THE Title of this Psalm is A Psalm of Instruction ; and so called , because David was willing to shew them the way to Happiness from his own Experience . Surely no Lesson is so needful to be learned as this , We all would be happy . The Good and Bad , that do so seldom agree in any thing , yet agree in this , A desire to be happy . Now happy we cannot be but in God , who is the Only , Immutable , Eternal , and Alsufficient Good , which satisfies and fills up all the capacities and desires of our Souls . And we are debarr'd from access to him by Sin , which hath made a breach and separation between him and us ; and till that be taken away , there can be no converse ; and Sin can only be taken away by God's Pardon upon Christ's Satisfaction . God's Pardon is clearly asserted in my Text , but Christ's Satisfaction and Righteousness must be supplied out of other Scriptures : as that 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World to Himself , not imputing their Trespasses to them . Where the Apostle clearly shews , that not-imputing Transgressions is the effect of God's Grace in Christ . And we do no wrong to this Text to take it in here ; for , the Apostle citing this Scripture , Rom. 4. 6 , 7. tells us , that David describeth the blessedness of the Man unto whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without works , when he saith , Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven , whose Sin is covered : blessed is the Man to whom the Lord will not impute Sin .

In the words you have ,

1. An Emphatical setting forth of a great and blessed Priviledg , that is , Pardon of Sin .

2. A Description of the Persons , who shall enjoy it , In whose spirit there is no Guile .

The Priviledg is that I shall confine my thoughts to , It is set forth in three Expressions ; Forgiving Transgression , Covering of Sin , and not imputing Iniquity . The manner of speech is warm and vehement , and it is repeated over again , Blessed is the Man .

I shall shew what these three Expressions import , and why the Prophet doth use such vehemency , and emphatical inculcation in setting forth this Priviledg .

1. Whose Transgression is forgiven ; or , who is eased of his Transgression . Where Sin is compared to a burden too heavy for us to bear ; as also it is in other Scriptures , Mat. 11. 28. Come to me all ye that are weary , and heavy laden .

2. Whose Sin is covered ; alluding to the covering of filth , or the removing of that which is offensive out of sight . As the Israelites were to march with a paddle tied to their arms , that when they went to ease themselves , they might dig , and cover that which came from them , Deut. 23. you have the Law there , and the reason of it , ver. 14. — For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp : therefore shall thy Camp be holy , that he see no unclean thing in thee , and turn away from thee .

And then the third expression is , To whom the Lord imputeth no Sin ; that is , doth not put Sin to their account . Where Sin is compared to a Debt ; as it is also in the Lord's Prayer , Mat. 6. 12. Forgive us our Debts , as we also forgive our Debtors . Thus is the Act set forth .

The Object of Pardon , about which it is conversant , is set forth under divers Expressions , Iniquity , Transgression , and Sin . As in Law , many words of like import and signification are heaped up and put together , to make the Deed and Legal Instrument more comprehensive , and effectual . I observe it the rather , because when God proclaims his Name , the same words are used , Exod 34. 7. — Taking away Iniquity , Transgression , and Sin . Well , we have seen the meaning of the Expression . Why doth the holy Man of God use such vigor , and vehemency of inculcation , Blessed is the Man ! and again , blessed is the Man ; partly with respect to his own case . David knew how sweet it was to have Sin pardoned ; he had felt the bitterness of Sin in his own Soul , to the drying up of his Blood , and therefore he doth express his sense of Pardon in the most lively terms , Blessed is the Man whose Iniquity is forgiven , &c. And then partly too with respect to those for whose use this Instruction was written , that they might not look upon it as a light and trivial thing , but be throughly apprehensive of the worth of so great a Priviledg , Blessed , happy , thrice happy they who have obtained Pardon of their Sins , and Justification by Jesus Christ .

The Doctrine then which I shall insist upon is this , That it is a great Degree and Step towards , yea a considerable Part of our Blessedness , to obtain the Pardon of our Sins by Christ Iesus . I shall evidence it to you by these three Considerations .

1. The Necessity that lies upon us , being all guilty before God , to seek after our Justification , and the Pardon of our Sins by Christ . That it may sink the deeper into your minds , I shall do it in this Scheme or Method : First , a reasonable Nature implies a Conscience , a Conscience implies a Law ; a Law implies a Sanction ; a Sanction implies a Judge , and a Judgment-day , ( when all shall be called to account for breaking the Law ) and this Judgment-day infers a Condemnation upon all Mankind unavoidably , unless the Lord will comprimize the matter , and find out some way in the Chancery of the Gospel , wherein we may be relieved . This way God hath found out in Christ , and being brought about by such a mysterious Contrivance , we ought to be deeply and thankfully apprehensive of it , and humbly and broken-heartedly to quit the one Covenant , and accept of the Grace provided for us in the other .

1. A Reasonable Nature implies a Conscience : for Man can reflect upon his own Actions , and hath that in him to acquit or condemn him , accordingly as he doth good or evil , 1 Iohn 3. 20 , 21. Conscience is nothing but the Judgment a Man makes upon his Actions morally considered , the good , or the evil , the Rectitude or Obliquity that is in them , with respect to Rewards or Punishment . As a Man acts , so he is a Party ; but as he reviews and censures his Actions , so he is a Judge . Let us take notice only of the condemning part , for that is proper to our Case : After the Fact , the Force of Conscience is usually felt more than before or in the Fact , because before , through the Treachery of the Senses , and the Revolt of the Passions , the Judgment of Reason is not so clear . I say , our Passions and Affections raise Clouds and Mists , which darken the Mind , and do incline the Will by a pleasing Violence ; but after the evil Action is done , when the Affection ceaseth , then Guilt flasheth in the face of Conscience . As Iudas , whose Heart lay asleep all the while he was going on in his villany , but afterwards it fell upon him , Thou hast sinned in betraying innocent Blood . When the Affections are satisfied , and give place to Reason that was before condemned , and Reason takes the Throne again , it hath the more force to affect us with Grief and Fear , whilst it strikes through the Heart of a Man with a sharp sentence of Reproof for obeying Appetite before Reason . Now this Conscience of Sin may be choak'd and smother'd for a while , but the Flame will break forth ; and our hidden Fears are easily revived and awakened , except we get our Pardon and Discharge . A Reasonable Nature implies a Conscience .

2. A Conscience implies a Law , by which Good and Evil are distinguished ; for if we make Conscience of any thing , it must be by virtue of some Law or Obligation from God , who is our Maker and Governour , and unto whom we are accountable , and whose Authority giveth a force and warrant to the Warnings and Checks of Conscience , without which they would be weak and ineffectual , and all the Hopes and Fears they stir up in us would be vain Fancies and fond Surmises . I need not insist upon this , a Conscience implies a Law . The Heathens had a Law , because they had a Conscience ; Rom. 2. 15. Which shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts , their Conscience also bearing witness , and their Thoughts the mean while accusing , or else excusing one another . They have a Conscience doth accuse or excuse , doth require according to the tenor of the Law . So when the Apostle speaks of those Stings of Conscience that are revived in us by the approach of Death , he saith , 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of Death is Sin , and the strength of Sin is the Law . Those Stings which Men feel in a death-threatning Sickness , are not the Fruits of their Disease , but justified by the highest Reason , they come from a Sense of Sin , and this Sense is strengthned and increased in us by the Law of God , from whence Conscience receives all its force .

3. A Law implies a Sanction , or a Confirmation by Penalties and Rewards : for otherwise it is but an arbitrary Rule or Direction , which we might slight or disregard without any great loss or danger . No , the Law is armed with a dreadful Curse against all those that disobey it . There is no dallying with God , he hath set Life and Death before us ; Life and Good , Death and Evil , Deut. 30. 15. Now the Precept that is the Rule of our Duty , and the Sanction is the Rule of God's Process , what God will do , or might do , and what we have deserved should be done to us . The one shews what is due from us to God , and the other what may justly be expected at God's hands ; therefore before the Penalty be executed , it concerns us to get a Pardon . The Scripture represents God as angry with the Wicked every day , standing continually with his Bow ready , with his Arrow upon the String , as ready to let fly , with his Sword not only drawn but whetted , as if he were just about to strike , if we turn not . Psal. 7. 11 , 12 , 13.

4. A Sanction implies a Iudg , who will take cognizance of the keeping or breaking of this Law : for otherwise the sanction or penalty were but a vain scare-crow , if there were no person to look after it . God that is our Maker and Governour , is our Judg. Would he appoint penalties for the breach of his Law , and never reckon with us for our offences , is a thought so unreasonable , so much against the sense of Conscience , against God's daily Providence , against Scripture , which every-where ( in order to this , to quicken us to seek forgiveness of Sins ) represents God as a Judg. Conscience is afraid of an invisible Judg , who will call us to account for what we have done . The Apostle tells us , ( Rom. 1. ult. ) the Heathen knew the Iudgment of God , and that they that have done such things as they have done are worthy of death . And Providence shews us there is such a Judg , that looks after the keeping and breaking of his Law , hath owned every part of it from Heaven by the Judgments he executes . Rom. 1. 18. The Wrath of God is reveal'd from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men ; hath owned either Table , by punishing sometimes the Ungodliness , and sometimes the Unrighteousness of the World ; nay every notable breach by way of Omission or Commission ; the Apostle saith , every Transgression , and every Disobedience : these two words signifie Sins of Omission or Commission , it hath been punished , and God hath owned his Law , that it is a firm authentick Rule . And the Scripture also usually makes use of this Notion , or Argument of a Judge , to quicken us to look after the pardon of our Sins ; Act. 10. 42 , 43. And he hath commanded us to preach , and testify to the People , that it is he that was ordained of God to be the Iudge of the quick and dead . To Him give all the Prophets witness , that through his Name , whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of Sins . So Acts 3. 19 , 20 , 21. Surely we that are to appear before the Bar of an Impartial Judge , being so obnoxious to him for the breach of his holy Law , what have we to do but to make supplication to our Judge , and prevent Execution by a submissive asking of a Pardon , and accepting the Grace God hath provided .

5. A Iudge implies a Iudgment-day , or some Time when his Justice must have a solemn Trial , when he will reckon with the lapsed World . He reckons sometimes with Nations now , for Ungodliness and Unrighteousness , by Wars , and Pestilence , and Famine . He reckons with particular Persons at their Death , and when their Work is done he pays them their Wages . Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for all Men once to dye , and after that the Iudgment . But there is a more general and final Judgment , when his Justice must have a solemn Tryal , which is in part evident in Nature : for the Apostles did slide in the Christian Doctrine mostly by this means into the Hearts of those to whom they preached ; Acts 24. 25. He reasoned of Righteousness , Temperance , and Iudgment to come . The particularity of it belongs to the Gospel-Revelation ; but Nature hath some kind of Sense of it in it self , and they are urged to repent ; because God hath appointed a Day wherein he will judge the World in Righteousness , by the Man whom he hath ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men , in that he hath raised him from the dead , Acts 17. 31. God judgeth the World in Patience now , but then in Righteousness , when all things shall be reviewed , and every thing restored ; Vertue to its publick Honour , and Vice to its due Shame .

6. If there be a Solemn Iudgment-day , when every one must receive his final Doom , this Judgment certainly infers a Condemnation to a fallen Creature , unless God set up another Court for his Relief ; for now Man is utterly disinabled by Sin to fullfil the Law , and can by no means avoid the Punishment that is due to his Transgression . I shall prove this by three Reasons ; The Law to fallen Man is Impossible , the Penalty is Intolerable , and the Punishment , for ought yet appears , if God do not take another Course , is Unavoidable .

1. The Duty of the Law is impossible . The Apostle tells us , what the Law could not do , in that it was weak through the weakness of our flesh ; It could not justify us before God , it could not furnish us with any Answer to his Demands , when he shall call us to an Account . Man is mightily addicted to the Legal Covenant , therefore it is one part of a Gospel-Minister's work to represent the Impossibility of ever obtaining Grace or Life by that Covenant . Man would stick to the Law as long as he can , and will patch up a sorry Righteousness of his own , some few superficial things . He makes a short Exposition of the Law , that he may cherish a large Opinion of his own Righteousness ; and curtails the Law of God , that the Ell may be no longer than the Cloth , and brings it down to a poor contemptible thing , requiring a few external superficial Duties of Men. We read often of being dead to Sin , and to the World , it is as certainly true we must be dead to the Law . Now how are we dead to the Law , the Scripture tells us in one place , that through the Law we are dead to the Law ; and in another place , that we are dead to the Law through the Body of Christ : The first place is Gal. 2. 19. Through the Law I am dead to the Law . Men are apt to stand to the Legal Covenant , and have their Confidence in the Flesh , to place their Hopes of acceptance with God in some few external things , which they make their false Righteousness . For the carnal World as it cryes up a false Happiness as its God , so Men have a false Righteousness which is their Christ . Now through the Law they are dead to it : How ? The Law supposeth us as innocent , and requires us to continue so , Cursed is every one that continues not in every thing , &c. Suppose a Man should exactly fulfill it afterwards , yet the paying of new Debts will not quit old Scores . And then we are dead to the Law by the Body of Christ , Rom. 7. 4. By the crucified Body of Christ , by which he hath merited and purchased a better Hope and Grace for us . — Well , the Duty is impossible .

2. The Penalty is intolerable , for who can stand when God is angry ? Ezek. 22. 14. Can thine Heart endure , or can thine Hands be strong , in the Day that I shall deal with thee ? We that cannot endure the pain of the Gout or Stone , how shall we endure the eternal Wrath of God ? It is surely a very dreadful thing to fall into the Hands of that living God , that lives for every to punish the Transgressors of his Law .

3. The Punishment is unavoidable , unless Sin be pardoned , and you submit to God's way : for I would ask you , what Hope can you have in God , whose Nature ingageth him to hate Sin , and whose Justice obligeth him to punish it ?

( 1. ) Whose Nature ingageth him to hate Sin and Sinners . Hab. 1. 13. He is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity . I urge this for a doubleReason , partly because I have observed , that all the Security of Sinners , and their Neglect of seeking after Pardon by Jesus Christ , it comes from their lessening thoughts of God's holiness ; and if their Hearts were sufficiently possessed with an awe of God's unspotted Purity and Holiness , they would more look after the Terms of Grace God hath provided . Psal 50. 21. Thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy self . Why do Men live securely in their Sins , and do not break off their evil Course ? They think God is not so severe and harsh , and so all their Confidence is grounded upon a Mistake of God's Nature , and such a dreadful Mistake as amounts to a Blasphemy ; Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self . The other Reason is this , partly because I observe the bottom Reason of all the Fear that is in the Hearts of Men is God's Holiness . 1 Sam. 6. 20. Who is able to stand before this holy God ? And , Who would not fear thee , for thou art holy ? Rev. 15. 4. We fear his Power ; why ? because it is set on work by his Wrath. We fear his Wrath ; why ? because it is kindled by his Justice and Righteousness . We fear his Righteousness , because it is bottom'd and grounded upon his Holiness , and upon the Purity of his Nature .

( 2. ) His Justice obligeth him to punish Sin , that the Law might not seem to be made in vain . It concerns the Universal Judge to maintain the Reputation of his Justice in reference to Men , and to appear to them still as a Righteous God : Gen. 18. 25. Shall not the Iudge of all the Earth do right ? And Rom. 3. 5 , 6. Is God unrighteous to take Vengeance ? how then shall he judge the World ? These Scriptures imply , that if there were the least Blemish , if you could suppose he should fail in point of Righteousness , this were to be denyed , that God should be the Judge of the World . Therefore God's Righteousness and Justice , which gives to every one their due , must shine in its proper place , he will give Vengeance to whom Vengeance is due , and Blessing to whom Blessing belongs . In our Case Punishment belongs to us , and what can we expect from this God but Wrath and eternal Destruction ? Therefore if all this be so , if a Conscience suppose a Law , a Law a Sanction , a Sanction a Judge , a Judge some time when his Justice must have a Solemn Tryal , and this will necessarily infer Condemnation to a fallen Creature ; What then shall we do ?

7. From this Condemnation there is no Escape , unless God set up another Court and Chancery of the Gospel , where condemned Sinners may be taken to Mercy , and their Sins forgiven , and they justified and accepted unto Grace and Life , upon Terms that may salve God's Honour and Government over Mankind . There is a great deal of Difference between the forgiving private Wrongs and Injuries , and the pardoning of publick Offences ; between the Pardon of a Magistrate , and the Pardon of a private Person . When Equals fall out among themselves , they may end their Differences in Charity , and in such ways as best please themselves , by a meer forgiving , by acquitting the sense of the Wrong done , or a bare Submission of the Party offending . But the Case is different here , God is not reconciled to us , meerly as the Party offended , but as the Governour of the World ; the Case lies between the Judge of the World , and sinning Mankind , therefore it must not be ended by meer Comprimise and Agreement , but by Satisfaction , that his Law may be satisfied , and the Honour of his Justice secured . Therefore to make the Pardon of Man a thing convenient to the Righteous and Holy Judge to bestow , without any Impeachment to the Honour of his Justice , and Authority of his Law , the Lord finds out this great Mystery , God manifested in our Flesh ; Iesus Christ is made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law , Gal. 4. 5. And is become a Propitiation to satisfy God's Iustice , Rom. 3. 25 , 26. And so God shews Mercy to his Creatures , and yet the Awe of his Government is kept up , and a full Demonstration of his Righteousness is given to the World .