and faithful sayings of God. I shall only offer to illustrat this in three words, and I have done with the Point. 1. What is the language of all the common goodness of God to your selves, to you who are profane, to you who are rebels, to you who are mockers at all Religion, that think it an evidence of a silly Spirit, to fall in love with holiness; What means all this com­mon goodness of God to you? (I say) that he makes not the Earth open and swallow you up quick into the pit, as he did Core, Dathan, and Abiram, that he puts not forth his hand to sweep you off the Earth, or makes you not monuments of his Justice and Judgment upon it? Know ye (I say again) What all this means? I shall give it you in that word, Rom. 2.4. The riches of his goodness and forbearance, leads, or should lead you to repentance, that so ye may come in to know, what his special and singular goodness to Israel means, he is laying invitations at thy door, who art traversing thy wayes, whom the wind has bound up in its wings, and who art as light as the wind in following thy follies, inviting thee to come in and be an Israelite indeed, that thou may share in his peculiar goodness, and put him to it, as he bids you. Hag. 2. See if he will prove a wilderness, or a land of drought to you; He gives you a bill of defyance, if ye will turn in to him, and be his Israel indeed, that ye shall turn your back upon him, and say, he disappointed you. 2. The Scripture intimats the reality of his goodness to all his Creatures, his kind­ness is palpable to all creatures beside man, Job 36.41. He provideth for the ravens their food, when their young ones cry unto him, the young lyons roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God, Psal. 104.21. He feeds the fouls of the [Page 392] air, he cloaths the lillies and the grasse in the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, Mat. 6.20. And from all this, our blessed Lord gathers, verse 30. If God provide for fowls, and so clothe the grass, will he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? If God be good to all his creatures, and will he not be good to his own children? And a 3. word to illustrat it, Christ gives you, Mat. 7.9. from Parents goodness to their Children, who if they ask bread, will not give them a stone, or if they ask a fish, will not give them a serpent; and then infers, if ye then being e­vil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good gifts to them that ask him; So God's common goodness to your selves, his common goodness to all the creatures, and the natural affection of parents to their children, all of these concur to demonstrat, that the goodness of God towards his peo­ple, is real and no complement; and therefore to shut up this purpose with this word of Exhortation, that ye would seek to be Israelites indeed, and to leave it at every ones door, that do not study to be Israelites indeed, that they forsake their own mercy; in slighting this peculiar good­ness of God, and such as do so, let them stand to their own hazard; so I have done with the Exhortation, Let Israel hope in the Lord.

I proceed now to consider the encouragements, argu­ments, or grounds on which the Psalmist presses, that Isra­el should hope in God; For with the Lord is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from all his troubles and iniquities; ye see the Arguments are taken partly from what is with God, or in God, and his power, for the good of his people, mercy and Redemption, and that in great plenty, that is, authority and power to give a proof of his mercy to Israel, and to rid them from all servitude and bondage; and partly the Arguments are ta­ken from that which God will let out for the good of Isra­el, [Page 393] if mercy and plenteous redemption be with him, then he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

I shall not here fall in upon a general Remark, That folks hopes would be well and distinctly grounded, for the Psalmist doth not satisfie himself to exhort Israel to hope in God, but he layes down grounds of hope, on which they are to go in the exercise of that Grace; This Point, if I were to stand upon it, would give a check, both to the blind guesses of the wicked, who have hope enough al­way, and all that men can say, cannot drive them from their carnal confidence, when they cannot tell what their confident hope is, or wherein it is grounded, only they have a blind guess, which they take for hope; and partly it would give a check to the children of God, for their [...]n­distinctness in their hope, and the grounds of it, while they are hanging on God: I do not deny, but when they are opprest, they must look unto God, to undertake for them; and when they are blind, and cannot see through the cloud in the dark day, they must grip unto him, who must hold them by the right hand, and when they are in a mist of confusion, they must grip after God. But confusion and undistinctness in ordinary, makes much uncomfortable work; whereas if folk studied to be distinct and clear in the grounds of their hope, they would not lean so little weight on hope, as tentation often perswades them to do.

But to leave this, what I would say from these Argu­ments, I shall draw it to these two general Heads; I Ye see there is somewhat supponed here anent them that are put to hope, and who are warranted to hope in God, they are in such a condition, that they are put to need mercy, and plenteous redemption, and that from many iniquities. 2. There is somewhat proposed anent such persons, that there is hope of mercy and plenteous redemption, for them, with, and in God; and there is Gods power and willing­ness to redeem them from all iniquities, and this they are to look to, and hope for.

[Page 394]For the first, That which is supposed, I shall take it up in three Notes; 1. That the man called to hope in God, is miserable in himself, and put out of himself, to see what is in God that makes for him. 2. That he is not only sim­ply miserable, but under a bondage that needs redempti­on, and plenteous redemption. 3. That he is a man that above all pressures he is lying under, finds the pressure of sin and guilt to be the greatest, for he must have a peculi­ar Redemption for all his iniquities.

1. The man put to hope, and warranted to hope in God, is a man miserable in himself, and put to look for mercy, he is not a man that is conceity, presumptuous, dreaming on the account of any good he finds in him­self; but he is a man put out of himself, to consider what is in God, That with God there is mercy. If I should offer to prove this, by adducing Scripture testimony, I should triffle by your time needlesly; it is so clear through the tenor of the Scripture, that the rejoicer in Jesus Christ pre­supposes no confidence in the flesh, that it is in God, and God alone, that an Israelite finds ground of hope; and therefore I rather choose to deduce the Point into a twofold inference.

And 1. From this, be directed to try upon the one hand, your confidence and hope, by your humility, as on the other hand, your humility by your hope, these two are inseparably connected, that the one cannot be found with­out the other: Upon the one hand, any encouragement that is gotten by Faith and hope, must not highten our e­stimation of our selves; a puffed up hope is a very great Solecism; for though thou be helped by hope to glory in God, yet discovered infirmity in thy self, will keep thee low; though thou be lifted up by him, thou will be keep­ed in the dust in thy self, not to see more in thy self, but to see more in him to make up thy beggars wants; and there­fore thou must beware that thy confidence and hope les­sen thy humility. And on the other hand, thou would [Page 395] try thy humility, if it be of the right stamp, and not a la­zy, proud, carnal discouragement; thy humility if it be of the right stamp, will not tempt thee to cast away thy confidence and hope, though thou be still kept low, when thou art discovered to be a dyvour and a rebel, thou will not refuse a pardon, a thing wherein gracious souls are much defective, that if they be not kept up in the wind of their attainment, they are broken in their hopes, but a humble man must be a hoping man, and must reckon that all that he sees and finds in himself, must not put him from his hopes; but if he wanted these things he finds in him­self, he should have no work for his hope, and blessed are they that find humility and hope, encouragement and a­basement to worke to one anothers hands; when the by­ass of one of these graces lyes towards the furtherance of the other, it is an evidence of a blest frame; otherwise a proud hope, or a hopeless humility, will be found to be of little worth.

A 2d Inference from the Point is, if Israel be called to hope, on the account of what is in God, and with God, if he be called to hope, upon the account of mercy, in re­lation to his misery, then Israel cannot be undone so long as there is enough in God to do his turn, but is still to hope; O! may Israel say, what have I to hope in? Hope saith the Psalmist, for there is infinite fulness in God, For with God there is mercy; Israel, ye need not cast away your hope & confidence, so long as there is any thing in God to bottom it. And might I break in here on it, O! what a blest communion and stocking together (to speak so) is there betwixt God and his people; ye know that God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, did always share with his people in all their lots, Isai. 63.9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted. Zech. 2.8. He that touches them, touches the apple of his eye. Jer. 32.41. He rejoyceth over them to do them good, with his whole heart and soul: Ye know our blest Cau­tioner took on our nature, to share with us in all our sin­less [Page 396] miseries, He was tempted in all things, like as we are, but without sin. Heb. 4.15. Now he that shared once with us in suffering, and always in sympathy, makes a common good of all the fulness that is in him for his people, that what he hath, is forthcoming for them; and, O! the rich Promises that we have of this; Hath the Father appoint­ed him a Kingdom, it will do him no good, if they share not in it, Luke 22.29. I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my father hath appointed to me, Joh. 14.19. Because I live, ye shall live also, because I live, I will not leave you dead, Joh. 17.24. Father, I will that these whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me, Rev. 3.21. To him that overcomes, will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I overcame, and am set [...]own with my Father on his Throne; see what delight he hath to communicat in lo [...]s with his people, and so it is in exigencies that befal them, if they sit in darkness, he will be l [...]ght to them; if they be foolish, he will be their wis­dom; if weak, he will be their strength; if in captivity and bondage, he will be their Redeemer. In a word, if he have, they shall not want; and if it be in God and pro­mised, it shall not fail; if it be in the house among them, it shall be forthcoming to Believers, and hopers in God; I pray you learn to reckon this gate, ye cannot tell, what may be your work and exercise ere ye go from off the stage: and I have no commission to recommend carnal confidence to you; but the Israel of God may speak bigg in him, and boast their enemies, that seing their Head is above the water, though they be doucked they cannot drown; that all the attempts of enemies come now too late to frustrat Christ's designs, unless they can bring him back again, and set him before their bar. He has answer­ed all challenges and charge against his people, and there­fore none can be heard to plead against them; they may say, Shall tribulation, distress, persecution famine, n [...]edness, pe [...]l, or sword, shall any of these separat us from the love of [Page 397] Christ? Nay in all these we are more than conquerors. They come too late to harm the Saints, for he has spilt their sport and game, who was dead, and is alive for evermore, and hath the keys of hell and death, he hath du [...]g the teeth out of their heads, he hath drunk the poyson out of all cups can be propined to them. And for duties and undergoing dif­ficulties, I shall give you that blessed directory of the A­postle's, who 2 Cor, 3.5. sayes, We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves; and yet Phil. 4.13. sayes, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me; I cannot think a good thought of my self, and yet through Christ strengthning me, I can do all things; and this con­descendence of the Apostle to his insufficiency to think a good thought, gives a sad check to many that never put Christ in their undertakings, but at a dead lift, and there­fore in such exigents, provock him to desert them, in or­dinary miskenning him; but were we left on him in or­dinary, and employing him in all things, whether duties or difficulties, it were a door of hope in more than ordi­nary exigence, we might say, through Christ strength­ning us, we can do all things. Lord bless his word unto you.

YOU heard that these two Verses do contain the se­cond part of the Psalm, wherein, after that the Psal­mist in the first 6 Verses, hath been wrestling, part­ly with plunging perplexities, represented under the no­tion of Depths, vers. 1.2. Partly with the Conscience of guilt, verses 3.4. And partly with the delays of comfort and an outgate, verses 5.6. After that, I say, the Psalmist comes to get some issue and outgate, whereof he giveth not a direct and express account, but any good he hath [Page 398] gotten, he presently makes it appear in good news to Is­rael, he hath an exhortation to them, to hope in the Lord, and hath Motives and Arguments pressing his Exhortati­on, which are taken partly from what is in God, to the behove of his Israel, For with the Lord there is mercy, &c. And partly from what he will let forth of this for their good and behove; not only is mercy and plenteous redempti­on with him, but he shall redeem Israel from all his ini­quities. For the Exhortation, I spoke to it at length. And at the last occasion I brake in upon the Motives. The In­structions to be gathered from which, I reduced to two general Heads. 1. Something supposed concerning them that are put to hope, and allowed to hope in God. And 2. Something proposed concerning such as are called and allowed to hope, and as a ground to their hope. For the first, That which is supposed in the Words, it may again be reduced to these two Heads of Doctrine; 1. That the man called and allowed to hope in God, is one that is ac­quainted with misery in himself, and is put to look out to what is in God, or with him to do his turn: For with the Lord there is mercy. That there is mercy with God, implys, That the man that is called, and allowed to hope in God, is in himself miserable, and put to look out to God for mercy; and so it is one of the blessed and sure characters of a person that is called, and allowed to hope in God, that he is kept humble, not conceity, nor dreaming of any good in himself, and the nearer he be to the dust, he hath the more warrand to hope; for the man that spears the right gate to hope, is he that Lam. 3.29. Puts his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope; he creeps low in the dust to seek encouragement to hope; and the man that is called to live by Faith, is opposed to the man whose soul is lifted up in him, and consequently to the man whose heart is not upright in him, Hab. 2.4. And further, the man that is called to hope, and allowed to hope, in the humbling sense of his misery; he is put to look without [Page 399] himself, to what is in God, or with God for him; he is called to hope on the account of mercy, in relation to his misery. It intimats, that the humble sensible man, the Is­rael of God, can never be undone, so long as God is to the fore, and there is enough in him to do his turn, though he be miserable, and wants that he stands in need of; yet if it be in God, he shall not want: If mercy be in, and with God, he is made up in the midst of his misery. To this I have spoken already, and shall not repeat.

I proceed to the second Observation, implyed in that which is supposed, concerning the man that is put to hope, and warranted to hope in God, That not only is he simply miserable, and needing mercy, but he is under such a bondage of sin and misery, as he cannot extricat himself out of it, except God interpose; He needs not only mer­cy in God, but redemption, and plenteous redemption in God, to rid him out of these bonds, wherein he is fettered and bound, and out of which he is not able to deliver himself; Although the consideration of sin will come in to be spoken to on the next Observation by it self, yet I shall on this touch a little in general, both on the bon­dage of sin and misery, under which the Israel of God are supponed to be lying. As for sin, all men by nature are bound slaves to it, they are hurried away with every im­petuous blast of temptation, that blows upon their cor­ruption; but it is the Israel of God that are called and al­lowed to hope in God, that feel this bondage. Hence the Apostle, ( Rom. 7.19.) saith, The good that I would, I do not; but the evil that I would not, that I do: And he finds a law in his members warring against the law of his mind, lead­ing him captive to the law of sin; on which account, he crys out, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death? There is a captivity indeed under sin, and he tells the Galatians, Chap. 5.17. That the flesh lusteth a­gainst the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these two are contrary, one to another, so that they cannot do the things [Page 400] they would. So the Israel of God are under a bondage of sin, when they would do good (as the same Apostle hath it) ill is present with them. And for the bondage of their misery, the Scripture is so full anent it, and the experience of the Saints so amply confirms it, that it is needless to stand on particular proofs and instances of it: How often are they put to that, Psal. 107.11. Because they rebelled, therefore he brought down their heart with sorrow and labour, they fell and there was none to help.

In the Application of this, I shall speak a word, first to the wicked and ungodly, and then to Gods Israel, who are called and allowed to hope in him, notwithstanding this bondage they are under: For the first, to wit, the wicked, They would from this look on it as a sad character, to know little, and be as little sensible of their bondage through sin and misery. They look on a licentious way of living in sin, when they have eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, as it is, 2 Pet. 2.14. When sin reigns in their mortal bodies, and they obey it in the lusts thereof, and they yield their members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, Rom. 6.12. When they give themselves up to work all uncleanness with greedi­ness, Ephes. 4.19. They look upon that as their liberty, and they are never out of bonds, except when they are glutting themselves with sin, they sl [...]ep not except they do ill. O! that such knew what a madnes, and distraction they are under, while they glory in their chains, as if a mad­man should glory in his fetters; look to it, assure thy self thou shalt find sin to be a bondage, and need of looking to God for Redemption from it, ere thou have a warrand to hope in God. And for the other Branch of this Bon­dage, Misery and Trouble, I cannot tell you how many ways wicked men wander in, ere they stand in need of Re­demption out of it from God, Only I would lead you in a few steps of their ill improvement of the misery they are under through sin. In one or mo of which, the generality [Page 401] may read their Portraict. And 1. It is the wickeds first se [...] hand to secure themselves against all apprehensions of trouble or misery; the song they would fain essay to sing, is that, Psal. 10.6. They have said in their heart, they shall not be moved; for they shall never be in adversity, and for that end they foster their atheism, and deny a Providence: Would ye have a character of wicked mens first essay, ye will find it, Ezek. 8.12. and 9.9. The Lord seeth not, the Lord hath forsaken the earth; When they would commit all abominations, this is their cordial against misery, Zeph. 1.12. They are settled on their lies, they say in their heart, the Lord will neither do good nor evil. They neither fear him nor his Providence.

But a 2d. step is this, if they pretend to owne a Deity, and acknowledge a Providence, they will admit of no intima­tion of any displeasure from God against them, or their way, do what they will: If ye would waken a quarrel, and make them your enemy, tell them God is angry with them for their sins, and will be about with them, they will be about with you; they dow not endure to be told of their faults, or of God's wrath and anger; I cannot give you this step more distinctly, than in that, Jer. 5.12. When the Prophets spoke to them the word of the Lord, they would not let it light, that it was God's minde; They have be­lied the Lord (saith he) and said, it was not he, neither shall evil come on us, neither shall we see sword or fa­mine; What will ye then do with the Prophets, that say the contrary? verse 13. The Prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: Thus shall it be done to them, they will be in their tops, as wronging God, that tell them of Judgement for their sins. A 3d step of their wandring, if all this do not the turn, if God fulfil the words of his Ser­vant, they have yet another fend, and it is to grow as stu­pid and senseless, as they can make themselves under ven­geance; this ye find deduced, Isai. 42.25. The Lord hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of bat­tel, [Page 402] and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew it not; it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart: And Hos. 7.9. As the result of many a debausht rant, from the beginning of the Chapter, Ephraim is smitten with stupidity, strangers have devoured his strength, and he knows it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he knows not: When vengeance cannot be holden off, the next sanctuary is stupidity. But 4 If stupidity will not do the turn, but God will smite, and they must find it, they will put on a hight and greatness of spirit, that if any breach come, they will repair it, Isai. 9.9. There is a generation that say in the pride and stoutness of their heart, the bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewen stones; The sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars, when they cannot avoid the feeling of Gods stroke, they will set to it to make it up. A 5th step of their abusing, or woful im­provement of their misery and bondage is, if they find that what God hath built, God will throw down, (as it is, Mal. 1.4. They will run away to their carnal dreams and confidence, that God will owne them, as Jer. 12.4. When great calamity comes upon them, on this very account, they say, He may well shore, he will not lay on, or if he lay on, he will not see us ruined, he will not see our last [...]nd. There is yet a 6th step, when all their essays misgive upon their hand; instead of taking themselves to the wait­ing mans posture, to look up to God in the sense of their misery for redemption, they turn desperat and hopeless, their high flowen carnal expectations, resolves in despe­ration, Jer. 2.25. Thou said there is no hope, no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go. And Jer. 18.12. They said there is no hope, but we will walk after our own de­vices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart; Their hopes that God will spare, resolves in desperat hopelesness in the issue, like these whom Isai. 22.12. The Lord calls to weeping and mourning, to baldness and girding with sackcloth; They give themselves to joy and gladness, [Page 403] slaying oxen, &c. saying, Let us eat and drink, for tomor­row we shall die. All these steps of the wickeds wandring, I have laid before you, that in a brief view, ye may see the sinful byasses of folks hearts in their woful way of impro­ving the bondage and misery they are under, that any of you who are delivered from it, may bless God and be thankful to him, and may mourn over them that are wal­king in any of their rods, or over their precipieces.

But I said, I had also somewhat to say to the Israel of God, that are called to hope in God, and allowed and warranted to hope in him, and shall briefly touch three or four short words to them.

1. When an Israelite of God is broght under bondage, from which by no means he can extricat himself, but needs re­demption from God, he is bound to consider and reflect on the way how he came there: This is the first thing he would think on, how he has sold himself into that bon­dage, Isai. 50.1. Thus saith the Lord, where is the bill of your mothers divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to which I have sold you? Be­hold for your iniquities have ye sold your selves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. It is a very useful and profitable meditation for them, that find the yoke of their transgressions wreathed about their neck, to sit down and consider how they came thither, how, either by giving way to temptation, presenting baits to them, have taught it to be their captain, and given it the mastery over them? or how by their folly and provoca­tions, they have wreathed that yoke on themselves, from which they cannot rid themselves, nor get leave to walk haughtily.

2. An Israelite is then called to consider the holy hand of God, in making him feel the bitter fruit of his folly, in this his bondage. Many not only give way to temptations of sin, but delight in it, and God leaves them under the power of it till they lament that their folly; and there­fore [Page 404] when we are under bonds, we would reflect, not only on the bringing of our selves in that bondage; but on our delighting in these sins that procured it.

3. The scope of the Point leads me to press this, that when an Israelite is in misery, and finds the hand of God pursuing him, he would take another look of things, than to look upon them as insuperable, though he cannot ex­pede himself; yet with God there is redemption, when thou hast essayed to shake off the yoke of thy transgressi­ons, that thou hast wreathed on thy own neck, and hast laboured in the very fire, and wearied thy self for very va­nity, as the word is, Hab. 2.13. Sit not down hopeless, look not on thy case, as not only deplorable, but despe­rat, call not thy wound grievous, and thy bruise incurable, for with God there is plenteous redemption to break these bonds, that to thee are insuperable. Only remember in the 4th place, that thou take the right way to an out-gate; thy bonds will sit fast by thee, not only till thou resent thy folly, in drawing them on, but till thou run to him to set thee at liberty; the language of all thy bondage, and the bonds wherewith thou hast bound thy self, thou may take up in that, Psal. 107.13. when he brought down their heart with labour, and there was none to help; then they cryed to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses; Thou art brought in bondage through thy folly, thou uses means to be out of it, but thy difficulties continue insuperable, every essay thou makes to be quit of them, miscarries; but see that it be not because thou art not at the right door with them, no marvail they con­tinue till thou come to him, with whom is plenteous re­demption. So much for the 2d Point, That the man put and allowed to hope in God, is under such a bondage of sin and misery, as he cannot extricat himself out of it, till God interpose and redeem him.

The 3d Observation implyed in that which is supposed here, anent hopers in God, is that of all bondage and sla­very, [Page 405] the bondage of sin is the greatest to the Israel of God, to the man that is called and allowed to hope in God. On this account it is, that the Psalmist doth not content him­self, to say, There is plenteous redemption with God in the general; but there must be a particular Promise subjoin­ed, That he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities. That there be redemption in and with God, will not content an Israelite, except there be in it a redemption from sin; because redemption from sin is Israel's great business and affair, I shall not need to confirm the truth of this, either from Scripture proofs or instances, where we find the Saints especially troubled with sin; amongst the croud of their exercises, sin hath been their great exercise. Nor shall I need to stand to give reasons of the Point, as that sin is the greatest evil, the fountain whence all our misery and bondage flows; and they that seek relief from their bondage, without seeking redemption from sin, are like these that seek to dry up the stream, miskenning the foun­tain. But passing these, I shall speak a word, first in ge­neral, and then in particular, to the Israel of God, how sin is taken up by an Israelite, in a right frame, as the greatest bondage and slavery.

In general, I recommend more conscience making of sin, and more exercise about sin, a thing, I fear, little in practice amongst the generality; ye will get men in times of difficulty, with their hands on their loins, having pangs, and crying out, as a woman in travail, by reason of af­fliction, who will have very few thoughts of sin, and less exercise about it; there is oft times much trembling of mind, where there is little trouble of conscience, or none, and ye would beware of confounding these two. A mans mind may be troubled and confounded, and put through other, when he hath the answer of a good Conscience, as being at peace with God through the blood of Christ, and a mans mind may be troubled, when his conscience is a­sleep, and hath no exercise for sin; and therefore in times [Page 406] when there may be much anxiety and vexation in folks mind, about dispensations of Providence, let not the great business be trouble, but sin, and whatever ye meet with, take that along with you, Isai. 27.9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; The conscience of sin, and exercise about it, would take away the clamour & di [...] that's about trouble, a conscience troubled about sin, will soon justifie God, in inflicting any trouble on body or mind, and will say as Ezra 9.13. Thou hast punished us less than our iniquities de­serve. And a man at peace with God, though he have tribulation in the world, and exercise of Conscience for sin, yet in Christ he shall have peace; but a vexed and discontented mind about trouble, without any exercise or trouble of conscience for sin, may make a man evil com­pany to himself, & bad enough company to others whom he hath to do with in the world.

HOpe in God, as it is the mans wealth who confesses himself to be a pilgrim & stranger on the earth, for he is saved by hope, not an hope that is seen, for then it should be no hope, Rom. 8.24. So there is no undertaking, that the saints may have more encouragement for than to hope in God; it is that which many times comes between them and sinking, and giving it over, as in the Psalmist, Psal. 42.5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou dis­quieted in me, hope in God, for I shall yet praise him; and whereas the world may think the hope of the Saints a blind guess, and say of their souls, there is no help for them in God, and temptation within, or probability with­out, may confirm, or seem to confirm the worlds verdict; [Page 407] yet to a right discerner, it hath a fair field to go on, and a broad board to feed on, Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, &c.

I am yet (as ye may remember) detained on some truths imported here, concerning right hopes in God: As 1. That on the account of emptiness and misery at home, they are left upon God, with whom there is mer­cy. 2. That upon the account of bondage and pressures, from which they are not able to extricat themselves, they are left on God, with whom is plenteous redemption. And 3. That among all the pressures necessitating them to look to God for Redemption; There is none pinches them so hard, and sticks so close to them, as sin, so that there is need of a particular Promise of redemption from that.

I left in the morning with a general word from the last of these, That sin, and the bondage we are under through sin, should be more our exercise, we should silence all cla­mors about trouble, with being throng about guilt, that we should look on troubles and afflictions, as things that we may get home with, whether we be rid of them or not; but we should look on redemption from sin, as a thing absolutly necessar, For without holiness, none shall see God; and that we should not take every trouble of mind, for kindly exercise of Conscience for sin, we should not let Conscience be sleeping in the bosom of a Delilah, while there is a clamour made about trouble, and that because it will not be suffered to sleep there without interruption. Now to follow out this a little more particularly, I shall offer you four or five words from the Text, about their right exercise, whose trouble is about sin, or some Cha­racters of them who have ground of hope, that God will redeem them from all iniquity.

And 1. (which is more general) they that would ap­prove themselves to God, in their exercise about sin, must learn to look on sin as a burden, whereof they would be rid, as a bondage from which they need redemption, In [Page 408] the right Israel of God, that is rightly exercised about sin, no grievance goes so near the heart, as that of sin. The want of a delivery from trouble, if they could be deliver­ed from sinning under it, or from having their corrupti­on irritat to sin more by it, it would be to them an out­gate, and they would drink and forget their misery, if they could get sin shaken off, if they could get that weight laid aside, and be made light to run the race that is set before them; What will ye say to this, ye to whom wickedness is sweet, and who hide it under your tongue, who spare sin, and forsake it not, who count it not a bondage, but a liberty; surely to a true Israelite sin is the most unsup­portable burden.

2. They that look aright on sin, as on a burden where­of they would be rid, they must look on it as an iniquity, abominable and hateful, He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities; and as the phrase is, Psal. 32.5. Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Some sins may be troublesom or vex­atious, and folk would not care to be quit of them, on that, or some other carnal account; but there is none right­ly exercised with sin, that do not weary of it, as hateful, a­bominable, and ugly in God's Eyes. Thou may desire to be quit of one sin, because it crusheth another sin, but that is no evidence of a right groaning under the pressure of iniquity till it be groaned under as loathsom to God.

3. As they that are rightly exercised about sin, look on it as a burden, and as iniquity; so all of it is hateful and abominable as such; I might here, if I would follow it out, point out to you, that there is an all of sin in every one of mankind, that there is an all of sin even in Israel, who are allowed to hope in God, a notion that David notices, Psal. 140.12. Mine iniquities have taken hold on me so that I cannot look up, they are more than the hairs of mine head. And O, but they that are well acquaint with their own heart, that are often upon a self-examination and search, and do not live strangers to themselves, they will [Page 409] find greater and greater abominations there. Whither do they turn them, but they will find pollutions in their omis­sions, and commissions, in reference both to Law and Gospel, in reference to mercies received, and corrections inflicted, &c. But that which I am upon is, That Israel looks upon all sin as iniquity. A partial opposition of sin, is a self-deceiving undertaking, a sacrificing of many sin­ful delights to one predominant, a burning of many Cities, to save one Zoar, will not be taken off saints hands, as a right opposition of sin. As far as iniquity extends, so far must their groaning under, and opposition to it extend.

4. They that are rightly exercised about sin, will find it a pressure that needs a redemption, that is a pressure that they'l not get shaken off till God interpose. There is some other thing in delivery from iniquity, than for a man to think he will go forth as Sampson, and shake him as at other times. No, a man will be put to look to God to attain it. I confess, painfulness in the use of means is our duty, and it will never be taken off our hands, for us to say, that iniquity is our burden, and hurtful to us, so long as we are not using means to be rid of it. No, there must be endeavours on our part to cast out these Devils by Fasting and Prayer; and though it were to beat down the body, and bring it in subjection (as the Apostle does, 1 Cor. 9.27.) in the exercise of Mortification, that must not be wanting; but it fears me, there is little of the painful work of Mortification to be found among Christians in those days, profession is the broadest thing in Religion a­mong all, and next to that some positive duties; but for the serious study of Mortification, to get Satan trode un­der foot, to be above corruption: O! how few Christi­ans can have a sober testimony on that account? And yet shall I say it, that next to thy closing with Christ, and making him thy City of Refuge, thy painfulness in Morti­fication will be thy great Test? But that which I am now [Page 410] on, is to lay before you, that on the one hand, slipt in Mortification (I had almost said sleeped in Mortification) of sin, is much to be suspected, when some iniquities that had power over you seem to be subdued, but ye never did any thing to subdue them: ye would remember that pa­rable, Mat. 12.43. of the unclean spirit that goes out of a man; many Devils go out, that are not casten out; that is, he withdraws to take the man from off his watch, and to surprize him, to put himself in a capacity to return a­gain to his house whence he came out, with seven other spirits more wicked than himself. But further, as slipt in Morti­fication, will not hold water; so on the other hand, when we have used all pains to mortifie and subdue sin, our en­deavours will not prove effectual, though Prayer and Fa­sting be our duty, and the use of other means, till God come and give redemption from it. It is God only that hath power over iniquity; yea, it may be, that he hath a ju­dicial hand in it, and hath past a sentence, making it thy plague as well as thy sin, that till thou know the plague of thine own heart, and look up to him for delivery from it as a plague, thou shalt not be rid of it. And therefore, as on the one hand thou must be at pains to get the burden and bondage of sin shaken off, that Naphthali may be a Hind let loose; so on the other hand, thou must not mis­take, though thy pains be not effectual as to that thing, but remember, though when thou hast done all thou can, thou cannot rid thy self of iniquity, and it will be with thee; he in whom thou art called, and allowed to hope, can deliver thee.

But 5. Iniquity being a burden and bondage, and abo­minable and hateful to the true Israelite, and the wrestler, to be free of it, finding that he cannot get himself rid of it. God interposing to redeem from it, is a peculiar mer­cy: That's a proof that with him is plenteous redempti­on, if he redeem him from iniquity. This is the main [Page 411] point, and a point that I cannot enough batter on you; Redemption from iniquity to a right discerner, will make up all redemptions. Let a man be a servant, a slave, a bond-man, a worm, and not a man, he is the Lords free­man, if he be redeemed from iniquity. Isai. 33.2. Then the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. It's a noble Physick for sickness to be a pardoned man, it's a noble antidot to all pressures, to be redeemed from iniquity; it compenses and makes more than up all other pressures, to be redeem­ed from this pressure. And as this redemption makes up all other redemptions, so other redemptions without this, will signifie little to a right discerner, this to him is the choice of mercies; let God cast him in trouble, and bring him out of trouble, if he bring him not from the bondage of iniquity, it's no delivery to him; if when he is cast into the furnace his skum depart not from him, but he brings it out with him; he can see a plague in other redempti­ons, when the bondage of sin continues. In a word, to the right discerner of the bondage of sin, God is a match­less God to him on this very account, that he pardons ini­quity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage; a place, which with others I had occasion to make use of, in speaking on the 4. verse: And whoever are complaining of pressures, and seeking to be rid of them, & yet they continue, if ye would read the language of that dispensation aright, here it is, God is making that pressure to ly on; till redemption from sin be lookt on as the crown­ning mercy, which if we enjoy, we cannot be miserable; and if we want it, have what we will, we cannot be hap­py. Mind this mercy more, redemption from iniquity, to humble uncircumcised hearts, to be groaning under the bondage of sin, longing for delivery from that woful Trade of walking contrary to God, and provocking him to walk contrary to you, and to punish you seven times more, and [Page 412] seven times more, till ye be humbled, and take with the chastisement of your iniquity. Remember I have left it with you in the Name of the Lord, that there be more con­science making of sin, and of being exercised mainly a­bout it, and putting God to redeem you from it; let this be your great task and exercise, whatever be your exer­cise otherwise. Now I have done with that which is sup­posed in the motives backing the Exhortation to hope in God.

I come then to that which is proposed, to encourage to hope in God: And I suppose the rest of the Doctrines in these two Verses may be distinctly enough reduced to these four. 1. That relative to Israels misery, There is mercy in God, or with him. 2. That relative to Israels bondage, There is plenteous redemption with God. 3. That what is with God, shall be put forth as the Israel of God needeth it: Redemption is with him, and he shall redeem, &c. 4. We shall speak a little to this redemption from iniquity, how God works it?

For the first, it may thus be taken up, that it is a great encouragement to Israel, to hope in God, in all cases and exigents, that there is mercy with God. This mercy of God is in effect the goodness of God, that Attribute of God which ye have in your Catechism. It's the goodness of God, I say, exprest under a notion relative to the misery of man, and so ye have it, Psal. 136.1. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. How is that evidenced? for his mercy en­dureth for ever. He who is good in himself, and doth good to others, as David hath it, Psal. 119.68. He is good, and manifests his goodness, by doing good to othe [...]s, by his mercy that endures for ever. Not to insist on the various notions and expressions of this goodness of God, if we look to it in the fountain, his goodness, as it is communicate to his creatures, is called his love, and his goodness in the fountain is called his love, because it's an eminent proof [Page 413] of his goodness, that he loves with an everlasting love, Jer. 31.3. That he hath a love to his people, wherein he will rest, Zeph. 3.17. That he hath such a love to them, as nothing shall separate from; and partly because he doth not bestow this his goodness grudgingly, or complement­ingly, but in love: Love stretcheth out the hand of boun­ty, Jer. 32.41. He rejoyceth over them to do them good, with his whole heart, and with his whole soul. Again, is the goodness of God in its root and fountain, is called the love of God to his people, so in respect of its freedom, and their ill-deserving to partake of it. It's called the grace of God, a term that we find frequently occurring in Scripture, and it's nothing else but the goodness of God, or the effects of his goodness freely communicat, freely bestowed, without money or price, where there is no me­rit or deserving, yea, where there is much undeserving, or deserving of the contrary. Again, this goodness of God, as it is manifested in opposition to the waywardness and peevishness of his people, it is called patience and long-suffering; for his patience, in waiting on them, and his long-suffering, in bearing with their manners in the Wil­derness, what is it but the goodness of God, overcoming the waywardness and peevish disposition in his people? Again, the goodness of God, as it is still continued, even when Justice and Severity takes place, it's called Clemen­cy and Moderation, that in measure when it shutteth forth, he debateth with it, and stayth his rough wind in the day of his east wind, Isai. 27.8. And that in wrath he remem­bers mercy, Hab. 3.2. There the goodness of God mode­rating deserved stroaks, droping in proofs of love, in the midst of deserved wrath, all these are the goodness of God represented to us under various notions; and here in the Text, the goodness of God in reference to his peoples mise­ry, is called mercy. And Exod. 34.6. When the Lord proclaims his Name in Moses hearing, ye will find there [Page 414] are various notions of the goodness of God that I have been speaking of, and in the same method. The first Letter of his Name is Merciful, to nominat that the first look that God takes of poor man, is pity and compassion, in refe­rence to his misery. The next Letter is Gracious, to inti­mate that God having lookt on miserable man, as the obje [...] of his compassion, because it might be objected, God hath great compassion, but what deserves miserable man? He hath nothing to commend him, yea, he hath much to dis­commend him. It is answered, God is not only merci­ful to compassionat miserable man, but he is gracious to notice him, and compassionat him freely, without merit, and contrary to demerit. Then he is Long suffering, &c. Now in reference to this mercy of God, there are three things I intend to touch on, before I come to the use. 1. To open up the nature of this mercy. 2. To speak a little of the object of it. And 3. to the properties of it.

In speaking to the first, I shall wave all School specu­lations anent it, as whether mercy and punitive justice be essential to God, and on what account they can be called essential Attributes, seing mercy presupposes man mise­rable, which is one of the Socinian foundations, to over­throw the satisfaction of Christ; but that might be easily cleared, by adding a word to what hath been already said, That mercy in God is nothing but the goodness of God▪ with relation to the object to which it is communicat, and punitive justice is nothing else but that essential Attribute of his holiness, vindicating and avenging himself on a sin­ner, the object of his justice; and if we consider the mer­cy and justice of God thus; we will find it no difficulty to rank them among the essential Attributes of God, yea, that it is blasphemy to deny them to be such.

I thought to have cleared to you, how that mercy is no passion nor perturbation in God, as it is in man, though it be, for our encouragment to hope in him, exprest in most [Page 415] pathetick terms; as also to have cleared, That the Earth [...]s full of his Mercy and Goodness. Psal. 33.5. All crea­tures share in it; yet there are vessels of mercy afore pre­prepared to glory, Rom. 9.23. That are objects of his e­special mercy; and to have spoken to its properties, how it is real and not complementing; How he delights in mercy, Mic. 7.18. How it is free, eternal, sure and rich for all necessities. But for want of time I forbear, and re­commend you and what ye have heard, to His blessing, whose word it is.

THough when a look is taken of God's Israel, none are more low and empty in themselves, none that claim greater acquaintance with the dust, than they are enab­led to do; yet none have such ample ground of encou­ragement as they, if they be Israel: thogh they be in misery and under bondage and particularly oppressed with, and under the bondage of sin, yet Israel is still allowed, and commanded to hope in God; and that because Israel's wealth and happiness, and the ground of his encourage­ment is without himself. Though he be poor and needy, yet the Lord thinks on him, though he have nothing, in God he possesseth all things; Though his house be not so with God, yet his salvation and desire lies in this, That God hath made with him an everlasting covenant, well ordered in all things and sure; And in a word, have what he will, or be what he will in himself, yet he may hope in God, considering what is with God, Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord, &c.

I have spoken from this argument, pressing hope in God, to what is imported in it, as to the hopers conditi­on, [Page 416] that he is indigent and miserable in himself, needing to look for mercy in God; that he is in bondage, need­ing to look for plenteous redemption with God, and par­ticularly that he is under the bondage of iniquity, which puts him to look for a particular redemption from that from him, that redeems Israel from all his iniquities. And the last day I came to break in on what is proposed in the words for Israel's encouragement to hope in God. The first Observation of four, which I could scarce break in on was, That it is the great encouragement of God's peo­ple to hope in him in all exigents and cases, that there is mercy with God, that they have to do with a God, with whom there is mercy: This mercy (as I then cleared) is nothing else but the goodness of God (and consequently an essential attribute) relating to the misery of the object to which it is communicat, even as his punitive Justice is an essential Attribute, being nothing else but his Holi­ness, manifesting it self against sin; for as the goodness of God undergoes various notions, on divers accounts (as was said) so it hath the name of mercy, with relation to the misery of man.

In prosecuting of this, I proponed to speak 1. more ge­nerally to the nature of this mercy. 2. To the Object. To the Properties. And 4. Of the use of the whole.

For the first, the nature of this Mercy, 1. It must be fixed; that this mercy is free of all passion, or perturba­tion in God. When we consider God as merciful, we must not conceive of him as of one subject to the passions of grief or sorrow, for the misery of others, as mercy in man is to be considered; and therefore mercy in men used to be condemned by the Stoicks, as being in their opinion, a debasing of the spirit of man, below the hight and great­ness that it ought to have; and it is reported of Agesilaus King of Sparta, that he said, it was difficult for a man, both to be merciful and wise at once, because if he were merci­ful, it would be ready to transport him to that which was [Page 417] not suitable to a wise man, but we have nothing to do with that debate here. Mercy in God is free of passion or perturbation, of sorrow or grief for others misery, as it is in creatures, it is only the goodness of God willing to remove, allay, or sweeten the misery of others, only though God in his mercy be free of passion, or perturbation, yet he sweet­ens, allays, or removes the misery of man, as tenderly and carefully as if he were affected with it. Therefore for our capacity, and better uptaking of it, the mercy of God is spoken of as very passionat, affecting and transporting in him, as Isai. 63.9. He is spoken of, as being afflicted in all the afflictions of his people. Zech. 2.8. as being touched on the apple of his eye, when they are touched. Jud. 10.16. as having his soul grieved, or shortned in his resolution to punish, when he looked on his peoples misery. And Hos. 11.8. As being put to a very great perplexity about them. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Is­rael? How shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. All which terms are borrowed to shew, that however God in shewing mercy, be free of passion or perturbation, yet is he no less tender and careful in shewing mercy, than if these passions abounded in him.

2. It is to be considered, that it is to be wondered, that he should be merciful, when none of these things are in him, that prompts men to be merciful; all his mercy we owe to his goodness allanerly. Men are prompted to be merciful to others▪ because they are of the same nature with them. Beside that, weakness and softness of spirit that is in some, may make them compassionat others in mise­ry. The experience others have had of such pressures, may excite compassion to others in the like case; mens relati­ons may warm and affect their hearts with compassion to their relations in misery, when yet they will be less con­cerned how it fares with others not so related to them, and [Page 418] men considering not so much the simple trouble, as the age & dignity of the persons troubled when they see such in trouble, it may waken compassion. But all these are far removed from the Majesty of God, he is infinitly a­bove, and infinitly distinct from man's nature; neither is his nature subject to Misery; yet he is no less merciful, but infinitly more merciful, than if all these things that serve to excite mercy in men were in him.

Only 3. Take one word more concerning this mercy that is with God in general, because it is not so easy as ma­ny think to take up this mercy in an infinit and glorious Spirit: He hath been pleased to bring this mercy in him a little nearer to us, and to take up his dwelling in our nature, in giving the Son of his Love to be incarnat, and our kinsman, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, experiencing the misery of man, that his mercy may run through this channel, that his infinit mercy may be com­municate to us, through the tender bowels of a merciful and faithful high Priest, who was in all things made like to his brethren, Heb. 2.17. And who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and was in all things tempted as we are, yet without sin, Heb. 4.15. To assure us that he can be touched with our miseries.

But I proceed in the 2d place, to speak to the Object of this mercy in God; and here in general, all the crea­tures of God, do in some measure partake of this mercy of God, Psal. 145.9. His tender mercies are over all his works, or upon all his works, as the word will read, or to be seen in all his works, Psal. 33.5. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord, Psal. 119.64, The earth is full of his mercy, his mercy is extended to the very ravenous birds and beasts, whose needy crys are lookt on as directed to a mer­ciful God, Job. 38.41. He provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry unto him, Psal. 104.21. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. Psal. 147.9. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ra­vens [Page 419] which cry, Joel 1.20. In time of drought, the beasts of the field cry unto him. And Jonah 4. God respects not only the infants that were in Niniveh, who knew not the right hand by the left, but the very cattel; and if beasts partake of the mercy of God, then wicked men are not de­prived of it. Luk. 6.35. He is kind to the unthankful, and to the evil, ver. 35. and the commentary put on this, verse 36. Be ye therefore merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful. The visible Church, they yet more peculiarly are the object of Gods mercy, as witness all the promises made to Israel of old, for the elects sake that were among them; But the most peculiar objects of his mercy, are his own elect, who (as ye heard, Rom. 9.23.) are vessels of mercy, which he hath afore prepared to glory; His mer­cies towards them cannot be enumerated. The mercy of their Election, Exod. 33.19. and Rom. 9.15. He hath mer­cy on whom he will have mercy, compassion on him, on whom he will have compassion, It is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of him that sheweth mercy, No, but election may be called, and is an act of Dominion and So­veraignity; yet its scope is mercy. Then there is the mer­cy of their Regeneration, Tit. 3.5. According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, &c. And being regenerat, what a heap of mercy and goodness follows them all their days, Psal. 23.6. The mercy of pardoning their iniquity. Exod. 34.6. The mercy of hearing their prayers, as he sayes in another case, Exod. 22.27. When he shall cry unto me, I will hear, for I am gracious. The mer­cy of moderation in the midst of wrath, Hab. 3.2. And not to enumerat all the mercies conferred on the saints, the consummation of their mercies, lies in their everlasting happiness, Jude verse 20 Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life; Then they will get that Prayer answered, put up in the behalf of Onesiphorus, 2 Tim. 1.18. The Lord grant that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day. Thus the Elect from Election to eternal Glorification are [Page 420] the objects of Gods peculiar mercy. I shall only in speak­ing to the object of this mercy in God, desire you further to take notice, under what notions the godly are described, when he promises to express his mercy to them, and to en­sure it to them, he is merciful to them, because they are his own elect; yet ye may notice these names and notions under which mercy is holden out and ensured to them, and I shall name four or five.

1. They are described as penitents bemoaning their sin, and turning from their evil way, Jer. 31.18. When E­phraim is bemoaning himself, crying, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, and repenting, then it follows, I will surely have mercy on him. An impenitent posture may obstruct mercy in its effects, from coming to a godly man.

2. The Objects of this Mercy are described to be lovers of him, & keepers of his commands, as in the second com­mand, Shewing mercy to thousands of them that love me, &c. It is not simply to keepers of the commands, but to such as keep them from a principle of love; neglected obedi­ence, or obedience not from a principle of love, may ob­struct the manifestations of mercy.

3. The objects of this special mercy, are described to be fearers of God, Psal. 103.17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and Luke 1.50. His mercy is upon them that fear him from gene­ration to generation. A heart standing in awe of God, a man that hath all his performances, and even his love seasoned with fear, is the man that is under the drop of Mercy.

4. The Objects of this peculiar Mercy, are described to be merciful folk, Mat. 5.7. Blest are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy: They that have obtained mercy them­selves, cannot but have merciful bowels to deal about them, according to their ability, and as there is cause: and a cruel unmerciful disposition is a shrewd token that such [Page 421] an one has not obtained mercy. But more of this after­ward.

5. And Lastly, The Objects of this Mercy are describ­ed to be tender walkers, according to the Rule and Pat­tern set before them, Gal. 6.16. As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy. Their tender walk puts them not without Mercies mister. The more tender they are in their walk, they see the more need of mercy, and this keeps them under the drop of mercy. So much for the Object of this Mercy that is with God, and for the characters of them to whom it is exprest, which would be looked to by all of you, who would be parta­kers of it.

I proceed now in the 3d place, to speak to the proper­ties of this Mercy, which will help to unfold the nature of it a little more distinctly; and among all the Properties that might be assigned to it; a little briefly to these five.

1. This would be fixed, that the mercy of God is a real mercy. Ye will get fair weather and complemental mer­cy enough in the World; mercy professed where it is not, and where it kythes not in any effect, ye will get mercy enough like that, Jam. 2.15. When a brother or sister is naked, or destitute of daily food, men that will say to them depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, but they give them nothing needful for the body. The whole world (as one says) are like Histrionicks counterfeit, masked persons, and in nothing more than in their pretences and professi­ons of mercy; but the mercy of God is a real mercy, a mercy that folk may lippen to; if ye enquire for it in the inward affection, what can be required, but it is adduced to express it? Isai. 23.15. It is exprest by sounding of the bowels, Jer. 31.20. By bowels being troubled or mov­ed, Hos. 11.8. By the turning of the heart within, and repentings kindled together: All these expressions are to point out, how cordial and real the Lord is, as to the inward affection of mercy; and for the Effects of it, men [Page 422] want rather eyes to discern them, than the mercies them­selves: Even his own people are straitned in their own bowels, how to keep the proofs of mercy, when his heart is enlarged to bestow them, and yet they never want a proof of his mercy, while they have a room in the Hospi­tal of his Heart, and Faith to believe that they are in the Hospital of his Compassion, that is an evident proof how real his mercy is.

2. As his mercy is real, so the Scripture tells, it is that wherein he delights, Mic. 7.18. He retains not his anger for ever. Why? Because he delights in mercy: No, but he delights in himself and in all his Attributes, and in the manifestation of them in the World, but in a peculiar manner in his mercy upon divers accounts. He may be said to delight in it, partly on the account of the frequen­cy of his merciful dispensations and manifestations, in acts of mercy. For works of Judgment towards his peo­ple, are his Work, his strange Work, and his Act, his strange Act. Isai. 28.21. But the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord, Psal. 35.5. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep his covenant, &c. Psal. 25.10. Again, he delights in mercy, because there is nothing flows from him, but that which may invite, & not hinder sinners from coming to him, & being objects of his mercy. It is true, he willeth the death of sinners for sin, to glorifie his Justice; Yet Ezek. 18.23. He hath no pleasure at all in the death of him that dieth, but rather that he should return from his ways and live. Nothing flows from him to seclude any from his mercy, that will not seclude themselves, even when he strikes, it is to drive to his mercy, when he af­flicts, the language is, Turn you and live, why will ye die, O house of Israel? Again, he delights in mercy, because all the good he doth to his people, he doth it not grudgingly. Many a good turn among men is (as ye speak (spilt in the doing: But the good that he does to his people, he does it with his whole heart and soul, Jer. 32.41. He acts [Page 423] mercy toward his people (to speak so) as one in his own Element, and as going about a work that is kindly to him, if I may so word it. And lastly, he delights in mer­cy, because (to speak after the manner of men) he hath no pleasure that his people should ever raise any cloud betwixt his mercy and them; the people of God cannot do themselves a greater wrong, nor him a greater unkind­ness (if ye understand it aright) than by their provoca­tions, to incapacitat him, to manifest his mercy towards them; But mistake not this, for he hath a Soveraignty in his grace, even when they in a manner necessitat him, to keep up the acts of his mercy, and to afflict them; hence when they go onfrowardly in the way of their own heart, his tender mercy will make a stepping-stone of impedi­ments, that are put in its way, Isai. 57.17. Because he delights in mercy, he will come over all these impedi­ments to do them a good turn freely.

And that is a 3d property of this mercy, it is a free mer­cy, it is a mercy bestowed without money, and without price; But this (as I told you the last day) is comprehen­ded under the notion of Grace, that is imported in the Goodness of God, in that it is freely given. And there­fore Exod. 33.19. cited, Rom. 9.15. He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, compassion, &c. And it's not in him that wills, nor in him that runs, but in God that shews mercy; There is no place for disputing here, Why? he will have mercy on such and such, and not on others; it is an act of his royal prerogative in grace, that none can hinder, for who can hinder him to do with his own what he will.

A 4th Property of this mercy with God is, That it is an eternal mercy; I do not mean, that any creature that gets not an Interest in the mercy of God, in this life, may look to be partaker of it after this life, that was the Opi­nion of Origen that Devils and damned men and women should at length share in the mercy of God. Either thou [Page 424] must grip mercy here, or thou hast done with it eternally. But to them that close with mercy here, it is an everlasting mercy. Hence is that over-word of the 136. Psalm, His mercy endureth for ever; and Psal. 103.17. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him; from election to their eternal glorification; so David finds that his tender mercies and loving kindnesses have been for e­ver of old. And the Church, Lam. 3.23. finds, It is of the Lords mercies that they are not consumed, because his compas­sions fails not. And David sings, Psal, 23.6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. It is an ever­lasting and eternal mercy.

There is a 5th property I intended to have spoken to, and that is the fulness and riches of this mercy; but be­cause I am to speak a little more to that, I shall leave it, and the Use of the whole Doctrine to the afternoon. God bless his word unto you.

WHen some time is spent in speaking of the Mercy of God, we are very far from sowing pillows to the Armholes, or from making Kercheffs to the heads of the secure; although I confess many do break their necks upon this blessed refuge of God's mercy, and it will be their double condemnation, that the mer­cy and goodness of God, that should have led them to repentance, was an occasion of their hardning in mischief. Consider but the Scriptures design, in speaking of that mercy that is with God, that it is partly to leave Rebels, and Wanderers without excuse, when mercy is in their offer, and they will have none of it. And partly and espe­cially, to be the great cordial of the miserable man, who [Page 425] when he is under all pressures that are ready to sink him, hath this for his refuge, that with God there is mercy, as in Psal. 13. who when he is troubled with soul-perplexities and desertion, with apprehensions of being cut off, and that his enemies should insult over him, hath this for his cordial, vers. 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy; and the sweet result of that is added, My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation: and vers. 6. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me: that will be the sweet issue of the misterful mans trusting in Gods mercy.

Now ye have heard somewhat of the nature of this mer­cy in general, somewhat of the peculiar objects of it, and under what names and notions mercy is holden out, and ensured to the godly man: I have also spoken somewhat of the properties of this mercy, that it is a real mercy, that wherein God delights, and that it is free and eternal; and before I come to the use, I am to speak a little to the fifth.

A 5th property then of mercy with God is, that it is a rich, full, and infinite mercy, a mercy to reach all the miseries and needs of his people; as to the riches and ful­ness of his mercy, the Scripture very plenteously speaks of it, it is said of God, that he is rich in mercy, Eph. 2.4. He is said to be plentiful in mercy, and full of compassion, Psal. 86.5. His mercies are manifold mercies, Neh. 9.19. So they are called great mercies, Neh. 9.31. Psal. 119.156. Isa. 54 7. And Dan. 9.18. It's great mercy that Ushers in a supplication, we do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousness, but for thy great mercies, It is said further, that he hath not only tender mercies, that are very compassionat and condescending, but he hath a multitude of tender mercies, Psal. 51.1. Psal. 69.16. He is said to have abundant mercies, in that 1 Pet. 1.3. He hath mercies in such abundance, that they are infinitly a­bove the mercies of man, when David had it in his choice, [Page 426] whether he would have three years famine, or three mo­neths fleeing before the enemy, or three days pestilence, 2 Sam. 24.14. Let us now fall (saih he) into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great, and let us not fall into the hand of man. And to add no more, it is said of Gods mercies, Psal. 103.4. That he crowns us with his tender mercies, &c. That is, partly he surrounds his people with proofs of love on every hand, as a Crown compasseth the head, that they cannot turn them about, but mercy compasseth them about as with a shield, as it is Psal. 5.12. And partly, his mercies put respect and honour on his people, as if they set a Crown on every Saints head, and made them Kings and Priests unto God, as David says, Psal. 18.35. Thy gentle­ness hath made me great.

Thus I have let you see how copiously the Scripture speaks of the fulness and richness of this mercy, and that I may let you see it in some particular evidences and instan­ces, consider,

1. That the mercy of God toward his people, is a mer­cy to pity them, when no eye pities them, when they are the object of contempt and abhorrency, as Ezek. 16 when they are cast out into the open field, lying polluted in their blood, having no eye to pity them, then it is a time of love, and he saith to them, Live, and he spreads his skirt over them; that is rich mercy, to take the re­fuse of the earth, and make them the objects of his special mercy.

2. His mercy is full and rich, in giving a vent to it self, even when he is letting out severity, his mercy manifests it self, even when he lifts up his hand, and is striking, in inviting them whom he strikes, to turn, that they die not, as Job 10. when he is destroying him, as he apprehen­ded, after he hath enumerat some common providences about him, he says, vers. 13. These things thou hast hid in thy heart, I know that this is with thee, I know there [Page 427] is some other thing in thy heart, than what I can read in thy dealing.

3. The riches and fulness of this mercy appears in pi­tying and passing by the peevishness and waywardness of his people, especially when they take with it, and be moan it, in that they have been as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, Isai. 57.17. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on in the way of his heart; and what follows? I have seen his way, and will heal him, and will restore comfort un­to him and to his mourners. I am God, and not man, I am a merciful God, I'le misken my petted people, and heal them, I'le not prosecute this quarrel.

4. The riches and fulness of his mercy appears in his fetching an Argument from his stroaks, to pity his people; a stroak extorted out of his hand, to pity his people; a stroak inflicted in justice, mercy will make it an Argu­ment to pity the afflicted, Jer. 31.20. Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; my chiding and contending with him hath wakened my bowels towards him, I will surely have mercy on him.

5. The fulness and riches of this mercy appears in this, that he considers tenderly the consequences of his plead­ing, if he quarrel with them, mercy tells him, he may soon get the victory, but that will lose him his people, therefore he will forbear, Isai. 57.16. I will not contend for ever, nor will I be always wroth. Why? The spirit should fail before me, and the souls that I have made: I could soon destroy them, but that I may not do, and therefore will not contend for ever, &c.

And 6. The riches and fulness of his mercy may be read in this, that when he lets out bowels of mercy, there will be no mercy which the Creature needs, will be with­held from them. When Ishmael hath slain Gedaliah, whom [Page 428] the King of Babylon had made the Jews Governour, and they are afraid of the Chaldeans; Be not afraid of the King of Babylon, (saith he) for I am with you, to save and deli­ver you, and I will shew mercy to you, that he may have mer­cy on you, Jer. 42.11, 12. Fear not, if ye partake of my mercy, I will make the Chaldeans compassionat you: So Psal. 106 44. He regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry, and he remembred his Covenant, and repented ac­cording to the multitude of his mercies. What follows? he made them also to be pitied of all that carried them captives. He needs no other instruments of compassion to his people, nor bitter enemies, when he will have compassion on them. So Solomon prays, Give them compassion before them that carry them captive, 1 King. 8.50. And Hezeki­ah when he is to keep the Passover, tells the people, If they turn again to the Lord, their brethren and children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, 2 Chron. 30.9. Gods compassion can soon bring the compassion of men, in so far as he sees it needful. Thus ye see in a few hints, how rich and full the mercy of God is. In a word, it's a mercy for all the needs and pressures of his people, a Plaister broad enough to cover, and effectual enough to cure all their griefs and sores.

For the use of this great truth, That with the Lord there is mercy, I shall briefly touch on five inferences from it, and leave it.

And 1. If this mercy of God be relative to mans mise­ry, if it be good news manifested to the Creature, on the account of its misery, then those who are partakers of this mercy, would have much sense of their misery; mercy will not relish to any, but to the man sensible of his mi­sery; a pardon will signify nothing, but to a Rebel that is sensible of his Rebellion: And here all that I have spo­ken of the riches, freeness, fulness, &c. of this mercy; if ye read it right, will be the first Lesson ye will learn [Page 429] from it; all this is not proclaimed for a complement, but because it's needed by the miserable: And consequently thou must infer, If I have a right to you mercy, it must not be ordinary thoughts of my misery that I must have there must be deeps of misery in me, to call for deeps of mercy in God. If we thus fence the point, we need not fear that it be a sleeping Pillow to the secure; look what misery is in thee to close with every thing in mercy. If mercy be free, look what ill-deserving is in thee; if pardoning-mercy be in God, look what sense of unpardoned guilt is in thee; if multitudes of mercies be in God, what sense of multitude of miseries is in thee? They that have a right to mercy, must tryst it in the dust, in the very pit of mi­sery.

2. From this, that there is mercy with God, there is ground of assurance offered and afforded to the miserable, that their irrecoverable case by the Covenant of Works is not now desperat. O! the blessed intimation of that Attribute to fallen man, that with God there is mercy; How good news was it, and should it be? What had been the case of Adam and all his posterity, after the Covenant of Works was broken, had it not been for this blest At­tribute that interposed? But now, because there is mer­cy with God, irrecoverable distresses are not desperate: Somewhat ye heard of this from vers. 2, and 4. What a de­plorable case had all been in, if there had been no more to be lookt for, but that, vers. 3. If thou, Lord, mark iniquities, O Lord, who should stand? But a gracious answer is added, vers. 4. But there is forgivenness or mercy with thee; and how this is prest upon the account of Gods mercy, ye have an account given, Jer. 55.67. Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found, call on him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord: Why? For he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. That there [Page 430] is mercy in God abundantly to pardon, is an intimation to the man that is in an irrecoverable condition, to look again to God; And in that 2d of Joel, after that the Lord hath uttered a sore and terrible Judgment, and hath told verse [...]1. That he will utter his voice before his Army, for his Camp is very great, and strong is he that executes his word; (and in the by, if the Lord hath a Nation to pu­nish, he needs not raise, and bring in an uncouth Nation to punish them, he can cause Grashoppers or Locusts do his turn) after all that, Verse 12, 13. He bids them turn to him with all their heart, with fasting, weeping and mourn­ing, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil: When the Lord is setting forth, and inflicting an apparent and remediless stroak, this yet invites to repentance, That he is gracious and merciful, and therefore as on the one hand, thou that slights this offered mercy, and makes it a pillow to se­curity, who when thou hears tell there is mercy with God, makes no use of it, but rather abuses it, to go on in sin; O the Justice of God in the day of thy accompts, will be a sad sight in comparison of mercy; or, justice execute on slighters of mercy, will be dreadful Justice, then it will be, Hills and mountains fall on us, and bide us from the face of the Lamb, What, There is little ter­ror in a Lambs Face; yea, but the fight of the Lambs face in the day of compt and reckoning, that he that of­fered mercy was a Lamb, that mercy was with him will be most dreadful; think on it, slighters of the Gospel, sit-fasts, never-do-wells, abusers of mercy, or ye that would take mercy in the accomplishment, but never give mercy employment, who follow your abominations, if not openly, yet secretly; better for you that ye had sitten all your time at the foot of Sinai, than at the foot of mer­cy in Zion. This is often told you, but little laid to heart, and the ofter it be told many, the less it is laid to heart; but the day will come, when many will get Hell affright­ing [Page 431] memories, wherein ye will remember, that which drops at your feet, and is not noticed, or is stept over, and not regarded: So on the other hand, thou who on the ac­count of hopelesness in thy condition, runs away from God, take heed what thou dost, thou looks on thy case as incurable, and what will thou do with it? If thou run away, where will thou go next? Thy case must either break thee, or thou will grow stupid under it: and be­sides, if thou run away, thou reproaches the mercy of God, so far as thou can, while thou runs from him with any condition, how desperat and irrecoverable so ever: and will thou bring up an ill report on his mercy, as if there were no cure in it for thy case? When thou should rather sing, as David. Psal. 13.5. In opposition to every hope­less like case, But I have trusted in thy mercy, my heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation; O then take heed that thou re­proach not, nor bring not up an ill report on this rich & full mercy in God, by running from it, whatever thy con­dition be.

3. Come here all ye that are making mercy your re­fuge under all your pressures, miseries, troubles, tempta­tions, desertion, or whatever ail you, that know no other door to knock at, but mercy in God, ye have no song but that one which David had, Psal. 13. before cited, and that I can never often enough repeat: though God seem to forget him for ever, and hide his face for ever from him, though when he takes counsel in his soul, he hath sorrow in his heart daily, though his enemies had exalted them­selves, and said, they had prevailed over him, and re­ [...]oyced, and the sleep of death seems to approach, he hath nothing to all that, But I have trusted in thy mercy; Take a look how richly thou art made up, that trusts in this mercy: Remember the song that follows in that Psalm. [...]nd thou will not find it an heartless shift, My heart, says [...]e, shall rejoice in thy salvation, I will sing to the Lord, because [...]e hath dealt bountifully with me; And the Psalmist sings, [Page 432] Psal. 31.7. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy; Why? For thou hast considered my trouble, thou hast known my soul in adversity, I got acquaintance with thee in ad­versity, which otherwise I had not been capable of; there­fore I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy; and consi­der that sweet song, Psal. 136.23. Who remembred us in our low estate, Why? for his mercy endureth for ever; or as Hezekiah hath it, Isai. 38.27. He loved my soul from the pit of corruption; That is the word in the Original: His love and mercy have an Adamantine vertue, to draw a soul out of the pit of corruption, when he remembers us in our low estate, consider thou that hast made mercy thy refuge, how sweetly it can kep a deep distress, Psal. 69.15. Let not the water flood overflow me, hear me, O Lord, for thy lo­ving kindness is good, turn unto me, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies; And Psal. 86.14. O God, the proud are risen up against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; but thou, O Lord, art a God full of com­passion, gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth; O turn unto me and have mercy on me. Consider what a good account of very hopeless tryals mercy will give, Jam. 5.11. Ye have heard of Jobs patience, and have seen the end of the Lord; and what was the end of the Lord, even this, That the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mer­cy; O but they are sad difficulties, which tender mercy and pity in God will not afford relief unto; and there­fore think not your self in a poor plight, who have mer­cy for your refuge, who have no song to sing, But I have trusted, &c.

4. When ye have closed with, and are made up by this mercy, look how ye improve it, and do not abuse it: I confess, the want of the faith of mercy in a strait, is an e­stranging thing, Zech. 11.8. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me; but when thou grips to mer­cy, see what influence it hath on thy heart for warming it, for putting it in a sweet and tender frame on thy part; [Page 433] may I say it, I defie folk to abuse mercy, taken by the right handle; O the alluring, melting, constraining, per­swading power that is in mercy rightly closed with; and O that folk could win to this gate of making use of mer­cy, Rom. 11.1. The Apostle in pressing holiness, saith, I beseech you, brethren, by the mercy of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, &c. And I may allude to that, Phil. 2.1. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels of mercy, ful­fil ye my joy; If folk knew what overcoming mercy means, they would let it be seen in a tender walk. Thou talks of mercy, yet thou art not overcome with it, thou art not melted, nor made more tender by it; what a cheater of thy self, and abuser of mercy art thou? Remember the abuse of outward mercies, will make a sad dittay; Ezra 9. If after all these we break his commands. But ah! what shall be said when folk pretend to special mercy, and a­buse it?

But 5. Among other Uses that ought to be made of be­lieved and closed with mercy, this is one, That we learn to be merciful, Luke 6.36. We must be merciful, as is our heavenly Father, even in loving enemies, &c. Ye heard in the morning from Mat. 5.7. That it is the merciful that obtain mercy: And that Parable of the man that had much forgiven him, and would not forgive his fellow servant, but cast him in prison, Mat. 18.23. — It was a sad evidence that he was not pardoned himself. In a word, thou who art much in mercies common, it will make thee of a merciful & meek temper, which is that pressed, Tit. 3.2. That we should speak evil of no man, be no brawlers, &c. but gentle, shewing meekness to all men, seeing we our selves were sometime disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts: — But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, not by works of righte­ousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and renew­ing [Page 434] of the Holy Ghost; A boisterous, malitious, unmer­ciful temper in any, is but a poor Evidence, that such live under the drop of the multitude of the tender mercies that are with God. But the time being ended, I leave this great Point and you to the rich blessing of this merciful God, To whom be glory.

THe Songs of the people of God, while they are with­in time, are made up of very mixed Notes; yet in this they are sweet, that their over-word, or last word is still the best of it, Poor and needy are they, and may they be, yet they are thought upon by God; Troubled they may be, but not distrest; perplext, but not in despair; perse­cuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed, 2 Cor. 4.8, 9. Much may they have to say, both from within them, and about them, to brangle their threed of hope, which is their great stock and store-house; but they have infinitly more above them to support it; though Israel be in misery and bondage, and under servitude through sin; yet says the Text, Let Israel hope in God; Let nothing they find within, or about them in the world brangle their confidence, For with the Lord there is mercy.

Ye may remember, that from these encouragements to Israel to hope in God, I have been marking what is imply­ed on the part of hopers, that they need mercy and re­demption, and particularly redemption from iniquity; and I began to speak the last day to what is proposed for their encouragement, notwithstanding all these disadvan­tages they are under, and I took some time to speak to that sweet Attribute of Mercy in God. In speaking to which ye had some account in general of the nature of this [Page 435] mercy, and of the Object and Properties of it; and some­what was spoken to the Use of the whole Doctrine; A Doctrine, which though some may abuse, and break their neck on, and which will be the sad dittay of these within the visible Church, That mercy was in their offer, and they slighted it; yet it is a Doctrine absolutely ne­cessary, to them that are lying under the sense of sin and misery.

Now I proceed to a 2d. main Point, to encourage Is­rael to hope in God, That with him is plenteous redemption, That is, both Authority to redeem, and power to vindi­cat his people out of the bondage and servitude, wherein they are, and that in a great measure, a plenteous redem­ption, and that is connected with the former, with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redempti­on; That same God with whom there is mercy, hath also plenteous redemption, which gives a ground to this gene­ral Remark, that I shall batter out a little, that mercy in God, is not a bare naked affection (if I may so word it) in him, as ye may find it amongst creatures, some are ve­ry merciful and compassionat, and can condole the case of others in chains, when they cannot help them, they may weep over them, whom they cannot relieve: But I say, mercy is not such a bare naked affection in God, but it is accompanied with authority and power, to make the ef­fects of his mercy forthcoming for the miserable, as he finds there is cause.

To lay this a little open to you; and in the passing thorow, to hint at some Uses of it, I shall speak a little to these three; 1. What this redemption imports. 2. Why it is called redemption. And 3. What the plenty of this redemption that is with God, may look to, or hint at.

For the first, What redemption imports, ye know that redemption properly is a recovery, by paying of a price, or by exchange or otherwise, of that which hath been brought in bondage, or under the power of another. Now [Page 436] redemption when it is attribute to God, imports a reco­very of his people out of that bondage of sin and misery, unto which through their own folly, they have cast them­selves: And for the import of it, beside mercy relative to their misery, who have sold themselves; it imports both authority to redeem, and power to redeem. 1. Authority, and authority of Soveraignity in Dominion, to recover, or bring back, what, or whom he pleases, out of that bon­dage and servitude, under which they had brought them­selves. To allude to that Plea of the Caldeans, anent the Redemption of Captives, Isai. 49.24. Shall the lawful Captive be delivered, we have taken them lawful Cap­tives, and who has authority to interpose and take them from us? So when guilt, and justice pursuing for guilt, hath the Israel of God, lawful Captives, in that case he hath authority, and supremacy, a soveraign dominion to interpose for the Redemption of his people, when he will, as it is said, Psal. 3.8. Salvation belongs to the Lord; it is his prerogative royal to give salvation, to redeem, as Princes have a power Paramount to pardon Crimes the Law strikes against; he hath a power to pardon, to love freely, to see his peoples ways, and to heal them, Isai. 57.18. That is the first thing then imported in this redemp­tion, an authority and right to redeem; and before I passe from it. I would leave this word with the people of God, that when their distresses are great and many, and all other doors are shut on them, they would learn to look to Soveraignty in God, as the Latin Proverb is, They may be in that case wherein salvation cannot save them, and then they must look no laigher than God, and to a So­veraign Dominion in God to redeem, remembring what­ever be the sad premisses in their case, he hath a dominion to make the conclusion what he pleaseth, his authority and soveraign dominion can make the conclusion com­fortable, when the premisses writes bitter things against them; this would be the last anchor that we would hold [Page 437] by, when all others are driven and come home; and I would have you so far from mistaking and stumbling, when ye look to Soveraignty in God, and ye are brought so low, that you have no claim, but to put off your Or­naments, and see what God will do to you; all things in your case, or what ye can look to for relief, are so hope­less and desperat, only ye dare not limit God, I would in this case have you so far from stumbling at Soveraignty in God, that I would have you rather afraid, when ye have any thing to look to beneath it. It is sad when God is afflicting his people with crosse Providences, it should be with them, as with that people. Jer. 2.37. They go forth from him with their hands on their head, and the Lord hath rejected their confidence, that is a sad trade when Gods work of Providence is, to blast and reject their carnal confidence, and to defeat them, that they shall not prosper in them, because they will not quite them, and lay their deplorable case at the footstool of Soveraignty in God; So much for the first thing imported in redempti­on, That is, authority to redeem.

2. This Redemption in God imports further, even a power to exercise that authority and dominion, for the actual redemption of his people, many a time experience shows that authority is baffled and affronted in the world, because it is not in its way backed with power; but our blessed Lord, who has authority to redeem, has also power to exercise that authority, and actually to re­deem, he is the God of the Spirits of all flesh, to whom nothing is too hard, Psal. 115.3. Our God is in heaven, he hath done whatever he pleased. Psal. 135.6. Whatever the Lord pleased, that he did in heaven and in the earth, &c. And ye have his power asserted in this very affair, Isai. 29.24. Shal (say they) the prey be taken from the mighty, or the law­ful captive be delivered? We hear tell (would they say) of the redemption of Israel from the Babylonish captivity; but we plead, that they are not only lawful captives, ta­ken [Page 438] in war, but we are mighty to detain them; yea, but (says the Lord) even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered, were ye never so mighty and terrible, when I interpose, I will re­deem, and recover the prey. I shall not need to insist fur­ther in the confirmation of this.

But 1. Any of you who are afflicted and sensible of your straits, and of the sins that have drawn them on; will ye believe this, that there is not only mercy with God, but power to manifest that mercy, and it may content you to ly in the Hospital of his heart, till he see it fit to manifest his power for your redemption. If there be with him not only mercy, but redemption, it must certainly say some o­ther thing, than ordinarly we apprehend, that he wants neither power nor good will to redeem his people, for with their God there is mercy, and with him, &c. and there­fore were their hazard as peremptor, as that of the three children, Dan. 3. Who were to be cast in the fiery fur­nace, this is support enough, Our God whom we serve (say they) is able to deliver us, &c. and therefore when we are in straits, and reckon that we want proofs of his power, we would reckon also, that it is not for want of good will, for with him is mercy, and it should content and quiet our hearts, to take lodging in his compassion, till he let the world see, that with him also is plenteous redemption in the effects of it.

2. From this I would recommend to you, to study to believe this power much; it is not for nothing that it is said of Abraham, Rom. 4.20, 21. That he staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; Why? He was fully perswaded, that what he promised, he was also able to perform; and the three children did not speak ordinary news, when they tell Ne­buchadnezzar, The God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace; It is true, generally people think they doubt not of the power of God, all their doubting [Page 439] is, about his goodwill, as that man, Mat. 8.2. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean; but they that know themselves best, will see atheism at the bottom of their diffidence, and a doubting of his power as well as of his goodwill; therefore this is an evidence, that folks win easily to Faith in smaller and petty Tryals, wherein there is not much need of power, then their Faith will soar aloft: but in great Tryals they succumb and sink, and find their Faith a seeking; and whence flows this, but from unbelief, That with God there is power to redeem: and therefore I beseech the people of God to study to believe, and be fixed in the faith of the Attributes of God, especi­ally in the faith of his power in difficulties.

But 3. From this I say, I would have the people of God not to stumble, though in their straits they be left on the Power and Omnipotency of God alone, to relieve them; Let Israel hope, Why? Not because they can ex­tricat themselves out of difficulties, not because ordinary help will do their turn, but because with God is redempti­on, and plenteous redemption; because God is Omnipotent to vindicat them out of their bondage; it is kindly to have saints brought frequently to be in Gods mister, that no­thing but God can do their turn; so that they think they have done with it, if God interpose not, when they are brought to such perplexing questions, as that Ezek. 37. Can these dry bones live? That only Omnipotent Power in God can answer; then they would not stumble when they are brought that low, that their Faith is left upon the Omnipotency of God alone; that power of God, if (as Abraham did) thou take it up rightly; If thou believe on him who quickens the dead, and calls on things that are not, as if they were, because he makes them to be: It is enough to answer all thy difficult questions; Therefore (whatever thy difficulties be) guard against stumbling from this, That with God is redemption, and plenteous redem­ption. So much from what is imported in this redemption.

[Page 440]I proceed in the 2d place to give you some account, why this is called redemption; and if we restrict redemption here to Israel (and it is these who are bidden hope on the ac­count of this Redemption, and it is Israel, that ( verse 8.) He will redeem from all their iniquities) The deliveries of the Lords people are fitly and frequently exprest, under the name of Redemption, not only their deliverance from sin, as verse 8. but deliverance from trouble, as Psal. 25. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. Now, I say, That most fitly and frequently, the deliveries of Gods people are called a Redemption on a threefold account, which I shall first propone, and then speak to.

1. As they have a relation to their spiritual Redempti­on by Christ. 2. As they have a relation to the troublers of Israel, his people, from whose power they are redeem­ed. 3. As they have relation to the issue of their troubles; That it is a redemption, and setting them at freedom from servitude and bonds.

1. I say, The deliverances of the people of God are cal­led a Redemption, all of them, because they are founded on, and are the result of their eternal and spiritual Re­demption, through Christ, all their deliverances are the appendices, and (as ye call it) the bounty super added to that great Redemption, which they have by the satisfa­ction of Christ; and upon this account it is, that delive­rances to the people of God are noticed, as evidences of his love to them in Christ, Psal. 18.19. He delivered me, saith David, because he delighted in me. It was a proof of reconciled love to him in Christ, That God delivered him from his troubles; and hence all that the Lords people get, and their deliveries among the rest, are gifts bestowed on them with Christ, Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things; Unto the Israel of God, Christ is first freely given, and then with him, in him, and through him, [Page 441] all other things, and their deliveries among the rest, are afforded them on that account.

This I mark on a threefold account. 1. To press u­pon folk the exercise of piety, and the making sure of an interest in Christ, and his Redemption; for that's your ground and claim to all other mercies. When Christ is diverting his Disciples from careful anxiety, Mat. 6.33. He bids them seek the Kingdom of God first, and all other things shall be added to them. And 1 Tim. 4.8. Bodily ex­ercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Many never mind this, that godliness, and mak­ing sure an interest in Christ, is the only thriving gate: as for such as find prosperity in another method, I shall speak to them just now. But for you that are godly, or pretend to godliness, to be taken up in seeking things in time, ye forget your main work; when ye are too eager and keen in your pursuit of these things, wherein if God love you, he will not let you thrive: I wot not what of this is among you, but if there be a nearness, a nipped­ness, and eagerness after the things of the world, in that you may read your poverty; if ye be seeking God, and making an Idol of the world, or any things in it, he loves you better than to let you prosper in that pur­suit; and if ye would thrive indeed, put godliness in the first place, begin at it as the work of all your thrift.

But 2. Because many may laugh at this Exhortation, founded on this, that other mercies come as the result of Redemption through Christ, and therefore that folk ought in the first place to sicker an interest in him; and think that they speed best in things of time, that neglect Piety, I might bid them laugh at leasure. Many profane folks, that have had more prosperity than heart could wish, and have thought they should never be in adversity, and that they had no need of God to hold to their head; they have win [Page 442] through it all, and have been put to imbrace dunghills, and in their straitned condition have been contemptible, when the godly have shined in their greatest poverty. But that which I press here, is, that every lot that folk have, they would see how they hold it, by what Title and Right, thou that gets the mercy of prosperity, or a delivery out of trouble, if thou be not interested in Christ, and a Stu­dent of holiness, it's but as a Bone cast at a Dog for thy portion, as it is Psal. 17.4. And I shall tell you the Te­stament of such men, from that parable, Luk. 16.25. Son, (saith Abraham to the rich glutton) remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Thou hast prosperity while thou neglects piety, but it may be thou art getting what thou gets in wrath; and while thou art running to Satan and perdition, thou gets out­ward mercies as a Post-horse, to further thee in that de­plorable Journey; yea, thou who art a child of God, may be getting outward mercies, when God is not plea­sed with thee. There is a sad word 1 Cor. 10.5. after the Apostle has spoken of great mercies conferred on Gods people, he subjoyns, But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness: And therefore thou that would put a right value on mer­cies, read them at that rate, Isai. 42.16. where when he hath spoken of bringing the blind by the way they knew not, making darkness light before them, and crooked things straight, he subjoyns, These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them; look if thou has God with what thou hast. Have a man what he will, till he have interest in him, and stand in his favour, he has little cause to insult or boast. If thy mercies be not the result of redemption through Christ, they will turn a snare.

But a 3d word of Inference from this, is, that it is an in­vitation to the fearers of God, who have an interest in his [Page 443] love, and are studying to walk tenderly, to look sweetly on their portion and lot in time, what-ever it be; it may be thy share in the things in time is little, thy troubles many, thy breathing times betwixt troubles short, thy comfort mixt with what is bitter and sad; but that which will make all relish, is, that the same love that has given Christ for thee, and to thee, and will give thee e­verlasting happiness, hath afforded these mercies as the result and appendices of that great redemption, and that same love will sanctify all thy crosses, and make them work for thy good: And O! How sweet might sorry accom­modations, mean food and raiment be, to have this writ­ten over them, That love that hath given Christ for me, and to me, and will give me a Crown one day, hath gi­ven me these? This might be rich and sweet Sauce to a sober Diet, excellent Furniture to a poor House, to learn to look on these as the result of the great Bargain. Seek to have your interest in Christ, your Union and Communi­on with him more near and warm, and to be more tender: That thus ye may look on your mercies and be comforted; the Lord bless what ye have heard.

MAny are the exceptions and grounds of fears which the people of God entertain, for fostering their dis­couragement, and no fewer are the Cordials that are al­lowed in God to make out that to them, that when they are afraid, they are called to trust in God; when Israel is invited to hope in God, if misery and ill-deserving re­tard their obedience to that command, they are told here, that with the Lord there is mercy. If they look on them­selves as lawful Captives, and none have a right to offer [Page 444] to rescue or ransome them, they are told here, that with the Lord there is redemption, a Soveraign Authority, Right and Power, to step in when he will, and vindicate them into freedom: If they look upon it as hard and impossible ever to get out of the bonds they are under, with him is plenteous redemption, as the Psalmist sings, Psal. 146.7. To loose the Prisoners, and open the prison doors, and set them at liberty. This is that I was speaking to in the morning, That with God there is redemption. I cleared, that this Re­demption imported Authority and Right to redeem, and power to reedeem and vindicate: And I came in the se­cond place to clear in what respects this Redemption is so called, or in what respects his delivery of his people is called, a Redemption of them. And the first to which I have spo­ken, it's because all their deliverances are founded upon, and are the result of their eternal Redemption through Christ; the Uses whereof I mentioned, and shall not re­peat.

I proceed now in the 2d place, to clear that their Re­demption is so called, or their delivery is called Redem­ption, in relation to their trouble, and the instruments of their trouble, from whom God will redeem them; not by paying a price for them, for that is already payed to Ju­stice, for doing away the controversie that God the prin­cipal Creditor had with them, who therefore put them in Bonds, and under Arrest; but by the strong hand he redeems them from the instruments of their trouble, to their own cost, as Isai. 52.3. The Lord tells his people, that they had sold themselves for nought, they had made a poor Bargain, or they had provocked God to sell them into their enemies hands for nought, but they should be redeemed as cheap, without money, Isai. 43.14. The Lord proves himself to be the Redeemer of his people by this, that for their sakes he had sent to Babylon, to get them re­deemed [Page 445] hence, and had brought down all their Nobles, and the Caldeans, whose cry is in the Ships, or to the Ships, to seek Vessels to run away, when Cyrus came and turned in the River on the City. And Isai. 49.24, 25, 26. when they accounted the people of God their prey, and lawful captives, the Lord not only tells them, that the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered, but he will pay a ransome to the Caldeans for them, and what is that? I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood, as with sweet wine: That shall be the ran­some that he will give the Caldeans, when he delivereth his people. I shall not dwell on this; in general it holds out this, that they are in a sad and ill taking, who are left by themselves to take Gods people to task; they are as these who would go betwixt a Man and his Wife, who when the friendship is made up, will get little thanks, and therefore they are rather to be pitied than envyed. It bods little good to men, when God makes use of them to be in­struments of the afflictions of his people; and any that ye would wish good unto, pray that they may be preserved from that Pit, and any ye see ingaged in it, ye cannot do them a better turn, than to stand in the Gapp for them, and pray they may be delivered out of it, for it is fatal and prodi­gious to be instruments of the people of Gods trouble, and to be found standing in his way when he is to redeem them.

But in the 3d place, I told you, that their Delivery is called Redemption, in relation to the issue of their de­livery from their troubles, as the Captive or Prisoner, when he is redeemed, or the ransom payed, is set free, en­larged, and set at liberty to go where he will: So God's delivering of a people, brings freedom and enlargement, a breaking of Bonds, an opening of Prison doors, a vindi­cating of them from bondage and slavery. Hence the de­livery [Page 446] of the saints is metaphorically expressed, by setting of them at large, or in a large place, Psal. 18.19. The Psalmist was hampered before, when he was in trouble, but he got enlargement and skiproom by God's deliver­ing of him; So Psal. 31.8. David sayes, Thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the Enemy, thou hast set my feet in a large place, or room; had I been amongst my enemies, they had hemm'd me in; but God in delivering me, gives me elbow-room; and, Psal. 118.5. I called on the Lord in di­stress, the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place; or answered me in a large place: (for these words, and set me, are a supplement in the Text, that is, with enlarge­ment; by enlargement and freedom he delivered me; So Job 36.16. Where Elihu is giving Job an account what he might have expected, had he improved God's corre­ctions aright. Even so (saith he) would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; Thou art (would he say, as verse 8.) bound in fetters, and holden in cords of affliction; but had thou heark­ned to the instructions communicat to thee by the Rod, God should have brought thee out of that strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; so that in re­spect of the issue, delivery is enlargement, a giving of skup­room to them that were in bonds and pressures before.

And from this I would have you reflecting on two or three words, 1. It imports, that when the people of God are in trouble, unredeemed, they should be in straits, and as under pressures, sensible of their affliction, their bonds should press them; Therefore in that fore-cited place, Job 36.8. Affliction is called bonds, or fetters and cords, and Job, when he is viewing God's dealing with him, says, Chap. 13.27. Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks; not only did he put him in prison, for a man in prison, has room to walk up and down, but in prison he put his feet in the stocks; importing that folks should find a pressure when God afflicts them, they should be straitned when [Page 447] they are in the stocks; stupidity is ill company, when God is using means means to waken out of security, and to make folk sensible, and to be taking too much elbow room, when folks are under an arrest of Providence, it is no good evidence, that he will give enlargement, Job 35.15. Hypocrites in heart heap up wrath, they cry not when he binds them; when folks are straitned, they would feel it, and especially they should find their straitning, that they may cry to God when he binds them, Psal. 107.12. He brought down their hearts with labour; he brake their spirits with toil, he hammered their undaunted hearts with sit-fast and sore pressures, and further he dealt so with them till they fell down, and there was none to help, and then they cryed to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them, &c. That is the great design of pressures, when folks are so hampered, that they cannot stir their feet, when they are so straitned that they wot not what hand to turn them to, it is, That they may cry to God, and he may save them.

Hence, 2. Many sad lamentations may the visible Church, and even saints write over their own frames un­der pressures, that they are so little affected; and parti­cularly, that be they pressed never so much, there is little prayer under their pressures, as in that forecited place, Job 36.13. When Elihu is telling what should be folks car­riage, when they are bound with fetters, and holden in cords of affliction, he tells the Hypocrites in heart, heap up wrath, they cry not when God binds them; few folks pressures are seen in their prayers, either in doubling their diligence in their duty, or in their manner of going about it, they have few prayers, that look like distrest folks pray­ers; O let fruitless improvers of pressures, ponder at large Job 36.8. to 18. Where when Elihu has told the benefit of well improved pressures, and the hazard of ill improv­ed pressures, he tells Job verse 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place; But verse 17. Thou has fulfilled the judgement of the wicked, ju­stice [Page 448] and judgement take hold on thee; Therefore because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroak, then a great ransom cannot deliver thee; evil im­proved pressures, will occasion sad reflections, and may bring on stroaks, from which folks will not easily come to be delivered; O how oft may we write that over ill improved pressures, which ye have, Psal. 81.13. O that my people had hearkened to me, and Israel had walked in my ways, I would soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. And Isai. 48.18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandment, then had thy peace been as a river, &c. It must be otherwayes with pressed saints, than it is with others. It is a sin and a shame that so ma­ny ruines are under saints hands, not improved, but a double sin & shame, that they should increase under their hand, and an evidence they have not been improved.

But a 3d word most directly from what I have spoken on this branch, is this, That if every delivery be a re­demption and enlargement, Then it calls the people of God to be comforted and enlarged, under every mercy and proof of love, how mean soever it be. The Lord who calls men in the day of adversity to consider, calls them in the day of prosperity to be comforted, and joyful in a­ny measure of redemption that they meet with, Eccl. 7.14. And it's marked by Nehemiah and others, when God had brought Israel into the land of Canaan, and gave them abundance of good things, they delighted themselves in his great goodness, Neh. 9.25. a practice very rare among God's people, proofs of love, particular redemption trists them, which calls them to rejoyce in God and his good­ness, and yet they are where they were when they got them, their mercies are little seen upon them, by any en­largements given them; and what wonder therefore that mercies be withholden from them, who cannot be worse with the want of them, than when they have them, they droop when they have, and they droop when they want: [Page 449] the having of them is no enlargement to them, and this they mourn not for as a sin, they are better at picking quarrels at them, than at being thankful for them, which speaks a proud unsubdued selfie disposition.

I shall not stand to discuss the shifts and pretexts, that folks make use of in their byasses, in setting no value on Redemptions bestowed on them, many a time their own spirit is a spirit of bondage, when God allows on them a spirit of liberty. It is not the want of allowances from God, but the want of enlargement of heart, a slavish ser­vil disposition, that makes a spirit of bondage, when it is not Gods allowance. Sometime they pretend the smalness of the mercy, to undervalue it, when they rather proclaim the want of humility in themselves. The humbled Church, Lam. 3.22. Under many pressures sees, That it is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed; if our mercies be compa­red with our lustings, or deservings, they will be great and admirable mercies. And sometimes the cloud of con­tinued pressures hides the sight of partial Redemptions; but certainly, every evidence of mercy remembred in wrath, is a redemption, and should be delighted in, and our heart should be enlarged in receiving it as such, in a word, it is an evidence of a blest disposition, when what­ever be folks lots, they love not to cast out with God, they love not to fish faults with his Providence, to mis­cal a mean mercy, how insignificant soever it be to their sense; and when they are content to pick up their mer­cies amongst the crouds of their crosses, that these shall not tempt them, not to be comforted in the meanest mer­cy; and who knows but such a frame, if it were studi­ed, might prove a door of hope to the increase and growth of favours; they that delight to commend mercies, shall find them grow. Now I have done with the accounts on which deliveries are called Redemptions.

In the third place it remains, that I should speak a lit­tle to the plentifulness of these redemptions; With him there [Page 450] is plenteous redemption. Ye heard the last day when I was speaking of the mercy of God, That God is full of compas­sion, and plenteous in mercy, Psal. 86.5, 15. That he has manifold mercies. Neh. 9.19. and that he is abundant in goodness, Exod. 34.6. Here He is plenteous in redemption, and this hath relation to these two.

1. To the variety of the pressures, the saints may be as­saulted with, for plenteous redemption speaks plentiful pressures.

2. To the recurring of these pressures, that when folk are brought out of them, they fall in them again through their own folly; There is plenteous redemption with God in relation to both.

For the first, The variety of pressures wherewith saints may be assaulted, There is somewhat, 1. Supposed here, That not only the Israel of God may have pressures, but a variety, a great many of them; Hence Eliphaz, Job 5.19. Supposing Job a penitent, says, God should deliver him in six troubles and in seven, a number of perfection, 2 Cor. 4.8. The Apostle says, we are troubled on every side, and Ch. 6.7. He tells, There is need of the armour of righteous­ness, both on the right and left hand; there is no hand we can turn us to, would he say, but there is need of armour, Chap. 7.5. Troubled on every side, without are fightings, and within were fears; and in a word, the Church tells us, Lam. 2.22. That God had called, as in a solemn day, her terrors round about her, in the day of Gods anger no pressure was wanting, and there was a convention of them.

1. Hence from this, that variety of pressures are the lot of the people of God, it doth on the one hand point out, that they are ill to tame, ill to hold, like a wild ass, snuf­fing up the wind; it is not easie sisting them, except they be hedged in on all hands; hard wedges tells there are hard stone or timber to be divided; and they who have many pressures, may sit down and lament over their dis­positions, [Page 451] that less would not do their turn; many might steal more quietly in to heaven, were it not for their dis­positions, that are so wild and ill to be tamed; Though yet I shall add, the more pressures thou hast, if thou could improve them well, thou has the more doors open for mercy, and occasions to get meat out of the eater.

2. From it I would have many folks learning to silence their murmuring and complaining, many have learned a gad of crying ere they be toucht; there be many, who though there be pressures be such, as many of the people of God would count an outgate, yet there is no biding of their complaining: O! what would many of you do if ye were put in Job's case, who in one day was stript of all that he had, and the next day of his health and quiet­ness of mind, and yet he was born through; it is a great evidence of mortification, to be enabled to bear pressures well, to make little din of grievances; much din and cry­ing under them, tells there are many boyls to be let out, and many complaints call on God to lay more on folk to tame them better. O! be sober, and if ye be put in a Ba­bel, see if ye can build houses there, and make your pres­sures as supportable, as lawfully ye may without sin, make them not intolerable, for that is to break your back, but see how tolerable ye can make them, without sinning against God, that ye may dwell beside your cross, with silence and submission, who wots, but ere many days go over, ye may meet with an out-gate.

But 2. As variety of pressures are supposed here; so it expresses plenty of Redemption in God for all that varie­ty; time will not permit me to break in on that other thing, that this plenteous Redemption relates to, the re­curring of pressures, how frequently the people of God may fall under repeated pressures, and may be ofter than once pressed, but here for variety of pressures, there is plenteous redemption, He will deliver in six troubles, and in seven, Job 5.19. If they be assaulted on the right and [Page 452] left hand, there is armour of righteousness for both, 2 Cor. 6.7. If they be troubled on every side, he can keep them from being distressed if perplexed, they shall not despair, &c 1 Cor. 4.8. If they be troubled on every side, have fightings without, and fears within, God that comforts those that are cast down, can comfort them, 2 Cor. 7.8. When thou sits down, and cannot tell all thy pressures, and are like a weak patient, who when his wounds are opened up, swerfs, thy heart grows sick and thou faints. He is all sufficient to afford Cordials for thy support; thou cannot have so many wants, but he can supply them: And as the old man said to the Levit, Judges 19.20 All thy wants shall be upon him; Thou cannot be straitned in God, though through the narrowness of thy confidence, thou may be straitned in thy own bowels, for with him is plenteous redemption; Think upon this, ye that have to do with it, ye that in your pressures are left on God a­lone, bring up a good report on him, cry not up your wants above his furniture; cry not up your griefs above his consolations, which cannot be exhausted; this would make folks life not so comfortless as oft times they make it to themselves, while they cry out, What will they do with this, and with that, it [...] come in their way? If in­deed such a thing be before thee we may say, as it was said to Jeremy. Jer. 12 5. If thou hast run with the foot­men, and they have wearied thee, then how can thou contend with horses? If thy few pressures have laid thee by, What wilt thou do with more and greater? If in the land of peace, wherein thou trusted, they have wearied thee, (I shall not say thou wilt have that atheistical word, What ca [...] God do?) But what wilt thou do, if it come to the swellings of Jordan? But if thou keep thy eye and heart on that word, With God is plenteous redemption; and then ask, what shall I do with my troubles? I say, even bear them, go to God and get much from him to bear them; many proofs of his power and love, his all sufficiency is [Page 453] infinite to bear thee thorow; and bod well of him, and have well: look down on the greatest number of pressures as tolerable in his strength. I love not carnal confidence, but God loves not drooping, or that folk should go dis­couraged to their work, though humble they should be. They that go drooping to their work, will come halting from it: but though a solemn assembly of terrors should surround you, hold your eye o [...] plenteous redemption in God, and it shall be well with you. God bless his word to you for Christ's sake.

AS there is no searching out of the Almighty to per­fection, as to what he is in himself, for he is high­er than the Heavens (as it is said of his Wisdom) and deeper than the Earth. So that what can we do or know? Job 11.7 8. So we are as little able to compre­hend or fathom all that is in him, for the good of his peo­ple, and what wonder when over and above all particu­lar Promises, he hath given himself away to be their God, hath made infinitness their portion. Here we have a taste of what riches are in him for the behove of his people; That for misery in Israel, with the Lord there is mercy; that for bondage and slavery in Israel, with him is plenteous re­demption: And for the particular bondage and pressure of sin, He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

I have already said somewhat to that attribute of mer­cy in God; and the last day I came to a close of this. That with him is plenteous redemption; ye heard that this redem­ption imports, partly authority to interpo [...], and partly power to back authority, to vindicat his people: Ye heard [Page 454] also that it was called redemption on a threefold account; 1. On the account of its rise and fountain, that every re­demption and delivery the people of God get, is found­ed on, and is the result of their great Redemption by Christ. 2. It is so called, with an eye to the trouble and troublers from which he redeems his Israel, but without money. 3. That it is so called, upon the account of the issue; when the Lord delivers his people, he sets them at freedom and liberty, he sets their feet in a large place, as it is, Psal. 18.19. I came also to speak of the plenteousness of this Redemption; The Text says, that not only there is redemption, but plenteous redemption with him; and (as I shewed) it is called plenteous redemption on a dou­ble account. 1. In relation to the great plenty and varie­ty of pressures, wherewith the people of God may be as­saulted on the right and on the left hand, with fightings without, and fears within; and as the Church hath it, Lam. 2.22. They may have their terrors called as in a so­lemn day round about them; but in reference to all these, he hath plenteous redemption, to deliver from six troubles and from seven, to put on the armour of righteousness when they are assaulted on the right hand and on the left, when they are troubled on every side, to keep them from being distressed; When perplexed, to keep them from despair, &c. 2 Cor. 4.8. Of this I have spoken, and shall not repeat.

It remains in the 2d place, That I speak to this plente­ous Redemption, as it relates to the frequent relapses of the people of God into bondage through their folly, after the Lord hath brought them out of former pressures, they betray themselves, and bring themselves under new pres­sures, they fall in new provocations, that bring them in new difficulties, which puts them again and again to look up to redemption in God. I shall follow out this a little in three heads.

[Page 455]1. It is not a thing unusual to see the people of God af­ter they have been redeemed, to fall in relapses, and need­ing new redemptions; for plenteous redemption in God needed not be proclaimed, if they were not obnoxious to frequent relapses in bondage, and pressures through their sin, if they were not like that passionat man, or man of great wrath that suffers punishment; for if thou deliver him (says he) thou must do it again, Prov. 19.19. Let God pull them out of the mire, by his mighty and graci­ous hand, they will be as ready to fall in it again, as if they had not been in it before; This is the complaint made of the Lords people, Psal. 106.43. Many a time did he deliver them, they got redemption often, but they provocked him with their counsel, and were brought low for iniquity. They were often well, but could not hold themselves so. And if ye will consider the Hi­story deduced, Jud. 2.16. to 20. It is marked when they had provocked the Lord, to put them in bondage, that he raised up Judges, which delivered them out of the hand of these that spoiled them; but they would not hearken to their Judges, but went a whoring after other gods, and when for that they were brought in bondage, the Lord raised them up Judges, and was with the Judges to de­liver them from enemies, but when the Judge was dead, they returned and corrupted themselves. And Jud. 10.10, to 13. The Lord layes it home to them, when they came and complained to him by reason of the bondage they were under by the Ammonites, I delivered you (sayes he) from the Egyptians, Amorites, the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, the Sydonians also, and the Amalekites, and Maonites, when ye cryed to me, yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods; ye would not hold your selves well, when ye were well, therefore ye are now under the power of the Ammonites. I need not stand to tell you, how this re­lapsing into bondage comes. Defection, declining, and departing from God, is the sinful byass of our hearts, when [Page 456] ever we are right, that motion is preternatural, or rather supernatural; we are naturally inclined to go a whoring from God; and not only so, but we are possest with a carnal confidence, that we shall do well, when we get our will, and God is provocked to blast that carnal con­fidence, by giving us a proof of what is in our hearts; and further the abuse both of bondage, and delivery out of bondage; when folk can give a sorry and poor account of what they have profited by the one, or by the other. It is no wonder that God be provocked to leave them in the mire, and to need Redemption a-new.

Now all that I shall take from this shall be these two words. To guard all flesh that they lean not the weight of their guiding on their outward condition, and com­plain not of any lots they are under, as if they would do better, if freed of them; many when they are low, are ready to assoil themselves, as to the neglect of duty, they are under this or that, which if they were freed of, they would do well, that is but a cheat. The Wall might go up in troublesome times, as Neh. 9.25 When with the one hand they held the weapon, and built with the other; Mens tempers are such, that give them their will in out­ward conditions, they would not do better till God mend their Dispositions, thou will say, thou art under want, and hast no time to seek God; but had thou Cresus's wealth, thou would not seek him better, if thy dispositi­on were not helped. Thou has this or that fashrie, and if that were taken off thee, thou would be more diligent, but considers not that if thou wanted that fashry or trou­ble, thou would be more lazie, and if thou could guide the lot thou art under, it would quicken thee to dili­gence, and help thee to diligence, and help thee to improve it to a spiritual advantage: In a word, blame not thy lot, of thy want of a disposition, but thy disposition, and then thou shall be in a capacity to go about duty, and get the good of thy lot whatever it be.

[Page 457]2. That as we would not complain of lots, so we would not trust our fairds and resolutions, to do right when God sends redemption, when we are delivered, how doth the Novelty of it affect us, when God has broken the yoke and burst the bonds; we say, we will not transgress, Jer. 2.20. But he that trusts in his own heart is a fool, Prov. 28.26. For Psal. 106.12, 13. When that people were on the edge of the red Sea, newly delivered, then they believed his word, and sang his praises, but they soon forgat his works, they waited not for his counsel; they that have gotten a redemption wherewith they are affected, if they be not on their guard, they may put themselves in a con­dition, wherein they may need a new proof of plenteous Redemption.

But 2. As relapses in bondage after we are redeemed, are too usual in the people of God, so it is a hainous and ter­rible aggravation of their fault. It needs a peculiar pro­mise, That with God is plenteous redemption to them that are sensible of it, it is no light matter (let folk think of it what they will) to sell themselves for nought. And when God hath redeemed them, to sell themselves over again; it was a terrible aggravation of Solomons fault, that he turned a­way from the Lord God of Israel, after that he had ap­peared to him twice, 1 Kin. 11.9. That after God had manifested himself to him, he ran away from him, and Ezra 9.13. Ye will see how that godly and reader man, looks on such a practise as this; After all this is come upon us, for our evil deeds, and for our great trespasses seing thou our God has punisht us less tha [...] our iniquities deserve▪ and has given us such deliverance as this, should we again break by commandment, and joyn in affinity with the people of these abo­minations, would thou not be angry with us till thou hadst con­sumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping. He hath a dreadful apprehension of the desert of relapses af­ter Redemption, and no wonder they be so lookt upon, if we consider partly, that the Lord delivers his people out [Page 458] of trouble on these very terms, that they should not turn again to folly, Psal. 85.8. The Lord will speak peace to his peo­ple and saints, but let them not turn again to folly; And, Jer. 3.19. When a great objection is moved, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a good­ly heritage of the host of nations? he answers thus, Thou shalt call me, my father, and shall not turn away from me. Now to frustrat Gods very end, and the terms on which he gives Redemption, must be a sad aggravation of guilt: And further it is sad, if we consider, that God's giving parti­cular Redemption to his people, is accompanied with engagements on our part, with our own consent to do our duty, Jer. 2.20. When of old time I had broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds, thou saidst, I will not transgress; thou took fair in hand, when on every high hill, and under every green tree, thou wandred, playing the harlot; thou said, thou would give my kindness in delivering thee ano­ther meeting, when thou hast foully deboarded: And further, it may be sad, to look on thir relapses, on the account of the folly that is in them; as in that, Psal. 85.8. When God speaks peace to his people, if they turn to sin, it is a folly; there is a folly and madness in that prank, for them who having sinned, and God hath corrected them for sin, and made them to find sin an evil and bitter thing, to try again conclusions of that kind, and relapse in these sins, that hath bred them so much bitterness, who after they have met God in their teeth, hedging up their way with thorns, that they should not find their loves, and God hath delivered them, yet no sooner are they de­livered, but they fall to that same way of sinning, which brought them in bondage; what a folly and madness is in that?

For Use, let me intreat you not to look lightly on re­lapses, which have such hainous aggravations, whether they be privat or publick relapses, lest God be provocked to make it apparent, that he looks not lightly on them, [Page 459] lest (as it is Amos 7 7.) after the grashoppers, and con­tending by fire, he come with a plum-line, and will not hearken to that pleading, Forgive, I beseech thee; by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small. Therefore I say, look not lightly on these relapses; a Fever is dangerous, but relapsing in it, after something that looks like a Cool, is far more dangerous. Thou that hast been low, and God hath helped thee out of thy low condition, and made thee to wonder at his goodness. Consider thy posture, if thou be backsliden, and how much need thou hast of a new Re­demption, and learn to aggravat that guilt, by thy relap­sing in it.

But the 3d thing to be marked in this plenteous redem­tion, is, that though it be very usual in the Lords peo­ple, to relapse into slavery and bondage; and though it be an hainous fault so to do, yet there is in God plenteous redemption, even for that, there is redemption with him for them, who after they have been delivered, have through their folly relapsed into bondage. I shall not need to stand to prove this any length from Scripture, Psal. 106.43.— Many times did he deliver them. but they provocked him by their counsel, and were brought low by their iniquity; nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry, and he remembered for them his Covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies; there is plente­ous redemption. And when Judg. 10. he hath told them, v. 13. that when they had often relapsed, and he had de­livered them, and now they had forsaken him, and served other gods, and he would deliver them no more; yet when they insist, and will not quite him, it's added, v. 16. that his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel; their misery pleaded with him to have compassion on them, and deliver them. And Neh. 9. ch. How many proofs of love are there recorded from Egypt all along in the wil­derness, and in the promised land, notwithstanding their [Page 460] rebellions, and when he had wrought for them over and over again, and they still relapsed, he was provocked to say, he would destroy them; yet he tells, that he wrought for his own Names sake, that it might not be polluted a­mong the Heathen; for what-ever they did deserve, his Name did not deserve to suffer, therefore he wrought for them; and relative to this is that invitation, Jer. 3.1. Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, (not at once, but successively, and in the intervals, between deliveries) yet return again to me, saith the Lord. I shall not insist on this, but they that are under convictions of privat and pu­blick relapses, and of the hazard of relapses, and cannot tell what to make of them, or what will be the latter end of their running back & back again into bondage after de­liveries, they may encourage themselves from this, that with the Lord our God there is plenteous redemption. And if ye say, how, and in what terms may folk that have thus relapsed, look out for this redemption in God. Some­thing for the direction of faith may come to be spoken to in the next Doctrine, and therefore here I shall only press on them that would look our for redemption. First, That much neglected, and yet most necessary work of Repen­tance, according to that, which some would have a plague, but I think sounds like a promise, Ezek 7.16. They that escape of them, shall escape on the mountains, and shall be like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning every one for his iniquity. O to see that frame of spirit, to see repen­tance more in fashion among us; God hath made us smart many ways, because we would not afflict our selves, and yet we will not do it. O! this is an impenitent genera­tion, pray for repentance. 2. I would have you in the study of repentance, lo [...]king to the aggravations of sin, and that from your frequent relapsing in it, that after we have felt the bitterness of our folly, we have turned again to it, that we have given up to walk with God, af­ter [Page 461] we have spoken of much blessedness in his company, that when we have found the threatnings verified, and promises made out to us and to others, yet the byass of our hearts is out of course, and we will try these woful conclusions of new. O! take a look of the dreadful ag­gravations that relapsing in bondage hath with it. 3. As the result of all this, I would recommend to you to be in Gods reverence, in reference to that which I spoke the last day, even his prerogative-royal, in free grace, for any redemption that we can expect. I told you of Gods re­jecting carnal confidences, that folk shall not prosper in them, because they would not quite them, and lay their deplorable case at the footstool of Soveraignty in him, and nothing looks with a more dreadful aspect to right discer­nets, than to see the temper of the Jews among us, who ( Jer. 12.4. when the Land is mourning) say, he shall not see our last end. And Chap 2.8. The vessels of the Lords house shall come back again: And there is nothing more hopeful under relapses, than to be putting off our or­naments, to see what God will do with us; to be non-plussed under convictions of relapses, and to be cast­ing our selves at the Foot-stool of Soveraignty in free grace: Were we in that humble posture, it would speak more ground of hope, than all our carnal confidences, which are made Pillows to sleep on in our security. Now I have done with the second main Point, to encourage Irsael to hope in God, that with him is plenteous redemption.

I proceed now to the 3d Observation, that at the en­try to these words I proposed to be spoken to, That what God is, or what is in God, is put forth by God, for the behove of his people, according as they need it. I gather this from the connexion of the two Verses, with God there is merey, and with him there is plenteous redemption; and what follows? And he shall redeem Israel from all his ini­quity. If he have mercy to compassionat them in their mi­sery, [Page 462] and if he have authority and power to vindicate them from bondage, it shall be seen in their actual deli­verance. The point is plain and obvious. Gods all-suf­ficiency, his furniture for the need of his people shall not be wanting, but put forth actually, as he sees good, for the behove of his people. If he have plenteous redem­ption, he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Hence it is, that in Scripture we have not only an account of fur­niture in God (if I may so word it) for his people, That with him is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption; and of promises, wherein God engages himself to put forth that furniture for their behove; but the Scripture gives an account of his actual putting forth that mercy and power for them, Jer. 31.10. There are news to be sent and publish'd in the Isles afar off, and what is that? He that scattered Israel will gather them, and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock; and what more? For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. It's spoken of as a thing done, and on this account David in his Prayer promises himself a good day, Psal. 35.9. My soul shall be joyful in the Lord, it shall rejoice in his salvation; all my bones shall say (al­luding to that, Psal. 51.8. Make me to hear joy and glad­nesse, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice; who is like unto thee, that delivers the poor from him that is too strong for him; yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoils him? I am (would he say) looking for a Song, when not so much as a broken bone shall be dumb, but all shall get a voice to sing praise for actual redemption. I shall not need to stand to prove this from the all-sufficien­cy of God, from his love and affection to his people, and from his fidelity, that cannot lie: Nor will I break in on the particular inferences of this point now: Only in general be not vexed, take it not ill, though ye be put to, and kept at a task, to keep a good report in your hearts [Page 463] of God, when temptation says, as Psal. 77.7, 8, 9. The Lord hath cast off for ever, and will be favourable no more, his mercy is clean gone, &c. When temptation says, what means this and that in my case? If all this mercy and re­demption be with God, (and thou may then have a hard steek of work to keep up a good report of him, when so many Hell Fire-brands are going thick and three-fold.) Be encouraged and comforted in this, that a day comes, when actual redemption shall take all these off thy hand, and thou shalt not have it to say only, That with God is redemption, in opposition to thy troubles, but he hath re­deemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Be comforted in this, ye that are engaged in a task to keep up a good report of God a­gainst prejudices; The time is coming, when he will leave you little to say to his commendation, when he shall come and relieve you, and make actual redemption, give the lie to all mistakes and prejudices whatsoever.

I Am now, ye see, towards the close of this Psalm, which hath detained me so long, upon the account of the riches and universal usefulness of the matter therein contained: Ye may remember, that after that Exhortation to Israel, to hope in the Lord, I came to the motives encouraging them so to do; wherein somewhat was spoken to what is supponed concerning the Israel of God, called to hope, and allowed to hope in God, that they are under the sense of misery, needing mercy, and under the sense of bon­dage, needing plenteous redemption, and in particular, under the sense of the bondage of sin, putting them in need to be redeemed from all their iniquities; and in [Page 464] speaking to what is proposed for the encouragment of such to hope in God: I hinted somewhat concerning these two great truths, That with God there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

You may remember, that I told you, there be two words further to be gathered from this 8. v. One is, that what is in or with God, it shall be put forth for the behove of his people, as they have need, he shall redeem Israel; and another is, That it's in particular Israels great mercy, that God shall be a Redeemer to him from all his iniqui­ties,

For the first of these, I brake in on it on the close of the mornings Exercise, that what is in, or with God, shall be put forth for the behove of his people as they need it, and they shall find it made forth-coming to them as they need it; for if there be with him plenteous redemption, he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

I left at a general word of Use from this, That we should not take it ill, to be kept at a task of bringing up a good report on God against all prejudices, and whatsoever temptation suggests of him; for the time is coming (which the Lord will hasten in his time) that he will leave us little to say to his commendation, his own performances will say so much, and declare him to be exalted above all blessing and praise: The time is coming, that they shall not think shame of it, that (if we may so word it) have spoken good of him behind his back, and would not take a report of him, but from his Bible.

But to follow out this a little, for the comfort of them that are looking for the accomplishment of what is in, or with God, for the behove of his people. I shall lead you to a fourfold direction, in order to this, and endeavour to put a close to this Scripture.

The first direction is this, That ye would study to be well acquaint with the Word, to be well acquaint with [Page 465] what God hath declared is in him for his people. The Bible should be a well-finger'd Book in gloomy times. Da­vid knew well what he was doing, when he made the Statutes his song in the house of his pilgrimage: and the reason why I press this acquaintance with the Word, is, to help you to prevent a double hazard; there is on the one hand the hazard of ignorance of the Word, when folk know not their wealth contained in their Charter. When folk are like Hagar, beside the Well, and yet like to cast their Ishmael from them, like to die for thirst, because their eyes are not open to discern it. Ignorance undoes many folk, because they know not their allowance: And another hazard upon the other hand, that by pressing you to be acquaint with the Scripture, I would have avoided, and that is the hazard of mistaking and over-reaching, when folks lusts and carnal expectations would make a light and ground of expectation to themselves, when they look for what God hath not promised, or hath not absolutely promised, or not always, these are dangerous, we had need to have our expectations well bottomed, lest a dis­appointment founded on a mistake, make us to misbelieve that which is really promised; a crush in a carnal expe­ctation may make us look on the Bible as a poor Cordial in difficulties, we would therefore guard against both ig­norance, and mistaking, or over-reaching.

A 2d Direction is, That when ye have found any thing in the Bible that is useful for you, your first work would be, to prize the certainty of what is contained there. I spoke to this at great length on these words, v. 5. In his Word do I hope. That the Scriptures are the Word of God, of Divine Authority, but I can never enough press it; folks that have their Treasure and Store-house in the Bible, prize the Bible, look on it as the word of him that can­not lie, as a tryed word, as silver tryed in a furnace of earth, purified seven times, Psal. 12.6. That many have ventured [Page 466] their all upon, and never found crack nor slaw in, (to speak so) and Ministers had done with their task, if the certain­ty of this truth, that the Scriptures are the Word of God, were believed, and if thou cannot get the Promises be­lieved, will thou look out on the threatnings, that thou discerns to be accomplish'd, and thou needs not doubt of a promise, so long as thou hast a threatning, which thou seest verified: Ponder that word, Zech. 8.14, 15. Thus saith the Lord, as I thought to punish you when your fathers provocked me to wrath, and I repented not; So again have I thought in those days to do well unto Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah: fear not. If ye doubt of my promises, that are not yet accomplish'd, take a confirmation of them from my threatnings, which ye found verified.

A 3d Direction I would give them that are looking for the accomplishment of what is in, or with God, and he hath promised, is, that having found out what is contain­ed in the Scripture, and prized it as of infallible verity and certainty, then put to your Faith to it, that he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquity, for he hath said it. I cannot give you this Direction more succinctly, than the Lord gives it to Habakkuk, who when he had prayed a­gainst the Caldeans, Chap. 1. he is bidden, Chap. 2.2, to write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, speak it out, conceal it not, that he that runs may read it. For v. 3. the vision is yet for an appointed time, it will not come present­ly, but at the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, there is Faith's work now, because it will sure­ly come, it will not tarry. Ye may remember I spoke also to this, when I was upon these words, And in his word do I hope. But in following it out now, I shall only touch on three or four words concerning Faith's looking out to what God shall do, and make out to Israel: And 1. I would have you looking on Faith as the most eminent and honourable of employments, though not the most sensible [Page 467] and satisfactory. There is much work my a fall in Saints hand, which may be sweeter, and may go better with them, but no work is so eminent and accceptable to God: So it is said of Abraham, Rom. 4.20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. And Joh. 20.28. When Thomas, after he had e­videnced, he was a man that would not believe, without seeing the print of the nails, and thrusting his hand into Christs side, he makes a great phrase, and says, My Lord, and my God. Well (says Christ) Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed, but blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Thomas, ye might have been more acceptably imployed in giving me credite, although ye had not gotten sensible satisfaction. 2. Another word is, that distrust is the in-let to all folks miscarriages in a stormy time; a man is even as tint as if he were in the Sea bottom, as to any acceptable acquitting of himself to God in his work, before his promise be accomplish'd. When ever he is over-power'd with unbelief, then he is ready to say, There is no hope, we will walk every one in the imagination of his own heart. Ponder that word. Heb. 3.18, 19. To whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So they could not enter in, because of unbelief. There the thing that held the people out of the promised Land, and made them perish in the Wilderness, unbelief: And compare it with 1 Cor. 10.6. to 11. Where ye find them lusters, idolaters, for­nicators, tempters of Christ, murmurers. To tell that, make once folk unbelievers, and ye may make them any of these, or all of them upon a suitable temptation. There is no ill turn that occurs, but an unbeliever capacitats himself for it, if mercy in God prevent it not. And a 3d word con­cerning this exercise of Faith (and I shall add no more) is, that it says not a little to the granting or denying of a delivery, to the hastning, or for-slowing of an issue, this [Page 462] [...] [Page 463] [...] [Page 464] [...] [Page 465] [...] [Page 466] [...] [Page 467] [...] [Page 468] exercise of faith. If unbelief keep out of the promised Land, and make Israel fall and wander in the Wilderness fourty years, as in that Heb 3.18. Then blessed believing hastens the performance of the promise, Luk. 1.45. Bles­sed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of these things which was told her from the Lord. Little knows folk, how God may be provocked to make their unbelief the rule of their allowance, that, when they bod little, they shall see as little: No, but God may, and often doth shame the unbelief of his people, and make their false eyes see that they were in the wrong to him; but certainly unbelief of its own nature is obstructive of the performance of promises; and if many die in the Wilderness, they have as their carnal confidence on the one hand, so their unbelief and despondency on the other, to blame for it. And I shall add more, if unbelief withhold not the accom­plishment of the promise, it may have a black issue, when the accomplishment of the promise, comes to the man that entertains it. And as to this, I would on the one hand commend to you that Passage, to be pondered, concerning that blasphemous lord, 2 King. 7.2. who when Elisha Prophesied of incredible plenty in Samaria, said, If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? It shall be, saith the Prophet, and thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof, and it was so; he was a Grandee, on whose hand the King leaned, and thought, if there were any fores to be had, he should have a share; & the King giving him the charge of the Gate, the people trode upon him, and he died. And on the other hand, ponder that comfortable Song that believers sing, Isai. 25.9. Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is our God, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoyce in his salvation. O, that Saints, would think, that such a turn of providence may come their way, that will make them say and sing, I trusted in him in a strait, when not only he was invisible (as he is always in himself,) but [Page 469] wrapt up in a cloud of mysterious dispensations; O! that ye would think that such a song is possible and sweet; but if that be a sweet song, what bitter youling will it put them to, or may they have, who when God appears, must say, Lo, there he is, but we waited not for him; so soon as he went out of our sight, we tint all hope, we knew not what it was to wait for him, who hid his face from the house of Jacob; we knew not what it was to bear his in­dignation, till he should arise and plead our cause, and execute judgment for us, and believe that he should bring us out to the light, to behold his righteousness; Thus ye see what an important matter it is, that we put forth Faith & keep it in exercise, for the accomplishment of what is in & with God, for his people, which is the third Direction.

A 4th Direction which I give, and leave this Note, and that is, That ye would wisely consider what the Lord means, when he puts his people to the exercise of their Faith so much, about that which he will do. He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities; and yet he putteth Israel to believe it: What means the Lord, I say, in holding them at that task of believing: & here, without offering to encroach upon the depth of the wisdom & knowledge of God, in his Providence, the people of God have somewhat to look to without & about them, & somewhat to look to within them, if they look to somewhat without or about them; God has more ado in the world, than a particu­lar saint, or even a particular Church to satisfie; O! the deep contexture of Providence, how unsearchable are his counsels? and his ways past finding out; That what is very unsatisfactory to one or one Society, God may have holy ends for it in the world: But to come nearer, What have Believers to look to in the world without them? Take it in that word, which the Lord has to A­braham, when he is making the Covenant with him, Gen. 15.16. When he has told him, that though his seed should go down to Egypt, yet in the fourth generation [Page 470] they should come hither again; If Abraham should ask, Why should they stay there so long? He answers, The i­niquity of the Amorites is not yet full; God holds his peo­ple at the task of believing; while the enemies cup is a filling, might I insist upon this, I might tell you, That the enemies cup is often very long in filling, but long­er without the Church, than within the Church; four hundred years to the Amorites was long, yet they being a people without the Church, they took all that time to fill their cup; but elsewhere their enemies ripe faster, their cup is sooner filled; and I might add, a cup that is long a filling, is ordinarly a very bitter cup, when it is holden to the head of enemies; when the cup of the Amorites is full, utter extermination, rooting out, and offcutting comes upon them; Lord save them whom folks wish well un­to, from a long fristed plague; a long brewing storm is more dread sulthan hand payment: And therefore it would not stumble folk to see wicked men for born, but if it were rightly looked on, every days forbearance would be an argument of pity; for a cup that is long a filling, is most bitter, when it is held to the head. But that which I am upon is, that the people of God, when they are at the trade of believing, have something to look to without them, and particularly to the cup of enemies that is a fil­ling: But again, when they are holden at the task of be­lieving, they would also look to something within them, and among them; What means it, that God hath given many rich and precious Promises to Believers, and yet they get no more in hand, but Faith to believe them, if they can win to that, where are his former loving kind­nesses which he hath sworn to David? For looking with­in you, and among you, ponder that word, which ye have, Isai. 10.12. When the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks; and compare it with the [Page 471] Verses preceeding, there ye will find the Assyrians despe­ratly blaspheming, he says, Are not my princes altogether Kings, as my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem, and of Sa­maria: Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? What nation hath been de­livered out of my hand, that the God of Israel should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand. One would think now, were he a God in Heaven, he would sit no more vvith a blasphe­mous atheist, he vvill suffer him no more to blaspheme and reproach vvith an high contempt of him and his au­thority, he vvill novv be knovvn by the judgment which he shall execute: but at leisure, he will make himself knovvn, but not till he have done his vvhole vvork on Mount Sion and on Jerusalem, for all the haste, his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, is the greatest haste, he will let the Assyrian blaspheme on, and trode down all be­fore him, till that be done; his great work is to do good by the Assyrians within his Church, and among his peo­ple, and when his work is done there, he will reckon with him, and be known by the judgment which he ex­ecutes upon him: And if ye ask, what this may be with­in the Church, and among the people of God, that he will have them minding, when he puts them to send by Faith on the Promises; I dare not offer to give you an exact ac­count of it, but only to cast some ground for work to your hand; if ye mind practically to improve such a Doctrine, I shal briefly hint at some Scriptures, which will give you some light in what it is; The first is that, Deut. 8.15, 16. Wherein the Lord tells, he led his people through a great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions and drought, and brought water to them out of the flint, and fed them with Manna, which their fathers knew not; Where­fore? That he might humble and prove them, to do them good, at their latter end: These Dispensations were humbling and proving, humbling, not crushing, for ye will get cru­shing [Page 472] without Prayer, and discouragement without pains, but humbling must be the product of Prayer and pains; they are not humbled, says the Lord, even to this day, Jer. 44.10. Every broken body is not an humbled body; though from pride of heart, they may be irritat, canker­ed, crusht, and to help to this, proving must be added, which brings discoveries; and folk would try what dis­coveries, their being put to send by Faith, brings forth, and lays before them; proving will often bring butt, that which ye thought was not ther benn (as ye use to speak) passion, pride, fretting, haste, a legion of foul evils; and it would bod well, if when folks are put to fend by Faith, amongst the Promises, if they met with such discoveries, and saw ugly bossoms, and were bearing about their abo­minations, and humbled under them: Another Scripture that will hint a word of Direction to you, what your work should be, while put to fend by Faith, is that, Jer. 2.19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy back­slidings shall reprove thee; know then and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord, &c. This is it I was on in the morning, Repentance, Repen­tance, O! how abasing is it, when our wickedness and backsliding are sent to reprove and convert us, not only in keeping up the performance of Promises, but in the ex­ecution of threatnings, when God makes all the world vvise of a peoples vvickedness, vvhen he goes, as it vvere, to the street vvith their faults, vvhen he spits in their face, and shoots them vvith Miriam, without the camp; and it vvere a blest vvork, if this led to Repentance. And a 3d piece of vvork I vvould recommend to you, is, to see if ye can believe indeed, Try if ye have Faith, and a vvell breathed Faith, a biding Faith that will sett its face to a storm; remember that word that Christ hath to his dis­ciples, Mark 4.40. Why are ye so fearful, O! ye of little faith? Hovv is it that ye have no Faith? vvhen they in a storm, like to drovvn, and cryed, Master, cares thou not [Page 473] that we perish, vvhen he has rebuked the vvind and sea, he gives them this check; There are many, vvho for all the times and exercises have past over them, have had some dreilling and skirmishes for Faith, vvhich are presently discust; but God may see it meet to give them exercise for a fight of Faith, to see if their Faith be a fresh-weather-Faith, or a Faith that vvill venture on the Deep at his vvord; and look that Christ have not that to say, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? He is lear­ning his people to believe, vvhen he puts them to live and fend among the Promises by Faith. And a 4th word I give you, vvhich I vvill not say should be vvritten upon gold Letters, but upon your hearts, vvho vvould fend by Faith amongst the Promises, till the performance come, and it is that, Rev. 3.10. Here is the patience and faith of the saints; Having spoken before of sore troubles, vvhy is Patience put first, and then Faith, because many a time Faith may not have a turn to put its hand to, but to vvait for God, and see if ye can vvin to that Faith, vvhich vvhen it has not a turn to do, but patiently wait on God, is about that. And a fifth vvord I recommend to you, is that spoken of David, Acts 13.36. It is said, After he had served his own generation by the will of God, he fell on sleep; Whatever may be the particular meaning of the place, it may safe­ly be taken up thus, That David took his generation work, as God put it in his hand, he was not a carver or pre­scriber, but a submitter to God; if it was a generation vvork, a work commanded by God, and necessary for him to be studied; vvhen the people of God are put to fend by Faith amongst the Promises, till performance come, O! what thoughts of heart will they have, were they thus and thus employed, how refreshful vvould it be to them? but many have no more, but that they are cast idle, and necessitat to sit idle at Christ's feet, and look up to him, and their idleness is very unpleasant to flesh; But thou vvho art in that posture, vvould learn [Page 474] to believe, thou can never be put out of Work. A godly man can never be an idle man, change his vvork he may, but idle he cannot be, were it but to bear and sub­mit to want of work, it is work; And O! how sweet is that, let the saint be tost as a ball in a large place, they are always at work acceptable to God: And then ye would learn to see beauty in a generation work, be what it will, that is the knack of it (to speak so) the main thing to be noticed. If thou be serving thy generation by the will of God, however it be in a work that is unpleasant to thee, even thy idleset, thy humbling work, thou should learn to see a beauty in it, that thou may lay it on his altar as an acceptable service to him, as if thou were at work more refreshing to thee. These are some few thoughts why the Lord on several accounts, holds his people at the trade of Faith, and sends them to fend by Faith among the Pro­mises till the performance come. I shall go no further. The Lord bless his word to you.

I Am now drawing towards a close of this Psalm, up­on which I have insisted so long, upon the account of the constant and universal usefulness of the subject matter therein contianed.

From the Arguments encouraging Israel to hope in God, which is the Exhortation in the 7 verse, from these Arguments, I say, to press and invite to hope in God, I have been marking somewhat that is supposed, that is the case of God's Israel, who are invited to hope, and allowed to hope in God, that they are under misery and bondage, and particularly under the bondage of sin; And I have spoken also to what is proposed for their encou­ragement, [Page 475] as 1. That there is mercy with God. 2. That with him there is plenteous redemption. And, 3. From the con­nexion betwixt the seventh and eighth Verses, That what is in God, and with God, for the behove of his people, will undoubtedly be put forth and manifested to them, as they stand in need of it; for if he have mercy, he shall compassionat them in their misery, if plenteous redemption be with him, He shall redeem Israel from all their iniquities; If he have authority and power to redeem, it shall un­doubtedly be evinced in actual redeeming of them.

Now there remains a 4th Observation to be spoken to, That it is the great and peculiar ground of hope and en­couragement to God's Israel, that he will redeem them from all their iniquities, which is the very words of the Text, He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities; Therefore let Israel hope in the Lord; This Point though it be rich and full in it self, yet I may be the more brief in the handling of it; That on the 4th Verse I spoke at great length to that Do­ctrine, concerning forgiveness of sins; I shall therefore here first Explain the Point a little, as it is held out in the Text, and then speak to some Inferences and Uses from it.

What we say in Explication of the Point, may be re­duced to 4 Heads.

1. More generally ye would consider, That it is a great encouragement to God's people, that guilt, sin and ini­quity, needs not mar their hope in God; for though Is­rael have sinned, and though their sins here be called ini­quities, and though there be an all of these iniquities, not­withstanding all that, the Spirit of God makes it here e­vident, Israel may hope in God, for He shall redeem them from all their iniquities. By the Covenant of Works, ini­quity getting once place, all hope is forefault, that bar­gain being once broken, it is everlastingly, and irrecove­rably broken: But here is the Gospels glad news, and great encouragement, That iniquities, if folks be seeking redemption from them, needs not hinder hope in God; [Page 476] That when as it is, Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; For by the law is the knowledge of sin; That Verse 21. There is a righteous­ness of God without the Law manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, that affords ground of hope, that when Israel hath trespassed against God, Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing, Ezra 10.2. In a word, these are no small part of the glad news of the Gospel, That there is any trysting betwixt God and sin­ful man, That every step in guilt, is not a step into utter despair, That man upon every failing, has not done ever­lastingly with any ground of hope to the sight of God's face in favour. That's the first, and chief part of the glad news of the Gospel.

2. Consider what it is that God does in reference to ini­quity, which gives ground of hope to Israel; He redeems from iniquity. Now as ye heard from Verse 4. There is in iniquity these two, The guilt, or offence done to God, and the obligation to punishment resulting thereon. And there is the dominion power and tyranny of sin, which it ex­excises over the sinner, where it once gets access; Now redemption from both these is the work of God by Christ, He redeems from the guilt of sin, by the price and merit of his death, by that infinite, compleat and sufficient ran­som which he hath payed to Justice, to appease the wrath of God, and to restore the guilty sinner to favour with him, and he redeems from the dominion, power and ty­ranny of sin, by the power and vertue of his death; and to this may be applyed, that of Tit. 2.14. He gave him­self for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and pu­rifie to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works; He gave himself for us, not only by his death, to expiat the guilt of sin, but that he might break the bonds of iniqui­ty, and make us a purified and peculiar people to him­self, zealous of good works. I shall not need here to ob­viat the Socinians cavillations, who from this phrase of [Page 477] redeeming from iniquity, would obscure the truth of the satisfaction of Christ, as if the term Redemption did not import a satisfaction, or paying of a price, for, say they, We are redeemed from the iniquity and power of Satan, to whom no satisfaction is payed. But that is but a mistake of the import of the phrase; for as it is spoken of in reference to God, it imports constantly a ransom, as Job. 33.24. Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom; and, 1 Joh. 2.2. He is the propitiation for our sins; but when it is spoken in reference to sin or Sathan, it is impro­perly taken, and is a redemption by force, as if a person arrested for debt in prison, when the principal Creditor were satisfied, his Cautioner should break the fetters, that is redemption from sin; and as if he should deliver him from the Jaylor, by giving him a broken Head, that's re­demption from Sathan.

3. Ye would consider the universality of this Redem­ption, and this is also in the Text, He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities, holding forth the universal extent of their Redemption, which for your better understanding ye shall shortly take up under these three, 1. He redeems his people from the guilt of all their sins; for as on the one hand, there is no sin so little that God will pass over with­out a satisfaction; There is no venial sin that needs not a satisfaction to Justice, and that merits not condemnati­on, for Rom. 6.23. The wages of sin is death. even eternal death, which is opposed there to eternal life, the gift of God; So on the other hand, no sins of his people are so hainous, though they be iniquities, as in the Text, though they be scarlet and crimson coloured sins, as Isai. 1.18. But if God in Christ be made use of, they shall be redeem­ed from them, He will blot out as a thick cloud their trans­gressions, and as a cloud their sins, when they return to him, for he hath redeemed them, Isai. 44.22. So he will redeem them from the guilt of all their iniquities. 2. This univer­sal all may be understood in relation to the power of [Page 478] iniquity, that where he falls in on the sinner, he redeems from the bondage and slavery of all sin, and when that work is rightly undertaken in his strength, the sinner is a slave to no iniquity, he balks none, he spares no Zoar, no Delila, no darling sin, when he comes to redeem and sub­due the iniquities of his people, all that is iniquity, he puts them to take it to task, to have a respect to all his commands, Psal. 119.6. And to esteem all his precepts con­cerning all things to be right, and to hate every false way; verse 128. A study of universal Mortification is that which he puts them on to, when he will redeem from iniquity. And 3. The universal all may be extended yet further, even to all the degrees of iniquity, that not only doth he redeem his people from the guilt, and from the power and do­minion of all sin, but he sets them on work to purge out all sin, and in due time he will redeem them from the re­liques and remainders of sin; every thing that hath the relique or remainder of iniquity in it, he will redeem them from it in due time.

And 4. Ye would consider the object of this mercy, who they are that he will redeem from all iniquity, they are his people Israel, the object of God's power and mer­cy in redeeming, in his being a propitiation for sin, in re­deeming from the power and guilt of sin, are Israel, and they only; That as Adam when he fell, drew all his seed along into perdition with himself: So Christ the second Adam, will redeem all his seed, which is the true import of that comparison, institute betwixt the first Adam and the second, Rom. 5. and not to prove an universal redem­ption, for then as all fell in Adam, so all should be actu­ally redeemed and liberat by Christ; but the meaning is, That as in Adam, all his seed fell with him, so by Christ all his seed are redeemed; and as in Adam all fell not, Christ was excepted, so by Christ all are not redeemed, his seed only are recovered. This is a Point I need not en­ter to debate. It is too evident, many are not redeemed by [Page 479] Christ, for many have not the outward means, that make offer of redemption by Christ, many never heard tell of Christ, and if Christ had payed a price for all, it were not agreeable to Justice, that so many should be put to suffer punishment in hell. It is clear also from that, that Christ would not pray for the world, Joh. 17.9. And he did not die for them for whom he would not pray; and he doth not sanctifie himself for all, therefore he redeems not all; and yet this needs be no impediment to them to look to him for Redemption, who find their need of him, their fleeing to him for refuge, and gripping to him for satis­faction, opens up the council of God, that they are a­mong the given ones to be redeemed by Christ; only re­member, that as none of God's Israel are secluded from this redemption, how worthless soever they be, Though they may be secluded from these gifts and measures of graces afforded to others, yet not from this redemption, from all iniquity; That is the common-good of all, that's the nail fastned in the sure place, on which all the vessels of greater and smaller quantity are hung; so on the other hand, it is to Israel alone, and to none other that this re­demption is ensured.

Having thus explained the Point, it remains, That we should draw some Uses from it, and put a close to the Psalm, and there are four or five words of inference that I would give you from what hath been said. 1. See here what is the great concerning business, the chief Interest and exercise of the true Israel of God, It is the matter of iniquity, what to do with it, how to be rid of it, and de­livered from it; therefore after all the former encou­ragements to hope in God, That with him is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption, this comes in as the reserve, that he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities; To tell, that the great exercise of a true Israelite, will be about i­niquity; the conscience of sin and guilt, what to do with that, how to get the conscience pacified, in reference to [Page 480] it; this exercise is a great stranger in the visible Church, there may be much trouble of mind, where the conscience is dormient and sleeping. There may be much vexati­on and fash [...]ie about trouble and cross dispensations of providence, when guilt is little minded, but ye would look to it: I shall not say they are not Israelites that fall into this error; but surely it looks not like a true Israe­lite, where sin is not made the main exercise; where daily searching out of sin, and endeavours to have the con­science purified and purged from guilt, is not folks great task. And I shall add, that exercise about sin and guilt, would give a more comfortable account about trouble. If we were studying to have this Text made out to us, He shall redeem Israel out of all his iniquities, we should find that of Psal. 25. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles, also made out to us; redemption from iniquity would bod well, were a good prognostick of redemption from trouble; for as ye heard from Isai. 10.12. Trouble hath a work on Mount Zion; and if ye would know what that is, see 27.9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin, when he maketh all the stones of the Altar as chalk stones, &c. Were trouble getting its work, it should have the less a­do when it had gotten its errand; and therefore ye that are fasht and vexed folks with the Cross, tost with many troubles, shall I say to you, that ye run long on little ground, and to little purpose; if ye had more ado about sin, ye should have less ado about trouble, or your exer­cise about it should soon be discust: Therefore look on it as a mark of a true Israelite, that whatever exercise he have, sin is the greatest exercise.

2. Whereas folk may seem to have some exercise about sin, but all that it amounts to, is, to take with sin, and grip to pardoning mercy; and this is very common in the visible Church, to name sin, and to name pardon; and [Page 481] upon the naming of sin, to make a present Plaister of par­don, and there is an end. To obviat this mistake, take this word, That the pardon of sin, and purging out of sin, must go together hand in hand: But in this mistake me not, I would hurt none, nor have I commission to hurt any. Ye may remember, that when I was on the 4th Verse, I told you, that the filthiness of sin remains after the pardon of sin; but remember also, that I then told you, God strikes at the guilt and power of sin both at once, that where Christ comes with the merit of his death, he comes also with the power of his death, he lays the Axe to the root of the Tree; but I would not be mistaken in this either, the pardoned sinner gets not the power of sin presently subdued; yea, when he is pardoned, the power of sin may fash him more than before, and when sin is in the dead-throws, it may vex him most with strugling. Many a sad bout may pardoned sinners have alongst their life, with their predominants; but where-ever God par­dons sin, he sets folks to be in necks with sin, and to have the dominion and power of sin subdued, that sin reign not in their mortal bodies, they and sin will not dwell in peace in one house, they will not be taken alive captive without a scart; they oppose it, and protest against the prevailing of it, they sin not with full consent: And O! but this is needful, to have the renovation of the Disposition, to be a Seal of the pardon of sin; that when thou hast gripped pardon, thou may know by this that thou art not delive­red, because it sends thee back to get sin subdued and mor­tified, with greater eagerness and bensil of spirit, that if the pardon of sin take not away the filthiness of sin, yet it sets thee in a stated war with it, and opposition unto it, that thou and it shall never be friends, and God then evi­dences the pardoning of thy sin, when he helps thee to subdue sin: And it is no wonder that folk have a cold Coal to blow at, when they are under a temptation, that [Page 482] they are not pardoned, and have nothing to witness, that they have any thing like the renovation of their dispositi­on; though in that case God forbid that I should forbid such to run to Christ for pardon, but in running to him for pardon of sin, through the merit of his death, and in grip­ping to pardon, carry alongst the vertue of his death, for the subduing of sin.

3. This leads me to a 3d word of Inference; many of you may say ye are put to a hard task, when ye are put seek redemption from iniquity, from the power of sin, as well as from the guilt of sin: And I grant, it is a hard task indeed, and they that essay it in earnest, will find it an in­superable task. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? Then may they also do good that are accustomed to do evil; Twin them of their life, as soon as twin them of their Delilah; or take their darling-sin out of their bosome, What shall they then do with it? This point tells, that God can and will redeem Israel from all their iniquities. I would in order to this, have you look­ing two ways on Gods interposing to subdue iniquity; one is, that ye would never look on the subjugation or subduing of sin as leill come, wherein ye are not put to employ God. There be many evils that ye are not tempted to, or if tempted to them, ye get them easily under foot, ye are never sent to God to subdue them. Ye have reason to suspect ye have never been tryed enough with these e­vils; if in earnest ye be tried with evils, ye will be sent to God for the mortification of them, otherwise any mor­tification ye get of ills without him, it will fail you when ye have most ado with it, and ye will find that Satan is not cast out, but gone out, and will return and surprise you, for ye must be put to God, for a right redemption from iniquity. And 2. on the other hand, I would have you looking on no iniquity, even that which most enslaves you, as on an iniquity that he cannot subdue, or were not [Page 483] willing to subdue, if he were seriously employed; ye have his word for it, Mic. 7. where when he hath said, v. 18. He is a God that pardons iniquity, and passes by transgressi­on. He adds, v. 19. that he will have compassion, and sub­due our iniquities. He can break in pieces the Gates of Brass, and cut in sunder the bars of Iron: (To allude to that, Psal. 107.16. and Isai. 45.29.) He can burst all these bonds under which a sinner is shut up in slavery and servitude, and deliver him from those base lusts that car­ried him captive, and held him in bondage. How deep­ly was Paul engaged in persecution? How mad was he in pursuance of that woful Trade? Yet when God inter­posed, he made him stand unholden. What Monsters were these, 1 Cor. 6.8, 9. Fornicators, idolaters, adulterous, thieves, covetous, drunkards, effeminat, &c. Yet v. 11. he tells them, Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God. As upon the one hand, I would not only have these that are puddled with their corruptions, that all their purposes and resolutions to re­form misgive them, looking upon it as a cause of their ill success, that Christ is little employed, but also I would have them looking on no prevailing predominant evil, as impossible to his power to subdue it; So on the other hand, O that this might speak a word to profligat profane persons, that cannot sleep except they do ill, that cannot go to bed unless they be full as beasts, that rake the life from them rather than twin them and their lusts; they are so habituat to excess and riot, they cannot forbear it; Thinks thou that an excuse, that thou cannot help it? What an excuse would it be for a Thief arraigned at the Bar to say, he must be forgiven, for he cannot hold up his hands? No more will it excuse thee for drunkenness, las­civiousness, &c. To say, Thou cannot help it, it's an aggravation of thy crime, and no excuse. But here I [Page 484] would leave it at the door of all profligat wretches, as a witness against them, that God is able to redeem from all these iniquities, if they will come to him, God is able to cast out all these Devils that enslave thee: That deaf De­vil, that will not let thee hear what God speaks to thee; That dumb Devil, that will not suffer thee to pray to him; That filthy swinish Devil, that will never suffer thee to be out of the mire of some abomination. I here leave it, I say, at the door of such Monsters, that there is power in God, if they will employ him, to redeem them from all their iniquities: But here it sticks, the power of God is little employed to redeem from the power of sin, because the Conscience is little touched with the guilt of sin. O! pray to God, that your Conseiences may be awak'd, that ye may cry, What shall we do to be saved? That sin may be a burden to you, as it will be when the Conscience is touched; and if ye will not pray, know that God can do that when you little dream of it, as ye may see in Cain, Judas, Achitophel, who could not keep their Consciences asleep; to tell, that folk have not Consciences at their com­mand; but if the Conscience be touch'd with guilt, know there is power in God to redeem from iniquities.

4. A fourth word of Inference is, That if God (as ye heard in the Explication) do redeem from all iniquities, then not only must ye endeavour the pardon of sin, and the mortification of sin, but that the mortification of sin be universal, ye must spare a Zoar, a Delilah, a bosom sin or idol, but seek that all sin may be subdued, the man that is rightly engaged against sin, it will not satisfie him that he hath got the wings of sin clipped, and made it to couch, that it break not out, but he must be at war with it, so long as there is a tapoun of sin (as ye use to speak) under ground: it must be his exercise to be about the mor­tification of sin, till he be quit of sin altogether; Redem­ption [Page 485] from all iniquity imports, That the remainder of sin will be a burden, as was it to Paul, Rom. 7. And made him cry out, O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death! and here is the task and touch­stone of the truly godly, it will not content them, though sin do not reign, but the remainder of sin, the bird-lime of sin, the clog of corruption will be a burden to them; and these who in their security do satisfie themselves, to get sin kept under the hatches, they provock God to write what is in their bosom, in their practice, and when any thing breaks out in a person that hath the name of Reli­gion, it is an evidence they have not been busie within doors, else he needed not to have that Bell rung to him, to give him warning of it.

And hence 5. If the very remainders and seeds of sin be a burden to the Israel of God, till they get home, ye may gather how much those who are true Israelites, exer­cised with the guilt and power of sin, will be taken up with the thoughts of a compleat liberation from sin, with that which the Apostle speaks of. Rom. 8.23. Waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies. And Christ, Luke 21.28. Bids look up, and lift up our heads, for the day of our redemption draws near; This is it an Israelite indeed is taken up with. There are many folk who when they are vext in the world, would be gone, wherein they look rather to the ills they would flee from, than the good they look for. But here is the exercise of a true Israelite, they long to be home, that they may be compleatly Re­deemed from all iniquity; that they may sin no more, that as it is, Eph. 5.27. They may be presented a glorious bride unto Christ not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but may be holy and without blemish; and they that are vext here with the stirring, and foul-sticking slime of their corruptions, would be taking a Pisgah look of that day [Page 486] that is coming, when they shall be Redeemed from all Iniquity, from the least degree and grain of it, and shall be made perfectly holy. We shall say no more, but Lord bless what ye have heard.