And this is the first ground ; from whence it appears that a real, solid discovery of forgiveness is indeed a great work; many difficulties and hinderances lie in the way of its accomplishment.
Ver. 4.] FALSE pkesumptionS of forgiveness. 393
False presumptions of forgiveness discovered — Differences between them and faith
evangelical.
Before I proceed to produce and manage the remaining evidences of this truth, because what hath been spoken Hes obnoxious and of)en to an objection, whicli must needs rise in the minds of many, that it may not thereby be rendered useless unto them, I shall remove it out of the way, that we may pass on to what remains.
It Avill, then, be said, " Doth not all this lie directly contrary to our daily experience? Do ye not find all men full enough, most too full, of apprehensions of forgiveness with God? What so common as ' God is merciful?' Are not the consciences and convictions of the most stifled by this apprehension? Can you find a man that is otherwise minded ? Is it not a common complaint, that men presume on it unto their eternal ruin? Certainly, then, that which all men do, which every man can so easily do, and which you cannot keep men off from doing, though it be to their hiu't, hath no such difficulty in it as is pretended/' And on this very account hath this weak endeavour to demonstrate this truth been by some laughed to scorn; men who have taken upon them the teaching of others, but, as it seems, had need be taught themselves the very "first principles of the oracles of God."
Ans. All this, then, I say, is so, and much more to this purpose may be spoken. The folly and presumption of poor souls herein can never be enough lamented. But it is one thing to embrace a cloud, a shadow, another to have the truth in reality. I shall hereafter show the true nature of forgiveness and wherein it doth consist, whereby the vanity of this self-deceiving will be discovered and laid open. It will appear in the issue, that, notwithstanding all their pretensions, the most of men know nothing at all, or not any thing to the purpose, of that which is under consideration. I shall, there- fore, for the present, in some few observations, show how far this delusion of many differs from a true gospel discovery of forgiveness, such as that we are inquiring after.
First, The common notion of forgiveness that men have in the world is twofold: — 1. An atheistical presumption on God, that he is not so just and holy, or not just and holy in such a way and manner, as he is by some represented, is the ground of their persuasion of for- giveness. Men think that some declarations of God are fitted only to make them mad; that he takes little notice of these things; and that what he doth, he will easily pass by, as, they suppose, better be- comes him. " Come, ' let us eat and drink, for to-morrow Ave shall die.'" This is their inward thought, " The Lord will not do good,
894 AX EXPOSITION UPOX PSALM cxxx. [Ver.4.
neither will he do evil;" which, says the psalmist, is men's thinking that God is such a one as themselves, Ps. 1. 21. They have no deep nor serious thoughts of his greatness, holiness, purity, severity, but think that he is like themselves, so far as not to be much moved with what they do. What thoughts they have of sin, the same they think God hath. If with them a slight ejaculation be enough to expiate sin, that then- consciences be no more troubled, they think it is enough with God that it be not punished. The generality of men make light work of sin; and yet in nothing doth it more appear what thoughts they have of God. He that hath slight thoughts of sin had never great thoughts of God. Indeed, men's undervaluing of sin ariseth merely from their contempt of God. All sin's concernments flow from its relation unto God ; and as men's apprehensions are of God, so will they be of sin, which is an opposition to him. This is the frame of the most of men, — they know little of God, and are little troubled about any thing that relates unto him. God is not rever- enced, sin is but a trifle, forgiveness a matter of nothing ; whoso Avill may have it for asking. But shall this atheistical wickedness of the heart of man be called a discovery of forgiveness? Is not this to make God an idol? He who is not acquainted with God's holiness and purity, who knows not sin's desert and sinfulness, knows nothiug of forgiveness.
2. From the doctrine of the gospel commonly preached and made known, there is a general notion begotten in the minds of men that God is ready to forgive. Men, I say, from hence have a doctrinal apprehension of this truth, without any real, satisfactory foundation of that apprehension as to themselves; This they have heard, this they have been often told ; so they think, and so they resolved to do. A general persuasion hereof spreads itself over all to whom the sound of the gospel doth come. It is not fiducially resolved into the gospel, but is an opinion growing out of the report of it.