Hebrews 8 — Verse 12

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

This is the great fundamental promise and grace of the New Covenant. For though it be last expressed, yet in order of nature it precedeth the other mercies and privileges mentioned, and is the foundation of the collation or communication of them to us. This the causal [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], whereby the Apostle rendereth [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] in the Prophet, does demonstrate. What I have spoken, says the Lord, shall be accomplished, For I will be merciful, &c. without which there could be no participation of the other things mentioned. Therefore not only an addition of new grace and mercy is expressed in these words, but a reason also is rendered why or on what grounds he would bestow on them those other mercies.

The House of Israel and Judah with whom this Covenant was made in the first place, and who are spoken of as representatives of all others who are taken into it, and who thereon become the Israel of God, were such as had broken and disannulled God's former Covenant by their disobedience; which my Covenant they brake. Nor is there any mention of any other qualification, whereby they should be prepared for, or disposed to an entrance into this New Covenant. Therefore the first thing in order of nature that is to be done to this end, is the free pardon of sin. Without a supposition hereof, no other mercy can they be made partakers of. For while they continue under the guilt of sin, they are also under the curse. Therefore a reason is here rendered, and that the only reason, why God will give to them the other blessings mentioned, For I will be merciful.

Free and sovereign, undeserved grace in the pardon of sin, is the original spring and foundation of all Covenant mercies and blessings. Hereby and hereby alone is the glory of God, and the safety of the Church provided for. And those who like not God's Covenant on those terms, as none do by nature, will eternally fall short of the grace of it. Hereby all glorying, and all boasting in ourselves is excluded, which was that which God aimed at in the contrivance and establishment of this Covenant (Romans 3:27; 1 Corinthians 1:29, 30, 31). For this could not be, if the fundamental grace of it did depend on any condition or qualification in ourselves. If we let go the free pardon of sin without respect to any thing in those that receive it, we renounce the Gospel. Pardon of sin is not merited by antecedent duties, but is the strongest obligation to future duties. He that will not receive pardon, unless he can one way or other deserve it, or make himself meet for it; or pretends to have received it, and finds not himself obliged to universal obedience by it, neither is nor shall be partaker of it.

In the Promise itself we may consider, (1) Who it is made to. (2) What it is that is promised.

The first is expressed in the Pronoun [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], their, three times repeated. All those absolutely, and only those with whom God makes this Covenant, are intended. Those whose sins are not pardoned, do in no sense partake of this Covenant, it is not made with them. For this is the Covenant that God makes with them, that he will be merciful to their sins, that is to them in the pardon of them. Some speak of a universal conditional Covenant made with all mankind. If there be any such thing, it is not that here intended. For they are all actually pardoned with whom this Covenant is made. And the indefinite declaration of the nature and terms of the Covenant, is not the making of a Covenant with any. And what should be the condition of this grace here promised of the pardon of sin? It is, say they, that men repent and believe, and turn to God, and yield obedience to the Gospel. If so, then men must do all these things, before they receive the remission of sins: yes. Then must they do them while they are under the Law, and the curse of it, for so are all men whose sins are not pardoned. This is to make obedience to the Law, and that to be performed by men while under the curse of it, to be the condition of Gospel-mercy, which is to overthrow both the Law and Gospel.

But then on the other hand it will follow, they say, that men are pardoned before they do believe, which is expressly contrary to the Scripture. And (1) the communication and donation of faith to us, is an effect of the same grace whereby our sins are pardoned, and they are both bestowed on us by virtue of the same Covenant. (2) The application of pardoning mercy to our souls, is in order of nature consequent to believing, but in time they go together. (3) Faith is not required to the procuring of the pardon of our sins, but to the receiving of it. That they may receive the remission of sins. But that which we shall observe from hence is, That

The New Covenant is made with them alone, who effectually and eventually are made partakers of the grace of it. This is my Covenant that I will make with them, I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, &c. Those with whom the Old Covenant was made, were all of them actual partakers of the benefits of it; and if they are not so with whom the New is made, it comes short of the Old in efficacy, and may be utterly frustrate. Neither does the indefinite proposal of the terms of the Covenant prove that the Covenant is made with them, or any who enjoy not the benefits of it. Indeed this is the excellency of this Covenant, and so it is here declared, that it does effectually communicate all the grace and mercy contained in it to all and every one with whom it is made; whoever it is made withal, his sins are pardoned.

Secondly, the subject matter of this Promise, is the pardon of sin. And that which we have to consider for the exposition of the words, is (1) What is meant by sins. (2) What by the pardon of them. (3) What is the reason of the peculiar expression in this place.

Sin is spoken of with respect to its guilt especially, so is it the object of mercy and grace. Guilt is the desert of punishment, or the obligation of the sinner to punishment, by and according to the sentence of the Law. Pardon is the dissolution of that obligation.

Sin is here expressed by three terms, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], unrighteousness, sin and transgression, as we render the words. In the Prophet there is only [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] is wanting. But they are elsewhere all three used, where mention is made of the pardon of sin, or the causes of it. As (1) in the declaration of the Name of God with respect thereunto (Exodus 34) [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] pardoning iniquity, transgression and sin. (2) In the confession of sin for the removal of it, by the expiatory sacrifice (Leviticus 16:21): Aaron shall confess over him, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] all their iniquities, all their transgressions, in all their sins. (3) In the expression of the forgiveness of sin in justification (Psalm 32:1, 2). Therefore the Apostle might justly make up the expression and general enumeration of sins here defective in the Prophet, seeing it is elsewhere so constantly used to the same purpose, and on the like occasion.

Nor are those terms needlessly multiplied, but sundry things we are taught thereby. As (1) that those whom God graciously takes into covenant, are many of them antecedently obnoxious to all sorts of sins. (2) That in the grace of the covenant there is mercy provided for the pardon of them all, even of them from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses (Acts 13:42). And that (3) therefore none should be discouraged from resting on the faithfulness of God in this covenant, who are invited to a compliance therewith.

But there is yet more intended in the use of these words. For they do distinctly express all those respects of sin in general, by which the conscience of a sinner is affected, burdened and terrified; as also whereon the equity of the curse and punishment for sin does depend.

The first is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], unrighteousness. This is usually taken for sins against the second table, or the transgression of that rule of righteousness among men, which is given by the Moral Law. But here, as in many other places, it expresseth a general affection of sin with respect to God. A thing unequal and unrighteous it is, that man should sin against God his sovereign ruler and benefactor. As God is the supreme Lord and Governor of all, as he is our only benefactor and rewarder, as all his laws and ways towards us are just and equal, the first notion of righteousness in us is the rendering to God what is due to him, that is, universal obedience to all his commands. Righteousness towards man is but a branch springing from this root; and where this is not, there is no righteousness among men whatever is pretended. If we give not to God the things that are God's, it will not avail us to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, nor to other men what is their own. And this is the first consideration of sin, that renders the sinner obnoxious to punishment, 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 rendering his due to him in a way of obedience. This is overthrown by sin, which is therefore both shameful and ruinous, which distresseth the conscience when awakened by conviction.

The second is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. This is properly a missing of, an erring from that end and scope which it is our duty to aim at. There is a certain end for which we were made, and a certain rule proper to 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 enjoyment of him. Thereunto the Law of God is a perfect guide. To sin therefore, is to forsake that rule, and to forgo therein our aim 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. Therefore 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 [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], rendering punishment righteous, and filling the sinner with shame and fear.

3. There is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. We have no one word in our language properly to express the sense hereof, nor is there so in the Latin. We render it transgression of the Law. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] is a lawless person; whom the Hebrews call a Son of Belial, one who owns no yoke nor rule. And [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] is a voluntary unconformity to the Law. Herein the formal nature of sin consists, as the Apostle tells us (1 John 3:4). And this is that which in the first place passeth on the conscience of a sinner. Therefore 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, are declared and represented by them. And we may learn,

1. That the aggravations of sin are great and many, which the consciences of convinced sinners ought to have regard to.

2. There is grace and mercy in the New Covenant provided for all sorts of sins, and all aggravations of them, if they be received in a due manner.

3. Aggravations of sin do glorify grace in pardon. Therefore does God here so express them, that he may declare the glory of his grace in their remission.

4. We cannot understand aright the glory and excellency of pardoning mercy, unless we are convinced of the greatness and vileness of our sins in all their aggravations.

Secondly, that which is promised with respect to these sins, is two ways expressed, (1) [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], I will be merciful. (2) [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], I will remember no more. It is pardon of sin that is intended in both these expressions; 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 to the Mediator of the Covenant, and the propitiation for sin made by him. Without this, there can be no remission, nor is any promised.

(2) The dissolution of the obligation of the Law binding over the guilty sinner to punishment. These are the essential parts of evangelical pardon, and respect is had in these words to them both.

[illegible], which we translate merciful, is propitious, gracious through a propitiation. But the Lord Christ is the only [illegible], or propitiation under the New Testament (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2). And he died, [illegible], to propitiate God for sin; to render him propitious to sinners (Hebrews 2:17). In him alone God is [illegible], merciful to our sins.

The Law with the sanction of it was the means appointed of God to bring sin to a judicial remembrance and trial. Therefore the dissolution of the obligation of the Law to punishment, which is an act of God the Supreme Rector and Judge of all, belongs to 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 Exposition of Psalm 130 that I must not here again reassume the same argument.