QUEST. CLII. What doth every sin deserve at the hands of God?
ANSW. Every sin, even the least, being against the sovereignty, goodness, and holiness of God, and, against his righteous law, deserveth his wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come, and cannot be expiated, but by the blood of Christ.
QUEST. CLIII. What doth God require of us, that may escape his wrath and curse due to us by reason of the transgression of the law.
ANSW. That we may escape the wrath and curse of God due to us by reason of the transgression of the law, he requireth of us repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and the diligent use of the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation.
In the former of these answers, we have an account of then demerit of sin; in the latter, we have the character and disposition of those who have ground to conclude that they shall be delivered from the wrath and curse of God due to it. We have already considered one sin as greater than another, by reason of several circumstances that tend to enhance the guilt of those who commit them: Nevertheless, there is no sin so small but it has this aggravation in it, that it is a violation of the law of God, and is opposite to his holiness; and therefore it cannot but render the sinner guilty in his sight; and guilt is that whereby a person is liable to suffer punishment in proportion to the offence committed: Therefore it follows, that there is no ground for that distinction which the Papists make between mortal and venial sins; whereof the former, they suppose, deserves the wrath and curse of God both in this and another world; but as for the latter, namely, venial sins, they conclude that they may be atoned for by human satisfactions, or penances; and that they are, in their own nature, so small, that they do not deserve eternal punishment. This is an opinion highly derogatory to the glory of God, and opens a door to licentiousness, in a variety of instances; the contrary to which, is contained in the answer we are now explaining.
For the understanding whereof, let it be considered; that it is one thing for a sin to deserve the wrath and curse of God, and another thing for the sinner to be liable and exposed to it. The former of these arises from the heinous nature of sin, and is inseparable from it; the latter is inconsistent with a justified state. Nothing can take away the guilt of sin, but the atonement made by Christ; and that forgiveness or freedom from condemnation, which God is pleased to bestow as the consequence thereof, Rom. viii. 1, 33. It is this that discharges a believer from a liableness to the wrath and curse of God. Though one sin be greater than another, by reason of various circumstances that attend, or are contained in it, as was observed under the last answer: yet the least sin must be concluded to be objectively infinite, as it is committed against a God of infinite perfection, since all offences are great in proportion to the dignity of the person against whom they are committed. Thus the same sin that is committed against an inferior, or an equal, which deserves a less degree of punishment, if it be committed against a king, may be so circumstanced, as that it will be deemed a capital offence, and render the criminal guilty of high treason; though, at the same time, no real injury is done to, but only attempted against him. In like manner we must conclude, that though it be out of our own power to injure or detract from the essential glory of the great God; yet every offence committed against him is great, in proportion to his infinite excellency; and is therefore said to deserve his wrath and curse. Wrath or anger, when applied to God, is not to be considered as a passion in him, as it is in men; but denotes his will to punish sin committed, which takes its first rise from the holiness of his nature, which is infinitely opposite to it. And the degree of punishment that he designs to inflict, is contained in his law; which, as it denounces threatnings against those who violate it, the sinner is hereby said to be exposed to the curse or condemning sentence thereof, agreeably to the rules of justice, and the nature of the offence. This is what we are to understand, in this answer, by sin’s deserving the wrath and curse of God.
And this is farther considered, as what extends itself to this life, and that which is to come. Punishments inflicted in this life, are but the beginning of miseries; but they are sometimes inexpressibly great, as the Psalmist says, Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath, Psal. xc. 11. Sometimes there is but a very short interval between sin and the punishment; as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, Korah, and his company, Achan, and many others; whereas, at other times, it is long deferred; nevertheless, it will fall with great weight, at last, on the offender. Thus God sometimes punishes the sin of youth in old age; and when a greater degree of guilt has been contracted, writes bitter things against them, Job xiii. 26. But the greatest degree of punishment is reserved for sinners in another world; which is styled the wrath to come, 1 Thess. i. 10. But these things having been insisted on in some foregoing answers[15], we shall add no more on that head; but proceed to what is farther observed, viz. that this punishment cannot be expiated any otherwise than by the blood of Christ. This is fitly inserted after the account we have had of man’s liableness to the wrath of God, by reason of sin: for when we have an afflicting sense of the guilt we have exposed ourselves to, nothing else will afford us relief.
The next thing to be considered is, how it may be removed, or by what means the justice of God may be satisfied, and an atonement made for sin. This is said to be done no other way but by the blood of Christ, as has been considered elsewhere, under a foregoing answer; in which we endeavoured to prove the necessity of Christ’s making satisfaction, and the price that he paid in order thereto[16]. We have also considered the fruits and effects thereof, as it has a tendency to remove the guilt of sin, and procure for us a right to eternal life:[17] Therefore, we shall pass over the consideration thereof in this place; only we may observe, that, since this can be brought about by no other means but Christ’s satisfaction; it is not inconsistent with what is contained in the following words, if rightly understood by us, to assert that God requires of us, repentance, faith, and a diligent attendance on the outward means of grace; though we must not conclude them to be the procuring cause of our justification, or a means to expiate sin. They are certainly very much unacquainted with the way of salvation by Christ, as well as the great defects of their repentance and faith, who suppose, that God is hereby induced to pardon our sins, or deliver us from the wrath we have deserved thereby; nevertheless, we are not to think, that impenitent unbelieving sinners have a right to determine that they are in a justified state, or have ground to claim an interest in the benefits of Christ’s redemption. Therefore, these graces are necessary to evince our interest in what he has done and suffered for us, and they are inseparably connected with salvation; though they do not give us a right and title to eternal life, as Christ’s righteousness doth. We have, in two foregoing answers, given a particular account of repentance and faith. Concerning repentance, we have observed, that it is a special saving grace, wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, and have shewn in what way he works it; and also the difference between legal and evangelical repentance, as the former is often found in those who are destitute of the latter. We have considered the various acts of repentance unto life[18]; what the objects and acts of saving faith are; and how it differs from that which is not so; and the use of this grace, in the whole conduct of our lives, and how it gives life and vigour to all other graces, and enables us to perform duties in a right manner[19]. Therefore we shall not insist on this subject at present, but only speak of repentance and faith as means appointed by God, in order to our attaining compleat salvation.
The means conducive hereunto, are either internal or external; the former of these are inseparably connected with salvation; so that none, who repent and believe, shall perish, John iii. 16. These graces, together with all others, that accompany or flow from them, are the fruits and effects of Christ’s mediation; and therefore they are sometimes called saving graces. As they are wrought in the hearts of believers, and have a reference to salvation; they may be truly styled internal means of salvation; and, as such, they are distinguished from those outward and ordinary means of grace, by which God is pleased to work them. And these are the ordinances which we are diligently to attend on, in hopes of attaining those graces under them, till God is pleased to give success to our endeavours, and work grace under these means; the efficacy whereof, is wholly owing to his power, and is to be resolved into his sovereign will.
This may be fitly illustrated by what is said concerning the poor, impotent, blind, halt, and withered persons, waiting at the pool of Bethesda, for the angels troubling the water; after which, he that first stepped in, was made whole, John v. 2-4. Nevertheless, we do not find that every one who waited there embraced the first opportunity, and received a cure; for some were obliged to wait many years; and if they were made whole at last, they had no reason to think their labour lost. This may be applied to those who have the means of grace. Many sit under them who receive no saving advantage thereby, till God is pleased, in his accepted time, to work those graces which render these ordinances effectual to salvation. This blessed success attending them, is from God; he could, indeed, save his people without them, as he converted Paul, when going to Damascus, with a design to persecute the church there; being not only unacquainted with, but prejudiced against the means of grace. But this is not God’s ordinary method. He has put an honour on his own institutions, so as to render it necessary for us to pray, wait and hope for saving blessings, in attending on them. Thus when he promises to put his Spirit within his people, and cause them walk in his statutes, he adds; yet for this will I be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them, Ezek. xxxvi. 27, 37. accordingly we are commanded to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near, Isa. lv. 6. Hereby we testify our approbation of that method which he has ordained for the application of redemption; and by our perseverance therein, as determining not to leave off waiting till we have obtained the blessing expected, we proclaim the valuableness thereof, and subscribe to the sovereignty of God, in dispensing those blessings to his people, which they stand in need of, as well as pray and hope for them in his own time and way. Thus we are to wait on the means of grace.
And it is farther observed, that this is to be done with diligence; not in a careless and indifferent manner, as though we neither expected nor desired much advantage from them. This implies in it an embracing every opportunity, and observing those special seasons, in which God is pleased, in his gospel, to hold forth the golden sceptre of grace; as also our having earnest desires and raised expectations of obtaining that grace from him which he encourages us to wait and hope for[20]. Which leads us to speak particularly concerning those outward means, as contained in the following answer.