light : ' As many as are perfect must be thus minded,' Piiil. iii. 15 ; that is, walk up to the height of their light and principles ; and though in some cases profession may be forborne, and we may ' have faith to ourselves,' Rom. xiv. 22, yet not in times of public contest, and when we are solemnly called to give witness to truths ; and there- fore be not deceived with that pretence that there may be salvation in that way which you practise. As one^ argueth well, suppose you could be saved in that way which you acknowledge to be erroneous, yet how can it stand with love, to be guilty of such horrible contempt and ingratitude, as to be content that God may be dishonoured pro- vided that we may be saved ? (5.) Gross negligence, or not taking pains to know better, is equivalent to reluctation or standing out against liglit.^ There is deceit in laziness or affected ignorance ; men will not know that which they have a mind to hate ; it argueth a secret fear and suspicion of the truth ; men are loath to follow it too close, lest it cross their lusts and interests : John iii. 20, ' They will not come to the light, lest their deeds be reproved ;' so 2 Peter iii. 5, ' They are will- ingly ignorant.' Those that can please tliemselves in the ignorance of any truth, err not only in their minds but hearts ; it is the practice of God's people to be always searching, Ps. i. 2 ; Pkom. xii. 2 ; we should not only do what we know, but search that we may know more. (6.) Those that live and die in a lesser error about faith or worship, are saved with much difficulty, 1 Cor. iii. 13. The apostle speaketh of chaff and hay built on the golden foundation, and he saith that he that so doth, ' shall be saved as by fire ;' he loseth much of his com- fort and peace, is much scorched in spirit, and kept in a more dark, cold, and doubtful way.
Obs. 12. From that and shall hide. Justification consisteth in the covering of our sins. It is removed out of God's sight, and the sight of our own consciences, chiefly out of God's sight. God cannot clioose but see it as omniscient, hate it as holy, but he will not punish it as just, having received satisfaction in Christ : peccata sic velantur ut in judicio non revelentur — sins are so hidden that they shall not be brought into judgment, nor hurt us when they do not please us. Such like notions are elsewhere used : Ps. xxii. 1, ' Blessed is the man whose sin is covered.' It is an allusion to the covering of the dung of the Israelites. In their march they were to have a paddle tied to their weapon, that when they went aside to ease themselves, they might dig therewith, and cover that which came from them, that God might see no unclean thing among them, Dent, xxiii. 13, 14. So this ex- crement is covered, and the unsavoury filthiness removed out of the nostrils of justice. Suitable expressions are those of ' remembering our sins no more,' Isa. xliii. 25, and ' casting them behind his Ijack,' Isa. xxxviii. 17. God will remove them out of the sight of his justice. They are in their own nature clamorous for revenge, and earnest inducements to wrath ; but God will take no notice of them. There are yet higher forms of expression, of ' removing them as far as the east is from the west,' Ps. ciii. 12, which chiefly respects the feel- ing of our consciences. We dread them, and God will set them at
' Despaigne's New Observations on the Creed.
'^ ' (Jraaaa negligentia dolus cat.' — Jieyula Juristarum.
JaS. V. 19, 20.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 481
distance enough. >S(j of 'casting them int<; the deptlis of the sea,' Micah vii. 18. That whicli is in the depths of the sea is lost and for- gotten for ever. The ocean is never like to be drained or dried up. All these words doth the Lord use to persuade us that sins once par- doned are as if they were never committed. Men forgive, but not easily /orj/e^; if the wound be cured, the scar remaineth. But God accepteth as if there were no breach.
Obs. 13. From that a midtitude of sins. Many sins do not hinder our pardon or conversion. God's ' free gift is of many offences imto justification,' Rom. v. 16 ; and it is said, Isa. Iv. 7, ' He will multiply to pardon.' For these six thousand years God hath been multiplying pardons, and yet free grace is not tired and grown weary. The crea- tures owe a great debt to justice, but we have an able surety ; there is no want of mercy in the creditor, nor of sufficiency in the surety. It is a folly to think that an emperor's revenue will not pay a beggar's debt. Christ hath undertook to satisfy, and he hath money enough to pay. We are of limited dispositions, and therefore straiten the abundance of grace in our thoughts. But God is not as man, Hosea xi. 9. The master can forgive talents when the servant would not forgive pence ; and ten thousand talents, when we grudge at a hun- dred pence, Mat. xviii. 24, with 28. Mercy is a treasure that cannot easily be spent. We have many sins, but God hath many mercies : ' According to the multitude of thy compassions,' Ps. li. 2. When conscience is bowed down with a load of guilt, we may say, as Esau, ' Hast thou but one blessing, 0 my father?' Certainly mercy is an ocean that is ever full, and ever flowing. The saints carry loads of ex})eriences with them to heaven. Free grace can show you large accounts and a long bill, cancelled by the blood of Christ. The Lord interest you in this abundant mercy, through the blood of Christ and the sanctification of the Spirit ! Amen.