Secondly, Others there are who have received it, but being again entangled hy sin, or clouded by darkness and temptations, or weak- ened by unbelief, know not how to improve it to their peace and comfort. This is the condition of the soul represented in this psalm, and which we shall therefore apply ourselves unto in an especial manner in its proper place.
Our exhortation, then, is unto both : — to the first, that they would receive it, that they may have life; to the latter, that they would imjjrove it, that they may have peace; — to the former, that they would not overlook, disregard, or neglect so great salvation as is ten- dered unto them; to the latter, that they would stir up the grace of God that is in them, to mix with the grace of God that is declared unto them.
I shall begin with the first sort, — those who are yet utter strangers from the covenant of grace, who never yet upon saving grounds be- lieved this forgiveness, who never yet once tasted of gospel pardon. Poor sinners! this word is unto you.
Be it that you have heard or read the same word before, or others like unto it, to the same jDurpose, — it may be often, it may be a liun-
516 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM cxxx. [Ver,4.
dred times, — it is your concernment to hear it again; God would have it so ; the testimony of Jesus Christ is thus to Le accomplished. This "counsel of God" we must " declare," that we may be "pure from the blood of all men/' Acts xx. 26, 27 ; and that not once or twice, but in preaching the word we must be " instant in season, out of season ; reproving, rebuking, exhorting with all long-suffering and doctrine," 2 Tim. iv. 2. And for you, woe unto you when God leaves thus speaking unto you ! when he refuseth to exhort you any more, woe unto you ! This is God's departure from any person or people, when he will deal with them no more about forgiveness; and saith he, "Woe to them when I depart from them!" Hos, ix. 12, O that God, therefore, would give unto such persons seeing eyes and hear- ing ears, that the word of grace may never more be sj)oken unto them in vain!
Now, in our exhortation to such persons, we shall proceed gra- dually, according as the matter will bear, and the nature of it doth require. Consider, therefore, —
First, That notwithstanding all your sins, all the evil that yom* own hearts know you to be guilty of, and that hidden mass or evil treasure of sin which is in you, which you are not able to look into ; notwithstanding that charge that lies upon you from your o\xn consciences, and that dreadful sentence and curse of the law which you are obnoxious unto; notwithstanding all the just grounds that you have to apprehend that God is your enemy, and will be so unto eternity; — yet there are terms of 2^ectce and reconciliation provided and proposed between him and your souls. This, in the first j^lace, is spoken out by tlie word we have insisted on. Whatever else it informs us of, this it positively asserts, — namely, that there is a way wliereby sinners may come to be accepted with God ;■ for " there is forgiveness with him, that he may be feared." And we hope tliat we have not confirmed it by so many testimonies, by so many evi- dences, in vain. Now, that you may see how great a privilege this is, and how much yoiu- concernment lies in it, consider, —
1. That this belongs unto you in an especial manner; it is your peculiar advantage.
It is not so with the angels that sinned. There were never any terms of peace or reconciliation proposed unto them, nor ever shall be, unto eternity. There is no way of escape provided for them. Having once sinned, as you have done a thousand times, God "spared them not, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkne;^s, to be reserved unto judgment," 2 Pet. ii. -l-.
It is not so with them that are dead in their sins, if but one moment past. Ah! how would many souls who are departed, it may be not an hour since, out of this world, rejoice for an interest
Ver.4.] EXHORTATIONS UNTO BELIEVING FORGIVENESS. 517
in this privilege, the hearing of terms of peace, once more, between God and them ! But their time is past, tlieir honse is left unto them desolate. As the tree falleth, so it must lie : " It is apjDointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment," Heb. ix. 27. After death there are no terms of peace, nothing but judgment. "The living, the living," he alone is ca2:»able of this advantage.
It is not so with them to whom the gospel is not po'eached. God suffers them to walk in their own ways, and calls them not thus to repentance. The terms of reconciliation which some fancy to be offered in the shining of the sun and falling of the rain, never brought souls to peace with God. Life and immortality are brought to light only by the gosjDel. This is your privilege who yet live, and yet have the word sounding in your ears.