Argument I. Whatsoever disarms afflictions of the only sting whereby they wound us, must needs be a
case as we were before. And if it be in itself, able to remove all the causes and grounds of our trouble, and that at all times, but not capable of a personal security to us, or our well established interest in it, all signifies nothing to our relief.
But open your eyes and behold, O ye afflicted saints, all these properties of a complete relief meeting together in the covenant, as it is displayed in the text. Here is a covenant able to remove all the grounds and causes of your trouble; for it is ORDERED in all things; or aptly disposed by the wisdom and contrivance of God, to answer every cause and ground of trouble and sorrow in our hearts. It is able to do this at all times; as well in our day, as in David's or Abraham's day: for it is an everlasting covenant; its virtue and efficacy is not decayed by time. And, lastly, is is capable of a good personal security or assurance to all God's afflicted people; for it is a sure covenant.
The concurrence of these three properties in the covenant makes it a complete relief, and perfect remedy, to which nothing is wanting in the kind and nature of a remedy. These three glorious properties of the covenant are my proper province to open and confirm, for your support and comfort in this day of trouble.
I. That the covenant of grace is able to remove all the causes and grounds of a believer's trouble, be they never so great or many. This I doubt not will be convincingly evidenced and demonstrated by the following arguments, or undeniable reasons.
Arguments
Argument I. Whatsoever disarms afflictions of the only sting whereby they wound us, must needs be a complete relief and remedy to the afflicted soul.
But so doth the covenant of grace, it disarms afflictions of the only sting by which they wound us.
Therefore the covenant of grace must needs be a complete relief and remedy to the afflicted soul.
The sting of all afflictions is the guilt of sin; when God smites, conscience usually smites too: and this is it that causes all that pain and anguish in the afflicted. It is plainly so in the example of the widow of Zarephath, 1 Kings 17:18 when her son, her only son, and probably her only child, died, how did that stroke of God revive guilt in her conscience, and made the affliction piercing and intolerable! as appears by her passionate expostulation with Elijah, who then sojourned in her house: "What have I to do with thee, O man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?" q. d. What injury have I done thee? Didst thou come hither to observe my sins, and pray down this judgment upon my child for them? The death of her son revived her guilt, and so it generally doth, even in the most holy men.
When Job looked upon his wasted body under afflictions, every wrinkle he saw upon it, seemed to him like a witness rising up to testify against him. "Thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me; and my leanness rising up in me, beareth witness to my face," Job 16:8.
Affliction is like a hue and cry after sin in the ears of conscience, and this is the envenomed poisonous sting of affliction: pluck out this, and the afflicted man is presently eased, though the matter of the
affliction still abide with him, and lie upon him. He is afflicted still, but not cast down by affliction; the anguish and burden is gone, though the matter of trouble remain.
This is plain both in scripture, and in experience. Suitable hereunto is that strange, but sweet expression, "The inhabitants shall not say I am sick, the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities," Isa. 33:24. It is not to be imagined these people had found such a fortunate island, or happy climate, where no disease could touch or invade their bodies; no, sickness will find out the bodies of the best men, wherever they live; wherever sin hath been, sickness and death will follow it. Heaven is the only privileged place from these miseries: but the meaning is, though they be sick, they shall not feel the pains and burdens of sickness, "they shall not say they are sick:" And why so? because their iniquities are forgiven; plainly confirming what was before asserted, that the anguish of an affliction is gone as soon as ever the sting of guilt is pluck out. And hence, pardoning of the soul, and healing of the body, are put together as conjugate mercies; "Bless the Lord, O my soul, who "forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases," Psal.
103:1, 3. When the soul is at ease, the pains of the body are next to nothing: Sickness can cloud all natural joys, but not the joy of a pardon.
Nay, which is yet more; pluck out but the sting of sin, and there is no horror in death, the king of terrors, and worst of all outward evils.
See how the pardoned believer triumphs over it: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin," 1
Cor. 15:55. They are words of defiance, as men use to deride and scorn a boasting, insulting enemy, when they see him cast upon his back, and his sword broken over his head.*
Where are your boasts and menaces now? O death, thou hast lost thy sting and terror together. Thus the pardoned believer, with an holy gallantry of spirit, derides and contemns his disarmed enemy death.
So then it is manifest, that whatever plucks out the poisonous sting of affliction, must needs be an effectual remedy and cure to the afflicted person.
But this the covenant of grace doth; it reveals and applies gospelremission to them that are within the blessed bond of it. "This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more," Jer.
31:33. 34.† Behold here a gracious, full, and irrecoverable pardon! I will forgive, or be propitiously merciful, as that word imports; pointing plainly to Christ our propitiation, our sins are forgiven us for his name's sake. And a pardon as full as it free; iniquity and sin, smaller and greater, are here forgiven; for God, in the remission of his people's sins, having respect to the propitiating blood of Christ, he pardons all as well as some; that blood deserving and purchasing the most full and complete pardons for his people, 1 John 1:7. "The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin."
And this covenant-pardon is as firm, as it is free and full. So run the expressions in the grant, I will remember their sin no more: Or in the apostle's works, Heb. 8:12. ου μημνεσω ετι, I will not remember them again: That is, not so remember, as to impute them, or condemn my pardoned ones for them: For the pardoned persons come no more into condemnation, Job 5:24. Their sins are cast into the depths of the sea, Mic. 7:19. Sooner shall the East and the West, the two opposite points of heaven, meet, than the pardoned soul and its sins meet again in condemnation, Psal. 103:12.