Sermon 1

_Text, PSALM 32. latter part of Vers. 5._I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgavest the iniquity of my sin.

This Psalm treats of the blessedness of a justified, of a pardoned sinner; touching which, several particulars are handled. First, the Psalmist handles, wherein the forgiveness of sin consists, that he mentions under two expressions, Verse 1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered: the forgiveness of sin consists, first in the covering of sin: the covering of sin not from God, but by God, so it is explained by God himselfe, Psalms 85. verse 2. You hast forgiven the iniquity of your people,You hast covered all their sin.

It is sin in us to hide our sins: as it is sin to hide our talents, so it is sin to hide our sin; therefore when the Psalmist says the forgiveness of sin consists in the covering of sin, this covering is understood of Gods covering. Which is not to be understood of a totall abolition or Extirpation of sin, but of such a covering of it, as it shall never be imputed for condemnation and that is a second expression to set out Gods pardoning sin. viz.

2. This forgiveness is set out by not imputing of sin, verse 2. Sin shall not be imputed to a justified person, though still it shall be inherent in him.

Secondly, The Psalmist shews the Character of that man whose sin is pardoned, verse 2. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile. If sin be pardoned to the soul, guile will never be harbored and indulged in the soul.

Thirdly, Here is laid down the happiness of a pardoned man, verse 3. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long: yet for all this David cals him blessed; though Gods hand was heavie upon him, yet his heart was still towards him; yet a blessed man, though an afflicted man:

Fourthly, Here is laid down the course that the Psalmist took to procure pardon of sin, that is in my Text, I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Thus I have brought you by the hand to the Text. I shall give you a short paraphrase of the words: I said, this word implies in Scripture phrase three things. First, it notes a deliberation or consideration of the minde, Psal 14. verse 1. The fool has said in his heart, there is no God: (that is) he has thought so in his minde, that there is no God. Psalms 30. verse 6. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved: that is, I thought so. Saying, is not alwaies an act of the tongue, but sometimes of the minde: I said I will confess my sin, that is, I have bethought my selfe, and considered in my minde, that it is meet for me to get pardon and to confess my sin to God, I said.

It notes secondly the purpose and the resolution of the wil; so you have it, Psalms 119. verse 57. You art my portion, O Lord,I have said that I would keep your words. There saying, is explained to be purposing or resolving of the will.

Thirdly, I said, it implies the execution, or practice of what the minde resolves upon, Psalms 39. verse 1. I said I wil take heed to my ways,&c. that is, I did look to my ways, and I am put upon the practice of taking care to my steps and to my ways: the meaning of the phrase is this, I said I will confess my transgression, I have bethought it so in my minde, and it is good and meet so to do, I have purposed and resolved in my will, and am actually put on the practice of it.

I said I will confess my transgression. The Septuagint interpret this place thus [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. I said I will confess my transgression, I will confess against my selfe: upon which one has this note, Many confess their sins, but they blame not themselves but God, the stars, and what not. It is worth your notice, that sin is exprest by three words in this Text; first, transgression, secondly, iniquity, and thirdly, sin; I will comfesse my transgression, and you forgavest the iniquity of my sin. There are but four places as I remember in the Scripture where in these three words are joyned together in one verse, Transgression, Iniquity, and Sin. Exod. 34. verse 7. Keeping mercy for thousands,forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.

Micah 7. verse 18. who is a God like to you, that pardons iniquity, and passs by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retains not his anger for ever, because he delights in mercy.

Leviticus 16:21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live Goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, &c.

And it is likewise used in Job. 13. verse 23. How many are mine iniquities and sins, make me to know my transgression and my sin.

In these four places the words are used in Scripture, and in my Text, but not else as I remember throughout the word of God: and because these three words are here used, Interpreters take much pains to find out some material distinction between them: her is Transgression, Sin, and Iniquity; I have consulted with many, and the truest account I can give you is this; [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]Transgression signifies in the Hebrew Rebellion; say interpreters, it notes sin with extensions and aggravations, sin increased to a great height. Secondly, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]Sin signifies evils that are of the lesser degree; that are not so heinous, and so notes onely by sin evils of infirmity and common incursion. Thirdly, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]Iniquity signifies sin of nature, that pravity of nature wherein a man was born. But Grammarians in the Latine distinguish these words otherwise. Iniquity they make to be that which is done against another man: Sin, that which is done against a mans selfe: and Transgression, that which is done immediately against God. But beloved, the Scripture in many places, makes them all one. Therefore we need not make further curious enquiry after the distinction of these words, And you forgavest the iniquity of my sin. The iniquity of my sin; There is some disagreement about the sense of these words, what it is for God to forgive the iniquity of sin: By the iniquity of sin, some do understand the punishment that sin deserves: the Hebrew word [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] that signifies Iniquity, signifies Punishment; the same word here is spoken of Cain,My punishment is greater then I can bear; there is the same word [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]: therefore in some translations it is read thus, You for gavest the punishment of my sin. Secondly, others here do understand by the iniquity of sin, (with whom I do concure) sin with all its aggravations, with all its heinous circumstances, sin with all its malignity, You dost forgive the iniquity of my sin: most Interpreters go this way, and so make the phrase to be very emphatical, You hast forgiven me my sin; that is, all heinous circumstances that might greaten my sin, you host forgiven them all. J shal onely make a short entrance at this time into the first part of my Text, I said I will confess my transgression to the Lord: These words contain in them a holy purpose in the Psalmist to set up the practise of a necessary and Christian duty, to wit, secret confession of sin to God. In them five parts are observeable. First, the duty it selfe, Confession. Secondly, a deliberate purpose to set on the practise of this duty, I said. Thirdly, the subject matter of this duty, Transgression, and Transgression with a propriety, my Transgression, not of other mens sins but my sins, I said I will confese my transgressions. I remember Ainsworth, he says it should be translated thus, more agreeable to the Hebrew,[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]I will confess adversum me against my selfe my transgression to the Lord. Many men confess sin, but they do confess sin as against God, that is, they do confess sin as if. God were the author of sin, that charge him to be the patron of their impiety and wickednesse, I said I will confess my transgression against myselfe. Fourthly, The object of this duty, I will confess my transgression to the Lord: and this beloved takes off Auricular confession, used and stood on much in the Church of Rome. Confession that God cals for, and the Scripture cals for, is in secret between God and your own souls; when conscience shall suggest guilt to you in reference to your former misdoings, when you can pour out your soul in complaint to God, I said, I will confess my transgression to the Lord. Fifthly and lastly, The issue and event of this duty; and you forgavest the iniquity of my sin: observe the connexion; here is a connective particle, and you forgavest: he does not come with an Ergo or a Quare, not with a causal, but with an et, a copulative, and you forgavest; not I confess sin, therefore I am forgiven; but I confess sin, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]and you hast forgiven me. Forgivenesse of sin is not laid down as an effect flowing from a cause, but as a consequent flowing from an antecedent. Indeed the Papists plead much for merit, because sometimes causal particles are used, but this is beyond my Text: thus much for the explaining of the words.Doct. At this time I shall onely raise a Doctrine from the first part of this Text, I said, I will confess my transgression to the Lord. The point of Doctrine is this: That justified persons who have their sins forgiven, are yet bound to confess sin to God.

And here the confession I am to speak of, is a private confession of our evils to God, between God and our own souls; and though it be but a familiar subject; yet as God shall enable me, I shall labor to make it useful and profitable for your edification in a Christian course, in a holy confession of sin before your God.

There are many Question to be dispatcht in the handling of this point.

The first Question is, What are the reasons why persons justified and pardoned, are yet bound to make confession of sin to God in private. The Reasons are these following.

Reason 1 First, They are to confess sin to God, because holy confession gives a great deale of case and holy quiet to the mind of a sinner; concealed and indulged guilt, contracts horror and dread on the conscience. As wind when it is disperst and diffused through the air does little hurt; but when it is concealed in the bowels of the earth, it makes ruptures and earthquakes, overthrows things up and down: Sin when it is unconfest, concealed, and indulged, makes heart-quakes in the conscience, and contracts a great deal of horror and terror, Psalms 32. verse 3.When J kept silence, my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long.

Meaning, David when he kept close his sin; he roared by reason of horror; when he did not pour out his soul in confession to God; but when a man shall with an ingenuous clearnesse confess his evils to God, this does alleviate his minde, and lighten his burden, and ease his conscience, and quiet his spirit. Origen does call confession of sin to God, the souls spiritual vomit. Now you know vomiting does give ease to a burdened stomach, when the stomach is pained and burdened, and opprest. A man is sick at the heart when meat does not digest; the vomiting of the load off of the stomach does ease the stomach: when the conscience is burdened, when a mans spirit is troubled, pouring out of complaints and confession to God does ease the mind: A sinner is like a vessel of new wine filled and stopt up close; till it has vent it is ready to burst; so is a godly man filled with sin, till he can vent by confession to God, his heart is ready to burst.Psalms 119. verse 25. My soul cleavs to the dust, quicken you me according to your word.

Vers. 26. I have declared my ways, and you heardest me, teach me your Statutes.

As if he should have said, My soul cleaves to the dust, I am in a very low and sad condition, but I have declared my ways, I have confest my sins; then God heard me, then I had peace, then I had quiet, then I had comfort: that is the first Reason, secret confession to God, it does give a great deal of ease and holy quiet to the minde.

Reason 2 A second Reason why justified persons must confess sin, is, because God loves to hear the complaints and confessions of his own people; lying on the face the best gesture, and the mourning weed the best garment that God is well pleased with,Jeremiah 31. verse 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe, &c. (that is) confessing his sin to God.

Cant. 2. verse 14. O my Dove, that art in the clefts of the rock,in the secret places of the staires; let me see your countenance, let me hear your voice: for sweet is your voice, and your countenance is comely. God delights to see and hear the complaints and the confessions of his servants to him: so David speaks,I declared my ways, and you heardest me with pity and complacency. God had rather see men come with ropes about their necks, and with sackcloth about their loins by a humble confession, as the servants of Benhadad did, then to see ornaments about their necks by a self-justification; Christ loves to hear and see the mourning condition of a justified person.

Reason 3 A third Reason why justified persons must confess sin to God, is, because confession of sin does help to quicken the heart to strong and earnest supplication to God. Psalms 32. verse 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray to you in a time when you mayest be found,surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh to him.

Confession quickens supplication,in Dan. 9. verse 20. And whiles I was speaking and praying, and confession my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God, for the holy mountain of my God. &c. that Gabriel came and touched him. &c.

Confession is to the soul as the whet-stone is to the knife, that sharpens it and puts an edge upon it; so does confession of sin; confessing your evils to God does sharpen and put an edge on your supplications: that man will pray but faintly, that does confess sin but slightly.

Solemn and secret confession of they evils to God, does greatly help to quicken strong supplications to God.

Reason 4 A fourth Reason why justified persons must confess sin to God, is, because confession of sin will worke a holy contrition and a godly sorrow in the heart, Psalms 38. verse 18.For I will declare mine iniquities, I will be sorry for my sin.

Declaration does work compunction; confession of sin, is but the causing of sin to recoyle on the conscience; which causs blushing and shame of face, and grief of heart.

Reason 5 A fifth Reason why justified persons must confess sin to God, is, because their secret confession of sin does give a great deal of glory to God, it gives glory to Gods Justice: I do confess sin, and do confess God in justice may damn me for my sin: it gives glory to Gods mercy; I confess sin, yet mercy may save me: it gives glory to Gods omnisciency; in confessing sin, I do acknowledge that God knows my sin: confession of sin gives glory to God,Josh. 7. verse 19. And Joshua said to Achan, My son, give I pray you, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to him, and tell me now what you hast done, hide it not from me: It is a giving glory to God.

Reason 6 A sixt Reason why justified persons must confess sin to God, is, because holy confession of sin will imbitter sin, and indear Christ to them, when a man shall let sin recoyle on his conscience by a confession. These after reflexions, and these after recollections of sin, do greatly imbitter sin, and do indear Jesus Christ; the stronger desires that a sinner has after Jesus Christ, the more he does inhaunce the price of Jesus Christ. And thus much for the first Question, to wit, the Reasons of the point.

The second Question is, But when is a man in the best plight to have freedome of spirit to make secret confession of sin to God? I will name but three Seasons: As,

Season 1 First, When God does bring a beleever under some grievous outward affliction, then is a fit time for him to confess sin to God. It is a saying of Gregory, Sins do blinde the eyes of men when they sin, yet those eyes come to be opened by the punishment, the punishment opens those eyes which the fact has shut. As you read of Josephs brethren, they did remain 20 yeares without having conscience recoyle on themselves to confess their vils in selling their brother Joseph, but when Joseph laid them in a prison, then they confest their evill, Gen. 42 21.And 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 distresse come upon us.

It may be now you art in health, you dost not now confess your uncleannesse, and your drunkennesse, and your pride, and your prophanenesse; but what wilt you do when God brings you on a death-bed? when God hedges in your ways with thornes, the conscience will reflect on you, and suggest guilt to you, and draw out confession from you, it is a fit season; when God does bring a man under any outward affliction, then he is in good plight to confess sin. It is worth your notice in the 38. Psalm, it was made when David lay on his sick-bed, as he thought his death-bed: you shall find it is a complaint of a very strong disease David lay under, in the 3. vers.Vers. 3 There is no soundnesse in my flesh, because of your anger, neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. Vers. 5.My wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my foolishnesse. Vers. 7.For my loines are filled with a loathsome disease, and there is no soundness in my flesh. Here he was lying on a sick-bed; and Interpreters say that he made this Psalm when he was sick. It is worth your notice of the title that David gives this Psalm, A Psame of David to bring to remembrance. David when he was on his death-bed as he thought, he said it shall be a Psalm of remembrance, to bring sin to remembrance, to confess to God my uncleannesse with Bathsheba, to bring to remembrance the evils of my life; it was a good plight David was in when he lay on a sick-bed, he would make this title of the Psalm, A Psalm to call to remembrance: men are in a fit plight to make confession to God when they lye under any bodily sicknesse; call to remembrance your pride, call to remembrance your passion, call to remembrance your vain dalliance, whatever your fin be, it may be I may not hit of it, but when ever God brings you under affliction, you art then in a fit plight to confess sin to God, and call to remembrance your sins. As it was with the Marriners in the storme with Jonah, when there was scarce any hope to be saved then they fell a calling each one on his God. Which occasioned the Proverbe, He that has not yet learnt to pray, let him go to sea. So Jeremiah 2 verse 24. A wilde Asse used to the wildernesse, that snuffs up the winde at her pleasure, in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves, in her mons they shall find her.

The men of Israel are there compared to an Asse, an unruly creature that runs up & down the wilderness and kicks up the heel: but says God, Though men weary themselves to take her, yet in her mons they shall take her: that is, when she brings forth young, then they shall take her, referring it to the people of Israel; they in their prosperity would not be ruled, but when they were in their mons, in their captivity, in their sufferings, then they should take them, and they would then come to be more pliant in confessing their guilt more to God then in former time.

A second Season wherein a man is in a good plight to confess sin is, when the conscience of a man is set in office by God to persue him with clear and with strong accusations. When God puts the conscience of a man in office to persue him with strong accusations touching evils he has omitted; then that man is in a fit plight, if he will take hold of it. Even Judas himselfe when conscience awakened him, went and confessed to the High Priest and the Scribes; and said, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. If Judas took advantage so much upon the awakening of conscience to confess sin, then a beleever has much more helpe. Beloved, the main use of conscience in man, is to bring him upon his knees, to make him humble in the confession of his ways; conscience serves to excuse me when I do well, but the main use of conscience is to accuse me when I do ill, and so to put me on confession to God, therefore mark, says David, I roared all the day; there was the noyse of Davids conscience for his Adultery, then I said I will confess my transgressions: when conscience roars by accusation, then let the heart confess to God: I do earnestly beg you to take these fit Seasons: you are in a good plight to confess sin when God does lay you under afflictions, when God does make conscience accuse you, that you do deceive in your trades, that you are ingulphed under lust; O then pursue these accusations of conscience, then you are in a fit plight to confess sin to God.

Season 3 A third Season wherein a man is in a good plight to confess sin to God is, when God sets home the reproofe of the Ministers of the Word upon the the soul with conviction: thus you know David, in 2 Samuel 12:13. And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord; And this was after that Nathan had said to David, you art the man.

The reproofe of Nathans Ministery did so prevail on Davids heart, that David said, I have sinned and have done very foolishly. Could you go home after every Sermon you hear, when ever you hear your sins reproved, and pursue that reproofe, and blesse God that the Word has checkt you, that the Word has met you, that the Word has found you out as an enemy; could you go home and pursue a Ministerial reproofe with confession, your hearts would then be in good plight to confess sin to God.

Application. The Application:

First see hence, that not only wicked men must confess sin; but regenerate men, pardoned men. It is no servile, no slavish, no legal work. Though the lowest Beleever be above the power of sin, yet the highest Beleever is not above the confession of sin; because not above the practice of sin. As long as men continue acting of sinne men must never leave confessing of sin: as long as sinne leaks into your soul, you must so long be pumping; confession is to the soul as a pump to the ship. O what leaks into your heart by heedlesnesse and carelesness, pump out by confession. Till you art above the actings of sinne, you art not above the confessing of sinne: as long as the body natural does gather corrupt humours, so long there must be Purges and Vomits: if the body should still be gathering corrupt humours, nature woulb bestfled by these humours; you art gathering sin to sin, you art adding iniquity to iniquity: confession is a spiritual Purge, it does cleanse and purge the heart; see therefore the great need that even pardoned men have to confess their faults.

Secondly, when the Scripture says that justified persons must confess sin; take notice, that every confession of sin will not serve mens turns. Lorinus observes out of Bernard on these words, I confess my transgressions. That Saul made the same confession that David made when Nathan reproved David; sayes David, I have sinned, when Samuel reproved Saul, says Saul, I have sinned: here is the same confession, but here was not the same event: David said, I have sinned, and Nathan said, The Lord has taken away your iniquity: but Saul said, I have sinned too, but Samuel told him; the Lord has taken away your Kingdom from you.Saul confest sin, yet had his Kingdom taken away; but David confest sin, and had his sin taken away. Beloved, you mayest confess sin with Saul, yet not have your sin taken away; you mayest lose your soul, as he lost his Kingdome though he confest his sinne.

The third Question is this, What Theological rules may be given to guide you in your confession of sinne to God. Answ. There are seven Rules which I shal lay down to you.

Rule 1 First Rule in confession of sin to God is this; single out some bosome and master lust that does most frequently enslave you, and make confession and complaints against that, to God; do not onely confess sin in the lump and general, but single out the most beloved lust, those sins which for the present do most subject and enslave your spirit, which do most overcome you and prevail over you in your Christian course; against those you shouldest bend most of your complaints and confessions: this wisedome Gods people of old did expresse; they singled out the present corruptions that they were guilty of, Judges 10:10. And the Children of Israel cryed to the Lord, saying, We have sinned against you, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Balaam. We have sinned, there is a general complaint: but we have also served Balaam; they singled out their idolatry more especially,1 Samuel 12:19. And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we dye not, for we have added to all our sinnes this evil, to aske us a King.

They were not contented with their old government, but they would alter and change it: that sin being their particular sin they were guilty of, they would single out that sin.Thus in 1 Chronicles 21:17. And David said to God, is it not I, that commanded the people to be numbred? even I it is that have sinned, and done evil indeed, but as for these sheep, what have they done, &c.

He singles out a particular sin that he then lay under the guilt of. I may say to you as the King of Assyria said to the 32. Captains, fight neither against small nor great, but against the King of Israel; so bend your confession not against small or great onely, but against your kingly lusts, against your captain lusts that do spring from your constitution; Your Agag, your Dalilah, single out them, and combat against them, and bend most of your confessions and complaints against them: do as men in a garrison, though they watch all the Battailments, and guard every passage; yet to that place, where the breach is [〈◊〉] widest, and where the storm is most hot, they will bend most of their strength: doe you thus, watch every sinne, and watch every failing of your life, but bend most of your confession to God against those lusts that do most enslave and subject you.

Rule 2 A second rule to guide you in the matter of confession of sin to God is this: Make conscience to confess your small and secret evils as well as your open and grosser sins. Our secret sins, says the Prophet, are in the light of your countenance, Psalms 90:8. You hast set our iniquities before you,our secret sinnes in the light of your countenance.

Psalms 19:12. Who can understand his errors? cleanse you me from secret faults.

David did not onely confess his murder of Vriah, his adultery with Bethsheba, but he confest smaller sins: Davids heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment; it was onely the appearance of revenge, he had his knife neere his throte: that which had the appearance of a sin, Davids heart smote him for.

Conscientions men do not onely bewail and confess open and grosser evils; but the secret and the smallest corruptions of the heart they bewaile to God: they confess their secret pride, their secret worldlinesse, and secret murmurings against God, they confess their secret and smaller evils.

Indeed wicked men fall short of this: wicked men confess their Grosse and their open sins, but do dot take notice of their lesser and secret evils: there are two instances for this, one is in Cain, Cain confest his murder, his was greater then it could be forgiven, speaking of the murder of his brother Abel,Genesis 4:13. And Cain said to to the Lord, My punishment is greater then I can bear. He did not confess his emnity that made him murder his brother: he confest his grosse sin, but did not confess more slie and secret evils. Thus you read likewise of Judas, Judas confest his betraying of Christ (a grosse sin) but he never confest his covetousnesse, a secret sin that made him betrry Jesus Christ; says he, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood: he that did bewaile and confess his murder in betraying Christ, did not confess and bewail his covetousnesse and hypocrisie, that were more lurking and secret evils. That is a second Rule, make conscience to confess small and secret evils, as well as open and grosser sins.

Rule 3 Third Rule touching confession of sin to God is this, When you confess and acknowledge secretly your sins to God, labor to greaten your sins with all the heinous circumstances and heart-humbling aggravations you can imagin. Thus the servants of God used to do, when they confest sin to God, they would confess sin with all the heinous circumstances, 1 Kings 8:47. Saying, We have sinned, and have done perversly, we have committed wickedness. Says Lorinus, Mark what a heap of words a heart-humbled soul will lay together in confessing of sin; We have sinned, there is one word; We have done wickedly, there is a second; and we have done perversly, there is a third. A notable instance you have of Paul in Acts 26:10, 11.Which thing I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the Saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief Priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to strange Cities.

Here Paul comes to aggravate his sin: there are eight aggravations that here Paul does lay down of his sinne, wherby he would greaten sin to himself that he might be the more humble.

First of all, they were not ordinary men that he cast into prison, but they were Saints, and to wrong them is a sacriledge, the Saints have I cast into prison.

Secondly, To cast a man into prison for debt is no injustice if the man be able to pay: but many have I cast into prison, why? for professing the name of Jesus of Nazars, meerly for professing Christ.

Thirdly, If it had been but one or two Saints it were not much, but they were a greater number, Many of the Saints did I cast into prison.

Fourthly, he aggravates his sin further: to cast them into prison and give them in prison liberty, is not much, but he shut them up in prison, and kept them close prisoners.

Fifthly, If he had rested there, it had not been much, but he gave his voyce against them to put them to death. In fact,

Sixthly, He gos higher, for he did wrong to their souls too, for he compelled them to blaspheme God.

Seventhly, To aggravate it further, he was mad against them, and I was exceedingly mad against them; hee was mad with rage, and with passion, and with fury against the Saints of God.

Eighthly, I did persecute them to strange Cities; them I did not kill, I made them leave their Wives and Children, and made them run and shift for their lives into strange corners. This is the nature of a true penitent, not to confess sin slightly and carelesly, but in confession of sin to cloath his sins with all aggravations that can be; In confession of sin we should aggravate it that we have sinned against mercies, correction, warnings, resolutions, checks of conscience, motions of the Spirit, &c. and this is a good Rule if you will follow it: You have the like instance in the book of Daniel chap. 9. verse 5.We have sinned and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from your precepts, and from your judgements. Vers. 6. vers 6 Neither have we hearkened to your servants the Prophets, which spake in your name to our Kings, our Princes and our Fathers, and to all the people of the Land. There are seven circumstances that Daniel uss in confessing of his sin, to aggravate his sin; how does Daniel cloath his confession? First, We have sinned, there is one. Secondly, We have committed iniquity. Thirdly, We have done wickedly. Fourthly, We have rebelled against you. Fifthly, We have departed from your precepts. Sixthly, We have not hearkned to your servants. Seventhly, Nor we nor our Princes, nor all the people of the Land: There are seven aggravations which Daniel reckoned up to his confession: Thus David when he would beg pardon prayed; for your names sake pardon my iniquity for it is great: that is a third Rule about confession.

Rule 4 A fourth Rule in confession of sin is this, In your confessions look not discouragingly on God as an angry Judge, but hopefully, as on a displeased Father; to confess sin to God as an angry Judge, is to make you but condemned Malefactors in your confessions; therefore make confession to God only as a displeased Father: converted men do confess sin to God as a Father: whilest you have an eye of sorrow upon sin, you are to have an eye of hope upon pardon, thus Gods people did in their confessions. To confess sin to God as a Judge, is to howl like dogs because you shall be beaten: but to confess sin to God as an angry Father, is child-like with a fiducial confidence of pardon.Daniel 9:9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him. And thus Shechaniah confesss sin to God, Ezra 10:2. And Shechaniah the Son of Jehiel,one of the Sons of Ellam, answered and said to Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, &c.

And thus the Prodigall in Luke 18:18. I will arise and go to my Father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.

Though he was a Prodigal, yet he would go to God as to a father. In confession you are to go to God hopefully, as to a displeased father: confessions when they come to God as a Judge, create fear, horrour, and amazement on the conscience, but when confessions are mingled with hope, and come to God as a Father, they work a holy brokennesse of heart, a holy tendernesse and remorse on the conscience. We should confess our sins to God as a Patient confesss his disease and bodily distemper to his Physician in hope of Cure.

Rule 5 A fift Rule in confession of sin to God is this, Content not your selves with slight and superficial confessions of sin to God, but leave not confession till you find sorrow for sin. Psalms 38:18. For I will declare mine iniquity, I will be sorry for my sin. Daniel 9:8. O Lord to us belongs confusion of face, to our Kings, to our Princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you: we blush and are ashamed to look up.

Leave not confessing of sin, until shame has filled your face, and sorrow has filled your heart: it is a great fault in many people, if they confess their sin, in crying God mercy in a general way, they think they have made God a compensation for all the injuries they have done him, though they never have any godly sorrow for their sins: but beloved you are not to content your selves with such confession. We should in this part of prayer imitate that holy Martyr Bradford who never gave over praying till his heart was somewhat affected and warmed in the duty.

Rule 6 A sixt Rule in confession of sin is this, If you findest your heart straitned in confessing present guilt and present sins upon you, then labor to review & recollect ancient guilt and ancient sins: This is a very useful thing in a mans Christian course. It may be a man or woman professing Christianity, may not know the sins he, or she has done this last week; for want of heedfulnesse and observation of their ways: in that case let them recollect what they have done many years agoe, recollect old sins, when new sins do not come to remembrance, and be humbled for them: thus David did, in Psalms 51:3. For I acknowledge my transgressions,and my sin is ever before me. It was meant his old sin of adultery, that was his sin that he would now call to remembrance: so when he found his heart dead, he says, Lord, remember not the sins of my youth; he would go so far back as his youth. I prescribe this rule, not that a godly man, who is under trouble of minde should take this course to collect old sins, this may lead him to despair; but in case of barrennesse, if any man wants matter in respect of present sinnes, and findes his heart hard and very insensible in secret prayer to God, in that case he is bound to let conscience recoyle upon himself, and recollect sins of past years; go back as far as his youth and see what conscience will bring in to provoke him to make humble confession to God in his secret retirements.

Rule 7 Lastly take this Rule, take more freedom in confession of sin in secret before God, then in public before men; To provoke you to practise this Rule, consider two things.

1. First, it is not fit to confess all the evils you have done before men, and if there were no argument to prove secret prayer this were enough, that it is not fit for a man to confess all the sins of his life before men. Zach. 12. 12. And the Land shall mourn every family apart,the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart, the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart, &c. They are to go to God and confess their sins apart. You art a poor professor, that dost confess what you confessest in public onely, and never in private, you art but a barren professor.

2. Again consider this, that though we read of wicked men that have made great confession of sin to God, yet we never read in the Scripture that wicked men ever made conscience to confess sin to God in secret. Pharaoh (you know the story) confest his sin to Moses and to Aaron, but we never read that Pharaoh confest his sin to God.Exodus 9:27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, I have sinned this time, &c.

Saul confest his sin to Samuel, but we never read of his confessing sin to god. 1 Samuel 15:24. And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the Commandement of the Lord, &c. Verse 30. Then he said, I have sinned, &c.

Judas confest his sin, but to whom was it? to the High Priest and to the Pharisees, but Judas never went into a corner and in secret to bewail bloodshed: wicked men have made public confessions of sin, but in secret between God and their own souls they never made acknowledgment, and confession of their evils to God: thus much for the third Question.

The fourth Question is this, Wherein appears the difference of a gody mans making confession of sin to God, and between those confessions of sin in wicked men: and there are these eight differences.

First, Holy confession in godly men, makes the soul to be more active and inquisitive after cure, remedy, and pardon for sin: holy confession makes the soul industrious. I confess sin, but how shall I subdue sin? I acknowledge sin; but how shall I get pardon for sin? It makes it enquire how to get cure and remedy for the evils which before were confest. Job 7:20. I have sinned, What shall I do to you,O you preserver of men? &c. I have sinned, there is his confession: Lord what shall I do? there is his industry. Thus the Jewes they were convinced by Peter of their great sin, insomuch as they cryed out,What shall we do to be saved? But false confession leaves men idle, and carelesse: confess they do, but they are not inquisitive how to get pardon for those sins they do confess.

Secondly, Holy confession of sin to God in godly men, is attended with remorse of conscience, and with grief of heart. Psalms 38:18. For I will declare mine iniquity, I will be sorry for my sin: there is confession and sorrow joyned together.Hos. 12. 4. Indeed he had power over the Angel, and prevailed, he wept and made supplication to him. Whilest confessions are in the mouth, there will be either tears in the eye, or sorrow in the heart, if confession be true.

The wicked confess sin, but tey never grieve for the sins they have committed, they are not ashamed, neither can they blush, in the Prophets language.

Thirdly, A godly man in confession of sin, has more freedom of spirit to confess his particular sins in secret, then he has in public: I have powred out my soul before God, says the Psalmist: confession of sin is a pouring out of the soul before God; he that can pour forth complaints against sin in secret more then in public, is a grecious man

The wicked are only for confession of sin before men, and not before God.

4. Fourthly, Godly men confess sin freely, out of a willingnesse they have to be rid of sin: wicked men confess sin, with confessions extorted and drawn from them as men on a rack whether they will or no. Godly men confess sin freely, they are freely willing to part with their lusts, therefore they confess them to God, Job 32:18. For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constrains me. Verse 19. Behold my belly is as wine that has no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles. Verse 20. I will speak that I may be refreshed, I will open my lips, and answer. Thus a godly man in confessing sin his belly is as ready to burst with new wine, he must needs have vent, else he is broken, he must needs confess sin, his sin drives him to God. But confession is extorted and wrested from wicked men. It was the plagues of Egypt upon Pharaoh, that wrung confession from him: before these he would say, Who is the Lord? It was pangs and horrour of conscience in Judas, that forced him to acknowledge he had sinned in betraying innocent blood. Mariners cast over their goods, not that they hate them, but as they are forc't to do it to escape drowning; when there is a storm and a tempest in their consciences, then men are forc't to confess sin, it is by compulsion, it is not voluntary.

Fifthly, A godly man is conscious to confess secret and small sins, as well as grosse wickednesse. David confest his pride and carnal confidence in numbring the people, as well as his adultery with Bathsheba: David confest the cutting off the lap of Sauls garment, as well as spilling the blood of Vriah. But hypocrites confess their grosse sins, but not their small sins. Cain confest his murder, but not his bad offering: they confess their grosse sins but not their smaller. Pharaoh confest his oppression of the children of Israel, but he did not confess the hardness of his heart. But godly men though they have not so many grosse and open evils, yet small and secret evils pinch their consciences, and trouble their spirit. Those evils which will not break a wicked mans sleep, will break their hearts: what though they have not uncleannesse in the flesh? what though they have escaped the pollutions of the world? yet they know they have secret and inward defilements on the spirit: and these they bewaile, and these they acknowledge to God.

A sixth difference is this, that godly men are distinct and clear to confess their particular special evils that have most predominancy over them. Beloved, observe this; Wicked men in their confessions are confused, and only run in general that they are sinners; Just like Ahimaaz when he would bring tydings to David, touching the issue of the battel with Joab and Absalom, says he, I saw a tumult,and I heard a noyse, but I know nothing. Wicked men will tell you that their sins do make a noyse within them, but they can tell you nothing distinctly, and nothing particularly, but only go at randome. Wicked men in confessing sin are like Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2.He dreamt something but he could not tell what it was: Wicked men dream of sins and think of them as confusedly as a man in a dream; but when, how, and where, and with what aggravating circumstances they know not: they have not a distinct and clear view of their corruptions. The people of God do in their confessions single out their special lusts and say thus did the people of Israel.Judges 10:10. Thus Belarmine did shew his wickednesse in saying he was not wicked; when he was on his death-bed, and his Confessor came to him to have him confess his sin to him, says Bellarmine, I do not know any sin in my self to confess. This was not the holinesse of the man, but the heedlesnesse, that he did not observe his ways. Donatus the great ringleader of the Donatists, says, O Lord I have nothing that you shouldst pardon me. Beloved, this does arise from stupidity that men see not sin; it does not arise from holiness, but from heedlesness and carelesseness. It is an observation that one has on Iob, says Iob, I have sinned, and cause me know wine iniquity, and my transgression, and my sin. While Iob made this complaint that he had sinned, God says, in all this Job sinned not: that is, not absolutely, but meaning comparatively. Beloved, to be free in complaints, and to be full in confession of sins, does not argue that you have more sin then other men have; but it argues that you have more sight then other men have, and the less sin you have in you.

Seventhly, Godly men confess sin out of a sight and sense of sin, as it is dishonourable to God, rather then as it is a shame and reproach to themselves. Confess your sin rather for the foul nature of it, that it does dishonour God, then for the evil consequence of it, that it deserves damnation to the sinner. In Psalms 51. says David, Against you, you only have I sinned: it was not against Vriah that he had sinned; but against you, you onely have I sinned, for you wast dishonoured by my sinne. When the Apostle speaks of repentance, he calls it repentance towards God, Acts 20:21. Testifying both to the Jewes, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ. To note, That where sorrow and confession of sin is true, it is more out of a sense of sin, as it is against God, then as it is against self. But wicked men never confess sin as it is a dishonour to God, but as it contracts a guilt and a shame on themselves.

Lastly, Holy confession of sin in godly men, leaves a holy awe, and a dread upon the heart, making them afraid to commit the sin after they have confest it; making them afraid to come into the occasion of that sin which they have confest; thus you read, Acts 19:18. And many that believed came, and confessed and showed their deeds. Verse 19. Many also of them which used curious Arts, brought their books together, and burned them before all men, &c. He speaks of their sorcery and witchcraft; they would burn their books, that there should not be an occasion of committing again that sin which they confest to God. Beloved, this is holy confession; when you shalt come to God on your knees in secret, and there bewail a lust: and your confession leaves a holy awe and dread on your soul to take heed on that sin you hast confest.

A godly man may commit a sin which he has confest, but yet he retains a fear and awe upon his heart, that it shall not prevail over him in his practice.

Wicked men confess sin they have committed, yet they are bold and adventurous to commit the same sin again which they have confest.

And thus the Harlot did, Prov. 7. 14. I have peace-offerings with me, this day I have payed my vows. Paying the vow, is a confession that I am in debt to God for my sin; and I owe God homage and service▪ yet she made the confession of sin to be a means to provoke her to be more bold and adventurous in her wickednesse. To confess drunkennesse, and afterwards to be drunk; to confess profaneness, and afterwards to be profane; this is the bold adventurousness of wicked men: Thus Pharaoh in Exod. 9. confest his sin, and afterwards when the plagues were over, runs into the same sin he did confess: and this is the badge and portraiture of a wicked man. And thus I have done with this fourth particular.

I now come to the use.

Application. First by way of reproof, there are three sorts of persons in whose breasts the arrow and dart of reproof must justly stick. If so be justified persons are bound to make confession of sin to God; then it reproves,

Sort 1 First, The Antinomists, who account it a legal and a servile work, for believers to be bemoaning themselves to God, and confessing sin to God. And therefore in their prayers (when you may be cast to hear them in public) all their expressions in prayer, are either extolling the Majesty of God, the excellency of Christ, the glory of Heaven, the riches of Grace, but not a word of laying low the creature in prayer; but raptures in prayer, and the extolling of divine Majesty: these are all the dials of expressions which they use in prayer.

Now to overthrow this vain conceit of the Antinomians, consider,

First, Confession of sin to God has been practised by all the godly under the Old Testament; and therefore why should it not be used under the New?

Dan. 9. He made a praher to God, and it consisted of 16. verses, and 14. of them verses were spent in confessing of sin.

And thus the godly in Nehemiah's daies made a prayer to God, and the whole prayer consisted of 32. verses, and 31. of them verses were spent in confession of sin. Nehem. 16. Let your ear be attentive, and your eyes open, that you mayst hear the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you day and night, for the Children of Israel your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinued against you, both I and my Fathers house have sinned.

Thus David, 2 Samuel 24:10. And Davids heart smote him, after that he had numbred the people: and David said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech you, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly. That is one thing to confute this practise.

Secondly, Not onely Believers under the Old Testament, but also Converts under the New Testament, did make conscience of confessing of sins to God, John 3▪ 6. And they were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins, Acts 19:18. And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. Luke 15:17. And when he said, How many hired servants of my Father have bread euough, and to spare, and I perish with hunger? Verse 18. I will arise, and go to my Father, and will say to him, Father I have sinned against heaven, and before you. It is an Embleme of a Convert, if so be it be a Parable: In the instance of the Publican, that Christ declares was uniustified rather then the Pharisee, And the Publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Verse 14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather then the other, &c.

Now (beloved) when you have instances in the Old Testament, and many examples in the New, why then should we blot out so useful a part of Gods worship as this, of confession to God in secret?

Thirdly, God does command confession of sin to him. Jeremiah 3:12, 13. Goe and proclame these words towards the North, and say, Return you back-sliding Israel, says the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful says the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Onely acknowledge your iniquity, that you hast transgressed against the Lord your God, &c.

Fourthly, God both in the Old Testament and in the New, has annexed many gracious promises to a sincere confession of sin to him: in the Old Testament, Lev. 26. 40. If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespasse which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary to me. Vers. 41. And that I also have walked contrary to them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies: if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity, Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob, &c. If they confess their iniquity, I will remember them. And there are gracious promises made to such as confess their sins; and it is certain that a man cannot have a promise to any thing which is a duty. Prov. 22. 13. He that covers his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesss and forsaks them shall have mercy. Iob 33. 27. He looks upon men, and if any say I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not, &c. And in the New Testament, in 1 Iohn 1. 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all uurighteousness. Now beloved, put all these four together; the godly have practised this under the Old Testament, and converts under the New, God has commanded it, and he has recompenced it; therefore those that account confession of sin to be but a legal and servile work deserve reproof.

A second reproof, is to those of the Popish Religion, who in stead of secret confession of sin to God in prayer, doe presse vehemently Auricular confession in the ear of the Priest. Touching this Auricular confession, they spend many volumes to make good the divine right of it; the Councel of Trent do lay an Anathema on any that shall not count Auricular confession to be necessary to salvation. There are these several mistakes and errours in the Popish Doctrine of Auricular confession.

First, They urge the necessity of it, that you must not expect salvation without it.

Secondly, Confession against whom, and when you did it, all the circumstances of your sins you must acknowledge to the Priest.

Thirdly, That the Priest upon your confession, has power from Christ to give you pardon, and to give you absolution; these go currant with them about Auricular confession.

That you might see this is blame-worthy, and worthy of reproof; I shall confute it by these Confiderations.

First Consideration of the time when Auricular Confession came first in use in the Church: For 800. yeares after Christ there was no such practise in the Church of God: and that the Law of Auricular Confession was not enacted until Pope Innocent the Third, which was about 1200. years after Christ: and the first Councel that did establish Auricular Confession, was the Laterane Councel, and after that the Councel of Trent. The Church of God in the Primitive times having no such practise, it may be exploded from being now in the Church of God.

Secondly, Why did the Popes invent Auricular confession? One does demonstrate this;

First there is this Reason: It is a notable invention to discover the secrets of mens thoughts, and intentions, and designes, both in Church and State

Secondly, It is a means to get money for the Pope: for according as the sin confessed, is more capital and notorious, so the more money must be given for indulgence and pardon; thus a reverent Divine calls it, the pick lock of Sacramental confession: this being enacted meerly out of State policy to know mens secret thoughts and temper; and likewise to bring in profit and revenues to the See of Rome, which does shew the practise to be unjustifiable.

Thirdly, Consider what the Scripture does press concerning confession to men, mark the Text, Jam. 5. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The Scripture does not tie us to a Priest as the Popish Religion ties them: but it ties us, that in anguish of conscience and trouble of minde we confess to any who are abce to give us wholsome counsel from the Lord. We are to confess our sin to any Christian freind or member of the Church whom we judge fittest to advise us for their wisdome, faithfulness, compassion and experience.

A good note our Protestant Interpreters have against the Papists: the Apostle bids, if a man be sick, call for the Elders of the Church, and they were to pray for him; but he does not bid them confess sin to the Elders, but confess sin one to another; which does no way tie to confess sin to a Priest. But this is a point of controversie, and blessed be God this Church is not tainted with this erour; therefore I shall leave it: this is the second sort that is to be reproved; to wit, those of the Popish, Religion, who instead of confession of sin to God bring in auricular Confession to the Priest.

Thirdly, This Doctrine reproves those who to avoid the Popish Auricular Confession to the Priest, deny all kind of confession of sin to men: there are many faulty, many who keep the Devils counsel, who groan under strong corruptions, yet will never open their minds to have counsel and prayer from other men. There are some peculiar and select cases wherein we are not onely bound to confess sin to God, but to confess sin to men: but before I handle this, take these two Cautions.

Caut. 1 First Caution is this, That you are not to confess sin needlesly to men, but when there is a great and an urgent necessity, when you are exceedingly troubled in conscience, and cannot be comforted; in such a case you may go to men to acknowledge what sins trouble your consciences: but to confess sin needlesly to men, you are not called. God does not love, says Chrysostom, that we should not go to men to reveal our shame, but go to God; unless the case be very urgent, that by all the means you can use, you cannot ease your selves, then are you to confess sin in that case.

Caut. 2 Secondly, That when you are to confess sin to men, you are not to confess sin to every one; you are to confess sin to those that are compassionate, that are of ability to pray for you, to those who have wisedom and can counsel you, to those who have pitty that can compassionate you, to those who have experience that can advise you, to those that can give counsel and keep counsel: you are not to confess your faults to any but to those you think are tender hearted, to be able to pray for you. Beloved, if a man should be in discredit and lavish in confession, and confess his sin to every body, it may be some would jear and reproach him: Chrysostom in his Homilie on Dives and Lazarus, has this expression, If you confess your sin in some mens ears, they will cast your sins in your face in a way of scorn: Some men would deal with you as the Pharisees did with Judas; Judas when he was smitten in conscience for sin, came to the Pharisees, and said to them, Here is your money again, for I have sinned in betraying innocent blood: say they, What is that to us? look you to it, for what you have done: so men will express no pitty, and will give no counsel; therefore there must be wisedome in revealing of your sins to other men. Thus you have the Cautions prescribed to you Now in what cases is it meet that men should confess their sins to men as wel as to God? I shall resolve this to you in four Cases.

Case 1 First, In case of publique scandal given to the Church, whereof you art a member, by falling into some notorious and known sin, when your sin becomes scandalous and known to all that live about you, and the Congregation where you dost communicate is blemished by your fall; in that case you art bound to make a confession, to confess your sin to the Church. David fell into the sin of Adultery, and the sin was known among all the Gentiles, insomuch that the enemies of God spoke ill of Religion, and spoke ill of God: what does David doe to recompence the wrong done to the Church? he makes the 51. Psalm, which was not for his private use onely but for publique use; mark the Title of it. To the chief Musitian, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the Prophet, came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. This Psalm was permitted to be sung in the Sanctuary, and in the Temple, that so the Church of God being scandalized by Davids sin, should be satisfied by Davids public confession and repentance: Beloved, this is equitable, because the Communicants of a Congregation, of a Church, are offended by your scandal, and whilest your sin is notorious they are scrupled: therefore there must be a public repentance. And besides, public scandal given by any member of the Church may bring Gods wrath on the Congregation, if the offender does not confess his sin. Joshua 22:20. Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity. Achan sinned alone, but did not perish alone, the wrath of God fell upon all the Congregation. Therefore for the good of the Congregation and Church, whereof you art a member; if your sin becomes notorious and known, you art bound to confess it; not that every private sin must be confest to the Church, but in case of public scandal, you art then to compensate the congregation by manifesting your confession.

A second Case wherein you are to confess sin to men, is, in Case of private injury done to your neighbor, in case of wrong, personal injury done to your neighbor, you art to confess sin to him. Mat. 5. 23, 24. Therefore if you bring your gift to the Altar, and there remembrest that your brother has ought against you: leave there your gift before the Altar, and go your way, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. If your brother can say you hast done him wrong, then go first to your brother and be reconciled to him. Christ directs that in case of private and personal wrongs I am bound to make confession, and give all just satisfaction to the man whom I have wronged. And this Christ adviss further, in Luke 17:3, 4. Take heed to your selves: if your brother trespasse against you, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespasse against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to you, saying, I repent; you shalt forgive him. Christ does here intimate, that we are to confess sin to our brother whom we have wronged; to private men, against whom we have done private injuries; not only to God, but to them. That is a second Case wherein confession of sin is required to men as well as to God.

Case 3 Thirdly, You are to confess sin to men as well as to God, in case of extream trouble of conscience for some particular sin which you have done against God; when conscience flies in your face, you canst neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep, nor be quiet; your conscience does so pursue you with terrour; if you canst not by any help of your own get a quiet and a calme conscience, in such a case you mayest go to a godly and experienced friend, (make your own choice) to reveal your case: this is the intent of the Apostles expression, Jam. 5. 16. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. That is, when you are in extream anguish and perplexity of conscience, you art troubled for sin, then confess your sin to other men and desire them to pray for you. And in confessing to men, you are not to confess all your sins, but only that particular sin that most troubles conscience: when you go to a Physician, you will discover no more to him then where the sore lies; you are to confess no more to men then that particular evil that conscience troubles you most for.

The fourth and last case is this, to confess sin to those that have been companions and co-partners with you in sin; in that case you are to go to men to confess sin as well as to God. There are some Interpreters that do expound that place in Jam. 5. 16. Confess your faults one to another, that is, that those that have been partners together in sin, they should go one to another to confess their sins: if you have been a drunkard, go to your companion, and tell him your conscience smits you for your sin; you that have been unclean together, if God has troubled your conscience for your uncleanness, why go to your partner in sin, and tell her God has troubled your conscience for your lust, and it may be this may awaken her conscience too.

Eusebius relates, that John the Evangelist in his journey, returning from Patmos to Ephesus after the death of Domitian was met by a company of theeves; among whom was a young man their Captain, whom John did convert, and the story says, that this young man now converted by Johns wholsome counsel, went to all his fellow theeves, and advised them in the name of Jesus Christ, that they would not walk in that way of wickednesse; he was troubled in conscience, and therefore gave them earnest counsel, that as they loved their souls, they would not walk in that way of wickednesse; and by that means many of these great robbers became great Converts. In like manner do you to those that know of your drunkennesse, of your adultery, &c. confess your sins, as Demosthenes said to the Harlot, I am not the same man I was: and it may be, that so their consciences may be awakened, and they startled for it, and bethink themselves of their wicked courses, and God may work a change in them, as he has done in you.

There is one Application more of this Point, and that is for lamentation and humiliation; to humble you in the presence of God, that seeing God calls you to confess sin to him, you have so many palpable and manifest defects in secret confessing of your sins to God.

Now beloved, there are ten usuall defects, to which not only the wicked but the godly are lyable in their confession of their sin to God.

Defect 1 The first Defect in confession of sin unso God is this, that when men come to confess sin to God, they have such a barrennesse and confusion on their spirits, that they cannot call to remembrance their particular sins to confess them. Mr. Hildersham has a good note descanting on them words in 1. John 1. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us. Says he, if we say that we have no sin, there is no man so grosse, to say that he has no sin, for his own practise will give the lie to his tongue; but it is when we come to God, we doe as in effect say so, when we doe not know what sin to confess to God; we are so confused and heedlesse in observing our own ways, that we doe not know what to confess in prayer to God, and that the Apostle condemns. It is storied of Donatus the father of those Heretiques that Augustine did write against, that he said to God, Non habeo Dominae quod ignoscas, I am guilty Lord of nothing for you to pardon.

This was the fault of Bellarmine, when his Confessor came to him on his deathbed, Bellarmine did protest to him, that he did not know one sin that he was guilty of to confess to the Priest: this was heedlesnesse in him, for if he had observed his own ways, he would have found sins enough to have confest: many are heedlesse that they doe not take notice of their own evils, this is a common and an ordinary Defect; there are many when they come to prayer though they have manifold sins in them, yet they are so confused, so indistinct in the knowledge of their own ways, that they have only general confessions, Lord we have sinned, Lord we have done evil in your sight, but cannot call to minde any particular sin they have done; Was it never thus with you, that you did not know what to bewaile to God, and what to lament of in his presence? this is a Defect that godly men are often guilty of.

Defect 2 A second Defect in the confession of sin to God is this, when men in prayer do confess many sins to God, yet do leave out their master and predominant sins: many men are large in confession, yet do leave out their master sins. Moses, though a good man, yet was faulty in this regard; God commanded him to go to Egypt to deliver his people, but says Moses, I am not eloquent, I am of a slow speech; he did complain of a natural defect, but he did not complain of a spiritual defect, but God did answer all his pleas in Exodus 4:19. And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead that sought your life. Vers. 20. And Moses took his wife, and his sons, and set them upon an asse, and he returned to the land of Egypt. So that God here put his finger upon the sore: Moses complained of the peoples incredulity, of his own natural infirmity, but Moses did not complain of his slavish fear, that if he should go to Egypt there were men that would kill him; till God did assure Moses that those men that sought to kill him were dead, Moses would not go: here a good man would not confess his slavish fear, that he did fear death; therefore he would not go on Gods command. Beloved, this is a Defect that does many times cleave to godly men to leave out their predominant sins, and to confess only those sins which are sins of infirmity; and herein men do but dissemble with God, and like the lapwing crie lowdest when farthest from the nest.

Defect 3 A third Defect in confession of sin to God is this, to have the heart to hanker after the committing of those sins you do confess. Austin does ingenuously acknowledg this of himself, says he, I did often beg strength of God against the sin of incontinency, yet had often an unwillingnesse in my heart that God should hear my prayers, lest I should leave my sins. Indeed conviction of conscience does force to a confession of sin, yet the strength of your depraved affection does make you hanker after the sin, and cause a lothnesse to leave it.

Defect 4 A fourth Defect in confession of sin to God is this, to confess to God the sins of your life, but not the sins of your nature: many men will be large in confessing the sins of their life, but seldom or never bewail the sins of nature, that vicious inclination in the heart to sin; very few but David in the Old Testament, and Paul in the New, who did sufficiently confess original sin, David in the Old Testament,Psalms 51. there he begins to bewail the root of those sins which he was guilty of. So Paul in Rom. 7. bewails the body of sin: many men bewail actual sin, but not habitual sin, but not original sin: many men bewail bad actions, but never confess to God their vicious inclination. This Defect good men many times are guilty of.

Defect 5 A fifth defect is this, to confess grosse and open sins, but not to confess small and secret evils: we are commanded to keep the Law as the apple of our eye, Prov. 7. 2. Keep my commandements and live, and my Law as the apple of your eye. Now you know, a man that keeps his eye will not only keep his eye from great blowes, but from small motes, which may put out the eye as well as a great blow; men should not only take heed of great blowes, great transgressions, but they should take heed of lesser motes, small sins. Now beloved, good men many times commit those sins that are infamous, that the natural light of conscience can control them for, why those evils are complained of, and confest; but secret evils, wandring thoughts in duties, vanity of minde, the deadnesse of the heart, emptinesse of spiritual meditations, inward distrust; these evils are seldome bewailed and confest: this is many times a Defect found in good men, good men are not so apt to confess omission of good, as commission of evil:

Defect 6 A sixt Defect in confession of sin to God, is this, to confess sin more because of its guilt, then of its spot: my meaning is, more because sin has a damning power, then a defiling nature; more because sin damns your soul, then defiles your conscience. A child would touch a coal though it be smutty and soily, but he forbears to touch it meerly because it is a burning coal: we forbeare sin because sin is a burning coale, but we doe not forbear to touch it because it is a defiling coal: that is a defect in many godly men to be found. But we should confess sin and bewaile it, not because it wil damn us, but because it does dishonour God.

Defect 7 A seventh defect in confession of sins to God, is this, to confess those sins to God, which if men should charge us with, we should deny and be angry. This holy Greenham does take notice of in mens confession of sin; you wilt confess your pride to God: but if a man should say that you art proud, you wouldst be angry with him; you wilt confess your ways to God, but if men should tell you of your sins, you wouldst be angry with them: this shews there is much defect in your confession.

Defect 8 The eighth defect in confession of sin to God is this, not to have the heart sensibly affected with those sins that are confessed to God; many confess as if they were telling stories rather what other men did, then what themselves did: there are few that confess sin as the Prodigall did, that he was ashamed to be called the son of his father. We should confess sin as Daniel did, Dan. 9. and as David did, Psa. 51. But many confess sin like Pharaoh, Exodus 9:27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, I have sinned this time, the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Vers. 34. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail, and the thunder were ceased, he s[•]nned yet more, and hardned his heart[〈…〉].

Defect 9 The ninth defect in confes[•]ion of sin to God is this, to content your selves with slight, ordinary, and generall confessions of sins, to come into Gods presence and say you are sinners just as [〈◊〉] the eleventh king of France, who when he had blasphemed would take his Crucifix and kisse, and cry, God forgive me, and then sweare again: this is the fault which Christians many times are guilty of, many men rest contented with a confused and a generall confession of sin when they doe not come to any distinct view of their particular sins, there is a tumult in the conscience some noyse they make in prayer, but they know nothing distinctly, but like Nebuchadnezzar in a dream, he knew he dreamt, but he forgot what his dream was: many men doe confess sin, but they know not what they doe confess. You are to be humbled for these defects that may be found in you[•] in your confessing sin to God.

Defect 10 A tenth defect in confession of sin to God is this, that they are bold to commit the sin again which they have confest: they confess passion, and afterward are bold and adventrous to run into a rage and fury. When a man shall confess on his knees he has done thus and thus, and has been thus and thus; yet afterwards all the impressions of these confessions are defaced, and he is bold to adventure on the commission of the sin again; This is also a defect that may be found among good men in their confession of sin to God.

Me thinks I hear you ask me, But seeing these defects are found among us, in confession of sin to God, what should we doe to be healpt against these defects? For answer, that you may not be guilty of these defects in confession of sin,

Rule 1 First, Get a cleare insight into Gods Law, that it may discover sin to you, by the Law is the knowledge of sin, Rom. 3. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the Law is the knowledge of sin. Jam. 1. 23. For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glasse. Vers. 24. For he beholds himse;lf, and gos his way, and straight way forgetts what manner of man he was. The looking-glasse will shew you the blemishes in the face, which the eye cannot else discern: beloved, get a knowledge of the spiritualnesse of Gods Law, of the extent of Gods Law, that the Law does reach the inward man, that Gods law reachs to those very first motions of the soul, those very inclinations to sin that are in your heart, be acquainted with the Law, and by that you wilt come to the knowledge of sin. Physicians have used this remedy to their Patients: In a Convulsion Fit, they would wish them at that time, to look their face in a glasse, that when the Patient does see what an ugly countenance he has, and what an ugly posture he is in at that time, he might strive the more against it: So doe you▪ look your face in a looking-glasse to see those deformities that are within you, this will make you confess, and this will bring you on your knees.

Secondly, If you would confess sin aright, observe diligently your own ways and hearts.Prov. 4. 25. Let your eyes look right on,and let your eye-lid look straight before you. Vers. 26. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be stablished. Look right before you and ponder the ways of your feet, and that is the way to have the heart so affected with the evil of your ways as you will particularly confess your sins.

Thirdly, Keep fresh in your remembrance some particular sin or other, when you come to prayer it will help you in confession; it is barrennesse as I told you that you do not see what matter you have to confess, that makes you so scanted in you confession; would you but present some particular sin when you come to God, you would be in better plight to confess sin to God; this the Psalmist does, 51. verse 3. For I acknowledg my transgessions, and my sin is ever before me. He means the sin of Adultetery. When David came to prayer, he would put before his eyes the sin of adultery: now set your sin before you, Art you a drunkard? set they drunkenesse before you: art you an adulterer? set your uncleannesse before you: art you an extortioner? then set your oppression before you; set sin before your eyes when you commest to prayer, and that is the way to feed your spirits with confessions to God in a prayer.

Fourthly, Call to remembrance some old transgression of many yeares past before your conversion, and muster up these sins together, that so you mightest have matter of complaint and confession before God. Suppose present guilt does not come up before you; then recollect and review old transgressions, sins of an old date; this▪David did when he found his heart dull and sluggish, he would call to minde the sins of his youth, Psalms 35:9. When you see that your hearts grow barren of spiritual matter through heedlesnesse, go then and ransack your old ways what did you 20 years agoe, let conscience gawle you for that, that so you may have matter enough to confess to God. This rule does not appertain to Christians under trouble of conscience, but only to those Christians that are sluggish and barren of any spiritual complaints and confessions in Gods presence.

A word of Application further for direction.

If it be so, that Justified persons are bound to make secret confessions to God: then,

First, Christians keep a heedfulnesse over your hearts, that you may not let sin go unconfest; make conscience and be heedful that sin committed by you may not be unconfest: a sin unconfest as to the apprehension may be unpardoned; a sin unconfest cannot be mourned for, cannot be actually repented of. Observe, that a lesse sin unrepented of, may damn a man, when a greater sin that is confest to God may be pardoned: if you compare Saul and David together, 1 Samuel 15:9. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and of the oxen, and of the fallings, and of the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile, and refuse, that they distroyed utterly. Saul did there commit a farre lesse sin then Davids was, to wit, adultery, Saul did only for his private use spare the fattest of his sheep and oxen▪ it was little or nothing in comparison of Davids sin, yet behold David was pardoned and Saul damned, David had his sin pardoned and Saul not: why? David did confess sin, and Saul not: Saul did delude the reproof of Samuel, and told him the people did it, and not I; Sauls sin unconfest ruined him: therefore take heed of letting sin go unconfest, a lesse sin unconfest may damn a man, when a greater sin that is confest may not damn him.

A second Direction is this, Depend not upon the most inlarged and the most sensible confessions that ever you have made to God, suppose you hast poured out your soul to God, you art never the better: you O man when you doest confess sin, you doest but like a begger shew God your sores, your botches, and scabs, do not depend upon your confessions; as you must not depend upon your righteousnesse, so not upon confession of your sinfulnesse. It is worth your observation, Saul pursuing David like a Partridge over the mountains, David cut off the lap of his garment; says David, well, I have sinned; and Saul, you art more righteous then I: when Nathan came to David, David said, I have sinned, and Nathan told him, the Lord has taken away your iniquity. Saul said, I have sinned, yet the Prophet Samuel told him, the Lord has taken away your Kingdom: here is not the same result, for David had his sin taken away, and Saul had his Kingdom taken away, therefore do not depend on your confessions.

Thirdly, Take this Direction, that when you confess sin to God and are the most vile in your own eyes, you are then most amiable in Gods eye: Song of Songs 1:6. Look not upon me becaus I am black, becaus the sun has looked upon me. The Church there confest to Christ I am black and not comely, she was sun-burnt as she thought. I, but in verse 8. My Love my Dove, you art the fairest among women: Christ lookt on her as the fairest among women: so likewise in Song of Songs 2:14. O my Dove, you art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the staires: let me see your countenance, let me hear your voyce; for sweet is your voice, and your countenance is comely. When the poore Dove, the Church, lay in a hole under the staires, bewailing and mourning like a Dove for her sinfulnesse, O says Christ to her, let me see your face, and let me hear your voyce. Christ does love to hear the moan-makings of his people, Jeremiah 31:18. I have surely heard Ephraim, be moaning himself thus, You hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn you me, and I shall be turned; you art the Lord my God. It is worth your notice, Job when he was afflicted by God in having botches and boyles all over his body, it is said, Job made his complaint to God, Chap. 7. verse 20. I have sinned, what shall I doe to you, O you preserver of men? I have sinned says Job, but what does God say of Job? in all this Job sinned not, Job 1:22. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. It was not spoken absolutely he sinned not, but the meaning is, he sinned not so as other men sinned. The more you bewaile, condole, & confess sinne to God, & are by reason thereof vile in your own eyes, the more amiable you are in Gods eyes. And thus I have done with the first part of the Text, I said I will confess my trangression to the Lord.

I have been all this while in these Sermons on Davids Act, I said I will confess my transgression to the Lord. I am now come to Gods Act, and you forgavest the iniquity of my sinne. You forgavest, &c. that is, not only my sinne, but the malignity of it, with all its agravations, all its heinous circumstances: Now here touching Gods Act, two things are to be observed,

First the manner of bringing in this Act of God, the Psalmist does not bring it in thus with an Ergo, I said I wil confess my transgression to the Lord, therefore he forgave the iniquity of my sinne, but it is with an et, a conjunctive particle, and not a causall, I confess[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]and you forgavest.

Secondly, Observe this further, the manner of the expression, the confession was in purpose and intention, but the forgiveness is actuall: observe from hence this note, That God does recompence the very gracious purposes as well as performances of his own servants; God forgave, but David did but purpose to confess; I said I will confess, and you forgavest. O beloved what a God doe yee serve! your masters are not pleased with your purposes to work, if you doe no labor with your hands; you serve a God which takes will for work; God takes purposes if they be reall, for performances. The Lord does recompense not onely gracious performances, but also gracious purposes in his owne servants.

The Application or corollary from hence is this:

That wicked men looke to it, God will not onely punish their wicked practices, but their wicked purposes: Didst you ever purpose to be uncleane, or to deceive, and it may be you wast interrupted, that you couldst not have secrecy & opportunity? Why, God will punish you for your purpose, though you never dost act it. Beloved, it is not onely what evill you hast done, but what evill you wouldst have done: Wouldst not you have been an oppressour, if the World would not have cry'd shame on you? wouldst not you have been a drunkard, if the world would not brand you with infamy? God will punish wicked men for evill purposes.

Further to godly men, You canst not mourn, but wouldst you mourn? you canst not confess sinne, but wouldst you confess sinne? you canst not break your heart, but wouldst you break your heart? God looks on your purposes with approbation, as well as your practises. As here David, I said I will confess my sin & you forgavest.

Thirdly, God does not onely look on wicked mens purposes, to punish them for them, and good mens purposes to reward them for them; but God does looke on the purposes of devils to doe hurt, for to prevent them: A notable passage, Luk. 21. Peter, Peter, says Christ, Satan has desired to winnow you like Wheat. I have (actually) prayed: the hurt was only the devils purpose, and the devils desire; but when the temptation was but in the desire, then says Christ, I have actually prayed for you. O fall down and admire the condescension of Christ, he does crown your purposes and endeavours, and desires: I said I will confess my transgression, and you hast forgiven the iniquity of my sin.

From the connexion of confession and forgiveness of sinne, And you forgavest, which is by way of connextion not causation, with an et not an ergo. The Doctrine I hence observe is this, That there is a necessary connexion between a penitentiall confession of sinne, and forgiveness of sinne. I confessed, and God forgave. You have frequent testimonies that inculcate this on your thoughts, Prov. 28. 13. He that covers his sinnes, shall not prosper; but whoso confesss and forsaks them shall have mercy. Job, 33. 27. He looks upon men, and if any said, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, & it profited me not. Vers. 28. He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

In the handling of this point, there are these particulars which I shall dispatch.

Part. 1 First, What is meant by forgiving sin; To explicate this, there are three things which are needful to be spoken to.

First for the varieties of names and expressions of forgiveness.

First pardon of sin is a casting of sinne behind the back, Isaiah. 38. 17. Behold for Peace I had great bitternesse, but you hast in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption,for you hast cast all my sinnes behinde your back. In Scripture to cast a thing behind the back, signifies to forget and disregard it; so wicked men cast Gods Covenant behind their backs; that is, they doe not mind it, they will not obey it: so when God is said to cast sinne behinde his back, he will take no notice of it so as to punish it.

A second expression that illustrates pardon of sinne, is this, it is called a casting of sinne into the bottom of the Sea, Micah. 7. 29. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, and will cast all our sins into the depths of the Sea. It is an allusion to Gods great Judgement on Pharaoh and the Egyptian Host; when they pursued the Israelites, they came to the Red Sea, and thinking to go through as the Israelites did, the Sea fell in upon them, and they were drowned in the bottom of the sea, so says God, I wil deal with sinne as I dealt with Pharaoh, you shall never be troubled more with them, not to condemnation, you need not fear the rising of sin again, against you; sin is not like to light weeds in the Sea, that will swim of themselves, but Lead that is cast into the Sea, the allusion holds here,Exodus 15:10. You didst blow with the wind, the Sea covered them, they sank as lead in the mighty waters. God when he pardons sins and casts them into the bottom of the Sea, sin lies like lead, it can never rise of it selfe in a way of condemnation to a justified man, to a pardoned sinner.

Thirdly, pardon of sin is expressed in Scripture, by blotting out, Acts 3:19. Repent you therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, &c. Isa. 43. 25. I even I am he, that blotts out your transgressions for mine own sake. This is a metaphor taken from men, when a man is not able to pay his debt, the Creditor does cancel the Bond, blots out the writing and breaks the Seal, that nothing shall prevail in Law against this poor man. So the Lord does cancell the bond, and blots out the writing, that neither sin, nor the Devill shall have any processe against him in a way of condemnation.

Fourthly, Pardon of sin is expressed in Scripture by acquitting of a man from his iniquity, Job 10:14. If I sin, you markest me, and you wilt not, or, aquit me then (not set mee free) from mine iniquity. Acquitting is a term of Law, giving you a discharge and dismission of the Court; the Lord in pardoning of sin, gives a man a Legall discharge, that no proceedings of Heaven shall go against him.

Fifthly, Pardon of sin is called in Scripture a covering of sin, Psalms 32:1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. Beloved, if pardon of sin had consisted in the removing of sin, we had been undone, pardon of sin does not consist in the removall of all sin out of a man, but in the covering of sin; God will hide sin, that the fiercenesse of his wrath, and the Eye of his indignation shal not look on it to condemnation, It is the same word that refers to garments[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. If a man has a Mole or Wenne on his body which his garment covers, these infirmities are not seen by men. Beloved, God covers sin as with a garment, to wit, with the long robe of Christs Righteousnesse, sin is covered in you by the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ.

Sixtly, Pardon of sin is expressed in Scripture, by washing and purging away of sin, Psalm. 51. 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; he means there in reference to justification; That pardon of sin presents a man to God without spot or wrinkle, or blemish, or any such thing, that though you have many spots in regard of your sanctification, yet you have no spot in regard of your justification.

Seventhly, pardon of sin is expressed in Scripture, by not remembring of sin; Jeremiah 31:34. For I will forgive their iniquity; and I will remember their sin no more. It is an allusion to the Scape-goat, which was to bear the sins of the people on his head, to carry them into the land of forgetfulnesse; Thus the Lord that remembers all things, that God is said graciously not to remember the sins of his people, not to remember them so, as to damn them for them; he will forget your iniquities and remember them no more.

Lastly, Pardon of sinne, is expressed in Scripture, by not imputing of sin, Rom. 4. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin? It is a word drawn from Merchants, when they have a friend that owes them money that they care not whether they receive or no, they do not put it down in their Book. God will not impute sin, he will not set sin on the score, he will not put sin to your account, though sin be in you, yet it is not imputed to you. Thus these names or expressions do something Illustrate the nature of forgiveness.

In the next place, to enquire how many wayes a sinne may be said to be forgiven.

First in regard of Gods decree, and so sin is forgiven before all Worlds, because God intended to deliver the Elect, that such a remnant and number of men should have sin pardoned. Thus Christ is the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the World.

Secondly, Sin is said to be forgiven when the Lord does manifest forgiveness of sin.

Thirdly and chiefly, Sin is said to be forgiven, when the eternall guilt and condemnation due for that sin is taken away, when God does expiate or take off the guilt of sin, in that properly lies the nature of forgiveness.

In the third place what is considered in sin, when God is said to forgive it; this is worth your understanding.

Three things are to be considered in sin.

First the blot and pollution of sin; and this cannot be taken away by pardon, the sin is a sin though it be pardoned, the pollution of sin is not taken away by pardon, the blot remaines.

Secondly, There is considered the desert of sin, it deserves damnation, and the wrath of God; though it be pardoned, this is not taken away.

A Third thing considered is this, the Ordination or appointment of a sinner to eternall punishment; and this is fully taken away by pardon, when God does give remission of sin, he does take away all obligation to wrath, death, hell, and damnation; and this is properly the nature of forgiveness of sin, it is a gracious and a free act of God, whereby he acquits a sinner from eternall guilt and eternall punishment, that is due to all his sin in an eternall punishment, God does not acquit a pardoned man from externall punishments, God may pardon your sin, yet he may punish you externally for your sinnes, but not eternally; and thus much for the first particular.

Part. 2 The second particular is, What kind of confession of sin is it that has such a necessary connexion with forgiveness of sin, I confest and you forgavest.

For answer in the generall, it is not every kind of confession that carries a connexion of pardon, Saul confest his sin, but God did not take away his sin, but tooke away his Kingdom. It is not every kind of confession that has a connexion with forgiveness of sin, but that confession which has connexion with pardon of sin, it has six concomitants joyned with it.

First it is a free and ingenuous confession, not extorted by force, not with sinfull reserves, but a free, a full and ingenuous confession, that is the meaning of that Phrase, Psalms 32:21. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputs not iniquity, and in whose spirit is no guile; Guile is not there taken largely in opposition to Hypocrisie, but for a sinfull reserve of sin, when a man will not be free and open in confessing his sin to God; David would freely and fully open himselfe and confess his evils to God; that confession that is a free and ingenuous confession, it has pardon of sin annexed to it; the confessions of them that rowle sin under the tongue, as a sweet morsell that they would not part with, have not justification entailed on them; those confessions onely are connected with forgiveness that are ingenuous and free.

Secondly, that confession which has pardon annexed to it is a penitential confession, a confession that has sorrow of heart mixt with it, Ps. 38. 18. For I will declare mine iniquity, I will be sorry for my sin. True confession of sin is rather a voice of mourning, then a voice of words, it has ever a sorrow and grief of heart joined with it; That prescription, that God gave to the Leper in the Law, that he should be cleansed from his leprosi[•] and in Leviticus 13. 45. And the Leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and hee shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry unclean, unclean, is worth your notice, he was to cry twice, I am unclean, Lam unclean; there was this confession, but what was joined with his confession before hee could be cleansed? Two things he must do, First, he must rent his clothes; to note, that there must be brokennesse of heart, and sorrow of heart joyned with confession of sin. Secondly, he must cover his lip, to note shame that must be mingled with his sorrow, to shew, that to us that have an unclean leprosie of sin in us, the crying I am unclean, unclean, is not enough; but there must be the renting of the heart, and shame of face; these must be mingled with those confessions that have a connexion with forgiveness.

Third Concomitant of confession that has pardon annexed to it, is this, That there must be a voluntary and a free leaving of those sins which we doe confess. To confess sin, yet to have a lothnesse in the spirit to part with it, is no reall confessing of sin. Prov. 28. 13. He that covers. his sin shall not prosper, but whoso confesss and forsaks them shall have mercy. Confession is there joyned to be with a forsaking of sin, in case mercy be to be obtained. One [•]cals confession a spirituall vomit; you know a man that is burdened in the stomack, would be willingly rid of that load on his stomach that does oppresse nature; a man that does confess sin truly would as willing be rid of sin on his Conscience, as a man that is sick at his Stomach would be rid of that burden which does oppresse it, such a confession has pardon annexed with it.

Fourthly that confession that has pardon annexed to it, is joyned with a holy aw and fear of running into the commission of those sins that we do confess to God, Psalms 38:18. compared with Psalms 39:1. For I will declare mine iniquity, I will be sorry for my sin, I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue. Davids confessing sin did worke in him a holy awe, and a holy care to take heed of those sins he had confest, to confess sin and to be bold and adventurous to run into sin, has not such a connexion, with pardon.

Fifthly, That confession that has pardon annexed to it, does quicken the soul to strong & earnest supplication, to prayer. David confest sin & his confession quickened Prayer, Daniel confest sin, and confession quickened supplication; Daniel 9. 20. And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, &c. (Beloved,) when confessions of sin are to prayer as the whet-stone to the knife; when you sharpen your affections and put a keen edge on your hearts in prayer: this is an evident token that such confession has a connexion with forgiveness of sin. So much for the second particular.

Part. 3 The third particular is to shew you, how does this connexion between confession of sin and forgiveness of sin consist with the feernesse of Gods grace in pardoning of sin, in placing a connexion between pardon and confession? How does this consist with the freenesse of of Gods grace in pardoning of sin? For answer;

Ans. 1 First if we should place a causality or a merit in confession of sin to procure pardon, as the Papists doe, this would overthrow the free Grace of God in forgiving sin: though wee do place a connexion between confessing sin, and pardon of sin; yet wee do not place any merit in those confessions, we do not place any worth, any causality in those confessions: that is my first answer.

Ans. 2 Secondly, The Scripture makes a fair consistency between mans confessing sin, and Gods free Grace in forgiving sin: the Scripture makes a double consistency. First in regard of the Precept that does enjoyn and command confession. 2. In regard of the means that this is a way to procure pardon.

First, In regard of the command, God does command us to confess sin; Now no command of God that he would have us doe, can derogate from his free grace, therefore surely this command can no way eclipse the freenesse of grace in what he will doe.

Secondly, In regard of means as a way to get pardon: God is the efficient cause, and Christ is the meritorious cause of pardon; but yet confession of sin is that cause which Logicians call (causa sine quâ non) without which pardon of sin shall never be obtained, I confest and you forgavest.

Answ. 3 A third answer, Though no man can be pardoned for his confession, yet no man shall have pardon without confession: Repent that your sins may be blotted out, Acts 3:19. No blotting out of sin without repentance; there must be a sorrow & bewailing of sin before it can be pardoned; and that Christ was broken for sin, it will no ways exempt you from being broken for sin; though Christ was a man of sorrow, & all in a way of satisfaction, yet you must shed teares for sin in a way of contrition and humiliation.

Answ. 4 Lastly, This connexion between confessing sin and Gods forgiving sin, is not as if our confession did bear any proportion in a way of satisfaction to Gods forgiving of sin; though God does forgive sin upon confession, yet it is not for confession; there is more evill in your sin that is an offence to God, then there can be good in your confession; And thus much for the third particular, that there is a connexion between Gods act of forgiving sin and our confessing sin.

I now come to answer the Objections.

Object. 1 The first Objection is this, Why but you will say, what need all this pressing of confession of sin, urging, that there is a necessary connexion between mans confession of sin and Gods forgiving sin? what needs confession? does not Gods eyes run to and fro the earth? does not God behold the evill and the good, and fully knows all the evils under the Sun? what we tel God when hee knows all things? This Objection the Anabaptists make against confession of sin. For answer.

Answ. First, Negatively, we doe not confess sin because only of Gods Soveraignty, because God will have us to confess sin, Gods Soverainty may command us and say, You shal come with ropes about your Necks, and I will make you lie in the dust.

Secondly, Wee doe not confess sin, to inform God of our sins, for God knows all things.

Thirdly wee do not confess sin by way of satisfaction, as if your confession could satisfie Gods justice for the wrong we have done him.

But Positively, though God does know our sins, yet we are bound to confess our sins for many solid reasons; As;

First, Though God does see our sins, yet wee are bound to confess our sins that wee may see them our selves, that we may put memory & conscience and heart a work, in the review, & in the remembrance of our evils, we do not confess sin to inform God, but our selves, that wee might see sin more distinctly, and so set conscience a work.

Secondly, We do confess sin, to stir up more sorrow for sin, Psalm. 38. verse. 18.

Thirdly, We confess sin on this ground, that by confessing sin to God we might see sin to become exceeding sinfull. Confession of sin says Bernard, is enjoined by God for this reason, that you mightest magnifie the greatnesse of grace, and see the greatnesse of sin; if a man should never see his sin, he could never magnifie Gods grace and pardoning mercy.

Fourthly, That you might more prize the merits of Christ. Should a man never confess sin to God, he would never see of what value Christs bloud is of. A Chirurgions skill is not seen in healing a slight green wound; but in the healing a man of a deadly disease: Beloved, an ordinary plaister can cure a green wound: if you look on your sins as green wounds, you will never prize Christ, nor put an estimate on his merits and bloud, when a man can confess his sin, withall its heinous circumstances, this does greaten the merits of Christ.

Fifthly, You are to confess sin, because the confession of sin does give glory to the attributes of God; it gives glory to his Omnisciency, you doe by your confessions acknowledge that God ses your sins: it gives glory to his Patience that he would spare you in the act of sin, that he would not throw you to hell in the very act of sin: it gives glory to his Justice, Psalm 51. 4. Against you, you onely have I sinned, and done this evill in your s[•]ght, that you mightest be justified when you speakest, & be clear when you judgest: it confesss Gods Mercy, and this Paul does, 1 Tim. 1. 13. Who was before a Blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, &c. He confest his sin that so he might the abundance of Gods grace and Love.

Again, Of confession of sin there is great use, because it does ease the minde, it gives vent to a troubled minde, concealed guilt breeds horrour and hell in the conscience; it is an ingenuous clearnesse when a man can open himself to God in free confession, which does allay the anguish and trouble of minde, Job 32:18. For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constrains me, verse 19. Behold, my Belly is as Wine which has no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles: verse 20. I will speak that I may be refreshed, I will open my lips and answer. A godly man is full of matter, of confession to God, and like a vessel ready to burst, til he can vent himself by confession in Gods presence; this is the answer to the first Objection.

Object. 2 A second Objection is this, but you will say, what need such pressing of confessing of sin, as having a connection with pardon? for as God is never the better by my grace; so God is never the worse by my sin: as my grace addes nothing to Gods holiness, so my sin can detract nothing from Gods glory; for God is nevertheless Glorious though I be never so much sinfull: One might urge as Elihu did in Job 5:37. If you be righteous, what givest you him? or what receivs hee of your hand? verse 8. Your wickednesse may hurt a man as you art, and your righteousnesse may profit the son of man. Therefore if God receives no injury by my sin, what need I confess sin to God? This is an objection that the Antinomians make. For answer,

Ans. 1 First, It is true, God is not the worse, and has not the lesse glory, though you hast the more sin; yet this is no thanks to a sinner, for a sinner does what in him lies to take all glory from God, to pull God out of Heaven, it is no thanks to you that God is never the worse for your sin.

Secondly, In a sense God does receive injury by a mans sin; as first, if you consider the eternall attributes of God in themselves, his Justice, his Goodnesse, his Wisedom, so God is unchangeably, and immutably blessed: and as our graces can give no additions to his Holinesse; so our sin can give no diminution to his glory; but secondly, sin is an injury to God, because God has lesse externall glory. God by the sin of man is not wronged in his essentiall Glory, but he is injured in his manifestative Glory.

Thirdly, Though our sins can doe no injury to God, to make God unholy, or to make God unhappy; yet sin does great injury to your selves; if you beest sinfull, what wilt you doe against God? why, you canst not bring God out of Heaven, though you maist cast your selfe into hell, God receives no diminution of his Holinesse, of his Wisedom, of his Glory, by your sinfulnesse, yet you shalt not have Glory, Holinesse, Happinesse, Heaven, nor eternall life, you shalt receive miseries by your own sins; And thus I have done with the Doctrinall part of this point; to wit, that there is a necessary connection, between mens confessing sin and Gods act in forgiving of sin.

I now come to the Use, which is for triall, to put you on a diligent enquiry, how you may know whether God has brought you into a pardoned estate, and has forgiven the iniquity of your sin; how may [〈◊〉] known whether God has forgiven you your iniquities? There are ten wayes to discover this; I shall divide them into this order: there are six Concomitants, that doe attend a person in a pardoned estate, and four charactors laid downe in Scripture of a man whose sin is forgiven him. First the Concomitants or those things in the Scripture which doe attend or accompany a person whose sin is forgiven,

First, In Scripture wee find that remission of sin is accompanied with renovation of the heart, if sin be remitted the heart is renewed; they are both joined together, Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcoms will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receivs it.

Interpreters doe give this sense of that promise: you read of two things, a white Stone, and a new name written in that stone; the white stone it is an expression borrowed from the practice of the Gentiles, who in their Judicature did use a white stone: If a malefactour was condemned, and had the sentence of death past upon him, there was given him a black stone in token of condemnation; but if a man had a white stone given him it was a token of absolution or pardon. Hence the Heathens named these stones [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] acquitting or condemning stones. And so the Poet, In antient times with stones they did, In judgement seat proceed. By black the guilty were condemn'd, The just by white were freed.

In allusion to this, Christ does here promise pardon of sin, which is meant by the stone; but what must be written on this white stone? there must be written on this white stone, a new Name, that is a renovation, the renewing of the heart: so that if so be the nature of a man be not renewed, the sin of a man is not pardoned; therefore [•]oe not boast of having your white stone, if there be[•] blanck on that stone, if there be nothing written on that stone, if holinesse be not written on that stone, pardon of sin has renewing of nature to attend it.

A second Concomitant is this, Remission and forgiveness of sin is accompanied with endearednesse of love to Jesus Christ: this is laid down in Luk. 7. 47. Therefore I say to you, her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much. It is a Concomitant that did attend her pardon, much was forgiven her, therefore she loved much. For not a cause, but consequence of pardon.

Thirdly, forgiveness of sin is accompanied in Scripture, with a cordiall confession of sin to God: I acknowledged my transgressions to the Lord▪ and you forgavest the iniquity of my sin. 1 Job 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithfull and Just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse.

Fourthly, forgiveness of sin, is accompanied in Scripture, with a cordiall forgiving other men all the personall wrongs and injuries that they have done you. Mat. 18. 35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you from your heart forgive not every one his brother their trespasses: It is in the Lords prayer annexed, forgive us our trespasses, Mat. 6. So that forgiving of other men is in Scripture as an Attendant or Concomitant of Gods forgiving us. Put on as the Elect of God, says the Apostle, bowels of mercy, forbearing and forgiving one another.

A fifth Concomitant that attends forgiveness of sin, is repentance from dead works: repentance for sin is a Concomitant that is ever joyned with the forgiveness of sin:Act 5. 31. Him has God exalted with his Right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour,for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. There they are linckt together to give repentance & remission of sin. It is a Question among the Schoolemen, Whether God by his absolute power can forgive a man his sin, if a man does not repent him of sin. There are few of them that do incline to the affirmative, because God has expresly tied himself in the Word, that pardon must have repentance for sin. Wee are commanded to repent that wee may have pardon.

Sixtly, Forgivenesse of sin, is accompanied with holy endeavours for the mortification of sin: he that has the guilt of sin pardoned, labours to have the power of sin destroyed; therefore in Scripture pardoning mercy and subduing grace, they are both joyned together, Micah 7:19. He wi[•] turn again, he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, and you wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea: there is subduing grace, as well as pardoning mercy. Beloved if God pardon sin there are reall endeavours in a soul to have the power of sin taken away. Indeed many men in the world do lay claim to pardon, who never have endeavours, and holy pursuits after mortification: many have counterfeit mortification, who playwith their sins like Fencers; which it may be given them a touch, a slight blow, but do not fight like warriers, either to kill or to be kill'd: but godly men do not play with their sins, but doe with their lusts as a warrier, they doe conflict with lusts on these terms, that either wee must kill them, or they will kill us. Many counterfeit Christians who do lay claim to reall pardon, have but counterfeit mortifications; I may fitly resemble such men as these to the Persians, who had one Festival annually where in they used this custome, that they laboured to find out all their venomous creatures, as Snakes, Serpents and the like: and one day in the year they would kill all which they found, but afterwards they let them encrease. Many men in some solemn performances to God, will make great adoe of killing their lusts, but afterwards they let them encrease and live again. And thus much for the six-Concomitants that do attend a person in a pardoned state.

The next is, the Characters to be given of a pardoned man, of a man whose sin is forgiven; I will name but four Characters of a pardoned sinner.

Char. 1 First, this, He who is brought into a pardoned estate, does greatly admire God, and abase himself: this is laid down in the 7. of Micah, the Prophet brings in the Churches crying out in the extolling of God, Who is a God like to you, pardoning iniquity, transgression & sin! a pardoned man admires God, because his grace is free, & his bounty is great: and a pardoned man abass himself, because he ses sin exceeding sinfull, see Ezra, 9. 6.

Char. 2 Secondly, A pardoned man does maintain a holy dread in his heart from committing that sin that he knows to be pardoned; a pardoned sinner knows this, that before a sin can be pardoned, it did cost Christ much, and will cost himself much; it did cost Christ much bloud to expiate the guilt of that sin; it will cost the sinner many teares to destroy the power of that sin; now that sin which he has smarted for, and Christ has suffered for, he will not easily commit. Psalms 38. when the Psalmist said, he would declare his iniquity: then in Psalms 39. he says, I will take heed to my wayes; as if he should have said, I am sorry for my sin, and the Lord has forgiven me mine iniquity: but here is the result of it, I will take heed to my ways, and of my sinning another time: there is no man that knows his sin to be pardoned, that can easily run into the commission of it again, it is an exeellent expression in the book of Job. If I sin then you markest me, and you wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. If I sin, it is not here spoken absolutely and simply; for what man is he that lives and sinns not? but if I sin as I am charged, that I should sin murmuring and maliciously against God, and persist in my sin, says Job, If I sin as yee charge me, what followes? then God will not take away mine iniquity, he will not pardon my sin; as Job said of himself, you may say of your selves: if I sin obstinately, and pertinaciously, God will not pardon; you hast been wicked, & you wilt be so; you hast been prophane and, you wilt be so; This is inconsistent with a pardoned state.

Char. 3 A third Character of a person whose sin is forgiven is this, to have unfained sorrow and remorse of heart for the commission of sin; sins forgiven are steept in bloud, and soakt in teares: sorrow before pardon is servile and legal; none can sorrow in an Evangelical manner, but he who is brought into a pardoned estate. Indeed there may be a fore't, and a constrained sorrow which may come from the eyes of unpardoned men: there is this difference between the one and the other. Teares in an unpardoned sinner come from him like water in a Still; but Tears in a pardoned sinner come from him like water from the clouds: water will drop from the Still, but it is forc't by keeping close the Still, and by the heat of the fire? the fire of hell may make a wicked man agast: but sorrow for sin in a pardoned man, is like water from the clouds that is not forced but does naturally drop down.

Char. 4 A fourth Character, He in whom sin is pardoned, is a man in whom is no guile,Psalms 32. some do take guile in a particular sense, others extend it more largely, as a comprehensive word opposed to sincerity; he is a man in whose spirit is no guile, that is an upright man. Thus much for the use of Triall.

I now come to answer the Objections.

Obiect. 1 The first Objection, me thinks I hear a doubting Christian say, Woe and alas, what state am I in! I have misgiving thoughts that God has not pardoned mine iniquities, because I cannot find that I have a heart to mourn for my iniquity. And is it imaginabl[•] that Christ should shed blood for those sins, which I never shed a tear for? I can mourn for outward small crosses, but I cannot mourn for great inward corruptions: this makes me doubt whether ever God has pardoned my sin.

I shal resolve this Objection in these four particulars.

Ans. 1 First of all consider, that all men have not a like naturall tendernesse and softnesse of disposition; many are of soft dispositions, are naturally inclined to tears; this is not grace, but the ingenuousnesse and softnesse of Nature; all cannot sorrow a like▪ there may be grace in a man, if his disposition be hard and rugged, yet he cannot shed tears as those that have a tender disposition.

Ans. 2 Secondly, You that make this Objection know this, that there may be greater sorrow for sin in the heart, when there is no tears for sin flowing from the eye; tears from the eye does ease and lighten the minde, there may be the greatest sorrow when it can have no vent from the eye.

Thirdly, You that make this Objection know, you must distinguish of a two-fold sorrow for sin. First, there is a judicious sorrow: and secondly, a sensitive sorrow.

First, There is a judicious sorrow, and this consists in an apprehension in the judgement, that sin is the greatest evil in the world, and most to be lamented, branded, opposed, and resisted: Divines doe place more strength and height of grace in having an indignation stirred up in the understanding against sin, touching the evil of sin; this is more then to shed a few teares for sin. Now if you hast a judicious sorrow to apprehend sin to be a great evil, though it has not vent at the eye, yet this is godly sorrow for sin. A man that has the Tooth-ache, he will cry out and complain more, and shed more teares happily for the exquisite pain of the Tooth-ache, then he will doe in the burning Feaver; yet ask him which he had rather have, he will tell you the Tooth-ache: the reason is, because the pestilential Feaver is more hazardous to life: so bad you rather lose your children, then lose the sense of Gods favor. Which had you rather have, afflictions in the world, or willingly commit sin against God?

The judgement of a man, if he be a regenerate man, tells him he had rather a thousand times lose the dearest relation, then the manifestation of Gods love to his soul, he had rather endure the greatest affliction, then to venture willingly on the least sin.

Ans. 4 Fourthly, Consider, that Gods own people have oftentimes exprest more sorrow for outward afflictions, then they have done for inward corruptions; there is great reason for it, because things of sense doe more affect us, then things of faith doe; lay a man upon the Rack, and he shall more roar and cry then any man in the world shall doe in the sense of sin, because the pain is sensitive, and it will have more sense of sorrow: it was thus with good men in Scripture. We read much of Davids sorrow, he had no rest in his bones by reason of his sin, yet mark, when David lost Absolom, O what a fit of sorrow was he in, crying out, O my son Absolom, my son, my son Absolom, would God I had dyed for you, O Absolom, my son, my son. Wee do not read of such cryes, O my soul, my soul, O what shall I doe for you my soul! because the sorrow was sensitive, the losse was sensitive.

Now beloved, Gods people do expresse more sensitive sorrow for outward crosses then for inward corruptions. A late Author does quote an instance out of Jerome, a godly woman lost her children, & she wept even to death, yet she could not weep so for her sin: the reason is, because things of sense do more affect a man then things of faith; though there be more evill in one sin then in a thousand afflictions.

And thus much for the relief of a troubled sinner in answer to the first Objection.

Object. 2 The second Objection is this, Methinks I hear another man say, how can I be perswaded that God has pardoned, and forgiven me my sin, when I see that I cannot mortifie my sin surely an unmortified sin must needs be an unpardoned sin, surely the guilt of sin must remain where the power of sin remains: I cannot find that my sin is fully mortified, therefore I question whether my sin be pardoned. I shall answer this in four particulars; to take off the trouble of a perplexed mind.

Answ. 1 First, Know and consider that mortifying grace is a consequent of pardon of sin, and therefore does not go before it: Micah [•]. 18. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities &c. the promises followes, I will subdue your iniquitie, says God, be not troubled, I have pardoned you.

Answ. 2 Secondly, You that makest this Objection against your self, it may be you mistakest the nature of mortification, and takest mortification to be that which it is not: as first, it may be a godly Christian does extend mortification beyond its bounds, as thus, it may be you doest extend mortification not to a gracious suppression of sin, but to a totall extirpation of sin, and thinkest that because sin is not removed, it is not subdued. Now this is a mistake: mortification does not extend so farre, but it extends to an abolition of the dominion of sin; not of the being of sin: before we dye we shall never be absolutely rid of the being of sin; sin will be in the heart. As the tree in Daniel 4:14. He cryed aloud, and said thus: Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit; let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches; neverthelesse leave the stump of his roots in the earth: So sin in the heart, the branches are cut off by mortification, the luxuriant buddings, and blossomings, and breakings forth of sin, they are cut off; but the stump, the root of originall sin, from which all sin flowes and growes that remaines Daniel 7:12. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season, and time; Though you beest a mortified man, yet mortification does only take away the dominion of sin, and not the life of it; for it is prolonged for a season.

Answ. 2 Again, you dost mistake the nature of mortification, when you dost account, that because of the irritations of sin, therefore you hast not the mortifications of sin. Beloved, lusts may be irritated and stirred up in a mortified heart. In fact sin may most strive while it is mortifying.

Answ. 3 Thirdly, You that plead that sin is not pardoned because it is not mortified, consider for your comfort, that a sin may be fully pardoned, when it is not fully mortified: there is this reason to be given for this, because mortification is not so compleat and perfect as remission of sin is; remission of sin is a perfect act, and all men, though their graces be inequall, yet their forgiveness and pardon is equall, and alike; because God does not pardon one sin and not another: but in the work of mortification, it is partly done, partly not done; it is a work begun: therefore a sin may be fully pardoned, when it is not fully subdued, because sanctification and mortification cannot hold equipage and proportion with remission of sin.

Answ. 4 Fourthly, You that plead that you are not pardoned, & the guilt of sin flies in your faces because it is not subdued.

I answer, That it is an evident token that Christ has dispossest the soul of the power of sin, or taken away the power of sin, seeing the Devill does labor to possesse you so often with the guilt of sin in a way of temptation. Observe if a man did lye under the power of sin, the Devill would not suggest to that man the guilt of sin; because then it would awaken a mans conscience, and make a poor sinner look after Jesus Christ, and after heaven, and pardon. Pharah does not trouble Israel till he be gone forth of Egypt. Therefore a sinner under the power and dominion of sin, shall not be troubled under the Devill about the guilt of sin. The Devill had rather play at small game then not to game: if he cannot damn a man by keeping him under the power of sin, he will terrifie him by troubling him with the guilt of sin.

Answ. 5 Lastly, Consider this, that the co[•]fessing & contesting with corruptions, is in the account of God lookt upon as the mortification, Deut. 22. 23. If a Damsel that is a virgin be betrothed to a husband, & a man find her in the City & lye with her, Vers. 24. Then you shall bring them both out to the gate of the City: and yee shal stone them with stones that they dye: the Damsell because she cryed not being in the City; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbours wife: so shalt you put a way evill from among you. Vers. 25. But if a man find a betrothed damosel in the field, & a man force her, & lye with her: then the man only that lay with her shall dye. All the prevalency of sin over you which is unwilling, God will charge that on the Devill, and account you guiltlesse, when it has not your consent; when you labourest to suppresse vicious corruptions of the heart, God does hold you guiltlesse, though the Devill may labor to commit a spiritual rape upon you. It is a text that I have often made use of in the 11. chapter of Leviticus, Divines make great use of it for the comforting of troubled consciences, in the 33. vers.And every earthen vessell, whereinto any of them falls, whatever is in it shall be unclean: and yee shall break it. Vers. 36. Neverthelesse, a fountain or pit wherein there is plenty of water, shal be clean: but that which touchs their carkasse shall be unclean. The significancy of this Law was this, that if filth do fall upon a pit of water, into a standing pool, because it has no motion, it cannot purge it self from the filth cast into it, that is unclean: but if an unclean thing be cast into a fountain of water, that cannot be unclean, for it has a principle in it to purge and free it self from these unclean, things that are cast into it; to shew, if sin be in your heart as an unclean thing in a fountain of water, that by reason of your continuall motion to God, your running to God, you have a principle in you to empty your selves. and to purge your selves and clear your selves from those things which the Devill does defile you with, now your are not unclean, & this should greatly comfort you.

Object. 3 A third Objection is this, Surely I have misgiving thoughts that God has not forgiven me my sin, because after I have committed sin, I do not discern that my conscience checks me for my sin, therefore I may fear, if there be no remorse after the commission of sin, I may fear that there is no remission. This is the strongest Objection to make a man [••]ar his pardon; As I would say nothing to make a deluded wretch to presume, so I would keep back nothing that might any way establish a troubled minde: you sayest you dost fall into sin, yet you [〈1 page duplicate〉][〈1 page duplicate〉][〈1 page duplicate〉][〈1 page duplicate〉] hast no check & remorse of conscience for sin, therefore you fearest if sin has no remorse on your part, it has no remission on Gods part.

For answer, First in the generall, know your case is dangerous, but yet it is not desperate.

Answ. 1 First it is possible the conscience of a good man may be so disordered through the impetuousnesse of passion and lust, that he may think he does well when he does ill, therefore his conscience never smites him. As it was with Paul, Acts 26:9. I verily thought with my self, that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazars. Paul sinned & he had his doubts before conversion, even as after conversion; yet this sin troubled him not, he thought he was bound to do many things, &c. so may your conscience be so far disordered, as to think that you doest well when you doest ill, Jonah 4. 9. And God said to Jonah, doest you well to be angry for the gourd, & he said I do well to be angry even to the death. Could Jonahs conscience smite him for his anger when he said he did wel? Lord how far wil a godly man go, to the very suburbs of hell if God shall let him alone! I doe well, says Jonah, to be angry, even to death.

Answ. 2 Secondly, You that makest this Objection, take this for your comfort, consider that many pardoned sinners through heedlesnes and in-observancy have not their judgements inlightned to discern sin; and if the judgement has not an eye to see sin, the conscience wil never have an hand to smite for sin: it is a Proverb, What the eye sees not, the heart rues not: nothing that is unknown, can be the object of desire, neither can any thing that is unknown be the object of sorrow; unknown miseries we weep not for, but miseries we know, those we mourn for: if a mans judgement be not inlightned to see sin, he can never mourn for it; he may live and dye in a sin that his judgement is not convinced of to be a sin: thus the godly in the Old Testament lived in the sin of Polygamie, marrying of many wives, they knew not it was a sin, but they took liberty to take as many wives as they would.

A godly man that holds an error, conscience may never smite him for it, because his judgment is mistaken his judgment thinks he holds the truth, and therefore conscience cannot smite him for holding an error

Answ. 3 Thirdly, take this by way of answer, that the conscience of a pardoned sinner, may be so farre benummed, that a man may continue under the guilt of known sins, and conscience never check him for it for a long time; this is a further gradation, that when he knows he sins, against God, yet I say conscience may be so far benummed that, for a season not be tortured and smitten in conscience for his sin: David could not be so ignorant of Gods Law that lying with another mans wife was a sin, yet David did continue nine moneths at least without remorse for it; when Nathan came and reproved him, then said he, I have sinned, I have sinned. O beloved, if God does but let a sinners conscience alone, though he be a good man, yet he may continue for a long time under a known sin, and conscience not work remorse or trouble in him. And the like instance we have in the sons of Jacob, who were not sensible of their sin in selling Joseph, untill 20. yeares after they fell into trouble for it in Egypt.

Answ. 4 Fourthly, take this for comfort, that there is nogodly mans conscience in the world, that is alwayes alike in office; but sometimes it may be in office, sometimes out of office; sometimes a roaring, gawling, awakening conscience; and sometimes a stupified, a benummed, and a [•]eared conscience: no mans conscience is alwaies alike in office, it is sensible at one time, and [•]eared up another time. Pregnant instances: David, at one time his heart smote him for but the appearance of an evill, viz. Cutting off Sauls lap, yet at another time his conscience did not smite him for murdering Vriah. Again, at another time Davids conscience smote him but for vainglory, in numbring the people: it was onely vainglory that he would please himself in a mustered Army; yet at another time Davids conscience did not smite him for adultery. O beloved, how wil a mans conscience lye asleep, & not trouble him, for an evill if God lets him alone.

Answ. 5 Fifthly, a step further, It is possible that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be in so deep a sleep, and so much out of office for a while, that he may rather put his wits a work to hide his sin, then his conscience on work to check him for sin; to give you an instance for this, plain in the case of David, David committed adultery with Bathsheba, but he did not put his conscience on work to check him for his sin, but he did put his wits on work to hide the sin. Four projects David had to hide the sin:

First, He sent for Vriah Bathsheba's husband, that so Vriah might come and lye with his wife, that so he might hide Davids uncleannesse, 2. Sam. 11.

Secondly, He made Vriah drunk, and so thought that surely when he was drunk, that drunkennesse would provoke him with a desire to go to his own house.

Thirdly, He did plot Vriah's death, that so there might be no clamour on his part for the defilement of his wife.

Lastly, David would have fathered his plot on providence, for David himself had plotted the death of Vriah; mark Davids project: a good man did put his wits on work and made shifts to hide his sin; yet all this while did not put conscience on work to check him for his sin. O how near the suburbs of hell may a godly man go, and yet go to heaven!

Sixthly, This is the furthest step of all, take this for your comfort, it is possible that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may not smite him for those very sins that a Heathen man by the light of a naturall conscience may be ashamed of, and this is clear in the case of Abraham, Genesis 20:9. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, What hast you done to us, and what have Loffended you, that you hast brought on me, & on my kingdom a great sin? you hast done deeds to me, that ought not to be done. For this falshood Ahrahams conscience never smote him, yet a Heathen by the light of a naturall conscience rebuked Abraham for it. Abimelech, a Heathen, did tell Abraham, You hast done deeds that ought not to be done.

And thus I have gone very farre in answering this Objection. I have done it for to stay the troubles of a perplexed conscience; not to make any man presumptuous: these six steps neer going down to the Chambers of death, yet it is possible that a pardoned sinner may have his conscience thus deluded and out of office,

Me thinks I hear many a presumptuous heart alledge, if this be true, that you say a pardoned sinner may go thus near hell, and yet come to heaven: if good men may sin a sin, and yet conscience never trouble them, then I hope that I may have my sin pardoned as well as the best.

Now lest this Objection might lurk in the heart of any man that hears mee, I will turn the [〈◊〉] And that no man might be presumptuous and entertain false perswasions touching pardon; I shall shew you, that though a godly man may have his conscience out of office to smite him for sin; yet in that case there is great difference between a pardoned sinner and an unpardoned, there are these five particular differences.

First, Though a pardoned man may have sometimes conscience asleep, yet that pardoned man dares not be so bold and adventurous to sin against conscience as wicked men do: you have this fully laid down in Scripture, though but darkly. Lev. 13. 10. And the Priest shall see him, and behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick [••]w flesh in the rising, &c. Here were two symptomes of the Plague of Leprosie, the growing of white hair in the so[•]e, then raw flesh in the rising: the Hebrew Rabbins do understand two things by this Law,

First, The turning of the hair white in the sore, they note to be continuance in sin, living from youth to old age in sin, till the hair be white and gray.

Secondly, There was to be quick and raw flesh in the rising, they understand it to be adventurousnesse in a sinner to commit sin against a raw, and a gawled, and a rebuked conscience. Another man might have scabs all over his flesh, yet he was not to be unclean. Vers. 13. Then the Priest shall consider: and behold, it the leprosie have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that has the plague, it is all turned white, he is clean. Yet if a man had rawnesse in the sore, he was to be unclean: to note, that a man may have many sins, yet not be unclean in Gods sight; but if he sin against the very dictates of conscience, and be bold and adventurous against the gawlings of a perplexed conscience, he shall be unclean.

Secondly, Take this for a difference, though the conscience of a pardoned man may not for a time smite him for sin committed, yet he does not take that course to stifle the chec[•]s, and to still the voice of conscience as reprobates doe: wicked men take sensuall delights to still the checks and voice of conscience, so Saul did, 1 Samuel 16:14. But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him, Vers. 17. And Saul said to his servants, Provide now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. When an evill spirit troubled him, that was his conscience, Saul called for musick to still the voice of conscience.

Thirdly, Good men care not for [•]ocond company, Mar. 16. 18. For John had said to Herod, It is not lawfull for you to have your [•]rothers wife. Vers. 21. And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high Captains, & chiefest States of Galilee, &c. Good men dare not avoid a reproving, a searching ministry: as Felix did, Acts 24:25. And as he reasoned of righteousnesse, temperance, and judgement to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Goe your way for this time, when I have covenient season I will call for you.

He could not endure to lye under a conscience gawling Ministry, godly men do not thus; if a man be pardoned, though he has sin, yet he is glad when the Ministry does rowse and awaken his conscience.

Fhurthly, A pardoned sinner dares not content himself under a dawbing and flattering Ministry, that will sew pillars under his elbowes, and say peace when there is none, Jeremiah 23:13. And I have seen folly in the Prophets of Samaria, they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to erre, Vers. 14. I have seen also in the Prophets of Jerusalem, and horrible thing; they commit adultery, and walk in lies; they strengthen also the hands of evil doers, that none does return from his wickednesse: they are all of them to me as Sodom, and the inhabitants of them as Gomorrah, Chap. 8. 11. For they have healed the hurt of the Daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.

Fifthly, They dare not run into the croud of imployments, that so they might forget the gawlings, of conscience, as Cain did, Gen. 4. Cain to put off the troubles of his conscience, would fall to buying, building, and drowning himself in the world, that so he might hear no more. A pardoned sinner does not thus, but if conscience suggests guilt, he prayes to God that conscience might speak throughly and to the heart.

Sixthly, A godly man does not wallow and continue in a custome of sin, that so custome in his sin, might take away conscience of his sin. Ephes. 4. 19. Who being past feeling,have given themselves over to laciviousnesse, to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse. Wicked men give themselves over to a custome in sin, that so they might not have conscience to smite them for sin. They are like a Smiths dog, a strange dog that comes to a Smiths forge cannot abide to have the sparkles of fire flie about him; but that dog that has alwayes been accustomed to the shop, can sleep still on, and it never troubles him: wicked men are like Smiths dogs used to the shop, though flashes of hell fire are cast about them, yet they sleep still and are not awakened; but godly men do not make use of custome in sin to lull them asleep in their sweet lusts.

A 7. difference, That though the conscience of apardoned sinner does not smite him for sin, yet is it sooner and easier awakened and raised out of a dead sleep, then the conscience of a wicked man; a look from Jesus eye, and the Cock crowing made Peter weep, hee went out and wept bitterly; a rebuke to David from the Prophet, made him cry out, Lord I have sinned. A reprobate conscience is not so easily put into office, it does not reprove him, there must be much adoe and great labor taken before his dead conscience will hear the rebukes of the Word, there is more adoe with a wicked man to have his conscience in office then with a godly man.

Eightly, There is this difference, though the conscience of a good man be asleep for a time, and does not smite him for sin, yet some time before he dyes, his conscience shall smite him for sin; there is no godly man in the world but under known sins, if his conscience has not smitten him, his conscience shall smite him before he dyes; but wicked men live & dye in sin & never have the controll or rebuke of conscience: Ahaz was troubled by affliction from God, yet conscience never troubled him, for he did yet more wickedly against God.

Ninthly, Though the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be asleep for a time, and may not reprove him for sin committed; yet a good mans conscience when it does reprove him, it does check him more out of a sense of sin and the dishonour done to God, then out of fear of hell or any outward judgements; but wicked men are asleep in their consciences, and if conscience does ever awake, it is not because sin is sin, and because God is dishonoured; but because there is hell for sin, & because there are outward grievous judgements▪ when God breaks men by his judgements, then they will put conscience on work, but never doe it out of sense of sin; Take this comparison of Ducks in a pond of water, cast but a little peble stone into the water, and it will make them dive, but let it rattle and thunde[•][•]n the heavens, the Ducks fear not; a Divine makes this a fit embleme of a wicked mans conscience, cast but a little pebble stone, some present affliction neer a wicked man, and that will make him dive, that will trouble conscience and perplex the man; but let God thunder from heaven, let the Lord declare all the threatnings of his spirituall judgements against sin, how evill sin is, how God is dishonoured by sin, and how the soul is indangered, all these thundrings from heaven cannot make him startle.

And thus I have run hastily over the answering of this third Objection, I have done it meerly for the relief of a perplexed Conscience; thus I have done with this doctrine, I confest, & you forgavest. You forgavest, to forgive; says Musculus, is a word of favor, or grace, not merit. You forgavest; It notes, pardon of sin is not vouchsafed to men by way of debt, but of gift; I confessed, and you forgavest; you forgavest what? You forgavest the iniquity of my sin, the sin of my sin. Interpreters have various apprehensions touching the meaning of these words, what it is for God to forgive the iniquity of my sin. I will bring it to a two fold channell: Some there are that by iniquity, understand the punishment of sin; I acknowledged my sin, and you forgavest the iniquity of my sin; That is, you forgavest the punishment of my sin; the reason of that interpretation is, because in the Hebrew language the same word [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] that signifies iniquity, signifies punishment, and therefore they understand the iniquity of sin, the punishment of sin; but Interpreters generally go against this interpretation, for usually the word is taken for sin it self; Again the whole scope of the Psalm is not in seeking the outward punishment to be forgiven; but the forgiveness of sin is referred to eternall guilt.

Thirdly, Here is in the Text a [〈◊〉], which is a note of admiration annexed to his expression; You hast forgiven, &c. surely that would be no wonder to God to passe by an externall punishment, for that he might do to men whose sins were never pardoned: What is it for God to forgive the iniquity of sin? I answer, the iniquity of sin is meant, that God out of his free grace does not onely simply forgive a sin committed, but he forgives the iniquity of that sin, all the malignity of that sin, all the heinous aggravated circumstances that may any wayes make it great. A Learned Author having a whole Tract upon this Psalm, has these words, the Psalmist uss this kind of speech, To forgive the iniquity of sinne, that he might touch us, that it was no light fault that was pardoned, it was sin, and it was the iniquity of sinne, sin upon sin, and sin greatned by many heinous circumstances. Yet, Behold! the great mercy of God, You forgavest the Iniquity of my sin; thus much for the explaining of the words.

Doct. The Observation is this; That such are the riches of Gods pardoning grace, that he forgives his people not onely sin in the general, but their great sins, such as are cloathed with many aggravated and heinous crying circumstances. You forgavest the iniquity of my sin.

In the handling of this point I shall proceed in this method.

First, To prove the point to you by an Induction of particular instances; then the application of it by several uses. It is a pointfull of comfort, and indeed I know not such a Text in all the Bible that speaks of Gods grace in pardoning aggravated sinnes, more clearly then this Text does.

First of all, I shall give you an induction of instances, that God does not onely forgive his people a bare sin committed, but God does out of the riches of his Grace forgive his people those sins that you may call the iniquity of sin, sins cloathed with many heinous aggravated circumstances, to prove this take the instance of David, that speaks the words; an instance of Peter, another of Paul, many men that have sinned against light & love, sinned against checks of conscience, and against mercies, are these sins forgiven? Yes, that is my work to prove, that Gods grace does forgive sins that are cloathed with many heinous and aggravated circumstances, to make them great.

First, I begin with David, because it is the instance in hand; will you consider Davids sin, the sin of Adultery, and ransack the bowels of it? you shall find Davids sin cloathed with great, heinous, and aggravated circumstances to make it great and grievous; and yet for all this that sin forgiven him.

First Circumstance to aggravate Davids sin, if you consider the quality of it, the kind of it. What sin was it? it was the sin of Adultery; now of all sins the sin of Adultery is an aggravated sin; there are five circumstances.

1. He that commits adultery, he sins against his own body.

2. He sins against the body of the woman he is unclean with.

3. It is a wrong to his own Wife.

4. It is a wrong to the Adulteresses Husband.

5. It is a wrong to the child that is illegitimately begotten in adultery, that an ignominy should be on him when he is borne: and therefore that David should fall to that sin, it was one great sin to aggravate Davids sin.

Secondly, If you consider the dignity and quality of Davids person that did commit this sin, He was King; Now the greater the person is that sins, the sinne is the greater, 2 Samuel 12:8, 9.

A Third Circumstance to aggravate his sin, it was that he did commit the sin after God had given him manifold mercies, so Nathan tells him, 2 Samuel 12:8.

Fourthly, Consider this, that David had a Wife of his own, in fact many wives of his own, that did greaten Davids sin, and so Nathan told him; for (says Nathan) There was a poor man who had but▪ one Lamb, and a rich man that had many Lambs, which killed the poor mans Lamb; his meaning was, that David should commit adultery with the wife of that man that had but one wife, when he had many of his own.

Fifth Circumstance, if you consider the time when David committed this sin, it was when Davids Armies were lying in the fields, this was done then, which was enough to provoke God to make them turn their backs upon their enemies.

Sixth Circumstance, It was a great injury to a faithful Commander in his Army as to Vriah.

Seventhly, Which is the chiefest Circumstance of all, that David should commit many sinnes to hide that one sin, that was an aggraving Circumstance, David did commit six-sins to hide that one sin of Adultery.

1. He sent for Vriah Bathsheba's husband to leave the Army, when they were storming a place, this might have endangered the whole Army.

2. The Text says that David made Vriah drunk, thinking thereby to make him go in to his Wife.

3. He used a meanes for Vriah to father his bastard that he had gotten in uncleanness.

4. When that Plot would not take, David did conspire, and consult how to kill Vriah.

5. David sent a letter by Vriah, wherein Vriah was a messenger of his own death, unknown to him.

6. When Vriah was dead, the Text says, that David said, The sword makes no difference, for the sword destroys one man as well as another; he laid Vriahs death on Gods providence onely, when it was he himself did plot how he should be slain: O where was Davids conscience all this while, where was Davids conscience, that should thus fall to commit those sins to hide one sin▪ you account that a heinous aggravation of sin, when servants have done an ill turn, if they shall doe many ill turns to hide one: this iniquity was found in David, to hide one sin, he fell to commit many.

Eighth Aggravation, which greatens Davids sin, was this, that David should marry Vriahs wife, first killed the husband, then married the wife.

Ninthly and lastly, To make his sin out of measure sinfull, David continued under this sin with all these aggravations for nine moneths together without repentance or remorse of conscience. I do not name this to boulster any man in sin; I onely mention this for a distressed conscience, that though your sin be an aggravated and a great sin, cloathed with many hideous and heinous circumstances; yet God did forgive such a sin as that, and therefore well may David say, The Lord forgave the iniquity of my sin, not onely sin, but the iniquity of sin.

Inst. A second Instance is of Peter, you all know the story, but it may be you have not lookt narrowly into the circumstances that made Peters sinne to be great: In Peters sinne.

First, Consider, that Peter should deny Christ, when he did make more confident professions that he would cleave to Christ, then all the other eleven Disciples: when Christ told them, You shall be offended because of me this night, says Peter, Though all men should forsake you, yet will not I, yet none forsaked Christ but Judas and he, in so shameful a manner as they; this was a great aggravation.

Secondly, It is observable that Peter did deny himselfto be Peter, Joh. 18. 25. And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself, they said therefore to him, Art not you also one of his Disciples? He denied, and said, I am not.

Thirdly, He said he did not know Jesus Christ; what a horrible fault was that, that he said he did not know Jesus Christ? Luke 22:57. And he denied him, saying, Woman I know him not.

Fourthly, He did not only deny Christ to a single Maid, but the Text says, he denyed Christ to the Maid, and before all the people, there was an open denyal of Christ. Matth. 26. 69. Now Peter sate without in the Palace, and a Damosel came to him, saying, you also w[•]st with Jesus of Galilee, verse 70. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what you sayest.

Fifthly, When another Damosel came, and she said, Verily you art one of them, and a follower of Jesus Christ, be said a second time, Woman I doe not know the man, Luke. 22.

Sixthly, He did not onely deny, but Matthew says he denyed with an Oath, Matth. 26. 72. And again he denied with an oath, I doe not know the man; to swear to a lye is abominable.

Seventhly, It is observable, It is said that a third time there came a man to Peter about an hour after, and says, Of a truth you art Peter, and to the man says he, I do not know him.

Eighthly, This is not all, that Peter did not onely speak a falshood, not onely swear a lye, but Peter did curse himselfe if so be he knew Jesus Christ, the Text says he began to curse as well as to swear, Mark 14. 71. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom you speak; he wisht some direful judgement to befall him if he knew Jesus Christ: Some Interpreters think that he did not onely curse himselfe, but he curst Jesus Christ, to make the people think that he did not care for Jesus Christ, therefore did use some execration to curse Jesus Christ. And O that pardoning grace should reach such a heinous sinner as this was!

A third Instance was in Paul; you shall see many circumstances to aggravate and greaten Pauls sin, Acts 9:10, 11. I verily thought with my self, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazars. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the [〈◊〉] did I shut up in Prison, having received authority from the chief Priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every Sy[••]gog[•]e, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceedingly and against them, I persecuted them even to strange Cities. There are no lesse then ten aggravating circumstances to greaten Pauls sin.

First, It was one circumstance to greaten his sin, if you consider the quality of the persons that he did injure, they were not ordinary men, but they were the Saints of Christ, he put the Saints of Christ into prison

Secondly, If you consider the number that he wronged, they were many of the Saints.

Thirdly, If you consider the kind of wrong he did them, he put them into prison.

Fourthly, If you consider his severity towards them, he did shut them into prison.

Fifthly, If you consider the place where this was, at Jerusalem, it was where Paul should have learnt to know better things, for there the Apostles were, and taught the Doctrine of Christ and of Christianity.

Sixthly, If you consider the extent of Pauls malice, says he, When they were put to death, I gave my voice against them, Pauls vote was against the Christians to put them to death.

Seventhly, Pauls rage did go against their souls as well as their bodies, for says he, I did compell them to blaspheme Christ, he laboured to damn their souls, as well as destroy their bodies.

Eighthly, says he, I was exceeding mad against them, he was even mad with rage, and exceeding mad with rage.

Ninthly, He drove them from house to house, I drovethem into strange Cities.

And then Tenthly, which was worst of all, he did through their sides strike at the honor of Jesus Christ; for why did Paul doe this to the Saints? says he, I thought with myself to doe many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazars, there was the person he aymed at; yet Paul, a man forgiven for all this; for he says, when he aggravates his sin, in 1 Tim. 1. 11, 12, 13. According to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, for that he counted me faithfull putting me into the Ministery, who was before a blasphemer, and a persecuter, and injurious. But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly its unbelief. Thus I have done with the Doctrinal part of my Text, laying down to you an induction of instances; I am the larger in this, because I know perplexed consciences in trouble of mind are apt but to greaten their own sins, but can you aggravate it worse then David, Paul, or Peter could do? yet behold those sinnes, and those aggravated sinnes were forgiven by Jesus Christ.

I have four words to say in this Sermon by way of Application; there may be in such an Assembly as this is, whom God might suffer either before conversion or after conversion, to be unclean with David, to deny Christ with Peter, it may be to swear to a lye, to swear to a falshood, in fact, (it may be to engage to a lye, to a falshood, O take heed of false Oathes,) it may be to persecute the Saints of Christ with Paul.

Four Consolations.

First, O know it for your comfort O you disconsolate heart, let your sin be never so great, yet the mercies of God are greater. A learned Interpreter gives to my hand which is his instance, Lord my fault is great, but your mercies are greater, Beloved, I may say to you, though your sin be great, yet the mercy of God is greater then your sin, and you canst not have so many circumstances to greaten your sin, as can be produced in God to greaten his own mercy: you shall read what he says himselfe in Isa. 44. 22. I have blotted ou[•] as a thick cloud your transgressions, and as a cloud, your sins, return to me, for I have redeemed you. Suppose your sin be not onely a little cloud; but suppose it be a great cloud, a thick cloud, says God, I doe not only blot sins out like a little cloud; but I will blot ou[•] transgressions that are like a thick cloud: great sins as well as small does the mercies of God cover. The Sea can as well cover great rocks as little peble stones, high mountaines as well as mole-hills: Gods mercy is an Ocean that can cover great enormities as well as lesser infirmities. The glorious body of the Sun in the Heavens, can scatter the greatest mist as well as the thinnest vapours great sins as well as small are pardoned by infinite mercy. It is worthy your notice what Moses speaks of the Mercy-seat, It covered the whole Ark wherein the Law was kept. To note (says a Divine) though you art a man or a woman guilty of all the Lawes breach; not onely of one command, but of all the commands, yet the Mercy-Seat covered all the commands; to teach you this, that the mercy of God can pardon the greatest violation of the Law, therefore that wherein the Law was kept was all covered by the Mercy-Seat.

2. Take this for your comfort, O you perplexed Conscience; it may be when you art in a corner, none but God and your own soul together, you dost aggravate your sin, and thinkest no mans sin so grievous as your; then take this for your comfort, let your sin be never so great, yet the satisfaction and sufferings of Christ are far greater, The blood of Christ (says the Apostle) cleanss us from all sin; the Red Sea did with as much ease drown Pharaoh and all his hoast, as it could doe a single man; the red Sea of Christs blood can drown a whole hoast and a huge multitude of sins, as well as a small lust: Though you hast need to shed more teares for sin in a way of contri[•]ion; yet Christ need not shed more blood for sin in a way of redemption, for he has saved them to the utmost that come to God by him: the Apostle triumphing in the 5. of the Romans, he meanes there, that there is not so much evil in sin to damn us, as there is good in the gift, in Christ, for to save, because your sin is he guilt of a creature, and Christs satisfaction is the satisfaction of a God; your sin, the sin of a finite creature, and his sufferings, the sufferings of an infinite Mediator.

Third Consolation is this, to you that are perplexed in conscience, that you have committed heinous and aggravated sinfulnesse, yet that Jesus Christ does wipe away the infamy and the ignominy of your most horrid and scandalous sins, committed before conversion. Suppose you hast been a notorious infamous creature; yet Christ takes off the ignominy and the infamy of your sin, when he justifies your person and does sanctifie your nature. It is observable of Mary Magdalen, as is conceived she was a notorious whore, every one that saw her knew she was a common harlot; there was a woman that was a sinner, the meaning was, she was an infamous notorious harlot; What is done when Christ converted this woman? Luk. 7. 47. Therefore I say to you, her sins which are many are forg[•]ven, for she loved much. Christ did delight to wipe away the ignominy of her harlotry in her after-life. It is worthy observation, that four women are reckoned in the Genealogy of Christ; what women were they? they were women that were infamous, the best of them did fill into much scandal, and gave much offence: there you find mention of Thamar, Rachab, Ruth, and Bathsheba, no more in the Genealogy but these; what were all these women? Begin with Thamar, she committed uncleannesse with her Father in Law, an infamous woman, as you have the story in Genesis 38:18. And he said, What pledge shall I give you? and she said, your Signet, and the Bracelets and your Staffe that is in your hand; and be gave it her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him. Then you read of Rachab, a common harlot, in Heb. 11. 31. By faith the Harlot Rachab perished not with them that beleeved not when she had received the spies with peace, Matth. 1. 5. And Salmon begat Boaz of Rachab, &c. A third woman mentioned in the Genealogy is Ruth, what was she? she was not so infamous as the rest were, yet she ran into a grievous scandal, Ruth came of Moab, whom Lot begat of his own daughter, you have the story in the Book of Genesis 19. 36. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their Father. verse 37. And the first borne bare a Son, and called his name Moab: What was she? for her person she was a good woman; but as all Divines observe of her, she did an action that had appearance of evill, what did she? read the story in the third of Ruth, beginning at verse 5. &c. the story says, that she came alone at midnight to Boaz, there was an action full of infamy, which was a shamefull thing that a woman should come to a man lying alone. Secondly, she came and lay by him in the night season, but it is true, the Scripture c[•]ears her for any thing following, verse 14. And she lay at his feet untill morning, and she rose up before one could know another: there was no vanity, no folly and no evill, yet it was a grievous scandall for a woman to be with a man, and Boaz did fear the scandall of it too; yet this woman is reckoned in the Genealogy of Christ. The fourth woman is Bathsheba, she was unclean with David. What is the Mystery of this? truely all Interpreters give this; There are but four women named in the genealogy, al of them blame-worthy, some in a higher and some in a lower degree; and it is recorded that Christ came from these four, to take off the ignominy and infamy of your sins that you have fallen into before conversion: suppose God should suffer you to fall into execrable villanies, reall and sound conversion to God takes off the reproach and ignominy; therefore Christ to take off the ignominy and reproach from these women would honor them so far, as to reckon them in his own Genealogy.

The point was this, That such are the riches of Gods pardoning grace, that hee forgives his people the great sins that are cloathed with many heinous and aggravated circumstances. Now lest any might abuse this Doctrine, and suck poyson from these flowers that are m[•]st sweetly scattered up and down the Scripture, I shall labor so to handle the matter, as to keep off presumptuous men that they be not emboldned in a wicked course of sin. Therefore my use shall be to two sorts of men,

Use. 1 First of all, it shall bee directed to morall and civill honest men: if God does forgive men great sinnes▪ cloathed with many haino[•]s and aggravated circumstances, as Davids sinne was, as Peters sinne was, and Paul sinnes were, then I have great hopes of pardon; mine are but sinnes of an ordinarie incursion, therefore I have hopes my sinnes are pardoned, because they have not been crying great sins.

First of all consider, That God has shown as much displeasure against small and little sins, as against greater and grosser enormities: I will give you some instances.

First of the neglect of Moses to circumcise his son; one would think that for forbearing the circumcising of a childe when a man was in a journey and had urgent businesse lying upon him, his businesse should have been a plea to excuse him: yet for the bare omission of that on the eight day, the Lord met him, and would have killed him, Exod 4. 24. And it came to passe by the way in the Ione, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. Another time th[•] Psalmist tels us of Moses sin in the wilderness, Moses spake unadvisedly with his lips, onely a rash word: and what was the issue of that sin? the Lord would never suffer Moses to enter into the land of Canaan.

Another instance of Uxzah, one would thinke it but [•]mail thing for Vzzah to put his hand to uphold the falling Arke, it was out of a good intention, that the Arke should not fall; yet, you know how the hand of God smote Uzzah for it.

So likewise of David, you would thinke it but a small matter for a King to number his people; yet you know how many thousands in Israel God did take away by the Plague for that very sin: so that beloved, suppose you hast not fallen into hideous and heinous wickednesses, yet you seest little sins displease God as well as great; because sin, though little, yet is against a great God, and little sins displease as well as great.

Secondly, That though grosse sins may carry a greater infamy, yet little secret sins may carry a greater guilt in them to God. Beloved, the sin of Angels, it was but a small sin, a spirituall sin, onely one sin, and a sin in thought too, not of act; yet you know that for that sin God did tumble the Angels out of heaven. Indeed gross sins carry a greater infamy, but little small sins may carry as great a guilt.

Third Consideration is this, That small and little sins may be aggravated and cloathed with such cricumstances, as may make them great, two instances in Adams sin, and Davids sin.

First, Adams sin, you would account it a small matter to eat an apple or some other fruit; but yet that small fact of eating the forbidden fruit, was so cloathed with many circumstances, which made it a great and grievous sin: for,

First, if you consider the state of Adam, he was not as we are; but Adam was a perfect and an innocent creature: and it is a greater evill for a perfect creature to sin, then for us that are imperfect.

Secondly, Consider the place where Adam was, it was in Paradise, and yet there to sin.

Thirdly, Consider the publicknesse of his person, hee did not sin for himself; but in his sin we all sinned: for a private man to sin is an evill, but for a publicke person representing other men, his sin is other mens sin.

Fourthly, How many aggravations were in the bowels of Adams sin: there are six:

First, There was unbliefe in his sin, God did not tell them with an if, or an and, but told them peremptorily they should dye.

Secondly, There was this aggravation, that Adam did believe the Devil, before God.

Thirdly, there was pride in this sin; for says the Devill, You shall be as Gods, and that pleased them; it was not enough to be man and woman, but they must be gods.

Fourthly, There was curiosity in that sin. You shall be as gods knowing good and evil; now out of meer curiosity to know more then they did know, though they knew enough to make them happy and blessed, did they plunge themselves into this sin.

Fifthly, They were not contented with their condition.

Sixthly and lastly, There was murder in this sin, for Adam kill'd himselfe and all his posterity; For by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin,so that in him all have sinned, and so all dyed: therfore Adams sin was so cloathed with heinous aggravations, that made it very great.

Look on Davids sin in numbring the people, it was a very small sin, and indeed interpreters justifie the fact, in it selfe it was no sin for a King to number his Army; yet there were some circumstances with which this fact was cloathed, that made Davids fact very sinfull: there were six heinous aggravations in that fact of Davids numbring the people.

First of all, there was pride and vain glory; this Tostatus says, that pride and vain glory was Davids sin.

Secondly, There was carnal dependance in his sin, he would number his people, that seeing how strong he was he might depend on the multitude, this says Zanchius was Davids sin too.

Thirdly, There was covetousnesse in the sin too. Zanchius says this was Davids sin. It is observable, that when in Israel the souldiers were mustered, and the subjects numbred, there was a tax by pole, that every one should pay, this was Davids sin that he would needlesly number the people for covetousnesse sake.

Fourthly, There was curiosity, for David did a needlesse act; for what need David know every particular man in his kingdome. Ioab said to David, 1 Chronicles 21:4. Why does my Lord require this thing? why wilt you muster up your forces in a time of peace? we are all true and loyall to you: yet vain curiosity made David do it.

Fifthly, there was the sin of sacriledge, this Zanchius notes: for when the people were numbred, there was to be given for the use of the Sanctuary, halfe a shekel, as you have the story, Exodus 30:12. When you takest the sum of the children of Israel, after their number, then shall they give every man a ransome for his soul to the Lord, when you numbrest them, that there be no plague among them, when you numbrest them, Vers. 13. This they shall give, every one that passs among them that are numbred, halfe a shekel after the shekel of the Sanctuary: compare this with Exodus 38:25. And the silver of the that were numbred of the Congregation, was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels after the shekel of the Sanctuary, &c. David, some suppose, did defraud the Sanctuary of that mony.

Sixthly, In this sin, there was an express breach of Gods Law: this Deodat says: for his Law was, the people should not be numbred that were under 20 years, but only those above 20 years, now David did number those that were under 20 year. Exo. 30, 14 Every one that passs among them that are numbred, from 20 years old and above, shall give an offering to the Lord▪ Numb. 1. 3. From 20 years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: Now David numbring those that were under those years, did transgresse the command of God. That is a third consideration to you that say you never run into scandalous sins: yet consider, that little sins may bee so aggravated by circumstances, as that they become grievous: suppose your sin be secret lust, and passion, and secret pride: your sins may have such circumstances, as to make them great: suppose your sins be against checks of conscence they are great sins, because they are against Gods officer in man; Conscience is Gods officer in you, and Gods Register, and Vicegerent in man; and for you to controll your own conscience against the accusations and against the convictions and checks of your conscience, though the sin be but a smal trifie, yet it is very great; He that doubts is damned, if he eats. The Apostle says, it is no sin to eat meat, but if you thinkest it is a sin to eat meat, and dost it, you sinnest against conscience. If your conscience tells you that it is unlawfull to do this or that, and yet you wilt venture on it, the Apostle says, He that doubts is damned, if he eats. If you doest any any thing against the rebukes of conscience, it is a great crime; because conscience is Gods Officer in you: to eat meat, is but a trifle; the Question was, whether they might eat meat offered to an idoll, the Apostle says they might do it, I, but suppose conscience in a man might say, I am perswaded that if I should eat this meat that was offered to an Idoll, I should approve of Idolatary, then says the Apostle, you art damned if you eat: to shew that if in so small a thing as eating flesh, then in other matters also; if your conscience tells you, that you sinnest if doest it and yet doest it, your little sin is become a great sin.

Secondly, the smallest sin may be aggravated, if there be a complacency in your heart to a small sin. A small sin that is indulged, is a more aggravating sin then a greater sin you doest fall into with resistance. It is very observable in Lev. 13. 12. And if a leprosie break out abroad in the skin and the leprosie cover all the skin of him that has the plague, from his head even to his foot, wherever the Priest looks. Ainsworth admires and wonders what God intends by this Law: the meaning is, the leprosie betokens sinne. Now if the leprosie, or the plague, or the small pox; if it comes out into a scab, and comes into the flesh, and strikes outward, there is no disease within; but then there is danger when sores strike inward, and do not come out in the flesh: this Law has this use in it, if the leprosie were onely on the skin, the man was not unclean, though there was sin in his life, yet sin was not in his heart: I, but says God, if the scab be in sight deeper then the skin, then pronounce him unclean; to shew, if sin be in your heart and in your life too, though it be but a small sin, yet it is a sin that will damn you: If I regard iniquity in my heart, Psal 66. 18. the Lord will not hear me. Therefore you that are morall men, that say, you thank God, that you have not broke out into grosse sins: consider, though sin be small, yet your small sins may have such circumstances, as may make them very great, sinning against your consciences, or else sin seising upon the heart.

Fourthly, to morall men, that a great and grosse sinner may be pardoned, when morall men who never brake out into such grosse wickednesse, may live and dye in an unpardoned estate. I will give you tow instances, the one of the Pharisee, and the other of the young man in the the Gospell.

First of the Pharisee, in Luk. 18. I thanke God, says he, I am no extortioner, no drunkard, no adulterer; I am not this nor that: the Pharisee▪ was a man that never broke out into scandalous sins; what was the conclusion? says Christ, that he that justified himself was not justified; but the Publican was just[•]fied rather then the Pharisee: the Publican that had fallen into extortion, by his office he was tempted to much extortion, he was a wicked liver, and yet went away justified. O! a civill honest Pharisee▪ a Pharisee that never brake out into scandall, yet was not justified: a Pulican that was a known and infamous sinner, went away justified.

2 The progidal sonne that ran away from his father, spent all his substance, and went to live among hogs and swine, in this world, that is wicked men, yet this man a pardoned man. The young man who told Christ that he kept al Gods commands from his youth was an unjustified man, yet the prodigal that was riotous from his, youth & confessed his sin, became a justified man, I am perswaded the very intent of these Scriptures, is for this end; that civil moral men should not presume on pardon, meerly on their civil morality.

Fifthly consider, That what your sins do want in regard of others mens in bulk and magnitude, you may make up in number. Suppose you hast not been a drunkard, an adulterer, an oppressor, yet you hast many small sins, you hast many secret and small failings: now remember, many small sins may sooner damn you, then a few greater sins, I may make use of that pertinent Scripture, in Jeremiah 5:6. Therefore a Lion out of the forrest shall slay them, and a Wolfe of the evenings shall spoil them; a Leopard shall watch over their cities, every one that go[•]th out hence shal be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, and their back-slidings are increased, Vers. 7. How shall I pardon you for this? &c. Because their transgressions were many, therefore God comes with a question, How shall I pardon? Beloved, Suppose your sins be not great, yet if they be many small sins, God may put this question to you, How shall I pardon you? Let me tell a paradox, that small sins are as hardly indeed more hardly pardoned, then greater sins are. And the reason is, because a man is not so apt to repent for small sins, as he will be for great, because they are not so visible, and therefore conscience not so apt to do its office to put a man upon repentance; that is the reason of Christs speech, Verily I say to you, that Publicans and harlots shall go to heaven before them, why? because the Pharisees did depend upon their righteousnesse, and did not see their little small sins: a Publican, a harlot, that could not but by the light of nature see their extortion, their wickednesse, and harlotry, they should go to heaven before them, Christ told them of their sins and they repented of them. Therefore though your sins be but small, yet they may be many, and that will greaten your sins: a many small sins may run you into deeper arrearages to God, then a few grosser evils. As in Arithmetick many smal sigurs put together amount to agreater sum then a few great ones; So it is in respect of little sins. O then let me perswade you, that none of you would presume on pardon, because you have not fallen into greater and grosser evils. Thus much for first branch of the Use.

Use. 2 The second follows, and that is this. To those that can say of their sins as David did, You forgavest the iniquity of my sin, sins cloathed with many hideous and heinous circumstances.

First, something by way of admonishment.

First consider, though your grosse sins cannot bring your persons into a state of damnation, yet they will bring you into a state of sequestration; though they cannot keep you from heaven, yet will they keep you from comfort: God will suspend and withdraw the manifestations of his grace; he will turn his smiles into frownes upon you. Beloved this is sad, a grosse sin will keep you from the comforts and joyes of heaven, though it cannot keep you from the possession of heaven.

A child of God that sins though hee bee not under ejection but of his heritage, yet he is under an interdiction you mayest have a right to heaven, a right to salvation, yet God has shut you up that you mayest not have the manifestations of a reconciled God towards you; this is astonishment to you.

Secondly, to admonish you, though you beest pardoned; yet such wofull commotions, such dismall fears, will arise in your conscience, that will make you verily think you art not pardoned. Beloved, if you fal into grosse sins, and repel the sanctifying work of the Spirit, God will withdraw the comforting Work of the Spirit. The spirit of God is compared to a Dove; the Dove loves to bee in clean places, but if the house be nasty, the Dove gos away, and will not stay there: Gods Spirit is like a Dove, it loves to have the house of your soul kept clean; but if your soul be filled with noysome and nasty lusts, the Spirit of God will not descend on you; the greater your sins are, the greater your sorrowes, anguish and tortures of your conscience will bee. Philosophers say, the more vapours are drawn from the earth, the more the light and lustre of the Sun is eclipsed: the more sin does arise from your heart to your life, the more you darkenest the rising of the Sun of righteousnesse, that glorious beams shall not reflect on you: your falling into grosse sins, may cause wofull commotions, & dismal horrors in your conscience; Consider, is not this grievous, you pardoned sinner, to think though this grosse sin may not damn my soul, yet before I dye it will torture my conscience? If I do speak to a troubled conscience there is none in the world wil say, that the sweetnesse and pleasure of sin, can compensate the anguish and torture of conscience which smarts for sin.

Thirdly, Consider, you that fallest into a grosse sin, though a justifyed person; yet it will be a harder work and a longer time for you to attain assurance of pardon then for other men: the deeper a wound is, and the longer it is festering and rankling, the harder and longer it will be before it be healed again. David did pour out a river of tears before God did pour in a drop of the oyle of joy and gladnesse into his heart; David brake Gods Law, God broke his bones; therefore he prayed, Lord restore to me the joy of your salvation, that the bones which you hast broken may rejoyce. It is worthy observation of what you read of Mary Magdalen a notorious sinner, there was a woman which was a sinner, that is, as some expound it, a knwn harlot, a known strumpet, says Christ, her sinnes which are many are forgiven her: but did Christ tell these words to Mary? no, Christ spake these words to Simon, in whose house Christ was at supper: mark the method, Divines make much use of this. Mary fell into a grosse sin, but Mary must not first know her own pardon; Mary was weeping for her sin, and it was first revealed to another that she was pardoned; to shew, that when men fall into grosse sins, God does many times hide comforts from them, other men shall have good hope of their pardon, more then they have of themselves; let this be admonishment and a check to you to take heed of falling into grosse evils; for God may keep you long without manifestation of pardon.

Fourthly, to admonish you, consider, that you doest run a very dangerous and desperate hazard to venture upon the commission of sin upon presumption of pardon: Wilt you sin, that may be as painfull to your conscience as the breaking of your bones, because Christ can set you in joynt again? Wilt you sin and cut gashes in your own flesh, because you knowest the Bloud of Christ to be a soveraign balsam to cure your wounds? for by his stripes we are healed.

I now come to give you something by way of direction: Hast you been a man that God has left to your own hearts lust? you hast not onely sin, but the iniquity of sin, sin aggravated; then,

First take this rule, Labour in the residue of your dayes to be as eminent in grace, as you hast been formerly notorious in sin: have your lusts been strong? labor now, that your affections may be strong God-ward and Heaven-ward: has your sin been cloathed with many heinous circumstances to make it great? let your graces be cloathed with many holy circumstances to make them great: though this cannot make a compensation to the most High (for nothing you hast or dost can recompense God for the wrong sin does him) yet is this something by way of a Holy revenge on your selfe; the more you hast been notorious in evill, you shouldest labor now to be more eminent in good.

Secondly, Hast you fallen into any grosse and aggravated guilt? follow this Rule, Labour that the greater your sin and your unkindnesse has been to God, you express now the greater love to Jesus Christ for pardoning mercy: O labor you that hast great sins pardoned, that you mayest have great love issued out to Jesus Christ; Christ did not simply aske Peter, Simon Peter lovest you me? out gos higher, Peter doest you love me more then these? there was this reason why Christ shold aske him this Question, because Peter had sinned against Christ more then all the disciples had, therfore Peter must love Christ more.

Do I speak to any that have been taler by the head in sin, then any of their neighbours have been? O! if you hast sinned much, love much; the greater the sin, the greater the pardon must be, and therefore on your part the greater must your love be to Jesus Christ; this is held out plain in that familiar parable that Christ uss, Luk. 7. 41. There was a certain creditor, Which had two debtors, the one ought five hundred pence, and the other fifty. Vers. 42. Aud when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both; Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most, Vers. 43. Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most: and he said to him, you hast rightly judged. The meaning of this is, the two debtors are two sorts of sinners, he that owed a little sum he could not pay his debt: though you hast but few little sins, yet you canst not satisfie for it. He that owned much was a great sinner, as Mary Magdalen: It may be God has forgiven you your hundred of sins, & your five hundred of sins: O make good this Parable that he that has most forgiven him, love most, the greater your sin has been, the greater your love most bee. It is thus with Mary Magdalen, Luk 7. 47. therefore I say to you, Her sins which are many are forgiven her, for shee loved much. Her love does hold proportion to her pardon; much pardon on Christs part, and much love on her part. O beloved let me here inculcate this on your thoughts: have any of you been great sinners? have you been guilty of aggravated and heinous circumstances? now find that your love does carry some proportion to your pardon.

Thirdly has God suffered you to fall into the iniquity of sin? observe this direction, the greater your sin has been to God, labor that your humiliation may be greater, that it may carry some proportion to the greatnesse of your transgression. It is observable of what you read of three men in Scripture, of David, Manasses, and Peter, these all sinned greatly; and their sorrow and lamentation did carry proportion to their sin, in some measure; Manasses sinned greatly, and the Scripture says of him, That he humbled himself greuly before the Lord. Peter did deny Christ shamfuly, and Peter went out and wept bitterly. You know David sinned notoriously▪ and he mourned exceedingly, rivers of tears ran from his eyes, he watered his couch with tears: all this teachs you, that the greater your sin has been, the greater your humiliation should bee. An observable Law you read of in Lev. 11. 24, 25. And for these you shall be unclean, whoever touchs the carkasse of them shall be unclean untill the Even. And whoever bears ought of the carkasse of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the Even, touching an unclean thing, a man was unclean; but if a man carried an unclean thing any length of time, then says God he shall be unclean till Even, and he shall wash his clothes. This law shews, that touching an unclean sin, requires an humiliation; but if you hast born a sin, and hugged a sin in your armes, then there is greater worke required of you, he was to wash his clothes, He that has continued in sin must wash his heart by humiliation and must take more pains with his heart that has fallen into a grosse evil, then those who have not fallen so foulely and frequently.

Fourth Direction; In case you expectest to have a high esteeme of pardoning grace, labor you to find out all the aggravated and heinous circumstances in your sin. Do not fear that the seeing of the sinfulnesse of sin will do you hurt: first look on pardon, and then look on the aggravation of your sin; this is the way to heighten Christ merrits, and greaten Gods mercy, and extoll Gods pardoning grace. It is notably mentioned of two men that were famous this way. It is reported of Eusebius, when he came to confess sin, he used these words, Lord there is none have sinned, as I have sinned, the Devil sinned, Judas sinned grievously, but none sinned as I: The Devil indeed sinned, but Christ never dyed for the Devill as he dyed for me, therefore my sin is a greater sin then the Devils: Judas sinned greatly, but Judas never had the pardon I had; Achan sinned too, but I sinned further then he▪ O labor to find out what aggravations there are that your evils are capable of, that so you mightst come to magnifie and greaten the grace of God in your esteem. A famous story of Austin, when God converted him, and smote his conscience for the vanity of his youth; how does he aggravate his sin when he was a boy for robbing of an Orchard, he does aggravate that sin with many circumstances. First, I robbed an Orchard meerly out of vanity, not out of need, to steale for need is more tolerable, though not justifiable; but when he had enough, that was vanity; then it was not for the goodnesse of the fruit, but meerly for the lust of the eye: then I did not rob the Orchard alone, but I got others with me; then, it was an unseasonable time of night; then, he went to rob the Orchard after he had spent all the day in vain sport, then, what they could not eat they gave to the hogs; then, says he, I wronged and injured an honest neighbor that never did me wrong; O see how hee clothed that sin with many heinous crimes and circumstances, canst not you cloath your uncleannesse, your oppression, your extortion, your unjust dealing, with heinous circumstances? let me direct you a little in this rule.

First, To aggravate your sin, consider all sins against the manifestation of Gods love are great, when God speaks peace to you, if you shouldst then return to foolishnesse, Psalms 85:8. this greatnes sin: it was an aggravation of Solomons sin, that he sinned against the Lord after God had revealed himselfe twice to him, 1 King 11. 9. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared to him twice.

Secondly, It aggravates sin, when you commit a sin upon a slight temptation, for a man to sin when he has little or no provocation, that greatens sin; What made the sin of the Devil so great? it was this, that those Angels had none to tempt them: for you to follow the stews, for you to follow your lusts? when the Devil does not tempt you to doe it, when the provocation is meerly from your own heart, this greatens a mans sin; and thus in the Prophet Micah, that men should sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a paire of shoes. O when you shalt recollect and say, how have I dishonoured God, how have I run the hazard of an immortall soul? when the Devil has laid no temptation to me, this greatens sins exceedingly.

A third thing to greaten sin by is, when a man does sin against the checks and rebukes of his own conscience; Conscience says, doe not sin, doe not wickedly, and the man says, I must, I must, I shall lose all else. When Conscience shall arrest you, and accuse you of sin, and you shalt stifle and put by all: this aggravates your sin.

Fourthly, The frequency of the acts of sinne, to commit a sin once is not so much, but to fall often into the same sin, this greatens sin.

Fifthly, Complacency of heart in sin, when sin is not onely the sin of your practise, and of your life, but you delightest in sin; if sin be rivetted and rooted in your heart, you art unclean: canst you go to God, & say, Lord what grace is here land what mercy is here! that you hast pardoned great transgressions, and those sins that I can aggravate by many heinous circumstances; I have read my pardon, and yet I have now blotted my pardon: canst you say, I have sinned, and upon a very trivial occasion and on a smal temptation, I am a drudge to the Devil on an easie temptation; when the Devill can draw you by a silken thread to a sin; O it is a great aggravation, when Conscience arrests you for sin, and you wilt still be stifling the cries of conscience: would you greaten sin, you are in a ready way to greaten mercy, & pardoning grace, that is a 4th direction.

Fifthly, If God does out of the riches of his grace pardon aggravated sins, take you heed, that when you have obtained great and gracious pardons for great and grievous sins, you do not extenuate your sins, do not say of your sins as Lot of Zoar, Is not this a little one? doe not say of wilfull enormities as Jacob did. Peradventure it was an oversight, do not mince the matter, and doe not lessen sin, but greaten sin. The reason why you shouldst not doe it, consider first by extenuating sin and making it smal and little in your eye, you will lessen the greatnesse of Gods pardoning grace: who will value the skill and Physick of a kitchin woman? That Physitian is valued that can cure a deadly and dangerous disease: when a mans spirits are gone, and strength is consumed, the Physician is prized: you by lessening your sin dost lessen pardoning grace.

2. By the extenuating your sin, you doest lessen the value of Christs bloud.

3. You wilt lessen your own repentance and humiliation: for what man will labor after great humiliation for small transgessions? therfore there is a world of wrong done to your own soul, when God has pardoned great transgressions, if you shouldst extenuate and lessen the greatness of your evils,

Sixthly, Content not your selves with slight and superciall repentance so falling into great and gross evils, be not like Lewis the eleventh King of France, when he did an evill against his conscience, he pulled off his hat and tooke his Crucifixe and cryed God mercy for what he had done; so many men, if they can but cry God mercy in ordinary and generall tearms, they think they have made a Compensation to Divine Justice. And thus have I done with the second branch of the use in these six particulars.

The third and the last branch shall be by way of Consolation, to troubled and perplexed Consciences, that by reason of their falling into aggravated and heinous sins, do entertain doubtfull thoughts of their own pardon: five Consolations I shall lay down to you from the scripture, who have repented of great and many sins.

First, Consider for your comfort, that conversion and repentance for sin before God, wipes off the ignominy and the infamy of your former miscarriages; suppose you hast been an ignominious notorious soul creature; yet repentance puts a vail over your ignominious lusts.

Secondly, Take this for your comfort, that Jesus Christ, does manifest more love to those men who have fallen into gross sin, after repentance and humiliation, then he did to any other sorts of men in the world; It is observable of Peter. Peter did sin more then all the Disciples unless Judas that was the cast-away; after Peter did humble himselfe and repent of his denyall, Christ did shew more love to Peter then to all the other Disciples.

First, Christ appeared to Peter after his Resurrection, before he appeared to any other, so Paul tels you in 1 Cor. 15. 5. And that he was scen of Cephas, and then of the twelve, there was love in Christ, Peter did deny but three daies before, and Peter must first see him.

Again, When Christ was risen from the dead, he sent a messenger to Peter particularly by name, Goe tell my Disciples in generall, and tell Peter that I am risen, Mark. 16. 7. But go your ways, tell his Disciples and Peter. Peter was crying, weeping and be wailing that he should deny his Master, and says Christ, Goe tell Peter that I am risen.

3. Christ does single out Peter after he rose from the dead, Christ has more discourse with Peter then hee has all with his Disciples else, Joh. 21. Thus you see that Jesus Christ manifests love to those sinners that sinned foully, after they have repented and are sufficiently humbled for their sin. Thus it is with Mary Magdalen after she repented, what expressions of love does Christ to her? First, we read that hee cast out of her seven Devils, Luk. 8. 2. Then he appeared first to Mary, shee was the first that saw him when he was risen: Mark. 16. 9. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalen. Again, Christ commanded, that where ever the Gospell came to bee preacht, the fame of Mary should be made known, Matth. 26. 1, 3. Verily I say to you, wherever this Gospell shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this that this woman has done, be told for a memoriall of her; what a great honor was this to Mary Magdalen? Thus it appears that God does manifest to those persons that have sinned the grossest sins, if afterward they shall have the more serious, and through humiliation, the clearest evidences, and the strongest comforts.

Thirdly, Take this for your comfort; It is not the greatnesse of that sin you committest, but onely the hardnesse and impenitency of your own heart that can exempt you from pardon. Divines doe generally say, that the reason of that saying in Scripture, All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come; It is not that there is not more merit in Christ to save then there is guilt in that sin; but it is because that man cannot, will not, repent of the sin; Therefore that sin cannot be forgiven, because he cannot repent. Suppose your sin be blasphemy, this does not exempt from pardon. It is not the greatnesse of your sin, but the Judiciall hardnesse and finall impenitency of your heart, that can exempt you from pardon. when Peter preached to the Jewes that had a hand in crucifying the Son of God; yet says he, repent and your sins shall be blotted out, O what sin could be greater then their embrewing their hands in the bloud of Christ? yet doe but repent and your sins shall bee blotted out. It is not for want of great mercy on Gods part, and great merits on Christs part that men are unpardoned; but it is want of repentance on your owne part.

Fourthly, That no grosse sin committed by a justified person can make void his former pardon; A rule among the Shoolemen: the worke of God cannot bee made void or frustrated by the worke of man, Election is a work of God, Redemption the work of God, Justification the worke of God, which cannot be made void by the work of man; therefore if God has elected you, redeemed you, justifyed and pardoned you, the incursion of grosse evills cannot restrain you of former pardon; It is true, sinne may make void your former comforts, your former evidences; gross sins may lay wast your conscience; but they cannot lay wast the grace, and the mercies of God; herein you may be greatly comforted and established.

Fifthly, Take this for your comfort, though you dost fall into grosse and aggravated guilt, yet such is the goodness and mercy of God; that he orders your very falling into sin to turn to your good: I doe not mention this to any that they should be imboldened to fall into sin because it may turn to good; O it is God that orders a mans fall for his good: A threefold good that God does to his people out of their very sins, God does not onely doe good to his people by their afflictions, but he does good to his people by their very sins.

First, Sometimes God does so order that the falling of a godly man into sin, shall abate pride in his heart; men of great parts are apt to be proud, God many times will let strong lusts attend strong gifts, the more to abate and keep under the exaltation of spirit, therefore says Paul, I have the messengers of Satan to buffet me, that I might not be exalted above measure; God does many times to keep under pride, let a temptation loose on a man, & so God does him good that way. Austin says, I am not afraid to say, that it is profitable sometimes for good men to fall into sin.

Secondly, It will prevent many other sins; here is Gods great mercy, the putting of a man to pain takes away pain; God sometimes suffers a man to sin, that sin might keep out another sin; one sin may be so ordered by God to keep out another sin.

Thirdy, Falling into sin sometimes does renew the work of repentance, the Lord sometimes lets them sleep that so he might awaken them by a greater humiliation, and to tast the more of the bitternesse and fruit of sin, here then is Gods goodnesse to a sinner, that by letting him fall into a sin he does you good, and makes you to renew repentance, and greatens humiliation in your heart.

Now for the finishing of this subject, there are seven Cases of conscience that in this Doctrine are needfull to be resolved.

First, Whether God may forgive a man his sin, and yet the man himselfe not know it: here David had sin forgiven him, and David did know it, I acknowledge, and you forgavest: but whether may a man have sin forgiven him, and yet not know he is pardoned? I answer, in the affirmative, that a man may have sin forgiven him, and yet not know that his sin is pardoned; though David did know his pardon at this time, yet he did not know his pardon at other times, Psalms 51. Restore to me the joy of your Salvation. God broke Davids bones for his Adultery, and David was driven to shed a River of tears before God did pour in one drop of joy, Job 33. 10. Behold hee finds occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy. Job thought that God was an enemy to him: and you have not onely the confession of one man, but the doubts and fears of the Church in generall, Lament. 3. 42. We have transgressed and have rebelled, you hast not pardoned, we have rebelled, &c. Yet God had pardoned, and God had forgiven them; yet here was their fear and their doubt, they lay under suspense of pardon; God may pardon a sinne to the Elect, and yet they not know that they are pardoned, and in the manifold Wisdome of God there are divers reasons for it; first by keeping them under a suspense of pardon, they may sympathize with and carry more tenderness of compassion towards them that are troubled in minde; it was one end of Christs sufferings, his soul was in an agony and under a desertion, crying, My God, my God, why hast you forsaken me? what was the end of it? it was for this, that Christ might carry more compassion, and more bowels of tendernesse towards persons that are under deep desertions; Let a scholar that studies many things, read in a Booke, of the storms and distresses that sea-men are subject to; yet by all he reads he cannot pity men in a storm, if he have never been in a storm himselfe; let one read what the scripture mentions of the pangs of a woman in travell, she cannot so compassionate a woman in travell, unlesse shee has had the pangs her selfe; so in Divine things, it is experience that makes men have compassion.

Secondly, It is for this reason, to raise up in mens hearts a higher esteem of pardoning grace; things hardly come by, are highly set by; what is the reason that birds do chirp and sing more sweetly in the spring then in any other part of the year? it is for this, because after the vanishing away of a long and tedious winter the refreshing Spring comes in: Beloved, The Lord makes his people chirp and sing in the sense of pardoning grace, rejoycing in that the more, the longer the winter of desertion has been: when God lets them have long desertion, then they doe the more rejoyce and sing when pardons are attained: Men do then prize the shore, when they have been tossed by a tempest on the sea. Those that have been tossed on the waves of spirituall trouble, that have had a storm and tempest in their conscience, they will prize pardoning grace most.

Thirdly, God does sometimes pardon a mans sin, yet not tell him of it; and it is for rebuke to him, because he has not lived in the exercise of grace: you keepest back obedience from God, and God keeps back comfort from you: this is a main reason why sometimes God pardons a sinner, and yet does not tell him of it in his own conscience. It is done in heaven, the pardon is written there; but it is not done in the conscience, it is not written here: It is to give you a rebuke, a check in your own heart; surely I have not exercised grace, therefore surely God will not give me the comforting work of his Spirit: when you art not much in grace, then you shalt be but little in peace, it is just with God so to doe.

Fourthly, the Lord pardons a sin when he does not tell that it is pardoned; it is to make the repentance of men more visible and satisfactory to the world that has been offended by their sin. The Lord will make the world see that if men will sinne notoriously they shall smart bitterly; to make the world see that repentance is no slight worke, and to make peace with God, is not easie.

Fifthly, to make men to taste the evils and bitternesse of sin; should a man that is notoriously wicked, presently attain the sense of pardon, it may be he would not tast the bitternesse of sin.

6. Another reason is this, to teach doubting Christians that assurance is not essentiall to pardon, it is separable from pardon, it is separable from faith, therefore from pardon. A man may beleeve, yet know not that he does beleeve: The Lord does it for that end, to teach doubting Christians that though they have not assurance, yet they may have faith; though they want the sense of pardon, they may be pardoned: there cannot be fruit, but there must be a tree; yet there may be a tree, when there is no fruit; there may be grace in the heart, when there is no peace in the conscience; to have peace is additionall to grace: now the Lord for these holy ends does sometimes pardon a sin in heaven, when the pardon is not sealed to the conscience. Thus much for the first case.

A second Case of conscience is this, if God pardons a sin, whether or no does he afflict and punish men for it after it is forgiven? this is an usefull question: and the reason is, because there are errors and mistakes about it; mistakes on the right hand and on the left. The Antinomians say that a pardoned sinner is never afflicted for sin; and say they, to say that a man whose sin is forgiven is afflicted for sin, does derogate from the satisfaction and sufferings of Christ. Then the Papists say, that men are afflicted and punished for sin, and that these punishments are for satisfaction to divine Justice, and they are meritorious: and on this ground they bottome Purgatory, that after a man is dead, he must for some years lye in Purgatory, to satisfie for some notorious grosse sin done in his life.

Now Beloved to keep you from swerving either way, I shall lay down the true genuine state of this Question, and resolve it to you.

First consider this, That God does not afflict any man but where sin is, that is my first position. God does not cruciate an innocent creature: indeed the Schoolemen have a question, whether God by his soveraignty may torment an innocent creature; but that is but a nicety; but this is most certain, that God in the dispensation of his Judgements does punish no man, but where sin is, sin entred into the world, and death by sin.

Secondly, though God afflicts none sinlesse, yet sometimes it may be for triall and not for any particular sin; so was Jobs affliction, it was not for sin, but for triall, to try Iobs grace.

Thirdly and chiefly, it is apparant from the Scriptures, that pardoned sinners may be punished for their sins. Would not this be partiall for a father to beat the servant for a fault, yet not beat the child for a worse fault? Now the Lord will not leave such a plea as this in any wicked mans heart. In all the Kingdomes of the world, where sword, where pestilence, where famin, and where plagues have been, the good have fallen with the bad; the righteous have fallen by the sword, as well as the wicked: the reason is, that the world should not say that he is a partiall God. Now to satisfie and to establish your thoughts in this point, I shall give you two expresse testimonies in the Scripture, that God does punish his people for sin, though their sins be pardoned. The one is of David, 2 Samuel 12:14. Howbeit, because by this deed you hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the childe also that is born to you, shall surely dye. I will punish you in your child, I will pardon your sin, yet I will punish your sin; so likewise in 2 Samuel 7:14. 15. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: If hee commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men, but my mercy shal not depart away from him, &c. A promise to Solomon, I will be his father, and he shall be my son: but if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with rods. And the Psalmist, when he quotes this expression, referres it to all the godly, Psalms 89:31, 32. If they break my Statutes, and keep not my commandements; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. It was not onely true of Solomon, but it is spoken of all the Church, If they commit iniquity, I will chastise them with rods. See, here a Solomon may be chastned with rods if he commits iniquity: in fact, not only one man, but all the Church, 3. 2. You onely have I known of all the families of the earth, therfore I will punish you for all your iniquities. If God be severe, it is with his own people to make them smart for sin: he may spare wicked men, and not punish them here, because he has his hell for them hereafter: but this shall be all the hell of a godly man, and all their punishment. I, but this is Old Testament, and thus the Antinomians take off, and evade this Scripture: but does God so in the New Testament? Yes, in the New Testament, Rom. 8. 20, And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin. He speaks of the beleeving Romans that death on their bodies was because of sin. And then the Apostle speaks to the godly Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11. 29, 30. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation or judgement to himselfe, not discerning the Lords body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. Many godly men were sick and weak for their prophaning the Lords Supper: and this is under the New Testament, that the Apostle says, as approving the righteous judgement of God, let not us commit fornication, as some of them commited, 1 Cor. 10. Let not us fall as they fell, and many of them it is probable among the 23 thousand were good men: The Apostle approves of Gods Judgement to bee righteous in that Act.

Only one objection against this.

Does not the Scripture say, in Isa. 53. That the chastisement of our peace was laid on Christ? now if all those chastisments that were due to us for sin, were laid on Christ, does not this derogate from Christs sufferings that hee must suffer too? does not this intimate that Christs sufferings were not satisfactory?

The Answer is easie.

That when we say, we suffer for sin, and are punished for sin, understand it thus, there is a great deal of difference between our suffering for sin and Christs suffering for sin; we doe not suffer for sin as Christ did, because our punishments for sin are not by way of satisfaction to Divine Justice, but onely by way of castigation from Divine Justice: when God does punish a pardoned man with some outward Judgement for sin, it is no satisfaction, no compensation: when the text says, that our chastisements are laid upon Christ: the meaning is, Christ suffers for sin by way of satisfaction, he appeals Gods wrath, he satisfies Gods Justice for the sins that we have done: should we lose our bloud for a sin, should we give the fruit of our body for the sins of our soul, yet this cannot make a compensation for sin: therefore it may well consist that God punished Christ for our sins by way of satisfaction to his Justice, and may punish us by way of castigation, as a father his children.

Now to ratifie and satisfie your thoughts the more in this: that though God does pardon a sin, yet hee will punish for a sin: take some reasons for it.

First, Because wicked men that are punished for sin, would accuse God of partiality and injustice, should he punish them and not his own people for the same sin: wicked men would account God partiall: but the wicked shall say, I see Gods own people are punished in this life, more severely then I am: the Lord does it to vindicate the impartiality of his Justice, that he will not spare sin where ever finds it.

A second Reason is, Because God does command Magistrates to execute punishments in this life for sin even upon good men; therefore if he commands a Magistrate to punish a good man for his sin, surely he does approve of their punishment. Suppose a good man should commit adultery, he was to dye for it: suppose he should commit murder, he was to dye for it; if God did command that p[••]nall punishment should be inflicted on good men in this life, then surely he might doe it much more himself.

Case. 3 The third Case of Conscience is this, Whether does pardon of sin, go before faith and repentance, or else follow after? I doe not speak now of the priority of nature, but of the priority of time. This is a usefull question.

There are many Books in Print, made by severall Antinomians that plead for this, and they say that repentance is not a condition to qualifie the subject to obtain forgiveness, but onely a signe to manifest that sin is forgiven, and that a man is pardoned from all eternity, that before a man beleeves and repents, he is pardoned: which is a falshood, for to a beleever the Apostle does confine pardon. Rom. 3. 25. Whom God has set forth to bee a propitiation, through faith in his bloud, to declare his righteousnesse, for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. For sins that are past, those sins you have committed and have repented of, he gives you pardon for all them. He that confesss and forsaks his sin, shall fiade mercy, and he that does not so, shall not find mercy. He that hids his sin shall not prosper.

I answer to this query, that God does pardon sin after a man repents and beleeves, not before: and to give you a proofe for this: First, I shall give you the grounds from the Scripture: then absurdities that would follow if this were not so.

First from the Scripture, Observe, that the Scripture does limit and confine pardon to a repenting state. Acts 3:19. Repent you therefore and be converted, that your sin may be blotted out. No blotting out of sin without repentance, Repent that your sin may be blotted out. Acts 26:18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darknesse to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me. So that till you beest turned from darknesse to light, untill you beest turned from Satan to God, you hast not received forgiveness of sins: mark the antecedent word, hee opens their eyes, &c. therefore God expresly does tye forgiveness of sin to repentance: and so in Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse. There is first a confession, this is a part of repentance, and then forgiveness.

Secondly, there is no promise in all Scripture, that God will pardon a sin before repentance for sin: but there are many promises that God will pardon when they doe repent, Jeremiah 23:8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me, and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. Many promises, that when men repent of sin they shall have [•]in pardoned: but there is never a promise that has any shew, that before a man repents he shall have pardon.

Thirdly, the Scripture does lay all men under a state of wrath and condemnation, till they beleeve and repent unlesse you repent you shall all likewise perish, Luk. 13. 5. I tell you, In fact: but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. Ephes. 2. 3. Among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fullfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the minde, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, Vers. 12. that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. No hope of heaven, no hope of pardon in an unconverted state. Now by the sufferings of Christ, wee receive pardon; a man unrepenting, is a man without Christ, therefore surely without pardon. Therefore the Antinomians doctrine does bolster men in profanenesse: saying (in a manner) to a drunkard, go on in drunkennesse, for God has pardoned you from all eternity: but I say, Repent therefore, that your sins may bee blotted out. There are not onely these expresse testimonies in Scripture, and reasons grounded thereupon; but manifold and grosse absurdities that would follow if you should deny this truth. This would follow then, that there is no difference between a converted man, and a man unconverted: and is not this grosse to say that there is as much comfort to a man before he is converted, as to one after he is converted?

Secondly, if a man is pardoned before he beleeves and repents, then this destroyes Justification by faith, being justified by faith we have peace with God. Now justification is a pardoning of sin, is Gods gracious act, and not imputing sin to you; when the Scripture says, I am justified by faith, and the Antinomian says, I am justified without faith, where lyes the error? Now then to say that a man is pardoned before he beleeves and repents, is in express terms to contradict the Scripture, when the Scripture says, he is justified by faith.

The Antinomians have this evasion, say they, a man is pardoned before he beleeves, he is actually pardoned; but when he beleeves, then he has manifestation of pardon. On this evasion, another grosse error will follow; for by this reason faith is no more instrumentall to justification, then as it is declarative to a man that he is justified: whereas the Scripture says there is more use of faith, for faith is an instrument actually to lay hold on Christ for pardon; the grace of love to Christ, the grace of humility, the grace of selfe-deniall, and the grace of mortification; these do evidence and declare a pardoned state as well as faith: this is to destroy the main use of faith, and makes faith of little or no use in Justification.

Again, another absurdity will follow, to say that a man before he repents is pardoned, it is as much as to say, before a man be in Christ, he is pardoned: this is false, for without Christ there is no pardon. I might run over many absurdities that would follow in denying this orthodox point.

Object. 1 There is one strong Objection, which is this.

Answ. 1 Does not God love a man from all eternity? and does not the Scripture say, that we were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid? Now God electing of us, or loving of us, is Gods pardoning of us; if God does love a man before he was born, then sure God does pardon a man from eternity. To argue from Gods love to actuall pardon, is as great an absurdity as to argue, that because God did purpose from all eternity to create the world, therefore the world was created from eternity. God decrees to pardon from all eternity, God executes this decree when you art converted, God does manifest this, that he has pardoned you, when he does give you the assurance of his love. Antinomians make onely the decree and the manifestation, and leave out the execution of it.

Secondly, observe this, That when we say that God does love a man from all eternity, you must not understand it, that it is a love in purpose: and Divines do give this solid and usefull distinction in it, that there is a twofold love in God, there is a love of purpose▪ and a love of complacency or delight: the love of purpose is in God towards elect men from all eternity, that is, a love where God has a purpose in time to doe a soul good: but a love of complacency and delight in God, is not in God till he be converted: before conversion, God has not a love of delight, for there is nothing in you that God should take delight in: At that time you were children of wrath: God does not love an elect man with the love of complacency, till hee be converted, untill he does repent and beleeve.

Object. Another objection is this.

Does not God pardon a man before hee beleeves, and repents, then what say you of young Infants which cannot actually beleeve or repent, you will not be so cruell to say that all Infants go to hell.

Answ. 1 I answer, I am farre from thinking that all Infants go to hell: I beleeve that Heaven is as full of Infants as any other rank of years in the world; yet this plea will make nothing for those that plead for justification before repenting and beleeving, this is onely spoken of justificacation and salvation of Infants without actuall beleeving.

Thirdly consider, that there is a great difference between the state of an Infant, and of men grown to years: the scripture tels you,that faith comes by hearing, that is in men grown in years they must get their faith in an ordinary way by hearing the Word preached: but this rule holds not for young Infants, because they are not capable of understanding, they wanting the use of reason, and God expects no more from them then he gives ability: faith comes by hearing, faith the scripture: but says the Antinomian, what need I hear, what need I pray, for a man may have pardon without all? But consider, that though children cannot exercise faith, yet children may have habituall faith, as Divines say, children may have grace seminally, though they cannot have the exercise of grace. You canst not tell, says Solomon, how the bones of a childe grow in the womb, therefore much more how God by a strange and a powerful manner can implant and impresse grace in the heart of a sucking babe; yet there is grace in elect children: in an elect child there is seminall grace, and habituall grace. As there is sin seminall in a childes nature, that before a childe can act sin, it has sin; so by the same reason, they are capable of grace, you that will deny grace to children, will fall into the Pelagian error, that a childe has no sin: but a childe has a depraved nature, a nature enclining to sin; therefore when it comes to years, though it should never see a sin cōmited, yet would it sin: a child cannot act grace cannot act faith & repentance, that is true, but a child may have grace habituall; therefore Christ took children in his arms and blest them, surely they must be gracious children; such children are pardoned: we know not how to express their faith, but they have an habituall faith. And thus much for the answering of that third case of conscience.

The fourth Case to be handled, is this, Whether it be consistent with the state of pardon to commit often the same grosse sin over and over again? It is needfull to touch upon this case, because it perplexs troubled mindes. I shall speak to this point two wayes.

First, by way of comfort.

Secondly, by way of Caution,

First, by way of Comfort.

The first answer is this, That it is clear by an induction of particular instances in Scripture, that pardoned men have fallen often into the same sin, this is most clear.

First, if you referre it to spirituall sins, to evils that are of daily incursion, evils that are inward and spirituall, spirituall pride, distempered passion, omission in duties; a pardoned man may many times fall in such sins as these.

Further, it is clear by induction of instances in Scripture that a pardoned man may fall into grosse sins, oftentimes into the same sin: some instances, one is of Ioseph, it was a grosse sin for Joseph to swear an heathenish Oath, by the life of Pharoah, Genesis 42:15. Hereby you shall bee proved, by the life of Pharaoh you shall not go forth hence except your youngest brother come here. Send one of you and let him fetch your brother, and you shall be kept in prison that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies. Yet the Jewes were so well instructed, and had such prohibitions against swearing, one should thinke that they should not be guilty of so grosse an evill; yet Joseph being in Pharoahs court among heathens, he swore twice by the life of Pharoah. And thus you read of Jehosaphat, he fell twice into the same sin, he made a league with Ahaziah King of Israel, he loved them that were enemies to God, 2. Chron. 20 35, 36, 37. And after this did Jehosaphat King of Judah joyn himselfe with Ahaziah King of Israel, who did very wickedly: And he joyned himself with him to makships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodanah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehosaphat, saying, because you hast joyned thyselfe with Ahaziah, the Lord has broken your works: and the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish. Twice he ran into the same sin. If there were no more spoken of Sampson in the New Testament, then in the Old, it were questionable whether he was a good man or no: but what read you of Sampson? You read of him first of al, that he maryed a heathenish woman, which was against Gods command. In fact, he fell to the same sin when the Philistims killed her, then he maryed a whore, chap. 16, 1. then went Samson to Gaza,and saw there an harlot, and went in to her. In fact again, you shall find him fall three times into the same sin. He did three times tell a lye, one after another; when Daliah came to inveagle him on the instigation of the Philistims that she should learn where Sampsons strength lay: first says Sampson, If they bind me with seven green withs, that were never dryed; then shall I be weak, and be as another man. But when he was bound, he broke the withs as one would break the thred in two when it touchs the fire: then says she, why hast you deceived me and told me a lye? then hee told her againe, If you wilt binde me with new ropes that were never used, then I shall be weak like another man: but he broke the ropes. In fact, he tels her a third lye, he said to her, If you weavest the seven locks of my head with the web, then my strength will go from me, and this she did also, and his strength remained. But the fourth time hee told her truth, says he, If I bee shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like another man: and she caused the seven locks upon his head to be shaved off, and his strength went from him. I speak this to a perplexed conscience; that good men may be so overborn, that they may frequently act over the same sin again and again.

Then Peter that did lye three times as Sampson did, Peter did deny Christ three times with an oath and a cursing.

Therefore this should be something to stay the doubting and desponding heart, that not only sins of an unavoidable infirmity, secret spiritual sins, but also sins that are more obnoxious to infamy and scandal, good men have fallen into, and yet have been pardoned.

Another answer, that Jesus Christ Christ bids us to forgive our brother that sins against us in one day seventy times seven; if Jesus Christ cals for this at our hands, who have hardly a drop of bowels, surely God that has a sea and a vast Ocean of mercies, can forgive a sin, and will forgive a sin, though it be often reiterated.

Thus much for the answer to that question, as to the comfort of troubled souls.

Now by way of Caution, that this comfort the scripture gives be not abused.

The first Caution is this, That though it be possible a man may fall often into the same sin; yet it is not usuall so to doe; it is a note that Mr Hildersham has on Ps. 51. touching Davids foul sin. I doe not read of any expresse example in all the Scriptures of a godly man falling oft into the same grosse sins after repentance, and after humiliation for that sin. Observe this further, that though it be possible, yet it is but very rare, and though there be instances that some men have done so, yet there are not more plentifull instances that good men have not done so, I will give you a few instances. Jehosaphat entred into a sinfull league with Ahaziah as he had done before with his father, but when the Prophet rebuked him; read the story, 1 King. 22. He had sinned a once with his father, but he would not sin a second time with his Son, so that, here you see a good man would not second time joyn with an Ahaziah; So likewise you have the instance in Judah, that was in father in law to Thamar, Genesis 28:26. And Judah acknowlegded them and said; she has been more righteous then I, because that I gave her not to Shelah may son: and he knew her again no more. It was not again done, he knew her again no more, so as Divines do usually urge it; Noah was drunke, but never but once, and that before he knew the strength of the grape. David was adulterous, but never but once: This therefore shall be one caution.

Secondly, Take this caution, that you might not bee emboldned to run often into the same sin; if a man does often commit the same grosse sin, it argues a greater strength and prevalency that sin has over him then all other sins. Physitians say, that a disease that a man does often relaspe into, argues the strength of these peccant humours that feed the disease; if you often fallest into lusts, it argues the prevalency of a lustfull temper.

In the third place, Relapses into the same grosse sin, are very dangerous and deadly symptomes of a man in a lost condition, I do not say, they are such symptoms that infalibly conclude a man to be an unpardonable man; I may say as Physitians say of a relapse into the same disease; the second time is more dangerous then the first; the reason is, because the first sicknesse feeds on the ill humours, but relapse into the same sickness feeds on the vitall spirits: Beloved, the falling and relapsing into the same sin is a dangerous symptome, it is a clear symptome of the prevalency of that sin. It is worth your notice what symptomes, the Lord does give of the plague of leprosie for the Priest to judge that disease by, Leviticus 13. the first symptome was when the hair was turned white in the fore; Divines accommodate that to a continuance in sin to old age, that argues you are unclean Lepers. Another symptome was, when there was raw flesh in the scab; Divines accommodate that to a man being adventurous to sin against a raw, a troubled and a wounded Conscience. A third sign of the plague of leprosie was, when after the sore was healed, there should a new scab arise in the place thereof: thus when after you hast healeda sin, by vows, by fasting and prayer, by holy purposes in Christs strength, and after the healing the same sore breaks out, and the same lust breaks in upon you, this is a dangerous symptome.

Fourthly, that you might not be adventurous on sin, and so acuse this comfort: consider, that falling often into the same sin, does more harden the heart then any thing in the world, habituating and indulging a mans selfe into the same road of wickednesse; there is nothing in the world does more harden the heart, then when the same sin has an usual inroad into your conscience & life, then all tendernesse and remorse of conscience wil be taken away; I speak meerly on this ground, that seeing you have instances that men may often fall into the same grosse evils, yet let these four considerations keep you from abusing this comfortable point. I, but you will say, if I do fall often into the same sin, what may be to stay my heart up that I may be in a pardoned state for all this? I say this to you, though you dost fall often into the same sin; yet if your conscience bears you witness you dost exercise the same grace often in opposition to the same sin, you mayest have a great deal of comfort that you art in a state of pardon.

Case. 5 The fifth case follows.

But whether may a godly man that is pardoned pray for pardon of sin? Antinomians account this to be needless; they account all prayer for pardon to be onely in this sense; to wit, of pardon, and a manifestation of pardon.

Answ. First, though it be true, that God does not call a man to pray for those things that are perfectly done so as never to be done again, as election and creation; yet God does command us to pray for those things that are still a doing, I am not to pray to God to create the world, it is perfectly done, I am not to pray for Election, it is so done as never to be done more. I am not to pray for the incarnation of Christ, Christ is come into the flesh, but though I am not to pray for these things that are so fully and perfectly done; yet I am to pray for those things that are still adoing, pardon of sin is an act of God that is still in doing, therefore the Apostle referrs pardon, Rom, 3. 24, 25. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his bloud, to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. And as sin is remitted and repented of, it is pardoned; therefore that reason is not valid to take off men from praying for pardon of sin, the Scripture does express it, I acknowledged my transgression and you forgavest. Math. 6. 12. and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters. That Plat-form according to which we are to model our prayers, the Antinomians would evade the Text and pretend, that in that Text and such Scriptures we onely pray for a sense and manifestation of pardon in the conscience, and not for actuall exhibition of pardon in regard of God.

To take off this, first, the next words in the Petition, are to be taken for a reall forgiveness, not a forgiveness in sense and feeling; for consider the whole Petition, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespasse against us; there can be no reason shewen why the first part of the Petition should be taken for sense and feeling of forgiveness, and the other should not be taken so.

Secondly consider this, that in the same sense you must understand a sin to be forgiven, as in Scripture language it is spoken not to be forgiven; a sin is said not to be forgiven when there is an actuall guilt lies upon a man; a guilt abiding upon the person of a wicked man that is not taken away, Mat. 12. 32. And whoever speaks a word against the son of man, it shall be forgiven him, but whoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not bee forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. They that understand forgiving only in sense and feeling, must understand this clause, not forgiving onely in sense and feeling, and so no reall guilt to lye upon the man: so that,

It is against the nature of forgiveness to be only forgiving sin in a mans own conscience.

Case. 6 A sixt case is this, Whether when a man in suing for pardon, ought to make any difference between great sins and small sins. The Stoicks say all sins are alike, and there is no difference; It is true, in regard of the object, all sins are against God; yet when you come to beg pardon for sin, according as your sins are greatned, you are accordingly to behave your selves in seeking for pardon: God can pardon great sins as well as small, in regard of God there is no difference, nor in regard of the merits of Christ; but yet in your behavior in seeking for pardon of sinne you are to make a great difference between the greatnesse and the smallnesse of your evils: For consider, the scripture makes a difference between sins; therefore we must doe so; The Scripture compares some sin to Camels, and some to Gnats; The Scripture compares some sin to beams, and some to motes, some sins as talents, and others but as pence, and in Amos there is mention made of mighty sins Amos 5. in John of greater sins, Joh. 19. 11. Jesus answered, You couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given you from above; therefore he that delivered me to you, has the greater sin. It is true, every sin deserves hell, yet there is more of the punishment of hell inflicted on some sinners then others, the reason why I speak of this case, is to let you know, that as God has suffered any of you to fall into aggravated and heinous evils, so he requires more of you then of other men. Consider, That God requires of you more humiliation then he requires of other men: In the Law you read that if a man toucht the unclean thing, he was unclean till evening, but if a man bare an unclean thing he was to wash his cloths, to shew that the touch of sin requires humiliation; but the bearing of a sin in your bosome, your continuing in sin requires more work then meerly the touch of sin; Peter wept bitterly for his deniall, he did more for that sin then for an ordinary sin. So that you are to consider, that though in regard of Christ there is no difference between a great sinne and a small; as the red Sea could drown Pharaoh and his host as well as a single man; so Christs blood can drown a huge host of sins; but yet you must encrease your humiliation on the aggravation of your guilt; thus much for the sixth case of Conscience.

Case. 7 The seventh is this;

What are those great and heinous circumstances that doe greaten sin; that so I may see whether I have aggravated my sin or not; here are these circumstances which do aggravate and greaten sin.

Ans. 1 First, Sinning against the frequent manifestation of Gods love to your soul, this greatly aggravates sin; this did aggravate Solomons sin,1 King. 11. Solomon was the beloved of the Lord, yet he provoked him to anger, after he had appeared to him twice.

Secondly, To sinne against the rebukes and checks of your own Conscience, does greaten sin, Jam. 4. 17. Therfore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin. It is sin to another man that does not know it; but to him that knows it, it is a greater sin; this Christ refers to and speaks of Judas that would betray him; and yet knew that he was the Son of God: What, my Disciples to betray me! his sin was the greater, Conscience is Gods Officer in man; it is a greater fault to strike a Constable then an ordinary man out of Office; for you to sin against the rebukes and checks of Conscience, aggravates sinne.

Thirdly, To sin against Gods judgements upon other men, is an aggravated evill; for you to sin when God has given you warning of sin from other mens blood; this did aggravate Belshazzars sin, Daniel 5:22. 23. And you his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled your heart, though you knewest all this; But hast lifted up your selfe against the Lord of heaven, &c. You that knowest how a man is plagued for his uncleannesse; you that knowest how a man is plagued for riotous living, yet you wilt live riotous, and you wilt live adulterous, that your sin is the greater, you sinnest against the monument of the eie, as well as against the warning of the eare.

Fourthly, Sin against Gods judgements upon our selves, does weighten sin; this did aggravate Abaz sin, 2 Chron. 28. 22. And in the time of his distresse, he did trespasse yet more against the Lord.

Fifthly, To sinne against mercies is an aggravation of sin, 2 Sam. 12. I delivered you out of Sauls hand, I gave you your Masters house, I gave you the house of Israel, and if all this had been too little for you, I would have moreover given you such and such things; Therefore hast you despised? &c. What you sinne David, and hast been loaden with a heap of mercies? this greatens your sin.

Sixthly, It greatens sin, when the sinne is immediately against God, 1 Samuel 2:25. If one man sin against another, the Judge shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? If a man sinnes against God, O who shall plead for him?

Seventhly, To sin against the motions of Gods spirit, aggravates sin, when the spirit of God shall in your Conscience perswade you that you wouldst not follow such wicked ways as you art walking in; when the Spirit of God shall come and wooe you to be reconciled, to alter your course, and to walk in better paths; when not only the voice of conscience, but the motions of Gods Spirit shall be stifled, this aggravates sin: Hence it is that Scripture in setting out the wronging and withstanding the spirits motion, whether to good, or from evill, does ascend by gradations: sometimes it is called quenching the spirit;Quench not the Spirit; a higher degree, there is a grieving the Spirit, when there are frequent acts to withstand divine motions, that is a grieving the Spirit. And then there is an higher aggravation then this, that is, resisting the Spirit, Acts 7:51. You stiffe necked, and uncircumcised in heart and eares, yee doe alwaies resist the Holy Ghost, as your Fathers did, so do you: This is caused by pertinaciousnesse in withstanding the spirits motion. And then the scripture speaks of vexing the spirit, Isa. 63. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit, therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and fought against them: This is not only by one single act; but when continually throughout your course, you hast a wilfull and a gainsaying heart against all the motions of Gods spirit within you: Must not this be a great evill in you, when you dost quench, grieve, resist, and vex the spirit? all these circumstances must needs aggravate and greaten your sin.

Eightly, Sin is aggravated when you dost frequently fall into the same sin.

Ninthly, Sin is aggravated when it is done in a way of complacencie, that it is not onely acted by you, but loved by you, the acting of a sin, is not so much as a loving of sinne.

Tenthly, Sin is aggravated when it is done by eminent and public persons, whose example draw other men to sin, and this did aggravate Jeroboams sin, 2 Kin. 17. 21. For he rent Israel from the house of David, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat King, and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord, and made them sin a great sin. You that hast sinned a sin, and art a public person, your sins are other mens sins, your is a greater sin then another mans sin is; for every act that you hast done, will be an imboldning and encouragement of others to do the like.

It aggravates sin, when God does punish other men for your sin, this makes the sins of Rulers to be great sins, because for their sins God may punish the people, as for Davids sin in numbring the people, there did thousands of Israel die of the plague; when you sinnest in your family, God may punish all the house for that sin, this you shall find an aggravation of Abrahams sin, Genesis 20:9. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, What hast you done to us, and what have I offended you, that you hast brought on me and on my Kingdome a great sin? you hast done deeds to me that ought not to be done.

Sin is an aggravated sin when it is done by a man that lives under much means of grace; where the Gospell is preached, where sin is reproved, there to live in a way of wickednesse, greatens your sin: that made a woe to be pronounced by Christ, against Chorazin and Bethsaida, because they had the Gospell, it should be worse with them then with Sodom and Gomorrah.

Sin is aggravated, when they are against many vows, purposes, and prayers, and many holy resolutions, you addest perjurie to your iniquitie, and that aggravates your sinne.

Oh then admire the riches of Gods pardoning grace, that he forgives sins cloathed with many aggravated circumstances; O then what remains? there are two things to be done by you:

First, If at any time you find that you are under these aggravations, that you can call your sins the iniquity of sin; O then you should admire and magnifie the multitude of Gods mercy, that great sins cannot out-vie Gods mercy, but Gods mercy out-vies your great sins, Magnifie pardoning grace the more; Paul says, 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, &c. O do you say so, I have been thus vile and thus wicked, I have thus abounded in sin, yet through the abundance of grace and love, I have obteined mercie. O let this inhance the value of Christs blood.

Secondly, Labour to greaten your own graces; hast you been notorious in sin? why shouldst not you be great in humiliation, great in repentance.

And thus I have by the good hand of God in these Sermons, handled two Doctrines to you, the one touching Davids penitentiall act confessing sin, and the other of Gods gracious act, The Lord forgave him the iniquity of his sin.

FINIS.