A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

1. Partly because Guilt is full of Suspicion: We hate those whom we have wronged; Proprium est humani ingenii odisse quos laeserit. First we hurt a Person, then we hate him; so out of Fear of Revenge we suspect all that he doth, all Acts of Kindness, all Tenders and Offers of Reconciliation which come from him. Let me exemplify it in Men. Thus David speaks of his Enemies, Psal. 120.7. I am for Peace, but when I speak, they are for War. David was the wronged Party, and Doeg and Saul's Courtiers had slandered him, and done him wrong; David was willing to forget all this Injury, and he comes with an Offer of Peace, but all Treaties of Peace are in vain. This you will find to be the Fashion of the World, when they have wronged a Person, never to trust him any more, lest they should give him Opportunity of Revenge. Thus do we deal with God, Conscience knows we have wronged him, flighted his Love, and put Affronts upon his Grace; and therefore though he makes the first Offer, we believe it not. Revengeful Man cannot think God will be so gracious and merciful, therefore we cannot believe those ample Purposes of Reconciliation. It breaks the Back of Patience to think of forgiving seven times; Must I forgive seven times, saith Peter? And therefore how can we ⟨p. 198⟩believe the Lord will pardon so many thousand Affronts we put upon him Day by Day? Thus we wrong God, and sin away our Faith, and therefore are not capable of so rich a Comfort.

2. Partly because the way of Salvation is so rare and wonderful, that a Man can find no Faith for it. The Gospel is a Mystery, so called by the Apostle, 1 Tim. 3.16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness. Nature affords no Help here. Theology is natural, but not Christology. Nature believes there is a God, but not that there is a Christ. The Sun and Moon preach up a God, their Sound is gone out into all Lands, and proclaim every where that there is one Infinite and Eternal Power. And Conscience preacheth up a Judg. But all these natural Preachers are dumb and silent concerning Christ, not a Word concerning a Saviour and Mediator. It could not enter into the Thought of an Angel to pitch upon such a Remedy, if God had not revealed it to them by the Church;