If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my
judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments (Ps.
89:30–31).
It is not a total apostasy which is here spoken of—not such
as implies the entire extinction of godliness in the individual chargeable with
it. But it sometimes happens that the faithful cast off the yoke of God, and
break forth into sin in such a manner, as that the fear of God seems to be
extinguished in them; and such being the case, it was necessary that He should
promise the pardon even of heinous sins, that they might not upon every fall be
overwhelmed with despair.
Thus David seemed, to outward appearance, to be wholly
deprived of the Spirit of God, whom he prays to be restored to him. The reason
why God leaves hope of pardon even for detestable and deadly transgressions is,
that the enormity of our sins may not keep us back or hinder us from seeking
reconciliation with him.
From this, we are
led to condemn the undue severity of the fathers, who scrupled to receive to
repentance those who had fallen for the second or third time. Due care must
indeed be taken lest, by too great forbearance, loose reins should be given to
men to commit iniquity; but there is no less danger in an extreme degree of
rigour. It is to be observed, that when God declares that he will show himself
merciful towards sinners, who have violated his law, and broken his
commandments, he purposely employs these odious terms to excite our hatred and
detestation of sin, and not to entice us to the commission of it.
Still, however, we must understand the passage as amounting
to this, That although the faithful may not in every instance act in a manner worthy
of the grace of God, and may therefore deserve to be rejected by him, yet he
will be merciful to them, because remission of sins is an essential article
promised in his covenant. (Commentaries)
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