Ver.1,2.] THE GRACE SUPPLIED IN THE COVENANT. 341
on any degree of them, such as their abounding imports. But it is that they shall not fall into their old sins, from which they were purged, verse 9, — such conscience -wasting and defiling sins as they hved in, in the time and state of their iinregeneracy. Thus, though there be, in the covenant of grace through Jesus Christ, provision made of abundant supplies for the soul's preservation from entangling sins, yet their administration hath respect unto our diligent attend- ance unto the means of receiving them appointed for us to walk in.
And here lies the latitude of the new covenant, here lies the exer- cise of renewed free-will. This is the field of free, voluntary obe- dience, under the administration of gospel gi'ace. There are extremes which, in respect of the event, it is not concerned in. To be Avholly perfect, to be free from every sin, all failings, all infirmities, that is not provided for, not promised in this covenant. It is a covenant of mercy and pardon, which supposeth a continuance of sin. To fall utterly and finally from God, that is absolutely provided against. Between these two extremes of absolute perfection and total apostasy lies the large field of believers' obedience and walking with God, Many a sweet, heavenly passage there is, and many a dangerous depth, in this field. Some walk near to the one side, some to the other; 5^ea, the same person may sometimes press hard after perfec- tion, sometimes be cast to the very border of destruction. Now, be- tween these two lie many a soul-plunging sin, against which no abso- lute provision is made, and which, for want of giving all diligence to put the means of preservation in practice, believers are oftentimes overtaken withal.
4. There is not in the covenant of grace provision made oi ordinary and abiding consolation for any under the giiilt of great sins, or sins greatly aggravated, which they fall into by a neglect of using and abiding in the fore-mentioned conditions of abounding actual grace. Sins there are which, either because in their own nature they wound and waste conscience, or in theh- eftects break forth into scandal, causing the name of God and the gospel to be evil spoken of, or in some of their circumstances are full of unkindness against God, do deprive the soul of its wonted consolation. How, by what means, on Avhat account, such sins come to terrify conscience, to break the bones, to darken the soul, and to cast it into inextricable depths, notwith- standing the relief that is provided of pardon in the blood of Christ, I shall not now declare ; that they will do so, and that consolation is not of equal extent v\dth safety, we know. Hence God assumes it to him- self, as an act of mere sovereign grace, to sjaeak peace and refreshment unto the souls of his saints in their depths of sin-entanglements, Isa. Ivii. 18, 19. And, indeed, if the Lord had not thus provided that great provocation should stand in need of special reliefs, it mioht
342 AN EXPOSITION uroN PSALM cxxx. [Ver.1,2.
justly be feared that the negligence of believers might possibly bring forth much bitter fruit.
Only, tliis must be observed by the way, that what is spoken re- lates to the sense of sinners in their own souls, and not to the nature of the thing itself. There is in the gospel consolation provided against the greatest as well as the least sins. The difference aiiseth from God's sovereign communication of it, according to the tenor of the covenant's administration, which we have laid do^vn. Hence, because under Moses' law there was an exception made of some sins, for wliich there was no sacrifice appointed, so that those who were guilty of them could no v/ay be justified from them, — that is, carnally, as to their interest in the Judaical church and polity, — Piiul tells the Jews, Acts xiii. 38, 39, that "through Jesus Christ was preached unto them the forgiveness of sins: and that by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses." There is now no exception of any particular sins as to pardon and peace ; but what we have spoken relates unto the manner and way wherein God is pleased to administer consola- tion to the souls of sinning believers.
And this is the evidence which I shall offer to prove that the souls of believers, after much gracious communion with God, may yet fall into inextricable depths on the account of sin ; Avhence it is that actually they oftentimes do so shall be farther declared.
The principles of this assertion are known, I shall therefore only touch upon them: —
First. The nature of indM^elling sin, as it remains in the best of the saints in this life, being a little considered, will evidence unto us from whence it is that they are sometimes surprised and plunged into the depths mentioned; for, —
1. Though the strength of every sin bo weakened by grace, yet the root of no sin is in this life wholly taken away. Liist is like the stubborn Canaanites, who, after the general conquest of the land, would dwell in it still. Josh. xvii. 12. Indeed, when Israel grew strong they brought them under tribute, but they could not utterly expel them. The kingdom and rule belongs to grace; and when it grows strong it brings sin much under, but it will not wholly be driven out. The body of death is not utterly to be done away, but in and l)y the death of the body. In the flesh of the best saints there " dwelleth no good thing," Rom. vii. 18; but the contrary is there, — that is, the root of all evil : " The flesh lusteth against the Spirit," as " the Spirit lusteth against the flesh," Gal. v. 17. As, then, there is a imiversality in the actings of the Spirit in its opi:»osing all evil, so also there is a universality in the actings of the flesh for the further- ance of it.