Evidences of Forgiveness, Continued
To the evidences already adduced, we add, Vil. God’s INSTITUTION OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP is another evidence that there is forgiveness with him. All the worship God has appointed to us, and all the honor which we thus render to his holy Majesty, rests on the same foundation, namely, a supposition of forgiveness; lG4i rORGlVENESS OF SIN.
nnd is appointed to teach it, and assure us of it. Hence observe,
1. That the general end of all divine and religious worship, is to raise to God a reve?iue of glory out of the creation. Such is Gods infinite self-sufficiency, that he stands in need of no such glory and honor. He was in himself no less infinitely and eternally glorious before the creation of any thing whatever, than he will be when he shall be encompassed with the praises of all the works of his hands. Such is his absolute perfection, that no honor given to him, no admiration of him, no ascription of glory and praise, can add anything to him. Hence, saith the Psalmist, ‘My goodness extendeth not to thee.” Psalm 16: 2. It doth not so reach thee, as to add unto thee to profit thee, as it may do the saints on earth. As in Job, 22: 2, 3, and 35: 7, “Can a man be profitable unto God, as a man that is wise may be profitable unto himself 1 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous, or is it gain unto him that thou makest thy ways perfect 1 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him, or what receiveth he at thine hand 1” And the reason of all this the apostle gives us, ‘^ Of him, and through him, and to him are all things.” Rom. 11: 36. Being the sovereign cause and the absolute end of all things, every way perfect and self-sufficient, nothing can be added to him. Or as the same apostle speaks, ‘’God that made the world, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, is not worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth unto all life, and breath, and all things. Acts, 17: 24, 25.
2. Wherefore all the revenue of glory that God will receive by his worship depends merely on his own voluntary choice and appointment. All worship, I say, depends now on the sovereign will and pleasure of God. It is true, there is a natural worship due from rational
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creatures, by the law of their creation. This was indispensably and absoliltely necessary at first. The very being of God, and order of things, required that it should be so. Supposing that God had made such creatures as we are, it could not be but that moral obedience was due to him: that he should be believed in, trusted and obeyed, as the first cause, the great end and sovereign Lord of all. But the entrance of sin, laying the sinner absolutely under the curse of God, utterly put an end to this order of things. Man was now to have perished immediately. But here, in the sovereign will of God, an interposition was made betvv’een sin and the sentence; and man was respited from destruction. All worship following this, even that which was before natural by the law of creation, is now resolved into an arbitrary act of God’s will.
All worship is designed to give glory to God. For, as God has said that he w’lW be sanctified in all that draw, nigh to him, that is, in his Vv’orship, and that therein he will be glorified. Lev. 10: 3, and that he that offereth him praise, that is, performeth any part of his worship and service, glorifieth him. Psalm 50: 23; so the nature of the thing itself declares that it can have no other end.
3. Consider, that God has not prescribed any worship of himself to Me angels that sinned. They are, indeed, under his power, and he useth them as he pleaseth, to serve the ends of his holy providence. Bounds he prescribes to them by his power, and keeps them in dread of the full execution of his wrath; but he calls them not, as he does us, to repentance and faith, to the exercise of love, fear, delight, and all those inward affections which are the proper worship of God. Such worship they entirely cast ofT from them in their first sin. Now, as God dealt with the angels, so also would he have dealt with mankind, had he left them all under the curse without remedy or hope of relief. As he eternally satisfies himself in the revenue of glory which arises to him in their punishment, so also he would have done with men had there been no forgiveness with him for them. He would not have required them to fear, love or obey him, or have appointed to them any way of worship whereby to express such aflections towards him. Wherefore,
4. It is evident that God, by prescribing worship to sinners, fully declares that there is forgiveness with him for them.
A contrary course would not become his infinite self-sufficiency, goodness and bounty. This the wife of Manoah well pleads: “If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a meat-oflering and a burnt oflerinc]^ at our hands.” Judo-es, 13: 23. His acceptance of worship from us is an infallible demonstration that he will not execute against us the severity of the first curse. This is clearly shown in the first record of solemn instituted worship performed by sinners, “God had respect unto Abel and his ofiering.” Gen. 4: 4. Some think that God gave a visible pledge of his acceptance of Abel and his ofiering; it may be, it was by fire from heaven: for how else should Cain so instantly know that his brother and his offering were accepted, but that he and his were refused 1 However it were, it is evident that what testimony God gave of the acceptance of his offering, the same he gave concerning his person; and that in the first place he had respect unto Abel, and then to his ofiering. And therefore the apostle saith, that thereby he obtained “witness that he was righteous,” Heb. 11:4, that is, the witness or testimony of God himself. Nou% this was in the forgiveness of his sin, without which he could neither be righteous nor accepted, for he was a sinner. This God declared by acceptance of his worship. And thus we also, if we have any testimony of acceptance of US in any part of his worship, should employ it to the same end. Hath God enlarged our hearts in prayer % hath he given us an answer to any of our supplications 1 hath he refreshed our hearts in the preaching and dispensation of the word, or any other ordinance 1 We are not to rest in the particular about which we have been communing with him. Our doing so is the cause why we lose our experiences. They lie scattered up and down, separated from their proper root, and so are easily lost. But this is wjiat we should do: improve such particular experiences in the worship of God to the confidence that God has pardoned our sins and accepted our persons; for without trust in him, none of our worship or service can please him or be accepted.
By prescribing worship, God lets us know that he deals with us upon new terms j so that, notwithstanding sin, we may enjoy his love and favor. For this we have the engagement of his truth, and he cannot deceive us; but by this command for his worship we should be deceived, if there were not forgiveness with him. For it gives us encouragement to expect, and assurance of finding acceptance with him, which without it cannot be obtained. This, then, God declares by his institution of worship, namely, that there is nothing that shall indispensably hinder those who give up themselves to the obedience of God’s commands, from enjoying his love and favor, and communion with him.
The matter of fact is known and confessed, that God hath appointed a worship for sinners to perform. All the institutions of the Old and New Testament bear witness hereto. God was the author of them. And men know not what they do when they either neglect them, or would be intermixing their own imaginations with them. What can the mind of man conceive or invent in his worship that may have any influence to secure to the souls of believers their acceptance with Godl Is there any need of their testiniony to the truth, faithfulness and goodness of God These things he has taken upon himself. This, then, should be fixed in our souls, on our first invitation to religious worship, that God will have a new revenue of glory from us, and therefore he declares that there is a way for the removing of our sins, without which we can give no glory to him by our obedience j and this is only by forgiveness.
5. There are some ordinances of worship appointed for this very end, to declare to us the forgiveness of sin j especially in the worship instituted by the Lord Jesus in the new testament.
Such is the ordinance of baptism. This was accompanied with the dawning of the Gospel in the ministry of John the Baptist. And he expressly declared, in his public ministry, that it was instituted of God to declare the remission of sins. Mark, 1: 4.
It is true, the Lord Christ submitted to that ordinance, pvho had no sin, and was baptized by John. But this belonged to the obedience which God required of him, as, for our sakes, he was made under the law. He was to observe all ordinances and institutions of the worship of God; not for any need he had in his own person of the especial ends and significations of some of them j yet as he was our divine surety and Mediator, standing in our stead in all that he so did, he was to yield obedience to them, that so he might ‘’ fulfil all righteousness.” Matt. 3: 15. So was he circumcised, so was he baptized; both which had respect unto sin, though absolutely free from all sin in his own person; and that because he had failed in no obedience to any command of God.
But, as was said, baptism itself, as appointed to be an ordinance of worship for sinners to observe, was a declaration of that forgiveness that is with God. It was so in its first institution. God calls a man in a marveliou3 and miraculous manner; gives him a ministry from heaven; commands him to go and baptize all those who, confessing their sins and professing repentance of them, should come to him to have a testimony of forgiveness. And as to the especial nature of this ordinance, he appoints it to be such as to represent the certainty and truth of his grace in pardon to their senses by a visible pledge. He lets them know that he would take away their sin, or spiritual pollution, and that by “the washing of regeneration” they shall be saved, as surely as Noah and his family were saved in the ark swimming upon the waters. 1 Peter, 3 i 21. Now, how great a deceit must, in this whole matter, have been practised upon poor sinners, if it were not infallibly certain that they might obtain forgiveness with God.
After the entrance of this ordinance in the ministry of John, the Lord Jesus Christ takes it into his own hand, and commands the observation of it to all his disciples, I inquire not now who are the proper immediate subjects of it; but this, I say, is certain, that in prescribing this ordinance to his church, the great intention of Christ was to ascertain to us the forgiveness of sins. And penitents are invited to a participation of this ordinance, as implying that they may receive the pardon of their sins. This is another engagement of the truth, and faithfulness, and holiness of God, so that we cannot be deceived in this matter. “There is,” saith God, “forgiveness with me;” saith the soul, “How, Lord, shall I know, how shall I come to be assured of it 1 for, by reason of the perpetual accusations of conscience, and the curse of the law upon the guilt of my fjin, I find it a very hard matter for me to believe. Like Gideon, I would have a token of it.” Why, behold, saith God,” I will give thee a pledge and token of it, which cannot deceive thee. When the world of old had been overwhelmed with a deluge of waters by reason of their
Forsriveness. 8 sins, and those who remained, though they had just cause to fear the same judgment would again befall them or their posterity, because they saw there was like to be the same cause of it, the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of men being still evil, and that continually; to secure them against these fears, I told them that I would destroy the earth no more with water j and I gave them a token of my faithfulness therein, by placing my bow in the cloud. And have I failed them 1 Though the sin and wickedness of the world has been, since that day, unspeakably great, yet mankind are not drowned again, nor ever shall be: I will not deceive their expectation from the token I have given them. Wherever, then, there is a word of promise confirmed with a token, never fear a disappointment. But so is this matter. I have declared that there is forgiveness with me; and, to give you assurance thereof, I have ordained this ordinance to cofirm my word, and take away all suspicion of your being deceived. As the world shall be drowned no more, so neither shall they who believe come short of forgiveness.”
The same is the end of that other great ordinance of, the church, the supper of the Lord. We have already shown the connection between gospel forgiveness and the death or blood of Jesus Christ. This ordinance, therefore, designed and appointed on purpose for the representation and calling to remembrance of the death of Christ, wdth the communication of its benefits to them that believe, doth principally intend our faith and comfort in the truth under consideration; and therefore, in the very institution of it, besides the general end before mentioned, which had been sufficient for our security, there is added an especial mention of the forgiveness of sin: for so speaks our Savior in the institution of it, for the use of the church to the end of the world, ‘^ This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for
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many, for the remission of sins.” Matt. 2G: 2S. As if he h.-vd said, ‘’ The end for which I have appointed the observance of this duty and service to you is, that 1 may testify thereby to you, that by my blood, the sacrifice of myself, and the atonement made thereby, I have purchased for you the remission of your sins, of which you shall assuredly be made partakers.”
And what is the end of all church order assemblies and worship? What is a church ] Is it not a company of sinners gathered together, according to 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 account of his having so dealt with us] This is the nature, this is the end of a church. He that understands it not, he that uses it not to that end, does but abuse that great institution. And of such abuse the world is full. Some endeavor to gain their own secular advantage through the church. Some discharge the duty required in it, with secret hopes that it shall be their righteousness before God. Some seek to hush their convictions by an empty profession. But the true end, the true use of worship is this: we assemble ourselves, to learn that there is forgiveness with God through Christ; to pray that we may be made partakers of it; to bless and praise God for our interest in it; to engage ourselves to the obedience which he requires on account of it. And were this constantly upon our minds, and in our designs, we might be m.ore 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 hath commanded us, the Lord Christ hath taught us, to pray for the pardon of sin, which gives us unquestionable security that it may be attained, that it is to be found in God. One of the petitions which our Lord has left on record for our use,
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in that sumrnriry of all prayer which he has given us, is, “Forgive us our debts, our trespasses, our sins.” Matt. 6: 11. Some contend that this is a form of prayer to be used in the prescribed words of it; all grant that it is a rule of 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 to us by Jesus Christ, we are bound in duty to pray for pardon of sins, or forgiveness.
On this supposition, it is the highest reproach of God to conceive that there is not forgiveness with him for us. Indeed, if we should undertake, without his warrant and authority, to ask any thing at his hand, we might well expect to meet with disappointment; for what should encourage us to any such boldness 1 But now, when God himself commands us to come and ask any thing from him, so making it our duty, and its neglect our sin against him, to suppose he has 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 sincerity. Could God thus deceive and delude his creatures ]
To put this whole matter out of question, God has promised to hear our prayers, and in particular those which we make to him for the forgiveness of sin. Our Savior has assured us, that what we ask in his name shall be done for us; and has, as we have showed, taught us to ask this very thing of God. But I need not insist on particular promises to this purpose; they are, as you know, multiplied in the Scriptures.
What has been said may suffice to establish our present argument, namely, that God’s prescribing religious worship to sinners undeniably proves that with him there is forgiveness. And the design of all this is to encourage poor sinners to believe, and show how inexcusable they will be if, through the power of their lusts
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ond unbelief, they still refuse to come to God in Christ, that they may be pardoned. Yea, the unfolding of this truth makes it plain why men perish in their sins. Is it for want of mercy, goodness, grace, or patience in Godl Is it through any defect in the mediation of the Lord Christ 1 Is it for want of the mightiest encouragements and most infallible assurances that with God there is forgiveness 1 Not at all, but merely on account cf their own obstinacy, stubbornness and perverseness: they will not come to this light; yea, they hate it, because their deeds are evil. They will not come to Christ that they may have life. It is merely darkness, blindness, and love of sin that brings men to destruction; and this is laid open, and all pretences and excuses are removed, and the shame of men’s lusts exposed, by the full confirmation of this truth, with which God has furnished us. Take heed, you that hear or read these things: if they are not mixed with faith they will add greatly to your misery. Every argument will be your torment.
.Moreover, if you will consider what has been now said concerning the nature and end of the worship of God, which you attend to, you may be instructed in the use and due observation of it. When you address yourselves to it, remember that this is what God requires of you as sinners; that this he would not have required, but with thoughts of mercy. Bless him with all your souls, that this is laid as the foundation of all your approaches to him. You are not utterly cast ofT because you are sinners. Let this support and warm your hearts when you go to hear, to pray, or to any duty of worship. Consider what is your principal work in the whole. You are going to deal with God about forgiveness, in the being, causes, consequences and effects of it. Hearken to what he speaks, declares or reveals about it; mix his revelation and promises with faith
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Inquire diligeiilly into all the obedience and thankfulness, all those duties of holiness and righteousness which he justly expects from those who are made partakers of it; so shall you observe the worship of God to his glory and your own advantage.
VIII. Another evidence of forgiveness with God may be taken from the making, establishing and ratifying of THE KEW COVENANT. That God Vv’ould make a new covenant with his people, is. often promised. See, among other places, Jer. 31: 31, 32; and that he has done so the apostle shows at large, Heb. 8: 9-12. Now, herein sundry things to our present purpose may be considered.
i. It is supposed that God had before made anoUur covenant with mankind. With reference to that which was before it, and which in comparison is called old, this is said to be new, as the apostle speaks expressly in the place cited. Now, a covenant between God and man is a thing great and marvellous, whether we consider the nature of it, or the ends of it: in its own nature, it is a convention, compact and agreement, for some certain ends and purposes, between the holy Creator and his poor creatures. How infinite, how unspeakable must be the grace and condescension of God in this matter! For what is poor miserable man, that God should set his heart upon him, that he should, as it were, give bounds to his sovereignty over him, and enter into terms of agreement with him! For, whereas before, he was a mere object of his absolute dominion, made at his will, and for his pleasure, and for the same reasons to be crushed at any time into nothing; now he has a foundation and ground given him to stand upon, expecting good things from God on account of his faithfulness and righteousness. God, in a covenant, gives those holy properties of his nature to his creatures, as his hand or arm, for them to lay hold of, and by them to plead and argue with him. And without this a man could have no foundation for any intercourse or communion with God, or for any expectation from him, or any direction how to deal with him in any of his concerns. Great and signal, then, was the condescension of God, to take his poor creature into covenant with himself.- And especially will this be manifest, if we consider the ends of it, and why it is that God thus deals with man. These are no other, than that man might serve him aright, be blessed by him, and be brought to the cverlaslitig enjoyment of him, all to his glory. These are the ends of every covenant that God takes us into with himself; and these are the whole of man. No more is required of us in a way of duty; no more can be required by us to make us blessed and happy, than what is contained in them. That we might live to God, be accepted with him, and come to the eternal fruition of him, is the whok of man; all that we were made for, or are capable of; and these are the ends of every covenant that God makes with man, being ail comprised in the solemn declaration that” he vrill be their God, and they shall be his people.’’
‘2. This being the nature, this the end of a covenant, there must be some great and important cause to induce God to change, alter and abrogate a covenant once made and established; to lay aside one covenant and to enter into another. And yet this the apostle says expressly that God had done, Heb. 8: 13, and proves it, because Himself calls that which he promised a new covenant; which undeniably confirms two things: Jii’st That the other was become old; and, secondly, That being become so, it was changed, altered, and removed.
7’/ie first covenant was good, holy and righteous. It was such as it became God to make, and as it was every way the happiness of the creature to accept. We need no other argument to prove it to have been holy and
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good, than that God made it. It was the effect of infinite holiness, wisdom, righteousness, goodness, and grace; and therefore in itself was every way perfect; for so are all the works of God. Besides, it was such that man, when through his own fault he cannot obtain any good by it, and must perish everlastingly by its curse, yet cannot but subscribe to its righteousness and holiness. The tenor of it is contained in the law, and saith the apostle, whatever becomes of the sin and the sinner, ‘’the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just, and good.” Rom. 7: 12. Holy in itself, as being the order and constitution of the most holy God. Just and equal vjhli reference to us; such as we have no reason to complain of or to repine against; and the terms of it are most righteous. It is good, and, notwithstanding the appearance of rigor and severity with which it is accompanied, had in it an exceeding mixture of goodness and grace, both in the obedience required in it, and the reward annexed to it.
In particular, it was good, holy, and righteous, in all its commands in the obedience it required. Its precepts were all suited to the principles of the nature of man as created by God, in acting according to which consisted his perfection. God in the first covenant required nothing of man, prescribed nothing to m.an, but what there was a principle for his doing it ingrafted and implanted in his nature, which rendered all those commands equal, holy, and good. And further, all its commands were proportionate to the strength and ablHty of those to whom they were given. God, in that covenant, required nothing of any man but what he had before enabled him to perform j nothing above his strength or beyond his power; and thence was it righteous. It was also exceeding good, in respect to its promises and rewards. Do this, suith the covenant; this which thou art able to do, which the principles of thy nature are fit-EVIDEXCES OF forgive:^:ess. 177
ted for, and inclined to. Well, what shall be the result 1 Why, do this and live j life is pronnised to obedience, and that such a life as, both for the present and future condition of the creature, was accompanied with every thing needful to make it blessed and happy. Yea, this life having in it the eternal enjoyment of God, God himself, as a reward, was exceedingly above whatever the obedience of man could require as due, or have any reason to expect, on any other account, but merely of his goodness.
There was pi’ovision in that covenant for the presei’vation a?id ?namfestatlo?i of the glory of God whatever was the event on the part of man. This was provided for in the wisdom and righteousness of God. Did man continue in his obedience, and fulfil the terms of the covenant! all things were laid in subserviency -to the eternal glory of God in his reward. In this would he for ever have manifested and exalted the glory of his holiness, power, faithfulness, righteousness, and goodness. As an almighty Creator and Preserver, as a faithful God and righteous Rewarder, would he have been glorified. On supposition, on the other hand, that man by sin and rebellion should transgress the terms and tenor of this covenant, yet God had made provision that no detriment to his glory should ensue. For by constituting a punishment proportionable in his justice to that sin and demerit, he had provided that the glory of his holiness, righteousness, and veracity in his threatenings, should be exalted, and that to all eternity. God would have lost no more glory and honor by the sin of man than by the sin of angels, which in his infinite wisdom and righteousness is become a great theatre of his eternal glory. For he is no less excellent in his greatness and severity, than in his goodness and power.
Wherefore, Vve may now return to our former inquiry. All things being thus excellently and admirably dis-
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posed of ill infinite wisdom and holiness in this covenant, the whole duty and blessedness of man being fully provided for, and the glory of God secured at all events, ‘what was the reason that God left not all things thus to stand or fall 1 Wherefore doth he reject and lay aside this covenant, and promise to make another 1 Certain it is, that he might have continued it with a blessed security to his own glory; and he makes “all tilings for himself, even the wicked for the day of evil.”
God himself shows what was the sole reason of this dispensation. Heb. 8: 7-13. The sum of it is this: notwithstanding the blessed constitution of the first covenant, there was no provision for the pardon of sin no room or place for forgiveness in it; but on supposition that man sinned, he was in that covenant left remediless. God kad not in it revealed that there was any such thing as forgiveness with him; nor had any sinner the least grounds of expectation of any such thing. Die he must, and that without remedy. Now, saith God, this must not be. Pvlercy, goodness and grace require another state of things; and therefore I will make another covenant with them, by which they shall know and find that there is forgiveness with me, that they m.ay fear me.
Now, next to the blood of Christ, whereby this covenant was ratified and confirmed, this is the greatest evidence that can possibly be given, that there is forgiveness with God. To what end else does God make this great alteration in the efTects of his will, in his way of dealing with mankind As forgiveness of sin is expressly contained in the tenor of the covenant, so, set it aside, and it will be of no more use or advantage than the former. For, as this covenant is made directly with sinners, (nor was there any one in the world when God made it, that was not a sinner; nor is it of use to any but sinners,) so is forgiveness of sins the very life of it.
Hence we may see two things: first, the greatness of forgiveness, that we may learn to value it; and, secondly, the certainty of it, that we may learn to believe it.
1. The greatness of it. God would not do so great a thing as that mentioned, but for a great end. Had it not been of the greatest importance to the glory of God and the good of the souls of men, Gcd would not, for the sake of it, have laid aside one covenant and made another. We may evidently see how the heart of God was set upon it, how his nature and will were engaged in it. All this was done that we might be pardoned. The old glorious fabric of obedience and rewards is levelled to the ground, that a new one may be erected for the honor and glory of forgiveness. God forbid that we should have slight thoughts of that which was so strangely and wonderfully produced, in vrhich God as it were embarked his great glory. Shall all this be done for our sakes, and shall we undervalue it] God forbid. God could, if I may so say, more easily have made a new world of innocent creatures, and have governed them by the old covenant, than have established this new one for the salvation of poor sinners; but tlieii where had been the glory of forgiveness 1 It could never have been known that there was forgiveness with him. The old covenant could not have been preserved and sinners pardoned. Wherefore, God chose rather to leave the covenant than that sinners should be unrelieved, grace unexalted, and pardon unexercised. Prize it as you prize your souls, and give glory to God for it, as all those that believe will do unto eternity.
2. Consider the security of this covenant, that we may believe it. What greater can be given God deceiveth no man, any more than he is deceived. And what could God, that cannot lie, do more, to give us satisfaction herein, than he has done 1 Would you be
made partakers of this forgiveness 1 Go to God, spread before him this whole matter, plead with him that he himself has so far laid aside the first covenant of his own gracious will as to make a new one; and that merely because it had no forgiveness in it. This he has made on purpose that it might be known that there is forgiveness in him. And shall not we now be made partakers of it 1 Will he now deny that to us, of which he has given such assurances 1 Nothing can here wrong us, nothing can ruin us, but unbelief. Lay hold on this covenant, and we shall have pardon. This God expresses, Isaiah, 27: 4, 5. Shall we continue on the old ground of the first covenant! All that we can do thereon is but to set thorns and briars in the way of God, to secure ourselves from his coming against us with his indignation and fury. Our sins do but this, and our righteousness is no better. And what will be the issue ] both they and we shall be trodden down, consumed, and burnt up. What way then, what remedy is left to usl Only this, of laying hold on the arm and strength of God in that covenant in wiich forgiveness of sin is provided. In this alone he saith, “Fury is not in me;” and the end will be that we shall have peace with him both here and for ever.
IX. The oath of God, engaged and interposed in this matter, is another evidence of the truth of forgiveness. But as this is annexed to the new covenant just considered, I shall pass it over the more briefly. We may consider,
1. The nature of the oath of God. The apostle tells lis that he sware by himself; and he gives this reason of it, because he could sv.^ear by no greater. Heb. 6: 13. An oath for the confirmation of any thing is an invocation of a supreme power that can judge of the truth that is spoken, and vindicate the breach of the engage-EVIDEi’CES OF FORGIVExNESS. 181
meiit. Go(], ‘’because he could swear by no greater, sware by himself.” God does this by express affirmation that he has so sworn by himself, which was the form of the first solemn oath of God, “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord.” Gen. 22: 16. The meaning of which is, ‘4 have taken it upon myself, as I am God; or let me not be so if 1 perform not this thing.” “The Lord of hosts hath sworn by himself,” Jer. 51: 14. God also does this by the especial interposition of some such property of his nature as is suited to give credit and confirmation to the word spoken; as of his holiness, ‘’Ihave suborn by my holiness.” Psalm 89: 35. So also Amos, 4<: 2. Sometimes by his life: ‘* As I live,” saith the Lord. In the Hebrew, ‘’I live,” saith God, it shall be so. Ajid sometimes by his name, Jer. 44:2-6. God, as it were, engages the honor and glory of the properties of his nature for the certain accomplishment of the things mentioned. This is evident from the manner of the expression, as in Psalm 89: 35. ‘* Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.”
2. The end or design of his oath. God doth not give it to make his word or promise steadfast, but to give assurance and security to us of their accomplishment. Every word of God is sure and certain truth itself, because it is his; and he might justly require of us the belief of it, without any further attestation. But yet, knowing what great objections Satan and our own unbelieving hearts will raise against his promises, at least as to our own interest in them, to confirm ouf minds, and to take away all pretence of unbelief, he interposes his oath in this matter. What can remain of distrust in such a case 1 If there be a matter in doubt between men, and an oath be interposed in the confirmation of what is called in question, it is to them, as the apostle tells us, an end of all strife. Heb. 6: 16.
How much more ought it to be so in respect to God, when his oath is engaged! And the apostle declares this end of his oath, it is to show the immutability of his counsel. Heb. 6: 17. His counsel was declared before in the promise; but now some doubt may arise whether, on one occasion or other, God may not change his counsel; or whether he has not changed it, with such conditions as to render it useless to us. In what case soever it be, to remove all doubts and suspicions of this nature, God adds his oath, manifesting the unquestionable immutability of his counsel and promises. What, therefore, is thus confirmed, is ascertained to the height of what any thing is capable of; and not to believe it is the height of impiety.
3. In this interposition of God by an oath there is ununspeakable condescension of grace which is both a great motive to faith, and a gfreat aofrravation of unbelief. For what are we, that the holy and blessed God should thus condescend, for our satisfaction and surety, to engage himself by an oath! It is an inestimable advantage that God should, for our sakes, engage himself by his oath. So it will be our misery, if we believe him not when he swears to us. What can we now object against what is thus confirmed What pretence or excuse can we have for unbelief 1 How just, how righteous, how holy is God in the destruction of those who, upon this strange, wonderful and unexpected warrant, refuse to set to their seal that God is true.
These things being premised, we may consider how vhriously God has engaged his oath that there is forgiveness with him. He svveareth that he hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he repent and live: ‘’As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner.” Ezek. 33: 11. Now, without forgiveness in him, every sinner must die, and that without remedy. Confirming, therefore, with his oath, that it is his will the sinner should return, repent, and live, he, in the first place, swears by himself, that there is forgiveness with him for those sinners that shall so repent and tarn to him.
Again, whereas the great means he has appointed for the forgiveness of sin is by the mediation of the Lord Christ, as we shall afterwards show, he hath, on several occasions, confirmed his purpose in him, and the counsel of his will by his oath. By this oath he promised him to Abraham and David of old, which proved the foundation of the church’s stability in all generations j and also of their security and assurance of acceptance with him; see Luke, 1: 73-75. And in his taking upon him that office, whereby, in an especial manner, the forgiveness of sins was to be procured, namely, of his being a Priest to oiTer sacrifice, to make an atonement for sinners, he confirmed it to him, and him in it, by his oath: “He was not made a priest without an oaih.” Heb. 7: 20. And to what end? namely, that he might be a “surety of a better testament,” ver. 22. And what was that ‘’better testament (” Why, that which brought along with it the forgiveness of sin, chap. 8: 12, 13. So that it was forgiveness which was so confirmed by the oath of God. Further, the apostle shows that the great original promise made to Abraham being confirmed by the oath of God, all his other promises were in like manner confirmed. Whence he draws that blessed conclusion which we have, Heb. 6: 17, 18. As to every one, saith he, that “flies for refuge to the hope that is set before him,” that is, who seeks to escape the guilt of sin, the curse and sentence of the law, by applying himself to God in Christ for pardon, he has the oath of God to secure him that he shall not fail. Thus does the oath of God testify to the forgiveness of sin ‘, which we have shown to be the highest security on this point that God can give, or that we are capable of receiving.
iS-t FORGIVENESS OF SIN.