Some relief men find by it in the common course of their conver- sation, in the duties of worship which they do perform, as also in their troubles and distresses, whether internal and of conscience, or external and of providence, so that they resolve to retain it.
And this is that which I shall briefly speak unto, and therein manifest the differences between this common prevaihng apprehen- sion of forgiveness, and ftxith's discovery of it to the soul in its power.
(1.) That which we reject is loose and general; not fixed, ingiaft- ed, or planted on the mint.!. So is it always where the minds of men receive things only in their notion and not in their power. It wants fixedness and foundation; which defects accompany all notions of the mind that are only retained in the memory, not implanted in the judgment. They have general thoughts of it, which they use as
Ver.4.] FALSE PEESUMPTIONS OF FORGIVENESS. S05
occasion serves. They liear that God is a merciful God, and as such they intend to deal with hiui. For the true bottom, rise, and foun- dation of it, — whence or on what account the piu'e and holy God, who will do no iniquity, the righteous God, whose judgment it is that they that commit sin are worthy of death, should yet pardon iniquity, transgression, and sin, — they weigh it not, they consider it not ; or, if they do, it is in a slight and notional way, as they consider the thing itself They take it for granted so it is, and are never put seriously upon the inquiry how it comes to be so; and that because indeed they have no real concernment in it. How many thousands may we meet withal who take it for granted that forgiveness is to be had with God, that never yet had any serious exercise in their souls about the grounds of it, and its consistency with his holiness and justice! But those that know it by faith have a sense of it fixed particularly and distinctly on their minds. They have been put upon an inquiry into the rise and grounds of it in Christ ; so that on a good and un- questionable foundation they can go to God and say, " There is for- giveness with thee." They see how and by what means more glory comes unto God by forgiveness than by punishing of sin ; which is a matter that the other sort of men are not at all solicitous about. If they may escape punishment, whether God have any glory or no, for the most part they are indifferent.
(2.) The first apprehension ariseth without any trial upon in- quiry in the consciences of them in whom it is. They have not, by the power of their convictions and distresses of conscience, been put to make inquiry whether this thing be so or no. It is not a persua- sion that they have arrived unto in a way of seeking satisfaction to their own souls. It is not the result of a deep inquiiy after peace and rest. It is antecedent unto trial and experience, and so is not faith, but opinion; for although faith be not experience, yet it is inseparable from it, as is every practical habit. Distresses in their consciences have been prevented by this opinion, not removed. The reason why the most of men are not troubled about their sins to any purpose, is from a persuasion that God is merciful and will pardon ; when indeed none can really, on a gospel account, ordinarily, have that persuasion, but those who have been troubled for sin, and that to the j^urpose. So is it with them that make this discovery by faith. They have had conflicts in their own spirits, and, being de- prived of peace, have accomplished a diligent search whether for- giveness were to be obtained or no. The persuasion they have of it, be it more or less, is the issue of a trial they have had in their own souls, of an inquiry how things stood between God and them as to peace and acceptation of their persons. This is a vast dif- ference. The one sort might possibly have had trouble in their
396 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM cxxx. [Ver. 4.
consciences about sin, had it not been for their opinion of for- giveness. This hath prevented or stifled their convictions ; — not healed their wounds, which is the work of the gospel ; but kept them from being wounded, which is the work of security. Yea, here lies the ruin of the most of them who perish under the preaching of the gospel. They have received the general notion of pardon; it floats in their minds, and presently presents itself to their relief on all occasions. Doth God at any time, in the dispensation of the word, under an afflic- tion, upon some great sin against their ruling light, begin to deal with their consciences? — before their conviction can ripen or come to any perfection, before it draw nigh to its perfect work, they choke it, and heal their consciences with this notion of pardon. Many a man, between the assembly and his dwelling-house, is thus cured. You may see them go away shaking their heads, and striking on their breasts, and before they come home be as whole as ever. " Well, God is merciful, there is pardon," hath wrought the cure. The other sort have obtained their persuasion as a result of the discovery of Christ in the gospel, upon a full conviction. Trials they have had, and this is the issue.