Exposition of Hebrews 6-10, Exegesis of chapter 8 · Exegesis of verse 12
VER. XII.
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
THis is the great fundamental Promise and Grace of the New Covenant. For though it be last expressed, yet in order of nature it precedeth the other mercies and priviledges mentioned, and is the foundation of the collation or communication of them unto us. This the causal foreign, whereby the Apostle rendereth foreign in the Prophet, doth demonstrate. What I have spoken, faith the Lord, shall be accomplished, For I will be merciful, &c. without which there could be no participation of the other things mentioned. Wherefore not only an addition of new grace and mercy is expressed in these words, but a reason also is rendered why or on what grounds he would bestow on them those other mercies.
The House of Israel and Judah with whom this Covenant was made in the first place, and who are spoken of as Representatives of all others who are taken into it, and who thereon become the Israel of God, were such as had broken and disannulled Gods former Covenant by their disobedience; which my Covenant they brake. Nor is there any mention of any other qualification, whereby they should be prepared for, or disposed unto an entrance into this New Covenant, Wherefore the first thing in order of nature that is to be done unto this end, is the free pardon of sin. Without a supposition hereof, no other mercy can they be made partakers of. For whilest they continue under the guilt of sin, they are also under the curse. Wherefore a reason is here rendred, and that the onelyonly reason, why God will give unto them the other blessings mentioned, For I will be merciful.
Free and sovereign, undeserved grace in the pardon of sin, is the original spring and foundation of all Covenant mercies and blessings. Hereby and hereby alone is the glory of God, and the safety of the Church provided for. And those who like not Gods Covenant on those terms, as none do by nature, will eternally fall short of the grace of it. Hereby all glorying, and all boasting in our selves is excluded, which was that which God aimed at in the contrivance and establishment of this Covenant, Rom. 3. 27. 1 Cor. 1. 29, 30, 31. For this could not be, if the fundamental grace of it did depend on any condition or qualification in our selves. If we let go the free pardon of sin without respect unto any thing in those that receive it, we renounce the Gospel. Pardon of sin is not merited by antecedent duties, but is the strongest obligation unto future duties. He that will not receive pardon, unless he can one way or other deserve it, or make himself meet for it; or pretends to have received it, and finds not himself obliged unto universal obedience by it, neither is nor shall be partaker of it.
In the Promise itself we may consider, (1) Who it is made unto. (2) What it is that is promised.
The first is expressed in the Pronoun foreign, their, three times repeated. All those absolutely, and only those with whom God makes this Covenant, are intended. foreign.Those whose sins are not pardoned, do in no sense partake of this Covenant, it is not made with them. For this is the Covenant that God makes with them, that he will be merciful unto their sins, that is unto them in the pardon of them. Some speak of an universal conditional Covenant made with all Mankind. If there be any such thing, it is not that here intended. For they are all actually pardoned with whom this Covenant is made. And the indefinite declaration of the nature and terms of the Covenant, is not the making of a Covenant with any. And what should be the condition of this grace here promised of the pardon of sin? It is, say they, that men repent and believe, and turn to God, and yield obedience unto the Gospel. If so, then men must do all these things, before they receive the remission of sins: yes. Then must they do them whilest they are under the Law, and the curse of it, for so are all men whose sins are not pardoned. This is to make obedience unto the Law, and that to be performed by men whilest under the curse of it, to be the condition of Gospel-mercy, which is to overthrow both the Law and Gospel.
But then on the other hand it will follow, they say, that men are pardoned before they do believe, which is expresly contrary unto the Scripture. And (1) The communication and donation of faith unto us, is an effect of the same grace whereby our sins are pardoned, and they are both bestowed on us by virtue of the same Covenant. (2) The application of pardoning mercy unto our souls, is in order of nature consequent unto believing, but in time they go together. (3) Faith is not required unto the procuring of the pardon of our sins, but unto the receiving of it. That they may receive the remission of sins. But that which we shall observe from hence is, That
The New Covenant is made with them alone, who effectually and eventually are made partakers of the grace of it. This is my Covenant that I will make with them, I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness, &c. Those with whom the Old Covenant was made, were all of them actual Partakers of the benefits of it; and if they are not so with whom the New is made, it comes short of the Old in efficacy, and may be utterly frustrate. Neither doth the indefinite Proposal of the terms of the Covenant prove that the Covenant is made with them, or any who enjoy not the benefits of it. Indeed this is the excellency of this Covenant, and so it is here declared, that it doth effectually communicate all the grace and mercy contained in it unto all and every one with whom it is made; whoever it is made withall, his sins are pardoned.
Secondly, The subject matter of this Promise, is the pardon of sin. And that which we have to consider for the exposition of the words, is (1) What is meant by sins. (2) What by the pardon of them. (3) What is the reason of the peculiar expression in this place.
Sin is spoken of with respect unto its guilt especially, so is it the object of mercy and grace. Guilt is the desert of punishment, or the obligation of the sinner unto punishment, by and according unto the sentence of the Law. Pardon is the dissolution of that obligation.
Sin is here expressed by three terms, foreign, unrighteousness, sin and transgression, as we render the words. In the Prophet there is only foreign is wanting. But they are elsewhere all three used, where mention is made of the pardon of sin, or the causes of it. As (1) in the declaration of the Name of God with respect thereunto, Exod. 34. foreign pardoning iniquity, transgression and sin. (2) In the confession of sin for the removal of it, by the expiatory Sacrifice, Lev. 16. 21. Aaron shall confess over him, foreign all their iniquities, all their transgressions, in all their sins. (3) In the expression of the forgiveness of sin in justification, Psal. 32. 1, 2. Wherefore the Apostle might justly make up the expression and general enumeration of sins here defective in the Prophet, seeing it is elsewhere so constantly used to the same purpose, and on the like occasion.
Nor are those terms needlesly multiplied, but sundry things we are taught thereby. As (1) That those whom God graciously takes into Covenant, are many of them antecedently obnoxious unto all sorts of sins. (2) That in the grace of the Covenant there is mercy provided for the pardon of them all, even of them from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses, Acts 13. 42. And that (3) Therefore none should be discouraged from resting on the faithfulness of God in this Covenant, who are invited unto a compliance therewith.
But there is yet more intended in the use of these words. For they do distinctly express all those respects of sin in general, by which the Conscience of a sinner is affected, burdened and terrified; as also whereon the equity of the curse and punishment for sin doth depend.
The first is foreign, unrighteousness. This is usually taken for sins against the second Table, or the transgression of that rule of righteousness amongst men, which foreign.is given by the Moral Law. But here, as in many other places, it expresseth a general affection of sin with respect unto God. A thing unequal and unrighteous it is, that man should sin against God his Sovereign Ruler and Benefactor. As God is the Supreme Lord and Governor of all, as he is our onelyonly Benefactor and Rewarder, as all his laws and ways towards us are just and equal, the first notion of Righteousness in us is the rendering unto God what is due unto him, that is, universal Obedience unto all his Commands. Righteousness towards man is but a branch springing from this root; and where this is not, there is no Righteousness amongst men whatever is pretended. If we give not unto God the things that are Gods, it will not avail us to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, nor unto other men what is their own. And this is the first consideration of sin, that renders the sinner obnoxious unto punishment, and manifests the equity of the sanction of the Law. It is an unrighteous thing. Herewith the Conscience of the sinner is affected, if he be convinced of sin in a due manner. The original perfection of his nature consisted in this Righteousness towards God, by rendering his due unto him in a way of obedience. This is overthrown by sin, which is therefore both shameful and ruinous, which distresseth the Conscience when awaken'd by Conviction.
The second is foreign. This is properly a missing of, an erring from that end and scope which it is our duty to aim at. There is a certain end for which we foreign.were made, and a certain rule proper unto us whereby we may attain it. And this end being our onelyonly blessedness, it is our interest, as it was in the principles of our natures, to be always in a tendency towards it. This is the glory of God, and our eternal salvation in the enjoyment of him. Thereunto the Law of God is a perfect Guide. To sin therefore, is to forsake that Rule, and to forgo therein our aim at that end. It is to place self and the world as our end, in the place of God and his glory, and to take the imaginations of our hearts for our Rule. Wherefore the perverse folly that is in sin, in wandering away from the chiefest good as our end, and the best guide as our rule, embracing the greatest evils in their stead, is foreign, rendering punishment righteous, and filling the sinner with shame and fear.
3. There is foreign. We have no one word in our language properly to express foreign.the sense hereof, nor is there so in the Latine. We render it Transgression of the Law. foreign is a lawless person; whom the Hebrews call a Son of Belial, one who owns no yoke nor rule. And foreign is a voluntary unconformity unto the Law. Herein the formal nature of sin consists, as the Apostle tells us, 1 Joh. 3. 4. And this is that which in the first place passeth on the Conscience of a sinner. Wherefore as all sorts of particular sins are included in these multiplied names of sin; so the general nature of sin in all its causes and respects, terrifying the sinner, and manifesting the righteousness of the Curse of the Law, are declared and represented by them. And we may learn,
1. That the aggravations of Sin are great and many, which the Consciences of convinced Sinners ought to have regard unto.
2. There is grace and mercy in the New Covenant provided for all sorts of sins, and all aggravations of them, if they be received in a due manner.
3. Aggravations of Sin do glorifie grace in pardon. Therefore doth God here so express them, that he may declare the glory of his grace in their remission.
4. We cannot understand aright the glory and excellency of pardoning mercy, unless we are convinced of the greatness and vileness of our sins in all their aggravations.
Secondly, That which is promised with respect unto these sins, is two ways expressed, (1) foreign, I will be merciful. (2) foreign, I will remember foreign.no more. It is pardon of sin that is intended in both these expressions; the one respecting the cause of it, the other its perfection and assurance. And two things are considerable in the pardon of sin.
(1) A respect unto the Mediator of the Covenant, and the propitiation for sin made by him. Without this, there can be no remission, nor is any promised.
(2) The dissolution of the obligation of the Law binding over the guilty sinner unto punishment. These are the essential parts of Evangelical Pardon, and respect is had in these words unto them both.
1. foreign, which we translate merciful, is propitious, gracious through a propitiation. But the Lord Christ is the onelyonly foreign, or propitiation under the New Testament, Rom. 3. 25. 1 John 2. 2. And he died, foreign, to propitiate God for sin; to render him propitious unto sinners, Heb. 2. 17. in him alone God is foreign, merciful unto our sins.
2. The Law with the sanction of it was the means appointed of God to bring foreign.sin unto a judicial remembrance and tryal. Wherefore the dissolution of the obligation of the Law unto punishment, which is an Act of God the Supreme Rector and Judge of all, belongeth unto the pardon of sin. This is variously expressed in the Scripture, here by remembring sin no more. The Assertion whereof is fortified by a double Negative: Sin shall never be called legally to remembrance. But the whole Doctrine of the Pardon of Sin, I have so largely handled in the Exposition of Psalm 130. that I must not here again reassume the same Argument.