3. It supports unto luaiting in the use of all means for the attain- ment of a sense of forgiveness, and so hath its effect in the whole course of our obedience. " There is forgiveness with thee, that thou inayest be feared." To fear the Lord, is an expression comprehensive of his whole worship and all our duty. " This I am encouraged unto, in my depths," saith the psalmist, ''because there is forgiveness with thee. I will abide in all duties, in all the ways of thy worship), wherein thou mayst be found.'' And however it be for a while, the latter end of that soul, who thus abideth with God, will be peace.
Let us, then, nextly see by what ways and means it yields this supportment : —
1. It begets a likinj of God in the soul, and consequently some love unto him. The soul apprehends God as one infinitely to be de- sired and delighted in by those who have a share in forgiveness. It cannot but consider him as good and gracious, however its own estate be hazardous. Ps. Ixxiii. 1, 2, " Yet God is good to Israel, to such as are of a clean heart. As for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped ;" — " However the state stands with me, yet I know that God is good, good to Israel; and therewith shall I support myself" When once this ground is got upon the soul, that it considers God in Christ as one to be delighted in and loved, great and blessed effects will ensue: — (1.) Self-abhorrency and condemna- tion, with resignation of all to God, and permanency therein, do cer- tainly attend it. (2.) Still, somewhat or other in God will be brought to mind to relieve it under fain tings, some new springs of hope will be every day opened. (3.) And the soul will be insensibly wrought upon to delight itself in dealing with God. Though, in its own par- ticular, it meets with frownings, chidiugs, and repulses, yet this still relieves him, that God is so as hath been declared; so that he says, " However it be, yet God is good ; and it is good for me to wait upon him." Without this discovery the soul likes not God, and whatever it doth with respect unto him, it is because it dares do no otherwise, being overawed with his terror and greatness ; and such obedience God may have from devils.
2. It removes sundry overwhelming difficidties that lie in the soul's way before it close with this discovery of forgiveness ; as, —
(L) It takes away all those hlndxrances ihni were formerly insist- ed on from the greatness, holiness, and severity of God, the inexor-
420 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM cxxx. [Ver.4.
ableness and strictness of the law, and the natural actings of con- science rising up against all hopes of forgiveness. All these are hy this faith removed, and taken out of the way. Where this faith is, it discovers not only forcjiveness, as hath been showed, but also the true nature of gospel forgiveness ; it reveals it as flowing from the gra- cious heart of the Father, through the blood of the Son. Now, this propitiation in the l.)lood of the Son removeth all these dijfficulties, even antecedently unto our special sense of an interest therein. It shows how all the properties of God may be exalted and the law ful- filled, and yet forgiveness given out to sinners. And herein lies no small advantage unto a soul in its approaches unto God. All those dreadful apprehensions of God, which were wont to beset him in the first thoughts of coming to him, are now taken out of the way, so that he can quietly apply himself unto his own particular concern- ments before him.
(2.) In particular, it removes the overwhelming consideration of the unspeakable greatness of sin. This presseth the soul to death, when once the heart is possessed with it. Were not their sins so great, such as no heart can imagine or tongue declare, it might pos- sibly be well with them, say distressed sinners. They are not so troubled that they are sinners, as that they are great sinners ; not that these and those sins they are guilty of, but that they are great sins, attended "svith fearful aggxavations. Otherwise they could deal well enough with them. Now, though this discovery free men not from the entanglement of their sins as theirs, yet it doth from the whole entanglement of their sins as great and many. This consideration may be abstracted. The soul sees enough in God to forgive great sins, though it doth not as yet to forgive his sins. That great sins shall be pardoned, this discovery puts out of question. Whether his sins shall be pardoned is now all the inquiry. Whatever any faith can do, that this faith will do, unless it be the making of particular application of the things believed unto itself. The soul, then, can no longer justly be troubled about the greatness of sin; the infinite- ness of forgiveness that he sees in God will relieve him against it. All that remains is, that it is his own sin about which he hath to deal ; whereof afterwards. These and the like difiiculties are remov- ed by it.