The Truly Blessed Man, Part 1 · Section 5
Forgiveneſs Covereth Sin.
DOCTRINE IV.
FOrgiveneſs caſts a Cover over the Sins of him that is pardoned. This is the ſecond expreſſion by …ich this great benefit is ſet forth, the word as …as obſerved, ſignifies, To hide a thing out of ſight, … throwing of ſome other thing over it, as we would … by ſome naſty odious thing, which we would not have ſeen. In the clearing up of this Doctrine, we may enquire,
1. What is implied in the Covering of Sin?
2. Who it is that Covers it?
3. How or after what manner it is Covered?
4. What advantage accrues to the perſon by having his Sin Covered?
1. What is implied in the Covering of Sin?
A. This phraſe is here uſed to expreſs the Forgiveneſs of Sin, and is accordingly to be interpreted. Now the reaſon why things are Covered is that they may be hidden out of ſight; that th… may not always be in our eye and view to … looked on; and the end of our Covering a th… is either with reſpect to our ſelves or others. … regard to others, we Cover it, that they may … ſee or know it, thus, 1 Pet. 4. 8. Charity ſhall co… the multitude of ſins; i. e. it keeps them to it … and doth not divulge them. Covering is oppo… to diſcovering; thus when men bring pretences … put off things, they are ſaid to cover them: ex… ſes are called Covers. With reſpect to our ſel… we are ſaid to cover a thing, when we put it ou… our ſight, in order to the putting it out of our rem… brance: and we are wont to do ſo by things, … ſight and memory whereof would be a grief … a vexation to us; and thus are we here to und… ſtand it. God covers his peoples ſins from … own ſight, that ſo he may not remember them, … be angry at his Children by reaſon of them, ſo … to take vengeance on them upon the acco… thereof, the Scripture repreſents Sin as a th… odious to God, a thing that he cannot endure to look upon, Hab. 1. 13. a thing that horribly provokes him againſt the Sinner; and therefore called the abominable thing that he hates, Jer. 44. 4. Hence, when he is reſolved to puniſh men for it, he is ſaid, to ſet it in his ſight, Pſal. 90. 8. to make ſtrict ſearch after it, Zech. 1. 12. To call it to remembrance, Ezek. 21. 23. When therefore he comes to pardon it, it ſets it forth by contrary expreſſions, the putting it away, 2 Sam. 12. 13. Hiding his face from beholding it, Pſal. 51. 9. not ſeeing …, Numb. 23. 21. The removing it far from him, Pſal. 103 12. Forgetting, or not remembring it any …ore, Iſa. 43. 25. Caſting it into the depth of the …a, Mic. 7. 19. All of which expreſſions are of …e ſame import with this of Covering them.
If it be here enquired, how can God be ſaid … cover our Sin out of his ſight? It muſt be re…lied, that it is ſpoken after the manner of men, …ho are wont to forget, or take no notice of …hat which is laid out of the way. And here let … obſerve.
1. That nothing can be covered to God in re…ect of his Omniſcience. Heb. 4. 13. There is no …ch veil of darkneſs can be caſt over any thing …at can intercept his ſight, Pſal. 139. 11, 12. Gods Infinite Omnipreſence neceſſarily infers …at every thing muſt be in his eye, and it is im…oſſible to abſcond it from him, ſo as he ſhall not …now it thoroughly; and equally impoſſible that …e ſhould forget it; we are on this account of …n warned to be cautious, becauſe we are ever under the inſpection of his all ſeeing eye.
2. That God doth not ſo put their Sins out of his ſight, but that he puts them in mind of them, and ſometimes makes them ſmart for them; thus we have Job awfully complaining, Job 13. 26. What a ſolemn memorial did he cauſe the Prophet to mention to David? 2 Sam. 12. 7, 8. and how much and how long did he make him to ſmart on this account afterwards? yea doutleſs all the Afflictions that are brought on the Children of God in way of Correction for their Sins, are witneſſes that he hath an eye upon them, or a remembrance of them in a diſciplinary way; Hence,
3. This covering them properly reſpects Vindictive Juſtice, or the Sentence of the Law which is out againſt them; and that is the Guilt that cleaves to them, and it is a pardon that doth it: For,
1. When God pardons Sin, he removes the Guilt of it from the Sinner; the obligation that lay on him, binding him over to dy, ceaſeth: this hath been already made evident.
2. In removing this Guilt, God turns away his Vindictive eye from it: though the Sin remains, and the merit too, yet God will no longer loo… on him as a Guilty Sinner; he will not ſee iniquity in him; the man deſerves that he ſhould; bu… God is reſolved that he will overlook it, as a thing out of ſight; he hath nothing to lay to the ma… charge, nor will he hear of any Charge laid again… him, Rom. 8. 33. and this is aptly expreſt by h… covering it, for if he ſhould mark, who could ſtand? Pſal. 130. 3.
3. Hereupon the Guilt comes to be utterly loſt; it is a ſtrange expreſſion, Jer. 50 20. The Iniquity of Iſrael ſhall be ſought for and there ſhall be none, and the Sins of Judah, and they ſhall not be found; alas! if ſearch be made, there is enough to be found, that hath been ſinful and provoking; but it refers to puniſhment, which preſumeth Guilt, and ſo there ſhall be none ſound. When they are put on trial for their lives, and enquiry is made, What Sins are to be charged on ſuch? the anſwer is, there are none to be found, they ſtand condemned for none: and why? for they are cast into the Sea; they are all blotted out of the book of accounts; the Indictment againſt them is defaced; they are covered as a thing that is bu…ied out of ſight, as one that is dead and forgotten; they are blotted out as a Cloud, Iſa. 44 22. and one well obſerves, that a Cloud is it ſelf a blot in the face of the Sky, and is therefore blotted out by making it to vaniſh and diſappear: and ſo doth God by his peoples ſins: and this is the covering of them.
2 Who is it that Covers it?
A. It is God, and he only, who can thus Cover Sin. It Covering be forgiving, then it belongs to him alone who can forgive, and that is Gods Prerogative, Dan. 9. 9. If it be the Guilt of Sin that is covered, and ſo covered that it ſhall never riſe again, or be charged, it muſt needs be a Divine Work. Sin is a Tranſgreſſion of Gods Law, and the Guilt contracted by it is an Obligation to ſuffer accordingly; and who ſhall remove it but he? Men may forgive the wrong that is done to them, ſo far as they are concerned, but they cannot forgive the Violation of the Command of God that is therein perpetrated. Men may indeed Charitatively, or Miniſterially declare this forgiveneſs, but they cannot beſtow it. It is one of the Letters of Gods Name, Exod. 34. 7. Forgiving iniquity, Tranſgreſſion and Sin. We may indeed cover the Sins of our Neighbour, by keeping them Secret, and not divulging them, but that doth not hide them from the Revenging Juſtice of God… who will for all in due time make a diſcovery of them, if they be not forgiven by him. And we may cover our own Sins, by denying them, diſſembling, excuſing, extenuating, juſtifying them … but this will but aggravate the Guilt of them, and expoſe us to the more ſevere puniſhment, Prov. 28. 13. This covering of Sin belongs to Juſtification; &c it is God alone that Juſtifyeth, Rom. 8. 33. And indeed God, and no other, hath that cover to throw… over the Sins of his people, that can hide them from his revenging eye: Every other cover is b… an hiding place of deceit. God therefore challengeth it to himſelf as his prerogative, Iſa. 43. 25. I, ev… I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions. If all th… power and authority in the World, Civil and Eccleſiaſtical, ſhould Subſcribe and Seal an act of Oblivion for us, it will ſignify nothing; no, though the Angels of Heaven ſhould joyn in it. God … Judge of the World, and he can either ratify … nullify all that is done; his act alone can make it authentick. Hence, though we are to ask forgiveneſs one of another, yet we are not to reſt in that, but if we would have our Sins buried, and not digged up again, we muſt go to him to do it for us.
3. How, or after what manner it is Covered?
A. We are here to conſider God as a Righteous Judge, and therefore to do nothing but what is conſiſtent with that Righteouſneſs of his. We read, Rom. 3. 26. He is both juſt, and juſtifyeth. Now it is one piece of Gods Righteouſneſs as a Judge, to puniſh the Sinner according to Law; and Guilt binds him over to puniſhment: how then doth he continue juſt, and yet cover this Guilt ſo as it ſhall not riſe againſt the Sinner to procure his puniſhment? And the reſolution of it is in Sum; That he doth it by caſting the Robe of Chriſts Righteouſneſs over the Sinner, and ſo covering his Sin out of his ſight. And here two things offer themſelves to conſideration,
1. That the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is a Robe ſuitable and ſufficient to cover our Sins.
2. How God caſts it over us to this purpoſe?
1. That the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is a Robe ſufficient and ſuitable to cover our Sins. As Sin is compared in Scripture to our Nakedneſs and Shame, ſo is Chriſts Righteouſneſs reſembled by a Robe provided to cover it withal: and as it was Sin that firſt gave occaſion for mans needing ſomething to cover his Body, ſo it introduceth the neceſſity of Chriſt to hide the nakedneſs and filthineſs of our Souls. This is deſigned by the beſt Robe, Luk. 15. 22. This is pointed at in the White Raiment, Rev. 3. 18. And this is the Wedding Garment, Matth. 22. 11. Now this Robe is made of the Active and Paſſive Obedience of Chriſt, for the matter of it. By the former of theſe he kept the Law exactly, Fulfilling all Righteouſneſs, Matth. 3. 15. He was Holy, Harmleſs, Undefiled, and without Spot. By the latter he made full ſatisfaction to the Law in all its demands, by bearing the whole penalty that was threatned in it for Sin. And the ſufficiency of this Garment to cover all the Guilt of our Sin herein appears.
1. This Righteouſneſs it ſelf anſwered the Law in the utmoſt extent of it; ſo that it is wide enough and large enough to cover all Guilt. Chriſt bare the penalty to the full which the Law exacted; he bare the whole weight of that wrath which was due to man for Sin. His Righteouſneſs therefore is able to hide the greateſt and moſt multiplied tranſgreſſions out of ſight: the Law can ask no more than there is in that, to anſwer God as a Judge, who is fully pleaſed with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt.
2. There is enough in it to Cloath all that come to him for it. It is called Everlaſting Righteouſneſs, Dan. 9. 24. becauſe it will hold out as far as there is occaſion for it: there may be Garments cut out of it for as many as ask for them, and to ſpa…e … it can never have an end: the Vertue of Chriſts ſatisfaction is Infinite, Heb. 7. 25. All are therefore invited to come for it, and a promiſe is made that none that do come ſhall be rejected. It is called …he Righteouſneſs of God, Phil. 3. 9. becauſe the perſon whoſe it was, or who performed it, was God, and … put a Divine Vertue into it, making it infinitely …xtenſive.
3. This Righteouſneſs was provided on purpoſe …r this end; it was prepared to cover the Guilt …f Sin. As the Active Obedience of Chriſt was to …urchaſe for us the inheritance, ſo his Paſſive was … ſatisfy Revenging Juſtice on our account, by …ertue whereof our Guilt comes to be hidden out …f it's ſight, by the caſting of this over it. Jeſus …hriſt neither Lived for himſelf, nor Dyed for himſelf. …he Son of God needed no Active Obedience to …ſtify him, being a Perſon above Law; nor did …hriſt need a Paſſive Obedience to ſatisfy for him…lf, as man, being perfectly righteous: He there…re Gave himſelf for us, Gal. 2. 20. And this was …cording to Divine compact, ſo that it is the de…n of it, and it was laid in for this; and thus it …comes applicable to us, and ſo is every way …fficient.
2. How God caſts it over us to this purpoſe?
A. He doth it by applying this Righteouſneſs … us for our Juſtification: which is fitly expreſt …y his Clothing us with it to hide our Sin out of …s ſight; for in this application,
1. God having accepted of this Righteouſneſs …r us, looketh upon it as ours. For this reaſon …hriſt is called, The Lord our Righteouſneſs, Jer. 23. …. And ſaid to be made Righteouſneſs to us, 1 Cor. …. 30. And this is a reſult from the Everlaſting Contrivance of it in the Covenant of Suretiſhip, in which the Father promiſed to him this reward, that his Obedience ſhould redound to the Juſtification of many, Iſa. 53. 11. i. e. As many as it was to be applied unto.
2. Hence in the act of Juſtification he confe… this Righteouſneſs upon us to be ours. Havi… already accepted it for us, he now beſtows it upo… us; it firſt was made ready, and then it is put … So that it is not ours Inherently, but Adherently, … Relatively, it is, in reſpect to us, not a perſonal … a relative Righteouſneſs; and in that regard … reſembled to a Garment, which is no part of … man, but yet it is his, and put upon him for … covering.
3. In conferring this Righteouſneſs upon us, … Cloaths us with it. He throws it over us, ſo th… we who were before naked, are now arrayed w… it, ſo that all our defects and deformities are … den under it: hence the Apoſtles expreſſion … being found in it, Phil. 3. 9. And it covers us … over, ſo that whatever faults are in us, they … thus put out of ſight.
4. Hereupon he judgeth of us by and accord… to this Righteouſneſs. He looks no farther, a… Judge than to this: by it therefore we are m… the Righteouſneſs of God, 2 Cor. 5. 21. We are n… on a relative account, pure, and clear, and ſp… leſs; Juſtice hath nothing to lay to our cha… becauſe we, having put on Christ the Righteous, … Righteous in him.
4. What advantage accrues to the perſon by ha… his Sins thus covered?
A. Much every way: in particular,
1. He is, in the Law account, as if he had never Sinned. For, whatever he hath been and done, the Law hath nothing to accuſe him of; that which cannot be proved, is in the Laws account as …f it were not, and that which is hidden cannot be …roved: when once Sin is covered, there is none …o accuſe us, for if God will not, who ſhall? if he …ath nothing to charge on us, we are ſafe: but …e ſaith, I ſee no Iniquity in the perſon.
2. Hence he is out of the danger of Condemnati…. Rom. 8. 1, 34. Condemnation is properly a Sentence paſt by the Judge, upon a perſon Convicted to be Guilty, dooming him to ſuffer penalty …ccording to the mind of the Law: So that where …here is no Guilt, there can be no Condemnation; …nd where there is no Tranſgreſſion chargable, …here can be no Guilt found.
3. Hence flows great Peace of Conſcience. It …s the foundation on which our deliverance from …he terrours of an accuſing Conſcience is built: when that tells us we have thus and ſo Sinned, & …hereby provoked God, it is hereby pacified, when …t can look on all this Sin as covered. Now the Spirit of Bondage, which is rooted in every unpardoned Sinner, is remedied, Rom. 8. 15. The Soul hath the ground of inward Tranquillity notwithſtanding all; and hereupon he can, with the more …umbling ſenſe, mourn for his Sin, whiles he can mourn as one that hath a good hope, and is not …unk in deſpondency.
4. He hath great liberty of acceſs with boldneſs to the Throne of Grace; there is ſuch a liberty which Gods Children enjoy, Heb. 4. 1… and this is that which principally contributes … it. It is ſin that makes us afraid. When our … Parents were naked, they hid themſelves, Gen. … 8. but now being thus cloathed, their ſhame an… fear is taken away. When we know that our … is covered, we need not be terrified with t… thoughts of the Holineſs and Righteouſneſs of G…
5. Hence he ſhall with greateſt comfort appe… before the Judgment Seat of Chriſt in the gr… Day? and this is a priviledge beyond conce… on. What is it that makes Sinners afraid of … terrible day, but their Sins, the Guilt where… makes them fearfully to expect the Vengeance … it? when therefore theſe are covered, that d… ger is removed, and ſo they can ſtand uprig… then; they may hold up their heads with … who have theſe Garments of Salvation thro… over them.
USE I. Learn we hence the miſerable ſt… of all Unpardoned Sinners. If this benefit belo… only to the pardoned, then ſurely thoſe that ha… not gotten into this ſtate are very unhappy; fo…
1. All their ſins ly open and naked to the eye… Gods Vindictive Juſtice. We read, Hab. 1. 13. That … is of purer eyes, &c. but now all their ſins are … his view; they are uncovered; not only Go… all ſeeing eye diſcerns them, but his reveng… eye looks upon them; they are caſt out naked … the loathing of their perſons; God cannot look upon them without indignation, he deſpiſeth their Image: Sin is the abominable thing that he hates; …nd their ſin lies before him, and he muſt hate …t. God ſaith of all their ſins, as in Jer. 29. 23. … know, and am a witneſs.
2. Hence when they are judged, they muſt …eeds be condemned; this follows upon the conſideration of Gods Holineſs and Relative Juſtice. God ſtands engaged to paſs Sentence upon every one as they ſtand related to his Holy Law: if …e ſees Sin in men, and upon trial they are found Guilty, they are condemned already, and the Judge …f all the earth will do that which is right; it is …herefore impoſſible that they, in ſuch a condition, ſhould eſcape his righteous Judgment, for we …ead, Rom. 2. 6. He will render to every man according to his deeds.
3. Hence the whole weight of Gods Wrath will certainly fall upon them at laſt; they cannot eſcape it; if he paſs the Sentence on them, he will puniſh them, for that is paſt in order to Execution. Our Saviour tells us what ſhall be …he iſſue of the Sentence of the Great Day, Mat. …5. ult. and who knows the forlorn condition of …hat man, who muſt thus fall into the hands of the …iving God? it had been good for that man if he had …ever been born. Eternal Separation from the preſence of Gods favour, with an endleſs ſuffering …he Torments of Hell, are his portion from the …and of God; and how dreadful a thing is this?
USE II. Let it ſerve to awaken and encourage Sinners to ſeek to God for this priviledge. This Doctrine will ſerve to both theſe ends, and let me urge it in both reſpects.
1. Conſider, you are all of you by Sin become Guilty before God; all the world by nature are in this condition, Rom. 3. 19. Whatever other difference the Goſpel priviledges have made between ſome and others, which are great, and are not to be deſpiſed, but prized; yet herein all are alike. There is never a Child of Adam can excuſe himſelf from Sin; and Guilt is an inſeparable concomitant of Sin, according to the Law under which you are; that hath ſaid, Ezek 18. 4… The Soul that Sins, that Soul ſhall dy; and there is no man, whiles under the Law, that can exemp… himſelf from it.
2. Hence except your ſins are covered, you are undone; if Sin riſe up and appear againſt you, when you come to your trial, it will procure that Condemnation which will ruine you for ever, read the Sentence, and that will be enough to convince you of this, Mat. 25. 34. Depart … Curſed, &c. and is not he an undone man, … whom this muſt paſs? for as ſure as you are Creatures, ſo certainly will it be executed, if once it proceed from the mouth of the Judge againſt you.
3. There is no other way but this to have your Sin covered; you may ſeek to cover it ou… of ſight by your ſecrecy, but you cannot ſo pu… a blind upon the all ſeeing eye. You may endeavour to cover it with fooliſh pretences and excuſes, but he with whom you have to do is not ſo to be impoſed upon; or you may think to hide it under a Repentance and Righteouſneſs of your own, but the Covering will be too ſhort and too narrow; there is nothing but this Robe that can hide it out of Gods ſight; Paul therefore was afraid of being found in his own righteouſneſs, Phil. 3. 9.
4. There is yet an opportunity to obtain this. God hath provided this Garment, and makes offer of it to Sinners in the day of his patience and grace; and ſaith, if they will accept of it, he will beſtow it upon, and put it on them; this …s the great buſineſs of the Goſpel treaty, in which God, by the means, perſwades with men …o ſee their need of it, and the ſufficiency there is …n it, that they may be willing to accept of it. …eſus Chriſt will have Sinners to put him on, that their nakedneſs may not be ſeen, Rev. 3. 18.
5. When your Sin is thus coverd, God can be …oth juſt and forgive you; the Righteouſneſs of God is not baulked, but honoured in this way, … Joh. 1. 9. you may ſay, how can the Juſtice of the Law conſiſt with the forgiveneſs of my …ns? it is anſwered, and it is enough, they are …overed with the Robe of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs; God hath accepted that on your ſcore. Chriſt, … his Humiliation was under the imputation of …in, and Gods Juſtice took its ſatisfaction of him …r you, for he was made Sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. And now his Righteouſneſs becomes yours, the Law is ſatisfied, and your ſins hidden under that Satisfaction! Be then perſwaded of your need… and be not diſcouraged ſince he calls you. And here,
1. Be ſure to renounce your own Righteouſneſs if you are reſolved to have that for your cover Chriſt will not afford you his. Paul plainly int… mates the inconſiſtency of theſe, in Phil. 3. 9. an… tells us this was the reaſon why the Jews miſt … Gods Righteouſneſs, Rom. 10. 3. Say then th… your beſt are filthy rags, Iſa. 64. 6. reſolve th… your moſt ſpecious actions are unprofitable … the account of your Juſtification, and that yo… are naked without this Robe.
2. Be ſure then to get under the covert of th… Righteouſneſs of Chriſt by Faith; as God do… give us this Garment, of his Grace, and apply it … us by his Spirit, ſo we are to put it on by belie… ing. When we take hold on Chriſt by believing we ſo get under his Shadow, and his Righteou… neſs cloaths us; this then is your great buſineſs to believe on him; ſo will his Righteouſneſs b… come yours, and then you are cloathed.
USE III. Here is ground of Conſolatio… to the Children of God, under the deepeſt ſen… of their own Sins: And here,
1. This ſhould not hinder, but further yo… humbling ſenſe of them though God doth n… look on them, you ſhould. Soul abaſement f… Sin, and mourning by reaſon of it, belong … that Sanctification which we are all to purſue, if ſin be not made vile, and abaſing to us, by the apprehenſion of a pardon, we may queſtion whether we do rightly apprehend it.
2. But yet it ſhould comfort your hearts under this ſenſe. Conviction of ſin and Guilt joyned together will raiſe horrors in the Conſcience; whereas Conviction of ſin, and apprehenſion of a pardon, together with making us more vile in our own eyes, will afford a ſupport to us, and as the one humbleth us, ſo the other relieves us, and gives …s matter of conſolation; for,
1. Chriſt having caſt his skirt over you, your …ins are now for ever covered. When this Garment is thrown on us, it is never pluckt off again; … is one of thoſe Gifts of God that are without Re…tance: your Sins are now Sunk, and can riſe up …o more, they are hidden, and cannot be found again, …ough they ſhould be ſought for.
2. Hereupon his whole Righteouſneſs appears … the ſight of God for you. When God looks …pon you in him, he ſees all the perfect Obedi…ce of Chriſt as yours, and it is in the Law ac…ount as much as if you had perſonally perform…d it; for you are accepted in the Beloved, Eph. 1. … So that the vertue and efficacy of that Righte…ſneſs muſt needs derive to you.
3. Hence your eſtate ſhall be determined for …er according to that Righteouſneſs; the Judg…nt will paſs upon that ſcore, and how happy …e you then? for if Chriſt hath by it ſatisfied … Law for Sin, in bearing the penalties, and purchaſed the promiſed rewards by fulfilling all its precepts, all this ſhall be yours, and you muſt needs be happy.