Burroughs - Houston-Packer Collection BT750 .B945 1674

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Tl-lefe are tocertifie all into whole hands this Book (hall corne, that thefe Ser- mons contained in this Book (on Pfal. 32. i. Blefed is be whofe Tran[gre f ion is forgiven andwhofe Sm is covered)) Entituled Go jpel Xcp nnßion, and Printed for Dorman Newman Sta- tioner, are the painful andprofitable Labours of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs, and published b; the bell andmoll Exact Copy extant. 7411. 17. x668. Philip Nye, WilliamGreenhill, WilliamBridge, WilliamAdderly, )iatth.Ñlead, C. Helms.

GOSPEL q,EMISSIO1òl, Or a rREA rI S E fhe« ing, t1,at TRUE BLESSEDNESS CONSISTS IN Pardon of Sin. Wherein is DiCcovered Many Carpel Myfleries therein Contained. (wax E'Teasproceedingfrom it. Th° Great Mifakes made about it. PrueSigns and symptomes of it. Wily and Means to obtain it. By Jeremiah Burroughs. Being leverai Sermons Preached immediately after aloft of Thz Evil of Sin by the fame Author. And nowPublic ed by William Adderly,, wiEiarnGreenhill, Matth. Mead. williamBridge, C. ,Tlrlmes. ein if)eeanb sattion. The Inhabitant Mall not fay, Iam fck : the People that dwell therein (hallbeforgiven their Iniquities, Ifai. 3 London, Printed for Dor. Newman, and are to be fold at his Shop at the Kings Arms in the PonTy. z 674.

41.114141M1111W To the R EAD E R. .Cliri+.1ian Reader, e provident care of God is man i fefed to.- ward his p1 e th i e Peo l re ent Pryyervation uf, and provi f "m for them. -To have the mouths of Lions flopped when ive are cati into the nmid'f% of their Den ; the Waters to be a wall about us on the right hand and on the left, which in their own ira: turc and tendency would overwhelm :gis, to have t&e 13q72 burning, and not -cors fiwzed, are as evident toz .kens of thegood wa of bain -that dwelt:in the bulb , of Gods prefeuce -with and owning, of his afflicted (People now, as in the days of old ; yea to have Irony out ofthe flinty 1<ock, Manisa in the Wildernefs, a voice behind us, Sayin,Tbi is the way, walk an ït enforceth as great an obligation to admiration and thankfulneJs upon as, as upon tha ifraelites of old. 4nnong7l the many Pngli fly Prophets who are dead, andyet Beak,, the pVerend Author of the era Juin Treade m y chalienne a place with thefill Worms 4; thies

To the Reader. thies : His Works, not my words are the bell p tors to commend him:. That Scripture p maybe written upon his Stepney and Cripplegate LeFtures,, -This and that man was born they For althouuh many now living, do through me c. y enjoy able 1 eachers and In ruEtors ; 1 ' ,yet clo they orne to him the Naine of Father, ah an Instrument of their Conver/iota. I may boldly apply that a inn holy Burroughs which kas 'poke?! y ó to Learned Divine beyond Sea : Meruerunt a doa.i etiampojt funera vivere,.ac docere fcri 1 pti-s pofteros, quos infeliciter poII eos nafci contigit ; in eo auter virorunn ordine Bur - roughiium reponere,.nemo præter eum, uì proprix'diffidit virtuti, prohibebi.t. 7 hefe Sermons prefented to thy r pi -w are with the help ofanable Learned`. %wine, (who ago' beard thefe Sermons preached,) call- into that form Trart that now thou fall them in without a material ,additions or .íJlterations.. The time the ,everend ,Author: preached them, an,ssi i.xtlaen order after tho/e convincing Sermons o in fulnefs of Sin; Jo that this Gof el Soi the fin, l fcourf wits then a wordfpo p evivrn7 ke iii. dre¡ea fon. d' In this Treats e thou haft fp rightly the G0 el Grace fl.ated y , j fl'ice of Ged cleared, the Mercy of God

To the Reader. God exalted, poor trembling 'inners incouraged to come to the Blood of Chop for Pardm pre. fumptuous jinners awakened out of their deadly de ludit¡g Dreams of Heaven, when -thy are .ready to drop into Hell. In a word, here thou may'll take a rviewof the Love of tl)e Father, the Grace of the Son, the Fountain opened for Sin, andfor Unclean.- nefs Cordial Waters of Life for finking and _faint in 'inners, here thou malfi behold Sin, Damning fin, finthat God4)ates,and ,cannot but hate ; Sin that God puniibtth, and cannot but punifh taken off thepoor believing finner and laid upon his Surety ; fin condemned and punifred in jefus aryl., and the Believing limier jullifyed, pardoned, acquitted, If therefore thou prieft peace with God through feJu's °rift Pray for light to direE thee into A diflinn knowledge of tkis Gofpel Truth , and take up this nook and read it, and the Lord sire thee underftanding in all thins, anfwerable to the Defign of the Author, an the Prayer of bite whoherd)) wilheth thy Salvation and groweth in the knowledge of God, and of our Lord and Sa. viour jefus Chrift. C. Helmes.

The Stationer to the READ ER. Iris now long fince Iundertookthe Printing ofthis Rook,,and 'as my IncoHragements were many, fo I. had obtained of one ofthofe ReverendDivine:that havegiven their afteftatin ta . it, toperufe the Work, and hadhis Tefitmony that he heard thole Sermons preached ; andupon perufal ofthemfoundnot any thing e faterial left out , ofwhat the Author Mr. fer, Burroughs delivered ; and knowing that tïr, , Peter Cole (who fmery Printedmany ofthe !Author'sWorhs) had long laid wait and endeavoured tog-et this Copy out ofthe hands of thofe that pub_ lifhed theAuthor's Rookj,ófering as great Rewardfor the fame, but could not obtain it. Andnow at lafl beingfo much wiflied thereunto by bisfriends ; being affured that aT the whole is abtt;,.. dandy fpiritual and lovely in its e%llatter, and that wherein the .veryJpirit andflyle of Mr.: Burroughs is many e ed o there are many things(as I am informed)were .never,fomuc touch'd eipon, or handled byany other Writer, andyet are of very great Importance to be knownby all Intelligent andSober -mindedmen, d thoughtgood,having this flfsrance from them, to certifie fo much_to file Reader. Dor. Newnitrn, o

äßf.011f,ffitcAt tMiA,MtgM vôsv'$öá5'dr'dóóSÖböá Gofpel Remifsion. PSAL. XXXII. I. BIefed is he robofe Tranfgreflion isforgiven., andwhole Sin is covered. CHAP. I. TheText Opened, and the main Doctrine Propounded. ! `'/,if Have, as you may remember inmany Ser- mons endeavoured to (hew untoyou the ma- lignity anddreadful evil that there is inSin ; And what more feafonable and fuitable Ar, gument can we now treat of; than the blef.. fednefs of Pardonof Sin ? How fweet and acceptable will this be to fuch fouls , that by the former arguments have been made apprehenfive of the dreadful evil of it ? How readily will they fay with the Pro- phet, How beautiful are thefeet of thofr that bring (fuch) good tidings? Wherefore, me-thinks, while I am reading this Text, I fhouldbe like a man at an Eccho, that hears the words thereof refounded back again, by every broken hearted finner in this Congregation, O, bleffed,bleffed is the man indeedwhole tranf- greions are forgiven, andwhofe fin is covered. fiword fpokçn infea{on(fayes Solomora)is like Apples ofGoldProv. z5. inPi5tures of Silver ; and confidering, how large I have been i s. in openingof the Evil of Sin untoyou, if ever a word was fpoken in due feafon , I hope it may be out of this Text 8 The

Gotpel Tvnn1sion. The word of Reconciliation and pardon of Sin ; and if God finable me to clear up unto you the excellency of thofe Trútils contained in this Scripture, I hope they will prove in all your eyes to be as Apples of Gold in Piaures of Silver. The words read , are the firfl words of one of David's Penitential Pfalms and they are indeed the genuine voice of a true Penitent ; the very Charac`fer of an humble Pe nitential Soul ; he is one that has admiring thoughts cf the bleffednefs of the pardon of fin. I will not fpend time in Analyfing the whole Pfalm , becaufe the fweetnefs and bleffednefs of the Argument draws my heart to come pre-. fently to it ; And blefTed may your ears be, who after hear- ing of the dreadful evil of fin, may come to hear the bief-. fed docrine of Pardon ; it is that which God has denyed to many thoulands : And who knows but many even of thole that in this Congregation have heard the forrow of that Docirine, are now gone ( perhaps to their own place ) and feel what they then heard , and much more, and are pal} ever hearing the argument of pardon and lórgivenefs of fin : that bleffed found Mall never come to their ears ; bur the horrid neife of yelling, roarings , and curlings of damned fpirits, for the wrath of God that lyes heavy on them for tht it fin. This Pfalm in the title of it is a PfaIm of David Maf- chit ; that is, a Pfalm of Infirit ion ; or , for Infru ion And what is á more ufeful Inffruction than to inffrucf the foul where true Lleflédnefs lyes ? And what is a better inftruftion than to tell man the way of the pardon and for- givenefs of fin ? the way to true happinefs ? The happinefs of the reafonable creature is that which many wife men thought to find out, but after all their fearch , they were much puzled , and in the dark , and could never come to find where it lay , by all thewifdom of the flefh ; only the rational creature is capable of bleffednefs , becaufe it is ca- pable of fuch an aft as to reflect upon it felf : that is the ground why the rational creature is capable of bleffed- 1nefs , above all other creatures ; no creature can truly be faid

GoIpel Tvniß:on. -laid to be a bleffed creature , but only the rational ; becaufe no creature elfe can refte& upon its own condition to know it fell. But then not only to know our felves , but our own happinefs ,.Where our bleffednefs lyes ; this muff needs be a profitable inftru&ion. No Philufopher did ever give fuch a defcription of happinefs as this is, Bleffed is the man whofe, &c. yea, David, who had a Monopoly of the com- forts of this world to the full , and had the Crown upon his head, fayes not , Bleffed is he that is Crowned and has a Kingdom. David that had the riches of this world, did not fay, Bleffed is he that bath this worlds goods. David that had honours, and was reputed among the mighty men , did not fay, Bleffed is he that hash worldly honours. David that had many Victories over Enemies, (ayes not , Bleffed is he that rides in Triumph over his Enemies. David that had fumptuous Palaces, and the delights of this world , does not fay , Bleffed is he that has them. But in the midff of all Outward good things, David enjoyed in this world, he finds his bleffednefs to confift in this , The pardon and forgivenefs of hisfins ; he pronounces them and them only bleffed, whofe fin is pardoned. This Inftrution of the bleffednefs of Pardon of Sin , as it lyes here annexed , is of weight indeed , and of infinite concernment : Luther layes , The .A gument of free Yuftif- cation and Rem on of Sin, is that that makes a Divine : and this may be 'added to that, 'tis this that makes a Chriftian ; To be infi'ruCfed rightly in the Tultification of a Sinner, is that that makes a Chrifl'ian. Nay, although we had ten thoufand Inftruaors in other things, not only in Natural knowledge, but in Divinity too , in all the points of it ; yet we could never be wife unto Salvation, except we were inftruc`ted with this inftru6tion , in the bleffednefs of Juftificaiion and par- don offin. Luther fayes, Let this Dofftrine lye dead,andall the whole knowledge ofother Truths is to little purpofe. Therefore well m y the title of the Pililm be a 2f4 w of Inl rufion: Bleffed is the man whofe Tranfgrefonsarc f r inn, andwhofe Iniquities are covered. Wherefore our Point of Dot`trine ac- 'cording to thewords is this. B z Doe.

Go l 1em f siß7i. a:&. The Bleffednefs ofaMan, or ofany Soul, confifts its thefree Grace ofGod forgiving of his fin. That is our point ; the bleffednefs of any man or woman.. does not confift in the enjoyment of any thing in all this world , but in the free grace ofGod forgiving of his fin ; It neither confïfìs in any thing we can do or have, but in the free grace of God forgiving of fm ; and that is the meaning of that Text, Rom. 4.6, 7. which St. Paul cites from this place ór Scripture, obferve it, it is to this very purpofe, even as David alto defcribeth the bleffednefs of the man to whom God imputeth righteoufi efs withoiat works, faying, Bleffed are they whefe Iniquities are forgiven, andwhofe Sins are cover- ed. The fcope of the Apoftle in this place is, to declare that the, . bleffing ofAbraham the father of the faithful confifted not in any thing he had ordid, but in the free grace of God for giving of his fin, Gal. 4. 15; (ayes Paul, Where is the blef- fednefs you fpake of? for, Ibear yoti record, if pofJble, you would have plucks out your own eyes, andgiven them to me . Where is then the bleffednefs you fpake of ? What's the . meaning of this bleffednefs ? certainly this bleffednefs in my Text , it was this 'bleffed doc}rine, St. Paul being firft that brought it to the Galatians ; concerning the free Juftifica- tion of a poor foul by faith in Jefus Chrift , in the free par- don and remiffion of his fin by faith in Chrift ; this, is the bleffednefs fl:oken or : Now , becaufe the Galatians at the firft hearing of this do&rine were fo mightily taken with it, that they cryed out, O this is a bleffed dot`frine Remiffion of Sin by the free grace of God through faith -in Chrift , O this is the blefiedeft dottrine that ever we heard ; they were fo taken with it ,' that if poflible they would . have pluckt out their eyes for Paul, that brought them fuch a dottrine as this at their firft hearing and receiving of it. But after- wards, the Galatians were turned afide by falfe Teachers, that had taken off the edge of their affeefions to this bleffed Truth. Now Paul coming to reprove them , íayes, Where is then the bleffednefs you fpake _ of , there was a time when

Gofpel emiflion. 5 when I firft taught you the Doctrine of the free forgivenefs- or fin by faith in Chrift , and you faid it-was á bleffed Do- &rine, and your.. hearts were mi htíly taken with it, where is it now ? How comes it to pats that your hearts are fo taken off from the efteem you then had of it ?. Where is then the bleíf.dnefs you fpake of ?. Thus it is ufually, the Minifters cf. Chrift come and ',preach Doarine to People that their hearts are taken wish, their fpirits ftirred, and they mighti- ly affected with th-e firft hearing of it ; but afterwards by fóme fin, or the company of carnal friends , their hearts are taken off, though while they were hearing fuch and fuck a Truth their hearts glowed and burned within them. God grant it may not be fo with force of you , who when you, heard lately the Doc`rine of the Evil of Sin, your hearts were mightily áffecfed, and you Paid , O what a dreadful evil is there in fin, in the leaft fin ; and being convinced of it , you bgan to reform ;, yet afterwards you fell off again. May it.not be faid of you, Where is the fenfe of the Evil of. Sin. you fpake of? Where. is that bitternefs upon your hearts, on the convictions you had cf the evil of fin ? Where is it ?. What is become of it ? As St.Paul fayes, the bleffednefs you fpake of, Where is it ? What is become of all that ftrength and power the Doctrine of Remiff.ìon of Sin had upon your. hearts ? Take another Scripture , Rerriffìon of Sin is the fpecial Bleffednefs of the fecond Covenant tha* God made. with Abraham ; when he came to Abraham and told him, In his Seed all Nations fionld be blefed, Gal. .17. compared . with the 24. In the 17. verfe he fpeaks of the Covenant made with Abraham, and that the Law that was 430 years . after , could- not difannul the Promife that it fhould be . of none effect, verfe 2ç. Wherefore then nerved. the Law-? why fayes he, It was our Schoolmafer to bring usunto Chrift - The (cope of the Apoftle. is to Phew, that there is ,a Covenant= of Grace beyond that of the Law , and. that the Covenant of . the Law is to bring us to the. Covenant of Grace : and the . principal thing in,the Covenant of .Grace is in the 2¢;- verfe) The Law, fayes he, was ourSchoolmaf er tobring us unto Cori%. That. we might be jtáftified by faith , and thereby receive B. remííoit.

GoJel RemiSion. remifl.ïon of our fins , if the Scripture places bleffednefs in the remiflion of fin : That it is fo, I fuppofe is clear enough, the mainbufinefs we have to do, is toPhew how it is fo ; that is, to open unto you wherein the bleffednefs of the pardon of fin confifts, and thew you in what particulars the bleffed- nefs of pardon of fin may appear unto you : and to that there are many things may be Paid. . CHAP. II. Of the Bleffednefsof the PardonofSin, which appears z. Nega. tively in the Eril it frees usfrom.. z.. `grHat , that bath been lately delivered of the Evil of Sin, may be of great concernment to difcover where- in the bleffednefs of pardonof fin lyes, the deliverance from fo great an evil , as you heard, the evil of fin was furely, Bided is the man whofe fins areforgiven. If fin be fo dread- ful an evil as you heard, furely, Bleffed is the man that is delivered from all that evil ; if it remain frefh upon your minds, what the evil of fin againf} God was, and what it brought upon your felves ; you cannot but fay, this is one principal thing wherein it appears, that man or woman is bleffed that bath his fin pardoned : If any manor woman be in any great danger, or under any great evil or mifery ; and if he be delivered from it , we fay, that man is a blefredman, or a bleffed woman that is quit from fuch a woful evil that was upon them ; you account your felves happy to be deli- vered from any dangerous (forms , and to have a calm ; Are not they then happy that are delivered from the evil of fin ? Let me (peak a little to a poor finner that underftands what the meaning offin is, and that underftands fomewhat of the dreadful evil of it : I would ask of thee Ohpoor ftrner ; What feeft thou ? the anfwer will be, What fee I i? Oh I fee the angry Countenance of an Infinite God againft me, whofe eyes are as a flaming fire Iooking with indignation upon me ! I fee

Goipei Xemfsion: I. f e.a black difrnal cloud of the difpleafure dale Almighty hanging over me 1 I fee a moll hideous and dreadful fentence of wrath ready to fall upon me ! . I fee wo, mifery, and de- ilruction purfuing of me ! I fee blacknefs of darknefs and de- folation even furrounding me I I both fee and feel the woful accufations of a guilty Confcience within me, condemningme ; continually grating uponmy foul, and terrifying me with dread- ful Vifions of eternal miferies to betide me I I fee the chainof black guilt and horrour on my foul that I carry with me wherefòever I go ! I fee the bottomlefs gulf of eternal horrour and defpar with the mouth of it wide open ready to fwallow me up ! Now then, this fight being prefented before an enlight- ned and awakened Confcience : Now comes in the pardon and forgivenefs of fin whereby this dreadful cloud is difpel'd, the tempeft is gone ; the darknefs and mifery vanifhedaway, and all evil whatfoever the foul is fet free from fin, and from all the dreadful confequences of it. Is not this a Mead man, com- paring his former condition with his prefent flare, looking on him as even now, having the fenfe of the dreadful evil of fin upon his Confcience , and the heavy burden of it on his back, ready to fink under it, into the gulph of mifery, and now par donof fin comes ; O what a blef ed change is this ! O bleffed it the ry..an whofefin is pardoned. Nowwhat God had laid unto his charge, or his own Confcience, the Law, the Devil, or the World, it is all done away, all is difcharged and gone, bleffed is the man that is thus delivered ; Old things arepaft away, and . all things arc become new, 2. Cor.5 . z 7.. it is meant not only of Sanffification, but of Juflification alto, he is a new creature ; Old things are paft away, and all become new.. Brethren, by reafon or the fin of man, there is a curfe upon the whole Creation, and this old Creation muff come to confufion : there- fore it is an evil thing for any man to leek his happinefs in any thing here in the old Creation, for there is a curieupon it, and it will come to confufion. But there is a newCreation ofall in Chrift, of all fpiritual things in Chrift : Now a finner when he comes to have his fin pardoned and be juftified, he comes into a new Rate, that comes in by the new Creation ; the hap- pinefs ofthe Children comes by, and confifts in the newCreati- on

G , el . emïf pion. ° on ; old things are-done away, and he comes tobe feated ita:the new creation in Chrift this is the fiat thing wherein a man or woman is bleffed, Negatively, in being delivered from fo great an evil. 2. Of the Pofitive BleffednefsofthePardonofSin. Secondly, Pofitively, he is a bleffed man whofe fins are for- given, ifwe confider, the excellencyof that mercy God makes that foul partaker of, whofe fins are forgiven, Dan.9.9. To thee Lordour God belongmercies and forgieerieffes, forgivenefs is the fruit ofglorious mercies, Exod .34.6. The Lordis merciful and gracious, long offering and abundant in goodnefs and truth, keeping mercyfor thoufands forgiving iniquity.Now I (hall open this pofitively,and thew the richesofmercy in forgivenefs of `fire When the Scripture applyes mercy to forgivenefs of fin, it bath divers expreflìons, fometimes calls it riches ofmercy, Eph.1.`7. fometimes, plenteous mercy, Pfal. 86.8. fometimes,Godsfulnef ofcart,paffon, Pfal.78.38. Cornetimes,multirude ofmercies, Pfal. 5 r. T. I might give divers other places, but thefe may fuffice ; it is rich, plenteous, fulnefs of compaílìons, and multitude of mercies ; When God forgives fin, he thews mercies in all thefe expreflìons. For the opening of it unto you, I fhall (hew you what abundance of mercy God thews in the forgivenefs of fin, confider mercy a. In the Efficient, 2. In the Final caufe of it, 1. Of the Efficient Caufe ofMercy inforgivenefr ofSin. Firft for the Efficient Caufe : there is abundance of mercy God manifefts in the forgivenefs of fin , he abounds in his mercy, there is a Sea, an infinite vaft Ocean ofmercy, inwhich thefins of the Ele&come to be fwallowed up, though their fins be many, and great, and committed with many grievous aggra- vations : yet when they comb,toan a& ofJuAification,to God,to be forgiven ; fay, God comes to the foul a an infinite Ocean of mercy, that (wallows up all the evil in fin, attend unto it. Look as in themighty Ocean, whether you cart in a load or a thovell full ofearth , the vaft Ocean makes little difference of either

Go#el i Remifsion. 9 either ; fo when a foul comes to God in Chrift, when it comes to Pardon and Juftification, whether fins be little or great, 'tis all one, the mercy of God makes no difference at all ; take heed to what I fay, while I am,fpeaking of forgivenefs of fin, I (hall make known fo much grace, that ifyou abufe it, it will be une of the molt dreadful things that ever you did , and thereforewhile I go.along, take heed ofabufing it, efpecially you that delire to h. ar of (he pardoning mercyof God ; whe- ther your fins be little or great, when you 'come to pardoning mercy , it is an infinite Ocean that fwallows up all ; thofe that have not their fins.psrdoned , whether their fins belittle or great, it makes no différence, they are truly damned for little as well as gnat fins, both finks down into Hell, and the infi- nite Ocean of wrath andhorror fwallows up all : fo in point ofJuftification, whether your fins be little or great, it matters not, pardoning mercy fwallows up all. 2. Of the Final Carsfe ofMercy in forgivenefs ofSin. Secondly, But further, as Mercy is an infinite Ocean that fwallows up Sin, fo Mercy is the Final Caufe. It is to this end that God might manifeft the riches of his grace ; whenGod forgives any one fin, this forgivenefscomes fromGods mercy, and it is to this end, That Ge.d may declare before Men and Angels, to all eternity , what the greatnefs and infinite riches of his grace is, what the graceof God is able to do when God comes to pardon fin ; 'tis for this end, as ifhe fhould fay, Well, I am about now to pardon thy fin, and this work I am about to do, it is for this very end, that it may be known to Men and Angels to all eternity , what the infinite riches of the infi- nite grace of God is able to do for poor finners. Now cer- tainly, that man is a bleffed man ,. if the man whofe fins are - pardoned bath fuch'mercy 'hewed to him , and fuch a bletíèd workupon him, as is to that end, that Godmay declare to all eternity what the glorious riches of wee of an infinite God is ; furely thisis a great bleffednefs , when God 'hall feparate a manor woman for this end, it muff be very glorious '; cer-' tainl)? therefore pardon of fin is no light and mean thing,' but

to. Goff el (ke»zijsiozz. i muft be a mofl glorious work of God wherefoever it fs : And.` this Confideration is a mighty Argument to uphold a poor foul under trouble of fin , and a great incouragement for him to come in for pardon ; Doft thou fee O troubled foul Gods wrath againft thee, and doff thou fland quaking at the apprehenfion of the evil of fin ? let not thy heart fink, come in, and call thy felfon the free grace of God, there is a poflibility for the pardon of thy fin ; for when God comes to pardon fin, the mercy God Thews in pardoning ofany one fin, hedoes it to the end that he might magnifie the riches of his grace to all eter- nity, and fuch mercy that frrves to that end muff needs be glo- rious And will not fuch mercy ferve thy turn, as muft fet out the infinite rich grace of God ? God is pleafed to manifeft thus muchmercy for the forgivenefs of thy fin ; and where a firmer is forgiven, it is this mercy that is manifefted : when men judge of God by themfelves, they think (lightly of him, when they judge of Gods thoughts by their own What is the reafon that makes fanners have fuch flight thoughts of fin, but becaufe they judge ofGod by themfelves, that he abhors fin no otherwife than man does, and fo hope they may do well enough, mea- furing the infinite hatred that God hath to fin by their own : fo on the other fide, the fanner that is convinced of the dreadful evil of fin is ready to defpair ; Why ? becaufe he judges of God by himfelf ; as if the mercy of God were no other than the mercy of man ; not confidering the mercy of God in pardoning fin, is fuch mercyas is to Thew his grace in the riches of it to all eternity. Well then, that man to whom fuch mercy is Ihewn muff needs bevery bleffed. e CHAP.- III. Of the wonderful ,Myf?eries of Godlinefs in forgivenefs of Sin. Hardly, Bleffed is the man whofe fins are forgiven, becaufe there is a glorious myfterie of godlinefs in forgiving of fin ; the work of God.: in forgiving a firmer bath abundance of glorious

GolPel Xeyn1síon. -i t glorious myfteries in it, the Argument Rands thus ; That mart or woman for whom,God ¡hall work, fuch a work as bath multi- tude of glorious myfteries in it ; that man or woman is bleffed But where ever fin is forgiven, Godworks for that foul fuch a ftrange work , the ftrangeft that ever he did ; a work that bath io many admirable myfteries in it, that in the opening of themwill declare every way that this foul is bleffed. And this is the bufinefs I would now do, to open the myfteries that are in the forgivenefs offin ; and it is to this end, that as I might fer before you thegreat work of God in pardoning fin, fo alío that you might have higher thoughts of it than ever you had before, for that's it I aim at, to raife up the thoughts of men to the right underftanding of this great point of the Juftificationof a finner, that fo you may fancifie Gods Name , by having fuch thoughts of it as the thing it felfcalls for. Ofthe firfi Myfterie, It is by means ofa Mediator. I. Where fin is forgiven, it is by means of a Mediator, be- tweenGodand the Soul, it is through the Mediation of theSorg ofGod,obferve ir,for there is no point in all Religion is ofgreat- er ufe to underftand, than this point of the way ofGod in-par- doningof fin,becaufeof the manymyfteries of God contained in it ; I hope I fhall make it appear it is no flight work and bufi- nefs: Mark then,when God pardons fin,'tis always done through the mediation of the Son of God God never pardons any fin- ner as a Prince does ; when a Malefac`for hath offended him, he comes and humbles himfelf, carts himfelf down at his feet, and cryes, I pray Sir forgive me, and he (ayes, Well, I will for- give you Godnever forgives any fin thus ; and yet it is thus with people when they come to God for pardon, molt of then never think of anyother way. Friends, there muff be a great deal more than fo : for whofoever bath his fins forgiven , it muff be by the venue of the mediation and interceffion o1 the Son of God, he muff Rand up before the Father, and mediate for thy foul : if all the Angels in Heaven flood up to mediate, it would not be fuñcient ; but theSon of God alone mull; do it 'tis as if a Malefactors condition was fo, that the mediation C 2, of

I L Goffel sio11. ofall the Nobles could not prevail with the King for a pardon, but there muff be the mediation of the Prince himfelf to ob- tain it : So I fay, poor foul, thou mail think it a flight bufi- nefs, but know if ever thouart forgiven, it muff be by the me- diation of the Son of God , he muff Rand up to mediate for thee, and plead, Oh Faiher let fuch a poor foul that bath been a Sabbath-breaker, a Lyar, a Drunkard, an Unclean perfon, let his fins be forgiven, and let him not be damned, Father put in his Name for pardon : I (hall not fpeak of it howChrift mediates, but that is and has been his work from all eternity, to medi- ate and make interceflion for thofe he faw before in the eternal Counfel of God fhould live in luch times ; and whatever pardon ofGod is gotten, it is through him ; and if thou poor man ever come(} tobe pardoned,know Chrift hath been mediating to God the Father for thee ; Oh Father, fuch a poor creature that dwells, it may be, in fuch a Cottage, or in fuch an obfcure place, let his name be put in for forgivenefs. And now, is not this a bleed thing , that thou a poor creature fhouldft have the Son of God to mediate for thy name to be put in for par- don 1 this of a truth is fo, if there be any trul in the Divinity of the Word, it is in this, That all the forgivenefs and pardon any creature bath, it is by the mediation of the Son ofGod, and his heart was upon it fromall eternity ; furely here is abundance ofgrace in this one thing, take heed of abufing. it this is the firft myfterie, you muff not look for pardonof fin ina natural way to cry for forgivenefs, but you muff go in the Name of the Mediator in this myftical way. Of thefecond Myfterie, It is through Chrifts undertaking the Debt upon himfelf. z. The fecond myfterie is this, 'Tis not Chrifts intreating the Father will ferve the turn. If ever any fin be forgiven, I befeechyou take notice of it, for I fpeak in the Name of God, and therefore muff take heed of (peaking any thing but the Truths of God unto you ; ifany fin be pardoned,it is not for the Prayer ofChrift, that will not do it : But God the Father (ayes, Son, if you would have the fins of poor fouls forgiven, you muff

Gofiiel e)i11072. l 3 muff take the debt upon your felf, you mutt be their Surety, and you mutt enter into Bonds co pay every farthing of what debt the fanners owe, you mint pay all if you will undertake for theta, fo it is, for will never come upon themfelves for it, but on you : C,rta my there are there tranfac`tions between God the Father, and God the Son, from all eternity about the pardoning of any fin, however you commit a fin, and think not of it,and cry, Lord have mercy upon me, and fo you have dine with ir, there's an end, you think that is all : But I fay unto thee, if thy fia be pardoned, Chrift muft take the debt upon himfelf, arid be thy Surety, a Cor. 5. 21. Fie made` him to be fan fir its that knew nofin ; the way ofpardon is by a tranflation of all our fins up- on Chrift, Chrift himfelfGod blefed for ever, the Delight of the Fa her muft be made fin for the foul that bath finned ; con- fider this, all the fins thou haft committed, if ever they be par- doned, they mutt be by vertue of the Covenant between God the Father and the Son : all thy fins mull .be tranfmitted on Chrift, all thy oaths, drunkennefs, and wickednefs muff be put upon him, and he muft Rand charged with them all : Oh you that are fo laviíh in fin, and take fuck liberty to do wickedly I fay, if ever thy fin be pardoned, it mutt be laid on his shoul- ders, run onus fait as.thou wilt, ifever thou be'ft Paved, at the beft, yet thy fin mutt be fet on him, and charg'd upon his fcore. I remember that, expreffion ofNathan toDavid, z Sam.I2,13. The Lordbathpit away thyfin, the words are to be read out of the Original, The Lordbath made thy fin to pafsover, to pafs over from thee unto his Son,he hath laid them to his'charge. This. is the fecond myfterie in point of Juftification, thou a poor foul !landeft charged with thy fin, andart in danger of eternal damnation, rather than thou fhouldft eternally perifh, God is contented topafs over thy fins upon his own Son. Now they mutt needs be blefhed that God does fo much for, and know thou if ever thy fin be pardoned, God does do fo much for thee. Of the third Myfterie, It is by ChriftsSufferings.. 5. Where ever fin is pardoned, Chritl.ftands charged not only with the fin, but to fuffer as much puniíhment for thy fin C 3 as

Golpel Reymiston. as if thou wert eternally damned for them it is not Rich a pardon, as that there is nopunifhment tobe fuffered, but who- foevers fins are pardoned, there is this agreement between God the Father and the Son , that his own Son íhall fuffer as much punifhment, as if thou fhouldft fuffer eternally the wrathofGod for thy fin, there is this done for thee ; and furely that man is a bleffed man for whomChrift is content to fuffer fò much as thy fins come to, cr elfe thou muff have been eternally damned, this Religion and the Gofpel teaches us, that we can never come to be pardoned by any other way. Ofthe fourthMyfl1erie,Where Sin is pardoned,ehe Soulfiandd righteous before God. 4. There is this myfterie in it Where ever fin is pardoned, God does not only pats by fin and forgive ir, but he makes the foul ftand righteous before him ; every juftified man ftands righteous before the Lord. A malefa&or may come to a Prince, and be forgivenhis fault,and yet not accounted a righteous man, he may be lookt upon as a wickedwretch ftill, thoughout of free grace the Prince forgive him : But God never forgives the of- fence of any one fin, but that man is fet righteous before the Lord, this is done by an A& of Juftification ; I fpeak not of San&ification : APrince may forgive a Traytor, but the Law is not fatisfied but God when he forgives fin, takes fuch a courfe as that the offence is not only forgiven, but the Law comes to be fatisfied, and the foul ftands before God as a righteous per- fon and furely he that is righteous muff needs be bleared. Of the fifthMyterie, This Righteoufnefs is in another. 5. This Righteoufnefs is inanother, and it is a higher righte- oufnefs than ever that ofAdam's was in Innocency ; this is a great myfterie, that a foul Mould ftand righteous before the Lord, and yet in the righteoufneff of another, not of his own, Phil. 3.8,9, Io. St. Paul counted his own righteoufnefs as dung that hemight be found in him, that is in Chrift, Not havingmy ownRighteoufnefs which isofthe ka ,butt that which is through the

GoJel eni áo;t. the faith of Chrift the righteoufnefs ofGod that comes in by faith ; and fo Rom.5. latter end, Chrift is Paid to he our riihte- oufnefs,v. 19. As by the difbedienceofone many were macle fîn ners, fo by the obedience ofone many fluid be made righteotas;'Lis a rigteoufnefs transferr'd upon us beyond our own: Mark,in for- givenefs, as our fins come to be transferr'd and put upon Chrift, to the righteoufnefs of Chriff is transferr'd upon a ju[tífied foul, and that foul comes to be righteous before God : furely then, bleffed is that man that comes to have the fhining garments of Chrifts righteoufnefs upon him : Ahafuerus could not think of a better way than this to honour Mordecai more,than to clothe him. with the Kings Royal Rayment, and proclaim before him, This (hallbe done to the man whom the Dingdelights to honour; furely that man or woman is honour'd indeed, that God would clothe with the ruiningRobes of the righteoufnefs of his own Son;thou that waft clothed with the filthy rags of thy own fin and wick- ednefs, andhadft no other garments to Rand in,in theprefence of God ; now he puts on thee the Righteoufnefs of his own Son, and fo thy iniquitycomes to be covered : Oh that is a glorious Garment ! all the Garments in the world bedec4 with Diamonds are but filthy Garments in comparifonof theGarments of Chrifts Righteoufnefs, that is put upon a man when his fins are for- given. Of thefixthMyfterie, A near 'Union is made betweenChrift and the Soul. 6. When God tames toforgive fin,the way God takes is this, he brings a man intofilch a near Vnionwith his ownSon as makes thee to beone with him ; yea, fo to be one with Chrift as no two things in the world are joyn'd fo together,as thou and Chrift art; the foul God pardons,he does it thisway, 'Lis not thouhaft finn'd and I will pardon thee, 'tis no loch flight bufinefs, as I may fay, in a (inners pardon : No, for whenGod forgives thee, he makes thee one with his own Son, fo as no two things in the world are fo near together as thou and Chrift ; therefore the Scripture expreffes it by the Union of Branch and Root, Body and Members that is anear Union of bones and flefh in one body

Gofpel TOnfsion. body:fo alfo'the Union between Man and Wife is a near Union, but the Union betweenChrift and a ji;ftified Soul is nearer than any of there : there is one expre ilion in Scripture that Chrift ufth,Johrr /i4. zo. You in n4e, and 1 in you : there are no two things fonearly united ; though he members be in the body,the body is not in ,he members ; iò the branch, though it be in the root, the root ca,-.not be in the Branch ; but the Union between Chrift and us, I.r Chrifl. in pa, and we in him ; Hè that joyned to the Lord in ne Spirit : It is a fpiritual Union,and the Uni- on of fpirituai things i :the neareft that can be : Now, Bleffed is the man whofe fins are forgiven, becaufe by this means, God brings the Soul and Chrift to fuch a near Union, that all naiural Unions are but dark fhadows of it. Of the feventh 114yf?erie, It is byFaith, yet boafting excluded. 7.1t mug be byFaith, and that is the molt glorious work that ever God enabled a poor creature to do, yet boafting muff be excluded , the Scripture excludes .boafting froth both not only from the Law of works, but the Law of faith ; but you may fay, Howcan both be excluded b6th the Law ofworks and the L-iw of faith ? tor works theymay be excluded fay fome, becaufe works are our own, but faith is the gift ofGod ; God inables us to believe , therefore there can be no boafting of faith becaufe it is thegift of God, but works are our own ; this anfwer is but a fi&ion, for 7f we be inabled for the performance of any work that is ofGod too ; the workof any grace is the gift of God as really and truly as faith is the gift of God, all gracious works are perform°d 't-y the grace and gift of God. Adam could not do what he did in Innocency, but by the gift of God ; and therefore to fly boafting is excluded by faith, be- caufe faith is the gift of God , will not ferve the turn ; there- fore the myfterieof juftific tion is a great mytlerie,that notwith- ftanding faith i5 fuch a glorious work, as it is one of theglori- oufft works that ever any creature did, yet that this fhouldbe excluded, by this I cannot 'gut be perfwaded, that there is more in the work of Faith than in any thing Adam ever had ; and that faith the power of believing was not inAdam in theRate of

GolPel Kemfsion. 17 or innocency : Why ? Becaufe it is now made fuch a grace as excludes all kind of boafting : For were it but the ftirring up of any power we had in Adam, it would no more exclude boaft- ing, than if God ftirred up any other grace ; as Love, Hope, Fear, and the like : But that it excludes boafting) this may be the m'oft fatisfadory anfwer ; Works they could not exclude boafting ; Why, though they were from the race and gift of God, yet they belonged to mans nature ; for.,;if God will make a rational creature,he muff give it thole perfections that are due to that nature : Now the Image of Go.i, was in force regard due to fuch a nature. But now, God when'he comes to give faith, he gives a higher thing than ever was due to the nature of man: hence there is a greater myfterie-in faith than in any other grace ; and therefore it is a great myfterie that God fhould juftifie a man by faith, and yet this excludes boafting more than any ocher thing. I, but theScripture (ayes, God imputesfaithfor righteoufneß; ObJetI, and when God inables ¡so to believe, Is it net our own ? Yea, then we have ir, it is our own . and when we are e4nfw. juftified, it is imputed to us for righteoufnefs ; but mark what I (hall fay, it will be úfeful for the underftanding that Text in Rorn.4..22. Where, it fayes,faitbwas imputed to himfor righte- oufnef ; ye muft not underhand it thus, that is, that God did through the grace of Chrift now accept of Abraham's faith as his righteoufnefs, whereby he should Rand to be juí`ti6ed by it in the fight of God; he didnot thus accept of faith for righteouf- nefs ; no, not through the mediation ofChrift, nor by vertueof any Covenant made by God with Chrift : Goddid never make any Covenant with Chrift,thatwhereas man did owe obedience toall the Law, and that fhould have been his righteoufnefs had he continued in it ; but man now being unable to perform it, that God would be now fo favourable to him as that he would accept . offaith for righteoufnefs, that is not the meaning of it ; for the word in the Original tranllatedfor righteoufnefs, it is thtis, it was imputedunto righteoufnefs, it is the fame word sled in Rona.. 10.10. With the heart man believeth unto Rip-hteoufHers, and with the mouthConfefon is made untoSalvation : NowConfefli onwith the mouth is not made Salvation it felf, but unto Salva- D tion

28 Gojpel Remysion. tion ; fo faith isnot the righteoufnefs it felf, but unto righteot.f:, Obled. nefs, that is, by faithwe come to get righteoufnefs But why (ayes. the 4cripture God imputed it unto righteoufnefs ? I take tt tnfiv. thus, that forafmuch as faith is fo glorious a Principle ( infufed of God) above any thing of our own, God is pleafed to account of it as f it were our own , and fo imputes it unto righteouf- nefs ; the truth is, it is not our own ; no, not fo our own as other graces are our own : tut God in point ofJuftification is pleafed to impute it as our own, that wemay come to have righ_ teoufnefs by it,as if itwere our own : Now this is a great myf}e- ry, that God in the workof pardon of fin, fhould do it by the grace of faith, and that this excludes all boafting; and yet righte- oufnefs imputed to it as if it were our own. Hence by the way, let us take heed of the Opinion of thofe that fay, faith it felt is imputed for righteoufnefs, and that God through Chrift accepts of faith as the matter ofour rightecufnefs : The Papifts fay we are juftified by works, and that God is pleafed through Chrift toaccept not of Faith only, but ofHumility, Fear, Love, Repentance, Joy, &c. though they be impeded, yet he is pleafed to accept of thefe for our righteoufnefs ; fayes the other opini- on, faith is our righteoufnefs, though Godmight require exa& obedience to the whole Law, yet he is pleafed to accept of faith ; both thefe Opinions arebefides the truth, and therefore there is the fame danger in the one as in the other, and therefore both to be avoided. Of the eighth Myfizerie, God is infinitely 3uft,andyet infinite- &e2lerciful. 8. The eighth particular is this, that thews pardon offin is a great myfterie, becaufe where ever Godpardonsfin, he is infi- nitely jufl, andyet infinitelymerciful ; there is an admirable re-. conciliation,between Gods. Juftice and Mercy, which (hews it to be a great myfterie : There are threegreat myfteriesin Religion, I. The great myfterieof the Trinity, that there fhould be di- vers Perfons, and yet but one God. The fecond is, that in the Perfon ofChrift there fhould be two Natures, and yet but one Perfon. And. then. the third is, the, reconciliation of the mercy and

Gopel eritifsíosa. 9 and juftice of God in the forgivenefs of a fanner. Many people when they Peek for pardon of fin, they only think of Gods infinite grace and mercy, but not of his juftice : But certainly, who ever he be that comes to be pardoned, God (hews himfelf infinitely juft as well as merciful ; that he is merciful,that is clear to everyone : But how does it appear he is fo infinitely juft ? for that there is a clear Text for it, Rom. 3.a6. To declare at this time his righteoufnefs that hemight be juft, and the juflifier of him which believeth in :fefus ; fo that God in the juftifying of him that believes in Chrift, is juft as well as merciful. Now then poor finner, lay thefe together, that God fhould work fo ftrangely in bringing about the pardon of thy fin in fuck a myfterious way as this is ; certainly it does demonftrate that thou art a bleffed man ; I befeech you think of what bath been faid, and lay it inyour breafts ; go away with this upon your fpirits, Lord, I indeed heard much of the evil of fin, and that it was a greater evil than ever I thought it to be, and now I have begun to hear of the mighty work ofGod in pardonof fin, I hope I fhall for ever retain higher thoughts of it than - before. Brethren, there is nothing in the world that people have fliáhter thoughts of, than of the pardon and forgivenefs Of fin, they think it a flight matter. But if there were any work that ever took up the heart of God from all eternity, and Thews God to be a God, it is this about the pardon of fin ; this is a great doc`frine, the doctrine of the workof God in the ju- ftification of a firmer, 'tis one of the greateft Doc`frines inDi- vinity, and therefore that you might fan tifie the NameofGod in it, and give him that glory that is due in this great work, it is L needful to fearch, that we may find out what is the work ofGod in it. Of the ninth Myfterie, When God forgives fin, for the ¡ire- fens, he forgivesall to come. g. The ninthMyfterie is this, and this may feem one of the ffrangeft of all, When Godforgives afanner any one finfor the prefent,he likewifeforgives hint all thefins that ever hePall corn- D z wit

20 Gofpel Xemifsion. mit afterward; this is a mighty myfterie; for Godwhen he takes a poor foul and forgives ban his fin, he does not Only forgive him his prefent and pair fins, but layes in a pardon for all the fins that ever Thal, be committed by him afterwards; this is a way ofpardoning fin proper to Gcd alone ; there is no crea- ture pardons the offence one of another, fo as God pardons here; lh:refore the Prophet cryes out, Micah7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, andpafeth.by the tranf- grefons of the remnant ofhis heritage ? Who is a God like to thee ; who in all the world can pardon fin as God cloth ? No Fa- ther. pardons the fin of a Child, no Prince the fin ofa Subje& as God Both : Now, becaufe this is a point of admirable com- fort to all the Saints of God, 'Lis fit to be opened andmade out, that when God pardons fin at first, he gives in a pardon for all they Ihall commit afterwards ; I manifeft it thus, in Rom. 8. r.- the Apoftle fays, There is now no condemnation to them that are in Chrift ,refis : fromwhence I argue,. Except God did pardon whatfoever fins fhould be committed when he juftifies a (inner, then at any time when a juftified perfon fins, umill he renew an ad of faith for pardon, there muff be condemnation to him ; for whofoevcr is in fuch an eftate as hath any fin unpardoned, for that inftant he is in the Rateof condemnation : But there is no inftant of time, when it can be laid of any juftified perfon, that-he is in the fiate of condemnation ; I fay no inftant of time, for though a juftified perfon may fall into fin after he is juftified, yet at that inftant when he falls into that fin, there is by Godapplyed a pardon, that was laid in before, although an act of faith be not renewed in regard of that particular fin ; that is the point I would make good, though it be true, there is re- quired as our duty anad offaith to lay hold onour pardon,yea, all'o it is required in refpect of comfort too ; for we cannot have comfort of the pardon of a new fin committed, except there be a renewal of an ad of faith : But yet this renewal of an at of faith , though it be neceffary, becaufe commanded , and for our comfort, yet no abfolute neceffity to freeus from condemnation ; but being once juftified by Chrift, there is a pardon laid up ; fo that upon any a& of fin newly committede this pardon is alaplyed by God hirntfelf, though we be not abl by

GofPeÉ erriißiofa. 21 by the renewal of a prefent act offaith, to tue out pardon anew unto our felves. Nay, the truth is, if this were not fo, there could be no inftant of time, wherein a believer was not in the Rate of condemnation ; for there is no inftant of time wherein a believer doth not forne way or o:her fin againft God : Fur- ther it is apparent and undenyable, that there is not a necefïty of renewing an ad of faith upon every fin committed for the pardon of it , this Argument cannot be denyed, becaufe other- wife, there mutt be a neceflity of renewing an ad of faith after the laft at a b iiever do:h ; for in the Taft action a believer Both in this world, there is Tome fin in it : Now ifthere be force fin in the laft ad of all, then there cannot be of necefìity re- quired another act, for the applying of the pardon of that fin a believer did do in the very laft ad he did in this world : thofe that hold a believer cannot finally fall away, yet fay, he may to- tally ; many hold that if once a man be juftifìed,he can never go to Hell ; but yet this they hold, that he may fo fin that he may be brought into a Rate of condemnation ; he may be brought into fuch a Rate , that ifheshould dye at that prefent he should perifh ; buc fay they, God doth take care that he ¡hall not dye, till there be a renewing of an at of faith for pardon : I an- fwer, there is nothing in Scripture to prove, there is not any inftant of time wherein a believer may not dye ; and yet if he do dye, he muff then perifh, becaufe an act or faithwas not re- newed ; true fay they further, that all fins bring not into the frate ofcondemnation ; there may be pardon ofcourte for fins of infirmity, but other fins that wafte a mans Confcience ; there a believer is brought into the frate of condemnation, till there be a new ad of faith renewed. for pardon. I anfwer, Ifany one fin bring a believer into the fate of condemnation after Con- verfion,where ¡hall we put the limits; as to fay,ifyou go but thus far, you are not in a {late of condemnation, but if you go a lit- tle further, you are ; God puts no fuch limits in Scripture,. but all fin in its own nature brings into a ftate of condemnation,and yet no fn brings a believer into the Rate of condemnation; there- fore this is a great myfterie of God in the pardoning of fin ; when God pardons the finof a believer , he does not only par- don what he hash doneat prefent , but forwhat"he ¡hall do, he D 3 layer

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