A Body of Practical Divinity

IN this Petition there are two things observable,

• I. The Order.
• II. The Matter.

I. The Order. First, we pray, Hallowed be thy Name, before, Give us this day our daily Bread : Hence we learn;

First. We pray, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, before we pray, Give us this Day our daily Bread. God's Glory ought to weigh down all before it; it must be preferred before our dearest Concerns: Christ preferred his Fathers Glory before his own Glory, as he was Man, John 8.49, 50. I Honor my Father, I seek not my own Glory. God's glory is that which is most dear to him, it is the Apple of his Eye; all his Riches lie here, as Micah said, Judge. 18.24. What have I more? So I may say of God's glory, what hath he more? God's glory is the most Orient Pearl of his Crown, which he will not part with, Isa. 42.8. My Glory will I not give to another. God's glory is more worth then Heaven, more worth then the Salvation of all Men's Souls; better Kingdoms be demolished; better Men and Angels be annihilated, then God lose any part of his Glory. First we pray, that God's Name may be hallowed and glorified, before we pray, Give us our daily Bread. We are to prefer God's glory before our nearest concerns: Before there can be a preferring God's glory before private concerns, there must be a New-Birth wrought. The natural Man seeks his own secular Interest before God's glory, John 3.31. He is of the Earth earthly. Let him have Peace and Trading, let the Rock pour out Rivers of Oil, Job 29.6. and let God's glory go which way it will, he minds it not: A Worm cannot fly and sing as a Lark: A natural Man whose heart creeps upon the Earth, cannot admire God, or advance his glory, as a Man elevated by grace doth.

VSE. Of Trial. Do we prefer God's glory before our private Concerns? Doth God's glory take place? Minus te amat qui aliquid tecum amat quod non propter te amat, Aug. 1. Do we prefer God's glory before our own Credit? Fama pari passu ambulat cum Vita. Credit is a Jewel highly valued, like precious Ointment it casts a fragrant smell; but God's glory must be dearer then Credit and Applause: We must be willing to have our Credit trampled upon, if God's glory may be raised higher, Acts 5.41. The Apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that they were graced so far as to be disgraced for Christ. 2. Do we prefer God's glory before our Relations? Relations are near, they are of our Flesh and Bone, but God's glory must be dearer, Luke 14.26. If any Man come after me and hate not Father and Mother, he cannot be my Disciple. Here odium in suos is Pietas in Deum. If my Friends (saith Jerome ) should persuade me to deny Christ, if my Wife should hang about my Neck, if my Mother should show me her Breasts that gave me suck, I would trample upon all and fly to Christ. 3. We must prefer God's glory before estate: gold is but shining dust, God's glory must weigh heavier: If it comes to this, I cannot keep my place of Profit, but God's glory will be eclipsed; here I must rather suffer in my Estate, then God's glory should suffer; Heb. 10 34. 4. We must prefer God's Glory before our life. Rev. 12.11. They loved not their own lives to the Death. Ignatius called his Fetters, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his Spiritual Jewels, he wore them as a Chain of Pearl. Gordius the Martyr said, it is to my Loss if you bate me anything of my Sufferings: This Argues grace Crescent, and elevated in an high Degree. Who but a Soul inflamed in love to God can set God highest in the Throne, and prefer him above all private Concerns.

II. The second thing in the Petition is the Matter of it: Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, Give us this day our daily Bread. The sum of this Petition is, that God will give us such a Competency in these outward things, as he sees most expedient for us; it is much like that Prayer of Agur, Prov. 30.8. Feed me with Food convenient for me ; give me a Viaticum, a Bait by the way, enough to bear my Charges till I come to Heaven, and it sufficeth. Let me explain the Words; Give us this day our daily Bread, [Give, ] hence note, that the good things of this life are the gifts of God; He is the Donor of all our Blessings: Give us, not only Faith is the gift of God, but Food; not only daily Grace is from God, but daily Bread ; every good thing comes from God; I am. 1.17. Every good Gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of Lights. Wisdom is the gift of God, Isa. 28.26. His God doth instruct him to Discretion. Riches are the gift of God, 2 Chron. 1.12. I will give thee riches ; Peace is the gift of God, Psal. 147.14. He makes peace in thy borders ; Health, which is the cream of Life, is the gift of God, Ier. 30.17. I will restore health to thee ; Rain is the gift of God, Job 5.10. Who giveth rain on the earth ; all comes from God. He makes the Corn to grow, and the Herbs to flourish.

VSE I. See our own poverty and indigence, we live all upon alms, and upon free gift, Give us this day : All we have is from the hand of God's Royal Bounty. We have nothing but what God gives us out of his Storehouse; we cannot have one bit of Bread but from God. The Devil persuaded our first Parents that by disobeying God, they should be as God's, Gen. 3.5. but we may now see what goodly God's we are, that we have not a bit of bread to put in our mouths, unless God give it us: Here is an humbling Consideration.

Br. 2. Is all a gift? then we are to seek every Mercy from God by Prayer, Give us this day. The Tree of Mercy will not drop its Fruit unless shaken by the hand of Prayer. Whatever we have, if it doth not come in the way of Prayer, it doth not come in the way of Love; 'tis given as Israel's Quails in anger. If everything be a gift we do not deserve it, we are not fit for it, unless we ask for this alms; and must we go to God for every Mercy? How wicked are they who instead of going to God for food when they want, they go to the Devil, they make a compact with him, and if he will help them to a livelihood they will give him their Souls: Better starve than go to the Devil for provender. I wish there be none in our Age guilty of this, who when they are in want, use indirect means for a livelihood, they consult with Witches, who are the Devils Oracles; the end of these will be fearful as that of Saul was, whom the Lord is said to have killed, because he asked counsel at a familiar spirit.

3. If all be a Gift, then it is not a Debt; we cannot say to God as that Creditor said, Matth. 18.28. Pay me what thou owest. Who can make God a Debtor, or do any Act that is obliging and meritorious? Whatever we receive from God is a gift. We can give nothing to God but what he hath given us; 1 Chron. 29.14. All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. David and his People offered to the building of God's House Gold and Silver, but they offered nothing but what God had given them; Of th • ne own have we given thee. If we love God, God it is that hath given us an Heart to love him; if we praise him, he both gives us the Organ of the Tongue, and puts it in Tune; if we give Alms to others God hath given Alms to us first, so that we may say, We offer, O Lord, of thine own to thee. Is all of Gift, how absurd then is the Doctrine of Merit? That was a proud speech of a Friar that said Redde mihi Vitam Aeternam quam debes ; Give me Lord Eternal Life which thou owest me. We cannot deserve a bit of Bread, much less a Crown of Glory. If all be a Gift then Merit is exploded, and shut out of doors.

4. If all be a Gift, Give us this day, then take notice of God's goodness; there's nothing in us can deserve or requite God's kindness, yet such is the sweetness of his Nature, he gives us rich Provision, and feeds us with the finest of the Wheat. Pindar saith, it was an opinion of the People of Rhodes, that Jupiter rained down Gold upon the City. God hath rained down golden Mercies upon us; he is upon the giving hand. Observe three things in God's giving.

(1.) He is not weary of giving; the springs of Mercy are ever running: God did not only dispence Blessings in former Ages, but he still gives gifts to us As the Sun not only enricheth the World with its Morning light, but keeps Light for the Meridian. The Honey-comb of God's bounty is still dropping.

(2.) God delights in giving; Micah 7.18. He delighteth in mercy. As the Mother delights to give the Child the breast, God loves we should have the breast of Mercy in our mouth.

(3.) God gives to his very Enemies. Who will send in Provisions to his Enemy? Men use to spread Nets for their Enemies, God spreads a Table. The dew drops on the Thistle as well as the Rose; the dew of God's bounty drops upon the worst. Those who have their mouths opened against God, yet God puts bread in those mouths. O the Royal Bounty of God; Psal. 52.1. The goodness of God endureth continually. Swinish sinners God puts Jewels upon, and feeds them every day.

5. If all be gift, see then the odious ingratitude of Men who sin against their giver. God feeds them, and they fight against him; he gives them their Bread, and they give him affronts. How unworthy is this, would we not cry shame of him who had a Friend always feeding him with Money, and he should betray and injure that Friend. Thus ungratefully do Sinners deal with God, they do not only forget his Mercies but abuse them: Ier. 5.7. When I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery. O how horrid is this, to sin against a bountiful God, to strike (as it were) those hands that relieve us: This gives a die and tincture to Men's sins, and makes them crimson. How many make a dart of God's Mercies and shoot at him; he gives them Wit, and they serve the Devil with it; he gives them Strength, and they waste it among Harlots; he gives them Bread to eat, and they lift up the heel against him; Deut. 32.15. Iesurun waxed fat and kicked: These are like Absalom, who as soon as David his Father kissed him, plotted Treason against him, 2 Sam. 15.10. like the Mule who kicks the Dam after she hath given it Milk. These who sin against their giver, and abuse God's Royal Favors, the Mercies of God will come in as witnesses against them. What smoother than Oil, but if it be heated what more scalding? What sweeter than Mercy, but if it be abused, what more dreadful? It turns to fury.

6. If God gives us all, let God's giving excite us to Thanksgiving; he is the founder and donor of all our Blessings, let him have all our Acknowledgments. All the rivers come from the sea, and thither they return again, Eccl. 1.7. All our gifts come from God, and to him must all our Praises return. We are apt to burn incense to our own drag, Hab. 1.16. to attribute all we have to our own Skill or second Causes.

(1.) Our own Skill and Industry. God is the giver; he gives daily Bread, Psal. 136.35. he gives Riches, Deut. 8.18. He it is that giveth thee power to get wealth.

Or, (2.) We oft ascribe the praise to second Causes, and forget God. If Friends have bestowed an Estate, to look at them and admire them, but not God who is the great giver: As if one should be thankful to the Steward, and never take notice of the Master of the Family that provides all. O if God gives all, our Eye-sight, our Food, our Cloathing, let us sacrifice the chief Praise to him; let not God be a loser by his Mercies. Praise is a more illustrious part of God's Worship. Our wants may send us to Prayer. Nature may make us beg Daily-bread, but it shows an Heart full of Ingenuity and Grace to be rendering Praises to God. In Petition we act like Men, in Praise we act like Angels. Doth God sow seeds of Mercy, let Thankfulness be the crop we bring forth. We are called the Temples of God, 1 Cor. 3.16. and where should God's Praises be sounded forth but in his Temples? Psal. 146.2. While I live will I bless the Lord, I will sing praises to my God while I have any being. God gives us daily Bread, let us give him daily Praise. Thankfulness to our Donor is the best policy; there's nothing lost by it: To be thankful for one Mercy is the way to have more. Musicians love to sound their Trumpets where there is the best echo, and God loves to bestow his Mercies where there is the best echo of Praise: And it is not only offering the calves of our Lips is enough, but we must show our thankfulness by improving the gifts which God gives us, and as it were putting them out to use. God gives us an Estate, and we honor the Lord with our substance, Prov. 3.9. he gives us the staff of Bread, and we lay out the strength we receive by it in his service: This is to be thankful; and that we may be thankful be humble. Pride stops the current of gratitude: A proud Man will never be thankful; he looks upon all he hath, either to be of his own procuring or deserving. Let us see all we have is God's gift, and how unworthy we are to receive the least favor, and this will make us much in doxology and gratitude, we will be Silver Trumpets sounding forth God's Praise.

First, Give. ] Hence I note, 1. That the good things of this Life are the gifts of God; he is the founder and donor. 2. From this word give, I note, that it is not unlawful to pray for Temporal things; we may pray for daily Bread, Prov. 30.8. Feed me with food convenient for me ; we may pray for Health, Psal. 6.2. O Lord heal me, for my bones are vexed. As these are in themselves good things, so they are useful for us. They are as needful for the preserving the Comfort of Life, as the Oil is needful for preserving the Lamp from going out. Only let me insert two things.

1. There is a great difference between our praying for Temporal things and Spiritual. In praying for Spiritual things we must be absolute. When we pray for pardon of Sin, and the favor of God, and the sanctifying graces of the Spirit, these are indispensibly necessary to Salvation, and here we must take no denial: But when we pray for Temporal things, here our Prayers must be limited, we must pray conditionally, so far as God sees them good for us. God sometimes sees cause to with-hold Temporal things from us: They may be snares, and draw our Hearts from God; therefore we must pray for these things with submission to God's Will. This was Israel's sin; they would be peremptory and absolute in their desire of Temporal things: God's bill of fare did not please them, they must have dainties; Numb. 11.18. Who shall give us flesh to eat? God had given them Manna, he fed them with a Miracle from Heaven, but their wanton Pallats craved more, they must have Quails; God let them have their desire, but they had sower sauce to their Quails; Psal. 78.31. While the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them and slew them. Rachel was importunate in her desires for a Child, Gen. 30.1. Give me children or I die : God let her have a Child, but it was a Benoni, a Son of Sorrow, it cost her her Life in bringing forth; Gen. 35.18. We must pray for outward things with submission to God's Will, else they come in anger.

2. When we pray for things pertaining to this Life, we must desire Temporal things for Spiritual ends; we must desire these things to be as helps in our journey to Heaven. If we pray for Health, it must be that we may improve this talent of Health for God's Glory, and may be fitter for his Service. If we pray for a competency of Estate, it must be for an holy end, that we may be kept from the temptations which Poverty usually exposeth to, and that we may be in a better capacity to sow the golden seeds of Charity, and relieve such as are in want. Temporal things must be prayed for, for Spiritual ends. Hannah prayed for a Child, but it was for this end, that her Child might be devoted to God; 1 Sam. 1.11. O Lord, if thou wilt remember me, and wilt give unto thine hand-maid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life. Many pray for outward things, only to gratify their sensual appetite: The ravens cry for food; Psal. 147.9. To pray for outward things only to satisfy Nature, is to cry rather like Ravens than Christians. We must have an higher end in our Prayers, we must aim at Heaven, while we are praying for Earth: And must we pray for Temporal things for Spiritual ends, that we may be fitter to serve God, then how wicked are they, who beg Temporal Mercies that they may be more enabled to sin against God; I am. 4.3. Ye ask that ye may consume it upon your lusts. One Man is sick and he prays for Health that he may be among his Cups and Harlots; another prays for an Estate, he would not only have his Belly filled but his Barns, and why would he be rich, that he may raise his Name, or that having more power in his hand, he may now take a fuller revenge on his enemies. This is impiety joined with impudence; to pray to God to give us Temporal things that we may be the better enabled to serve the Devil.

VSE. If we are to pray for Temporal good things, then how much more for Spiritual; if we are to pray for Bread, then how much more for the Bread of Life; if for Oil, then how much more for the Oil of gladness; if we pray to have our hunger satisfied, much more should we pray to have our Souls saved. Alas, what if God should hear our Prayers, and grant us these Temporal things, and no more, what were we the better? What is it to have Food and want Grace; what is it to have the back clothed and the Soul naked; to have a South land and want the living springs in Christ's Blood, what comfort could that be? O therefore let us be earnest for Spiritual Mercies. Lord, do not only feed me, but sanctify me, rather an Heart full of Grace than an House full of Gold: If we are to pray for daily Bread, the things of this Life, much more for the things of the Life that is to come.

3. From this word give, I note, That they who God hath given a large measure of outward things to, yet we must pray, Give us daily Bread. And this may answer a Question.

Quest. Some may say, we have an Estate already, and what need we pray, Give us daily Bread?

Answ. Supposing we have a plentiful Estate, yet we need make this Petition, Give us Bread : And that upon a double account.

(1.) That we may have a Blessing upon our Food, and all that we enjoy: Psalm 132.5. I will bless her provision. Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word which proceedeth out of God's mouth; Matth. 4.4. what is that but a word of Blessing? Though the Bread is in our hand, yet the Blessing is in God's hand, and it must be fetched out of his hand by Prayer: Well therefore may rich Men pray, Give us our Bread, let it be seasoned with a Blessing. If God should with-hold a Blessing, nothing we have would do us good; our Cloths would not warm us, our Food would not nourish us: Psal. 106.15. He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul ; that is, they pined away, and their Meat did not nourish them. If God should with-hold a Blessing, what we eat would turn to bad humors, and hasten Death. If God doth not bless our Riches they will do us more hurt than good: Eccl. 5.13. Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. So that granting we have plentiful Estates, yet we had need pray, Give us our Bread ; let us have a Blessing with what we have.

(2.) Though we have Estates, yet we had need pray, give, that we may hereby engage God to continue these Comforts to us. How many Casualties may fall out? How many have had Corn in their Barn, and a fire hath come on a sudden and consumed all! How many have had losses at Sea, and great Estates boiled away to nothing; Ruth 1.21. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. Therefore though' we have Estates yet we had need pray, Give us, Lord, give a continuance of these Comforts, that they may not before we are aware, take wings and fly from us. So much for this first word in the Petition, Give.

Secondly, Vs.] Give us.

Quest. Why do we pray here in the plural? Why give us? Why is it not said, Give me?

Answ. To show that we are to have public Spirits in Prayer; we must not only pray for ourselves but others; both the Law of God, and the Law of Love bind us to this. We must love our Neighbors as ourselves ; therefore we must pray for them as well as for ourselves. Every good Christian hath a fellow-feeling of the wants and miseries of others, and he prays that God would extend his bounty to them; especially he prays for the Saints, Eph. 6.18. Praying always for all Saints. These are Children of the Family.

VSE I. Should we have public Spirits in Prayer, Give us ; it reproves such narrow-spirited Men as move only within their own sphere, they look only at themselves but mind not the case of others; they leave others out of their Prayers; if they have daily Bread they care not though others starve; if they are clothed, they care not though others go naked. Christ hath taught us to pray for others, Give us ; but selfish persons are shut up within themselves, as the Snail in the shell, and never speak a word in Prayer for others: These have no commiseration or pity, they are like Judas whose Bowels fell out.

VSE II. Let us pray for others as well as for ourselves, Give us: Vir bonus aliis prodest aeque ac sibi. Spiders work only for themselves, but Bees work for the good of others; the more excellent anything is, the more it operates for the good of others. The Springs refresh others with their crystal streams; the Sun enlightens others with its golden beams; the more a Christian is ennobled with Grace, the more he besiegeth Heaven with his Prayers for others. If we are Members of the Body Mystical, we cannot but have a sympathy with others in their wants, and this sympathy sets us a praying for them. David had a public Spirit in Prayer, Psal. 125.4. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good : Though he begins the Psalm with Prayer for himself, Psal. 51.1. Have Mercy upon me, O God, yet he ends the Psalm with Prayer for others, ver. 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion.

VSE III. It is matter of Comfort to the Godly, who are but low in the World, yet they have the Prayers of God's people for them, they pray not only for the increase of their Faith, but their Food, that God will give them Daily Bread. He is like to be rich who hath several stocks going; so are they in a likely way to thrive who have the Prayers of the Saints going for them in several parts of the World. So much for this second word in the Petition, Give us.

Thirdly, The thi •• word in the Petition is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , This day. ] We pray not give us Bread for a month, or a year, but a day; Give us this day.

Quest. Is it not lawful to lay up for afterwards? Doth not the Apostle say, He who provides not for his Family is worse than an Infidel; 1 Tim. 5.8.

Answ. 'It is true, it is lawful to lay up for Posterity, but our Savior hath taught us to pray, Give us this day our bread, for two Reasons: 1. That we should not have carking care for the future. We should not set our Wits upon the tenter, or torment ourselves how to lay up great Estates; if we do vivere in diem, if we have but enough to supply for the present it may suffice; Give us this day: Take no thought for tomorrow, Matth. 6.34. God fed Israel with Manna in the wilderness, and he fed them from hand to mouth; sometimes all their Manna was spent, and if any one had asked them where they would have their break-fast next morning, they would have said, our care is only for this day, God will rain down what Manna we need: If we have Bread this day, do not distrust God's Providence for the future. 2. Our Savior will have us pray, Give us bread this day, to teach us to live every day as if it were our last. We are not to pray give us Bread tomorrow, because we do not know whether we shall live while tomorrow; but Lord give us this day, it may be our last day we shall live, and then we shall need no more.

VSE. If we pray for Bread only for a day, Give us this day, then you who have great Estates have cause to be thankful, you have more than you pray for; you pray but for Bread for one day, and God hath given you enough to suffice you all your life. What a bountiful God do you serve! Two things may make rich Men thankful, 1. God gives them more than they deserve: 2. God gives them more than they pray for.

Fourthly, The fourth thing in the Petition is, Our bread. ]

Quest. Why is it called our Bread, when it is not ours but God's ?

Answ. 1. We must understand it in a qualified sense; it is our Bread being gotten by honest industry. There are two sorts of Bread that cannot properly be called our Bread. (1.) The Bread of Idleness. (2.) The Bread of Violence.

(1.) The Bread of Idleness: Prov. 31.27. She eateth not the bread of idleness. An idle Person doth vivere aliena quadra, he lives at another bodies cost, and is at their finding, Prov. 1.25. His hands refuse to labor. We must not be as the Drones which eat the honey that other Bees have brought into the hive: If we eat the bread of Idleness, this is not our own bread: 2 Thess. 3.11, 12. There are some that walk disorderly, working not at all, such we command that they work, and eat their own bread. The Apostle gives us this hint, that such as live idly do not eat their own Bread.

(2.) The Bread of Violence. We cannot call this our Bread, for it is taken away from others. That which is gotten by stealth or fraud, or any manner of extortion, is not our Bread, it belongs to another. He who is a bird of prey, who takes away the Bread of the Widow and Fatherless, he eats that Bread which is none of his, nor can he pray for a Blessing upon it: Can he pray God to bless that which he hath gotten unjustly?

2. It is called our Bread by virtue of our Title to it. There is a twofold title to Bread. (1.) A Spiritual Title: In and by Christ we have a right to the Creature, and may call it our Bread. As we are Believers we have the best Title to Earthly things, we hold all in capite, 1 Cor. 3.22. All things are yours ; by what Title? Ye are Christ's. (2.) A Civil Title, which the Law confers on us: To deny Men a Civil Right to their Possessions, and make all common, it opens the door to Anarchy and Confusion.

VSE. See the privilege of Believers, they have both a Spiritual and a Civil Right to what they possess: They who can say Our Father, can say our Bread. Wicked Men though' they have a Legal right to what they possess, yet not a Covenant right; they have it by Providence not by Promise; with God's leave, not with his Love. Wicked Men are in God's eye no better than usurpers, all they have, their Money and Land, is like Cloth taken up at the Drapers which is not paid for; but this is the sweet privilege of Believers, they can say, our Bread : Christ being theirs, all is theirs. O how sweet is every bit of Bread dipped in Christ's Blood! How well doth that Meat relish which is a pledge and earnest of more! The Meal in the barrel is an earnest of our Angels food in Paradise. Here is the privilege of Saints, they have a right to Earth and Heaven.

Fifthly, The fifth and last thing in this Petition is, the thing we pray for, Daily Bread. ]

Quest. What is meant by Bread?

Answ. Bread here by a Synecdoche speciei pro genere, is put for all the Temporal Blessings of this Life, Food, Fuel, Clothing; Quicquid nobis conducit ad been esse, Aust. whatever may serve for Necessity, or sober Delight.

VSE. Learn to be contented with that allowance God gives us. If we have Bread, a competency of these outward things, let us rest satisfied. We pray but for Bread, Give us our daily Bread, we do not pray for superfluities, not for Quails or Venison, but for Bread, that which may support Life. Tho' we have not so much as others, so full a Crop, so rich an Estate, yet if we have the staff of Bread to shore us up from falling, let us be content; most people are herein faulty. Tho' they pray that God would give them Bread (so much as he sees expedient for them) yet they are not content with God's allowance, but over-greedily covet more, and with the daughters of the Horsleach, cry, Give, give, Prov. 30.15. this is a vice Naturally engrafted in us. Many pray Agurs first Prayer, Give me not Poverty, but few pray his last Prayer, Give me not Riches, Prov. 30.8. they are not content with daily Bread, but have the dry dropsy of Covetousness, they are still craving for more; Hab. 2.5. Who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied. There are, saith Solomon, four things say, it is not enough, Prov. 30.15. the grave, the barren womb, the earth, the fire ; and I may add a fifth thing, the Heart of a covetous Man. Such as are not content with daily Bread, but thirst insatiably after more, will break over the hedge of God's Command, and to get Riches will stick at no sin; Cui nihil satis est, eidem nihil turpe, Tacitus; therefore Covetousness is called a Radical Vice, 1 Tim. 6.10. The root of all evil. Quid non mortalia pectora cogit, auri sacra fames? The word for Covetousness 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifies an inordinate desire of getting▪ Covetousness is not only in getting Riches unjustly, but in loving them inordinately: This is a key opens the door to all sin. It causeth 1. Theft: Achan's covetous humor made him steal that wedge of Gold which cleft asunder his Soul from God; Josh. 7.21. 2. It causeth Treason: What made Judas betray Christ? It was the thirty pieces of Silver, Matth. 26.15. 3. It produceth Murder: It was the inordinate love of the Vineyard made Ahab conspire Naboth's death, 1 Kings 21.13. 4. It is the root of Perjury: 2 Tim. 3.3. Men shall be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , covetous, and it follows 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , truce-breakers : Love of Silver will make Men take a false-Oath, and break a just Oath. 5. It is the spring of Apostasy: 2 Tim. 4.10. Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. He did not only forsake Paul's company, but his Doctrine. Demas afterwards became a Priest in an Idol Temple, saith Dorotheus. 6. Covetousness will make Men Idolaters: Col. 3.5. Covetousness which is idolatry. Tho' the covetous Man will not worship graven Images in the Church, yet he will worship the graven Image in his Coyn. 7. Covetousness makes Men give themselves to the Devil. Pope Sylvester the Second did sell his Soul to the Devil for a Popedom. Covetous persons forget this Prayer, Give us daily Bread, that which may satisfy Nature, but they are insatiable in their desire. O let us take heed of this dry Dropsy, Heb. 13.5. Be content with such things as ye have. Natura parvo dimittitur, Sen. That we may be content with daily Bread, that which God in his Providence carves out to us, and not covet or murmur▪ let me propose these things.

1. God can bless a little, Exod. 23.24. He will bless thy Bread and thy Water: A Blessing put sweetness into the least Morsel of Bread, 'tis like Sugar in Wine, Psal. 132.15. I will bless her Provision. Daniel and the three Children eat Pulse (which was a coarse Fare) yet they looked fairer then those which did eat of the Kings Meat, Dan. 1.15. whence was this? God did infuse a more then ordinary Blessing into the • ulse; God's Blessing was better then the Kings Venison, a piece of Bread with God's Love is Angels Food.

2. God who gives us our allowance, knows what quantity of these outward things is fittest for us; a smaller provision may be fitter for some, Bread may be better then Dainties; everyone cannot bear an high Condition, no more then a weak Brain can bear heady wine; hath one a larger proportion of worldly things, God sees he can better manage such a Condition; he can order his Affairs with discretion, which pe • haps another cannot; as he hath a large Estate, so he hath a large heart to do good, which perhaps another hath not; this should make us content with a shorter Bill of Fare; God's Wisdom is that we must acquiesce in, he sees what is best for everyone, that which is good for one may be bad for another.

3. In being contented with daily Bread, that which God carves to us, though it be a lesser piece, much grace is seen in this; all the Graces act their part in a contented Soul; as the holy Ointment was made up of several Spices, Myrrh, Cinnamon, Cassia, Exod. 30.23. so contentment hath in it a mixture of several Graces, there is Faith, a Christian believes God doth all for the best; and Love, which thinks no evil, but takes all God doth in good part; and Patience, submitting cheerfully to what God orders wisely: God is much pleased to see so many graces at once sweetly exercised, like so many bright Stars shining in a Constellation.

4. To be content with daily Bread : The allowance God gives, though but sparingly, doth keep us from many Temptations, which discontented Persons fall into, when the Devil sees a Person just of Israel's humor, not content with Manna, but must have Quails, saith Satan, here is good fishing for me; Satan oft tempts discontented ones to murmuring, and to unlawful means, cozening and defrauding; and he who increaseth an Estate by indirect means, fluffs his Pillow with Thorns, and his head will lie very uneasy when he comes to die: If you would be freed from the Temptations which discontent exposeth to, be content with such things as ye have, bless God for daily Bread.

5. What a rare and admirable thing it is to be content with daily bread, though it be coarse, and though there be but little of it; a Christian though he hath but a viaticum, a little meal in the barrel, yet he hath that which gives him content; what he hath not in the Cupboard, he hath in the Promise; that bit of bread he hath is with the love of God, and that sauce makes it relish sweet, that little Oil in the Cruse is a Pledge and Earnest of those Dainties he shall taste of in the Kingdom of God; this makes him content: What a rare and wonderful thing is this, it is no wonder to be content in Heaven, when we are at the Fountain-Head, and have all things we can desire; but to be content when God keeps us to short Commons, and we have scarce daily bread, this is a wonder: When grace is crowning, it is no wonder to be content, but when grace is conflicting with straits now to be content is a glorious thing indeed, and deserves the Garland of Praise.

6. To make us content with daily Bread: Though God straitens us in our allowance, think seriously of the danger that is in an high prosperous Condition; some are not content with daily bread, but desire to have their Barns filled, and heap up Silver as dust; this proves a snare to them, 1 Tim. 6.10. They that will be rich fall into a snare. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Theophilact. Pride, Idleness, Wantonness, are the three worms that usually breed of Plenty; Prosperity oft deafens the ear against God, Ier. 22.21. I spake to thee in thy Prosperity, but thou saidst, I will not hear. Soft pleasures harden the heart: In the Body the more fat, the less blood in the Veins, and the less Spirits; the more outward plenty often the less Piety. Prosperity hath its Honey, and also its Sting: Prosperity like the full of the Moon makes many Lunatick: The Pastures of Prosperity are rank and surfeiting. Anxious care is the malus Genius, the evil Spirit that haunts the rich Man, and will not let him be quiet; when his Chests are full of Money his heart is full of care, either how to manage, or how to increase, or how to secure what he hath gotten: Sunshine in pleasant, but sometimes it scorcheth: Should not this make us content with that allowance God gives; if we have daily bread though not dainties; think of the Danger of Prosperity; the spreading of a full Table may be the spreading of a snare: Many have been sunk to Hell with golden Weights: The ferry Man takes in all Passengers, that he may increase his Fare, and sometimes to the sinking of the boat. 1 Tim. 6.9. They that will be rich fall into many hurtful Lusts, which drown them in Perdition. The Worlds golden Sands are Quicksands; this may make us take our daily bread, though it be but coarse, contentedly; what if we have less food, we have less snare, if less dignity, less danger; as we want the rich Provisions of the World, so we want the Temptations.

7. If God keeps us to a spare diet, if he give us less Temporals, he hath made it up in Spirituals; he hath given us the Pearl of Price, and the holy anointing. 1. The Pearl of Price, the Lord Jesus, he is the quintessence of all good things; to give us Christ is more then if God had given us all the world; God can make more worlds, but he hath no more Christ's to bestow; he is such a golden mine that the Angels cannot dig to the bottom; Eph. 3.8. From Christ we have Justification, Adoption, Coronation: The Sea of God's Mercy in giving us Christ (saith Luther ) should swallow up all our wants. 2. The holy Unction, God hath anointed us with the graces of his Spirit: Grace is a seed of God, a blossom of Eternity; the graces are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Damascene, the impressions of the divine Nature, Stars to enlighten us, Spices to perfume us, Diamonds to enrich us; and if God hath adorned the hidden Man of the heart with these sacred Jewels, it may well make us content, though' we have but short Commons, and that coarse too. God hath given his People better things then Corn and Wine, he hath given them that which he cannot give in anger, and which cannot stand with Reprobation, and they may say as David, Psal. 16.6. The lines are fallen to them in pleasant places, and they have a goodly heritage. I have read of Didimus and Anthony, Didimus was a blind Man, but very holy; Anthony asked him if he was not troubled for the want of his eyes, he told him he was; why said Anthony, are you troubled you want that which Flies and Birds have, when you have that which Angels have: So I say to Christians, if God hath not given you the Purse, he hath given you his Spirit, if you want that which rich Men have, God hath given you that which Angels have, and are you not content?

8. If you have but daily bread enough to suffice nature, be content, consider it is not having abundance makes the life always comfortable; it is not a great Cage will make the Bird sing; a competency may breed contentment, when having more may make one less content: A staff may help the Traveler, but a bundle of staffs will be a burden to him. A great Estate may be like a long trayling garment, more burdensome then useful: Many that have great incomes and revenues have not so much comfort in their Lives, as some that go to their hard labor.

9. If you have less daily bread, you will have less account to give: The Riches and Honors of the World like Alchimy make a great show, and with their glistering dazzle Men's eyes; but they do not consider the great account they must give to God, Luke 16.2. Give an account of thy Stewardship. What good hast thou done with thy Estate? hast thou as a good Steward traded thy golden Talents for God's glory? hast thou honored the Lord with thy Substance? the greater Revenues the greater Reckonings; this may quiet and content us, if we have but little daily bread, our account will be less.

10. You that have but a small competency in these outward things, your provisions are short, yet you may be content, to consider how much you look for hereafter: God keeps the best Wine till last: What though now you have but a small pittance, and are fed from hand to mouth, you look for an eternal Reward, white Robes, sparkling Crowns, Rivers of Pleasure: A Son is content though his Father gives him but now and then a little Money, as long as he expects his Father should settle all his land upon him at last. If God give you but a little at present, yet you look for that glory which eye hath not seen; may not you be content? The World is but a Diversorium, a great Inn; if God give you but sufficient to pay for your Charges in your Inn, you may be content, you shall have enough when you come to your own Country.

Quest. How may we be content though God cut us short in these Externals; though we have but little daily bread, and coarse?

Resp. 1. Think with ourselves some have been much lower then we, who have been better then we: Jacob an holy Patriarch goes over Jordan with his Staff, and lived in a mean condition a long time, he had the Clouds for his Canopy, and Stone for his Pillow: Moses that might have been rich, some Historians say, Pharaoh 's Daughter adopted him for her Son, because King Pharaoh had no Heir, and so Moses was like to have come to the Crown, yet leaving the Honors of the Court, in what a low mean condition did he live in when he went to Jethro his Father-in-Law? Musculus famous for Learning and Piety was put to great Straits, he was put to dig in a Town ditch, and had scarce daily bread, yet content. Nay, Christ, who was Heir of all, yet for our sakes became poor, 2 Cor. 8.9. Let all these Examples make us content.

2. Let us labor to have the Interest cleared between God and our Souls; he who can say, My God, hath enough to rock his heart quiet in the lowest condition; what can he want who hath El-Shaddai, the all-sufficient God for his portion; though the nether-Springs fail, yet he hath the upper-Springs; though the bill of fare grow short, yet an Interest in God is a Pillar of Support to us, and we may with David encourage ourselves in the Lord our God.

BEfore I speak strictly to the Words, I shall take notice, 1. That in this Prayer there is but One Petition for the Body, Give us our daily Bread, but two Petitions for the Soul. Forgive us our Trespasses, lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil ; Hence observe, that we are to be more careful for our Souls, than for our Bodies. More careful for Grace, than daily Bread, more desirous to have our Souls saved, than our Bodies fed: in the Law, the Weight of the Sanctuary was twice as big as the common weight: to typify, that Spiritual Things must be of far greater Weight with us than Earthly. The Excellency of the Soul, may challenge our Chief Care about it.

1. The Soul is an immaterial Substance, it is an heavenly Spark, lighted by the Breath of God. It is the more refined spiritual Part of Man, it is of an Angelical Nature; it hath some faint resemblance of God. The Body is the more dreggish part, it is but the Cabinet which (though curiously wrought) the Soul is the Jewel; the Soul is near a-kin to Angels, it is Capax beatitudinis, capable of Communion with God in Glory.

2. It is immortal ; it doth never expire. It can act without the Body, though' the Body dissolve into Dust, the Soul lives, Luk. 12.4. The Essence of the Soul is Eternal, it hath a beginning, but no end: It is a Blossom of Eternity. Sure then if the Soul be so Ennobled and Dignifi'd, more care should be taken about the Soul than the Body. We make but One Petition for the Body, but Two Petitions for the Soul.

Use. 1. It reproves them that take more care for their Bodies, than their Souls. The Body is but the brutish part, yet they take more care, 1. about dressing their Bodies, than their Souls. They put on their best Cloaths, are dressed in the Richest Garb, but care not how naked or undrest their Souls are; they do not get the Jewels of Grace, to adorn their inner Man. 2. About feeding their Bodies, than their Souls, they are Caterers for the Flesh, they do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , make Provision for the Flesh, Rom. 13.14. they have the best Diet, but let their Souls starve. As if one should feed his Hawk, but let his Child starve. The Body must sit in the Chair of State, but the Soul, that princely thing, is made a Lacky to run on the Devil's Errand.

Use 2. Let us be more careful for our Souls.

If it be well with the Soul, it shall be well with the Body. If the Soul be gracious, the Body shall be glorious, for it shall shine like Christ 's Body. Therefore 'tis Wisdom to look chiefly to the Soul, because in saving the Soul, we secure the Happiness of the Body. And, we cannot show our Care for the Soul more, than in taking all Seasons for our Souls, Reading, Praying, Hearing, Meditating. O look to the Main Chance, let the Soul be chiefly tended, the loss of the Soul would be fatal, other Losses may be made up again. If one loseth his Health, he may recover it again, if he lose his Estate, he may get it up again, but if he lose his Soul, this Loss can never be made up again. The Merchant that ventures all he hath in one ship if that ship be lost, he is quite broken.

2. From the Connection in the Text, as soon as Christ had said, Give us daily Bread, he adds, and forgive us. Christ joins this Petition of Forgiveness of Sin immediately to the other of Daily Bread, to show us, that though' we have daily Bread, yet all is nothing without Forgiveness. If our sins be not pardoned, we can take but little comfort in our Food. As it is with a man that is condemned, though' you bring him meat in Prison, yet he takes little comfort in it without a pardon. So though' we have Daily Bread, yet it will do us no good, unless Sin be forgiven. What though' we should have Manna, which was called Angels Food, though' the Rock should pour out Rivers of Oil, Job 29.6. all is nothing unless sin be done away. When Christ had said, give us our Daily Bread, he presently adds, and forgive us our Trespasses. Daily Bread may satisfy the Appetite, but forgiveness of sin▪ satisfies the Conscience.

Use 1. It condemns the Folly of most People: If they have Daily Bread, the delicious things of this Life, they look no further, they are not solicitous for the pardon of sin. If they have that which feeds them, they look not after that which should Crown them. Alas, you may have Daily Bread, and yet perish. The Rich man in the Gospel had Daily Bread, nay, he had Dainties, he fared deliciously every day, but in Hell he lift up his Eyes, Luk. 16.19.

Use 2. Let us pray that God would not give us our Portion in this Life, that he would not put us off with daily Bread, but that he would give us Forgiveness. This is the sauce that would make our Bread Relish the sweeter. A Speech of Luther, Valde protestatus sum me nolle si • satiari ab illo. I did solemnly protest, that God should not put me off with outward things. Be not content with that which is common to the brute Creatures, the Dog or Elephant to have your Hunger satisfied, but besides daily Bread, get pardon of Sin. A drop of Christ 's Blood, a dram of forgiving Mercy, is infinitely more valuable, than all the Delights under the Sun. Daily Bread may make us live comfortably, but forgiveness of Sin will make us die comfortably. So I come to the words of the Petition, Forgive us our Debts, &c.

1. Here is a Term given to Sin, it is a Debt. 2. The confessing the Debt, Our Debts. 3. A Prayer, forgive us. 4. A Condition on which we desire Forgiveness, as we forgive our Debtors.

I shall speak of the Term given to Sin, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Debt, that which is here called a Debt, is called Sin▪ Luk. 11.4. forgive us our sins. So then sin is a Debt, and every sinner is a Debtor. Sin is compared to a Debt of ten thousand Talents, Mat. 18.24

1. Why is sin called a Debt? 2. Wherein sin is worse than other Debts we contract? 3. Wherein sinners have the property of bad Debtors?

Q. 1. Why is Sin called a Debt?

Answ. Because it so fitly resembles it.

1. A Debt ariseth upon non-payment of Money, or the not paying that which is ones due. So we owe to God exact Obedience, and not paying what is due, thus we come to be in debt. 2. As in case of non-payment, the Debtor goes to Prison. So by our sin, we become guilty, and stand obliged to God's Curse and Damnation. Tho' God doth a while grant a sinner a Reprieve, yet he stands bound to eternal Death, if the Debt be not forgiven.

2. In what sense sin is the worst Debt ?

Answ. 1. Because we have nothing to pay ; if we could pay the Debt, what need we pray, forgive us ? We cannot say, as he in the Gospel, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all, we can pay neither Principal nor Interest. Adam made us all Bankrupts; in Innocency Adam had a stock of Original Righteousness to begin the world with, he could give God personal and perfect Obedience; but by his sin, he is quite broke, and hath beggared all his Posterity. We have nothing to pay, all our Duties are mixed with sin, and so we cannot pay God in currant Coyn.

2. Sin is the worst Debt, because it is against an Infinite Majesty. An Offence against the Person of a King, is Crimen laesae Mojestatis, it doth inhance and aggravate the Crime. Sin wrongs God, and so it is an Infinite Offence. The schoolmen say, Omne peccatum contra conscientiam est quasi Deicidium. Every known sin strikes at the God-head. The sinner would not only unthrone God, but un-God him, this makes the Debt infinite.

3. Sin is the worst Debt, because it is not a single, but a multiplied Debt. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , forgive us our Debts ; we have debt upon debt, Ps. 40 12. Innumerable Evils have compassed me about. We may as well reckon all the drops in the Sea, as reckon all our spiritual Debts; we cannot tell you how much we owe. A man may know his other debts, but we cannot number our spiritual Debts. Every vain Thought is a sin, Prov. 24.9. the thought of Foolishness is sin, and what swarms of vain Thoughts have we? The first rising of Corruption, though' it never blossom into outward Act, is a sin, then who can understand his Errors? we do not know how much we owe to God.

4. Sin is the worst Debt, because it is an inexcusable Debt in two Respects. 1. There is no denying the Debt. 2. There is no shifting it off.

1. There is no denying the Debt, other debts men may deny, if Money be not paid before Witness, or if the Creditor lose the Bond, the Debtor may say he owes him nothing; but there's no denying this debt of Sin. If we say we have no Sin, God can prove the Debt, Psal. 50.21. I will set thy sins in order before thee. God writes down our Debts in his Book of Remembrance, and God's Book, and the Book of Conscience do exactly agree, so that this Debt cannot be denied.

2. There is no shifting off the Debt : other Debts may be shifted off.

1. We may get Friends to pay them; but neither Man nor Angel can pay this Debt for us. If all the Angels in Heaven should go to make a Purse, they cannot pay one of our Debts.

2. In other Debts, men may get a Protection, so that none can touch their Persons, or sue them for the Debt; but who shall give us a Protection from God's Justice? Job 10.7. there is none that can deliver out of thine Hand. Indeed the Pope pretends, that his Pardon shall be men's Protection, and now God's Justice shall not sue them, but that is only a Forgery, and cannot be pleaded at God's Tribunal.

3. Other Debts, if the Debtor dies in Prison, cannot be recovered, death frees them from debt. But if we die in debt to God, He knows how to recover it; as long as we have Souls to strain on, God will not lose his Debt. Not the death of the Debtor, but the death of the Surety pays a sinners Debt.

4. In other debts, men may fly from their Creditor, leave their Country, and go into foreign Parts, and the Creditor cannot find them : but we cannot fly from God. God knows where to find all his Debtors▪ Ps. 139.7. Whether shall I fly from thy Presence? If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the Sea, there shall thy right hand hold me.

5. Sin is the worst debt, because it carries men in case of non-payment, to a worse Prison than any upon Earth, to a fiery Prison, and the sinner is laid in worse Chains, Chains of Darkness, where the sinner is bound under Wrath forever.

Quest. 3. Wherein we have the properties of bad Debtors?

1. A bad debtor doth not love to be called to Account. There's a day coming, when God will call all his Debtors to Account, Rom. 14.12. so then every man shall give an Account for himself to God, but we play away the time, and do not love to hear of the day of Judgment. We love not that Ministers should put us in mind of our debts, or speak of the day of Reckoning. What a confounding Word will that be to a secure sinner, red Rationem, Give an Account of your Stewardship.

2. A bad debtor is unwilling to confess his debt, he will put it off, or make less of it. So we are more willing to excuse sin, than confess it. How hardly was Saul brought to Confession, 1 Sam. 15.20. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, but the People took of the spoil. He rather excuseth his sin, than confesseth it.

3. A bad debtor is apt to hate his Creditor. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Debtors wish their Creditors dead. So wicked men naturally hate God, because they think he is a just Judge, and will call them to Account, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God-Haters The debtor doth not love to see his Creditor.

Use 1. It reproves them who are loath to be in debt, but make no reckoning of sin, which is the greatest Debt; they use no means to get out of it, but run still further in debt to God. We would think it strange, if Writs or Warrants were out against a man, or a Judgment granted to seize his Body and Estate, yet he is secure and regardless, as if he were unconcerned. God hath a Writ out against a sinner, nay many Writs, for Swearing, Drunkenness, Sabbath-breaking, yet the sinner eats and drinks, and is quiet, as if he were not in debt; what Opium hath Satan given men?

Use 2. Exh. If Sin be a Debt, 1. Let us be humbled. The name of Debt (saith St. Ambrose ) is Grave Vocabulum, grievous.

Men in debt are full of Shame, they lie hid, and do not care to be seen. A Debtor is ever in fear of Arrest. Canis latrat, & Cor palpitat. O let us blush and tremble, who are so deeply indebted to God. A Roman dying in debt, Augustus the Emperor sent to buy his Pillow, because (saith he) I hope it hath some Virtue in it, to make me sleep, on which a man so much in debt could take his Ease: we that have so many spiritual Debts lying upon us, how can we be at rest, till we have some hope that they are discharged.

2. Let us Confess our Debt. Let us acknowledge that we are run in Arrears with God, and deserve that he should follow the Law upon us, and throw us into Hell-Prison. By Confession we give Glory to God, Josh. 7.19. My Son, give Glory to the God of Israel, and make Confession to him. Say that God were Righteous, if he should strain upon all we have; If we confess the debt, God will forgive it. 1 John. 1.9. If we confess our sins, he is just to forgive ; do but confess the Debt, and God will cross the Book, Ps. 32.5. I said I will confess my Transgression to the Lord, and thou forgavest me.

3. Labor to get our spiritual Debts paid, that is, by our Surety Christ. Say, Lord, have patience with me, and Christ shall pay thee all. He hath laid down an infinite Price. The Covenant of Works would not admit of a Surety, it demanded Personal Obedience. But this Privilege we have by the Gospel, which is a Court of Chancery to relieve us, that if we have nothing to pay, God will accept of a Surety. Believe in Christ's Blood, and the debt is paid.

IN the Words are two Parts. 1. A Petition, forgive us our Sins. 2. A Condition, for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us. Our forgiving others is not a Cause of God's forgiving us, but it is a Condition, without which God will not forgive us.

1. I begin with the first, the Petition, Remit nobis peccata nostra, Forgive us our Sins. A Blessed Petition! the ignorant world say, who will show us any good? Ps. 4.6. meaning, a good Lease, a good Purchase; but our Savior here teacheth us to pray for that which is more noble, and will stand us in more stead, the pardon of sin, Forgive us our Sins. Forgiveness of sin, is a Primary Blessing, it is one of the first Mercies God bestows, Ezek. 36.25. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, that is, Forgiveness. When God pardons there is nothing he will stick at to do for the Soul. He will Adopt, Sanctify, Crown.

Quest. 1. What Forgiveness of Sin is?

Resp. It is God's passing by Sin, Micah 7.18. his wiping off the score; and giving us a Discharge.

The nature of Forgiveness will more clearly appear, 1. By opening some Scripture-phrases. 2. By laying down some divine Aphorisms and Positions.

1. By opening some Scripture-phrases. 1. To forgive Sin is to take away Iniquity, Job 7.21. Why dost not thou take away mine Iniquity? The Hebrew Word Vethagnabir, signifies to lift off. 'It is a Metaphor taken from a man that carries an heavy Burden ready to sink him, and another comes and lifts off this Burden. So when the heavy burden of sin is on us, God in pardoning, lifts off this burden from the Conscience, and lays it upon Christ. Isa. 53.6. He hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all.

2. To forgive sin is to Cover sin. Ps. 85.2. Thou hast covered all their sin. This was typifi'd by the Mercy seat covering the Ark. To show God's covering of sin through Christ. God doth not cover sin in the Antinomian Sence, so as he sees it not, but he doth so cover it, as he will not impute it.

3. To forgive sin is to blot it out, Isa. 43.25. I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions. The Hebrew Word Mecha, to blot out, alludes to a Creditor, who when his Debtor hath paid him, blots out the debt, and gives him an Acquittance. So God when he forgives sin, blots out the Debt, he draws the red Lines of Christ's Blood over our sins, and so crosseth the Debt-Book.

4. To forgive sin, is for God to scatter our sins as a Cloud, Isa. 44.22. I have blotted out as a thick Cloud your Transgressions. Sin is the Cloud interposeth, God dispels the Cloud, and breaks forth with the light of his Countenance.

5. To forgive sin, is for God to cast our sins into the depths of the Sea. Micah 7.19. which implies God's burying, them out of sight, that they shall not rise up in judgment against us. Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea. God will throw them in not as Cork that riseth again, but as Lead that sinks to the bottom. 2. The nature of Forgiveness will appear by laying down some Divine Aphorisms or Positions.

Aphorism 1. Every sin is Mortal, and needs Forgiveness; I say Mortal, that is, deserves death. God may relax the Rigour of the Law, but every sin merits Damnation. The Papists distinguish of Mortal Sins and Venial. Some sins are ex Surreptione, they creep unawares into the mind, (as vain Thoughts, sudden Motions of Anger and Revenge) these saith Bellarmine, are in their own nature venial; it is true, the greatest sins are in one sense Venial, that is, God is able to forgive them, but the least sin is not in its own nature Venial, but deserves Damnation. We read of the Lusts of the Flesh, Rom. 13.14. and the Works of the Flesh, Gal. 5.19. the Lusts of the Flesh are sinful, as well as the Works of the Flesh. That which is a Transgression of the Law, merits damnation, but the first stirrings of Corruption are a breach of the Royal Law, Rom 7.7. Prov. 24.9. therefore they merit damnation. So that the least sin is mortal, and needs Forgiveness.

Aphorism 2. It is God only that forgives sin. To pardon sin is one of the Iura Regalia, the Flowers of God's Crown, Mark 2.7. Who can forgive sins, but God only? It is most proper for God to pardon sin, only the Creditor can remit the debt. Sin is an Infinite Offence, and no finite Power can discharge an infinite Offence. That God only can forgive sin, I prove thus.

No man can take away sin, unless he be able to infuse Grace, (for as Aquinas saith) with Forgiveness is always infusion of Grace; but no man can infuse Grace, therefore no man can forgive sin. He only can forgive sin, who can remit the Penalty, but 'tis only God's Prerogative-Royal to forgive sin.

Object. 1. But a Christian is charged to forgive his Brother, Col. 3.13. Forgiving one another.

Answ. In all second table sins, there are two distinct things. 1. Disobedience against God. 2. Injury to Man. That which man is required to forgive, is the wrong done to himself: but the wrong done to God▪ he cannot forgive. Man may remit a Trespass against himself, but not a Transgression against God.

Object. 2. But the Scripture speaks of the Power committed to Ministers to forgive sin, John 20.23. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.

Answ. Ministers cannot remit sin authoritatively, and effectively, but only declaratively. They have a special Office and Authority, to apply the Promises of pardon to broken Hearts. When a Minister sees one humbled for sin, yet is afraid God hath not pardoned him, and is ready to be swallowed up of Sorrow, in this case a Minister for the easing of this man's Conscience, may in the Name of Christ declare to him, that he is pardoned, the Minister doth not forgive sin by his own Authority, but as an Herald in Christ 's Name▪ pronounceth a man's pardon; as it was with the Priest in the Law, God did Cleanse the Leper, the Priest only did Pronounce him clean: so it is God who by his Prerogative doth forgive sin, the Minister only pronounceth forgiveness to the sinner being Penitent.

Power to forgive sin authoritatively in ones own name, was never granted to any mortal man. A King may pardon a man's Life, but not pardon his sin. Popes Pardons are insignificant, like Blanks in a Lottery, good for nothing but to be torn.

Aphorism 3. Forgiveness of sin is purely an Act of God's Free-grace. There are some Acts of God, which declare his Power, as making and governing the World, other Acts that declare his Justice, as punishing the Guilty, other Acts that declare his Free-grace, as pardoning of sinners, Isa. 43.25. I am He that blotteth out sin for my own name sake. As when a Creditor freely forgives a Debtor, 1 Tim. 1.15. I obtained mercy. Gr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I was all over besprinkled with Mercy. When God pardons a sin, he doth not pay a debt, but give a Legacy. Forgiveness is spun out of the Bowels of God's Mercy. There is nothing we can do, can deserve it. It is not our Prayers or Tears or good Deeds, can purchase pardon. When Simon Magus would have bought the Gift of the Holy Ghost with Money; Thy Money (saith Peter) perish with thee, Acts 8.20. So they, who think they can buy pardon of sin with their Duties and Alms, their money perish with them: Forgiveness is an Act of God's Free-grace, here he displays the Banner of Love. This is that will raise the Trophies of God's Glory, and will cause the Saints Triumph in Heaven, that when there was no Worthiness in them, when they lay in their Blood, God took pity on them, and held forth the Golden Scepter of Love in forgiving: Forgiveness is a golden Thread spun out of the Bowels of Free-grace.

Aphorism or Position 4. Forgiveness is through the Blood of Christ. Free-grace is the inward Cause moving, Christ's Blood is the outward Cause meriting Pardon. Ephes. 1.7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood. All Pardons are sealed in Christ's Blood, the Guilt of sin was infinite, and nothing but that Blood which was of infinite Value could procure Forgiveness.

Object. But if Christ laid down his Blood as the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the price of our Pardon, then how can we say, God freely forgives sin? if it be by purchase, how is it by Grace?

Answ. It was God's Free grace that found out a way of Redemption through a Mediator. Nay, God's Love appeared more in letting Christ die for us, than if he had forgiven us without exacting any satisfaction.

2. It was Free-grace moved God to accept of the price paid for our sins. That God should accept a Surety, that one should sin, and another suffer, this was Free-grace. So that forgiveness of sin, though it be purchased by Christ's Blood, yet it is by Free-grace.

Aphorism 5. In Forgiveness of sin, God remits the guilt and penalty, Remissa culpa remittitur poena. Guilt is an Obligation to Punishment, Guilt cries for Justice. Now God in forgiving doth indulge the sinner as to the Penalty. God seems to say to the sinner thus;

When God pardons a Soul, he will not reckon with him in a purely vindictive way, he stops the Execution of Justice.

Aphorism 6. By virtue of this Pardon, God will no more call sin into remembrance, Heb. 8.12. Their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more. God will pass an Act of Oblivion, he will not upbraid us with former Unkindnesses. When we fear God will call over our sins again after pardon, look into this Act of Indemnity, their Iniquities will I remember no more. God is said therefore to blot out our Sin. A man doth not call for a debt, when he hath crossed the book. When God pardons a man, his former Displeasure ceaseth, Hos. 14.4. Mine Anger is turned away.

Object. But God is angry with his pardoned ones?

Answ. Tho' a Child of God after pardon, may incur God's fatherly Displeasure, yet God's Judicial Wrath is removed, though' God may lay on the Rod, yet he hath taken away the Curse: Correction may befall the Saints, but not Destruction, Ps. 89.31. My loving kindness I will not take away.

Aphorism or Position 7. That sin is not forgiven, till it be repented of. Therefore they are put together, Luke 24.47. Repentance and Remission; Domine da poenitentiam, & posteà indulgentiam. Fulgentius. 9. Now in Repentance, there are three main Ingredients, and all these must be before Forgiveness. 1. Contrition. 2. Confession. 3. Conversion. 1. Contrition, or brokenness of Heart. Ezek. 7.16. They shall be like Doves of the Valleys, all of them mourning everyone for his Iniquity. This Contrition or rending of the Heart, is expressed, sometimes by smiting on the Breast, Luke 18.13. sometimes by plucking off the Hair, Ezra 9.3. sometimes by watering the Couch, Ps. 6.6. but all Humiliation is not Contrition. Some have only pretended Sorrow for sin, and so have missed of Forgiveness. Ahab humbled himself, his Garments were Rent, not his Heart.

Quest. What is that Remorse and Sorrow, which goes before Forgiveness of sin?

Answ. It is an Holy Sorrow, it is a grieving for sin Quatenus sin, as it is sin, as it is a dishonoring of God, and a defiling of the Soul. Tho' there were no Sufferings to follow, yet the true penitent would grieve for sin, Ps 51.3. My sin is ever before me. This Contrition goes before Remission. Ier. 31.18, 19. I repented, I smote upon my Thigh, is Ephraim my dear Son? my Bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him. Ephraim is troubled for sinning, and God's Bowels were troubled for Ephraim, the Woman in the Gospel stood at Jesus's feet weeping, and a pardon followed, Luke 7.47. Wherefore I say, her sins which are many, are forgiven her. The Seal is set upon the Wax when it melts, God seals his Pardons upon melting Hearts.

2. The second Ingredient into Repentance is Confession. Ps. 51.4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned: this is not Auricular Confession. This the Papists make a Sacrament, and affirm, that without Confession of all ones sins in the Ears of a Priest, no man can receive forgiveness of sin; the Scripture is ignorant of it, nor do we read of any General Council, til the Lateran Council, which was about twelve hundred Years after Christ, did ever decree Auricular Confession.

Object. But doth not the Scripture say, I am. 5.15. Confess your sins one to another?

Resp. This is absurdly brought for auricular Confession, for by this, the Priest must as well confess to the people, as the people to the Priest. The Sence of that place is, in case of public Scandals, or private Wrongs; here Confession is to be made to others: But chiefly, Confession is to be made to God, who is the Party offended. Against thee, thee only have I sinned ; Confession gives vent to Sorrow. Confession must be free without Compulsion, ingenuous, without Reserve, cordial, without Hypocrisy, the Heart must go along with the Confession. This Confession makes way for Forgiveness, Psal. 32.5. I said I would confess my sin, and thou forgavest me. When the Publican and Thief on the Cross▪ confessed they had that Pardon. The Publican smote upon his Breast, there was Contrition, and said, God be merciful to me a sinner, there was Confession; he went away justified, there was Forgiveness: And the Thief on the Cross, we indeed suffer justly, there was Confession; and Christ absolved him before he died, Luke 23.41. This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Which words of Christ, might occasion that Saying of St. Austin, Confession shuts the mouth of Hell, and opens the Gate of Paradise.

3. The third Ingredient in Repentance is Conversion, or turning from sin, Judge. 10.15. We have sinned, there was Confession, ver. 16. They put away their strange gods, there was Conversion, and it must be an universal Turning from sin, Ezek. 18.31. Cast away from you all your Transgressions. You would be loath God should forgive only some of your sins. Would you have God forgive all, and will not you forsake all? He that hides one Rebel, is a Traitor to the Crown: He that lives in one known sin, is a traitorous Hypocrite, and it must not only be a Turning from sin, but a Turning unto God. Therefore 'tis called Repentance, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Act. 20.20. Towards God. The Heart points towards God as the Needle to the North Pole. The Prodigal did not only leave his Harlots, but did arise and go to his Father, Luke 15.17. This Repentance is the ready way to pardon, Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and turn to the Lord, and he will abundantly pardon. A King will not pardon a Rebel, whilst he continues in open Hostility. Thus you see Repentance goes before Remission. They who never repented, can have no ground to hope that their sins are pardoned.

7. Aphorism or Position is, that sin is not forgiven, till it be repented of.

Caution, Not that Repentance doth merit the forgiveness of sin. To make Repentance satisfactory is popish, by Repentance we please God, but we do not satisfy him: Alas, Christ 's Blood must wash our Tears. Repentance is a Condition, not a Cause ; God will not pardon for Repentance, nor yet without it. God Seals his pardons on melting Hearts. Repentance makes us prize pardon the more. He who cries out of his broken Bones, will the more prize the mercy of having them set again; when there is nothing in the Soul but Clouds of Sorrow, and now God brings a pardon, (which is a setting up a Rainbow in the Cloud, to tell the Soul the Flood of God's Wrath shall not overflow) O what Joy, at the sight of this Rainbow! the Soul now burns in love to God.

8. Aphorism or Position ; The greatest Sins come within the compass of Forgiveness, Incest, Sodomy, Adultery, Theft, Murder, which are Sins of the first magnitude▪ yet these are pardonable. Paul was a Blasphemer, and so sin'd against the first Table, a Persecutor, and so he sin'd against the second Table; yet he obtained Mercy, 1 Tim. 1.13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I was all besprinkled with Mercy. Zacchaeus an Extortioner, Mary Magdalene an unchaste woman, out of whom seven Devils were cast. Manasseh who made the streets run with Blood, yet had their pardon. Some of the Jews, who had a hand in Crucifying of Christ were forgiven. God blots out not only the Cloud, but the thick Cloud, Isa 44.22. Enormities as well as Infirmities ; the King in the Parable, forgave his Debtor that owed him ten thousand Talents, Mat. 18.27. a Talent weighed three thousand Shekels, ten thousand Talents, contained almost twelve Tun of Gold. This was an Emblem of God's forgiving great Sins; Isa. 1.18. Tho' your Sins were as Scarlet, yet they shall be as white as Snow. Scarlet in the Greek is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , twice dipped, and the Art of Man cannot wash out the die again. But though' our sins are of a Scarlet-die, God's Mercy can wash them away. The Sea can as well cover great Rocks, as little Sands. This I mention, that sinners may not despair: God counts it a Glory to him to forgive great Sins; now Mercy and Love ride in Triumph, 1 Tim. 1.14. The Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it was exuberant, it did overflow as Nile. We must not measure God by our selves. God's Mercy excels our sins, as much as Heaven doth Earth, Isa. 55.9. If great sinners could not be forgiven, then great sinners should not be preached to, but the Gospel is to be preached to all. If they could not be forgiven, it were a dishonor to Christ's Blood, as if the wound were broader than the Plaister. God hath first made great sinners broken Vessels, he hath broken their heart for sin, and then he hath made them golden Vessels, he hath filled them with the Golden Oil of pardoning Mercy. This may encourage great sinners to come in and repent. Indeed the sin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable, not but that there is Mercy enough in God to forgive it, but because he who hath committed this sin, will have no pardon. He despights God, scorns his Mercy, spills the Cordial of Christ's Blood, and tramples it underfoot, he puts away Salvation from him; but else the greatest sins are pardonable. When a poor sinner looks upon himself, and sees his Guilt, and when he looks upon God's Justice and Holiness, he falls down confounded, but here is that may be as Cork to the Net, to keep him from despair, if thou wilt leave thy sins and come to Christ, Mercy can seal thy pardon.

Aphorism 9. When God pardons a sinner, he forgives all sins, Ier. 33.8. I will pardon all their Iniquities. Col. 2.13. Having forgiven you all Trespasses. The Mercy-Seat covered the whole Ark. The Mercy-Seat was a Type of Forgiveness, to show that God covers all our Transgressions. He doth not leave one sin upon the score. He doth not take his Pen, and for fourscore sins write down fifty, but blots out all sin, Psal. 103.3. Who forgiveth all thine Iniquities. When I say, God forgives all sins, I understand it of sins Past, but sins to Come are not forgiven till they are Repented of. Indeed, God hath decreed to pardon them, and when God forgives one sin, he will in time forgive all, but sins future are not actually pardoned, till they are repented of. It is absurd to think sin should be forgiven, before it is committed.

1. If all sins past and to come are at once forgiven, then what need a man pray for the pardon of sin? 'It is a vain thing to pray for the pardon of that which is already forgiven.

2. This opinion that sins to come (as well as past) are forgiven, doth take away and make void Christ's Intercession : Christ is an Advocate to intercede for daily Sins, 1 John 2.1. but if sin be forgiven before it be committed, what need is there of Christ's daily Intercession? What need have I of an Advocate, if sin be pardoned before it be committed? So that, God though' he forgives all sins past to a Believer, yet sins to come are not forgiven, till Repentance be Renewed.

Aphorism 10 Faith doth necessarily antecede Forgiveness, there must be Believing on our part, before there is forgiving on God's part, Acts 10.43. To him give all the Prophets witness, that through his Name whosoever believeth in him, shall receive remission of Sins. So that Faith is a necessary Antecedent to Forgiveness. There are two Acts of Faith, to accept Christ, and to trust in Christ, to accept of his Terms, to trust in his Merits; and he who doth neither of these can have no Forgiveness; he who doth not accept Christ, cannot have his Person, he that doth not trust in him, cannot have benefit by his Blood. So that without Faith, no Remission.

Aphorism 11. Tho' Justification and Sanctification are not the same, yet God never pardons a sinner, but he doth Sanctify him, Justification and Sanctification are not the same.

1. Justification is without us, Sanctification is within us. The one is by Righteousness imputed, the other is by Righteousness imparted.

2. Justification is equal, Sanctification is gradual. Sanctification doth recipere maegis & minus, one is sanctified more than another, but one is not justified more than another. One hath more Grace than another, but he is not more a Believer than another.

3. The matter of our Justification is perfect, viz. Christ's Righteousness, but our Sanctification is imperfect, there are the spots of God's Children, Deut. 32.5. Our Graces are mixed, our Duties are defiled. Thus Justification and Sanctification are not the same: yet, for all that, they are not separated. God never pardons and justifies a sinner, but he doth sanctify him, 1 Cor. 6.11. but ye are justified, but ye are sanctified. 1 John 5.6. This is he that came by Water and Blood, even Jesus Christ. Christ comes to the Soul by Blood, that denotes Remission, and by Water, that denotes Sanctification. Let no man say he is pardoned that is not made Holy. And This, I the rather urge against the Antinomians, who talk of being forgiven their sin▪ and having a part in Christ, and yet remain unconverted, and live in the grossest sins. Pardon and Healing go together, Isa. 57.19. I create the fruit of the lips, peace, and I will heal him. Peace is the fruit of pardon, and then it follows, I will heal him. Where God pardons he purifies. As in the Inauguration of Kings, with the Crown there is the Oil to anoint: So when God crowns a man with Forgiveness, there he gives the anointing Oil of Grace to sanctify, Revel. 2.17. I will give him a white Stone▪ and in the Stone a new Nam • . A white Stone, that is, Absolution, and a new Name in the Stone, that is, Sanctification •

1. If God should pardon a man and not sanctify him, this would be a Reproach to him, then he should love and be well pleased with men in their sins, which is diametrically contrary to his Holy Nature.

2. If God should pardon and not sanctify, then he could have no Glory from us. God's people are formed to show forth his Praise, Isa. 43.21. but if he should pardon and not sanctify us how could we show forth his Praise? how could we glorify him? what Glory can God have by a proud, ignorant profane Heart?

3. If God should pardon and not sanctify, then that should enter into Heaven that defileth, but Revel. 21.27. Nothing shall enter that defileth. Then God should settle the Inheritance upon men before they are fit for it, contrary to that Col. 1.12. He hath made us meet for the Inheritance ; how is that but by the Divine Unction? so that whoever God forgives, he Transforms. Let no man say his sins are forgiven, who doth not find an inherent Work of Holiness in his Heart.

Aphorism 12. Where God remits sin, he imputes Righteousness. This Righteousness of Christ imputed, is a Salvo to God's Law, and makes full satisfaction for the breaches of it▪ This Righteousness procures God's favor, God cannot but love us, when he sees us in his Sons Robe, which both covers and adorns us. In this spotless Robe of Christ, we Out-shine the Angels. Theirs is but the Righteousness of Creatures, this is the Righteousness of God himself, 2 Cor. 5.21. That we might be made the Righteousness of God in him. How great a Blessing then is Forgiveness? With remission of sin is joined imputation of Righteousness.

Aphorism 13. They whose sins are forgiven, must not omit praying for forgiveness. Forgive us our Trespasses. Believers who are pardoned, must be continual Suitors for pardon. When Nathan told David, The Lord hath put away thy sin, 2 Sam. 12.13. yet David after that composed a penitential Psalm for the pardon of his sin. Sin after pardon Rebels. Sin like Sampson's Hair, though' it be cut will grow again. We sin daily, and must as well ask for daily pardon, as for daily bread. Besides, a Christian's pardon is not so sure, but he may desire to have a clearer Evidence of it.

Aphorism 14. A full Absolution from all sin is not pronounced, till the day of Judgment. They day of Judgment is called a time of Refreshing, when sin shall be completely blotted out, Acts 3.19. Now God blots out sin Truly, but then it shall be done in a more public way. God will openly Pronounce the Saints Absolution before Men and Angels, their Happiness is not completed till the day of Judgment, because then their Pardons shall be solemnly Pronounced, and there shall be the Triumphs of the heavenly Host. At that day it will be true indeed, that God sees no sin in his Children. They shall be as pure as the Angels, then the Church shall be presented without wrinkle, Eph. 5.27. She shall be as free from Stain as Guilt, then Satan shall no more accuse, Christ will show the Debt-book crossed in his Blood. Therefore the Church doth so pray for Christ's coming to Judgment, Rev. 22.17. the Bride saith, Come Lord Jesus, Light the Lamps, then burn the Incense.

Use 1. Informaet. From this word forgive, we learn, that if the debt of sin be no other way discharged but by being forgiven, then we cannot satisfy for it. Among other damnable Opinions of the Church of Rome, this is one, Man's power to satisfy for sin. The Council of Trent holds, that God is satisfied by our undergoing the Penalty imposed by the Censure of Priests. And again, we have Works of our Own, by which we may satisfy for the wrong done to God; by these Opinions let any judge what the Popish Religion is. They intend to pay the debt they owe God themselves, to pay it in part, and do not look to have it all forgiven. But why did Christ teach us to pray, forgive us our sins, if we can of ourselves satisfy God for the wrong we have done him? This Doctrine robs God of his Glory, Christ of his Merit, and the Soul of Salvation. Alas, is not the lock cut where our Strength lay? are not all our Works fly-blown with sin? and can sin satisfy for sin? this Doctrine makes men their own Savior's; it is most absurd to hold: for can the Obedience of a finite Creature satisfy for an infinite Offence? Sin being forgiven clearly implies we cannot satisfy for it.

2. From this word Vs, forgive us, we learn that pardon is chiefly to be sought for our selves. For, though' we are to pray for the pardon of others, I am. 6.16. Pray one for another, yet in the first place we are to beg pardon for ourselves. What will another's pardon do us good? everyone is to endeavor to have his own name in the pardon. A Son may be made free by his Fathers Copy, but he cannot be pardoned by his Fathers pardon, he must have a pardon for himself. In this sense, selfi • hness is lawful, everyone must be for himself, and get a pardon for his own sins. Forgive Vs.

3. From this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , OUR, Our sins, we learn how just God is in punishing us; the Text saith, Our Sins ; we are not punished for other men's sins, but our own. Nemo habet de proprio nisi peccatum—Augustine. There's nothing we can call so properly ours as sin. Our daily bread we have from God, our daily sins we have from ourselves. Sin is our own Act, a web of our own spinning. How righteous therefore is God in punishing of us? we sow the seed, and God only makes us reap what we sow, Ier. 17.10. I give every man the fruit of his own doings. When we are punished, we do but taste the fruit of our own grafting.

4. From this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Sins, see from hence, the multitude of sins we stand guilty of; we pray not forgive us our Sin, (as if it were only a single debt) but sins in the plural; so vast is the Catalogue of our sins, that David cries out, Who can understand his Errors? Ps. 19.12. Our sins are like the drops in the Sea, like the atoms in the Sun, they exceed all Arithmetic. Our debts we owe to God, we can no more number, than we can satisfy. Which, as it should humble us to consider how full of black Spots our Souls are, so it should put us upon seeking after the pardon of our sins, and this brings to the second Use.

Exhort. To labor to have the forgiveness of sin sealed up to us. How can we eat, or drink, or sleep without it? 'It is sad dying without a pardon. This is to fall into the Labyrinth of Despair; of this the next time.

Use 2. Let us labor for the forgiveness of sin. If ever this was needful, then now, when the Times ring Changes, and Dangers seem to be marching towards us. Labor I say, for the Forgiveness of sin ; this is a main Branch of the Charter, or Covenant of Grace, Heb. 10.12. I will be merciful to your Unrighteousness, and your Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more. It is Mercy to feed us, but it is rich Mercy to pardon us; this is spun and woven out of the Bowels of Free-grace. Earthly things are no signs of God's love; he may give the Venison, but not the Blessing, but when God seals up Forgiveness, he gives his Love and Heaven with it, Psal. 21.3. Thou settest a Crown of pure Gold on his head. A Crown of Gold was a Mercy, but if you look into 103. Psalm, you shall find a greater Mercy, v. 3, 4. Who forgiveth all thine Iniquities, who crowneth thee with loving-kindness. To be crowned with Forgiveness and Loving kindness, is a far greater Mercy, than to have a Crown of pure Gold set upon the Head; it was a Mercy when Christ cured the palsy man, but when Christ said to him, Thy sins are forgiven, Mar. 2.5. this was more than to have his palsy healed; forgiveness of Sin is the Chief thing to be sought after, and sure if conscience be once touched with a sense of Sin, there's nothing a man will thirst after more than forgiveness, Ps. 51.3. My Sin is ever before me, this made David so earnest for pardon, Ps. 51.1. Have Mercy upon me, O God, blot out my Transgressions. If one should have come to David, and asked him, David where is thy pain? what is it troubles thee? is it the fear of shame which shall come upon thee in thy Wives? is it the fear of the Sword which God hath threatened shall not depart from thy House? he would have said▪ No, it is only my sin pains me; My Sin is ever before me. Were but this removed by forgiveness, though' the Sword did ride in circuit in my Family I should be well enough content. When the Arrow of Guilt sticks in the Conscience, nothing is so desirable as to have this Arrow plucked out by forgiveness. Oh therefore seek after the Forgiveness of Sin, can you make a shift to live without it? but how will you do to die without it? will not death have a sting to an unpardoned Sinner? how do you think to get to Heaven without forgiveness? as at some solemn Festivals, there's no being admitted unless you bring a Ticket: so unless you have this Ticket to show, Forgiveness of Sin, there's no being admitted into the Holy Place of Heaven. Will God ever Crown those that he will not forgive? O be ambitious of pardoning Grace. When God had made Abraham great and large Promises, Abraham replies, Lord what is all, seeing I go Childless? Gen. 15.2. so when God hath given thee Riches, and all thy heart can wish, say to him, Lord, what is all this, seeing I want Forgiveness? let my pardon be sealed in Christ's Blood. A Prisoner in the Tower is in an ill Case, notwithstanding his brave Diet, great Attendance, soft Bed to lie on▪ because being Impeach'd, he looks every day for his Arraignment, and is afraid of the Sentence of Death. In such a Case, and worse is He, that swims in the Pleasures of the World, but his sins are not forgiven. A guilty Conscience doth impeach him, and he is in fear of being Arraign'd and Condemn'd at God's Judgment-Seat. Give not then sleep to your Eyes, or slumber to your Eye lids, till you have gotten some well-grounded hope that your sins are blotted out. Before I come to press the Exhortation to seek after forgiveness of Sin▪ I shall propound one question.

Quest. If pardon of Sin be so absolutely necessary, without it no Salvation, what is the Reason that so few in the world seek after it? If they want health they repair to the Physician, if they want Riches they take a Voyage to the Indies, but if they want forgiveness of Sin, they seem to be unconcerned, and do not seek after it, whence is this?

Answ. 1. Inadvertency or want of Consideration, they do not look into their spiritual Estate, or cast up their Accounts to see how Matters stand between God and their Souls, Isa. 1.3. My people doth not consider, they do not consider they are indebted to God in a Debt of ten thousand Talents, and that God will ere long call them to account, Rom. 14.12. So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God. But people shun serious Thoughts, my people doth not consider. Hence it is they do not look after pardon.

2. Men do not seek after forgiveness of Sin, for want of Conviction. Few are convinced what a deadly Evil Sin is, it is the spirits of Mischief distilled▪ it turns a man's Glory into shame, it brings all plagues on the Body, and curses on the Soul. Unless a man's Sin be forgiven, there's not the vilest creature alive, the Dog, Serpent, Toad, but is in a better Condition than the Sinner, for when they die, they go but to the Earth, but he dying without pardon, goes into Hell-Torments forever. Men are not convinced of this, but play with the Viper of Sin.

3. Men do not seek earnestly after Forgiveness, because they are seeking other things: they seek the World immoderately. When Saul was seeking after the Asses▪ he did not think of a Kingdom. The World is a golden Snare, Divitiae Saeculi sunt laquei Diaboli, Bern. The Wedge of Gold hinders many from seeking after a pardon. Ministers cry to the people, get your pardon sealed, but if you call to a man that is in a Mill, the noise of the Mill drowns the voice that he cannot hear▪ so when the Mill of a Trade is going, it makes such a noise, that the people cannot hear the Minister when he lifts up his Voice like a Trumpet, and cries to them to look after the sealing of their pardon. He who spends all his time about the World, and doth not mind Forgiveness, will accuse himself of Folly at last. You would judge that Prisoner very unwise, that should spend all his time with the Cook to get his dinner ready, and should never mind getting a pardon.

4. Men seek not after the forgiveness of Sin, through a bold Presumption of Mercy, they conceit God to be made up all of Mercy, and that he will indulge them, though' they take little or no pains to sue out their pardon. It is true, God is Merciful, but withal he is Just, he will not wrong his Justice by showing Mercy; read the Proclamation, Exod. 34.6. The Lord, the Lord God merciful, ver. 7. and that will by no means clear the guilty. Such as go on in Sin, and are so slothful or willful that they will not seek after Forgiveness, though there be a whole Ocean of Mercy in the Lord, not one drop shall fall to their share, he will by no means clear the guilty.

5. Men seek not earnestly after Forgiveness out of hope of Impunity, they flatter themselves in sin, and because they have been spared so long, therefore sure God never intends to reckon with them, Ps. 10.11. He hath said in his Heart God hath forgotten, he hides his Face, he will never see it. Atheists think either the Judge is blind, or forgetful; but let Sinners know, that long forbearance is no forgiveness. God did bear with Sodom a long time, but at last rained down Fire and Brimstone upon them, the adjourning of the Assizes doth not acquit the Prisoner, the longer God is taking his blow, the heavier it will be at last if sinners repent not.

6. Men do not seek earnestly after Forgiveness through Mistake ; they think getting a pardon is easy, it is but repenting at the last hour, a sigh or a Lord have Mercy, and a pardon will drop into their Mouths. But is it so easy to repent and have a pardon? tell me O Sinner, is Regeneration easy, are there no Pangs in the new Birth? is Mortification easy? is it nothing to pluck out the right Eye? is it easy to leap out of Delilah's Lap into Abraham's Bosom? This is the Draw-net by which the Devil drags Millions to Hell, the facility of Repenting and getting a Pardon.

7. Men do not look after Forgiveness through Despair. Oh, saith the desponding Soul, it is a vain thing for me to expect pardon, my Sins are so many and heinous, that sure God will not forgive me, Ier. 18.12. And they said, There is no hope. My Sins are huge Mountains, and can they ever be cast into the Sea? Despair cuts the Sinews of Endeavor, who will use means that despairs of Success? The Devil shows some men their sins at the little end of the Perspective-Glass, and they seem little or none at all: but he shows others their Sins at the great end of the Perspective, and they fright them into Despair. This is a Soul-damning Sin, Judas 's Despair was worse than his Treason. Despair spills the Cordial of Christ's Blood, this is the Voice of Despair, Christ's Blood cannot pardon me. Thus you see whence it is that men seek no more earnestly after the forgiveness of sin. Having answered this Question, I shall now come to press the Exhortation upon every One of us to seek earnestly after the forgiveness of our Sins.

1. Our very Life lies upon the getting of a Pardon, 'tis called the Justification of Life, Rom. 5.18. Now if our Life lies upon our Pardon, and we are dead and damned without it, doth it not concern us above all things to labor after forgiveness of Sin? Deut. 32.47. For it is not a vain thing for you, because it is your Life. If a man be under a Sentence of Death, he will set his Wits a work, and make use of all his friends to get the King to grant His pardon, because his Life lies upon it. So we are by reason of Sin, under a Sentence of Damnation, now there is one friend at Court, we may make use of to procure our Pardon, namely, the Lord Jesus. How earnest then should we be with him to be our Advocate to the Father for us, and that he would Present the Merit of his Blood to the Father, as the Price of our Pardon?

2. There is that in Sin, may make us desire Forgiveness. Sin is the only thing that disquiets the Soul▪ 1. Sin is a Burden, it burdens the Creation, Rom. 8.22. it burdens the Conscience, Ps. 38.4. A wicked man is not sensible of Sin; he is dead in Sin, and if you lay a thousand weight upon a dead man, he feels it not. But to an awakened Conscience, there's no such Burden as Sin, when a man seriously weighs with himself the Glory and Purity of that Majesty which Sin hath offended, the preciousness of that Soul which Sin hath polluted, the loss of that Happiness which sin hath endangered, the greatness of that Torment which Sin hath deserved, to lay all this together, sure must make sin burdensome, and should not we labor to have this Burden removed by pardoning Mercy. 2. Sin is a Debt, Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our Debts, and every Debt we owe, God hath written down in his Book, Isa. 65.6. Behold▪ it is written before me, and one day God's Debt-Book will be opened, Rev. 20.12. The Books were opened. And is not this that which may make us look after Forgiveness? Sin being such a debt as we must eternally lie in the Prison of Hell for, if it be not discharged, shall not we be earnest with God to cross the Debt-book with the Blood of his Son? There is no way to look God in the face with Comfort, but by having our debts either paid or pardoned.

3. There is nothing but Forgiveness can give Ease to a troubled Conscience; there is a great difference between having the Fancy pleased and having the Conscience eased. Worldly things may please the Fancy, but not ease the Conscience. Nothing but pardon can relieve a troubled Soul, it is strange what shifts men will make for Ease when Conscience is pained, and how many false Medicines they will use before they will take the right way for a Cure. When Conscience is troubled, they will try what merry Company can do, they may perhaps drink away trouble of Conscience, perhaps they may play it away at Cards, perhaps a lent whipping will do the deed. Perhaps multitude of Business will so take up their time, that they shall have no leisure to hear the Clamours and Accusations of Conscience. But how vain are all these Attempts! still their Wound bleeds inwardly, their Heart trembles, their Conscience roars, and they can have no peace. Whence is it? Here is the Reason, they go not to the Mercy of God, and the Blood of Christ, for the pardon of their Sins, and hence it is they can have no ease. Suppose a man hath a Thorn in his Foot, which puts him to pain, let him anoint it, or wrap it up and keep it warm; yet till the Thorn be plucked out, it aches and swells and he hath no ease. So when the Thorn of Sin is gotten into a Man's Conscience, there's no ease till the Thorn be pulled out, when God removes Iniquity, now the Tho • n is plucked out. How was David's Heart finely quieted when Nathan the Prophet told him, t • e Lord hath put away thy Sin, 2. Sam. 12.13. How should we therefore labor for Forgiveness! till then we can have no ease in our Mind, nothing but a pardon sealed in the Blood of a Redeemer can ease a wounded Spirit.

4. Forgiveness of sin is feasible, it may be obtained, Impossibility destroys Endeavor, but as Ezra 10.2. There is hope in Israel concerning this ; the Devils are past hope, a sentence of death is passed upon them, which is irrevocable, but there is hope for us of obtaining a Pardon, Psal. 130.4. There is Forgiveness with thee. If pardon of sin were not possible, then it were not to be prayed for, but it hath been prayed for, 2 Sam. 24.10. I beseech thee, O Lord, take away mine Iniquity ; and Christ bids us pray for it, Forgive us our Trespasses. That is possible which God hath promised, but God hath promised pardon upon Repentance, Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and return to the Lord, and he will have Mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Hebr. Ki Iarbe lisloac. He will multiply to pardon. That is possible which others have obtained, but others have arrived at Forgiveness, therefore it is haveable, Psal. 32.5. Isa. 38.17. Thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back ; this may make us endeavor after pardon, because it is feasible, it may be had.

5. Consideration, to persuade to it, is, forgiveness of Sin is a Choice Eminent Blessing, to have the Book canceled and God appeased is worth obtaining; which may whet our Endeavor after it. That it is a rare Transcendent Blessing, appears by three Demonstrations.

1. If we consider how this Blessing is purchased, namely, by the Lord Jesus ; there are three things in reference to Christ, which set forth the Choiceness and Pretiousness of Forgiveness.

1. No mere created Power in Heaven or Earth could expiate one Sin, or procure a Pardon; only Jesus Christ, 1 John 2.2. He is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the propitiation for our Sins, no Merit can buy out a Pardon. Paul had as much to boast of as any man. His high Birth, his Learning, his legal Righteousness, but he disclaims all in point of Justification, and lays them under Christ's Feet to tread upon. No Angel could with all his Holiness lay down a price for the pardon of one Sin, 1 Sam. 2.25. If a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? What Angel durst be so bold, as to open his Mouth to God for a delinquent sinner? Only Jesus Christ who is God-Man could deal with God's Justice and purchase Forgiveness.

2. Christ himself could not procure a Pardon but by Dying ; every Pardon is the Price of Blood. Christ's Life was a Rule of Holiness, and a Pattern of Obedience. Mat. 3.15. He fulfilled all Righteousness. And certainly, Christ's Active Obedience was of great Value and Merit; but here is that which raiseth the worth of Forgiveness, Christ's active Obedience had not fully procured a Pardon for us with the shedding of his Blood. Therefore our Justification is ascribe • to his Blood, Rom. 5.9. Being justified by his Blood. Christ did bleed out our Pardon. There is much ascribed to Christ's Intercession, but his Intercession had not prevailed with God for the forgiveness of one sin, had not he shed his Blood. 'It is worth our notice, that when Christ is described to John as an Intercessor for his Church, he is represented to him in the likeness of a Lamb slain, Revel. 5.6. To show that Christ must die and be slain before he can be an Intercessor.

3. Christ by dying had not purchased Forgiveness for us, if he had not died an Execrable Death, he endured the Curse, Gal. 3.13. All the Agonies Christ endured in his Soul, all the Torments in his Body, could not purchase a Pardon, except he had been made a Curse for us. Christ must be cursed before we could be blessed with a pardon.

2. Forgiveness of Sin is a choice Blessing, if we consider what glorious Attributes God puts forth in the pardoning of sin. 1. God puts forth infinite Power ; when Moses was pleading with God for the pardon of Israel's Sin, he speaks thus, Let the Power of my Lord be great, Numb. 14.17. God's forgiving of Sin is a Work of as great Power, as to make Heaven and Earth. Nay, a Greater ; for when God made the World, he met with no Opposition, but when he comes to pardon, Satan opposeth, and the Heart opposeth. A Sinner is desperate, and slights, yea, defies a pardon till God by his mighty Power convinceth him of his Sin and Danger, and makes him willing to accept of a pardon. 2. God in forgiving sin puts forth infinite Mercy, Numb. 14.19. Pardon, I beseech thee, the Iniquity of this people, according to the Greatness of thy Mercy. It is Mercy to have a Reprieve, and if there be Mercy in sparing a sinner, what Mercy then is in pardoning him? This is the Flos lactis, the Cream of Mercy. For God to put up so many Injuries, to wipe so many debts off the score, this is infinite Favor; forgiveness of sin is spun out of the Bowels of God's Mercy.

3. Forgiveness of sin is a choice Blessing, as it lays a Foundation for other Mercies. It is a leading Mercy. 1. It makes way for Temporal Good Things. 1. It brings Health, when Christ said to the palsy man, Thy sins are forgiven, this made way for a bodily Cure, Arise, take up thy Bed and walk, Mat. 9.6. The pardon of his sin, made way for the healing of his Palsy. 2. It brings Prosperity, Ier. 33.8, 9. 2. It makes way for Spiritual good Things. Forgiveness of Sin never comes alone, but hath other spiritual Blessings attending it. Whom God pardons He sanctifies, adopts, crowns. It is a voluminous Mercy, it draws the silver Link of Grace, and the golden Link of Glory after it. It is an high Act of Indulgence, God seals the sinners pardon with a Kiss. And should not we above all things seek after so great a Blessing, a forgiveness.

6. Consideration, That which may make us seek after forgiveness of sin, is God's Inclinableness to pardon, Nehem. 9.17. Thou art a God ready to pardon. In the Hebrew it is Eloha Selicoth, a God of Pardons. We are apt to entertain wrong Conceits of God, that he is inexorable and will not forgive, Mat. 25.24. I knew thou wert an hard man. But God is a sin pardoning God, Exod. 34.6. The Lord, merciful and gracious, forgiving Iniquity, Transgression and Sin. Here is my Name (saith God) if you would know how I am called, I tell you my Name, The Lord, the Lord God merciful; forgiving Iniquity. A Pyrat or Rebel that knows there is a Proclamation out against him, will never come in, but if he hears that the Prince is full of Clemency, and there is a Proclamation of Pardon to him if he submit, this will be a great incentive to him to lay down his Arms, and become Loyal to his Prince. See God's Proclamation to repenting Sinners, Ier. 3.12. Go and proclaim these words and say, Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord, and I will not cause my Anger to fall upon thee, for I am merciful. God's Mercy is a Tender Mercy, the Hebr. word for Mercy Rakem, signifies Bowels, God's Mercy is full of Sympathy, He is of a most sweet Indulgent Nature, Psal. 86 5. Thou Lord art Good and ready to forgive ; the Be doth not more naturally give Honey, than God shows Mercy.

Object. 1. But doth not God seem to delight in Punitive Acts, or Acts of Severity? Prov. 1.26. I will laugh at your Calamity.

Resp. Who doth God say so to? see ver. 25. Ye have set at naught all my Counsel, and would none of my Reproof. God delights in their Destruction who despise his Instruction, but an humble penitentiary breaking off sin, and suing out his Pardon, the Lord delights in showing Mercy to such an one, Micah 7.18. He delighteth in Mercy.

Object. 2. But though' God be so full of Mercy and ready to forgive, yet his Mercy reacheth not to all; he forgives only such as are Elected, and I question my Election?

Resp. 1. No man can say he is not Elected, God hath not revealed this to any particular man that he is a Reprobate, excepting him only who hath sinned the Sin against the Holy Ghost; which sin thou art far enough from, who mournest for sin and seekest after Forgiveness.

2. These thoughts of Non-Election, that we are not Elected; and that there is no pardon for us, come from Satan, and are the poisoned Arrows he shoots. He is the Accuser, he accuseth us to God, that we are great sinners; and he accuseth God to us, as if he were a Tyrant: one that did watch to destroy his Creature. These are diabolical Suggestions; say, Get thee behind me, Satan.

3. 'It is sinful for any to hold, that he is not Elected; it would take him off from the Use of Means, from praying and repenting; it would harden him and make him desperate. Therefore pry not into the Arcana Coeli, the Secrets of Heaven. Remember what befell the men of Bethshemesh, for looking into the Ark, 1 Sam. 6.19. Know that we are not to go by God's Secret Will, but by his Revealed Will; look into God's Revealed Will, and there we shall find enough to cherish Hope, and Encourage us to go to God for the pardon of our sins. God hath revealed in his Word, That he is rich in Mercy, Ephes. 2.4. That he doth not delight in the Destruction of a sinner, Ezek. 18.32. Iurat per Essen • iam, Musculus, he swears by his Essence. Ezek. 33.11. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Hence it is God waits so long, and puts off the Sessions from time to time▪ to see if sinners will repent and seek to him for pardon. therefore let God's tender Mercies and precious Promises encourage us to seek to him for the forgiveness of our sins.

Consideration 7. To seek earnestly for Pardon, is the unspeakable Misery of such as want Forgiveness; it must needs be ill with that Malefactour that wants his Pardon.

1. The unpardoned sinner (that lives and dies so) is under the greatest Loss and Privation. Is there any Happiness like to the enjoying of God in Glory? This is the Joy of Angels, the Crown of Saints glorified; but the unforgiven sinner shall not behold God's smiling Face; he shall see God as an Enemy, not as a Friend; he shall have an affrighting sight of God, not beatifical; he shall see the Black Rod, not the Mercy-Seat. Sins unpardoned are like the Angel with a flaming Sword, who stopped the passage to Paradise. Sins unpardoned stop the way to the Heavenly Paradise; and how doleful is the Condition of that Soul, which is banished from the place of Bliss▪ where the King of Glory keeps his Court?

2. The unpardoned sinner hath nothing to do with any Promise, the Promises M • lctralia Evangelii, the Breasts that hold the sincere Milk of the Word which fills the Soul with precious Sweetness, they are the Royal Charter. But wh • t hath a stranger to do to meddle with the Charter? 'Twas the Dove plucked the Olive-branch. 'It is only the Believer plucks the Tree of the Promise; till the Condition of the Promise be performed, no man can have right to the Comfort of the Promise; and how sad is that not to have one promise to show for Heaven?

3. An unpardoned sinner is continually in danger of the Out-cry of an accusing Conscience▪ An accusing Conscience is a little Hell; Siculi non invenere Tyranni tormentum majus ; we tremble to hear a Lyon roar. How terrible are the roarings of Conscience? Judas hanged himself to quiet his Conscience; a sinners Conscience at present is either asleep or seared, but when God shall awaken Conscience, either by Affliction or at Death; how will the unpardoned sinner be affrighted? When a man shall have all his sins set before his Eyes, and drawn out in their bloody Colours, and the worm of Conscience begins to gnaw; sinner here are thy Debts, and the Book is not canceled, thou must to Hell; O what a trembling at heart will the sinner have!

4. All the Curses of God stand in full force against an unpardoned sinner, his very Blessings are cursed▪ Mal. 2.2. I will curse your Blessings. His Table is a Snare ; he eats and drinks a Curse. What comfort could Dionisius have at his Feast, when he imagined he saw a naked Sword hanging by a twine thread over his head? This is enough to spoil a sinners Banquet; a Curse like a naked Sword hangs over his Head: Caesar wondered to see one of his Soldiers so merry that was in debt. One would wonder that man should be merry who is Heir to all God's Curses; he doth not see these Curses, but is blinder than Balaam's Ass, who saw the Angels Sword drawn.

5. The unpardoned sinner is in an ill case at Death. Luther professed there were three things which he durst not think of without Christ; of his sins, of Death, of the Day of Judgment. Death to a Christless Soul is the King of Terrors, as the Prophet Ahijah said to Jereboam's Wife, 1 Kin. 14.6. I am sent to thee with heavy Tidings. So death is sent to the unpardoned Soul with heavy Tidings; 'It is God's Jailor to arrest him; death is a prologue to Damnation. In particular,

1. Death is a Voyder to take away all his earthly Comforts▪ it takes away his sugar'd Morsels; no more drinking Wine in Bowls, no more Mirth or Music, Revel. 18.22. The Voice of Harpers and Musicians shall be heard no more at all in thee. The sinner shall never taste of luscious Delights more to all Eternity. His Honey shall be turned to the Gall of Asps, Job 20.14.

2. At Death there shall be an end put to all Reprieves. Now God reprieves a sinner; he spares him such a fit of Sickness; he respites him many years, the sinner should have died such a drinking bout, but God granted him a Reprieve; he lengthened out the silver Thread of Patience to a Miracle. But the sinner dying without Repentance unpardoned, now the Lease of God's Patience is run out, and the sinner must appear in person before the Righteous God to receive his Sentence; after which there shall be none to bail him, nor shall he hear of a Reprieve anymore.

6. The unpardoned sinner dying so, must go into Damnation; this is the second Death, Mors sine morte. The unpardoned Soul must forever bear the Anger of a Sin-revenging-God; as long as God is God, so long the Vial of his Wrath shall be dropping upon the damned Soul. This is an Helpless Condition; there is a time when a sinner will not be helped. Christ and Salvation are offered to him, but he slights them, he will not be helped; and there is a time shortly coming, when he cannot be helped. He calls out for Mercy, O a pardon, a pardon; but then it is too late, the date of Mercy is expired; O how sad then is it to live and die unpardoned? You may lay a Grave-stone upon that man, and write this Epitaph upon it; It had been good for that man, he had never been born. Now, if the misery of an unpardon'd State be so inexpressible; how should we labor for Forgiveness, that we may not be ingulph'd in so dreadful a Labyrinth of Fire and Brimstone to all Eternity.

7. Such as are unpardon'd must needs lead uncomfortable lives; Deut. 28.66. Thy Life shall hang in doubt before thee, and thou shalt be in continual fears. Thus the unpardoned sinner must needs have a palpitation and trembling at Heart; he fears every Bush he sees, 1 John. 4.18. Fear hath Torment in it, the Greek word for Torment 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is used sometimes for Hell; fear hath Hell in it. A man in debt fears every step he goes, lest he should be arrested: so the unpardoned sinner fears, what if this night Death which is God's Serjeant should arrest him? Job 7.21. Why dost not thou pardon my Sin, for now shall I sleep in the dust ; As if Job had said, Lord I shall shortly die, I shall sleep in the dust, and what shall I do if my sin be not pardoned? What comfort can an unpardon'd Soul take in anything? Sure no more than a Prisoner can take in Meat or Music that wants his pardon. Therefore by all these powerful Motives let us labor for the forgiveness of sin.

Object. 1. But I am discouraged from going to God for pardon, for I am unworthy of forgiveness; what am I, that God should do such a Favor for me?

Resp. God forgives not because we are worthy, but because he is Gracious, Exod. 34 6. The Lord, the Lord, Merciful and Gracious. God forgives out of his Clemency; Acts of Pardon are Acts of Grace. What worthiness was there in Paul before Conversion? He was a Blasphemer, and so he sinned against the first Table; he was a Persecutor, and so he sinned against the second Table; but Free-grace Sealed his Pardon, 1 Tim. 1.13. I obtained Mercy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . I was all bestrowed with Mercy. What Worthiness was in the Woman of Samaria? She was Ignorant, John. 4.22. she was Unclean, ver 18. she was Morose and Churlish, she would not give Christ so much as a Cup of cold water, ver. 9. How is it that thou being a Jew, askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria? What worthiness was here? Yet Christ overlooked all, and pardoned her Ingratitude; and though' she denied him water out of the Well, yet he gave her the Water of Life. Gratia non invenit dignos, sed facit. Free-grace doth not find us worthy, but makes us worthy. Therefore notwithstanding unworthiness, seek to God, and your sins may be pardoned.

Object. 2. But I have been a Great Sinner, and sure God will not pardon me?

Answ. David brings it as an Argument for pardon, Psal. 25.11. Pardon mine Iniquity, for it is great. When God forgives great Sins, now he doth a Work like himself. The desperateness of the Wound doth the more set forth the Virtue of Christ's Blood in curing it. Mary Magdalene a great sinner, out of whom seven Devils were cast; yet she had her pardon. Some of the Jews who had an hand in Crucifying of Christ, upon their Repentance, the very Blood they shed did seal their pardon. Consider sins either for their number as the sands of the Sea, or for their weight, as the Rocks of the Sea; yet there is Mercy enough in God to forgive them, Isa. 1.18. Tho' your sins be as Scarlet, they shall be white as Snow. Scarlet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifies Twice dipt ; which no art of man can get out: yet God can wash out this scarlet Dye. There is no sin excepted from pardon, but that sin which despiseth pardon, viz. the sin against the Holy Ghost, Mat. 12.31. Therefore O sinner, do not cast away thy Anchor of Hope, but go to God for forgiveness. The vast Ocean hath Bounds set to it; but God's pardoning-Mercy is Boundless. God can as well forgive Great Sins, as less : as the Sea can as well cover great Rocks as little Sands. Nothing hinders pardon, but the sinners not asking it.

That a Great Sinner should not despair of forgiveness, consult that Scripture, Isa. 43.25. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions : If you look on the foregoing words, you would wonder how this verse comes in, ver. 24. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy Iniquities ; and then it follows, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions. One would have thought it should have run thus, Thou hast wearied me with thy Iniquities ; I, even I am he that will punish thy Iniquities; but God comes in a mild, loveing strain; Thou hast wearied me with thy Iniquities, I am he that blots out thy Iniquities. So that the greatness of our sins should not discourage us from going to God for forgiveness. Tho' thou hast committed Acts of Impiety, yet God can come with an Act of Indemnity, and say; I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions. God counts it his Glory to display Free-grace in its Orient Colours, Rom 5.20. Where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound. When Sin becomes exceeding sinful, Free-grace becomes exceeding glorious. God's pardoning-Love can conquer the sinner, and triumph over the sin. Consider, thou almost-despairing Soul, there is not so much sin in man as there is Mercy in God. Man's sin in comparison of God's Mercy, is but as a spark to the Ocean, and who would doubt whether a spark could be quenched in an Ocean?

Object. 3. But I have relapsed into the same sins, and how can I have the face to come to God for the pardon of those sins which I have more than once fallen into?

Answ. I know the Novatians held, that after a Relapse no forgiveness by the Church. But doubtless that was an Error, Abraham did twice equivocate; Lot committed Incest twice; Peter sinned thrice by carnal Fear, but these repenting had their Absolution.

There is a twofold Relapse, 1. a willful Relapse, when after a man hath solemnly vowed himself to God, he falls into a league with sin, and returns back to it, Ier. 2.25. I have loved Strangers, and after them will I go.

2. There is a Relapse through Infirmity, when the Bent and Resolution of a man's Heart is against sin, but through the Violence of Temptation, and the withdrawing of God's Grace, he is carried down the stream against his Will. Now though willful continued Relapses are desperate, and do vastare Conscientiam (as Tertull. ) waste the Conscience, and run men upon the Precipice of damnation; yet if they are through Infirmity, and we mourn for them we may obtain forgiveness. A godly man doth not march after sin as his General, but is led captive by it; and the Lord will pity a captive Prisoner. Christ commands us to forgive a trespassing Brother seventy times seven, Mat. 18.22. If he bids us do it, much more will he forgive a relapsing Sinner in case he repent, Ier. 3.12. Return thou backsliding Israel, for I am merciful, saith the Lord. It is not falling once or twice into the Mire that drowns, but lying there; it is not once relapsing into sin, but lying in sin impenitently that damns.

Object. 4. But God requires so much Sorrow and Humiliation before Remission, that I fear I shall never arrive at it.

Answ. God requires no more Humiliation than may fit a Soul for Mercy. Many a Christian thinks because he hath not filled God's Bottle so full of Tears as others; therefore he is not humbled enough to receive a Pardon. But we must know, God's Dealings are Various ; all have not the like Pangs in the New-Birth. Some are won with Love, the sense of God's Mercy abused causeth ingenuous Tears to flow; others are more flagitious and hardened, and these God deals more roughly with. This is sure, That Soul is humbled enough to receive a Pardon who is brought to a thorough Sence of sin, and sees the need of a Savior, and loves him as the fairest of ten thousand; therefore be not discouraged, if thy Heart be bruised for sin, and broken off from it, thy sin shall be blotted out. No sooner did Ephraim fall a weeping, but God's Bowels fell a working, Ier. 31.20. My Bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have Mercy upon him. Having answered these Objections, let me beseech you above all things, labor for the forgiveness of sin. Think with yourselves, how great a Mercy it is: It is one of the Richest Jewels in the Cabinet of the New-Covenant, Psal. 32.1. Blessed is he whose Iniquity is forgiven ; in the Hebrew it is Ashre, Blessednesses. And think with yourselves, the unparalleled Misery of such, whose sins are not forgiven; such as had not the Blood of the Paschal Lamb sprinkled on their Door-posts▪ were destroyed by the Angel, Exod. 12. So they who have not Christ's Blood sprinkled on them, to wash away the guilt of sin, will fall into the gulf of Perdition. And if you resolve to seek after forgiveness, do not delay.

Many say they will go about getting their pardon, but they procrastinate and put it off so long till it be too late ; when the shadows of the Evening are stretched forth, and the night of Death aproacheth; then they begin to look after their pardon. This hath been the undoing of millions, they purpose they will look after their Souls, but they stay so long till the Lease of Mercy be run out; Oh therefore hasten the getting of a pardon! Think of the Vncertainty of Life. What Security have you, that you shall live another day? Volat ambiguis mobilis alis hora, our Life is a Taper soon blown out; 'tis made up of a few flying minutes. O thou Dust and Ashes ! thou mayest fear every hour to be blown into thy Grave, and what if Death come to arrest thee before thy pardon be sealed? Plutarch reports of one Archias, who being among his Cups, one delivered to him a Letter, and desired him to read it presently, being about serious Business, saith he, Seria cras, I will mind serious things tomorrow; and that night he was slain. Thou that sayest, To morrow I will repent. I will get my pardon, mayest suddenly be slain; therefore today, while it is called today look after the forgiveness of sin; after a while all the Conducts of Mercy will be stopped, there will not be one drop of Christ's Blood to be had; there is no sealing of pardons after death.

2. Branch of Exhortation, Let us labor to have the Evidence of pardon, to know that our sins are forgiven. A man may have his sins forgiven and not know it; he may have a pardon in the Court of Heaven, when he hath it not in the Court of Conscience. David's sin was forgiven as soon as he repented, and God sent Nathan the Prophet to tell him so, 2 Sam. 12.13. but David did not feel the comfort of it at present; as appears by the penitential Psalm composed after, Psal. 51.8. Make me to hear the Voice of Joy, and ver. 12. Cast me not away from thy Presence. It is one thing to be pardoned, and another thing to feel it. The Evidence of pardon may not appear for a time; and this may be.

1. From the Imbecillity and Weakness of Faith. Forgiveness of sin is so strange and infinite a Blessing, that a Christian can hardly persuade himself that God will extend such a favor to him. As it is said of the Apostles when Christ appeared to them first; They believed not for Joy, and wondered, Luke 24.41. So the Soul is so stricken with Admiration, that the wonder of pardon doth almost stagger his Faith.

2. A man may be pardoned and not know it, from the Strength of Temptation : Satan accuseth the Godly of sin, and tells them that God doth not love them. What should such sinners think of pardon? Believers are compared to bruised Re • ds, Mat. 12.20▪ and Temptations to Winds, Mat. 7.25. Now, a Reed is easily shaken with the wind. Temptations shake the godly, and though▪ they are pardoned yet they know it not; Job in a Temptation thought God his Enemy, Job 16.9. yet then he was in a pardoned condition.

Quest. But why doth God sometimes conceal the Evidence of pardon?

Answ. Tho' God doth pardon, yet he may withhold the sense of it a while.

1. Because hereby he would lay us lower in Contrition. God would have us see what an evil and bitter thing it is to offend him; we shall therefore lie the longer steeping ourselves in the brinish Tears of Repentance before we have the sense of Pardon. It being long before David's broken Bones were set, and his pardon sealed, the more contrite his Heart was, and this was a Sacrifice God delighted in.

2. Tho God doth forgive sin, yet he may deny the manifestation of it for a time; to make us prize pardon, and make it sweeter to us when it comes. The difficulty of obtaining a Mercy inhanceth the Value, when we have been a long time tugging at prayer for a Pardon of Sin, and still God withholds; but at last after many Sighs and Tears pardon comes, now we esteem it the more, and it is sweeter,— Quo longiùs defertur eo suavius laet atur, —the longer Mercy is in the Birth the more welcome will the Deliverance be.

Let me now reassume the Exhortation to labor for the Evidence and Sence of pardon. He who is pardoned and knows it not, is like one who hath an Estate befallen him, but knows it not. Our comfort consists in the knowledge of Forgiveness, Psal. 51.8. Make me to hear the Voice of Joy. This is a Proclaiming a Jubilee in the Soul, when we are able to read our pardon; and to the witness of Conscience God adds the witness of his Spirit; in the mouth of these two witnesses our Joy is confirmed: O labor for this Evidence of Forgiveness.

Quest. How shall we know that our sins are forgiven?

Answ. We must not be our own judges in this case, Prov. 28.26. He that trusteth in his own Heart is a fool: The Heart is deceitful, Ier. 17.9. and it is Folly to trust a Deceiver. The Lord only by his Word must be Judge in this Case, whether we are pardoned or no; as it was under the Law, no Leper might judge himself to be clean; But the Priest was to pronounce him clean, Levite. 13.37. So we are not to judge of ourselves to be clean from the Guilt of Sin, till we are such as the Word of God hath pronounced to be clean: How then shall we know by the Word whether our Guilt is done away, and our Sins pardoned?

Answ. 1. The pardoned sinner is a great weeper. The sense of God's Love melts his Heart; that Free-grace should ever look upon me; that such Crimson Sins should be washed away in Christ's Blood! this makes the Heart melt, and the Eyes drop with Tears Never did any man read his pardon with dry Eyes, Luke 7.38. She stood at his feet weeping, her Heart was a spiritual Limbick, out of which those Tears were distilled, Mary's Tears were more precious to Christ than her Ointment. Her Eyes which before did sparkle with Lust, whose amorous Glances had set on fire her Lovers. Now she makes them a Fountain and washeth Christ's feet with her Tears. She was a true penitent and had her pardon, ver. 47. Wherefore I say her sins which were many are forgiven. A pardon will make the hardest Heart relent, and cause the stony Heart to bleed; and is it thus with us, have we been dissolved into Tears for sin? God seals his pardons upon melting Hearts.

2. We may know our Sins are forgiven, by having the Grace of Faith infused, Acts 10.43. To him give all the Prophets witness, that whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins. In saving Faith there are two things, Abrenunciation and Recumbency. 1. Abrenunciation. A man renounceth all Opinion of himself, digged out of his own Burrough; he is quite taken off himself, Phil. 3.9 He sees all his Duties are but broken Reeds, though' he could weep a sea of Tears, though' he had all the Grace of Men and Angels, it could not purchase his pardon. 2. Recumbency. Faith is an Assent with Affiance. The Soul doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it gets hold of Christ as Adonijah did of the Horns of the Altar, 1 Kin. 1.51. Faith casts itself upon the Stream of Christ's Blood, and saith. If I perish, I perish, if we have but the Minimum quod sic, the least Dram of this precious Faith we have something to show for pardon. To him give all the Prophets witness that whosoever believes in him shall receive Remission of sin. This Faith is acceptable to God, it pleaseth God more than offering up ten thousand Rivers of Oil, than working Miracles, than Martyrdom or the highest Acts of Obedience. 2. Faith is profitable to us; it is our best Certificate to show for pardon: No sooner doth Faith reach forth its Hand to receive Christ, but Christ sets his Hand to our Pardon.

3. Sign. The Pardoned Soul is a God-admirer; Micah 7.18. Who is a God like thee, that pardonest iniquity? O that God should ever look upon me, I was a sinner, and nothing but a sinner, yet I obtained mercy! Who is a God like thee? Mercy hath been despised, yet that mercy should save me: Christ hath been Crucified by me, yet his Cross Crowns me. God hath displayed the Ensigns of Free-Grace, he hath set up his Mercy above my Sin, nay, in spite of it; this causeth admiration; Who is a God like thee? A Man that goes over a narrow Bridge in the Night, and the next morning comes and sees the danger he was in▪ and how miraculously he escaped, he is stricken with admiration: So when God shows a Soul how near he was a falling into Hell, and how that this Gulf is shut, all his sins are pardoned, he is amazed; and cries out, Who is a God like thee, that pardonest iniquity? That God should pardon one, and pass by another; One taken, another lest ; this fills the soul with wonder and astonishment.

4. Where-ever God pardons sin, he subdues it, Micah 7.19. He will have compassion on us, he will subdue our iniquity, Hebr. Iickbosh, sub jugo ponet: Where Men's persons are justified, their lusts are mortified. There is in sin vis Imperatoria & Damnatoria, a Commanding Power, and a Condemning. Then is the condemning power of sin taken away, when the commanding power of it is taken away. Would we know whether our sins are forgiven, are they subdued? If a Malefactor be in prison, how shall he know that his Prince hath Pardoned him? if the Jailor come and knock off his Chains and Fetters, and lets him out of Prison, then he may know he is Pardoned: So, How shall we know God hath pardoned us? if the Fetters of sin be broken off, and we walk at liberty in the ways of God, Psal. 119.45. I will walk at liberty: this is a blessed sign we are pardoned.

Such as are washed in Christ 's blood from that guilt, are made Kings to God, Revel. 1.6. as Kings they rule over their sins.

5. He whose sins are forgiven, is full of Love to God. Mary Magdalene 's heart was fired with love, Luk. 7.47. Her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much. Her love was not the cause of her Remission, but a sign of it. A pardoned Soul is a monument of mercy, • nd he thinks he can never love God enough; he wisheth he had a Coal from God's Altar to inflame his heart in love; he wisheth he could borrow the Wings of the Cherubims that he might fly swifter in Obedience: a pardoned Soul is sick of love. He whose heart is like Marble, locked up in impenitency, that doth not melt in love, a sign his pardon is yet to seal.

6. Where the sin is pardoned, the nature is purified, Hos. 14.9. I will heal their backslidings, I will love them. Every Man, by Nature, is both guilty and diseased ; where God remits the guilt, he cures the disease, Psal. 103.3. Who forgiveth all thy Iniquities, who healeth all thy Diseases. Herein God's pardon goes beyond the King's pardon; the King may forgive a Malefactor, but he cannot change his heart; he may have a thievish heart still. But God, when he pardons, changeth the heart, Ezek. 36.26. A new heart also will I give you. A pardoned Soul is adorned and embellished with holiness, 1 Joh. 5.6. This is he that came by water and blood. Where Christ comes with Blood to justify, he comes with Water to cleanse, Zac. 3.4. I have caused thy iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. I will cause thy iniquity to pass from thee, there is Pardoning Grace; and I will clothe thee with change of raiment, there is Sanctifying Grace. Let not him say, he hath pardon, that wants Grace. Many tell us▪ they hope they are pardoned, but were never sanctified▪ Yea, but they believe in Christ: But what Faith is it? a Swearing Faith, a Whoring Faith? the Faith of Devils is as good.

7. Such as are in the number of God's People, forgiveness of sin belongs to them, Isa. 40.1. Comfort ye my People, tell them their Iniquity is forgiven.

Quest. How shall we know that we are God's Elect People?

R. By Three Characters.

1. God's people are an humble people. The livery which all Christ's people wear, is Humility, 1 Pet. 5.5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , be ye clothed with humility. 1. A sight of God's Glory humbles: Elijah wrapped his Face in a Mantle when God's Glory passed by, Job 42.5. Now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor myself: The Stars vanish when the Sun appears. 2. A sight of sin humbles. In the Glass of the Word the godly see their spots, and these are humbling spots. Lo, saith the Soul, I can call nothing my own, but Sins and Wants ; this humbles. An humble Sinner is in a better condition than a proud Angel.

2. God's people are a willing people, Psal. 110.3. Gnam nedabot, a people of willingness. Love constrains them. They serve God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , freely, and out of choice. They stick at no service; they will run through a Sea, and a Wilderness; they will follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.

3. They are an heavenly people, Stars, Joh. 17.16. Ye are not of the World. As the Primum mobile in the Heavens hath a motion of its own, contrary to the other Orbs: So God's people have an heavenly motion of Soul, contrary to the Men of the World. They use the World as their Servant, but do not follow the World as their Master, Phil. 3.20. Our conversation is in heaven. Such as have these Three Characters of God's people, have a good Certificate to show that they are pardoned. Forgiveness of sin belongs to them; Comfort my people, re • t them, their iniquity is forgiven.

8. A sign we are pardoned, if after many storms, we have a sweet calm and peace within, Rom. 5.1. Being justified, we have peace. After many a bitter Tear shed, and Heart-breaking, the Mind hath been more sedate, and a sweet Serenity, or Still-Music hath followed; this brings tidings, God is appeased: Whereas before, Conscience did accuse; now it doth secretly whisper comfort: This is a blessed Evidence a Man's sins are pardoned. If the Bailiffs do not Trouble and Arrest the Debtor, it is a sign his Debt is Compounded, or Forgiven: So, if Conscience do not Vex▪ or Accuse, but, upon Good Grounds whisper Consolation, this is a sign the Debt is Discharged, the Sin is Fo • given.

9. A si • n sin is forgiven, when we have hearts without guile, Psal. 32.1, 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Qu. What is this to be sine fuco, without Guile?

1. He who is without guile, hath Plainness of heart: He is without collusion, he hath not cor dup • ex, a double heart: His heart is right with God. A Man may do a Right Action, but not with a Right Heart, 2 Chr. 25.2. Amaziah did tha • which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. To have the heart right with God, is to serve God from a Right Principle, Love ; by a Right Rule, the Word ; to a Right End, the Glory of God.

2. An heart without guile dares not allow itself in the least sin: He avoids secret sins. He dares not hide any sin as Rachel did her Fathers Images under her, Gen. 31.34. He knows God sees him, which is more than if Men and Angels did behold him. He avoids Complexion-sins, Psal. 18.23. I was also upright before him, and kept myself from my iniquity. As in the Hive there is a Mas • er-Be, so in the Heart there is a Master-Sin. An heart without guile takes the Sacrificing-knife of Mortification, and runs it through his Beloved-Sin.

3. An heart without guile desires to know the whole mind and will of God. An unsound heart is afraid of the Light, lucifuga. he is not willing to know his Duty: A sincere Soul saith, as Job 34.32. What I know not teach thou me. Lord show me what is my Duty, and wherein I offend; let me not sin for want of light: what I know not teach thou me.

4. An heart without guile is uniform in Religion. He hath an equal eye at all God's Commands. 1. He makes Conscience of private Duties, he worships God in his Closet as well as in the Temple. Jacob, when he was alone, wrestled with the Angel, Gen. 32.3, 4. So a Christian, when he is alone, wrestles with God in Prayer, and will not let him go till he hath blessed him. 2. He performs difficu • t duties, wherein the heart and spirit of Religion lie, and which do cross flesh and blood. His is much in self-humbling and self-examining; Vtitur spec • lis magis quam perspicillis, Sen. He rather useth the Looking-glass of the Word to look into his own heart, than the broad Spectacles of Censure to spy the faults of others.

5. An heart without Guile is true to God's interest. 1. He grieves to see it go ill with the Church. N • h • miah,