3. It gives some life in and encouragement unto duty. And that, first, unto duty as duty. Eyeing God by faith, in such a fulness of grace, the soul cannot but be encouraged to meet him in every way of duty, and to lay hold upon him thereby; — every way leading to him, as leading to him, must be well liked and approved of. And, secondly, to all duties. And herein lies no small advantage. God is oftentimes found in duties, but in what, or of what kind, he will be
Ver.4.] EFFECTS OF FOEGIVENESS DISCOVERED. 421
found of any one in particular, is uncertain. This faith puts the soul on all: so it did the spouse in the parallel to that in hand, Cant. iii. 2-4. Now, what supportment may be hence obtained is easily apprehended, — supportment not from them or by them, but in them, as the means of intercourse between God and the soul.
From these effects of this discovery of forgiveness in God three things will ensue, which are sufficient to maintain the spiritual life of the soul : —
(1.) A resolution to abide with God, and to commit all unto him. This the word, as was observed, teaches us: "There is forgiveness with thee, and therefore thou shalt be feared;" — " Because this I found, this I am persuaded of, therefore I will abide with liim in the way of his fear and worship." This our Saviour calls unto, John xv. 4, "'Abide in me;' except ye do so ye can bear no fruit." So the Lord, representing his taking of the church unto himself under the type of the prophet's taking an adulteress in vision, doth it on these terms: Hos. iii. 3, " Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee." Now, this abiding with God intimates two things: — [1.] Oppositions, solicitations, and temj)tations unto the contrary. [2.] Forbearing to make any other choice, as unto that end for which we abide with God.
[1.] It argues oppositions. To abide, to be stable and permanent, is to be so against oppositions. Many discouragements are ready to rise up in the soul against it : in fears especially that it shall not hold out, that it shall be rejected at last, that all is naught and hypo- critical v\'itli it, that it shall not be forgiven, that God indeed re- gards it not, and therefore it may well enough give over its hopes, which seems often as the giving up of the ghost; [these] "will assault it. Again, oppositions arise from corruptions and temptations unto sin, contrary to the life of faith; and these often proceed to a high degree of prevalency, so that the guilt contracted upon them is ready to cast the soul quite out of all expectation of mercy. " I shall one day perish by these means," saith the soul, " if I am not already lost."
But now, where faith hath made this discoveiy of forgiveness, the soul will abide with God against all these discouragements and oppo- sitions. It will not leave him, it will not give over waiting for him. So David expresseth the matter in the instance of himself: Ps, Ixxiii. 2, " But as for me, my feet were almost gone ; my steps had well-nigh slipped:" and, verse IS, " Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain." But yet, after all his conflicts, this at last he comes unto, verse 26, " Though ' my flesh and my heart faileth,' yet (verse 28) ' It is good for me to draw near unto God ;' — I will yet abide
422 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Ver.4.
with God; I will not let go his fear nor my profession. Although I walk weakly, lamely, unevenly, yet I will still follow after liim." As it Avas with the disciples, when many, upon a strong temptation, went back from Christ, and walked no more with him, " Jesus said unto them. Will ye also go away?" to which Peter replies, in the name of the rest of them, " Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life," John vi. 66-68; — "It is thus and thus with me," saith the soul; "I am tossed and afihcted, and not comforted; little life, little strength, real guilt, many sins, and much disconsolation." "What then?" saith God by his word; " wilt thou also go away?" " No," saith the soul ; " there is forgiveness with thee ; thou hast the words of eternal life, and therefore I will abide with thee."
[2.] This abiding with God argues a forbearance of any other choice. Whilst the soul is in this condition, having not attained any evidences of its own special interest in forgiveness, many lovers will be soliciting of it to play the harlot by taking them into its embraces. Both self-righteousness and sin will be very importunate in this matter. The former tenders itself as exceeding useful to give the soul some help, assistance, and supportment in its condition. "Samuel doth not come," saith Saul, " and the Philistines invade me ; I will venture and offer sacrifice myself, contraiy to the law." The promise doth not come to the soul for its particular relief; it hath no evidence as to an especial intei'est in forgiveness. Temptation invades the mind : " Try thyself," says it, " to take relief in somewhat of thine own providing." A.nd this is to play the harlot from God. To this purpose self-righteousness variously disguises itself, like the mfe of Jeroboam when she went to the prophet. Sometimes it appeai-s as duty, sometimes as signs and tokens; but its end is to get somewhat of the faith and trust of the soul to be fixed upon it. But when the soul hath indeed a discovery of forgiveness, it will not give ear to these solicitations. " No," saith it ; " I see such a beauty, such an excellency, such a desirableness and suitableness unto my wants and condition, in that forgiveness that is with God, that I am resolved to abide in the gospel desire and expectation of it all the days of my life ; here my choice is fixed, and I will not alter." And this reso- lution gives glory to the grace of God. When the soul, Avithout an evidence of an interest in it, yet prefers it above that Avhich, witli many reasonings and pretences, offers itself as a present relicif unto it, hereby is God glorified, and Christ exalted, and the spiritual life of the sold secured.