The Heinous Nature of the Sin of Murder
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Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
THE Hainous Nature OF THE SIN OF Murder. AND The Great Happiness OF Deliverance from it. As it was Represented in a SERMON at the Lecture in Boston, Sept. 24. 1713. Before the Execution of one David Wallis .
By Benjamin Colman , Pastor of a Church in Boston .
Boston, N. E. Printed by John Allen , for Nicholas Boone , at the Sign of the BIBLE in Cornhill . 1713.
The Hainous Nature Of the SIN of Murder: And the great Happiness of Deliverance from it.
Psalm LI.14.
Deliver me from Blood-guiltiness, 〈◊〉 GOD, thou God of my Salvation▪ A • my Tongue shall Sing aloud of 〈◊〉 Righteousness.
THIS Psalm , as it was Compos • by One of the Best of Sain • upon one of the most Sad O • casions that was ever know • 〈◊〉 • reathes the most Consu • 〈◊〉 ; Expressing in the 〈◊〉 lively colors, and in the most affecting manner▪ the Affliction and Distress, Humiliations, Fears and Desires of a Repenting Soul. David had been guilty of one of the foulest Acts of Wickedness in the matter of Uriah , which Sin he here bitterly bewails;
Deliver me from Blood-Guiltiness: i e.
Finally. HE Makes his solemn Vow and Promise , that God should have the Glory both of the Pardoning Mercy, and Renewing Grace: My Tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousness. Righteousness is here used for Grace, Mercy, Clemency, Truth and Faithfulness. This he would Sing of , Confess, Laud and Celebrate in Songs of Praise, Thansksgiving and Blessing. And he would sing aloud of it; in the most public manner he would proclaim the Infinite Goodness &. Faithfulness of God to Returning Sinners.
GOD'S Righteousness is often put for his Grace in the great business of a Sinners Justification and Sanctification▪ They meet together herein. This th • Penitent comforts himself in, and therefore Sings of it. And this he sings alo • of, to acquaint and affect others there • with.
There are two or three things to be observed in the words. 1. The heinous Guilt of Murder. 2. That Deliverance from it is to be earnestly sought of God. 3. That God must have the Glory of such Preservation and Deliverance.
I. That Murder is a Sin of a very heinous and heavy guilt. So the Text speaks of it; Blood-guiltiness , or the guilt of Blood . A deep Stain , & a deep Wound ; whereby the Conscience is gashed and defiled.
I will only look into the Law of God , and observe to you how it is forbidden and condemned therein. It cries from the Ground, and brings down Vengeance from Heaven. Cain was the first Murderer after the Devil , who was so from the beginning. He was of that Wicked One, and slew his Brother . Then God the Sovereign Judge said to him; What hast thou done? the voice of thy brothers blood crieth to me from the Ground; and now thou art cursed from the Earth, which has opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood from thy hand , Gen. 4.10, 11.
See how severely the Law of God forbids Murder, & makes it Capital. Gen. IX.5, 6. And surely your blood of your lives will I require: at the hand of every beast will I require it; and at the hand of man, at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the Image of God made by man. Numb. 35.31, 33. Moreover, y • u shall take no satisfaction for the life of 〈◊〉 murderer, which is guilty of death: but 〈◊〉 shall be surely put to death. So ye shall 〈◊〉 pollute the land wherein you are: for blood defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. Exo. XXI.14. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine Altar, that he may die. Prov. XXVIII.17. A man that doeth violence to the blood of any Person, shall flee to the Pit, let no man stay him.
These Texts need no Comment; they utterly forbid the Concealment or the Protection of a Murderer among a people; the Government may not Pardon this Sin, nor People intercede for it; It may not be bought off by any Price or any Favor , on the pain of Guilt on the Public: God's Altar may not shelter him, and much less any Human Power or Pity.
Let no man think that this looks Cruel or Inhumane: The Justice of God has so fixed it; Yea, his tender Mercies to Mankind do account for this His Righteous Law and Judgment. Let us not presume to arraign the infinite Wisdom and Mercies of God, in a partial respect to any natural tenderness or compassion of our own: We shall so invade and sacrifice all Law, both Human and Divine to our own weakness.
No Humanity or Law of Mercy will allow us to desire or endeavor the saving the life of him that is Convict of Murder. It is a wrong to Human Nature in the highest manner; and the mercy and protect • of Human Nature is utterly forfeited; ye • , the Revenges thereof are incurred.
Murder is the greatest wrong to God ; at whole Image the S • b is, and at His Dominion. Life is the most precious of all the good gifts of God He is the absolute Lord of it, and h • s reserved the dispos • of it entirely to Himself.
The Magistrate is the Minister of God, and the Avenger to Execute wrath upon him that goes Evil; God has put the Sword into his hands, to cut off Evil-doers from the Inheritance of the Lord, and he must not bear the Sword in vain. Government among Mankind, is for this reason of the last n • • , and one of the great Goods to the World. But for any Private Per • voluntarily to take away his Neigh • Life, whether in Clandestine m • +ner , or by Open violence , is the extremist Injury to our Neighbor, and one of the highest Offences against Human Society.
A man's Life is Invaluable to him, and it is not to be repaired , there is nothing equal to it; not all a man's precious Substance. Skin for Skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his Life. Self-love , and Self-preservation, are an Invincible Principle, and Law, implanted by God in the hearts of all men.
But then moreover, to take away the Life of any one, fixes his Soul for Eternity in an Unchangeable State of Happiness or Misery: and so (as one says) not only is all Temporal Good hereby at once ravished from a man, but his Soul incurs infinite hazard, and it may be damage.
And as to Human Society , the Sin of Murder strikes at the very Being , and all the Comforts hereof. For there were no more living in any quiet or safety, if this might be allowed, then there might be among the wild and savage Beasts of the Woods, where the stronger and fiercer prey upon the weak and mild. So that Societies must disband , and all the Rules as well as Blessings of it dissolve together, if the Crime of Murder, were not held Capital, and unpardonably so among men. As Jacob said of his two Sons , and all his Fatherly Goodness could not reconcile him to them, nor cover their bloody Stain. Gen. 49.5, 6, 7. Simeon and Levi are brethren: instruments of Cruelty are in their habitations. O my Soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and its their self-will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce: and their wrath, for it was cruel.
Murder ordinarily comes of cruel & cursed passion . This does not excuse the Fact; for the Law is made to govern men's passions, or to punish the Enormous Outrages of them; 1 Tim. 1.9. Knowing this, that the Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless & disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for man s • yers .
There were two things in the Law of Moses , that were high Expressions of 〈◊〉 • inous Nature of Man-slaughtere • 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 • ount of God: The one was, that he that killed a man by Accident or Unawares was obliged to flee to some City of Refuge , where he must remain in Banishment from his own House and Patrimony, and in a kind of Prison there, until the death of the High Priest . By which it is certain that God meant to teach us to conceive a dread and horror of the Guilt of Blood; in that though' the Fact were not Voluntary , nor done designedly; though' it were but Chance-medley , and Homicide per Infortunium , yet that the Man-slayer must incur so much danger, inconvenience and confinement. The other Argument of the Criminalness of Murder was, that if a Brute Creature happened at any time to kill a man, it was to be slain by the Hand of Justice, Exod. 21.28, 29. If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die, then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten: but the owner of the ox shall be quit. But if the ox wore wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his Owner: and he hath not kept him in: but that he hath killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and his Owner also shall be put to Death. Here was another high Instance of God's Care of the Life of Man, and of his Detestation of the Sin of Murder. And indeed this was according to that more Catholic Law given unto Noah, The Blood of your Lives will I require of every Beast .
To Conclude, Na • Con • ce has the highest resentment and horror against the Sin of Murder, it is an universal and irresistible Principle in the Hearts of all men. And famous to that purpose was that Law of the Common-wealth of Athens , quoted by Mr. Hales of Eaton , and since by Dr. Towerson ; that if only a Wall had by chance fallen down and killed a man, the Judges of that Place were to Sit upon & Arraign it, & upon Conviction, to throw the Stones thereof out of the Country . By this they gave the utmost Testimony, how sacred a thing they esteemed the Life of Man to be, and with what horror they looked upon the shedding of his Blood.
The most Barbarous People and Places have a Conscience of the Vengeance due to, and pursuing Murderers; witness what we read of the People of M • lita , who when they saw the Viper fastening upon the Apostles Hand , cried out No doubt this man is a murderers though he hath escaped the sea, yet Vengeance suffereth not to live .
And • ow to look back on all that has been said of the Hainous Nature of the Sin of Murder ; It should be improved by all that are here present, to deter them from all Approaches , or tendencies towards this Crying Guilt; and People should be warned against indulging the least appearance of it in Will, or Wish, or Word; and also of all wicked passions or Customs that may but tend to draw on the Fact, or provoke God to leave us to it.
At the same time you see the Government justified in their righteous Care to Purge the Land of this Guilt; nor can they answer it to God, or their People, to do otherwise: It is their Obedience on the Divine Law, and their Fidelity and Tenderness to Human Society, that constrain them to the Condemnation and Execution of a Murderer .
〈◊〉 now let me with a Bleeding 〈◊〉 Beseech you the poor Condemned 〈◊〉 here present, to lay to heart 〈◊〉 Greatness of this your Sin, for 〈◊〉 you are this Day to Die. O 〈◊〉 Great Penitence does such a Great Sin committed by you, call for! How heavy should it Ly on your Conscience! With what Tears of Blood should you confess it, and bewail it! I think you have been bowed down in Soul under the Weight of it. And Blessed be God who has not left you destitute of the outward signs and expressions of Penitence, Affliction and Sorrow for this Hainous Fact; from the day (I think) that you committed it. You have in words and signs been in some measure Mourning after Christ , after Repentance, Pardon and Salvation; Be you excited and encouraged to do so more and more, to the last of that few remaining Moments of your Life: And the Lord glorify his Renewing and Pardoning Mercy on you.
II. I pass unto the Second Thing to be observed from the Text , which is▪ That Deliverance from this crying Guilt of Blood is to be earnestly sought of God . This is the very Petition in the Text▪ Deliver me from Blood-guiltiness 〈◊〉 then there is Deliverance from 〈…〉 we should be very earnest in 〈…〉 for it unto God.
1. There is Deliverance from Blood-guiltiness to be obtained from God. And that of two sorts. 1. To be kept from the Bloody Guilt. 2. The Pardon and Forgiveness of it when contracted.
1. We may by the Divine Restraining Grace be kept from the Commission of the Sin of Murder ; and this is a blessed Deliverance from Blood-guiltiness. We are thro' Grace all of us (I trust) one only excepted, free of this Guilt; and ever shall be so. But then it is God that has kept, prevented and delivered us from it; and He must hereafter keep us, or we shall fall into it. For we are Incident to it thro' the horrid Corruption that is in our Nature; and the very best of us are by no means our own Keepers . There is no Sin, but what the vile and cursed • ture of man is prone to, and capable of; and the same vile Naure is • mon to us all. Esau had Murder 〈◊〉 his heart, when he came out against his Brother Jacob ; and so had Josephs 〈◊〉 when they cast him into the 〈…〉 God kept them however from 〈◊〉 GOD left David to fall into it, to 〈◊〉 him the wickedness that was in • 〈…〉 . GOD left Simeon and Levi, Joab and Absalom , and others to fall into it, on one temptation or another. Are we Better by Nature than they? No, but God has kept us from their Temptations, or Restrained us when tempted. When the Prophet of the Lord told Hazael the Syrian of the Murders, Cruelties and Barbarities which he would in time commit against Israel ; He answered with detestation, But what? is thy Servant a Dog, that he should do this great thing? such abhorred & enormous wickedness: Yet he did it afterward; like a dog he rent and tore and devoured ; He proved as much a brute and beast of prey , how impossible soever he beforehand thought it of himself. And indeed the Angers, Passions , & Wraths of men are so violent ; that it is a wonder of the Divine Restraining Grace, & a marvelous Instance of the Power and Providence of God that there are not many Murders to one committed in the World. How does Madness and Rage and mortal Hatred glare out in men's looks, and words▪ and gestures? How easily do they grow Outrageous , and strike or draw? From whence come blows Fightings , & Duels and Stabbing (more base and cruel tha • all the rest) but from men's lusts which war in their Members? So that the Sin is in our Nature; though by the Divine Mercy so few are left to it.
We see a Miserable Person present, whom God has left to the great Sin of Murder, while you and I are kept from So? but who maketh thee to differ? Are • ou better than he? Is not thy Nature as bad as his? Have not thy Passions 〈◊〉 as violent as his? How often in thy 〈◊〉 hast thou also been on the Brink of this Sin? But God has had Mercy on 〈◊〉 , & not suffered thee to act thy own cursed. Will ▪ O adore the Sovereign Providence of God! Behold, the Goodness and Severity of God! to him that is • llen, Severity , but to thee Goodness! Is • e a greater. Sinner, than some of us? ••• ll thee nay, but except you repent, you ••• ll all likewise perish .
Other great Sins do expose and lead to • s of Murder ; by debouching , harden • ing and soaring the Conscience; and by • king God to give people up to their 〈◊〉 lusts and passions▪ But to return, 〈◊〉 blessed deliverance from Sin to be 〈◊〉 • o • it; to have the guilt and the • s of Repentance prevented; and the present Shames, Miseries and Ruin that do sometimes attend it.
2. There is Deliverance from Blood-guiltinses after it is Contracted, by the Commission of Murder: i. e. The Merciful God has admitted Sinners to Repentance, even in this Case . And there is forgiveness of it, and cleansing from it, through the Blood of Christ. It has been repented of we see in our Text , & it has been pardoned. 2 Sam. XII.13. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, the Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Manasseh was a great Sinner and Murderer; he filled Jerusalem with the Innocent Blood which he shed; yet was he afterward an Eminent Penitent, and obtained Mercy.
The Mercies of God are Infinite, Free and Sovereign. He has mercy on whom he will have mercy. The Merits and Virtue of the Blood of Christ are also Infinite, and have purchased Pardons for the greatest Sinners upon their Repentance. The Power of Renewing Grace is Infinite; Almighty Grace! I • can change the hearts of the greatest Sinners, and is often Glorify'd upon th • Worst. The Offers of Mercy by th • Gospel, its Calls and Promises are unlimited ; to all, even the Chiefest Sinners. Mat. 12.31. All manner of Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men. Isai. 1.18. Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord,: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though' they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 1 Tim. I.15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Thus we read again; that the Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord cleanses from all Sin ; and that whosoever cometh to Him, He will in no wise cast out .
Here is Comfort for thee, O miserable Malefactor, and Prisoner of Hope! and how should it revive and cheer thy sad and wounded Soul, and cause thee to admire and adore the Riches of the Mercy of God thro' Christ, his Grace abounding to the chief of Sinners. There is Deliverance from Blood guiltiness. There is pardon and forgiveness with God, even for thee, if thou dost believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and with a repenting, bleeding Soul for this and all thy other Sins, dost find Grace to fly unto His Blood: I may then, and now do promise you in the Presence, and in the Name of Christ, My Great Lord and Master, our Common Savior and Judge , the free and full Remission of all your Sins, how many or great soever they have been
O that it might please God to give thee, together with the most affecting sense of the Hainous Nature of thy bloody Crime; to apprehend the freeness & fullness of his Mercies by Christ Jesus; and thy Savior's Alsufficiency and readiness to bestow both Repentance and Pardon on thee.
Hear it, and be astonished ; hear it, and be thou ravished with the Grace of God: God gave the Life of his own Son , Christ the Son of God gave his own Blood, for the Redemption even of Murderers upon their Repentance. He died even 〈◊〉 his own Murderers, for them that 〈◊〉 wicked hands crucified and slew 〈…〉 Prince of Life: and therefore the Apostle Peter calls even upon them to • +pent, that their Sins might be blo • out, who had themselves denied the 〈◊〉 Our, and the Just , and desired a M • or to be granted to them.
• n • hen Christ's Blood can 〈…〉 the Guilt of Blood ; and Faith in the Blood of Christ can both purify and pacify the polluted wounded Soul of a Murderer. It is true that St. John tells us, That no Murderer has Eternal Life abiding in him . But the Apostle there is speaking of him that hates his brother , & has a malicious murderous frame of spirit within him: Such an one abideth in death; and has no seed or principle of Spiritual Life, no beginning of Eternal Life within him. How many such Murderers, haters of God and one another, there are among us, under a more dreadful sentence then a present bodily death; He knows that searches the hearts of the Children of men. But he that has truly repented of all his Sins, and believeth on the Son of God, though he may have been a Murderer, yet he has Everlasting Life, and shall not enter into Condemnation in the World to come; but is passed from Death unto Life . Thus then there is Deliverance from Blood-guiltiness. This was the first Thing.
2. We should be very earnest in Prayer unto God for this Deliverance: That He would keep us from it: that He would save us from the Condemnation due to it.
Let everyone here present before the Lord, Pray to Him to be kept and preserved by Him from this & all other great Transgressions. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me: So shall I be innocent from the great Transgression. It is an excellent and needful part in our Litany ;
But who is there that will not wish and pray to be kept from this Sin of Murder! who would not deprecate the being left to it, if it were only in regard of their Temporal Life? Surely we ought But then be sensible that thou needest the▪ Divine Keeping: Be sensible that thy heart is deceitful above all things, & desperately wicked: Be sensible of the violence of thy own Lusts and Passions: Be sensible that these (even all thy causeless wraths and angers) render thee as a Murderer in God's sight: Yea, let the Best remember with the Apostle, Tit. III 3. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Remember that the Devil is a Murderer, and will not the malicious Spirit inspire and stir up as he is able his own Venome and Malignity in thy Soul? to make thee as like himself , and as odious to God, and contrary to Goodness as he can? Remember that this Sin of Murder was the first Enormity and flagitious Act after the Fall: The Devil hurried wretched Cain into This; He was of that Wicked One, and slew his Brother. Thou art of that Wicked One, and only hatest thine, and art unreasonably angry on every petty occasion: O fear, lest some time or other he push thee into the Overt Act of Murder. Beg of God to keep thee.
And now I turn me again unto the Wretched Spectacle before us, whom God has suffered to fall into this Crime. And need I call upon thee, O miserable David , to Pray earnestly to God for the Pardon of This thy Sin. Everyone of Us should this Day Cry to God for the Forgiveness of all our Angers and Passions ; The pardon of our Malice and Hatreds. But O with what anguishes of Soul, and agonies of Grief should You be Lying at the Feet of Mercy, Crying incessantly for Pardon. I hope you have been doing so day and night , since the Fact , and now you have but an hour more to do it in. O do it the more Fervently in thy last Agonies . O with what care and fear, with what vehemence and importunity, should you wrestle now! and we in Prayer to God for you. The Blood of thy Murdered Brother cries against thee from the Ground, but the Blood of Christ which is the Blood of Sprinkling, and speaketh better things than that Blood of Abel , Cries aloud for Mercy upon all Repenting Sinners. Wilt not thou go now unto that Blood of the Covenant, the Blood of the Great Sacrifice for Sin, and the Blood of Intercession; and by Faith therein, Cry unto God in Prayer for thy own Soul? Wilt not thou Cry to thy God and Savior; Deliver me from this Guilt of Blood, O God thou God of my Salvation .
And here let me tell thee ; that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, the Crucified Jesus, is the God of thy Salvation; neither is there Salvation in any other . He is the only Savior of Sinners, and He is an All-sufficient One. He is a City of Refuge , a Rock of Salvation for thy poor Soul to flee unto, and be safe from the Avenger of Blood, the Avenging Justice of God. O flee for Refuge to the Hope that is set before thee. There is now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Look to the Crucified Savior, and Beg of Him to Remember thee, and Receive thee to His Kingdom . O may he say to thee, as he did once to the Malefactor by him on the Cross: This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise .
You have I hope been passing your last Weeks in Prayer for the Life of your Precious and Immortal Soul. Now Die doing so. It is for your Life , and an Infinitely better One , than this , which your Sins have lost. Be found now Lying at the Feet of Christ, washing them with your Tears, and wiping them with the Hair of your Head. There lie with utmost Grief and Self-loathing for your Scarlet Sins ; there lie Confessing and giving Glory to the Justice of God; There Ly Admiring Free Grace, and trusting in Christ , as able to Save unto the uttermost, all that come unto God by Him . While the Sorrows of Death compass thee, and the 〈◊〉 of Hell get hold on thee, and thou findest sorrow and trouble; Then Call that upon the Name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my Soul . Gracious is the Lord and Righteous; yea, our God is Merciful. There is Deliverance from Blood-guiltiness, and it is earnestly to be sought after, from the God of our Salvation.
Which was the Second Thing observed from the words.
III▪ And Lastly, the Last Observation is, That God must have the Glory and Praise of this Preservation and Deliverance. My Tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousness . Thy Mercy, Compassion, Grace and Faithfulness.
If God prevent and keep us from falling into Sin, the Glory and Praise is to be Ascribed to his Preventing Grace 〈◊〉 It is the Lord's Doing , and should be Marvelous in our Eyes. So it will be, if we are sensible of our own, Desperate Wickedness. It is the Greatest Good, Kindness and Benefit that God can do • s in thi • 〈…〉 to his bestowing Sanctifying 〈…〉 some resp • 〈…〉 of Sin 〈◊〉 a Greater 〈…〉 Pardon of 〈◊〉 upon Rep • 〈…〉 who 〈◊〉 • er Sin • 〈…〉 and bl • for this reaso • ▪ 〈…〉 and Sa • ls are, who • the Ang • 〈◊〉 over 〈◊〉 their Rep • tance
Moreover, God Owes us not his Grace, but it is what we • ve continually • een forfeitin • , 〈◊〉 the wicked a • of it provoked him times with • 〈◊〉 • umber, to take it 〈◊〉 us.
If then God has kept 〈◊〉 from any 〈◊〉 • ven the worst T • sgression, to 〈◊〉 Name be the G • Psal. CI. • , 7. 〈◊〉 Lord is thy Keeper: The Lord is thy 〈◊〉 upo • by right ha • d the Lord shall • reserve thee from all 〈…〉 shall pre • erve thy Soul. 116. • , 9 Return unto thy Rest, O my Soul, 〈…〉 Lord hath dealt bountifully with th • . For th • ha • • elivered my soul from death, m • 〈…〉 tears, and my feet from fall • 〈…〉 . verse 24. Now unto him 〈…〉 〈…〉 you from falling, 〈…〉 • less before the pr • 〈…〉 Glory with exceeding J • y. To the only wise God our Savior, be Glory and Majesty, Dominion and Power, both now and Ever. Amen. Thus let us Sing aloud of God's Righteousness, because that he has graciously kept us from Blood-guiltiness .
AND now David , If it may please God to Deliver thee from the Guilt of that Blood which thou hast shed , thou wilt f • r • ver Praise and Sing of his Pardoning Mercy .
O the Glory of Divine Grace in pardoning such Guilt as thine is! O the Glory that may redound to GOD for • ver in thy Salvation! The Glory of •• ee H • ting Love unto the Chief of Sinners! The Glory of Christ the Savior, thro' whom it is that the Grace of God is thus Magnified to Sinful Man! The Glory of the Divine Holiness in the Forgiveness of Sin thro' the Blood of Christ, the Justice of God having received full Satisfaction thereby; So • 〈◊〉 God can be Just, and yet the justifi • of all them that Believe! The Glory of the Power also of Renewing Grace , whereby God is able to sul • all things to himself; and to Soften, Sanctify, & Change thy Heart! And finally, the Glory of God's Holy, Wise and Terrible Providence , and yet most tender to thee and merciful, in whatever Methods it may use, and make them Effectual Means of thy Conversion and Salvation! Ah, If thy very Sin may bring thee unto Christ , and into the way of Divine Awakenings, Instruction & Conviction; how shouldest thou in thy very Chains , and on the Gibbet Sing aloud of God's Righteousness .
If thou hast any Hope that God has pardoned thy Sin, I am sure thou must needs adore and bless, extol and magnify the Mercy of God in Christ. O cherish Admiring Thoughts of free Grace in pardoning great Transgressions; and let them arise from the sight of the Greatness of thy own Sins. Let Christ be Glorious, Admirable, Excellent and Precious to thy Soul. • t O beware of presumptuous hopes in • • nd Reliance on the Divine Mercy Let • hy hopes therein increase infinitely in • e Humiliation, Sorrow, Abasement and Self-Abhorrence for thy Sins. O the Astonishment it should beget within thee to think of finding Mercy with the Holy God! How humbly should you hope for it! How should it break thy Heart, and melt thy Soul within thee! And while it does this,—how should it raise , ravish and transport thy dejected Soul.
Let me then Call upon you this day, and in this last hour of thy Life, My Son, Give Glory to the Lord God of Israel , and own publicly his Righteousness and Justice in this thy miserable End. Make Confession of thy Sins to God and man; justify both: Take shame and confusion of face to thyself; for thou hast sinned against both▪ Wilt thou not fear God under thy Condemnation , and say with the penitent thief on the Cross, and I indeed justly, for I rece • but the due desert of my deeds . God is Holy in judging thus: His throne is spotless; thou convict before him must be speechless . Confess then his Righteous and terrible Providence, and fly to his Mercy. Say with repenting David in the Context. v. 2, 3, 4. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest.
Again, give Glory to God by warning others . Preach to them in thy Dying words , in more affecting Ones than I can speak to thee. God can help the to do so; for who has made man's mouth? Have one word for God before thou diest! Warn Young people of thy Sins , and call o • careless profane Sinners to learn by thy Example to fear God and turn to him, that so Iniquity may not be your ruin. How knowest thou but that before thou diest thou mayest be instrumental to turn someone from the Error of his way, and save a Soul from Death and cover a multitude of Sins; or to prevent to some or other the like Sins and the like Temporal Destruction. God grant thy Sufferings may be Sanctified thus for saving Good to others . So shalt thou teach Transgressors God's ways, and Sinners shall be converted unto him . The Lord in Mercy open thy lips, and thy mouth shall show forth his Praise ,
To Conclude, Give Glory to the Righteous and Faithful God, by laying hold on his Free Grace in Christ Jesus . God and his Righteousness are Glorified in Christ . God has Glorified his Son Jesus , to be a Prince and Savior. Thy Faith in Christ shall Glorify God in the best manner that a Sinner can do it. So the Malefac • or on the Cross turned his face to his Crucified Savior, and said, Lord, Remember me . So do thou look unto Jesus , the Author of thy Salvation . And God grant thee a Sight of him, at the Right hand of God , and Faith to Cry to Him, Lord Jesus receive my Spirit .
O that God would Purge thee and Pardon thee; and make thee to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness , that thy broken bones might rejoice! That He would hide his face from thy Sins and blot out all thine Iniquities! That He would create in thee a clean Heart and renew a right Spirit within thee! The Lord cast thee not away from his presence ; nor deny his Holy Spirit to thee! The Lord give thee the Joy of his Salvation, and uphold thee with his free Spirit!
The Lord Enable thee to Expire in suitable apprehensions and praises of his Righteousness and Mercies thro' Christ to all penitent Sinners And God, the God of thy Salvation , bring thee to Sing thereof forever among Redeemed Souls in a better Life .