ment, and manifests the equity of the sanction of the law;-—it is an unrighteous thing, Herewith the conscience of the sinner is affected, if he be convinced of sin in a due manner. The original perfection of his nature consisted in this righteousness towards God, by ren- dering his due unto him in a way of obedience. This is overthrown by sin; which is therefore both shameful and ruinous: which dis- tresseth the conscience, when awakened by conviction.
The second is éwapric. This is properly a missing of, an erring from that end and scope which it is our duty to aim at. Li There is a certain end for which we were made, anda |. 125 Str certain rule proper unto us whereby we may attain it.
. And this end being our only blessedness, it is our interest, as it was in the principles of our natures, to be always in a tendency towards it. This is the glory of God, and our eternal salvation in the enjoy- ment of him. Thereunto the law of God isa perfect guide. To sin, therefore, is to forsake that rule, and to forego therein our aim
Tails adini- ais aUTOY,
172 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. VIII
at that end. It is to place self and the world as our end, in the place of God and his glory, and to take the imaginations of our hearts for our rule. Wherefore the perverse folly that is in sin, in wandering away from the chiefest good as our end, and the best guide as our rule, embracing the greatest evils in their stead, is émapria, rendering punishment righteous, and filling the sinner with shame and fear.
There is, thirdly, évouia. We have no one word in our language
f _ properly to express the sense hereof; nor is there so in
cas ee the Latin. We render it “transgression of the law.”
“Avowos is a lawless person; whom the Hebrews call “a
son of Belial,’—one who owns no yoke nor rule; and dvowia is a
voluntary unconformity unto the law. Herein the formal nature
of sin consists, as the apostle tells us, 1 John ii. 4, And this is that which in the first place passeth on the conscience of a sinner,
Wherefore, as all sorts of particular sins are included in these multiplied names of sin; so the general nature of sin, in all its causes and respects, terrifying the sinner, and manifesting the righteousness of the curse of the law, is declared and represented by them. And we may learn,—
Obs. XXX. That the aggravations of sin are great and many, which the consciences of convinced sinners ought to have regard unto.
Obs. XX XI. There are grace and mercy in the new covenant pro- vided for all sorts of sins, and all aggravations of them, if they be received in a due manner.
Obs. XXXII. Aggravations of sin do glorify grace in pardon. Therefore doth God here so express them, that he may declare the glory of his grace in their remission.
Obs. XX XIII. We cannot understand aright the glory and ex- cellency of pardoning mercy, unless we are convinced of the great- ness and vileness of our sins in all their aggravations.
(2.) That which is promised with respect unto these sins is two ways expressed: First, "IAews zoouos,—“ I will be mer- ciful.” Secondly, 08 uw wvnode ¢x4,—“I will remember no more.” It is pardon of sin that is intended in both these expres- sions; the one respecting the cause of it, the other its perfection and assurance. And two things are considerable in the pardon of sin:—
[1.] A respect unto the mediator of the covenant, and the propi- tiation for sin made by him. Without this there can be no remis- sion, nor is any promised. [2.] The dissolution of the obligation of the law binding over the guilty sinner unto punishment, These are the essential parts of evangelical pardon, and respect is had in these words unto them both:— »
Ist. "IAews, which we translate “ merciful,” is “ propitious,” “ gra- cious” through a propitiation.. But the ‘Lord Christ is the only
“Tasws troma.
i a)
VER. 18.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 173
iaorqpiov or “ propitiation” under the new testament, Rom. iii. 25; I John ti, 2. And he died éf¢ 7d ‘Adonecdas, to “ propitiate” God for sin; to render him propitious unto sinners, Heb. ii. 17. In him alone God is /Acws, “ merciful” unto our sins.
2dly. The law, with the sanction of it, was the means appointed of God to bring sin unto a judicial remembrance and * trial. Wherefore the dissolution of the obligation of i Hanon? the law unto punishment, which is an act of God, the supreme rector and judge of all, belongeth unto the pardon of sin. This is variously expressed in the Scripture; here by “ remembering sin no more.” The assertion whereof is fortified by a double negative. Sin shall never be called legally to remembrance. But the whole doctrine of the pardon of sin I have so largely handled, in the ex- position of Psalm cxxx., that I must not here again resume the same argument.’
VERSE 13.
°EY 7@ eye, Kouvjy, wemaralwne civ wparny rd 08 rurasodmevov xo? ynphonoy eyyds apaviomod.
Having in the foregoing verses proved in general the insufficiency of the old covenant, the necessity of the new, the difference between the one and the other, with the preference of the latter above the former,—in all confirming the excellency of the priesthood of Christ above that of Aaron,—in this last verse of the chapter he maketh an especial inference from one word in the prophetical testimony, wherein the main truth which he endeavoured to confirm with _ respect unto the Hebrews was asserted. It was their persuasion,