It is not thus with them who have sinned against the Holy Ghost, though yet alive, and living where the word of forgiveness is preached. God proposeth unto them no terms of reconciliation. "Blasphemy against him," saith Christ, " shall not be forgiven," Matt, xii. 31. There is no forgiveness for such sinners; and we, if we knew them, ought not to pray for them, 1 John v. 16. Their sin is "unto death." And what number maybe in this condition God knov.'s.
This word, then, is unto you ; these terms of peace are proposed unto you. This is that which in an especial manner you are to apply yourselves unto ; and woe unto you if you should be found to have neglected it at the last day ! Wherefore, consider, —
2. By whom these terms are proposed unto you, and by whom they were procured for you. By whom are they proposed ? Who shall undertake to umpire the business, the controversy between God and sinners? No creature, doubtless, is either meet or worthy to interpose in this matter, — I mean, originally on his own account; for " who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor?" Wherefore, it is God himself who proposeth these terms ; and not only proposeth them, but invites, exhorts, and persuades you to accept of them. This the whole Scriptures testify unto. It is fully expressed, 2 Cor. v. 18-20. He hath provided them, he hath proposed them, and makes use only of men, of ministers, to act in his name. And excuse us if we are a little earnest with you in this matter. Alas! our utmost that we can, by zeal for his glory or compassion unto your souls, raise our thoughts, minds, spirits, words unto, comes infinitely short of his own pressing earnestness herein. See Isa. Iv. 1-4. Oh, infinite condescension! Oh, blessed grace! Who is this that thus bespeaks you? He against whom you have sinned, of whom you are justly afraid; he whose laws you have broken, and whose name you have dishonoured ; he who needs
C18 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Ver.4,
not 3''0U, nor your love, nor your friendship, nor your salvation ! It is he who proposeth unto you these terms of reconciliation and peace ! Consider the exhortation of the apostle upon this considera- tion: Heb. xii. 25, " See that ye refuse not hira that speaketh from heaven." It is God that speaks unto you in this matter, and he speaks unto you from heaven. And he doth therein forego all the advantage that he hath against you for your destruction. Woe would be unto your souls, and that for ever, if you should refuse him.
S. Bi/ whom were these te7^ms pi^ociired for you? and by what means? Do not think that this matter was brought about by chance, or by an ordinary undertaking. Remember that the proposal made unto you this day cost no less than the price of the blood of the Son of God. It is the fruit of the travail of his soul. For this he prayed, he wept, he suffered, he died. And shall it now be neglected or de- spised by you? Will you yet account the blood of the covenant to be a common thing? Will you exclude yourselves from all benefit of the purchase of these terms, and only leave your souls to answer for the contempt of the price whereby they were purchased?
4. Consider that you are sinners, great sinners, cursed sinners; some of you, it may be, worse than innumerable of your fellow-sin- ners were who are now in hell. God might long since have cast you off" everlastingly from all expectation of mercy, and have caused all your hopes to perish; or he might have left you alive, and yet have refused to deal with you any more. He could have caused your sun to go down at noon-day, and have given you darkness instead of vision. He could respite your lives for a season, and yet " swear in his wrath that you should never enter into his rest." It is now otherwise. How long it may be so, nor you nor I know any thing at all. God only knows what will be your time, what your continu- ance. We are to speak whilst it is called " To-day." And this is that for the present which I have to offer unto you : — God declai'es that there is forgiveness with him, that your condition is not despe- rate nor helpless. There are yet terms of peace proj)osed imto 3'ou. Methinks it cannot but seem strange that poor sinners should not at the least stir up themselves to inquire after them. When a poor man had sold himself of old and his children to be servants, and parted with the land of his inheritance unto another, because of his poverty, with what heart do you think did he hear the sound of the trumpet when it began to proclaim the year of jubilee, wherein he and all his were to go out at liberty, and to return unto his possession and in- heritance? And shall not poor servants of sin, slaves unto Satan, that have forfeited all their inheritance in this world and that which is to come, attend unto any proclamation of the year of rest, of the ac-