Exhortation unto the belief of the forgiveness that is with God — Reasons for it, and the necessity of it.
We shall now proceed unto the direct uses of this great truth; for having laid our foundation in the word that will not fail, and having given, as we hope, sufficient evidence unto the truth of it, our last work is to make that improvement of it unto the good of the souls of men which all along was aimed at. The persons concerned in this truth are all sinners whatever. No sort of sinners are unconcerned in it, none are excluded from it. And we may cast them all under two heads:—
First, Such as never yet sincerely closed with the promise of grace, nor have ever yet received forgiveness from God in a way of believing. These we have already endeavoured to undeceive, and to discover those false presumptions whereby they are apt to ruin and destroy their own souls. These we would guide now into safe and pleasant paths, wherein they may find assured rest and peace.
Secondly, Others there are who have received it, but being again entangled by sin, or clouded by darkness and temptations, or weakened 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 improve it, that they may have peace; — to the former, that they would not overlook, disregard, or neglect so great salvation as is tendered 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 believed 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 purpose, — it may be often, it may be a hundred times, — it is your concernment to hear it again; God would have it so; the testimony of Jesus Christ is thus to be 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 hearing ears, that the word of grace may never more be spoken unto them in vain!
Now, in our exhortation to such persons, we shall proceed gradually, 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 your 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 own 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 peace and reconciliation provided and proposed between him and your souls. This, in the first place, is spoken out by the word we have insisted on. Whatever else it informs us of, this it positively asserts, — namely, that there is a way whereby sinners may come to be accepted with God; for “there is forgiveness with him, that he may be feared.” And we hope that we have not confirmed it by so many testimonies, by so many evidences, in vain. Now, that you may see how great a privilege this is, and how much your 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 darkness, to be reserved unto judgment,” 2 Pet. ii. 4.
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 in this privilege, the hearing of terms of peace, once more, between God and them! But their time is past, their house is left unto them desolate. As the tree falleth, so it must lie: “It is appointed 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 capable of this advantage.