TWas Mans happiness by nature, that in his first creation he was made without sin; but in his new creation, his happiness consisteth in the forgiveness of sin: Let the Psalmist witness himself, Psal. 32. 1, Blessed is the man whose wickedness is forgiven, &c. For this blessedness the Psalmist begs and prays as heartily as ever a poor Beggar did for an Alms, again and again in this Psalm. Out­ward dangers, with inward and spiri­tual distresses, like a complicated di­sease, [Page 2] had now enwrapt poor David on every side. Look on him without, his enemies pursue him; within, there the sense of his sins oppresseth him; especially the sins of his Youth, v. 5, Remember not the sins of my youth, &c. Well, against both these evils he useth one common remedy ( viz.) Prayer; but we find him bending the strength of his Soul against the latter of these evils ( viz.) The evil of sin, which is the sting that invenoms all other evils. No less then three seve­ral times is he at it in this Psalm.

1. Ver. 7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my rebellions: but according to thy kindness remember thou me, even for thy goodness sake, O Lord. The wan­ton wickedness of his youth, is now remembred with new remorse; and good reason, for the sins of youth are oft-times punisht in old Age, Job 13. 26, Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me possess the iniquities of my youth.

2. After a while he had by Prayer and Meditation strengthned his Faith [Page 3] in God, he falls to prayer again in this 11. v. See then, that conscience of sin doth not do all its work at one storm; no, the guilty sinner must look for more assaults than one, and in every new assault, prayer must be a new refuge; for thy names sake, O Lord pardon my iniquity, &c.

3. And yet he hath not done, but puts off the temptation a third time with the same expedient, v. 18, Look upon my affliction and my pain, and for­give all my sins. And thus you see how this tried Saint answers every new challenge from sin, Satan, and his own accusing Conscience, with prayer. Prayer is the last piece of spiritual Ar­mour which that great Apostle pre­scribes the combating Christian, Ephes. 6. 18, Praying always, &c. And one gives this reason, because 'tis not on­ly a part of the Armour, but it in­ables us to use all the rest; and is not only a charm against that crooked Serpent to inchant him, but a whip to torment him, and put him to another Hell. By this we fetch Christ into the [Page 4] battel, obtain fresh supplies of the spirit, Phil. 1. 19. and in the issue, it makes us more than Conquerors.

Well, 'tis the Psalmisi's second con­flict that lyes before us as the intended Subject of our discourse.

For thy names sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. In the words we have a Petition for pardon: And this contains two parts; 1. We have a Petition preferred, and here again we have several things consi­derable.

• 1. The Person Petitioning, [ David].
• 2. The Person Petitioned, [The Lord]
• 3. The Petition it self, or the thing for which he Petitions, [Pardon]

The second General contains a two­fold argument, by which he urgeth God to pardon him.

• 1. The first is taken from the end or final cause of this pardon, 'tis that which will tend to the glory of Gods name (Therefore) for thy names sake pardon my iniquity, &c.
• 2. The second argument whereby he [Page 5] urgeth God to pardon, is taken from the nature of his sin (and that is a strange one) for it is great.

I shall give you the sum of the whole verse in these Conclusions, most of which I shall but litttle more than name, having designed the last clause of the verse for the Subject of my discourse.

Doct. 1. That God alone ought to be the object of our Prayers. The Lord Jesus Christ when he taught his Disciples how to pray, taught them also to whom to pray, in the first words of that pattern of Prayer, ( Our Father) Mat. 6. and indeed, that Spirit of A­doption which God bestows on all those who are regenerate, doth by vertue of their new nature, direct all his children to himself, and make them cry, Abba Father, Rom. 8. 15.

Reas. 1. God commands it, Call upon me in the day of trouble, Psal 50. 15. As prayer is a duty in the Crea­ture, so 'tis the Dignity or Glory of the Creatour; one of the highest Ser­vices that we owe him; him, and him [Page 7] only must we serve, Mat. 4. 10.

2. God accepts it; the Sons of Ja­cob shall not seek him in vain. 'Tis a title wherein the great God glories; he calls himself a God that heareth prayers, and therefore to him all flesh must come, Psal. 65. 2.

3. Every sin is a wrong done to God; though the trespass may be a­gainst man, yet the transgression is against him. Though David had murther'd Uriah, and defiled his wife, yet he cryes out, Against thee only have I sinned, &c. Psal. 51. 4. Every sin is a violation of his Law, who is the only Lawgiver, Jam. 4. 12. Though then David knew he was not innocent either to Bathsheba or Uriah, yet the sin was mainly against God, in that he had hereby given his enemies occasion to blaspheme him, 2 Sam. 12. 14.

4. 'Tis Gods property to pardon sin, and therefore to him alone we are to pray, Isa. 43. 25, I even I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my own sake, and will not remem­ber thy sins. This God challenges as [Page 6] his peculiar right, Dan. 9. 9. Compas­sion and forgiveness is in the Lord our God, albeit we have rebelled against him: To thee, O Lord, belongeth mer­cy, &c. Psal. 62. 11.

Use. Oh then let us all set up this trade of prayer, and say as Peter, To whom else should we go, but only un­to God? But remember, that we pray to God in Christ; for there's no com­ing to the Father but by the Son, Joh. 14. 6. and for our incouragement, we are assured, whatever we ask of God in his name, he will deny us nothing. 'Tis but to open our mouths wide, and God will fill them, Ps. 81. 10. 'Tis storied of Reverend Doctor Preston, that being on a time in company with some god­ly men, one of them asked what was the best trade? Whereunto he an­swered, Beggars was both the hardest and the richest trade. He meant Prayer the hardest to be well mana­ged, and yet the richest, when 'tis well followed. Oh what rich returns doth this duty bring home, like a mer­chants Ship coming from a far Coun­try! [Page 8] It may pass for a maxim in Re­ligion, He that can pray, can never be poor. Note we next,

Doct. 2. That 'tis the nature of sa­ving Faith in spiritual distresses, to take hold of every advantage that God gives us. And this we have from the title which the Psalmist gives to God, he prays to the Lord ( Jehovah) Now we must know, that Gods titles are no empty ornaments. In Exod. 6. 3, when God renewed his promise of delivering the Israelites, he says thus to Moses: I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by the name of El Shaddai, God Almighty; but by my name Jeho­vah, I was not known to them. An instance we have in Gen. 17. 1, When God appeared to Abraham, he says thus: I am El Shaddai, God-All-sufficient, or God Almighty. By this title God was pleased especially to make known his Power; but by the other his Mercy: by the one God made himself known as Creatour; by the other as a Re­deemer: by the one he appeared in himself; by the other in his Son, God [Page 9] was in Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 19. Quantum illis suffici­ebat Vide Cameror, de Ecclesia, p. 232. tantum indulsit, non indulsit quod orat sum­mum. God gave them enough, but not the main. In short; that name whereby God made known himself to the Patriarchs, did discover a part of his nature; but his name Jehovah implies all his infinite Perfections: as,

• 1. It implies Gods being in himself, before the World was,
• 2. His giving being to his crea­tures.
• 3. His faithfulness in performing his promises, by full and answerable effects; and above all, the promise of the Messiah.

Well, God hath given David a fair advantage to take hold of him, which advantage lies in his very name ( Jehovah): and David by faith fa­stens on this lock, The name of the Lord is a strong Tower; to this the righteous flie, and are saved. Prov. 18. 10. And again, In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, and therefore he trusts in him for ever, Isa. 26. 4.

[Page 10] Use. 1. It blames such Christians, who under spiritual distress, slight the Consolations which God offers them, and the means whereby they are con­veighed: Oh how ingenious are di­stressed Consciences to wrangle with God, by framing objections against their own comforts; when we ought rather to wrestle with him, to put the promises in suit! And this is the case sometimes even of good men, even that very David himself, that now was ready to catch at any thing that might ease his burdened Soul; yet at another time acknowledged that his soul refused comfort, Psal 77. 2. O 'tis sad when the comforter comes and knocks at our door, and we refuse to open; but oftentimes send him a­way grieved, when he would make us glad! This is to flye from our own mercy, while with Rachel we refuse to be comforted. But this is but the distemper of believers.

Use. 2. Next then, here's an argu­ment of comfort to thousands of Gods dear Servants, who yet walk in dark­ness [Page 11] and see no light. Lo, this small crevise lets in light enough to make thee see thy own grace, if thou find thy heart ready to seize on the pro­mise, to embrace Christ Jesus, to catch hold of any offer of mercy that is made in the Gospel. If thou art as glad of one suitable promise, as he that findeth great spoyls, be sure flesh and blood never revealed this to thee. As we know there's life, where there's motion; even so by the activity and motion of the believing-Soul toward God and Christ, we may discover a work of grace, and conclude that God is in us of a truth.

Use. 3. Learn we next our duty: he's a believer indeed whose Faith proves it self by its Operation: Faith lives upon God, and inclines always toward him, as the Load-stone toward the North-pole. O let us be always flocking to Christ, even as Eagles to the Carkase: shall there be such Wells of Salvation opened, and we not draw water of life from them? Shall God throw down such lines of love from [Page 12] Heaven, to draw poor sinking Souls out of the Sea of sin and misery, and we re­fuse to catch hold of them? Or that golden Scepter of peace be held out, and none come and touch it? Ah how often doth God invite us to take hold of his Arm, Isa. 27. 5, and to take hold of his Covenant, Isa. 56. 4. O let us clasp him, with Simeon, in the Arms of our Faith; and resolve, as Jacob, not to let him go until he bless us.

If God had left us no other advan­tages, yet remember his Name, his name is Jehovah; Isa. 42. 8, I am the Lord Jehovah; that is my name; and my glory will I not give unto another. Even by this name of Gods, he stands bound to make good all his gracious promises to his people; O lets take hold of Gods Arm, and of his strength: prayer is nothing but a spiritual wrest­ling with God; and we should know, though God seem to put us off, yet he is willing to yield to us. Gods name is but his nature; let us plead it to the utmost; tell him that he is the Lord, strong, merciful, and gracious, [Page 13] pardoning iniquities, &c. Exod. 34. 6.

Doct. 3. That the pardoning of sin tends exceedingly to the Glory of Gods name. In this the Mercy and Good­ness of God shine forth to the utmost; and he convinceth the world, that he doth not delight in the Ruin, Death, and Slaughters of his people, but ra­ther in their prosperity. If any questi­on this truth, I would refer him to that pregnant Scripture, Exod. 33. 18, 19. When Moses that eminent Ser­vant of the Lord, made that Prayer to him, That he would shew him his Glory: He received a grant of his Prayer in these words: I will make my goodness to pass before thee: but what's that? Why my name shall be told thee, by which I glory to be known; and then in the next Chapter, when the Divine glory passed by, this Proclamation was made, v. 5, 6, The Lord, the Lord, strong, merciful, and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. And 'tis added, v. 7, Reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and [Page 14] sin. These are the things wherein God delighteth, Jer. 9. 24. These we may call the back-parts of God, so much of him as may be known to his crea­tures; and thus to know him, is life eternal.

Reas. 1. 'Tis an argument of infi­nite goodness; we have heard God makes his goodness now the matter of his Glory. 'Twas the Honour of Caesar that he never forgot any thing but injuries: 'tis infinitely more for the Honour of God, that he forgiveth, and forgetteth nothing but the sins of his people.

Reas. 2. As God by pardoning sin, glorifies himself; so he procures Glory from his pardoned people. 'Tis the proper effect of mercy to bring in a return of Glory: read Isa. the 55 and 7. v. When the Lord promiseth par­don of sin to the penitent, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un­righteous his own imaginations; and return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he is ready to forgive; and then 'tis [Page 15] added, v. 13, This shall be to the Lord for a name. This name, Gods people do most joyfully give him, in Micha, 7. 18, Who is a God like unto thee? &c.

Reas. 3. That's the last reason. This act of mercy ( viz.) Pardoning sin, exalts God above all Idols in the world; that must needs be a glorious Act which none in the world can do but God.

Tu multuantur quidem Gentes circa Divos suos, & nova quotidie sacra fa­ciunt, nunquam tamen conscientiae ter­roribus liberantur. Thus Gualter ex­cellently on that last cited Sripture. The heathens make much ado about their Idol-gods, and offer new sacri­fices to them daily; but alas! all those bloody offerings never bring the least ease to their guilty Consciences. This is Gods Perogative-Royal, he is a Sin­forgiving God; and in this there is none like him: Their Rock is not as our Rock, themselves being Judges.

Use 1. Hence, first, we see how un­like they are to God, who instead of [Page 16] pardoning the wrongs done them by others, do mind and meditate nothing but revenge; and although vengeance be one of Gods Prerogatives, yet here­by dare they usurp upon God, and do wrong to him, that they may revenge their own dreadful case, when men live as if the Scripture were no better than waste Paper: Let me ask the Lamech's of the world, whether they never read Mat. 5. 44, 45, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, &c. that ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven? Oh re­member, that as 'tis the glory of God, so 'tis the glory of a man too, to pass by a transgression, Prov. 19. 11. Aelian reports of Augustus, that he did but laugh at the Satyr and Buffoonries which they had published against him. And Socrates, when followed home to his House by one that railed at him all day, offered the railer a Lanthorn to light him home, that he might not stumble in the dark. O that Christi­ans should be sent to School to Hea­thens! we shall never prove our selves [Page 17] Children of God, unless we resem­ble our Father; God, to make known his Power and Patience, endureth with much long-fuffering, the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, Rom. 9. 22. What relation have they then to God, that must have an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth?

Use 2. Here then we should even lose our selves, while we admire the bottomless depths of Gods unspeak­able mercies; When infinite Majesty is wronged by his own creatures, and hath another way to right himself on vile dust and ashes, ( viz.) by pur­suing and punishing us according to Rules of Justice; yet he chuseth ra­ther to glorifie his Mercy in pardon­ing the sins of his people, than his Justice in destroying their Souls. Let us willingly give God the glory of his own title, who chuseth to be called the father of mercies, 2 Cor 1. 3.

Use. 3. And to this purpose, let us in the next place comply with God, and give God the glory of that sweet attribute wherein he so delighteth. [Page 18] What do we mean, that by nature are but masses of sin and of corrupti­on, that we do not sue out that pardon which God is so ready to give us? 'Tis true, the promise is free, yet God expects we should be his remembran­cers, Isa. 43. 26, and will be enquired after by the house of Israel, Ezek. 36. 37, for all those good things which he hath promised in his Covenant of Grace: 'Tis but to open the wound, and he will pour in the oyle of grace. Oh who would live in debt, and be subject every hour to an arrest by that dreadful Serjeant Death, when we have so mer­ciful a Creditor, who upon our re­quest is ready to forgive us all! Note next, that,

Doct. 4. Confession of sin is a ne­cessary condition to the remission of sin. The Psalmist freely confesses his guilt; he acknowledgeth his iniquity with its agravations, and God freely pardons him. And these are the terms on which the promise is still of force to us, 1 Joh. 1. 9, If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us, &c.

[Page 19] Reas. 1. Confession of sin honours the Justice of God. When ever a sen­sible sinner makes a serious confession of his sins to God, he doth but con­demn himself and justifie God, though God should for ever destroy him: read Psal. 51. 4, Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou judgest: And thus the unrighteousness of man doth but commend the righteousness of God, Rom. 3. 4, 5. The humble penitent doth freely acquit and justi­fie God in whatsoever he threatens or inflicts.

Reas. 2. Confession magnifies the Mercy of God. Why doth the Apostle so studiously set forth the sinfulness of all, in Rom. 2. 3, but that thereby he may afterward advance and magnifie the mercy of God in the Salvation of many? For sith all have sinned; it must needs follow, that if God left all to perish, he were most just, and if he save any, it's the fruit of his mercy.

[Page 20] Reas. 3. Again, from our selves we have these Reasons. 1. Hearty con­fession exceedingly humbles; 'Tis the hardest matter in the world to get a man to keep an Assize on his own heart; to arraign, charge, accuse, and pass sentence on a mans self: No, though we are severe in judging o­thers; yet in our own case, we are partial: But serious confession makes way for all this; and when once God hath humbled us, he knows what to do with us, Exod. 33. 5, The sick man (we see) is unruly till the Physician tells him plainly he is but a dead man; before, he cannot take this Potion, 'tis not pleasant; nor swallow that pill, it is not toothsome; but when once he sees he must purge or dye, then he submits and begs the Physician to bleed him, purge him, any thing, so that he save his life. 'Tis just so between God and Sinners: They complain this remedy is too hard, and that's too bitter: But when once by confession God hath humbled us, when we find by experience that sin [Page 21] is an evil thing and a bitter; then the poor sinner is at a plain point with God; then, do with me Lord as pleas­eth thee, only save my Soul. Read Lev. 26. 41, 42, If their uncircumcised heart shall be humbled, and they shall willingly bear the punishment of their iniquity; then I will remember my cove­nant made with Abraham, &c.

Reas. 4. 'Tis the way to put the Soul to a holy penance: Whilst by a sinful silence we bite in our own grief, the sinner hath a shift to shun that contri­tion and confession that becomes a pe­nitent; but when once the poor sinner comes to confession, then every other sin, and every other circumstance of sin, lays on another lash. Thus sin comes to have its true weight, and so presseth the Soul, till at last the sinner cry out, that 'tis a burden too heavy for him to bear.

Reas. 5. Serious eonfession is one good means to prevent backsliding: as a man sick of a surfeit, the more pains he hath been at in Vomiting up an offensive morsel, the more he is for­tified [Page 22] against swallowing that loath­some bit again. No, he is unwilling to buy repentance at so deer a rate.

Use. 1. Whoever he be then that needs pardon of sin, is hereby advi­sed what course to take: why doth thy trembling heart stand doubting of success? What greater security can we desire to imbolden us to seek pardon by confessing sin, than the Faithfulness and Righteousness of God to forgive? O learn we to defie all sinful fears: how grim and hideous soever thy sins look, yet this promise is sure, and stands like Mount Sion, that can ne­ver be removed; Though God may suspend the sense of pardon, yet be sure he cannot deny it.

The Jesuits tell us of a Student in Paris, while he was bitterly making confession of his sins, and writing them in a paper, the paper on a sudden va­nished▪ Whether the story be true, I shall not debate; but to our purpose, be sure, as soon as we by confession acknowledg the debt, God crosseth [Page 23] the Book. Yea the Lord is afore▪hand with us, in Psal. 32. 5, the Psalmist said only, he would confess his sins, and God forgave the iniquity of sin.

Come we next to the last argument whereby the Psalmist pleads with God for pardon, and that is a strange one, ( i. e.) the greatness of his sin, ( for it is great).

Doct. 5. Observe then in the last place,

That the greatness of sin should be an argument to provoke us to seek pardon by Repentance.

Now to prevent a mistake, I do not say, that the greatness of sin is proper­ly an argument why we should be par­doned; but I would thus be under­stood, That the greater is our sin, the more reason we have to repent; And (repentance being supposed) there is somewhat more reason to expect par­don.

I do not suppose it necessary here to prove a difference between sins. That stoical opinion, that there is a parity or equality among all sins, hath [Page 24] in all ages been justly exploded as an errour, out of the Church. He that list may read the Question debated at large in ▪ Aquin. prima secund. Q. 73. Art. 2.

Let it satisfie us, That though no sin in it self can possibly be small, that is committed against the great God; yet some sins are more sinful than other; and such was the sin for which the Psalmist here begs pardon, when he calls it a great sin. John 19. 11. This only by the by; I shall return to the assertion. Let us weigh the case, and we shall see mercy so magnified in the pardon of sin, that we shall see cause sufficient to magnifie the riches of Gods grace, and shame our selves that ever we dared to measure divine compassions by the short line of cor­rupt reason. Musculus on the words thus debates the matter, Quid hoc fa­cit ad impetrandum remissionem, &c. How should the greatness of sin be an argument to provoke God to pardon? Certainly, with men it would be an argument to hinder pardon, and not [Page 25] to procure it; should I tell a man, Sir, I have done you a very great wrong, and therefore I hope you'l par­don me.

Yet hear, and wonder; with God 'tis not so: That which reason would make an argument to drive us to despair, faith improves as a ground of hope. We see here an eminent Believer plead for pardon, by an argument taken from the greatness of his sin; which among distressed Consciences is the common reason why men conclude their case desparate.

Reas. 1. As every sin hath more need of pardon, by how much the greater it is; so God hath the more glory by forgiving it. The deeper is the wound, the more mortal is the sick­ness, and the more need the Patient hath of Curing; and if the Physician work a cure, the greater is his Honour. God, that great Physician, never gets so much glory as by pardoning great sins. The greatness of our sin doth commend the greatness of Divne Mercy. For where sin abounds, grace much more a­bounds, [Page 26] Rom. 5. 20, 21, that is, where sin abounds with the sense, sor­row, and detestation of it, there grace much more abounds. As the sins of wicked men by their greatness do com­mend the Justice of God in punishing them; so the great sins of Believers do commend the Mercy of God in par­doning them. 'Tis storied of Alexan­der, when he was to attempt any Service that was more difficult and dangerous than ordinary, he was wont to say, This is a work fit for Alexan­der. 'Tis a great God that we have to do with, and great things become him: His ways are not as ours, nor his thoughts as ours.

Reas. 2. As in pardoning great sins God advances his glory by a discovery of his Mercy; so also by ingaging the pardoned Sinner to returns of duty. 'Tis said of Mary Magdalen, she loved much, because much was forgiven her, Luk. 7. 47. Whose heart is so enlarg­ed, or whose mouth is so widened in blessing God, as he who hath had larger experience than ordinary of Divine Mercy?

[Page 27] Reas. 3. Another reason may be drawn from our own necessity. For the greater is our sin, the more need we have of Mercy and Pardon. Men do not send to the Physician for e­very light distemper; but if the di­sease be sharp, they are the more in­stant, and cry out, Do something or I die. Even thus the Psalmist comes run­ning to God, as a wounded man that is every moment bleeding himself to death, Heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee, Psal. 41. 4. And else­where, Mine iniquities prevail against me, &c. Psal. 65. 3.

Reas. 4. A fourth argument may be drawn from the Merits of Christ. Were the Death and Sufferings of Christ of force only to deliver us from some lesser sins, this would darken the glo­ry of Chirsts sufferings; but his blood cleanseth us from all sin, 1 John 1. 7. Nullum proinde est peccatum in sanctis, quod per sanguinem Christi non remit­tatur, saith Zanchy: There is no sin then in Believers [...] is not pardo­ned in Christ; and thence infers, that [Page 28] a Believer can never possibly commit the sin against the Holy Ghost. Oh what unworthy thoughts have we all by nature of the sufferings of the Son of God, which were the price of our redemption! When the Apostle would shew the excellency of this ransome, he searches the hidden treasures of the earth, and throws aside silver and gold, as base drossie stuff, unworthy to be compared with this, in 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19, Ye were not redeemed with corrup­tible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation; but with the precious blood of Christ, &c. To raise our hearts a little to some suitable con­ceptions of the worth of this sacrifice, I would but a little ingage your thoughts in considering these dread­ful and stupendious concomitants of the Lord Jesus sufferings. When Christ was expiring, even Nature it self lay gasping. The Sun hid his head in a black mantle, as ashamed to behold those base indignities that were done to the Sun of Rig [...]eousness. The earth quaked! The [...]cks were rent! The [Page 29] graves opened! &c. Insomuch that 'tis reported, That that arch Atheist Por­phiry cried out, Aut natura dissoluitur aut Deus nature patitur, Either nature it self expireth, or the God of nature suffereth. Well, what low thoughts soever we have of the Death of Christ; yet God will have us know, that the Manhood of Christ only suffered, yet the Person that suffered was God and Man. And then the vertue of Christs Death is known, when 'tis ap­plied and improved, Phil. 3. 10.

Reas. 5. A fourth argument may be drawn from the Covenant of Grace. And this is of as large extent as the Death of Christ, in whom the Cove­nant is made. Read Jer. 33. 8, I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me: yea I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me, &c. What sins doth God promise to par­don? Some and not all, less and not greater? No such thing, the Cove­nant makes no difference, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto [Page 30] men, Mat. 12. 31. All without excep­tion, gross enormities, as well as lesser infirmities: As the Sun scatters the thickest mist, as well as the least va­pour; even so God promises to blot the sins of his people, though they are as thick as a cloud, Isa. 44. 22.

We read in John 7. 23, That Christ made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day; Christ did not heal him in part: such are all God cures when­ever he takes a poor sinner in hand. There's no disease can stand before him, Omnipotenti medico nullus morbus est insanabilis. No disease is incura­ble, when we are in the hands of an Omnipotent Physician.

Use 1. The first use is of Caution: Corruption is apt to abuse the sweetest Mercies. We should take heed that we venture not presumptuouslly to commit great sins, because we hear that the greatness of sin should be an argument to make us seek for pardon; this is to turn the grace of God into wantonness, Jude 4.

'Tis sad, when the goodness of God [Page 31] should lead us to repent, that corrup­tion should abuse it as an occasion to commit sin. That Scripture may serve as a flaming sword to keep hardened Sinners from this presumption, Deut. 29. 20, If any one hear the words of this curse, shall bless himself in heart, and say, I shall have peace, though I walk according to the stubbornness of my own heart, &c. The Lord will not be merciful unto that man, but the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against him, &c. Such blessed truths should not be used as spurs to provoke us to sin, but as a bridle to curb corrup­tion, and to restrain us from sin.

Use 2. In the next place it informs us, That they are out of the way that seek to get pardon by lessening and extenuating their sin, loth to speak the one half of their guilt, as Jonathan, I did but take a little honey. This is not the guise of the godly: David acknowledges his sin a great sin, and thence pleads for mercy. In Exod. 32. 31, Moses interceded for the people [Page 32] after they had made the golden Calf; and he makes report of it to God in the fullest aggravation thereof; This people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold! He doth not only confess that they had sinned, but that they had sinned greatly; and again, they did not only do that that was sinful; but they had sinned a sin, that's more. And above all this, they had sinned a great sin, in making them golden gods. Oh what divine Rhe­torick will grace teach a believing Soul, not only in abasing it self for sin, but also in exalting Divine Mercy!

3. We may learn hence the Admi­rable Vertue and Efficacy of Faith, that re [...]rts the arguments of reason, drawing grounds of hope from those very suppositions which carnal rea­son would use as arguments to de­spair. Take one instance for many in the Canaanitish Woman, Mat. 15. 27, when Christ seemed to put her off by calling her dog, yet by Faith she picks an argument of speeding out of her [Page 33] very repulse; truth Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs, &c.

Use 4. Lift up then your drooping heads, ye doubting and despondent Souls, whose sins have out-grown your hopes; and you are ready to conclude fearful things to your selves, saying, Verily there is no hope. Could we pry into the bosoms of distressed Christians, 'tis not to be questioned but we should find thousands that are strangers unto peace, from a woful mistake of Divine mercy. Deal with the one half of the doubt­ing Souls in the world, they'l tell you, that that which discourages them to go to God, is the greatness of their sin. But lo here lyes the art of a Christian, to go to God with boldness, and tell him, Lord, the greater are my sins, the greater will thy glory be, when thou hast pardoned them. This art holy David had learnt, who for abun­dance of sin, cryes out not for mercy, but for abundance of mercy, Psal. 51. 1. And for your encouragement, let me add but a few Considerations.

[Page 34]1. Consider, that God in the Sal­vation of Sinners, had a design to mag­nifie the riches of his mercy, and to work it in such a way, that the crea­ture might have no cause of glorying in himself, Ephes. 2. 7, That he might shew in the ages to come, the exceeding riches of his grace, &c. Now know, that Gods mercy is not only above all his works, but above ours too: One depth swallows up another; if we sin to our utmost, he saves to his ut­most. And where sin abounds, grace much more abounds. And thus God so over-rules even sin it self, that he keeps it under the reach of his pardon­ing mercy.

2. God doth not pardon sin un­willingly; no, 'tis a very pleasing work to him; though he be slow to ven­geance, yet he is ready to mercy, Mic. 7. 18, He retaineth not wrath for ever, because mercy pleaseth him. Whatso­ever thou art, Sinner, be sure thou wert never so delighted to commit sin, as God delights to pardon it.

3. 'Twas Christs intention in ma­king [Page 35] himself an offering for sin, to save the chief of Sinners; he suffered not only for small Sinners, but for the greatest, 1 Tim. 1. 15, This is a faith­ful saying, &c. that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Now can we think that Christ Jesus can be defeated of his end? Shall Christ dye of purpose to save the greatest Sinners and shall he not ob­tain it? Yea sure, he shall see the fruit of the travel of his soul, and he shall be satisfied, Isa. 53. 11.

4. Consider, This suits with the expressions whereby God describes his pardoning of sin; he promiseth to blot out our sins, Isa. 43, 25. Now when the pen is going, it will as soon cross a great debt as a small one. Besides, the more Gods holiness hates sin, the more inclined he is to cross and can­cel it, And to cast our sins unto the bot­tom of the Sea, that covers the greatest rocks, &c. Mic. 7. 19.

5. Consider what Sinners have been pardoned. What think you of Aarons idolatry? Lots incest, Manasses witch­craft [Page 36] and idolatry, Peters denying and forswearing his Master, Pauls Persecu­tion and Blasphemy? But beyond all, what think you of that sin of Adam, whom yet God hath set forth as a Mo­nument of his Mercy? who, though he were advanced above all the crea­tures, and taken into so near commu­nion with God, having perfect ability given him to persist in his created holi­ness, yet wilfully rebelled against his Maker, and in some sense, is guilty of all the sins of his Posterity; yet all these saved and pardoned by believing in Christ, who is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever, Heb. 11. 8.

Oh then keep the eye of your Faith on the promises of the Gospel, in the darkest day of adversity. Hear what God says, Isa. 1. 18, Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them as snow. Scarlet in the Hebrew signifies twice, because 'tis twice died; though we are died twice, thrice, or a hundred times in sin; though we be never so deep-grained by our recidinations and back slidings; yet now there is [Page 37] Balm in Galead, God pardons not only seven times, but seventy times seven, Jer. 8. 22. Mat. 18. 22.

Beware of this gulf of despair; 'tis a high point of Atheism to distruct mercy: one well observes, that Judas in betraying Christ, was an occasion of his death as man; but in despair­ing of mercy, he did (what in him lay) to take away his life as God: what gross infidelity was it to think that his blood that procured a pardon for three thousand of those murderers, in Acts 2, could not have saved one sinner more! Oh how easie were our cure in our deepest straits, could we apply that Soveraign Remedy to our Sin-sick-souls, which that great Physician hath provided!