on of the foul here mentioned, this feems to be their importance.

O Lord, although this must be granted, that if "thou fhouldft mark iniquities according to the tenor of "the law, every man living muft perifh, and that for "ever; yet there is hope for my foul, that even I, who "am in the depths of fin-intanglements, may find ac"ceptance with thee; for whilft I am putting my mouth "in the duft, if fo be there may be hope, I find that "there is an atonement, a propitiation made for fin, on "the account whereof thou fayeft thou haft found a "ransom, and wilt not deal with them that come unto "thee, according to the feverity and exigence of thy juftice; but art gracious, loving, tender, ready to forgive and pardon, and dost so accordingly; THERE 97 IS FORGIVENESS WITH THEE."

The following words, therefore thou shalt be feared, or that thou mayeft be feared, though in the original free from ambiguity, yet are fo fignally varied by interpreters, that it may not be amifs to take notice of it in our paffage.

The Targum hath it, That thou mayeft be feen. This anfwers not the word, but it doth the fenfe of the place well enough. God in his difpleafure is faid to hide fais himself, or his face, Ifa. viii. 17. The Lord bideth his face from the house of Jacob. By forgivenefs we obtain the light of his countenance, this difpells the darkness and clouds that are about him, and gives us a comfortable profpect of his face and favour. There is forgivenefs with thee, that thou mayet be feen. Befides, there is but one letter different in the original words, and that which is ufually changed for the other.

The LXX render them, vera u ovoμatós or, for thy name's fake, or thy own fake, that is, freely without any refpect untò any thing in us. This alfo would admit of a fair and found conftruction, but that there is more than ordinary evidence of the place's being corrupted. For the vulgar Latin, which, as to the pfalms, was tranflared out of the LXX, renders thefe words, propter legem

K

tuam,

tuam, for thy law's fake; which makes it evident, that the tranflator read the words ένεκα τῇ κόμη σε and not ὀνόματος, as now we read. Now, though this hath, in itself, no proper fenfe, for forgiveness is not beftowed for the law's fake,) yet it discovers the original of the whole miftake. nn The law differs but in one letter from

thou mayeft be feared, by a miftake whereof this Evenα To voμs, for thy law's fake, crept into the text., Nor doth this any thing countenance the corrupt figment of the Hebrew vowels and accents; as though this difference might arife from the LXX ufing a copy that had none, that is before their invention, which might occa fion mistakes and differences, for this difference is in a letter as well as the vowels, and therefore there can be no colour for this conceit, unlefs we fay alfo, that they had copies of old with other confonants than those we now enjoy. Bellarmine, in his expofition of this place, endeavours to give countenance unto the reading of the vulgar Latin, for thy law's fake, affirming, that by the law here, not the law of our obedience is intended, but the law or order of God's dealing with us, that is, his mercy and faithfulnefs; which is a mere new invention to countenance an old error, which any tolerable ingenuity would have confeffed, rather than juftified by fo forry a pretence. For neither is that expreffion, or that word, ever used in the fenfe here by him feigned, nor can it have any fuch fignification.

Hierom renders thefe words, ut fis terribilis, that thou mayeft be dreadful or terrible; doubtlefs not according to the intendment of the place. It is for the relieving of the foul, and not for the increafing of its dread and terror, thut this obtervation is made, There is forgiveness with thee.

But the words are clear, and their fenfe is obvious, Therefore thou shalt be feared, or that thou mayeft be feared.

By the fear of the Lord, in the Old Testament, the whole worship of God, moral and inftituted, all the obedience which we owe unto him, both for matter and

manner

manner, is intended. Whatever we are to perform unto God, being to be carried on and performed with reverence and godly fear, by á metonymy of the adjunct, that name is given to the whole. That thou mayeft be feared, then is, that thou mayeft be ferved, worshipped; that I who am ready to faint and give over, may yet be encouraged unto, and yet, continue in that obedience which thou requireft at my hands; and this appears to be fenfe of the whole verfe, as influenced by, and from thofe foregoing.

"Although, O Lord, no man can approach unto "thee, ftand before thee, or walk with thee, if thou, "shouldst mark, their fins and follies according to the "tenor of the law, nor could they ferve fo great and

holy a God as thou art; yet because I know from thy "revelation of it, that there is alfo with thee, on the "account of Jefus Chrift, the propitiation, pardon and forgiveness, I am encouraged to continue with thee, "waiting for thee, worfhipping of thee; when, without this discovery, I fhould rather chufe to have rocks and mountains fall upon me, to hide me from thy 66 prefence. BUT THERE IS FORGIVENESS WITH "THEE, AND THEREFORE THOU SHALT BE FEAR* ED."

The words being thus opened, we may take a full view in them of the state and condition of the foul expreffed in this pfalm, and that answering the experiences of all who have any thing to do with God, in and about the depths and entanglements of fin.

Having in, and from his great depths, ver. 1. addreffed himself with fervent redoubled cries, yea outcries to God, and to him alone for relief, ver. 1, 2. Having alfo acknowledged his iniquities, and confidered them according to the tenor of the law, ver. 3. he con'feffeth himself to be loft and undone for ever on that account, ver. 3. But he abides not in the state of felf-condemnation, and dejection of foul; he fays not there is no hope, God is a jealous God, an holy God I cannot ferve him, his law is a fiery law, which I cannot ftand

before, fo that I had as good give over, fit down and perish, as contend any longer! No; but fearching by faith, into the difcovery that God makes of himfelf in Chrift, through the covenant of grace, he finds a stable foundation of encouragement, to continue waiting on him, with expectation of mercy and pardon.

Propofitions or obfervations from the former expofition of the words.----The first propofed to confirmation.----No encouragement for any finner to approach unto God, without a difcovery of forgivenefs.

From the words thus unfolded, as they ly in their contexture, in the pfalm, the enfuing propofitions do arife.

PROP. 1. Faith's difcovery of forgiveness in God, though it have no prefent fenfe of its own peculiar intereft therein, is the great fupportment of a fin-perplexed foul.

PROF. 2. Gofpel-forgiveness, whofe discovery is the fole fupportment of fin-diftreffed fouls, relates to the gracious heart, or good will of the Father, the God of forgiveness, the propitiation that is made by the blood of the Son, and free condonation or pardon, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace.

PROP. 3. Faith's discovery of forgiveness in God, is the fole bottom of adherence to him, in acceptable worship and reverential obedience.

The first of thefe, is that whofe confirmation and improvement I principally aim at; and the other only fo far as they have coincidence therewith, or may be used in a fubferviency to the illuftration or demonstration thereof.

In the handling then of this truth, that it may be of

the

the more advantage unto them whofe good is fought, and intended in the propofal and management of it, I fhall fteer this courfe, and fhew,

FIRST, That there is not the leaft encouragement to the foul of a finner to deal with God without this difcovery.

SECONDLY, That this difcovery of forgiveness in God is a matter great, holy, and mysterious, and which very few, on gofpel abiding grounds, do attain unto.

THIRDLY, That yet this is a great, facred, and certain truth, as from the manifold evidences may be made to appear.

FOURTHLY, That this is a ftable fupportment to a fin-diftreffed foul, fhall be manifested, and the whole plied, according to the feveral concernments of those who fhall confider it.

FIRST, There is not the leaft encouragement for the foul of a finner, to entertain any thought of approaching unto God without this discovery. All the reft of the world, is covered with a deluge of wrath, this is the only ark whereunto the foul may repair and find reft, all without it, is darkness, curfe, and terror.

We have an inftance and example of it, beyond all exception, in Adam. When he knew himfelf to be a finner, and it was impoffible for him, as we fhall fhew afterwards, to make a discovery of any fuch thing as forgiveness with God, he laid afide all thoughts of treating with him, the best of his foolish contrivance was for an escape, Gen. iii. 10. I heard thy voice, faith he to God, in the garden, and was AFRAID, becaufe I was naked, and I HID myself. Nothing but, Tbou fhalt die the death, founded in his ears. In the morning of that day, he was made by the hand of God; a few hours before, he had converfe and communion with