Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

143 cannot deceive or be deceived. It is impoffible it fhould be fo with him. Now, as this extends itself in general to all the words and works of God, fo there is peculiarly in this, whereof he treats rò duaráberov s Buns, an especial immutability of his counfel. Men may think, that although there be words fpoken about forgivenefs, yet it is poffible it may be otherwife; no, faith the apostle, it is fpoken by God, and it is impoffible he fhould lie. Yea, but upon the manifold provocations of finners he may change his mind and thoughts therein; no, faith the apostle, there is a peculiar mutability in his counfel concerning the execution of this thing, there can be no change in it. But how doth this appear, that indeed this is the counsel of his will? Why, faith he, he hath declared it by his word, and that given in a way of promife; which, as in its own nature it is fuited to raise an expectation in him or them to whom it is made or given, fo it requires exact faithfulness in the discharge and performance of it, which God on his part will affuredly anfwer. But neither is this all; but that no place might be left for any cavilling objection in this matter, px, he interpofeth himself by an oath. Thus we have this truth deduced from the veracity of God's nature, one of his effential excellencies, established in the immutable purpofe of his will, brought forth by a word of promife, and confirmed by God's interpofing himself against all occafions of exception, (fo to put an end unto all ftrife about it) by an oath, fwearing by himself that fo it fhould be. I have mentioned this only to fhew what weight the Holy Ghoft lays upon the delivery of this great truth, and thence how deeply it concerns us to enquire diligently into it, and after the grounds and evidences which may be tendered of it; which, among others, are thefe that follow.

[ocr errors]

Discovery of forgiveness in the first promife:---The evidence of the truth that lies therein.----And by the inftitution of facrifices.----Their ufe and end.---Alfo by the prescription of repentance unto finners.

The

[ocr errors]

144 Forgiveness discovered in the first Promife. Ver. 4.

The first discovery of forgivenefs in God, and which I place as the first evidence of it, was made in his first. dealing with our parents after their fhameful fin and fall. Now, to make it appear, that this is an evidence that carries along a great conviction with it, and is fuch as faith may fecurely rest upon, and close withal, the enfuing obfervations are to be confidered.

First, The first fin in the world, was on many accounts the greatest fin that ever was in the world. It was the fin as it were of human nature, wherein there was a confpiracy of all individuals, omnes eramus unus ille homo, in that one man, or that one fin, we all finned, Rom. v. 12. It left not God one fubject, as to moral obedience, on earth, nor the leaft ground for any fuch to be unto eternity. When the angels finned, the whole race or kind did not prevaricate. Thousands and ten thousands of them, and ten thousand times ten thousands continued in their obedience, Dan. vii. 10. But here, all and every individual of mankind, (he only excepted which was not then in Adam) were imbarked in the fame crime and guilt. Besides, it disturbed the government of God in and over the whole creation. God made all things in number, weight, and measure, in order and beauty; pronouncing himself concerning his whole work, that it was exceeding beautiful and good, Gen. i. 31. Much of this beauty lay in the fubordination of one thing to another, and of all to himself, by the mediation and interpofition of man, through whofe praises and obedience the rest of the creation, being made fubject unto him, was to return their tribute of honour and glory unto God. But all this order was deftroyed by this fin, and the very creation itself made fubject to vanity, Rom. viii. 20. On which, and the like accounts, it might be easily made to appear, that it was the greatest fin that ever was n the world.

Secondly, Man, who had finned, fubfcribed in his heart and confcience unto the righteous fentence of the law. He knew what he had deferved, and look. ed for nothing but the immediate execution of the fen

tence

tence of death upon him. Hence he meditates not a defence, expects no pardon, ftays not for a trial, but flees and hides, and attempts an escape, Gen. iii. 10. I was afraid, faith he, and hid myself; than which never were there words of greater horror in the world, nor fhall be until the day of judgment: Poor creature! he was full of the expectation of vengeance, due for a broken covenant

Thirdly, God hath newly declared, in the finning angels, what his juftice required, and how he could deal with finning man without the leaft impeachment of his government, holiness or goodnefs. See 2 Pet. ii. 4.

4. There was nothing, without God himself, that fhould move him in the least, so much as to fufpend the execution of his wrath for a moment; he had not done fo with the angels. All things lay now under wrath, curfe, confufion, diforder; nothing was left good, lovely, or defireable in his eye. As in the first creation, that which was first brought forth from nothing was (Heb.) without form and void, empty of all order and beauty; nothing was in it to induce or move God to bring forth all things in the glory that enfued, but the whole defign of it proceeded from his own infinite goodnefs and wisdom. So was it now again: There was an emptiness and vanity brought by fin upon the whole creation: Nothing remained that might be a motive unto a merciful restoration, but all is again devolved on his fovereignty. All things being in this ftate and condition, wherein all doors ftood open to the glory of God's juftice, in the punishing of fin, nothing remaining without him to hold his hand in the leaft; the whole creation, and especially the finner himself, lying trembling in expectation of a dreadful doom. What now cometh forth from him? the bleffed word which we have, Gen. iii. 15. The feed of the woman shall break the ferpent's head. It is full known, that the whole mystery of forgiveness is wrapt up in this one word of promife. And the great way of its coming forth from God, by

[blocks in formation]

the blood of the Meffiah, whose heel was to be bruised, is alfo intimated. And this was the firft difcovery that ever was made of forgiveness in God: By a word of pure revelation it was made, and fo faith must take it up and receive it. Now, this revelation of forgivenefs with God, in this one promife, was the bottom of all that worship that was yielded unto him by finners for many ages. For we fhewed before, that without this, no finner can have the least encouragement to approach unto him; and this will continue to the end of the world, as a notable evidence of the truth in hand, a firm foun dation for faith to rest and build upon. Let a finner feriously confider the ftate of things, as they were then in the world laid down before, and then view God coming forth with a word of pardon and forgiveness, merely from his own love, and thofe counfels of peace that were between the Father and the Son; and he cannot but conclude, under his greatest difficulties, that yet there is forgiveness with God that he may be feared. Let now the law and confcience, let fin and Satan stand forth, and except against this evidence; enough may be fpoken from it, whatever the particular cafe be, about which the foul hath a conteft with them, to put them all to filence.

SECONDLY, God revealed this facred truth by his inftitution of facrifices. Sacrifices by blood, do all of them refpect atonement, expiation, and confequentially forgiveness. It is true, indeed, they could not themfelves take away fin, nor make them perfect who came unto God by them, Heb. x. 1. but yet they undeniably. evince the taking away of fin, or the forgiveness of it, by what they did denote and typify. 1 fhall therefore look a little back into their rife and intendment.

First, The original and first spring of facrifices is not in the fcripture exprefly mentioned, only the practice of the faints is recorded; but it is certain, from infallible fcripture-evidences, that they were of God's immediate inftitution and appointment, God never allowed,

that

that the will or wifdom of man fhould be the fpring and rule of his worship. That folemn word, wherewith he fronts the command that is, the rule of his worship, thou shalt not make to thyfelf, which is the life of the command (that which follows being an explanation and confirmation of the law itfelf) by inftances cuts off all fuch pretences, and is as a flaming fword turning every way to prevent mens arbitrary approaches to God's inftitutions. God will not part with his glory of being the only law-giver, as to the whole concernment of his worship, or any part of it, unto any of the fons of inen.

Secondly, Neither is the time of their institution mentioned. Some of the papifts difpute (as there are a generation of philofophical difputers amongst them, by whom their tottering caufe is fupported) that there hould have been facrifices in paradife, if man had not finned. But as in all their opinions, our firft enquiry ought to be, what do they get by this or that, their whole religion being pointed unto their carnal intereft; fo we may in particular do it, upon this uncouth affertion, which is perfectly contradictious to the very nature and end of moft facrifices, namely, that they fhould be offered where there is no fin. Why, they hope to establish hence, a general rule, that there can be no true worship of God in any state or condition without facrifice: What then, I pray? Why then, it is evident, that the continual facrifice of the mafs is neceffary in the church, and that without it there is no true worship of God; and fo they are quickly come home to their advantage and profit; the mafs being that inexhauftible fpring of revenue, which feeds their pride and luft throughout the world. But there is in the church of Chrift an altar ftill, and a facrifice ftill, which they have rejected for the abominable figment of their mafs; namely, Chrift himself, as the apostle informs us, Heb, xiii, 10. But as the facrifices of beafts could not have been before the entrance of fin, fo it may be evidenced that they were inftituted from the foundation of the world, that is, presently after the en

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »