Sin and renewing us into the Image of God are obtained by the Gospel The Law is called the Law of Sin and Death which must be understood not as consider'd in it self but relatively to our depraved Nature The Law supposes Men in a State of uncorrupted Nature and was given to be a Preservative of our Holiness and Felicity not a Remedy to recover us from Sin and Misery It was directive of our Duty but since our Rebellion the Rod is turn'd into a Serpent The Law is hard and imperious severe and inexorable the Tenor of it is Do or die for ever It requires a Righteousness entire and unblemish'd which one born in Sin cannot produce in the Court of Judgment Man is utterly unable by his lapsed Powers to recover the Favour of God and to fulfil his Obligation by the Law to Obedience But the Gospel discovers an open easy way to Life to all that will accept of Salvation by the Redeemer The Apostle expresses the Difference between the Condition of the Law and the Gospel in a very significant manner Moses describes the Righteousness which is of the Law that the Man that does those things shall live in them but the Righteousness which is of Faith speaks on this wise Say not in thine Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above Who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring Jesus Christ again from the dead but what saith it The Word is nigh thee that if thou shalt confess with thy Mouth and shalt believe in thy Heart that God hath raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved The meaning of the Apostle is that things in Heaven above or in the Depths beneath are of impossible Discovery and Attainment so 't is equally impossible to be justified by the Works of the Law The anxious Sinner seeks in vain for Righteousness in the Law which can only be found in the Gospel It may be objected that the Condition of the Law and the Condition of the Gospel compar'd relatively to our deprav'd Faculties are equally impossible The carnal Mind and Affections are as averse from Repentance and receiving Christ as our Lord and Saviour as from obeying the Law Our Saviour tells the Jews Ye will not come to me that ye may have Life and no Man can come to me unless the Father draw him Which Words are highly expressive of our utter Impotence to believe savingly in Christ. But there is a clear Answer to this Objection the Difference between the two Dispensations consists principally in this The Law requires compleat and constant Obedience as the Condition of Life without affording the least supernatural Power to perform it But the Gospel has the Spirit of Grace a Concomitant with it by whose Omnipotent Efficacy Sinners are revived and enabled to comply with the Terms of Salvation The Spirit of the Law is stiled the Spirit of Bondage from its rigorous Effects it discover'd Sin and terrified the Conscience without implanting a Principle of Life that might restore the Sinner to a State of Holy Liberty As the Flame in the Bush made the Thorns in it visible without consuming them so the firy Law discovers Mens Sins but does not abolish them But the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus i. e. the Gospel has freed us from the Law of Sin and Death I will more particularly consider the gracious Terms prescribed in the Gospel for the obtaining Pardon Repentance towards God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The requiring of them is not an arbitrary Constitution but founded in the unchangeable Nature and Congruity of things Repentance signifies a sincere Change of the Mind and Heart from the Love and Practice of Sin to the Love and Practice of Holiness upon Evangelical and Divine Motives The principal Ingredients in it are Reflections with Grief and Shame upon our past Sins with stedfast Resolutions of future Obedience 'T is a vital Principle productive of Fruits sutable to it 'T is call'd Repentance from dead Works Repentance unto Life 'T is the Seed of new Obedience Repentance in order of Nature is before Pardon but they are inseparably join'd in the same Point of Time David is a blessed Instance of this I said I will confess my Transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin The Sum and Tenour of the Apostles Commission recorded by St. Luke is That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in the Name of Christ to all Nations That a repentant Sinner only is qualified for Pardon will be evident in considering 1. That an impenitent Sinner is the Object of revenging Justice and 't is utterly inconsistent that pardoning Mercy and revenging Justice should be terminated upon the same Person at the same time in the same respect 'T is said The Lord hateth all the Workers of Iniquity and his Soul hates the Wicked The Expression implies the intense Degrees of Hatred In the glorious Appearance of God to Moses when proclaim'd with the highest Titles of Honour The Lord God gracious and merciful pardoning Iniquity Transgression and Sin 't is added he will by no means spare the Guilty i. e. impenitent Sinners We must suppose God to be of a changeable flexible Nature which is a blasphemous Imagination and makes him like to sinful Man if an impenitent Sinner may be received to Favour without a Change in his Disposition God cannot repent of giving a holy Law the Rule of our Duty therefore Man must repent of his breaking the Law before he can be reconciled to him The Truth is Man consider'd merely as a Sinner is not the Object of God's first Mercy i. e. of Pity and Compassion for as such he is the Object of God's Wrath and 't is a formal Contradiction to assert that he is the Object of Love and Hatred at the same time and in the same respect But Man consider'd as God's Creature involv'd in Misery by the Fraud of the Tempter and his own Folly was the Object of God's Compassion and the Recovery of him from his forlorn wretched State was the Effect of that Compassion 2. Tho Mercy consider'd as a separate Attribute might pardon an impenitent Sinner yet not in Conjunction and Concord with God's essential Perfections Many things are possible to Power absolutely consider'd which God cannot do for his Power is always directed in its Exercise by his Wisdom and limited by his Will It would disparage God's Wisdom stain his Holiness violate his Justice to pardon an impenitent Sinner The Gospel by the Promise of Pardon to such would foil it self and frustrate its principal End which is to purify us from all Iniquity and to make us a People zealous of good Works 3. If an impenitent Sinner may be pardoned as such he may be glorified for that which qualifies a Man for Pardon qualifies him for Salvation and the Divine Decree establishes an inseparable Connexion between them
Thoughts than your Thoughts The Distance is so great between the Heavens and the Earth that the Sun so vast a Globe of Light seems to be of a small Circumference and the Stars of the first Magnitude tho many times bigger than the Earth appear like glittering Points of Light This Comparison is so convincing as may assist us in our Contemplation of his Mercy The Apostle saith God is rich in Mercy 'T is not said that he is rich in Substance tho the Earth be the Lord's and the Fulness thereof He is rich in his own Perfections not in external things 'T is not said God is rich in Power tho he is Almighty nor in Justice but in Mercy This signifies that of all the Divine Perfections none do shine so radiantly as his Mercy This reflects a Lustre upon his other Attributes His Goodness is the Foundation of his Glory He pardon'd ten thousand Talents to the Servant that was insolvent and his Treasure is unwasted I will consider the Extent of his pardoning Mercy and the Entireness of it 1. The Extent of it with Respect to the Number and Quality of the Sins that are pardoned 1 st The Number of them David after an attentive Consideration of the Purity and Perfection of God's Law breaks forth in a very great Anxiety Who can understand his Errors Who can enumerate the many Defections from that strait Rule of our Duty In many things we offend all We are obliged perpetually to obey and glorify God yet in every Action even in our religious Duties there are many Defects and Defilements that want Pardon How many Swarms of vain and unprofitable Thoughts of carnal covetous proud envious and revengeful Thoughts and Desires lodg in the Hearts of Men What a Torrent of idle sensual vain-glorious and passionate Words flow from their Lips How many thousand sinful Actions proceed from them When the inlightned Conscience seriously reflects upon our Sins of Omission and Commission how astonishing is their vast Number What a mountainous Heap appears They reach as low as Hell and rise as high as Heaven It would tire the Hand of an Angel to write down the Pardons that God bestows upon one penitent Believer 2 dly Divine Forgiveness extends to Sins of all kinds and degrees habitual and actual Tho no Sins are absolutely small being committed against the Majesty of God yet comparatively with respect to their Quality and Circumstances there is a manifest Difference between them Some are of a weaker Tincture some are of a deeper Die Some slightly wound the Conscience some waste it and let out its vital Blood Some do as it were whisper against the Sinner some cry for Vengeance Sins of Ignorance and Infirmity Sins of sudden Surreption that steal upon us without observing Sins by surprise of the Passions when there is no time to deliberate have extenuating Circumstances but Sins against Light wherein there is more of the Nature of Sin Sins against Mercies which in the Language of the Apostle are a despising of God's Goodness Sins against solemn Vows wherein Men break double Bands the Law of God and their sacred Ingagements Sins committed habitually and presumptuously as if God were ignorant or indifferent and unconcern'd or impotent and without Power to punish Offenders These Sins derive a greater Guilt and expose to a more terrible Punishment Now a gracious Pardon is offer'd in the Gospel to all Sinners whatever the Quality and Circumstances of their Sins be if they apply and address themselves to the Father of Mercy through the compassionate Mediator and forsake their Sins Of this we are assured from the most solemn Declaration of God to Moses The Lord is merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin The Promise is comprehensive of all sorts of Sins how manifold and mighty soever Besides to encourage us to repent and believe God promises Pardon for Sins of the fiercest Provocation Judah had violated the Marriage-Covenant with God by their impure Idolatries yet he offers to receive them Thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. Relapses into rebellious Sins argue a strong Propensity to them and exceedingly aggravate their Guilt yet God promises Pardon for them Return ye backsliding Children and I will heal your Backslidings There are eminent Instances of God's pardoning Mercy recorded in the Scripture The Apostle having enumerated many sorts of Sinners guilty of enormous Crimes Idolaters Adulterers Abusers of themselves with Mankind tells the Corinthians And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God There is one sort of Sinners excepted from the general Promise of Mercy those who sin against the Holy Ghost The Reason of the Exception is not that the Holy Spirit is superiour in Dignity to the Father and the Son for they are all coeternal and coequal but from his Operations i. e. the revealing the Truth and Grace of God in the Gospel Now the obstinate malicious contradicting the Truth of the Gospel shining in the Minds of Men and the perverse despising the Grace of the Gospel is unpardonable to infinite Mercy Those who are guilty of that Sin have transform'd themselves into the Image of the Devil and Salvation cannot save them But no others are excluded from Repentance and Pardon 2. As the Extent so the Intireness of Pardon offer'd to Sinners declares God's abundant Mercy 1 st The Pardon is as full as free according to his excellent Goodness The Imputation of the Fault ceases and the Obligation to Punishment is abolish'd We have clear Evidence of this from the Scripture God assures those who repent and reform Tho your Sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow tho they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wool Pardon is more than a Reprieve or Suspension of Judgment 't is a perfect Freedom from it A repenting Believer is as clear from the Charge of the Law as an innocent Angel There is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Our cleansing from the Defilements of Sin is imperfect therefore we must be always purifying our selves till we attain to absolute Purity but our Pardon is perfect 'T is irrevocable we are assured that as far as the East is from the West God removes our Transgressions from us As soon those distant Points may be united as Guilt may be fastned upon those whom God has pardoned The Prophet declares that God will subdue our Iniquities and cast them into the Bottom of the Sea From whence they can never rise God promises I will forgive their Iniquities and remember them no more Pardon is compleat and final 'T is the Misery of the Wicked they are condemned already they live by
and humbly accept of the Terms of Mercy 't is very pleasing to him We are assur'd by Jesus Christ who is Truth that there is Joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repents more than over ninety nine Persons that need no Repentance God himself declares with a solemn Oath that he delights not in the Death of a Sinner but rather that he should turn and live The Holiness and Mercy of God are two of his most Divine Perfections his peculiar Glory and Delight Now what can be more pleasing to that most pure and compassionate Being than to see a sinful Creature conform'd to his Holiness and saved by his Mercy If the internal Joy of God wherein he is infinitely blessed were capable of new Degrees it would rise higher in the Exercise of his forgiving Mercy There is a clear Representation of this in the Parable of the Prodigal At his Return his Father received him with a Robe and a Ring with Musick and a Feast the signs of Joy in its Exaltation But if Sinners are hardned in Obstinacy and notwithstanding God is so willing to pardon them are wilful to be damn'd with what Variety of Passions does he express his Resentment He incarnates himself in the Language of Men to make them understand his Affection to them Sometimes he expostulates with a tender Sympathy Why will ye die as if they were immediately falling into the bottomless Pit He expresses Pity mix'd with Indignation at their chosen Folly and Ruine How long ye simple ones will ye love Simplicity and Fools hate Knowledg What Reluctancy and Regret does he express against proceeding to exterminating Judgments How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee Israel How shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim Mine Heart is turned within me my Repentings are kindled together With what a melting Passion does the Son of God foretel the decreed Destruction of Jerusalem for rejecting their Saviour and Salvation When he came near he beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Like a mild Judg that pities the Man when he condemns the Malefactor Those who interpret some Expressions of Scripture that God laughs at the Calamity of the Wicked and mocks when their Fear comes and is inexorable to their Prayers in such a Sense as evacuates most gracious Declarations of God to induce Sinners to repent and believe for their Salvation they draw Darkness out of Light for those Threatnings are directed against obstinate Rebels that frustrate the most powerful Methods of Mercy and reject the Call of God in the Day of his Grace and by way of Retaliation their Prayers are ineffectual and rejected in the Day of his Wrath. And that he is so highly and irreconcileably provoked for their despising his Mercy is a certain Indication how highly he would have been pleased with their humble accepting it Let none then by a vile and wretched Suspicion that God's repeated Calls to Sinners to return and live do not signify his serious Will detract from the Glory of his Goodness and blaspheme his unspotted Holiness His excellent Greatness secures us of his Sincerity Why should the glorious Majesty of Heaven court despicable Creatures to be reconciled We are infinite Descents below him and no Advantage can accrue to him from us Temporal Princes may be swayed by Interest to send false Declarations to Rebels in Arms to reduce them to Obedience but what can the most High gain by our Submission or lose by our Obstinacy Counterfeit Kindness proceeds either from the Hope of some Good or the Fear of some Evil and of both God is absolutely uncapable We are all obnoxious to his severe Justice There is no occasion that he should intend by the gracious Offer of Pardon to aggravate the Sin and Sentence of those who refuse it Whosoever with Heart-breaking Sorrow and unfeigned Hatred of his Sins seeks for Pardon by the Mediator he shall find his Experience of sparing Mercy equal to the highest Expressions of it in Scripture and exceeding all his Thoughts 4. It appears that God is ready to pardon in that he is so slow to punish Tho all the Divine Attributes are equal in God and there is an intire Agreement between them yet there is a Difference in their external Operations St. John declares God is Love that signifies his communicative Goodness the Exercise whereof is more free and pleasing to him than the Acts of revenging Justice He does not afflict willingly the Children of Men. His Mercy in giving and forgiving flows as Water from a Fountain Acts of Justice are forc'd from him like Wine from the Grapes by the pressing Weight of our Sins In the first Day of Judgment a Saviour was promised before the Curse was threatned Notwithstanding sinful Men break his Laws and trample on them before his Face they resist and grieve and quench his Spirit yet he delays the Execution of Judgment that his Long-suffering may lead them to Repentance This will appear by considering that God's forbearing Sinners is not 1. For want of Discovery of their Sins Humane Justice may suffer a guilty Person to escape Punishment for want of clear Evidence but this Case is not incident to the Justice of Heaven God is Light with respect to his Purity and Omniscience His firy Eye pierces through the thickest Darkness wherein Sins are committed and all the Arts of Concealment used to cover them He sees all the Sins of Men with the Eye of a Judg All things are naked and open before his Eyes with whom we have to do Therefore 't is said God will require what is past and will observe what is to come in order to Judgment 2. 'T is not from a Defect of Power that the Wicked are spared Great Princes are sometimes hindred from the Exercise of Justice when the guilty Person is supported by a prevalent Party against them for the Power of a Prince is not in himself but in those who are his Subjects Thus David was constrained to spare Joab after the Murder of Abner because of his Interest in the Army the Sons of Zerviah were too hard for him he fear'd their rebellious Resistance But the Power of God is inherent in himself and depends upon no Creatures O Lord be exalted in thine own Power He fears none and is to be fear'd by all With one Stroke of Omnipotency he can destroy all his Enemies for ever He can with more Ease subdue the most stubborn Rebels than we can breathe His Strength is equal to his Authority both are truly infinite 3. The Guilty are spared sometimes from the vicious Partiality of Princes to their Favourites or a wretched Neglect of Justice But the high and holy King is without respect of Persons He hates Sin with a perfect Hatred and is angry with the Wicked