The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 2 · Section 4
SECT. IV.
4. NOW follows the fourth and the laſt part of the Propoſition, namely, It is firſt promiſed by God unto his people.That forgiveneſs of ſins is one of the mercies firſt promiſed by God unto his people; as here in this place, it hath the heart-guard of the Covenant gifts, it takes the right hand, and the firſt place of the ſpiritual mercies promiſed. In this Scripture there is mention of three ſpiritual gifts, which are like Davids three Worthies; but this of Juſtification (this of remiſſion of ſins) is the firſt of them. Beloved, you muſt diſtinguiſh between the Covenant it ſelf, and the gifts thereof; the Covenant it ſelf lies in this; I will be your God, and you ſhall be my people; this cloſure, and this relation makes the Covenant; and when we are thus cloſed with God in Covenant, then come out the gifts of the Covenant which God deals and gives forth unto his people, and amongſt theſe, firſt we have a promiſe mentioned to forgive ſins.
Some may think the reaſon of this priority to be this, becauſe Juſtification goes before Sanctification. I confeſs that theſe are diſtinct works; but yet I doubt whether there be a priority of time between them, ſo that a perſon is firſt juſtified, and after that he is ſanctified: For (under favour) it cannot well be made out that there falls any ſpace or pauſe of time between thoſe; and my reaſon is this, becauſe
1. When a man is once in Chriſt, Chriſt is at the ſame time made of God unto him Sanctification as well as righteouſneſs; therefore the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, If any man be in Chriſt, he is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17.
2. It cannot well be admitted that there ſhould be a true union with Chriſt conſiſting with a partial communion in benefits abſolutely neceſſary to conſtitute a Chriſtian; and ſuch a one is Sanctification.
3. There is ſuch an immediate influence of life and grace upon believing, as raiſeth a conſimilitude and conformity.
But to omit all needleſs diſputes, I humbly conceive that there may be three reaſons why forgiveneſs of ſins is one of the firſt mercies mentioned in the promiſe.Three reaſons of it. It doth moſt of all ſet forth the glory of God.
Firſt, Becauſe it is one of the mercies which doth moſt of all ſet forth and illuſtrate the glory of God; the greateſt appearing of God in his glory in his love, and in his grace, and in his mercy to forgive ſins. Exod. 34. 6. The Lord proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, Ver. 7. Forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſions and ſins. In this Proclamation, the Lord opens and ſhews his glory unto Moſes, and one of the firſt ſights of that is this, that he is the Lord God merciful and gracious, and that appears by this, that he forgives iniquity, tranſgreſſions and ſins; and indeed this is the glory of his Throne, that it is a Throne of grace, where ſinners may finde mercy, and finde grace to help in time of need, Hebr. 4. 16. Hence is it that his grace and mercy is ſo often called his glory. Epheſ. 3. 6 According to the riches of his glory; (i. e.) of his grace and mercy; ſee Rom 9. 23. That he might make known the riches of his glory on the Veſſels of mercy; ſee 2 Cor. 3. 18. Beholding as in a glaſs the glory of the Lord; (i. e.) the glory of his mercy, and love in Chriſt Jeſus; therefore the Prophet ſaith, Micah 7. 18. Who is a (ſtrong) God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and paſſeth by the tranſgreſſion of the remnant of his heritage! as if Gods forgiving of ſins were one of the greateſt demonſtrations of his Deity. Though his Godhead doth appear in other of his Attributes, and in other of his Works, (Rom. 1. 20.) yet it doth moſt clearly, and moſt comfortably appear in this merciful Attribute, and work of forgiveneſs of ſins; his wiſdom and his juſtice, and his power have put forth themſelves (as it were) in a way of ſubſerviency to the glory of his mercy; he found out by his wiſdom a way to ſatisfie his juſtice by Chriſt, that ſo he might bring glory to his mercy in the forgiveneſs of our ſins.
Secondly, Becauſe it is a mercy tranſcendently excellent, a mercy which excels It is a mercy tranſcendently excellent. It excels the mercies of men.moſt of the mercies which we do receive; there are,
1. The mercies of men; they do ſometimes pardon offences committed againſt them; but Gods forgiving mercies far exceed this; e. g.
Firſt. When man hath forgiven you, yet God may call you to an account, and queſtion, and condemn you.
Secondly, Mans forgiveneſs may acquit you from ſome temporal puniſhment due unto you by ſome humane Lawes by you tranſgreſſed; but Gods forgiveneſs reacheth to the diſcharge of you not only from temporal but alſo from eternal puniſhment.
Thirdly, The mercy of man in forgiveneſs looks only at outward offences, but it meddles not with inward ſinnings (with thoſe of the heart) but Gods forgiving extends to internal, inviſible obliquities, as well as external and inviſible tranſgreſſions.
Fourthly, When men forgive us, this perhaps may be ſome leſſer offences, but no great and capital; or if theſe, then the benefit of this forgiveneſs is loſt and forfeited by the next offence, as in the caſe of Shimei; but when God forgives a ſinner, he forgives all ſorts of ſinnings, and will never remember thoſe ſins again any more.
2. The mercies of God, whereof ſome are corporal, and ſome are ſpiritual; now forgiveneſs of ſins doth excell.
Firſt, All the corporal mercies or bleſsings which poſſibly can be enjoyed in It excels corporal mercies.this world; for
1. One may enjoy all corporal bleſſings in greater abundance, and this may be all his portion; (they have their portion in this life, ſaid David, Pſal. 17. 14.) but forgiveneſs of ſins is a mercy which never goes alone, but hath the concomitancy of all choice bleſſings; it is a better portion, and yet not all.
2. The outward bleſſings reſpect only the condition of the body, the preferment, delight, eaſe, relief, ſupport and ſafety of that; and notwithſtanding this preheminence, the ſoul may be in a moſt miſerable condition; but forgiveneſs of ſins hath a ſpecial reſpect to the ſoul, and the welfare and everlaſting good of it, and happineſs of it; it makes us truly bleſſed.
3. Notwithſtanding the preſence of outward bleſſings, the ſpiritual miſery of man is nothing altered, they cannot releaſe you from the wrath of God, nor deliver you from that curſe which the Law pronounces againſt you for your tranſgreſſions; but when God forgives ſins, then the forgiven perſon is freed from wrath and curſe, and condemnation, and God is pacified and reconciled.
4. One may poſſibly enjoy them, and yet never enjoy God, nor Chriſt, nor peace in conſcience, nor glory in heaven; nay, his enjoyment of theſe may (accidentally) cauſe a farther diſtance from God and Chriſt; (as in the young man whoſe riches and poſſeſſions kept him off from cloſing with Chriſt) but forgiveneſs of ſins neceſſarily involves all theſe grand enjoyments; if ſins be forgiven, unqueſtionably God is your God, and Chriſt is your Redeemer, and heaven is your inheritance.
Secondly, It excells, if not all yet certainly moſt of Gods ſpiritual mercies: I It excels moſt of Gods ſpiritual mercies.am unwilling to make compariſons between them; yet with reverence I ſpeak it, that forgiveneſs of ſins in ſome reſpects excells all the graces in man.
1. For the perfection of the work: the change of the ſoul by grace is indeed an For the perfection in the work.excellent work; nevertheleſs it is imperfect; (therefore it gets on by degrees) but the forgiveneſs of ſin is a perfect work: when God ſanctifies a man, he doth it ſo that the perſon needs yet more holineſs; but when he forgives us, he doth it not ſo that thoſe ſins need more of forgiveneſs; when he ſanctifies a man, there ſtill remains ſome corruption; but when he forgives a ſinner, you cannot ſay there remains yet ſomething behind of condemnation; God can find enough in our graces to except againſt, but nothing in his forgiveneſs of ſins.
2. For the cauſality in the work; Compare your graces, and your forgiveneſſes For the cauſality in the work.together; there are ſeveral choice effects in the ſoul, which you cannot affirme of your graces as their cauſe; yet you may ſafely affirm Gods forgiveneſs of ſins to be their cauſe; e. g. peace in conſcience; you cannot ſay that any holineſs or righteouſneſs in you is the cauſe of this; (for conſcience cannot be quieted by any thing in us) but forgiveneſs of ſin is a juſt cauſe of peace in conſcience; being justified by faith, we have peace with God, Rom. 5. 1. I will ſay no more at preſent, but that all the ſprings of joy and peace, and comfort, are in your juſtification. Rom. 8. 11. Be of good chear, thy ſins are forgiven thee, Matth. 9. 2.
Thirdly, Becauſe it is a mercy which doth exceedingly concern afflicted and It is a mercy doth exceedingly concern afflicted conſciences.diſtreſſed ſouls: Beloved, remember three things.
1. All the men in the world do need forgiveneſs of ſins; for who is he that liveth, and ſinneth not? and what ſinner is there who needs not to have his ſins forgiven?
2. All the people of God do ſee the need and worth of it; how earneſt have they been to attain to it? David in Pſal. 51. prays ten times for it, ſo the Church, Remember not iniquity, Iſa. 64. 9. Take away iniquity, Hoſ. 14. 2.
3. Afflicted and diſtreſſed ſouls, they infinitely prize it, and thirſt for it, and their ſoul will ſink and fail without it. Take me any ſoul whatſoever, as ſoon as ever it comes to be a wounded and diſtreſſed ſoul, preſently it cries out, what ſhall I do? what will become of me without Chriſt, and without forgiveneſs of ſins? if God forgives not theſe ſins, I am a loſt man! O that I might have mercy! when ſhall I find mercy! May I look for mercy? is there any hope of mercy? I tell you Sirs, the wounded ſinner apprehends wrath and condemnation, and feels ſin with ſuch a weight and terror in conſcience, that if ſome hope of mercy did not preſently appear, Iſa. 57. 16. the ſpirit would fail before him; it would be conſumed with deſpair; therefore no marvail that God is pleaſed in the firſt place to hold out this golden Scepter of forgiveneſs of ſins, whereby to relieve all broken-hearted ſinners.