(3.) What is the end of all church-order, assemblies, and worship? What is a church? Is it not a company of sinners gathered to- gether, according unto God's appointment, to give glory and praise to him for pardoning grace, for the forgiveness of sins, and to yield him that obedience which he requires from us on the account of his having so dealt with us? This is the nature, this is the end of a church. He that understandeth it not, he that useth it not unto that end, doth but abuse that great institution. And such abuse the world is full of. Some endeavour to make their own secular advantages by the pretence of the church ; some discharge the duty required in it with some secret hopes that it shall be their
468 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM cxxx. [Ver.4.
righteousness before God ; some answer only their hght and convic- tions in an empty profession. This alone is the true end, the true use of it: — We assemble ourselves to learn that there is forgiveness with God through Christ; to pray tliat we may bo made partakers of it; to bless and praise God for our interest in it; to engage our- selves unto that obedience which he requires upon the account of it. And were this constantly upon our minds and in our designs, we might be more established in the faith of it than, it may be, the most of us are.
6. One particular instance more of this nature shall conclude this evidence: — God Juith commanded us, the Lord Christ 1 Lath taught lis, to j^ray for the 2>CL'^'don of sin; which gives us unquestionable security that it may be attained, that it is to be found in God. For the clearing whereof observe, —
(1.) That the Lord Christ, in the revelation of the will of God unto us, as unto the duty that he required at our hands, hath taught and instructed us to pray for the forgiveness of sin. It is one of the petitions which he hath left on record for our use and imitation in that summary of all prayer which he hath given us: Matt. vi. 12, " Forgive us our debts," our trespasses, our sins. Some contend that this is a form of prayer to be used in the prescript limited words of it. All grant that it is a rule for prayer, comprising the heads of all necessary things that we are to pray for, and obliging us to make supplications for them. So, then, upon the authority of God, revealed unto us by Jesus Christ, we are bound in duty to pray for pardon of sins or forgiveness.
(2.) On this supposition it is the liighest hlasphemy and reproach of God imaginable, to conceive that tliere is not forgiveness Avith him for us. Indeed, if we should go upon our own heads, without his warranty and authority, to ask any thing at his hand, vve might Avell expect to meet with disappointment; for what should encourage us unto any such boldness? but now, when God himself shall command us to come and ask any thing from him, — so making it thereby our duty, and that the neglect thereof should be our great sin and re- bellion against him, — to suppose he liath not the thing in his power to bestow on us, or that his will is wholly averse from so doing, is to reproach him with want of truth, faithfulness, and holiness, and not to be God. For what sincerity can be in such proceedings? Is it con- sistent with any divine excellency? Could it have any other end but to deceive poor creatures? either to delude them if they do pray accord- ing to his command, or to involve them in farther guilt if they do not? God forbid any such thoughts should enter into our hearts. But, —
(3.) To put this whole matter out of the question, God hath pro- mised to hear our iwuyers, and in particular those which we make
Ver. 4.] EVIDENCE OF FORGIVENESS WITH GOD. . 4G9
mito him for the forgiveness of sin. So our Saviour hath assured us that wliat we ask in his name it shall be clone for us. And he hath, as we have showed, taught us to ask this very thing of God as our heavenly Father, — that is, in his name ; for in and through him alone is he a Father unto us. I need not insist on particular promises to this purpose ; they are, as you know, multiplied in the Scriptures.
What hath been spoken may suffice to establish our present argument, — namely, that God's prescription of religious worship unto sinners doth undeniably prove that with him there is forgiveness; especially considering that the principal j)arts of the worship so pre- scribed and appointed by him are peculiarly designed to confirm us in the faith thereof
And this is the design of the words that we do insist upon : " There is forgiveness with thee, that thou may est be feared." The fear of God, as we have showed, in the Old Testament, doth frequently ex- press, not that gracious affection of our minds which is distinctly so called, but that whole worship of God, wherein that and all other gracious affections towards God are to be exercised. Now, the psalmist tells us that the foundation of this fear or worship, and the only motive and encouragement for sinners to engage in it and give up themselves unto it, is this, that there is forgiveness with God. With- out this no sinner could fear, serve, or worship him. This?, therefore, is undeniably proved by the institution of this worship, which was proposed unto confirmation.