Lectures Upon Psalm 51

Lecture CXXIIII. On Psalm 51.7. August 4. 1629.

NOw concerning the means whereby we may attain to a particular assurance of the pardon of our sins, we must first understand, that this is a supernatural work of the spirit of God and that no man is able of himself and by his own endeavor in the use of any means whatsoever, to attain unto it. It is the spirit that beareth witness, saith the Apostle, 1 John. 5.6. And again, The spirit it self (saith the Apostle Paul, Rom. 8.16) beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the sons of God. Yet doth the spirit work this assurance in the heart of man, not by immediate and extraordinary inspirations and revelations, but by ordinary means. And he that shall with an honest heart, use these ordinary means, hath no cause to doubt, but that the Lord will be pleased by his holy spirit to work it in him. And these means we find are of two sorts. The first are more outward and bodily; the second more inward and spiritual.

The first are those ordinances of God and exercises of his holy religion which he hath appointed and sanctified; which as they were all ordained for this end principally to bring us unto salvation, and to work in us a comfortable assurance of it, so he that useth them diligently and conscionably, may obtain it by them. Of them all in general specially of all the parts of God's solemn and public worship it is to be observed that David professeth this to be the cause why he was so in love with it, why he desired the comfort and benefit of God's worship and ordinances, more then he did anything in the world besides, why he resolved to make this his only suit unto God that he might never be deprived of them. One thing (saith he, Ps. 27.4.) have I desired of the Lord, that will I seecke after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. It is to be observed I say that he professeth this to be the chief cause why he was so highly in love with God's house and ordinances, That I may behold (saith he) the beauty of the Lord and visit his temple. And what meaneth he by beholding the beauty of the Lord? That he expoundeth himself in Ps. 48.9. We have thought of thy loving kindness O God in the midst of thy temple. The loving kindness of God and his special mercy to his elect in Christ, his favorable and cheerful countenance upon his servants, that is the Lord's beauty, that is it that maketh him amiable to his people; and that God's people do behold, they do think and meditate upon it far more clearly and comfortably in his house and temple in the use of his ordinances, then anywhere else, or by any other means in the world besides. This made him in his troubles and banishment thirst and long after the sanctuary of God so as he professeth he did, Psal. 63.1. Every place he lived in (where he was deprived of the liberty and comfort of the sanctuary) was unto him as a dry and thirsty land where no water is, he could find nothing in it, to refresh and satisfy the thirst of his soul. And verse 2 he giveth the reason why he did so long after the sanctuary. To see thy power and thy glory (saith he) so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. As if he had said, I shall never see it so as I have seen it there. And what meaneth he by the power and glory of God which he had seen in the sanctuary? That he expresseth verse 3. Because thy loving kindness is better then life. He had seen the mercy and loving kindness of God toward him in Christ, he had obtained a more comforaable assurance and feeling of it in the Sanctuary, in the use of God's solemn worship and ordinances there, then ever he did or could do in any place, or by any means in the world besides. All other places were to him as a dry and thirsty land where no water is, in comparison of the sanctuary. And certainly they that believe this, to be so as David did; they that know this to be so in their own experience as he did (and as many of you I doubt not have done) will stand affected to God's house and ordinances as he was, will highly prize and esteem of a sound ministry as he did, will desire this above all things (as he did) that they may never want the benefit and comfort of it.

But (to speak of this point distinctly) I will instance in three parts of God's worship only for this, and show you what force there is in them to breed in the heart of God's child the assurance of his favor, to make him able to behold the beauty of the Lord and the light of his countenance.

The first of them is diligent and conscionable use of the Word of God both [ 1] in the reading and hearing of it. Two things there be which God hath spoken concerning his Word and the ministry thereof, that may give a Christian good ground of hope that by a diligent and conscionable attendance upon this ordinance, he may be able to attain unto a comfortable assurance of God's favor in Christ. The first is this, That the Lord gave his Word and the ministry thereof to that end principally. The main thing that the Lord aimed at both in writing his holy Word and in sending of preachers to his Church is, that he might by this means bring his people to the knowledge of himself and of his mercy in Christ. The second is this, That the Lord will by his spirit accompany his Word and the ministry thereof in the hearts of his people and make it effectual in them unto this end, that he hath ordained it for.

For the first, Of the Word in general it is said that it was written principally [ 1] for that end to breed in the hearts of God's people sound comfort. Whatsoever things were written asoretime (saith the Apostle, Rom. 15.4.) were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope. These things have I spok • n unto you (saith our Savior, John. 15.11.) that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy maybeful. These things write we unto you (saith the Apostle, 1 Job. 1.4) that your joy maybefull. The spirit of God (you see) did indite and write the holy Scripture, to this end principally, to comfort his people, to work in their hearts sound joy and comfort. And consequently to work in them assurance of his favor. For how can a man have any sound joy or comfort in him without that? Therefore also it is expressly said that the Scripture was written to work this assurance in us. So after the wisdom of God had spoken other things in the commendation of the Word, Pro. 22. he addeth, ver. 19, 20. That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known unto thee this day even unto thee; Have not I written unto thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge? The excellent things that are written and made known to us in the Word, are written and made known to us to this end principally, that we might learn to put our trust and affiance in him and grow confident of his favor. These things have I written unto you (saith the Apostle, 1 John. 5.13.) that believe in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know ye have eternal life. And if it were intended, & writ̄ for that purpose by the spirit of God, certainly in it and by it this comfortable assurance may be found by God's people, if the fault be not in themselves. So is this said to be the main end, for which God ordained the preaching and ministry of his Word even to work in God's people the assurance of God's favor. Thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the highest (saith Zacharias of his son John, Luk. 1.76, 77) to give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins. So when God had promised, Esa. 57.18. that he would restore comfort to Jacob, and to his mourners ; that is, to his people that had lost the comfortable assurance of his favor; he telleth them in the next words, ver, 19▪ by what means he would do it, even by the ministry and preaching of his Word. I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace, to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord, and I will heal him. God hath promised (you see) to work by the ministry of the Word, uttered and applied by the lively voice of his servants (which is therefore called the fruit of the lips ) peace, peace ; that is, abundance of peace and comfort in the hearts of his people, and to heal all that anguish of heart, which the doubting of his favor did work in them before.

[ 2] The second thing which I told you, may give a Christian hope to find comfort and assurance of God's favor by a diligent and conscionable attendance upon this Ordinance, is this, That the Lord hath promised, that his holy Spirit shall accompany his Word in the hearts of his people. When they read his Word, the Spirit of God that inspired and indicted it, shall open and apply it unto them; when his servants do teach them in the ministry thereof, the Lord himself will by his Spirit teach and persuade them likewise. This promise of God you shall find set down Esa. 59.21. This is my covenant with them (with my people and Church, saith he) my spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed; saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever. Observe three things in this promise. 1. That the Lord promiseth (and to add strength to the promise it is said, this is his covenant with his people, and in this one Verse it is twice repeated that the Lord said this) that his Word shall never depart from his Church, his Church shall be the pillar and ground of truth, as the Apostle calleth it, 1 Tim. 3.15. Every fundamental truth (the knowledge whereof is necessary unto salvation) shall abide in it forever. The true Church shall never in any age of the world be without it. 2. That this word shall be ever in the mouth of God's people, the Church shall never utterly want the Ministry of the Word, it shall never want preachers and publishers of the Word, 3. That the Spirit of God in the true Church shall ever go with the Word; yea with the Ministry of the Word it shall be in the mouth of God's servants and Ministers, according to that which our Savior promiseth to his Apostles and successors, Matthew 28.20. L •• I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. So that the humbled Christian that would fain be assured of God's favor in Christ, and goeth to this Ordinance of God, to that end that he may be so, may confidently expect to be taught of God in it; and that the Spirit the Comforter will by it sprinkle the blood of Christ upon his heart, and give him a comfortable assurance that it was shed for him; according to that which the Spirit speaketh to the Church, Esa. 54.13. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children. Yea the Lord hath further promised, that whatsoever any of his Ministers shall speak to his people for their comfort by warrant of his Word, he will ratify it in heaven, and make it good to their souls. He confirmeth the word of his servants (saith the Prophet, Esa. 44.26) and performeth the counsel of his messengers. Verily, verily I say unto you (saith our Savior, Matthew 18.18.) Whatsoever ye shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Whosoever you shall assure by the warrant of my Word, that their sins are forgiven, that they are in the state of grace, I will from heaven assure their hearts of it by my holy Spirit.

Now to make some application of this. I know well the experience of these times maketh much against this. The Word read and preached both, is unto most men a matter of mere ceremony and formality, of no more force and virtue than the ceremonies of Moses were after they were antiquated, which the Apostle calleth Galat. 4.9. Weak and beggarly rudiments. They cannot find that the Spirit doth accompany the Word in their reading or hearing of it, but it is unto them as a dead letter, they feel no life or power in it at all. Yea many a good soul is apt to object, I have been a constant reader and hearer of the Word a long time, but can get no comfort, no assurance by it. To both these I answer, that this fault and defect must be imputed, not unto the Word, but unto our own sins. God hath promised that his Spirit shall accompany his Word in the hearts of his people; and the cause why we find them not go together is this, that our sins have parted them. These things which God hath joined together, we have put asunder. Our sins have separated between us and our God, as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 59.2. There is great force in the Word to work in the heart a comfortable assurance of thy salvation; but thine own corruption hindereth the efficacy and working of it in thee. And what corruption principally doth this? Surely the infidelity that is in thy heart. The word preached did not profit them (saith the Apostle, speaking of the Israelites that perished in the wilderness, Hebrews 4.2.) not being mixed with saith, in them that heard it. Nay it is said of our blessed Savior, Mark 6.5, 6. that he could do but a little good in Nazareth because of their unbelief. Thou dost not (in thy reading and hearing of the Word) believe and make claim unto these promises, that God hath made to this his Ordinance, thou dost not look to receive this benefit by it, and what marvel is it then, if it do thee so little good? Learn in thy reading and hearing of the Word to wait upon God for the performance of these promises with David, Psalm 85.8. I will hearken what the Lord God will speak, for he will speak unto his people, and to his Saints. If thou canst with an honest and humble heart wait upon God for comfort in the use of his Ordinance, thou shalt certainly find a great deal of comfort by it in the end. For they shall not be ashamed that wait for me, saith the Lord, Esa. 40.23.

The second ordinance of God that hath great force to work and preserve [ 2] in us assurance of God's favor in Christ, and to recover it when it is lost, is the conscionable use of the Lord's Supper. It is said of God's people that had received the Passover in Hezekiah's time with good hearts, 2 Chron. 30. that they found marvelous comfort in it, Verse 21. They kept the feast with gladness. And Verse 26. There was great joy in Jerusalem. And what was the cause of this great joy? Surely, they had prepared their hearts to seek the Lord and his favor in this Ordinance, as we read, Verse 19. And in the conscionable use of this Ordinance they found assurance of God's favor, and that was the cause of their joy.

Two things there be that will make it evident to us, that there must needs be great force in the conscionable use of the holy Sacrament, to sprinkle Christ's blood upon our hearts, and to give us assurance it was shed for us.

First, That in this Ordinance Christ and his blood is applied to us more particularly than by any other means that ever God ordained. His body and [ 1] blood is offered by his Minister in his Name, and by his commandment to every receiver; and offered as meat and drink, which of all things that we receive, is most nearly applied to us, and made our own. And offered with a charge and commandment to receive him and feed upon him by faith, undoubtedly believing, that his blood was shed for us. For this is the commandment of Christ to everyone of his people, as the Apostle recordeth it, 1 Cor. 11.24. Take, eat, this is my body, which was broken for you.

Secondly, Christ and his blood is in this Ordinance not only thus particularly [ 2] offered and applied, but verily and really (though not corporally, but spiritually) exhibited and given to every worthy receiver. In which respect every Sacrament is said by the Apostle ( Rom. 4.11.) to be a seal of the righteousness which is by faith. And our Savior calleth the bread his body, and the wine his blood, Mat. 26.26.28. This is my body, this is my blood, saith he. As if he had said, As verily as the one is present unto, and received by the body, so verily is the other present unto, and received by the soul of the worthy receiver. And the Apostle moveth a Question, as appealing thereby to the conscience of every true believer, 1 Cor. 10.16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? Is it not an applying of Christ's blood to ourselves, and making of it our own.

And how falleth it out then, that we that have so often received this holy Sacrament, have gotten so little assurance by it, that Christ is ours? That there is never a whit the more joy in Jerusalem, God's people are never a whit the more comfortable in themselves, for being at our Passover? Surely, 1 We do not beforehand prepare our hearts to seek the Lord our God in this Ordinance, as they did in Hezekiah's time. 2. We do not when we are at this Ordinance stir up ourselves with humble and thankful souls to receive that mercy that is offered us from the Lord. But that complaint may be taken up in this case, which the Prophet maketh, Esa. 64.7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee. Christ cometh to us in this his Ordinance, and offereth (as with a bunch of hyssop) to sprinkle his blood upon us, and we will not open our hearts to receive it from him.

[ 3] The third and last Ordinance of God that hath great force in it to breed and preserve in our hearts this particular assurance of God's favor, and to recover it when it is lost, is prayer. This is that that giveth virtue and force to all other means, and without which no means we can use will do us any good. If thou wouldst attain to a particular assurance of God's love to thee in Christ, thou must seek to God for it as David doth here, and cry unto him as he doth likewise, Psalm 35.3. O Lord say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Great is the force of humble and fervent prayer, as in all other cases, so in this especially. Two things we have to assure us of this.

First, The promise of God. I will make my people joyful (saith the Lord, [ 1] Esa. 56.7.) in my house of prayer. What is the thing that maketh God's people joyful and comfortable? Surely, when the Lord lifteth up the light of his countenance upon them, and giveth them assurance of his favor, as we see plainly, Psalm 4.6, 7. How and by what means will the Lord work this joy and comfort in them? By prayer. I will make them joyful (saith he) in my house of prayer. So speaketh our Savior, John. 16 24. Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. So the Lord promiseth unto his people, Levite. 23.27. that the day of their most solemn and fervent prayer, wherein they should humble themselves by fasting, and afflict their souls, to that end that they might pray the more fervently, should be a day of atonement and reconciliation between him and them; they should obtain more comfortable assurance of his favor upon that day and by that means, than by any other.

[ 2] Secondly; The experience of God's people may assure us of this. Two experiments only I will give you of this in David. The first is set down in Psalm 6. For, when he made that Psalm, it is evident that he was in great anguish of heart by the loss of his assurance of God's favor, as appeareth by the seven first verses. To recover his comfort he falleth to servant prayer. And before he had ended his prayer, he was so filled with the assurance of God's favor, that he breaketh forth into these pathetical expressions of his joy, Verse 8, 9. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping, the Lord hath heard my supplication, the Lord will receive my prayer. The second experiment of this in him is in Psalm 31. Where we find that when he had so far lost his assurance, that he thought (as he saith, verse 22.) he was quite cut off from God, as a dead and rotten branch; he betook himself to prayer, he cried, and made many supplication unto God, and had such success in this course, that he bursteth forth into these words, verse 21. Blessed be the Lord, for he hath shown me his marvelous kindness, as in a strong city.

And how falleth it out then (wilt thou say) that I have been so long a suitor to God for this, and cannot yet obtain it? I answer thee in the words of the Apostle, I am. 4.3. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss.

Five defects there be in thy prayer, that this is to be imputed unto.

First, Either thou prayest not fervently, and earnestly for this, but there are [ 1] some other things that thou dost more affect, and more earnestly desire, then thou dost this. Whereas thou shouldst seek, and desire this above all things in the world, and say of it, as David doth, Psal. 63.3. Thy loving kindness is better then life.

A second defect in thy prayer may be this, that thou livest in some known [ 2] sin, unrepented of. If thou prepare thine heart (saith Zophar, Job 11 13, 14) and stretch out thine hand towards him, if iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. He, whose conscience telleth him, he doth somewhat daily, and purposeth still to do that he ought not; or somewhat he daily omitteth to do, and doth not yet resolve to do, which he ought to do, can have no hope to find comfort by his prayer.

A third defect in thy prayer, that may be the cause why thou speedest no [ 3] better, may be: that thou art not humbled enough in thy prayers for this. I tell thee this is a suit worth the setting of a day apart, and keeping of a secret fast for Of this spirit of infidelity that possesseth thee, and whereby thy poor heart is so vexed, and tormented, it may be Christ hath said as once he did of another spirit, Mark. 9.2 • . This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Remember what I told thee out of Levi. 23.27. Of all the days of thy life, the day of humiliation, wherein thou afflictest thy soul in prayer and fasting, will prove the day of atonement between God and thy soul; thou canst use no means to get assurance of thy atonement and reconciliation with God, better then that.

A fourth defect in thy prayer, that may perhaps be the cause why thou [ 4] speedest no better, is this, that thou prayest not in faith for this blessing. Thou usest to pray out of this persuasion, that thy heart telleth thee, that thou must do it, God hath commanded thee to pray, thy conscience will check and smite thee if thou do neglect it. But thou dost not when thou prayest, set before thy mind the promises of God. Such as that is, John 16 22. Verily, verily, I say unto you; Whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name, he will give it you. And that Luke 11.13. If ye being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him? And this holy spirit is the spirit of adoption, that witnesseth with our spirit that we are God's children, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 8.16. These, and those other promises we heard of before, we should think on when we pray, and verily expect the performance of them. Thus did David. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried (saith he, Psalm 119.147.) I hoped in thy word. As if he should say, The gracious promises thou hadst made in thy word, encouraged me to it. So dost not thou, Thou prayest for comfortable assurance of God's favor, but thou dost not look to obtain it by thy prayer, nay thou hadst no hope to obtain it. And so by this thy infidelity when thou prayest, thou setttest up a wall of partition between God and thy prayer, to keep it from having any access unto him. Let not that man think (saith the Apostle, James 1.7) that he shall receive anything of the Lord. The Lord useth to answer his people in their suites, as he did the two blind men. Matthew 9.29. According to your faith be it unto you.

[ 5] The fifth and last defect in thy prayer, that may be the cause why thou receivest no comfort by it, is this, that thou faintest in prayer. Because thou hast so long sued to God for assurance, and comfort, and canst yet receive none, thou hast been weary of prayer, and given it over; and so hast limited the holy one of Israel, as they did, of whom the Prophet complaineth, Psalm 78.41. whereas our Savior hath taught us by the parable of the unrighteous judge, and the widow, Luke 18.1. that we ought always to pray, and not to faint. Blessed are all they that wait for him, saith the Prophet Esa. 30.18. As if he had said, They that wait, shall not loose their labor, they shall certainly obtain their suit in the end. This is a blessing (I tell thee) worth the waiting for. Many a Saint of God hath waited many years for this suit before they have obtained it, and when they have obtained it at the last, have thought themselves happy men. And thus much shall serve to have been spoken of the first sort of means; the other we must leave till the next day.

Lecture CXXV. On Psalm 51.7. Aug. 11. 1629.

[ 2] THE second sort of means (which I call more inward and spiritual then the former) are four principally. The first is, care to keep a good conscience in all things. The second, a diligent observation of our own ways. The third, a consideration of the experiments we have had of God's favor. The fourth, a renouncing of ourselves, and resting only upon the free grace of God in Christ.

[ 1] First. He that would get a comfortable assurance of the favor of God in Christ, and feel that the blood of Christ is sprinkled by the spirit of God upon his heart, he that desireth to keep and preserve in himself this assurance, or to recover it, when he hath lost it, must nourish in his heart a constant care to please God in all his ways, and a fear to offend him in anything. The work of righteousness shall be peace (saith the Prophet Isaiah 32.17.) and the effect of righteousness, quietness, and assurance forever. As if he had said, A righteous and godly life, will certainly work peace in the heart, and no marvel, for it will work assurance of God's favor; yea, assurance forever, a constant assurance of it, an assurance that we shall have it forever, and shall never loose it. In the fear of the Lord (saith Solomon. Pro. 14.26.) is strong confidence. As if he should say, Fear God, be careful not to offend him in anything, and thou shalt be confident of his favor, yea strongly confident of it. Yea, this care to please God in all our ways, and fear to offend him, will preserve in the heart of a man, the assurance of God's favor, even in the time of the greatest trial, and temptations that he can fall into. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them (saith our Savior, Matth, 7.24.25. whosoever he be that is not a hearer of the word only, but maketh conscience to practice whatsoever he heareth) I will liken him unto a wiseman, that built his house upon a rock, and the rain descended, and the winds blew, end the floods beat upon that house, and it fell not, because it was founded upon a rock. In which respect the Apostle, 1 Tim. 6.19. calleth good works, a good foundation for the time to come, whereupon men may lay hold upon eternal life. As if he should have said, A man may in the time to come; that is, in the time of sickness, and trial, build a well grounded assurance of eternal life, even upon them. I know well, that experience seemeth to make much against this. Many that are most careful to please God in all their ways, and fearful to offend him, are of all other people in most doubt of their salvation, & are furthest off from confident assurance of it. And on the other side, they that live most licentiously are of all men freest from these doubts, most confident of God's love, and of their own salvation. But to this I answer. Let God be true, and every m • n a lie • r. Rom. 3.4. Certainly a constant care to please God in all our ways, will bring us to a comfortable assurance of God's favor, sooner or later, in one measure and degree or other, and without this, it is not possible to •• taine unto it. Two things there be that may undoubtedly assure us of this, 1. The promise of God that cannot lie. 2. The nature of God.

First. See what rich and precious promises we have from God, concerning [ 1] this. To him that ordereth his conversation aright (saith the Lord. Psal. 50.23.) will I show the salvation of God. As if he had said, I will cause him to see, and know that he shall be saved. And again, Mal. 4.2. To you that fear my name, shall the sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings. To every soul among you that truly feareth God, I may boldly say, that though it be night with thee now, thou seest no light, no comfort, thou art continually disgui • ted with fears and doubts of thy salvation, yet certainly the sun of righteousness will arise upon thee one day with healing in his wings ; thou shalt see the comfortable light of God's countenance, and have a sweet and full assurance of his favor. Light is sown for the righteous (as the Prophet speaketh, Psal. 97.11) and gladness for the upright in heart. There is not a soul that unfeignedly feareth God, but he hath in him the seed of true comfort and assurance, and he shall certainly one day both see it spring, and taste of the fruit of it. If ye love me, keep my commandments (saith our Savior, John 14. • 5, 16.) and I will pray the father, • nd he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever. If any man keep his commandments, keep them Evangelically, that is, out of love to God, endeavor to keep them, let him not doubt of comfort, certainly the comforter will come unto that man, and abide with him forever. But you will say, When will the comforter come? I have long desired to fear God and endeavored to please him, yet could I never attain to this comfort hitherto. I answer, Do so still, and the comforter will certainly come, For Christ (whom his father always heareth, John 11.42) hath prayed that it may be so. Yea, it will not be long too. Yet a little while (saith the Apostle, Heb 10.37.) and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. And for this also we have a promise, Psalm 8 • .8, 9. For when the Prophet had said. God will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints. God will certainly speak peace to the heart of every godly man; he addeth, Surely his salvation is nigh unto them that fear him. As if he had said, Certainly it will not be long before God giveth to every soul that truly feareth him, a comfortable assurance of his favor, though he do delay it for a time, surely he will do it ere long.

The second evidence for this, is from the nature of God, It must needs be [ 2] so, for The righteous Lord loveth righteousness (saith David, Psal 11.7.) his countenance doth behold the upright. And Prov. 15.9. The Lord loveth him that followeth after righteousness. He must needs have the love and favor of the holy God, that leadeth an holy life. Thus speaketh our blessed Savior, John 14.21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, is he that loveth me. And he that loveth me, shall be beloved of my father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. As if he should say, As I and my father both cannot but love him, that out of love to me maketh conscience of all my commandments, so he shall know it and feel it, and hide the assurance of it in himself, I will manifest myself unto him, saith he.

On the other side, It is not possible for any man to have true assurance of his salvation, and of God's favor that doth not fear God, and is not careful in all his ways to please him. And certainly the want of assurance that is in any of us, is chiefly to be imputed unto this that we have not been so fearful to offend God, so careful to please him as we ought to have been. I speak not only of such as are wicked men, There is no peace saith my God to the wicked, Isaiah 57.21 (that is, no true and sound peace) But I speak of God's dearest children. Let a man that hath the strongest faith, the most comfortable assurance of God's favor, once give himself liberty unto any gross sin, though he loose not his faith utterly thereby (Christ prayed for Peter that his faith should not fail, in that his most fearful fall, Luk 22.3 • . and the same prayer that he made for Peter, he made for all that truly believe in his name, as you may read, John 17.20.) yet shall that man certainly loose his assurance and comfort by it. Your iniquities (saith the Prophet to God's own people Esa. 59.2. have separated between you and your God, and your sins have bid his face from you. You need no other experiment of this then in David. What man hath ever had more comfortable assurance of his salvation, and of the favor of God in Christ, then he sometimes had. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee (saith he, Psal. 118.28.) thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. And Ps. 27.1. The Lord is my light, and my salvation, whom shall I fear? But when this man had once given liberty to himself to sin against his conscience, in the matter of Uriah, see how his assurance and comfort was quite lost, and how much ado he had to recover it again, Make me to hear joy and gladness, saith he here, verse 8. and verse 12. Restore me to the joy of thy salvation. But what speak I of gross sins? Let a Christian but grow worldly and secure, let him but remit anything of that watchfulness, & care to take heed to his ways, of that fear to offend God in anything that was wont to be in him, and his comfortable assurance of God's favor will be lost. See an experiment of this in the Church and spouse of Christ, the mother of us all, Cant. 5.2—6. She complaineth ver. 6. that her wellbeloved had with-drawn himself, and was gone, she had lost the comfort and assurance of his love; and both in that verse and those that follow, it appeareth, she had much ado to recover him again. She sought him, but she could not find him, she called upon him, but he gave her no answer, And how came this to pass? What had she done? Surely she came to this woeful loss, not by any foul sin she had fall • e into, but only through a spiritual laziness, and wretchlesnesse, and worldly security that was crept upon her, as appeareth by her answer, verse 3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? She answered him as a lazy sluggard newly awakened out of his sleep, and loath to arise out of his bed, and the effect of her answer was this, I am now at ease and quiet, and by opening my heart unto thee, by receiving thee to rule and govern in it, by hearkening and yeeldding unto thee in everything, I shall put myself to a great deal of trouble and labor, that I am now eased of. Certainly this is an answer that many a poor soul hath oft made unto Christ. He hath fallen asleep in worldly security, & Christ both by his word and spirit knocked oft at the door of his heart, and sought to enter, and take full possession of it; and because this could not be without trouble to the flesh, it would put him to labor and pain, therefore he hath refused to open unto Christ, and so hath lost him, and the comfortable assurance of his love.

Let us now make some application of this unto ourselves.

[ 1] And first, Let everyone of us that complain we cannot get assurance of God's love, examine well whither this be not the cause of it. Dost thou not, or hast thou not lived in some known sin that thou hast not yet repented of, or been humbled for, as thou oughtest to be; Or art thou not grown more secure and careless of thy ways, and cold in holy duties, then once thou wert? Certainly this must be found out, and repented of, or thou canst have no hope at all to recover the assurance of God's favor. Sin unrepented of, is like a filthy vapor rising out of the soul, that will cause such a mist and thick fog between God and us, as will keep the light of his countenance from shining upon us. That remedy therefore that is prescribed unto us in all other afflictions, Lamenta. 3.39.40. must be used in this case. Wherefore doth living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sin, Let us search, and try our ways, and turn • again unto the Lord. Search thine own ways, and crave help of God also, crying to him with Job, 10.2. Shew me wherefore thou contendest and art angry with me? and with the Church, Psalm 44 24. Lord, wherefore hidest thou thy face? If thou canst find out thy sin that is the cause of this, and humble thyself, and return unto God by unfeigned repentance, thou needest not doubt of recovering thy assurance again. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. Mal. 3.7.

Secondly. Let this restrain us from sin. For is there not force enough in [ 2] this (beloved) though there were nothing else to make us afraid to sin, to do anything that we know would offend God, that we shall be such losers by it. That though we do not thereby loose our fathers love so far forth, as to cause him to disinherit us, yet we shall loose thereby the assurance of his love, we shall so offend him, as it may be we shall never have kind look of him again while we live. Is there any pleasure or profit to be found in sin, that will countervail this loss? As ungracious a child as Absalom was, yet he professeth, 2 Sam. 14.32. that it was no comfort to him at all to be restored from his banishment to his own house and land, nay, it was no comfort to him to live, so long as his father refused to look upon him.

Thirdly and lastly. Should not this make everyone of us in love with a Christian [ 3] course, and willing to walk circumspectly, and exactly, as the Apostle speaketh. Ephes. 5.15. To watch end be sober, as the Apostle Peter exhorteth us to be. 1 Peter 5.1. to grow in grace and take heed of decaying in zeal or 〈◊〉 . If you grow remiss and careless, though you loose not your salva •••• , yet the full and comfortable assurance of it, you will certainly loose. I know this will not be done without pain and labor. But of all the labors in the world this is the most profitable, yea the most comfortable and sweet labor. The labor of the righteous tendeth unto life. saith Solomon, Proverbs 10.16. And who would not labor for life, specially for life eternal? That which Solomon saith of bodily labor. Ecclesiast. 5.12. The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much, may much more be said of this labor, it will make both our food, and rest, and all other comforts sweet unto us, for it will preserve in us the assurance of God's love in Christ, which will give a pleasant relish unto them all.

The second of these more inward and spiritual means of assurance, that [ 2] I told you of is, A diligent observation of our own ways. It is profitable and necessary for a man that would get or preserve or recover the assurance of God's favor, to observe diligently his own ways. Many good souls there be that fear God unfeignedly, and serve him with upright hearts, that yet do not know they do so. And though such may be sure (as you have heard in the former direction) to attain unto assurance of God's favor in the end, yet would they (certainly) attain unto it sooner, and in better measure if themselves did know that they do unfeignedly fear God, and serve him with upright hearts. Hereby we know (saith the Apostle, 1 John 3.19.) that we are of the truth, and shall before him assure our hearts. When once we know we are of the truth, of the number of those that are sincere and upright hearted, then shall we assure our hearts even before God. Now no man can know this well, that is not careful to observe, consider, and examine his own ways. Ponder the path of thy feet (saith the Holy Ghost, Pro. 4.26.) and let all thy ways be established. As if he had said, By pondering and considering our doings well, we may have them established, make them stable and firm such as we may build sound comfort and assurance upon. He that doth truth (saith our Savior, John. 3.21. that is, he that is indeed and in his practice not in profession only a godly man) cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God. As if he should say, He doth by the Word examine his deeds whether they be so performed, as God may be pleased with them. Certainly there is never a good duty we perform at any time, never a prayer we make, never a Sermon we preach or hear, never an alms we give, nay I say more, never a bargain we make, never a duty we perform even towards men in our particular callings, but it may give us assurance of God's love if we can find it hath been wrought in God ; that is, done by the guidance of his spirit, and with an upright heart. For no man can do anything with an upright heart (that is, in faith, and obedience, and love to God) till he be in God's favor, till he be in the state of grace, and a justified man. A corrupt tree (saith our Savior, Mat. 7.18. a man that is in his natural estate) cannot bring forth good fruit. As many as are led by the spirit of God (saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.14.) they are the sons of God certainly. Therefore also he telleth poor servants, Col. 3.24. that did their service to their idolatrous and bad masters in singleness of heart, fearing God, that they knew (even by this) that they should receive of the Lord, the reward of inheritance. They might grow assured of their salvation even by doing the duties of servants, with good and upright hearts. And as any one duty performed with a good heart will give assurance of this in some measure; so the more good works any man knoweth he hath done, the longer he knoweth that he hath continued in a constant care to please God in all his ways, the stronger his assurance shall be. A strong and full assurance of salvation, will not be gotten in a day or two by one or two good actions, but by a constant continuing in well doing and by long proof and experience of the working of God's grace, in our hearts. We desire (saith the Apostle, Heb. 6.11.) that everyone of you, do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. As if he should say, You have good things in you now, and such as accompany salvation, such as may give you good assurance of your salvation, you show much labor of love, ye have ministered to the Saints and yet do minister, but if you would get full assurance of hope, you must hold out and do so still to the end.

Two things there be that are wont to be objected by many a good heart against this.

First, If a man could certainly know that the duties he performeth were done with an upright heart; that in his conversation and course of life, he were led by the spirit of God, then he might indeed thereby get this assurance. But there is all the difficulty, every man may find by experience, the truth of that which the Prophet speaketh, Ier. 17.9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desparately wicked who can know it?

To this I answer that though this be indeed an hard thing, yet this is not impossible. The Lord that knoweth our hearts (as deceitful as they be as the Prophet there speaketh, verse • 0.) maketh his children also able to know their own hearts, and the uprightness of them. Hezekiah knew he had walked before God in truth, and with an upright heart, as himself professeth, Esa. 38.3. And Peter certainly knew that he did unfeignedly love the Lord and durst call the Lord himself to witness for this, John. 21.17. And there is no Christian but if he would ponder the path of his feet and take heed to his to his ways according to the word and take pains to examine them by the rules thereof, he might know the uprightness of his own heart in them, it might be made manifest unto him that they are wrought in God, as our Savior speaketh, John 3.2 • . Yea when he is at the worst and most destitute of his assurance, if he could examine his own heart, he should find in it evident arguments of uprightness (as fear to offend God in anything, longing after his favor and prizing it above all things; love of the brethren, poverty of spirit and grief of heart for it) upon which he might ground good assurance that he is in the favor of God. O the wrong we do to ourselves in the careless neglect of observing and examining our own ways! This is a main difference between the upright hearted Christian, and the natural man. The one is ever best persuaded of his own estate when he thinketh least of his own ways and doings, he cannot abide to examine his own ways, or to think seriously of his own doings. If by any hand of God upon him, or by a searching ministry they be brought into his mind, it is a death unto him. Like unto the broken merchant that cannot abide to go into his counting house to cast over his books. On the other side, The upright hearted Christian is never so comfortable, as when he hath most seriously co • si • ered his own ways, when his heart hath been so searched as he can look into the bottom of it: Let every man prove his own work (saith the Apostle, Gal 6.4.) and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. A good man shall be satisfied from himself, saith Solomon, Pro. 14.14. He shall (if he will take pains to examine his own heart) find sufficient ground of comfort in himself.

The second thing that many a good soul will object against this, is, That he hath done what he can to examine his own heart, and he can find no truth of grace in himself nothing to ground any good assurance upon.

To this I answer, That this may be indeed for a time the case of a dear child of God, as we shall hear in the next use. They cannot discern in themselves for the present any goodness. But even in this case, observation and examination of their own ways will be of great use unto them. For then it will be good for them, to call to mind the times that are past; and those evidences they have had of the truth of grace in them in former times. This course Job took to recover his comfort sundry times, as you shall find, Chap 23.11, 12. and in three whole Chapters together, 29.30 31. And so did the Prophet likewise, Psal. 77.6. I call to remembrance my long in the night, I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit made diligent search. He did (by communing with his own heart and searching it diligently) call to mind that there was a time when he could sing in the night, when the spirit of adoption had given him such assurance of God's love, as made him full of joy and comfort even in the night season. And this course the Apostle prescribeth to God's people, Heb. 10. • 2. as a singular means to preserve and recover their confidence and assurance of God's favor. Call to remembrance (saith he) the former days, in the which after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions.

Alas (will you say) what comfort is it to me to remember what goodness hath been in me in times past, which I am now fallen from, and have lost?

I answer, That if ever thou hadst grace in thee in truth, although the sense and feeling of it thou mayst loose for a time, the vigor and operation of it may be nipped and interrupted for a time; but the grace and seed of regeneration is an incorruptible seed, as the Apostle calleth it, 1 Pet. 1.23. where it is in truth it is lasting. I will pray the father (saith our Savior, John 14.16, 17.) and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not: neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth in you and shall be in you. Look what heart the spirit of God did ever dwell in, there he shall be, there he will abide forever, Christ hath prayed the father that it may be so. The poor humbled sinner therefore that did ever in his life, at any one time, in any one action discern the truth of grace in himself (though now he can discern none) may from thence conclude infallibly that there is truth of grace in him still; and consequently may receive great help from thence for the recovery of his assurance again.

O what cause is there then that we should continually in all our ways commune with our own hearts about this; and search diligently to find this truth of grace in ourselves, seeing this will stand us in such stead at a dead lift (as we say) in our spiritual desertions to recover our assurance again?

Lecture CXXVI. On Psalm 51.7. August 18. 1629.

[ 3] A Third help that he must use that would get assurance of the favor of God in Christ, that would preserve it when he hath it, and recover it when he hath lost it, is carefully to observe and call to mind the experiments he hath had of God's special favor and love formerly. This course God's people have taken in this case and found great success in it. Take the Psalmist for an example of this, Psal. 77. who when he had so far lost his assurance that it was a trouble to him to remember God and his spirit was overwhelmed in him as he complaineth, ver. 3. and that he cried out, ver. 7, 8, 9. Will the Lord cast off forever, and Will he be favorable no more? Is his mercy clean gone forever? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? He had strong temptations to doubt he should never recover God's favor again. Now to raise himself out of this woeful estate, he resolveth thus with himself, ver. 10. But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high ; that is, the years and times of my life wherein I had sweet experience of God's mercy and love, For so is this phrase interpreted, Psal. 17.7. Shew thy marvelous kindness ô thou that savest with thy right hand them that put their trust in thee. And 80.17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand. This course also David took at another time, Psal. 143.5, 6. When his spirit was overwhelmed within him, and his heart within him was desolate, then I remember (saith he) the days of old, I meditate on all thy works, I muse on the works of thy hands. He called to mind and seriously thought upon the passages of God's providence toward other of his people, but specially toward himself in former times, and sought to recover his comfort and assurance this way. And see what success God's servants have found in this case, how they have grounded their assurance upon this. I will cry unto thee (saith David, Psal. 61.2, 3.) when my heart is overwhelmed for thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. Because thou hast been my help (saith he, Psal. 63.7.) therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. And 71.20. Thou which hast shown me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. And whereupon grounded he this assurance and confidence? That he had expressed before, ver. 5, 6. Thou art my hope, ô Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth; by thee have I been holden up from the womb, thou art he that took me out of my mothers bowels my praise shall be continually of thee.

But you will (haply) object and say, Can any man ground true assurance of God's love upon the experience he hath had of God's goodness towards him in these temporal and common favors? Such experiments of God's love as these are I could record a great many. But (alas) these are poor grounds for any man to build his assurance and comfort upon. 1. No man can say because God hath formerly been good to him in this kind, therefore he will be good to me again. God repented that he had made Saul King, 1 Sam. 15.35. God giveth such gifts as these unto many and taketh them quite away again, and so seemeth to repent the bestowing of them. Nay 2 no man can judge of God's love or hatred by such things though he were sure to enjoy them always, as the Holy Ghost teacheth us plainly, Eccl. 9.1, Many castaways (and Esau by name) have had abundant experience of God's goodness in such things, and yet the Scripture saith expressly that God hated him for all that, Mal. 1.3.

But to this I have two things to answer.

First, Though these outward blessings be to reprobate men no arguments [ 1] of God's special and unchangeable love yet to the elect they be; though a man to whom these blessings come single and alone, cannot ground any good assurance of God's special love upon them; yet the elect of God and such as find them sanctified unto them, and themselves bettered by them, have been able to raise good assurance of God's love even from them and have been greatly confirmed in their faith and confidence in God by them. By this I know (saith David, Psal. 41.11.) that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. Even by a temporal deliverance he had received from the practices of Saul, he gathered assurance that the Lord loved him. And Psal. 18.19. He delivered me, because he delighted in me. So Jacob telleth his brother, Gen. 33.10. that in the strange alteration he found in him and in the great kindness he received from him he saw the face of God ; that is, the loving countenance of God towards him. Thou that fearest God mayest certainly confirm thyself much in the assurance of God's love, even by calling to mind the manifold experiments thou hast had of God's goodness towards thee even in these outward things, from thy youth up hitherto. Nay I will say more, The observation of the common goodness that God showeth unto all men, yea even unto all his creatures▪ may help thee much (that desirest to fear God) to grow assured and confident of his special love unto thee. Your heavenly father (saith our Savior to his Disciples, Mat • h. 6.26.) feedeth the fowls of the air; and are not ye much better then they? Thus David, from the consideration of this common goodness of God to all the creatures, falleth into an admiration of his goodness to his people, Psal. 36.6, 7. Thou preservest both man and beast. How excellent is thy loving kindness ô God? Therefore the children of men, put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. As if he had said, Therefore the children of men (poor sinners) are apt to put their trust in thee, and grow confident of thy special love towards them; because they, seeing how good thou art to all thy creatures, conclude thereupon that thy loving kindness towards such as desire to fear thee, must needs be excellent. So having spoken at large, Psal. 107. of the providence and goodness of God towards all men; he inferreth, verse 42, 43. The righteous shall see it and rejoice, they shall take comfort even in this. And he giveth the reason in the next words. Who so is wise and will observe these things (that is, the goodness of God that appeareth in the ordinary passages of his providence towards all men) even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord ; that is to say, towards righteous men, towards such as fear his name.

But then secondly I answer, That though the observation of God's goodness [ 2] to us in outward things may help us much this way, yet the experiments we have had of his goodnsse to us formerly in spiritual things will do it much better. If thou hast had experience formerly that God hath been gracious to thee, in thy spiritual desertions and temptations by delivering thee out of them and giving thee victory over them, by giving thee much comfort in prayer and in the Word, thou mayst from thence gather a comfortable assurance of his special love much better, then by any outward blessing that ever thou receivedst from God. See how David did ground his assurance and confidence upon this. Hear me when I call (saith he, Psal. 4.1.) ô God of my righteousness; thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress, have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer ; and thereupon enforceth, verse 3. The Lord wi •• hear me when I call upon him. He was confident God would return to him again, and give a gracious answer unto his prayer, because he had had experience that God had formerly when he was in like distress enlarged his heart and given him much comfort in prayer. So Psal. 22.21. Save me from the Lions mouth, for thou hast heard me from the horns of the Unicorns ; The experience he had had of God's power and goodness formerly in the like temptation, giveth him assurance of help in this also. So Ps. 27.9, 10. Hide not thy face from me (saith he) put not thy servant away in anger, Thou hast been my help (in such like distresses as I am now in) leave me not neither forsake me ô God of my salvation. And see in the next verse the confidence he grew unto upon this experience, When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

Let us learn therefore (beloved) to take notice of and observe all the special favors of God and experiments we receive of his love from time to time; Yea let us labor to remember them, to keep a register of them; and to repeat them oft to our own souls. Consider how great things God hath done for you, saith Samuel to the people, 1 Sam. 12.24. Yea we should call upon our hearts as David doth, Psal. 103.2. Bless the Lord ô my soul; and forget not all his benefits. God's people have been so careful to keep in remembrance God's special favors, that they have used to give names to persons, and places, and times of purpose to help their memories in this case. Hannah called her son whom she had obtained by prayer Samuel begged of God, 1 Samuel 1.20. that so oft as she heard him named, she might be put in remembrance of the respect God had had to her prayer. Abraham called the place where God had spared Isaac, and provided another sacrifice in his room Jehovah-jireh God will provide, Gen. 22.14. that he might never forget that experiment he had had of God's gracious providence. Jacob changed the name of Luz into Bethel the house of God, Gen. 28.19. that he might ever remember how graciously and comfortably God had revealed himself to him in that place. Jehoshaphat and God's people (that they might never forget the marvelous comfort they had received from God after a general fast, in a strange deliverance from an invincible army of the Ammonites, and Moabites, and Edomites, 2 Chron. 20.26.) called the place where they met together to praise God for this mercy the valley of Berachah ; that is, the valley of blessing. So Mordecai and God's people to keep in perpetual remembrance another marvelous deliverance which they had obtained by fasting and prayer from the conspiracy of Haman, did not only keep those days which he (according to the counsel of his judicial astrologers and magicians) found to be the most lucky and fit days for to put the decree against the Jews in execution, as days of rejoicing every year; but called them also the days of Purim as you may read, Est. 9.26. They would have the Lord's defeating of Haman's lottery and magic, never to be forgotten. Certainly these examples are written to teach us that we who have received the like blessings from God; who have had experience 1 of God's marvelous providence in sundry extremities, as Abraham had; 2 of God's gracious presence revealed to us in his house, and in the use of his ordinances as Jacob had; 3 of the comfortable answer that God hath given to our prayers, as he did to Hannah ; 4 specially of the fruit & happy success we have found in our fasts & the great deliverances we have received by them, as God's people in the days of Jehoshaphat and Mordecai did; that we should likewise take heed of forgetting these experiments & use all the means we can to keep them in remembrance forever. And that for this very cause, because (as the Apostle saith Rom. 5.4.) Experience worketh hope. And that upon this ground, because though we be variable, the Lord is constant in his love; Whom he loveth he loveth to the end, John 13.1. In him is no uariablenesse, or shadow of turning, James 1.17.

The fourth and last means that they must use, who desire to obtain assurance [ 4] of God's favor in Christ, to preserve it when they have it, and to recover it when it is lost, is this, They must renounce themselves, and look for it only through the free grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ. When a man can neither 1 by diligent examination find any goodness in himself for the present; 2 nor call to mind any goodness that hath been in him formerly; 3 nor can remember any such special mercy or fruit of God's love that he hath received in times past, upon which he can ground any assurance; yet if he can then with an humbled soul, despairing to get it any other way, cast himself upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ, and cry with God's people, 2 Chron. 20.12. We know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee ; he may obtain assurance and comfort by this means, when he cannot do it by any other. By this means David looked to receive his comfort and assurance, as you may find by that speech he useth to his own soul, Psalm 42.5. which he repeateth again verse 12. Why art thou cast down O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. He looked verily to recover the comfortable assurance of God's favor. How looked he to recover it? Surely by hoping in God, and resting in his mercy. So by this means the faithful profess they looked to obtain the comfortable assurance of God's love, Psal. 33.20—22. Our soul waiteth for the Lord, for our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name, Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee.

Why but you will say, can any man hope for mercy from God that can find no goodness in himself at all? The righteous God loveth righteousness, as we have heard out of Psal. 11.7. Ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord, saith David, Psal. 115.11. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting (saith David, Psal. 103.17.) upon them that fear him. But on the other side; Such as have no goodness in them, but are wicked men, his soul hateth, as David teacheth us, Psal. 11.5.

To this I answer, That though no impenitent sinner can expect mercy from God, neither would I have any such snatch at anything that I shall say, they have nothing to do with it, yet the humbled and penitent sinner may, as may appear by examples. Sundry that could find no goodness in themselves at all, and therefore judged themselves utterly unworthy of mercy, have yet relied upon God, trusted and looked to receive mercy from him, nevertheless for that. Such a one was the Centurion Matth. 8.8. who though he judged himself unworthy that Christ should come under his roof, yet did trust to receive mercy from Christ for all that. And the woman of Canaan, who though she knew no goodness in her self, but counted her self no better than a dog, Mat. 15.27. yet trusted confidently in Christ for all that. And two plain reasons there be for this. First, because they knew God's mercy is free, and not grounded upon any goodness that is in us. I will love them freely, saith the Lord, Hos. 14.4. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious (saith the Lord Exod. 33.19.) and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Secondly, Because they have trusted to receive mercy from God only through Christ. In him (they knew) there was goodness enough, though there were none in them; Look upon the face of thine anointed, saith David, Psal. 84.9. As if he should have said, Though thou canst see no goodness in me for which thou shouldst show me mercy, yet thou mayest see enough in him to content thee. Cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate (saith Daniel 9.57.) for the Lord's sake. Christ hath deserved that God should be merciful to all the believe in him. And whatsoever goodness is in him is theirs. He is made to us of God (saith the Apostle, 1 Corinth. 1.30.) wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. So that an humbled sinner may rely upon, and expect mercy of God through Christ, though he can discern no goodness at all in himself. Nay, I say more, that because thou findest in thyself no goodness at all, therefore art thou of all men the fittest to receive mercy from God through Christ. H • e everyone that thirsteth (saith the Lord, Esa. 55.1.) come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money. As if he had said, He that hath no goodness in him, nothing whereby he may hope to purchase and deserve mercy, is nevertheless capable of mercy for that; nay he is the more capable of it, because of that, that he finds himself so. As, the emptier a glass is, the fitter it is to receive any precious liquor that should be put into it. Blessed are the poor in spirit, saith our Savior, Matth. 5.3. And, To him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly (saith the Apostle, Rom. 4.5. To him that hath not any goodness, not one good work to trust unto, but can do God that honor as to believe in him, expect and rest upon him for mercy, though he know himself to be an ungodly man, and void of all goodness) to him his faith is imputed for righteousness. As if he should say, O that is a justifying, that is an excellent faith indeed.

But though a man that feeleth no goodness in himself, may yet expect to receive mercy and assurance of favor from God, if he can rest himself upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ, and trust to receive it that way, and that way alone; yet how can such a one as I that am so full of fears, and doubts, and infidelity, ever be able to do that; my infidelity barreth me from all hope of mercy. If Christ could do no mighty work in Nazareth because of their infidelity, as the Holy Ghost witnesseth, Mar. 6 5. how can I ever hope to obtain mercy and assurance of favor from God this way?

To this I answer, First, Thou mayest notwithstanding thine infidelity, so long as the infidelity that is in thee reigneth not, but thou discernest, bewailest, and strivest against it. David had doubting, and fear, and infidelity in him, when he cried Psal. 13.1. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord? For ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? And yet even then he trusted in God's mercy, and hoped to recover assurance of his favor that way, as appeareth by his words in the fifth verse. And when I am afraid (saith he, Psal. 56▪ • . when I am disquieted with fears, and doubts of any kind) I will trust in thee. So Psal. 143.7, 8. he professeth that when his spirit fa • led, when his spirit was overwhelmed, and his heart within him was desolate, as he had said before Verse 4. (and consequently when he had much infidelity in him) yet even then he did trust in God, an • lifted up his soul unto him. And was not the poor woman that had the bloody issue ( Luke 8.47.) troubled much with doubts, and fears, and infidelity, when yet notwithstanding she did trust and look to receive mercy and help through the free goodness of God in Christ. Secondly, Though thou feel thyself never so unable through thy infidelity to cast thyself upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ; yet if thou can bewail, and be soundly humbled for thy infidelity, God will make thee able to do it. For, he hath promised to give grace (even this as well as any other) to the humble, I am. 4.6. He will keep thee from sinking under, and being overcome of thy infidelity. And God's people have never found him readier to show them mercy this way, that when they have felt most weakness and infidelity in themselves. When the Apostle had been pressed out of measure above his strength, (as he speaketh 2 Cor. 1.8, 9) and had the sentence of death in himself, God sustained and delivered him; and that for this very cause, as he saith, to teach us that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead ; which causeth him to profess, 2 Cor. 12.10. When I am weak, then am I strong. He never felt God's strength more in supporting him and keeping him from sinking under the burden of any temptation, than when he found his own weakness and readiness to sink most of all.

Now (to make some application of this) we shall find that many of God's people do greatly offend in this point. For they make that inherent grace which they find in themselves the only ground of all their comfort and assurance of God's favor; while they discern that in themselves they are quiet and comfortable, when they cannot, they are utterly out of hope. Two evils they commit in this, one against themselves, another against the Lord.

First, resting upon that grace they find in themselves, and so trusting in their [ 1] own heart, they lean upon a bruised reed that may and will deceive them. Their own spirit may fail them and be overwhelmed, as we have heard David complained that it was with him, Psal. 143.4, 7. Though that grace that is in them (if ever it were in them in truth) do not utterly fail, yet their heart and spirit, the knowledge and feeling of that grace they have, may quite fail them for a time. This made David say as he doth, Psal. 73.26. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. Make God himself thy rock and portion, the only ground of all thy hope and comfort, and he will never fail, though thine own flesh and heart do.

Secondly, In doing thus we make an idol of that inherent grace that is in us; [ 2] and putting that trust in it which we should repose in the Lord alone, we commit idolatry, we go a whoring after our own hearts, as the Lord speaketh, Num. 15.39. For no inherent grace that is in us is God, but the gift of God only, and therefore cannot be fully trusted in without sin.

Let us therefore learn to praise God for any grace he hath wrought in us by his holy Spirit; yea let us take comfort in it as in a fruit of his eternal and unchangeable love, but let us not so rest upon it, as to make it the only or chief ground of our hope and comfort, but learn to renounce ourselves, and all confidence in any goodness that is in us, and with humbled souls cast ourselves wholly upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ; and say with the Apostle Phil. 3.3. We are the circumcision which — rejoice in the Lord Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Lecture CXXVII. On Psalm 51.7. Septem. 1. 1629.

NOw the third and last use that this Doctrine serveth unto, is, (as I said) for the comfort of such of God's people, as though they fear God unfeignedly and are careful in all their ways to please him, yet complain greatly of this, that they cannot feel that the blood of Christ is by the Spirit of God sprinkled upon their hearts, they cannot attain unto this sensible assurance of the favor of God in Christ. And though 1 I know well that in this profane and loose age few have need of this use of comfort, because most men are confident enough of their salvation; they are not troubled at all with any doubts or fears his way; and the whole have no need of a Physician, Matth. 9.12. Doctrine of humiliation and terror were fitter for most of our hearers than Doctrine of comfort. The fat and strong (among God's sheep) should be fed with judgment, as the Lord speaketh, Ezek. 34.16. Yea, 2 I know well, that some will be more likely to receive hurt than good by that which you shall now hear. For Christ and the Doctrine of God's mercy in him, is a stumbling stone and rock of offense to disobedient and wicked men, as the Apostle teacheth us, 1 Pet. 2.8. And 3. though in handling of the means whereby true assurance may be obtained, I have spoken much already for the comfort of such persons. [ 1] Yet have I two reasons why I dare not omit this use of comfort.

First. Because I doubt not but there are some of you that hear me, have present need of it. And if there were but two or three such among you all, I am bound in my ministry to have more respect unto them, then to all the rest. For to such principally are we sent to preach. He hath sent me (saith our Savior, Esa. 61 1, 2. and that which he that is the great Shepherd of the sheep said▪ it becometh us all that are under him t • say likewise) he hath sent me (saith he) to bind up the broken hearted, and to comfort all that mourn in Zion.

[ 2] Secondly. Because though there be many of you that have not present need of it, yet is there not any of God's people among you, but may have need of this comfort, you know not how soon you may loose the sensible assurance you have of God's favor in Christ, and have the light of his countenance hidden from you, In which respect I may say to you all of this use of comfort, as the Prophet doth of another matter, Esa. 42 23. Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the •• me to come • ? As if he had said; who is there among you all, that hath not just cause to give ear and hearken unto it, if not for the present need you have of it, yet because of the need you may have of it in time to come?

Two things there be that I have to say for the comfort of such of God's people as being humbled for their sins, and careful in all their ways to please God, cannot yet attain to a sensible assurance of the favor of God in Christ. The blood of Christ may be sprinkled upon thee, and applied u • to thee by the spirit of God though thou perceive it not 2. The blood of Christ is certainly sprinkled upon thee, and applied unto thee, by the spirit of God, though thou perceive it not, if thou have any measure of true faith in thee.

[ 1] First. A man may be in the favor of God, in the state of grace, a justified man before God, and yet want the sensible assurance of his salvacion, and of the favor of God in Christ. For this we have an evident example in David here. So soon as ever he had humbly confessed his fou • e si • and repented, he presently obtained pardon of it from God, and consequently he was justified from it in God's sight. For so Nathan the Prophet doth (in the name of God) assure him, 2 Sam. 12.13. The Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die. And yet though he were now reconciled unto God, and in the state of grace, it appeareth plainly by many petitions in this Psalm, and specially by the next words to my text, that he had not now the comfortable assurance of his reconciliation with God, in his own heart. It falleth out oft with God's servants, as it did with the two disciples that were travelling toward Emmaus, Luke 24.14, 15. Christ drew near unto them, and was with them, and that in a most gracious manner, and yet they perceived it not Their eyes were holden (saith the Evangelist) that they should not know him. And as it was with Mary Magdalene, John. • 0.14, 15. Christ was with her, and stood by her, and spake to her, and she perceived it not, but sought for him, and wept because she could not find him. Many a good soul have Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith, and yet perceive it not; their eyes are holden so, as they know him not to be with them; they have him already, yet they seek for him with Mary, and weep because they cannot find him. As in the bodily senses it is one gift and blessing of God to have them, and another to have ability to make use of them, and to exercise the operation of them for our comfort. The bearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them, saith Solomon, Pro. 20.12. Where God giveth the one, he denieth the other sometimes. Those that were in Paul's company when Christ struck him down, & spake to him from heaven, had at that time the faculty of hearing, but God suspended the exercise and operation of it; so that though Christ spake many words to Paul in a most audible voice, yet they could not hear them, as you may see, Act. 22.9. And Hagar had her eye-sight well enough when (the water being spent in her bottle and her child ready to perish with thirst) she sat her down in the wilderness of Beersheba over against the child, as you may read, Gen. 21.16.19. but God with held from her the use of her sight so at that time, as though there was a well in the place, and she had (doubtless) s • ught about everywhere for water, yet she could not see it till the Lord (upon her own, and the child's vehement crying unto him) had opened her eyes, And even so it is in the sanctifying and saving graces of God's spirit. Having eyes, see ye not? (saith our Savior to his own Disciples, Mar. 8.18.) and having ears, hear ye not? God's own people oftentimes, though they have eyes, yet see not, though they have ears, yet hear not, though they have faith, yet want the comfortable use and operation of it for a time. It is one grace and mercy of God to have true faith, repentance, love, and the like; and another to know and perceive sensibly in ourselves, that we have them. So speaketh the Apostle, 1 Cor. 2.12. We have received the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God. He maketh the things that are freely given us of God (under which words, doubtless all saving graces▪ which God worketh in us, are comprehended) one thing, one gracious work of the spirit of God, and the knowing and perceiving that we have these things freely given us of God, that he maketh another distinct work & grace of God's spirit. And where the Lord doth give the one of these graces, he is sometimes pleased to deny the other for a time. At that day (meaning after his ascension into heaven, saith our Savior to his elect disciples, after Judas was gone from them, John 14.20.) Ye shall know, that I am in my father, and you in me, and I in you. Christ was already in them, & they in him, as he plainly telleth them, John. 15.5. I am the Vine, ye are the branches. But they knew it not yet, they had no feeling, no comfort of it to speak of. It is therefore evident (you see) that a man may have saving grace in him, and not perceive it himself; a man may have true justifying faith in him, and not have the use and operation of it so far as to work in him a comfortable assurance of his reconciliation with God. Nay I will say more, a man may be in the state of grace, and have true justifying faith in him, and yet be so far from sensible assurance of it in himself, as in his own sense and feeling he may seem to be assured of the contrary. I will give you three most plain and pregnant examples for this, and so conclude this first point. Job was certainly in this case when he cried thus unto God. Job 13.24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? And 16.9. Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me ; He saw not God's loving countenance at all, he apprehended him as a mortal enemy. And David was in this case when he cried unto God, Psal. 22.1. Why hast thou forsaken me? And He man was in this case when he prayed thus, Psalm. 88.14. Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? Can any man think that these men had at these times any sensible assurance in themselves of their own salvation and of God's favor, when they did thus complain? No will you say; neither doth it appear, that they were in the state of grace in the favor of God, or had any true saith in them, when they did thus complain. Though these were good men, and did recover themselves afterward, yet when they spake thus, they were fallen from grace, they had lost their faith, or they could never have spoken in this sort. But to this I answer, That it is evident by the Scripture, that they had not lost their faith at these times; though they had lost their assurance, they had not lost their faith, they were not in the state of grace, even then when they spake thus. Job had true faith in him even at that time as appeareth by his words verse 15. of that very thirtieth chapter, Though he slay me (saith he) yet will I trust in him. And David had true faith in him, even then when he said God had forsaken him, or else he could not have cried as he did, My God, my God, neither could he have persevered in prayer, day and night, without ceasing as he did, verse 2. of that 22. Psalm. And Hema • had true faith even then when he complained that God had cast of his soul, or else he could never have prayed as he did verse 1. of that 88. Psalm. O God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.

And this is the first thing (beloved) that I told you I had to say to you for your comfort, though it be a just cause of trouble to thee, that thou wantest the sensible assurance of God's love. It was so to David, Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled, saith he, Psalm 30.7. And Psal. 13.1, 2. He complaineth of this as of a great affliction. How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? So long as God hid his face from him, and did not look cheerfully upon him, his heart was full of sorrow; and so it must needs be with thee, if thy heart be sound. Yet be not overmuch dismayed with it; For thou mayest be dear unto God (as thou hast heard) and highly in his favor, though thou perceive it not, though thou have not the sensible assurance of it in thyself.

[ 2] The second thing that I have to say for thy comfort, is this. That if thou canst in any measure believe in Christ, his blood is certainly sprinkled upon thee, and applied unto thee by the spirit of God, his favor is assured unto thee, though it be not sensible unto thee, though thou perceive it not. See both these points made evident unto thee by the Scriptures.

[ 1] For the first. True faith applieth Christ unto us, and maketh him and all his benefits our own. Therefore they that believe in Christ, are said to have received him as the free gift of God, John. 1.13. And what is more our own, then that that is freely given us, and we have received? So Christ is said, Ephe, 3.17. to dwell in our hearts by faith, and to have taken full possession of them; if thou hast faith, thou art Christ's proper possession; and if thou be his, he is thine also certainly. Yea, the true believer is said to have eaten the flesh of Christ, and to have drunk his blood. John. 6.54. And what is more our own, what is so nearly applied unto us, as that which we eat and [ 2] drink? And for the second point. True faith giveth us just title to eternal salvation, and maketh it sure unto us. For so doth our Savior himself with great vehemency protest, John 6 47. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, hath everlasting life. So that suppose a man never have in himself the sensible assurance of God's favor all the days of his life (though his estate should be in that respect very uncomfortable) yet believing in Christ, he should be a most happy man nevertheless for all that. For he hath that in him, which is the only root and foundation of all true comfort and happiness. Christ and all his merits are his; the kingdom of heaven, and everlasting salvation, is made sure unto him. And that made the Apostle to say, 1 John 5.10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself, he need not go far to seek it, he hath that in himself that will witness for him, and prove that he is an happy man, the child of God, and heir to the kingdom of heaven.

But it may be some will object and say, Alas, there is small comfort in this point. For how can a man have true faith, that hath in himself no comfortable assurance of the pardon of his sins, and of his own salvation? And what is faith, but a full persuasion and certain assurance of this?

To this I answer, That is a dangerous error to define faith so. This assurance is indeed a sweet fruit, and effect of faith, but it is not faith it self; the essence and being of faith, consisteth not in this.

Wherein then consisteth the essence and being of faith, will you say?

Surely in an obediential a •• iance and trusting in Christ, and in him alone for the pardon of our sins, and for our eternal salvation. When an humbled sinner feeling his own misery through sin, can believe that in Christ there is help and comfort enough to be found, and rest, and rely upon him only for mercy with a mind willing to obey him in all things, this man certainly hath true faith, though he have no assurance. In this the being and essence of true faith doth chiefly consist. This is evident by the terms and phrases, whereby the holy Ghost doth in the Scripture describe and express true faith. Sometimes he calleth it a believing on Christ, as John 3.18. sometimes a trusting in Christ, as Ephe. 1.12. sometimes a resting upon God. 2 Chron. 14.11, a relying upon God, 2 Chron. 16.8. sometimes a cleaving and sticking close to him, Act. 11. • 3.

Now to make some application of this. Let me say to everyone of you, as the Prophet doth. Esa. 50.10. Who is there among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay himself upon his God. If thou be of the number of them that fear God, and desirest to obey Christ in all things though thou have in thee no light, no comfort) no assurance, or feeling of God's favor, though thou walk in darkness and art ever full of fears, and doubts in thyself; yet stay thyself upon Christ for all that; and because of God's word and promise resolve with thyself, that thou wilt put thy trust in him. The just shall live by his faith, saith the Prophet Habakkuk 2.4. It is not our feeling, but our faith that we must live by. Take two examples to persuade and encourage thee to this. The one in David, the other in Abraham. What time I am afraid (saith David, Psalm 56.3.4. whensoever I am most disquieted with doubts and fears in myself) I will trust in thee. How could he do so will you say? That he will tell you in the next words. In God (saith he) I will praise his word, In God have I put my trust. As if he had said, What cause of fear soever I find in myself, yet I thank God I have the word and promise of God, that he will be merciful to me, and that I will trust unto. Our other example is in Abraham, recorded by the Apostle, Romans 4.19, 10.21. He believed that he should have a son by Sarah, in whose seed himself and all the nations of the earth should be blessed, though he saw and • elt in himself great cause to doubt that this could never possibly be. For his body was now dead (that is the strength and vigor of it was quite gone) and so was Sara • s too. How could he then believe this? Why he had God's word and promise for it; and that (though it were contrary to his sense and reason) he gave credit and trusted to. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief (saith the Apostle) being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And in thus doing, the Apostle saith, he gave glory to God. By how much the more matter of doubting, and fear, and despair, we feel in ourselves, by so much the more glory we give unto God, when notwithstanding this, we can give credit unto, and rest upon the word and promise of God.

O but you will say, Abraham was strong in saith, he staggered not through unbelief, as the Apostle saith of him there. No marvel though his faith were imputed to him for righteousness, though it justified him in God's sight. What speak you of his example to such a one as I am, that am so weak in faith, and am ever staggering through unbelief, can such a faith as mine is, justify me in God's sight, and make Christ and all his merits mine?

I answer▪ yes, the weakest faith will do it, if thou can receive Christ, & rest upon him even with the weakest faith, it will serve thy turn. The weak faith of the poor man that came to Christ for his child that was possessed, Mar. 9.24. though he staggered much through unbelief which made him cry with tears Lord I believe, help mine unbelief ; yet this weak faith of his served his turn, and obtained mercy from Christ. Take heed thou think not that it is the strength of thy faith that justifieth thee; no no, It is Christ and his perfect righteousness which thy faith receiveth, and resteth upon that doth it. He that hath the feeblest and weakest hand may receive an alms and apply a sovereign plaster to his wound▪ as well as he that hath the strongest and receive as much good by it too. Thy blessed Savior that gave that charge concerning such as thou art, Matth. 18.10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, will not despise or reject thee for the weakness of thy faith (which thou mournest for and strivest to amend) but will have tender respect to thee in it. A bruised reed (saith the Evangelist, Mat. 12.20.) shall he not break, and smoking slax shall he not quench.

This is a comfortable speech indeed will you say for them that can believe and trust in Christ though but with a weak faith. But (alas) I find myself to be • ou • worthy a wreth, so oppressed many times with the sense of my unworthiness, that I cannot believe, I cannot rest upon Christ, nor hope and look for mercy through him.

When thou art so, yet lift up thy heart to God, crave help of him in this case, beg of him that he would make thee able to go to Christ and to rest upon him. Do as David did, When my heart is overwhelmed (saith he, Psal. 61.2.) lead me to the rock that is higher then I. And what was that rock I pray you? Surely the Lord Jesus (of whom himself saith, Matth. 16.18. Upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ) Was the rock that David desired God to lead him unto; when thy heart is overwhelmed with fears and doubts, and thou canst get no sensible assurance of God's favor nor comfort in thyself, nor hast power to go unto Christ, pray thou likewise to God with David that he would lead thee to this rock, that he would make thee able to stay and rest thyself upon Christ; and then the gates of hell, all the subtlety and power of the devil shall never be able to prevail against thee.

This is all true indeed, If I could pray I were happy; when I find myself able to pray then am I safe; but alas my heart is so overwhelmed many times that I cannot pray.

To this I answer, First, That it may well be so with thee, for so it hath been with many a good servant of God. Thus David complained, Psalm 77.4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak. Thus good Hezekiah said of himself, Esa. 38.14, Like a cra • e or a swallow so did I chatter, I did mourn as a dove. And the Apostle telleth us, Romans 8.26. it is thus oft with God's people in extreme affliction, We know not (he putteth himself in the number) what we should pray for as we ought. But then I say secondly, When thou findest thyself thus unable to pray, yet do what thou canst, pray as well as thou canst; chatter unto God as Hezekiah did; sigh and groan unto God as the Apostle there saith the faithful oft do, they pray with groanings which they cannot utter; and even this will prevail with God as much as any prayer which with the greatest liberty and freedom of spirit thou ever madest unto him in all thy life. David found it to be so for he saith, Psalm 77.1. the Lord gave ear unto him, even when he cried to him in such a troubled manner. And Hezekiah found it to be so, for he saith that after that chattering prayer of his he found abundance of comfort, Thou hast (saith he, Esa. 38.17.) in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption, for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. And the Apostle giveth us this reason why it must needs be so, Romans 8.27. He that searcheth the hearts (saith he) knoweth what is the mind of the spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints, acrording to the will of God. As if he should say, Those prayers that are made with sighs and groans which we cannot utter, proceed from God's spirit as well as any other that ever we made; and the Lord that searcheth the heart knoweth the meaning of his spirit in them, as well as if we expressed it in the best words and method in the world. And thus have I finished this Doctrine with all the uses that are to be made of it.

Lecture CXXVIII. On Psalm 51.7. September. 15. 1629.

WE have already heard that this verse consisteth of two parts. The first is an earnest petition, wherein David beggeth of God to be purged and washed from his sins by the blood of Christ, and to have that sprinkled upon him, and applied to him by the spirit of God. The second is the reason that moved him to beg this of God so earnestly; which is taken from the fruit and benefit he knew he should receive by it, and that is double. 1. He knew that (being thus purged) he should be clean, no filthiness should remain upon him, no sin that ever he committed should be imputed to him. 2. He knew that (if he were thus washed) he should be whiter then the snow, he should have so perfect righteousness imputed to him, as should make him beautiful and glorious in the sight of God. The petition we finished the last day; and now it followeth that we do proceed to the reason of it.

And herein we are to observe how confidently David speaketh here of the blessed estate of them whom God hath washed and sprinkled with the blood of Christ; yea of the blessed estate that he knew himself should be in so soon as God should have vouchsafed that mercy unto him; notwithstanding the foulnes and odiousness of his sins was more then ordinary, yet he knew that when once God should have washed him with, and applied to him the blood of Christ, he should have no spot of his sins remaining upon him, yea he should be whiter in God's eye then the very snow. And from this point thus observed in the words of David, this Doctrine doth arise for our instruction,

That all such as have their souls washed, and sprinkled with Christ's blood (that is, all that truly believe in him) are perfectly cleansed from all their sins, and are as pure and white in God's sight, as any snow.

Now the best and plainest way I can think of for confirming this Doctrine unto you will be by answering of a doubt and Question which everyone of your hearts will be apt to move against it. For who is there among us all that marketh and considereth this Doctrine well that will not see cause to be amazed at it, as it is said, Matth. 19.25. that the Disciples of our Savior once were at the hearing of a certain Doctrine that he taught? Which of us will not be ready to say of this Doctrine as they did of that, Who can then be saved? Who then can be said to be a true believer? Is no soul washed or sprinkled with the blood of Christ, doth no man truly believe in him that is not so white, so perfectly cleansed as he hath no filthiness at all, no one spot of sin remaining on him? Who then can say he doth truly believe in Christ, that ever he was washed or sprinkled with his blood? Or if others can say so surely (wilt thou say) I cannot say so, For I know and feel there is still a great deal of filthiness, many a foul and black spot remaining in my soul.

For answer unto this, we must understand that all true believers are cleansed and washed from their sins two ways. As you shall find the Apostle teacheth us, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you (saith he) but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God. He speaketh this for the comfort of such as before their conversion had been guilty of those foul crimes he had spoken of in the 9. & 10. verses. Some of them had been idolaters, some adulterers, some Sodomites & buggerers, some thieves, some drunkards, some extortioners. No marvel though such persons were apt oft to call in question their own estate, though they were subject to many doubts and fears in themselves. And therefore two things are remarkable in this manner of speech, which he useth of purpose that he might speak the more effectually to their comfort. The first is his so often repeating of his words, But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified. As if he had said, Though some of you were guilty of such foul sins, I say unto you, and (for your better assurance) I say it to you again and again, you are now fully acquitted of all those sins, no one of them shall ever be laid to your charge again. The second is this, that he nameth their sanctification in the first place, which (as the effect and fruit) did in order of nature come after; and their justification in the second place, which (as the cause and root of it) did go before, of purpose (as I said) to increase their comfort; As if he should say, Ye are sanctified by the spirit of our God; yea and more then that (for your sanctification you will be apt to say is but poor and weak) ye are justified also from all these your sins in the name of the Lord Jesus. So that you see here that the Apostle speaketh of a twofold washing that the faithful have received from all their sins. 1. They are washed from their sins in the name of the Lord Jesus ; that is in Christ, and through the merit of his blood, which he calleth there justification. 2. They are washed from their sins by the spirit of God which he calleth there sanctification. Now although these two go always together, Christ justifieth no man by the merit of his blood but he sanctifieth him also by his holy spirit; the Lord accounteth no man righteous by imputing Christ's righteousness unto him, but he maketh him also righteous by a righteousness inherent in himself. And the surest way for a man to know himself to be one of those that are justified by the blood of Christ, is to find himself to be one of th • se that are sanctified by the spirit of Christ. Let no man deceive you (saith the Apostle, 1 John 3.7.) he that doth righteousness, is righteous, even as he is righteous. As if he had said thus, He that hath inherent righteousness and he only is the man that is righteous by imputation; he that is sanctified is justified and none but he. And therefore also the Apostle calleth all them that receive benefit by Christ the sanctified ones, Heb. 2.11. Both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one nature. And 10.14. By one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Though this (I say) be so, yet between these two kinds of washing there be four notable differences to be observed, which it is profitable for us all to be acquainted with.

First, The cleansing from sin that is wrought by the spirit of God in our [ 1] sanctification as it is a grace inherent and a work done within us. I will put my spirit within you (saith the Lord, Ezek. 36.27.) and the kingdom of God is within you, saith our Savior, Luke 17 21. So are we by the spirit of God made agents in it ourselves. Let us cleanse ourselves (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7.1.) from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and finish our sanctification in the fear of God. But that cleansing from sin which is wrought by the blood of Christ in our justification, as it is a work done without us, and for us by Christ with his father, he by the merit of his blood wipeth all our sins out of his fathers debt-book, so as none of them shall ever be imputed to us, nor we called to account for them; so are we no agents in it at all ourselves, but this work is wholly ascribed unto Christ alone. He washed us from our sins (saith the Apostle, Rev. 15.) in his own blood. And though we be oft said in Scripture to be justified by faith, which is a grace inherent in us, and an act of our understanding and will, yet is not that to be understood so as if our faith had any hand at all in the washing from our sins or procuring our pardon of God, but because faith receiveth and accepteth this our pardon, which Christ only hath purchased, applieth it unto us, and resteth in it; therefore (and for no other cause) is our faith said to justify us in the sight of God.

Secondly, The cleansing from sin which is wrought by the spirit of God [ 2] in our sanctification, is not wrought in the same measure and degree in all true believers. A man may be a true believer and truly sanctified too, and yet come far short of some other of God's people that he knoweth in the measure and degree of knowledge, faith, patience, mortification and such like graces of God's holy spirit. Nehemiah saith of his brother Hanani, Neb. 7.2. that he feared God above many. And of Job the Lord himself saith, Job 1.8. that there was none like him upon earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil. His three friends that came to visit him Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad were all good men doubtless (and so was Elih • especially) they all feared God and eschewed evil, they were upright hearted men; but they came all far short of Job in grace and piety. Yea it is strange to see, what a distance God putteth between his faithful servants this way, how great a measure of sanctifying grace he giveth to some of them, and how little unto other some. Some of God's good ground (as our Savior teacheth us, Mat. 13.23.) bringeth forth an hundred fold, and some but sixty, and some but thirty fold, and yet all good ground too. A point which if it were well understood would much abate that vein of bitter censuring which so much aboundeth in these days. But on the other side, The cleansing from sin that is wrought by the blood of Christ in our justification is equally vouchsafed unto every true believer, without any difference at all. Everyone hath as free and large a pardon, and is as fully discharged from all his sins as any other; everyone is as perfectly righteous in the sight of God, as any other is. So saith the Apostle, Rom. 3.22. The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ (that is, by that faith which is reposed in Jesus Christ) is unto all, and upon all that believe; for there is no difference. Mary Magdalene that had been a notorious harlot, after that once she had truly repented and became a true believer▪ had all her sins as fully forgiven her and was as righteous every whit in God's sight as the greatest Saint; and the penitent thief that died with Christ upon the Cross as either Peter or any other of the elect Apostles was. In which respect the Apostle saith of all the faithful to whom he wrote, 2 Pet. 1.1. that they had obtained the like precious saith with himself and the rest of the Apostles. His meaning is not that every true believer had obtained the like measure and degree of faith, that he and his fellow Apostles had; but that that faith they had, being true how weak soever it was, was every whit as precious, as much worth to them, would do them as much good in respect of the perfect righteousness which it did apprehend and apply unto them (in which respect only he calleth their faith precious as appeareth plainly in his next words, Through the righteousness of God (saith he) and of our Savior Jesus Christ ) in this respect (I say) he saith the faith of the poorest and weakest Christian was every whit as precious as his own or any other man's could be.

The third difference between that cleansing we have from sin by our sanctification and that we have by our justification is this. The first is wrought in us by [ 3] the spirit of God not all at once, but by degrees. In which respect our sanctification is compared to the light ( Pro. 4.18.) that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. And Eph. 4.16. to the body of a man which groweth and increaseth in stature and strength till it be come to the full 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and perfection of it. So the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 3.18. that we are changed into the image of God from glory to glory (that is, from one degree of holiness to another) even as by the spirit of the Lord. Insomuch as the man that standeth at a stay and groweth not in grace hath just cause to suspect, that the spirit of God hath not yet sanctified him, nor wrought any truth of grace in him. The righteous shall grow (saith the Prophet, Psal. 92.12.) like a Cedar in Lebanon. And he that hath clean hands (whom the spirit of God doth cleanse and sanctify (saith Job 17.9.) shall be stronger and stronger. But on the other side, The cleansing that is wrought by the blood of Christ in our justification, is all done at once, it never groweth and increaseth at all, but is every whit as much at our first ingrafting into Christ by faith, as it is ever after. Our faith indeed whereby we do apprehend it, our sense and assurance of it likewise, is not perfected at once, but groweth and increaseth as our sanctification doth. The righteousness of God (that whereby we stand just and righteous in the sight of God, saith the Apostle, Romans 1.17.) is revealed (and made known to our hearts) from faith to faith ; that is, by such a faith as groweth and increaseth, from one degree unto another. But the work of our justification is done all at once. Therefore Baptism is said to seal unto us the forgiveness and washing away of all our sins, not original only, but actual also. Arise and be baptized (saith Ananias to Paul, Acts 22.16.) and wash away thy sins ; that is, all thy sins, as Paul himself expoundeth it, Col. 2.12, 13. Which is also a chief cause why it is but once administered to us, in all our life time. Then washed I thee with water (saith the Lord to his Church, Ezek. 16.9.) yea I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee. When was that that God did thus thoroughly wash his people from all their blood, from all their filthiness? That he telleth her, ver. 8. When I entered into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine. At that very time when first we received grace truly to believe in Christ, when God first entered into covenant with us and made us his people, then did he thoroughly wash us from all our sins.

[ 4] Fourthly and lastly, That cleansing from sin which is wrought in us by the spirit of God in our sanctification is never perfected in this life. The holiest man that ever lived in this world (Christ only excepted) was not so fully and perfectly sanctified but he had some foul spots and blemishes remaining in him, Who can say (saith Solomon, Proverbs 20.9.) I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? John the Baptist himself who was sanctified in his mothers womb Cryed unto Christ, Mat. 3.14. I have need to be baptized of thee, As if he had said, I have need to be better washed and cleansed from my sins by thy spirit, then yet I am. Paul he complaineth, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am: who shall deliver me from the body of this death? It is the peculiar privilege of the Saints in heaven, Hebrews 12.23. they are just men made perfect. They and they only are so. But that cleansing that is wrought by the blood of Christ in our justification is so perfect that it leaveth no filth no spot at all upon the soul. Thou art all fair my love (saith Christ to his Church, Canticles 4.7.) there is no spot in thee. And in this respect it is that David saith here that if the Lord would once purge and wash him with that blood of Christ, he knew then he should be clean, perfectly and thoroughly clean, yea he should be whiter then any snow. Though in respect of our sanctification we be not througly cleansed from all our sins, yet in respect of our justification we are; though the pollution of many sins doth remain in us and is not by the spirit of God quite done away; yet the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin (saith the Apostle, 1 John. 3.7.) so as no pollution of any sin shall ever be imputed to us. So soon as we do truly believe in Christ, and are by his blood reconciled to God, and have our pardon, we are in his account as if we had no sin in us, as if we had never offended him in all our lives.

See the proof of this, and how large a pardon every true believer hath, how fully he is acquitted and discharged of all his sins, see it (I say) in five points.

First, He that truly believeth in Christ hath all his sins pardoned; his pardon is general, no one sin that ever he committed (how heinous soever it [ 1] hath been) is excepted out of his pardon. I will cleanse them (saith the Lord, Ier. 32.8.) 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. Though your 〈◊〉 he as scarlet (saith he again Esa. 1.18.) they shall be as white as snow. David's sins certainly were as scarlet, of a most deep die, and yet he knew here that if he were once washed in Christ's blood, if that were imputed unto him, he should be whiter than the snow. True it is, there is one sin (the sin against the Holy Ghost) that is unpardonable, as our Savior affirmeth, Mat. 12.32. but that is such a sin as none that doth truly believe in Christ, or doth desire unfeignedly to believe in him, did ever commit. And of all other sins whatsoever they be, our Savior saith, Mar. 3.28. Verily I say unto you; all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme ; that is, they are pardonable, and shall certainly be pardoned unto them that repent and believe in Christ.

Secondly, Whom once God pardoneth in Christ, he is said to pardon them so fully, as he will never remember nor think of their sins any [ 2] more, Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back, saith Hezekiah, Esa 38.17. that thou mayest never see nor look on them again. I will forgive their iniquity (saith the Lord of his people that are in covenant with him, Ier. 31.34) and I will remember their sin no more ; he will forgive their sins, and forget them too.

Thirdly, Such as of all other have been the most heinous sinners, yet after once they have been reconciled to him, and obtained their pardon, the [ 3] Lord thinketh never the worse of them for their former sins. Of all the women and Disciples that had followed Christ, we shall not find that ever he shown so much respect unto any, as he did unto Mary Magdalene that had been a most infamous and notorious sinner. For, 1. He accepted of that kindness from her as he never did from any other woman, Luke 7.38. He let her wash his feet with her tears, and wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kiss them, and anoint them. And 2. After his resurrection it is said Mar. 16.9. that he appeared first unto her of all persons in the world. So of all the elect Apostles we shall not find that he shown so much respect unto any as he did unto Peter, who had sinned more shamefully than they all had done. He was seen of Cephas (saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.5.) then of the twelve. He shown himself after his resvrrection first unto Peter, before all the rest.

Fourthly, Though there be much corruption remaining in the faithful after they be reconciled unto God, and have obtained their pardon, yea so much, as [ 4] when he casteth his eyes upon them, he cannot look off on it. All our righteousnesses (saith the Church Esa. 64.6.) are as filthy (menstruous, plaguy, loathsome) rags ; and his eyes are so pure (as the Prophet speaketh Hab. 1.13.) that he cannot behold sin ; but he loatheth it more than the daintiest eye in the world can do the most filthy thing that is; yet is his love so dear unto all them whom he hath once pardoned and is reconciled unto, that he seeth not any of their sins which he hath pardoned, so as to loath them for it. And so is that speech to be understood, Numb. 23.21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel. He seeth it only as a tender mother seeth the filthiness and deformity of her little child, to cleanse it, and cure it, and show the more compassion unto it. Yea, the Lord seeth the corruptions and blemishes of such as he hath once pardoned and received into favor, with a far more tender eye, and a heart much further off from loathing them for it, than ever could be in the tenderest hearted mother in the world. Can a woman (saith the Lord, Esa. 49.15.) forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea they m • y forget, yet will not I forget thee. Yea he not only loatheth them not for that sin that remaineth in them, but delighteth and taketh pleasure in them nevertheless for all that. The Lord taketh pleasure (saith David, Psal. 147.11.) in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

[ 5] Fifthly and lastly, This pardon shall never be cancelled and revoked, the Lord when he hath granted it, will never call it in again. Of this mercy it is said, Hos. 13.14. Repentance is hid from mine eyes. Whom he hath once • ustified and received into his favor, he will never reckon with them again, nor reverse his pardon. He fors •• eth not his Saints (saith David, Psal. 37.28) they are preserved forever. In which respect the Apostle ( Heb. 13.20.) callet • Christ's blood the blood of the everlasting covenant. The righteousness we have by Christ is an everlasting righteousness, Dan. 9.24. And from hence it is (even from the consideration of this largeness and fullness of their pardon, and how perfect the work of their justification is) that the faithful have borne themselves, and rested much more upon their justificatio • , than upon their sanctification; as you may see in these three points. First, They have placed their happiness in this, and not in any inherent grace that was in them; as the Apo • tle teac • eth, Rom. 4.6—8. David thus describeth (saith he) the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities •• e forgiven, &c. Secondly, They have also grounded their peace of conscience, their spiritual joy, their glorying and boasting in their own estate, not so much upon their sanctification, or any goodness they found wrought in themselves (which they knew was weak and imperfect, subject to many changes and alterations) as upon their justification by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, which they knew was most perfect and unreversible. Being justified by faith (saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.1—3.) we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ ; ye • (we are not only at peace, but) we rejoice also, and are cheerful and comfortable in hope of the glory of God ; yea we glory also in our estate even in tribulations ; as you know Paul did when he was in chains, Acts 26. • 9 Thirdly and lastly, They have so borne themselves upon the assurance and comfort of their justification and pardon, as they have been able to lift up their faces unto God, and to go to him in their prayers with a holy boldness; as it is strange to see what boldness and familiarity both David and other of God's servants have expressed this way. By him we have boldness (saith the Apostle Eph. 3.12) and access with confidence, and boldness, through faith in him.

Now the reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are three principally.

First, Why doth not the Lord impute unto the faithful any of their sins? Why doth he not account, nor esteem of them as sinners that are sinners indeed? Surely, because he fully imputed all their sins with all the foul circumstances of them unto Christ their Surety. The Lord laid upon him (saith the Prophet, Esa. 53.6.) the iniquities of us all. He made him to be sin for us (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.31.) who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Secondly, How is it possible that the soul of any so foul a sinner as David was, should be made so clean in God's eye, as no one spot should remain in it? Surely because the blood of Christ was the blood of such a person as was God as well as man. God purchased us (saith the Apostle, Acts 20.28.) with his blood. And therefore was of infinite merit and virtue, sufficient, and more than sufficient perfectly to cleanse the foulest soul. It is therefore compared by the Prophet Zach. 13.1. not to a cistern or pool that may be drawn dry, but to a fountain, opened to all God's people for sin and for uncleanness. With him is plenteous redemption, saith the Prophet, Psal. 130.7. The ransom that he paid was enough and enough again to satisfy God's justice for all our sins.

Thirdly and lastly, But how is it possible (will you say) that the soul of any so fowl a sinner as David here was, a filthy adulterer, a murderer should ever become in God's sight not only clean, but whiter than the snow, beautiful and glorious in the eyes of God? Surely because to whomsoever the Lord doth give for Christ's sake the pardon of his sins, which is the first part of our justification, to him he doth also impute the righteousness of Christ, which is the second part of our justification before God. Thus David describeth (saith the Apostle, Rom. 4.6, 7.) the blessedness of the man, to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. To whom the Lord forgiveth his sins, to him he doth impute righteousness also. Take away the filthy garments from him (saith the Lord of Iehoshuah, Zach. 3.4) and be said unto him, behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And what was that change of raiment? Surely the perfect and more than sufficiently meritorious obedience and righteousness of the Lord Jesus which God doth impute unto us. In which respect also we are said by justifying faith to put on the Lord Jesus, Rom. 13.14. Gal. 3.27. and to be clothed with him as with a garment. And no marvel, if being so appareled we appear whiter than the snow, beautiful and glorious in the sight of God. To her (that is, to the Spouse and Church of Christ saith the Apostle, Rev. 19.8.) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of Saints. This perfect righteousness of Christ which the Lord imputeth to us, and where with (as with a garment) he clotheth us, is the only righteousness that any of God's Saints have to stand before God with, and having that, they may stand with boldness even before the judgment seat of God.

Lecture CXXIX. On Psalm 51.7. Septem. 29. 1629.

IT followeth now that we proceed unto the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto. And they are of two sorts. First, Such as tend to the informing and establishing of our judgments in this most weighty and fundamental article of our faith; and that is for confutation of error that is maintained against it. Secondly, Such as tend to the working upon our hearts, and directing us how we should be affected with it; and of this sort there are two; First for comfort, and for exhortation secondly.

The use of the first sort, that is to say, the use of confutation, though it be not so plausible and delightsome to you in hearing as the other, (And even unto that I confess we must have respect in our preaching, that both the matter we teach, and our manner of handling it, be such as you may hear with delight and affection, The preacher sought and studied (saith Solomon Eccles. 12.10.) to fi • d out acceptable words ; words of delight, as your margin readeth in that Place) yet of the handling of them, I may say to you as the Apostle doth to the Philippians ( Phil. 3.1.) of his teaching them the same things that he had taught them before. To me it is not grievous (though I could with more delight to myself speak of other things than of matters in controversy) and for you it is safe. It is very profitable and necessary for you to have your judgments well informed and settled in the truth. For,

[ 1] First, Knowledge is the ground and foundation of all true piety, and you can never constantly hold and profess, nor conscionably practice, nor find sound comfort in any point of religion, till your judgments be well grounded and established in it. This I pray (saith the Apostle Philip. 1.9.) that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment.

[ 2] Secondly, The most of you though you have good affections, you love the present truth that is professed amongst us, and hate Popery: yet you do it not out of knowledge and judgment. If you were well examined, you could give no good reason out of God's Word, for anything that you hold and profess with such show of zeal and affection; but it may be said of you as the Apostle speaketh of the Hebrews, Hebrews 5.12. Whereas for the time (and means you have enjoyed) ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God. O the need that most of you have (notwithstanding all the time you have spent in hearing and in the profession of the true Religion of Christ) to be soundly and substantially catechised in the grounds of Religion.

[ 3] Thirdly and lastly, The controversy I am to handle, is no idle and intricate speculation of the Schools, none of those foolish and unlearned questions that the Apostle forbids Timothy, 1 Tim. 1.4. and 2 Tim. 2.23. to meddle with; but about a matter that tendeth to godly edifying which is by faith, as the Apostle there speaketh. About a truth that is most useful and profitable, that toucheth (as we say) the free hold of everyone of you; about the Doctrine of your justification before God; about the way and means how you may be discharged of all your sins, and become righteous in his sight.

To begin therefore with the use of Confutation (which I will handle with as much plainness and brevity as I can) the Doctrine which I taught you the last day, doth evidently convince the Papists of three fowl and dangerous errors. The first is against the first branch of the Doctrine; the other two against the second branch of it. The first is against the first part of our justification, which consisteth in making of us clean in the remission of our sins by the merit of Christ's blood; the other two against the second part of our justification which consisteth in the making of us whiter than the snow, in the imputing of Christ's perfect righteousness unto us.

First, They deny that Christ by his blood hath made any believer so clean, hath purchased for him so full and absolute a pardon of his sins, as we hold he did. He hath indeed answered for, and so obtained for us the remission and pardon of the fault (say they) and of the eternal punishment that is due to us for any sin that ever we committed, but he hath not answered for, nor obtained for us the remission of the whole punishment, not of the temporal punishment that is due to us for sin, but that we must answer and satisfy God's justice for ourselves, either in this life, or in Purgatory after we are dead.

For convincing of this error, I will 1 give you evident testimonies and grounds of Scripture against it. 2 I will answer some of the chief reasons that are alleged for the defense of it.

Four arguments the Lord in his Word hath given us against this error, which though they will not stop the mouth of an obstinate Papist, (for there be some men that will never be convinced, but as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so they will still resist the truth being reprobate concerning the faith, as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Tim. 3.8. that is, such as can never be brought to believe the truth) yet are these arguments such as may make the willful folly of any Papist in maintaining this error manifest unto all men, and fully satisfy the conscience of any Christian in the falsehood of it.

First, The Apostle expressly teacheth Rom. 8.1. that there is no condemnation [ 1] (no kind of condemnation eternal nor temporal) to them that are in Christ Jesus, that is, to the true believer; or as the vulgar Latin (which the Papist most absurdly holdeth to be more authentical then the sacred original is) readeth it, Nihil damnationis, not one jot of condemnation. And if there be no condemnation reserved for the true believer, then is the whole punishment due to his sin remitted. For what is condemnation but the adjudging of a man to punishment? And so is the word used everywhere in the Scripture. Mat. 20.18. They shall condemn him to death. Mar. 14.64. They all condemned him to be guilty of death. So that if no condemnation at all belong to them, or is due to them that are in Christ, and have their sin forgiven, then no manner of punishment belongeth to them, or is to be endured by them, neither eternal nor temporal neither.

Secondly. Christ hath redeemed the faithful from the whole curse of the [ 2] law that was due to them for their sin. Christ hath redeemed us (saith the Apostle, Gal. 3.13) from the curse of the law, and he giveth this for the reason of it, because he was made a curse for us ; that is, he bare it for us himself, and so fully answered and satisfied the justice of God for it. Surely (saith the Prophet, Isaiah 53.4 he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows Now the temporal punishments that are due to us for sin, are part of the curse of the law, as it is plain by Deu • 28.16—22. where among the curses that the law threateneth against sin, a number of temporal judgments are threatened. And our Savior did bear and endure for us, not that part only of the curse and punishment due to our sins, that should have been eternal, but that part also of the curse & punishment due to our sin which is temporal. As 1. Poverty, he for our sake • became poor (saith the Apostle, 2 Corinthi. 8.9. that we through his poverty might be rich. And 2. reproach and contempt, such as no man ever endured. I gave my back to the smiters (saith he, Isaiah 50.6.) and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 3. He endured all sorts of temptations, that any of the faithful can be subject unto. He was in all points (saith the Apostle, Heb. 4.15) tempted like as we are, yet without sin. And why did he bear these temp • rall curses and punishments? Certainly to deliver us from them, that n • ne of these things might become curses and punishments unto us. And therefore it is evident, that Christ hath redeemed us, not only from the eternal, but even from all the temporal judgments also that were due to us for sin.

Thirdly. Whose sins soever the Lord doth for Christ's sake forgive, he forgiveth [ 3] them so fully, as he will never remember them anymore. I, even I am he (saith the Lord, Esa. 43.25) that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. And I will forgive their iniquity ▪ (saith he again, Ier. 31.34.) and I will remember their sin no more. And if he will never remember them, then will he certainly never punish them for them. For in the Scripture phrase, to remember men's sins, signifieth nothing else but to punish them He will now remember their iniquity (saith the Prophet Jer. 1 • .10) and visit their sin. And again▪ Now will he remember their iniquity (saith the Prophet Hosea 8.13.) and visit their sins, they shall return into Egypt.

Fourthly and lastly, The Lord doth so (and much more fully) forgive the sins [ 4] of the faithful, as he would have them to forgive one another, and maketh that the very pattern we should work by, so to forgive one another, as he forgiveth us. Forgiving one another (saith the Apostle, Ephes. 4.32.) even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. But he requireth of us, that in forgiving one another, we should remit, not the fault only, but the punishment also; not in rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing (saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 3.9.) but contrariwise, blessing.

And thus you see how clear the holy Scripture is against this first error of the Papists, how full and absolute the pardon is, that Christ hath purchased for any soul, it dischargeth and acquitteth him fully, not only from all his sins, but from the whole punishment that is due unto them.

Two main objections there be which every man's heart is apt to make against this truth, touching the full • es of that pardon which Christ hath purchased by his blood for everyone that truly believe in him.

First. If this be so (may you say) how falleth it out that God inflicteth so many punishments in this life upon the faithful? What are all the miseries that the best of God's servants are subject unto, but punishments for their sins? Wherefore doth a living man complain? (saith the Prophet, Lam. 3.39.) a man for the punishment of his sins. Of many of God's people that died in the wilderness, David expressly saith, Psalm 99.8. Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou didst take vengeance of their inventions. Though Moses and Aaron did (doubtless) obtain of God the pardon of that unbelief they shown at the waters of Meribah, yet they died for it in the wilderness, and for that very sin God would not suffer them to enter into the promised land, as we may see plainly, Numbers 27.13.14. And though God did pardon David's foul sins upon his repentance, and gave him assurance of it also by the Prophet, 2 Samuel 12.13. yet did all those plagues (nevertheless) light upon him which God threatened against him for those sins, before he had his pardon. His pardon (it seemeth) exempted him not from the temporal punishments that were due to his sins.

To all this I answer. That though all the miseries and afflictions of this life be in their own nature punishments for sin, because they are all fruits of sin, sin first brought them into the world; and therefore also be oft in the Scripture called punishments, Levite. 26.41, 43. Amos 3.2. yet are they not punishments to all men.

Two evident demonstrations there be for this.

[ 1] First. God inflicteth no punishment upon any man, but for sin. But there be many great judgments and afflictions that the Lord hath laid upon the faithful, wherein he hath had no respect at all to their sins, as to the cause of it, he did not therein intend as a judge in a vindictive manner, to correct them for any sin. The disciples seeing the man that was borne blind, John 9.2.3. thought it to be a punishment of some sin that either himself or his parents had been guilty of; but our Savior disalloweth their judgment in that point, and saith, neither hath this man sinned nor his father. As if he should say; Neither this man's sins nor his parents, were the cause why the Lord smote this man with blindness; But that the works of God might be made manifest in him. So Job's friends judged his grievous afflictions to have been punishments of some grievous sins he had been guilty of; but the Lord sharply reprooveth them for this rash censure, Job 42.7. Yea, he telleth Satan, Job 2.3. that he had moved him to destroy him without cause. Why (may you say) had not Job in him sin enough to deserve as much as he endured? Yes verily, for the wages and due desert of every sin is death, as the Apostle teacheth, Rom. 6.23. And Job was not without sin, as himself confesseth, Job. 7.20. I have sinned, what shall I do, ô thou preserver of men? Yea he imputeth all his afflictions to his sins, & thought them to be the cause of them all. Thou writest bitter things against me (saith he Job 13.26.) and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. He thought the sins of his youth had brought all this upon him. Therefore also he f • ll to a diligent search and examination of his own heart and ways (as the best of God's servants should do in the like case) that he might find out the special sin that moved God thus to afflict him. Yea, he craveth God's help in this. Shew me (saith he Job 10.2.) wherefore thou contendest with me. And 13.23. How many are min • iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin. As if he should say, I know I have many ways offended thee, but show me the special sin that hath thus provoked thee to afflict me. Why then doth the Lord say, that Satan moved him to afflict Job without cause? Surely his meaning is, that there was nothing in him that was the cause whereby God was moved thus to afflict him; he did not therein punish his sin; there were other causes of it, even that by this trial of his, he might make him a pattern and example of faith and patience to his Church forever. So when our Savior telleth his Apostles of the manifold miseries that they should endure. They shall put you out of the Synagogues (saith he, John 16.2.) and whosoever killeth you, will think he doth God service. And unto Peter he saith, John 21.18. When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldst not. Shall we think his meaning was this, Thus and thus will God correct and punish you for your sins? Or were any sins that ever they committed, the cause whereby God was moved to bring them to these afflictions? No verily, for he telleth them all, Matth. 10. • 2. that these things should befall them, not for their sins, but for his names sake. And in speaking so to Peter, he signified to him, by what d • ath he should glorify God, as the Evangelist saith, John 21.19. The cause why Peter died so violent and shameful a death, was not any sin of his, but that he might so glorify God.

Secondly. Neither are those afflictions that God inflicteth upon the faithful [ 2] for their sins, properly to be accounted, and called punishments, but fatherly chastisements, and corrections only. For all punishments (to speak properly) that God in • licteth upon any for sin, are curses, and fruits of his wrath, wherein he seeketh not the good of the party that is punished, but the glorifying of his own justice upon him, and satisfying his most righteous law, as the judge doth in condemning, and executing of malefactors. In which respect also, all God's punishments are called evil things. I make peace, and create evil, saith the Lord, Isaiah 45.7. And shall there be evil in a city (saith the Prophet, Amos, 3.6.) and the Lord hath not done it? But 1. all the afflictions of the faithful are unto them blessings, and not curses. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest ô Lord, saith the Prophet, Psalm 94.1 • . and James 1.12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, rejoice and be exceeding glad, saith our Savior Mat. 5.11, 12. 2. They are fruits of his special love to them, and not o • his wrath. Whom the Lord loveth (saith the Apostle, Heb. 12.6.) he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. As many as I love, I rebuke & chasten ▪ saith our Savior Rev. 3, • 9. 3 He seeketh their good in it, and not their destruction or the satisfying of his law, and glorifying of his justice upon them. We know (saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.28. speaking there specially and purposely, of the afflictions of the faithful) that all things work together for good, to them that love God. When we are judged (saith the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 11.32.) we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Every father usually in correcting his child, seeketh nothing but his good in it. Thou shalt beat him with the rod (saith Solomon, Proverbs 23.14.) and shalt deliver his soul from hell. He would not beat him but to do him good. But howsoever mortal parents fail oft in this, they correct their children sometimes in a rage without respect to their good, our heavenly father never doth. The fathers of our flesh (saith the Apostle, Hebrews 12.10.) chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit; that we might be partakers of his holiness. Yea if he could procure their good, their repentance, their holiness, their keeping of them in awe and so from perishing any other way so well, he would never scourge nor afflict them at all. Behold I will melt them and try them (saith the Lord, Jeremiah 9.7.) for how shall I do for the daughter of my people? As if he had said, How should I else keep them from perishing, how should I bring them to heaven, if I should not deal thus with them. And many of God's people have been able to say with David, Psalm 119.71. from their own experience. It is good for me that I have been afflicted. Perijssem nisi perijssem. I have received more good by my affliction then by any other thing in the world.

And thus have I answered this first objection, that notwithstanding all the afflictions the faithful endure in this life yet the pardon that Christ hath purchased for them by his blood is most full and absolute, they are perfectly discharged by it not only from all their sins, but also from the whole punishment that was due to them for sin.

But then it may be objected secondly, If so soon as ever we be purged with hyssop, so soon as ever the blood of Christ is applied to us by the spirit of God, we be made perfectly clean from all our sins as we have been taught, what need we and why are we commanded to pray daily unto God for the forgiveness of o • r sins as our Savior teacheth us to do, Mat. 6.12? Have we so full and absolute a pardon and yet must we sue and seek for it all the days of our life?

To this I answer, Yes verily though Christ hath by his blood purchased for us a most full and general pardon, yet must we sue to God for the forgiveness of our sins every day.

[ 1] First, In respect of our sins formerly committed. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions, saith David, Psalm 25.7. And ô remember not against us (crieth the Church, Psalm 79.8.) out former iniquities. Which though the Lord hath forgiven, and we do in some measure believe that they are forgiven, yet our faith is so weak that we have need to pray daily, for increase of assurance of the forgiveness of them. David upon his repentance obtained a full and general pardon from God of all his sins, and he did (doubtless) believe it to be so, for it had been strange infidelity for him not to believe that which the Prophet of the Lord in the Lord's name did so expressly and directly pronounce unto him, 2 Sam. 12.13. The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die ; and yet because this faith of his concerning his pardon was but very weak, he prayeth oft in this Psalm for pardon most earnestly, ver. 2, 9, 14. So that in this first respect our daily prayer for forgiveness is no other in effect then that which the Apostles make, Luk. 17.5. Lord increase our faith, our assurance of pardon.

[ 2] Secondly, In respect of our present and daily sins. For the best man that is falleth every day and oft every day into new sins. And in respect of them (yea even of the least of them) we have need to renew our suit unto God for pardon every day. As David doth, Psal. 19.12. Clense thou me from secret faults.

What needs that (will you say) seeing the blood of Christ once applied by faith cleanseth us from all our sins, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 John. 1.7. past, and present, and future too; and when God pardoneth sin, he pardoneth all at once.

To this I answer, That though in respect of God and of the merit of Christ's blood so general a pardon be purchased and given, yet in respect of us, in respect of the benefit of this pardon that cometh to us, no sin is pardoned unto us actually, before it be committed, nay before we do repent and believe in Christ. Christ commanded that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, Luke 24.47. no actual remission of sins without repentance. And Act. 10.43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins. As if he had said, No man can receive remission of his sins, nor benefit of his pardon, till he doth truly believe. So that in this respect, in respect of the new sins that we fall into every day it is necessary that we should in praying for pardon of them renew our repentance and faith every day.

Thirdly and lastly, In respect of the desert of our sins. For though [ 3] all our sins be never so freely and so fully pardoned, nay though we have never so good assurance also in ourselves of the same, yet it becometh us by daily begging of forgiveness to nourish in ourselves the sense of the desert of our sins, how worthy we are to perish everlastingly for them; how there is no way for us to escape and avoid it, but only through God's free mercy in pardoning of them. And thus doth the Prodigal, Luke 15.20, 21. even after that his father had forgiven him and fully expressed also so much unto him by running to meet him, and falling on his neck and kissing him, yet he still crieth unto him. Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son. As if he had said, Father forgive me, though thou hast forgiven me yet I cannot choose but beg pardon still, because I know myself unworthy that thou shouldest forgive me.

Lecture CXXX. On Psalm 51.7. October 13. 1629.

IT followeth now that we proceed unto the two other dangerous errors that the Papists hold which do concern the second part of our justification before God. For if a Papist be asked whether a poor sinner may attain to so perfect a righteousness in this life, as whereby he may become whiter then the snow in God's sight. He will grant that he may. But if he be further asked how he may attain to this, and what that righteousness is, that maketh a man so perfectly white and righteous before God. 1. He denieth that it is the righteousness of Christ that is imputed unto us, whereby we are made so white and pure. 2. He affirmeth that it is an inherent righteousness which is wrought in us by the spirit of Christ, whereby we are made so perfectly righteous in the sight of God.

For the convincing of these two dangerous errors, these two contrary truths are to be confirmed to you out of God's Word against their cavils. 1. That we are not justified before God by any inherent righteousness that is wrought in us by the spirit of God. 2. That we are justified before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and by that alone.

For the first of these truths before we do confirm it, five points are necessarily to be premised for the opening and unfolding the meaning of it.

First, Whosoever God doth justify and account to be just in his sight, [ 1] he doth also sanctify and make him just inherently. He doth by his holy spirit infuse grace into him whereby he doth change his heart and make him that was wicked before, a holy and good man. If any man be in Christ (saith the Apostle, 2 Corinthians 5.17.) he is a new creature, old things are past away, behold all things are become new. No man can say, he is justified before God, no man truly believeth in Christ, that remaineth still the same man that he was when he first obtained mercy. No man can have any comfort in his justification that findeth not himself to be sanctified. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord, saith the Apostle, Heb. 12.14. nor lift up his face with boldness and comfort unto him.

[ 2] Yea I say secondly, The Lord justifieth none but he will make him perfectly holy by an inherent holiness of his own, before he hath done with him; he will not leave one spot of corruption or sin remaining in him. Christ gave himself for his Church (saith the Apostle, Ephesians 5.25—27.) that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish. As if he had said, So soon as ever we become members of his body (true believers) he beginneth this work of sanctifying us and cleansing of us, and will never leave it till he have pefected the work. But he will be doing of this work so long as we live and will never perfect it while we are here. Therefore the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians, 1 Thess 3.12, 13. that the Lord would make them to increase in love to the end that they might be unblameable in holiness before him, at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints. As if he should say, Then (and not before) shall the faithful be unblameable in holiness before God. Those spirits of just men that are separated from their bodies are made perfect, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 12.23 and none but they. In which respect also the Apostle saith, Ephes. 1.3. that those spiritual blessings and graces whereby God blesseth his Church are in heavenly places : because from thence they come, there they had their spring and beginning, and there also they must have their perfection and nowhere else.

[ 3] Thirdly, It cannot be denied but that this inherent holiness which God by his spirit worketh in the faithful in this life (though it be but imperfect here) yet is called a man's righteousness in the holy Scriptures. It shall • be our righteousness (saith Moses, Devt. 6.25.) if we observe to do all these commandments, before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us. So that which Job called his integrity, Job 27.5. he calleth verse 6. his righteousness. My righteousness (saith he) I will hold fast and will not let it go. I will behold thy face in righteousness, saith David, Psal. 17.1 • . And they that in uprightness of heart do desire and endeavor to please God in all things and to do his will; are oft in the Scripture called (according to God's gracious acceptation in Christ) righteous, and just, and perfect men.

[ 4] Fourthly, It cannot be denied but that a man may truly be said to be justified by this inherent righteousness that is in him. For so the Apostle saith, I am. 2.21.25. that both Abraham and Rahab were justified by works; that is, their faith was thereby justified and declared to be a true and living, not a false and dead faith; yea themselves were thereby justified and declared to be true believers indeed, truly righteous before God and not so in show and profession only

[ 5] Fifthly and lastly, It cannot be denied but that in some sense a man may be said even by this inherent righteousness to be justified before God. For so far forth as any man by the work of God's spirit in his heart is become truly holy and good, upright and without hypocrisy, so far forth God doth esteem and account him a holy and good and just man. The Lord taketh notice of his own graces in his children, approveth of them and giveth testimony unto them. So the Holy Ghost saith of Noah, G • n 6.9. that he was a just man. And of Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke 1.6, that they were both righteous before God. So Solomon prayeth, 1 King. 8.22. that the Lord would justify the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

You see then we do not deny (as the Papists falsely slander us) all inherent righteousness, no nor all justification by inherent righteousness neither. But this is that we believe and teach according to the Scriptures, That this inherent righteousness is not that righteousness whereby any poor sinner in this life can be justified before God's tribunal and judgment seat, for which he is pronounced to be innocent, absolved from death and condemnation and adjudged unto life eternal. Of this justification, as it is opposed unto condemnation (as the Apostle useth the word, Rom. 8.33, 34 It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn? and as our Savior useth it, Matth. 12.37. By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned ) is the Question between us and them. And that we are not thus justified in God's sight by any inherent righteousness, I will first give you evident proof out of the holy Scripture; and secondly, I will show you good reason out of the Word, why no man can be so justified in God's sight.

For the first, Nothing is more clearly taught in the holy Scripture then this, [ 1] that no man can be justified in God's sight by the works of the law; that is, by doing that which the law requireth him to do. And what is our inherent righteousness but a conformity to the law of God, to that which the law requireth of us? By the deeds of the law (saith the Apostle, Romans 3.20.) there shall no fl • sh be justified in his sight. And again, Knowing (saith he, Gal. 2.16.) that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

True (saith the Papist) the Apostle saith so indeed; but by the works of the law he meaneth the works of the ceremonial law, which many false teachers in those days did maintain to be necessary unto justification. And those be the works he speaketh of, Rom. 4.10. Abraham was justified before he was circumcised (which was a work enjoined him by the ceremonial law) therefore it was not his circumcision nor his obedience to that law, that justified him. So Gal. 2.16 when he denieth we are justified by the works of the law, he meaneth those works of the law he had spoken of in the former verses, and for which he had reproved Peter ; and that was about his conforming himself to the Jews in works enjoined by the ceremonial law.

But to this I answer, First, It is true that he speaketh in those two places of the works of the ceremonial law, and excludeth them from having any hand in our justification. But even in those places he excludeth not the works of the ceremonial only, but all works of the law even of the moral law also. For 1 his words are general and without any limitation, Rom. 4.6. David describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works ; without any works. And verse 5. To him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, to him h • s faith is imputed unto righteousness. And what good works are they, the want whereof maketh one an ungodly man? Are they the works of the ceremonial law only, are they not rather the works of the moral law. And in Gal. 2.16. his words are general, Knowing a man is not justified by the works of the law. 2. He excldeth the works of that law, that was given to all men, to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews, and whereby the Gentiles as well as the Jews, might have some hope to be justified. For he saith, Gal. 2.16. By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. As if he had said, Neither Jew nor Gentile. We have before proved (saith he, Rom. 3.9. that is to say, In his former dispute against justification by works) both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin. And verse 28, 29. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only, is he not also of the Gentiles? As if he should say, Neither the deeds of the law, that the Jews were bound unto, nor the deeds of the law that the Gentiles were bound unto, can justify a man before God. And what law was that which the Gentiles were bound to observe? Certainly not the ceremonial but the moral law only.

Secondly I answer, The Apostle doth exclude from justification the works of that law whereby cometh the knowledge of sin. For these are his words, Rom. 3.20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law cometh the knowledge of sin ; As if he should have said, The use that the law serveth unto, is not to justify us in God's sight, but to discover our sin and misery to us, and so to drive us to seek justification by faith in Christ. And what law is that whereby cometh the knowledge of sin? Certainly the moral law principally.

But then they object secondly, Admit the Apostle do speak of the works of the moral as well as of the ceremonial law, yet he meaneth not those works of the moral law that are done by the faithful through the grace of Christ, but those that are done by men while they are in the state of nature before their conversion, before they do believe. And such works of the moral law (say they) we confess cannot justify a man before God.

To this I answer, 1. That the Apostles words are general as I shown before, and we must use no limitation where he useth none. 2. The Apostle Rom. 4.2. denieth that Abraham was justified by his works though he were one of the faithful, yea the father of the faithful as he calleth him, ver. 11. no not by those works of his whereof he might seem to have cause to glory ; which he could never mean of those works he did before he was a believer, for he was an idolater before as we read, Josh. 24.2 And the Apostle would never have said he might seem to have had matter of glorying in those works he did while he was an idolater, but matter of shame and confusion rather. 3. The Apostle speaking unto men that feared God, Act. 13.16. telleth them, ver. 39. that they could not be justified by the law of Moses ; that is, by those works which were commanded in the law of Moses. 4 Lastly, David when he was the servant of God & a true believer professeth that he could not stand before God's judgment in the confidence of his own righteousness, it could not justify him in God's sight; and therefore crieth, Ps. 143.2. Enter not into judgment with thy servant ô Lord, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. And thus you see, No man, no not the best man that ever lived can be justified before God by any righteousness that is in himself. Now I will give you two reasons of it out of God's Word.

First, The righteousness and goodness that is in the best man is lame and imperfect and far short of that God in his law requireth of him; yea it is also spotted and defiled with the Leprosy of his original corruption; and therefore it cannot justify him in God's sight, it cannot stand before God, nor abide the trial at his judgment seat. The blessed Apostle himself professeth, Phil. 3.12. that he was not perfect. John the Baptist though he were sanctified in his mothers womb, yet avoucheth, Mat. 3.14. that he had need to be baptized of Christ, he was not washed and cleansed sufficiently, his sanctification was imperfect. And the Church complaineth, Esa 64.6. We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags. There is not a just man upon earth (saith Solomon, Eccl. 7.20) that doth good and sinneth not. In many things we offend all, saith the Apostle, I am. 3.2. If we say (saith the Apostle, 1 John. 1.8. we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

True (saith the Papist) the justest man is not free from venial sins but that is no hindrance to his justification by his inherent righteousness.

To this I answer, First, 〈◊〉 no sin is so venial, but it justly deserveth et • r • all • eath, The soul that •• nneth it shall die, saith the Prophet, Ezek. 18.4 And the wages of sin is death, saith the Apostle, Rom. 6.23. And Gal. 3.10 Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the law, to do them. Not only everything that is done against God's Law how small soever it be, but everything that is lest undone which the law commandeth, how small soever it be, maketh a man liable to the curse of God.

Secondly, The holiest men that have ever lived, and such as the Holy Ghost [ 2] hath given testimony unto that they were just and perfect men, have been (notwithstanding that) guilty of such sins as the Papists themselves confess to be mortal. Zacharias though he were a just man before God, as the Holy Ghost saith of him, Luke 1.6. yet was he guilty of gross infidelity in not believing the Word that God spake to him by the Ministry of an Angel, Luk. 1.20. yea the holiest men have had that deep sense of their own sinfulness and corruption, as they durst not stand before God in their own righteousness, they have freely professed they could not be justified by it in God's sight. Thus was Job persuaded of his own righteousness, though he were a man of whom the Lord himself giveth testimony, Job 1.8. that there was none like him upon the earth, an upright and a perfect man. Though I were righteous (saith Job 9 15.) yet would I not answer him, but I would make supplication to my Judge. And 10.15. If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. As if he should say, I will not plead my righteousness before thee, I will not trust to be justified by it in thy sight. And thus was David persuaded of his own righteousness, of whom yet the Lord saith, that he was a man after his own heart, 1 Samuel 13.14. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities (saith David Psalm 130.3.) O Lord who shall stand? Lastly, Thus was blessed Paul persuaded of his own righteousness. I know nothing by myself (saith he 1 Corinth. 4.4.) yet am I not thereby justified, but he that justifieth me is the Lord. As if he had said, Though I should discern no defect in mine own righteousness (as for the main bent of my heart and course of my life I do not) yet dare not I plead it before God, nor hope to be justified by it, for the Lord that is my Judge can espy in me much more than I can in myself: And certainly (to conclude this first reason) there is no Papist under heaven that hath not lost all conscience, but his heart must needs give his tongue the lie, when he saith he believeth to be justified before God by that righteousness and goodness that is inherent, and dwelling in himself.

A second reason against it is this. If a man could be justified by that righteousness that is inherent in himself, then might he have in himself just cause of boasting and glorying before God; neither should the whole glory of man's salvation and justification be due unto the free grace and mercy of God in Christ. This argument the holy Apostle presseth against justification by works, and for justification by faith only. Where is boasting then (saith he, Rom. 3.27.) it is excluded. By what law? (or doctrine) Of works? Nay, but by the law (or doctrine) of faith. And again, Rom. 4.2. If Abraham were justifified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. By grace ye are saved through faith (saith he Eph. 2.8, 9.) not of works, least any man should boast. So 1 Cor. 1.30, 31. he giveth this for the reason why Christ is all in all to us in the matter of our salvation, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, that according as it is written, he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. As if he had said, God cannot abide that man should glory before him, but would have him to be humbled to the very dust; but if he could be justified before God by any goodness that is in him, then might he have just cause of glorying even before God.

True (saith the Papist) if a man could be justified by his own works, by such works as he doth by the power of nature, then had he indeed matter of glorying and boasting in himself. But not when he is justified by such works only as are wrought by the power of God's grace in him. For these works are not his own, but the works of Christ and his grace in him, according to that speech of the Church, Esa. 26.12. Lord thou hast wrought all our works in us. And that of the Apostle, Romans 15.18. I will not dare to speak of any of those things, which Christ hath not wrought by me. We do not therefore (say they) by our doctrine ascribe unto man any matter of glorying at all, we give the whole glory of man's justification unto Christ a • ore.

To this I have two things to answer. First, the Apostle saith, Rom. 3.27. that boasting is not excluded by any doctrine but by the Doctrine of justification by faith only; that the Doctrine of justification by works, by any works whether done before or after grace, doth leave unto man some matter of boasting. And Ephes. 2.8, 9. he telleth us plainly, that if we could be saved by such works as we that are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works (that is, regenerate persons) do perform, we might have matter of boasting in ourselves.

Secondly, Though the good actions that are wrought by the faithful after grace received be wrought in them by the special assistance of the grace of Christ, yet are they not Christ's actions but their own. When they believe, or repent, or pray, it cannot be said that Christ believeth, repenteth, or prayeth in them. If their actions were merely the actions of Christ and his grace, then indeed we could not deny them to be perfect, undefiled, and meritorious also; then though they were justified by them, they could have no cause of glorying or boasting at all, but the whole glory of it should redound unto Christ alone. But because we are immediate agents in them ourselves, therefore the Holy Ghost cal • eth them our own, and not Christ's works. So Paul calleth all that goodness that was in him, that care and conscience he made to keep God's law ( Phil 3-9.) 〈◊〉 own righteousness. And so doth our Savior also call the good works of the faithful their own works. Let your light so shine before men (saith he Matth. 5.16.) that they may see your good works. And Rev. 2.9. I know thy works. And from hence also it cometh (even from the imperfection and corruption that is in us who are the immediate agents in them) that they are both imperfect and defiled also: For who can bring a clean thing out of 〈◊〉 unclean? Not one, saith Job 14.4. Though the fountain from whence they first sprink be most pure, yet they receive such pollution from the filthy channels through which they pass, as were it not for Christ, they could not at all be accepted of God. And from hence also it cometh, that if we were justified by them, we should have some just cause of glorying before God. And thus have I confirmed to you the first of those truths which I propounded; that is to say, That we are not justified before God by our inherent righteousness, by it we can never be made whiter than the snow in God's sight.

[ 2] It followeth now that we proceed unto the second. That we are justified before God by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and by that alone. In confirming whereof I will observe the same order that I did before, First, I will show you by evident proofs of holy Scripture, that it is so. Secondly, I will give you good reasons out of the Word why it must • eeds be so.

For proofs I will give you six that are plain and pregnant. 1. The Apostle saith Rom. 4.6. that to the blessed, that is, to the justified man, the Lord imputeth righteousness without works. And what righteousness can that be? Inherent righteousness it cannot be, for that is not without works; it must needs therefore be Christ's righteousness. 2. He saith expressly, Rom. 5.19 that by the obedience of one (that is, of Christ) many (that is, the whole number of God's elect) are made righteous, not efficiently and meritoriously only, but formally, as by Adams disobedience we were made sinners, not efficiently and meritoriously only, but formally, his first sin was made our sin. 3. The Apostle 1 Cor. 1.30. saith that Christ is made to us of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption ; where 1 he expressly distinguisheth righteousness from sanctification, imputed righteousness from inherent righteousness; and 2 saith that Christ's righteousness is made ours of God. 4. 2 Cor. 5.21. He saith we are made the righteousness of God in him ; where observe, 1 That he saith we are made the righteousness of God ; that is, righteous by such a righteousness as God requireth. 2. That he saith not only in the concrete we are made righteous, but in the abstract righteousness ; that is, perfectly and fully righteous. 3. That we are made so in him, not in ourselves inherently. 5. The Prophet Jeremiah ( Ier. 23.6.) saith, this is the name whereby Christ should be called (by all God's people) the Lord our righteousness. As if he had said, All God's people should profess they have no other righteousness to stand before God with, but only Christ his righteousness, and his alone. They should say as David doth Psal. 71.16. I will make mention of (speak of, glory in, trust unto) thy righteousness, even of thine only. 6. Lastly, This is the confession of all the Saints in that Hallelujah whereby they do solemnize the marriage of the lamb, Revel. 19.8. To his spouse was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousness of Saints. Where observe, 1. That that made Christ's Spouse and Church most beautiful, whiter than the snow in his eye, was not so much her own beauty, any righteousness of her own or inherent in her self, as the robe, the fine linen, that was granted to her, put upon her, none of her own. 2. That this robe, this fine linen is said to be the righteousness of Saints. Not in our first justification only (as the Papists fondly distinguish) but in our second justification also (if there were any such) even when we are Saints we have no other righteousness to make us beautiful in God's eyes, but this robe, this fine white linen that is put upon us, granted to us, and none of our own. 3. Observe the confirmation and ratification that is given to these words, Verse 9. The Angel said unto John, These are the true sayings of God. And what is this robe, this fine linen that is the righteousness of all the Saints? Surely Christ and his perfect righteousness which is given and imputed unto us of God. In which respect they that are baptized into Christ, and truly believe in him, are said Gal. 3.27. to have put on Christ. And Paul desireth that he may be found in Christ, Phil. 3.9. clothed with this robe, not having his own righteousness which is of the law (which consisteth in obedience to the Law of God) but that which is through the faith of Christ. The righteousness which is of God by faith. As Jacob got the blessing by having the goodly raiment of his elder brother put upon him, Genes. 27.15. so must we.

Now the reason why this must needs be so, is evident; Because that righteousness only is able to justify us before God, which is perfect and absolute, that hath no defect nor blemish in it, such as may ablde the trial before his judgment-seat, such as may fitly satisfy his justice, and make our peace with him, and consequently such as whereby the Law of God is fulfilled. Therefore it is called the righteousness of God, Rom. 10.3. such a righteousness as he requireth, as will stand before him, and satisfy his justice. So the Apostle saith, the righteousness of the law must be fulfilled in us before we can be justified, Rom. 8.4. Now by no other righteousness but Christ's alone the law of God was ever perfectly fulfilled; none but his righteousness was ever able to abide the trial at God's judgment seat, and fully to satisfy his justice. And therefore the Apostle calleth the righteousness which is by the faith of Jesus Christ, Romans 3.22. the righteousness of God, that is the righteousness of God, and none but that. Of Christ, and none but him, the Lord hath said, Matthew 17.5. In him I am well pleased. He is our peace, as the Apostle calleth him, Ephesians 2.14. and none but he. No righteousness can make our peace with God, or bring peace to our own hearts, but only his.

Three main objections are made against this most clear and comfortable truth, which I will briefly answer.

First. It is against all reason and sense, that a righteousness which is without us, and none of our own, but another man's should justify us; And with what comfort and peace of conscience can any man rely upon such a righteousness?

I answer, 1. It standeth with reason, that that satisfaction should be imputed unto me, which my surety hath made for my debt. And Christ was our surety, as the Apostle calleth him. Hebrews 7 22. 2. Adams first sin, was justly imputed by God to all his posterity; though it were not their own inherently, nor actually, as the Apostle teacheth, Rom. 5.14. And the sins of all God's Elect, were imputed unto Christ, though they were not his own inherently and actually. He made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, saith the Apostle, 2 Corinth. 5.21. And to prefigure this, all the iniquities of God's people were imputed to their sacrifice, though they were not inherently his own, as we read, Leviticus 16. • 1, 22. Aaron shall put all the iniquities of all the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, upon the head of the Goat, and the Goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities. And why then should it seem strange, that the perfect righteousness of our sacrifice and surety, though it be not our own inherently, should be imputed to us by the Lord, and made ours.

Secondly. It is objected. How can it stand with the infinite knowledge and wisdom of God, to account and esteem them to be righteous, that are inherently and indeed impious and wicked men? Them that are like those painted sepulchers that our Savior speaketh of, Mat. 23.27. covered outwardly with the white robe of Christ's righteousness, but void of all inherent righteousness in themselves.

To this I answer. No true believer is void of all inherent righteousness, though it be not so perfect as is able to justify him in God's sight. Christ cannot be the head of an impious body. But the Lord sanctifieth all such, and maketh them inherently righteous by his holy spirit, whom he doth justify and esteem righteous by the imputation of Christ's righteousness unto them, as you have heard.

Thirdly and lastly. It is objected. But how can it stand with the justice of God, of whom it is said, Exod 34.7. that he will by no means clear the guilty to pronounce and account them to be perfectly righteous, who do indeed still remain full of corruption?

I answer. Because all their sins were imputed unto Christ their surety, and he hath fully satisfied the justice of God for them. The Lord (saith the Prophet, Esa. 53.6.) hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all.

And thus have I finished this first use of the Doctrine, and maintained it against these three foul errors that the Papists do hold against it. Now from this that you have heard these two points (for conclusion of all) do necessarily follow.

First, That every Papist that holdeth, and believeth these errors (as every one of them professeth that he doth, for they are expressly decreed in the Council of Trent, which is the rule of every Papists faith) especially if he holds them practically, and with reference to his own works, is in a most lamentable and damnable estate. Because the Apostle directly affirmeth, Gal. 3.10. As many as are of the works of the law (and look to be justified by their works and inherent righteousness) are under the curse. And 5.4. Christ is become of no effect to you, whosoever of you are justified (hope to be justified) by the works of the law, ye are fallen from grace ; ye can have no benefit at all by Christ.

Secondly. That the present Church of Rome cannot be the true Church of Christ, as they boast of themselves, but of it may be said, as Revelat. 2 9. It is the Synagogue of Satan ; because it holdeth not this foundation; that is to say, the Doctrine of justification by Christ. And other foundation of God's Church can no man lay, saith the Apostle, 1 Cor 3.11. 1. They deny justification by the imputation of Christ's righteousness; yea, they scorn it, and call it a putative righteousness. 2. They hold justification by inherent righteousness; that is, by the works of the law. 3. They make justification and sanctification all one, and so indeed deny, and shut out of God's Church the Doctrine of justification altogether.

Lecture CXXXI. On Psalm 51.7. Octob. 27. 1629.

IT followeth now that we do proceed unto the second sort of uses that I told you this Doctrine serveth unto, and show you how it should work upon our affections.

And there be two uses of this sort principally. The first is for comfort, and the second is for exhortation.

For the first. It is not possible for any man to understand, and receive, and meditate seriously of this Doctrine, that he that is once purged and washed by the blood of Christ, that is, he that truly believeth in him, is not only perfectly clean in God's sight from all filth and spot of sin, but whiter also then snow, perfectly just and righteous before God, I say it is not possible for any man to know and think of this, but if himself be a true believer, he must needs take comfort in it, it must needs warm, and revive, and glad his heart. And certainly no man doth truly believe in Christ, that taketh not comfort in this Doctrine. We find in Luk. 2.25. that our Savior is called, and was ever so accounted by God's people, the consolation of Israel ; that is, the only ground of comfort to the Israel of God. And the Angel when he telleth the shepherds of the birth of Christ, saith Luke 2.10. he brought them glad tidings of great joy, that should be to all people ; As if he should have said, All God's people throughout the world should greatly rejoice in Christ. And the Apostle maketh this a special note of a true Israelite, Phil. 3.3. that he is such a one as doth rejoice in Christ Jesus. And the Apostle Peter, 1 Pet. 1.8. saith of all the elect strangers to whom he wrote, that believing in Christ, they did rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious. And though all these places do prove, that we are in a woeful and wretched estate, none of God's Israel, no better then infidels, if Christ be not the only ground of our consolation, if we cannot rejoice in him; yet alas to many that think themselves to be good Ch • istians, this Doctrine yieldeth no comfort at all, they hear it without all joy; the reason is, because they have no need of comfort, they have other comforts that do fully satisfy and content their souls for the time. The full soul loatheth an houy comb, saith Solomon, Proverbs 27.7. The sweetest and comfortablest Doctrine that is, is but unsavory to the soul that is full of comfort already; but the humbled soul, the soul that hath need of comfort, (and such may the soul of everyone of us be we know not how soon) will find more sweetness and comfort in this Doctrine, then in anything in the world besides. To the hungry soul (saith Solomon there, Pro. 27.7.) every bitter thing is sweet, that that seemeth bitter to others, is sweet to him. To the soul that doth indeed hunger and thirst for comfort, Christ is most sweet, notwithstanding all the bitterness that the flesh findeth in him, and in those terms and conditions upon which he is to be received by us. And to these hungry and thirsty souls am I to direct the word of consolation, that I shall now deliver, and to none other persons. Hoe, everyone that thirsteth (saith the Prophet in the name of Christ himself, Esa. 55.1.) come ye to the waters. Thou that art most deeply afflicted in spirit, that thinkest thy thirst to be insatiable▪ such as can never be quenched, come thou to these waters, and thou shalt find them abundantly sufficient to quench and satisfy the thirst of thy soul; come unto Christ, and thou shalt find there is in him, and in that that he hath done for thee, comfort enough to raise up, to refresh thy spirit, though it be never so much dejected in thee. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give • him (saith our Savior, John 4.14) shall never thirst (with a tormenting and deadly thirst) but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well (or fountain) of water springing up into everlasting life. Come unto me (saith he again, Mat. 11.28.) all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Certainly the cause why we have so little rest, so little comfort, is because we come not to him, because we seek not comfort in him; if we would come to him, we might find comfort enough in him, against all the anguish of our souls, be it never so great. A man shall be (saith the Prophet Esa. 32.2. speaking of Christ) as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a watery land. See in how many words, and with what variety of most apt Metaphors the holy Ghost teacheth, that there is no kind of affliction, or distress of mind, that any of God's people can be subject unto, but there is sufficient ease and comfort to be found in Christ against it. He is able to save them to the uttermost (saith the Apostle, Hebr. 7.25.) that come unto God by him. And what are the grounds of this abundant and all-sufficient comfort, that the humbled and afflicted soul of every believer may find in Christ?

Surely these inestimable benefits that we have heard in the Doctrine, every true believer receiveth by him. 1. Because he hath purchased by his precious blood our pardon, and blotted all our sins out of God debt-book, and made us as clean in God's sight, as if we had never sinned. 2. Because by his perfect righteousness, and fulfilling of God's law for us, and in our stead, he hath made us more perfectly righteous before God, then if we had in all points observed the whole law ourselves. Both these points I will handle distinctly, and show you that they are sound grounds of comfort, yea the only sound grounds of true comfort.

[ 1] For the first of these, See how just a cause of comfort it is to every afflicted soul, to know his sins are pardoned. Esa. 40.1, 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God, speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem. See how earnest God is in charging his ministers to comfort his people, yea to comfort them effectually to be diligent, and zealous in this work, and beat much upon this: and whereas they might have said, Alas, how should we comfort thy people, that are so much dejected and afflicted in spirit? To this the Lord answers. Cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished (all the enemies of her salvation are fully vanquished) her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received at the Lord's hand (in Christ her surety) double for all her sins. As if he had said, persuade her in this, assure her of this, and this will comfort her abundantly. So when our Savior would comfort Mary Magdalene, who was as much humbled and troubled in mind, as any poor Christian can be (her sorrow was so abundant, as she was able to wash his feet with her tears) how doth he seek to comfort her? Woman (saith he Lu. 7 48, 50.) thy sins are forgiven thee, go in peace. As if he had said, Thou hast cause to be comfortable, and cheerful, for thy sins are forgiven. O this peace of God (the comfort and joy that riseth from the knowledge of the pardon of our sin and reconciliation with God) is said, Phil. 4.7. to pass all understanding. No heart can conceive how sweet, how blessed and comfortable a thing it is, but that only that hath felt, and enjoyed it. David could tell what it was from his own experience; and therefore saith, Psal. 32.1, 2. Blessed is he (or the blessednesses of that man; for the word that he useth there, is not an adjective, but a substantive; he speaketh not in the concrete (as we say) but in the abstract, neither is it a word of the singular, but of the plural number, that he useth to express himself by. As if he should say, ô the complete, the full, the infinite; happiness of that man) whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, ô the infinite and unspeakable happiness of that man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. As though he had said, This is even enough to make a man perfectly happy, if his sins be forgiven him; nothing can make that man miserable, that hath once obtained this. And the reason of this is evident. For, 1. sin is the only cause of all the evils and misery that can befall a man. In them all it may be said, as the Church speaketh, Lamentations 3.39. Man suffereth for his sin. 2. Sin is the only thing that maketh all misery to be misery indeed, all crosses, and afflictions so intolerable to us as they be, Jeremiah 8.14. The Lord our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord. The sting of death is sin, saith the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 15.5, 6. Neither poverty, nor sickness, nor death it self could sting and pain us, as they do, if our sins were pardoned. 3. If all the crosses and miseries of the world, should fall upon us, the burden and bitterness of them could not be so intolerable unto us, nor torment us so much as our sin will do, when God shall charge it upon us. O that will bite like a serpent (saith Solomon, who spake this from experience too, Prov. 23.32.) and sting like an adder. A wounded spirit (saith he, Proverbs 18.14.) who can bear? 4. Lastly, Sin and nothing but sin separateth between God and us. Your iniquities (saith the Prophet, Isaiah 59.2.) have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. You see then how sound a ground of true comfort this is, and how just cause every humbled soul hath to rejoice in Christ, in respect of this first benefit we receive by him, that through him our sins are pardoned, that the blood of Jesus Christ hath cleansed us from all our sins, As the Apostle speaketh, 1 John. 1.7.

And for the second of those benefits which every true believer receiveth by [ 2] Christ, see also how just a cause of comfort it is to every afflicted soul, Isaiah 61.10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord (saith the true beelever) my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation (he hath imputed and given unto me the perfect holiness, and obedience of my blessed Savior, and made it mine) he hath covered me (all over from top to toe) with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth her self with her jewels. Great is the comfort that the soul of a Christian findeth in that inherent righteousness, which God by his spirit hath wrought in him, though it be so poor and imperfect, and maimed, and slained as it is. When he can find that he hath been able to pray, or to confess and mourn for his sin, or to do any other service to God with an honest and upright heart, O what a comfort it is unto him? And certainly, if Christians did think well of this, it would make them look better to their hearts when they perform good duties, and take heed of slubbering them over, it would make them careful to perform spiritual duties spiritually. The people rejoiced (saith the Holy Ghost, 1 Chronicl. 29.9) for that they had offered (toward the building of God's house) willingly, because with a perfect heart they had offered willingly to the Lord. And our rejoicing is this (saith the Apopostle 2 Cor. 1.12.) even the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. And it is joy (saith Solomon, Proverb. 21.15.) unto the just man to do judgment. As if he had thus said, He joyeth not so much in all the gain that he getteth by his trading, his buying and selling, and dealings with men, as he doth in this, that his conscience beareth witness with him, that he hath dealt justly with all men, he hath gotten it justly whatsoever he hath. But if this poor and imperfect righteousness that is in us will yield us such comfort; how just cause of comfort and rejoicing hath every true believer in this, that he hath another manner of righteousness than this is, the perfect righteousness of Christ Jesus is his. Job saith of his inherent righteousness whereby he had been so rich in good works, so abundant in the works of mercy to all that stood in need of him, Job 29.14. that he put on his righteousness, and it clothed him; my judgment (saith he, this care I had to deal justly and uprightly with all men) was as a robe and a diademe unto me. And a goodly garment and robe (doubtless) that was. As comely apparel is known to set forth much and adorn the person of a man (O that men and women specially knew not this too well; O that by their pride in this, by their over-much care to adorn and decke their bodies this way, they did not make both their bodies and souls loathsome unto God) as comely apparel (I say) if it be used in sobriety, and moderation, doth much set forth and adorn the body in the eye of man; so do those graces of the Spirit, that Job speaketh of, even our inherent righteousness, much more beautify and adorn us in the eye both of God and man.