The Greatness of Forgiveness; Prevailing Unbelief

The preceding arguments and demonstrations have, we hope, undeniably evinced the great truth that there is forgiveness with God, which is the life and soul of all our hope, religion, and worship. The end of all this discourse is to lay a firm foundation for faith to rest upon, in its addresses to God for the forgiveness of sins, and to encourage all sorts of persons to this duty. This end remains now to be explained and pressed; but two things are further to be premised. And the first is, to propose some considerations about this forgiveness which may encourage us to seek after it and to mix the testimonies given to it with faith, for our benefit. The other is to show how needful all this endeavor is, on account of great and prevailing unbelief. As to the first of these, then, we may consider,

I. The forgiveness that is with God is such as becomes him; such as is suitable to his greatness, goodness, and all other excellences: it is great — such that therein he will be known to be God. What he says concerning some of the works of his providence, “Be still, and know that I am God,” may be much more said concerning this great effect of his grace. It is not like that narrow, halving, and manacled forgiveness found amongst men. It is full, free, boundless, bottomless, absolute, such as becomes his nature and excellences. It is, in a word, forgiveness that is with God, and by the exercise of which he will be known to be God. Hence,

1. God himself distinguishes his forgiveness from any thing that our thoughts and imaginations can reach, and that because it is his and like himself. It is an object for faith alone, which can rest in that which it cannot comprehend. It is never safer than when it is, as it were, overwhelmed with infiniteness. But set mere rational thoughts, or the imaginations of our minds, at work about such things, and they fall inconceivably short of them. They can neither conceive of them aright, nor use them to their proper end and purpose. Were not forgiveness in God something beyond what men could imagine, no flesh could be saved. This he himself expresses, ‘’ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord; for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa. 55: 7-9. They are, as is plain in the context, thoughts of forgiveness and ways of pardon of which he speaks. These our apprehensions come short of j we know little or nothing of the infinite largeness of his heart in this matter. The person that God speaks of, is, as the Hebrew expresses it, an impiously wicked man, or a man of deceit and perverse wickedness: he whose design and course is nothing but a lie, sin and iniquity; such a one as we should have little or no hope of, that we should scarcely think it worth our while to deal with, in reference to his conversion; one that we can scarcely find it in our hearts to pray for, but are ready to give up as profligate and desperate — but let him return unto the Lord, and even he shall obtain forgiveness. But how can this be 1 Is it possible there should be mercy for such a one 1 Yes! for the Lord will multiply to pardon, (Hebrew.) He hath forgiveness with him to outdo all the multiplied sins of any that return to him, and seek for it. But this is very hard, very difficult for us to apprehend. This is not the manner of men: we deal not thus with profligate offenders against us. True, saith God, “But your ways are not my ways:” I do not act in this matter like unto you, nor as you are accustomed to do. How then shall we apprehend itl how shall we conceive of it ] You can never do it by your reason or imaginations: ‘’For as the heavens are above the earth, so are my thoughts,” in this matter, ‘’above your thoughts.” This is an expression to show the largest and most inconceivable distance. The creation will afford no more significant expression or representation of it. The heavens are inconceivably distant from the earth, and inconceivably glorious above it. So are the thoughts of God; they are not only distant from ours, but have a glory in them that we cannot rise up to.

For the most part, when we come to deal with God about forgiveness, we hang in every briar of disputing quarrelsome unbelief. This or that circumstance of aggravation, this or that unparalleled particular, bereave lis of our confidence. Want of a due consideration cf Him with whom we have to do, measuring with the line of our own imagination, bringing him down to our thoughts and our ways, is the cause of all our disquiet. Because we find it hard to forgive pence, we think he cannot forgive talents. But he hath provided to obviate such thoughts in us, “I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath, I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God, and not man.” Our satisfaction in this matter is to be taken from his nature 5 were he a man, or as the sons of men, it were impossible that, upon such and so many provocations, he should turn away from the fierceness of his anger.

2U FORGIVENESS OF SIN.

But he is God: this gives an inconceivable boundlessness to the forgiveness that is with him, and exalts it above all our thoughts and ways.

2. God engages As infinite excellences to demonstrate the greatness and boundlessness of his forgiveness. He proposes them to our consideration, to convince us that we shall find pardon with him suitable and answerable to them. See Isa. 40: 27-31. “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding: He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength: even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” The matter in question is, whether acceptance with God, which is only by forgiveness, is to be obtained or not: this sinful Jacob either despairs of, or at least desponds about. But, saith God, “My thoughts are not your thoughts” in this matter. And what course does he take to convince them of their mistake 1 What argument does he make use of to free them from their unbelief, and to rebuke their fears 1 Plainly, he calls them to the consideration of himself, both who and what he is with whom they had to do, that they might expect acceptance and forgiveness such as become him. Reminding them of his power, his immensity, his infinite wisdom, his unchangeableness, all the excellences and properties of his nature, he demands of them whether they have not just ground to expect forgiveness and grace above all their thoughts and apprehensions, be cause corresponding with the infinite largeness of his heart, from whence it proceeds.

And Moses uses this plea for the forgiveness of Israel under a high provocation and a most severe threatening of their destruction. Numb. 14: 17, 18. He pleads for pardon in such a manner as may answer the great and glorious properties of the nature of God, and which would manifest an infiniteness of power and all-sufficiency in him.

This, I say, is an encouragement in general to believers. We have, as I hope, upon unquestionable grounds evinced that there is forgiveness with God, which is the hinge on which the issue of our eternal condition turns. Now, this is like himself, such as becomes him; that answers the infinite perfections of his nature; that is exercised and given forth by him as God. We are apt to narrow and limit it by our unbelief, and to render it unbecoming of him. He no more dishonors God, who, being wdiolly under the power of the law, believes that there is no forgiveness with him, than he does, who, being convinced of the principles and grounds of it, and of the truth of the testimony given to it, yet, by narrowing and limiting it, renders it unworthy of Him whose excellences are all infinite, and whose ways on that account are incomprehensible.

If, then, we resolve to treat with God about forgiveness, let us do it as becomes his greatness, that is, indeed, as the wants of our souls require: let us not entangle our own spirits by limiting his grace. The father of the child possessed with a devil, being in a great agony when he came to our Savior, cries out, ‘’If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.” Mark, 9: 22. He would fain be delivered, but the matter was so great that he questioned whether the Lord Christ had either compassion or power enough for his relief. And what did he obtain hereby 1 Nothing but the retarding of the cure of his child for a season: for our Savior holds him off until he had instructed him on this point: ‘’If thou canst believe, all things are possible unto him that believeth.” Mistake not, if thy child be not cured, it is not for want of power or pityin me, but of faith in thee. My power is such as renders all things possible.

So it is with many who would be made partakers of forgiveness: if it be possible, they would be pardoned, but they do not see it possible. Why, where is the defect! God hath no pardon for them, or such as they are; and so it maybe they will finally come short of pardon. What, because it is not possible with God to pardon them! Not at all; but because they cannot, they will not believe that the forgiveness which is with him is such that it would answer all the wants of their souls. God is dishonored when he is limited by us in any thing, and most of all in his grace. This he calls a tempting of him, a provoking temptation, “They turned back and tempted God, they limited the Holy One of Israel.” Psalm 78: 41. This he could not bear with. If there be any pardon with God, it is such as becomes him to give: when he pardons, he will “abundantly pardon.” Go with your limited, conditional pardons, with reserves and limitations to the sons of men; it may become them, it is like themselves: that of God is absolute and perfect, before which our sins are as a cloud before the rising sun. Hence he is said to do this work with his whole heart and his whole soul;” charizesthai’’’’ freely, bountifully, largely to indulge and forgive unto us our sins, and to cast them into the bottom of the sea, Micah, 7: 19, into a bottomless ocean, an emblem of infinite mercy. Remember this, poor souls, when you come to God for forgiveness: all things are possible to them that believe.

II. This forgiveness is with God, not only so that we may apply ourselves to it if we will, for which he will not be offended with us, but so also that he hath placed

HIS GREAT GLORY IN THE DECLARATION AND COMMUNICATION

OF IT ‘j nor can we honor him more than by coming to him to receive it from him. For the most part, we are as it were ready rather to steal forgiveness from God, than to receive from him as one that gives it freely and largely. We take it up and lay it down, as though we would be glad to have it, if God did not see us take it; for we are afraid he is not willing we should have it indeed. We would steal this fire from heaven, and have a share in God’s treasures and riches almost without consent: at least we think that we have it from him with much difficulty 5 that he gives it with a kind of unwilling willingness, as we sometimes give alms; and that he loses as much by us as he gives out in pardon. We are apt to think that we are very willing to have forgiveness, but that God is unwilling to bestow it, and that because he seems to be a loser by it, and to forego the glory of inflicting punishment for our sins. This is the nature of unbelief.

But indeed things are quite otherwise. He hath, in this matter, through the Lord Christ, ordered all things, in his dealings with sinners, to the “praise of the glory of his grace.” Eph. 1: 6. His design in the whole mystery of the Gospel is to make his grace glorious, or to exalt pardoning mercy. The great fruit and product of his grace is forgiveness j the forgiveness of sinners. By this God will render himself glorious. For this cause he spared the world when sin first entered into it; for this cause did he provide a new covenant when the old was become unprofitable; for this cause did he send his Son into the world. We can then no way so eminently bring or ascribe glory to God, as by our receiving forgiveness from him; he being willing thereunto on account of its

Forgiveness. Iv, tendency to his own glory in that way which he hath peculiarly fixed on for its manifestation. Hence the apostle exhorts us to come “boldly to the throne of grace,” Heb. 4: 16; that is, with the confidence of faith, as he expounds boldness, chap. 10: 19, 20. We come about a business wherewith he is well pleased; such as he delights in doing. “The Lord thy God, in the midst of thee, is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” Zeph. 3: 17. This is the way of God’s pardoning; he does it in a rejoicing, triumphant manner, satisfying abundantly his own holy soul therein, and resting in his love. We have, then, abundant encouragement to draw nigh to the throne of grace, to be made partakers of what God is so willing to give us.

And to this end serves also the oath of God before insisted on, namely, to root out all the secret reserves of unbelief concerning God’s willingness to give mercy, grace and pardon to sinners. See Heb. 6: 17, 18. Therefore the tendency of our former arguments is not merely to prove that there is forgiveness with God which we may believe and not be mistaken, but that we ought to believe: it is our duty so to do. We think it our duty to pray, to hear the word, to give alms, to love the brethren, and to abstain from sin; and if we fail in any of these, we find the guilt of them reflected upon our conscience to our disquiet; but we scarcely think it our duty to believe the forgiveness of our sins. How few are there whose conscience is burdened with this as a sin, that they do not, as they ought, believe the forgiveness of their sins] And this is merely because men judge it not their duty so to do; for a non-performance of a duty so apprehended to be such, will reflect on the conscience a sense of the guilt of sin. But now, what can be required to make any thing a duty to us, that is wanting in thisl For,

1. The forgiveness with God is manifested revealed, declared. This manifestation of it is what makes it the object of our faith. We believe things to be in God, not merely and formally because they are so, but because he hath manifested and revealed them so to be. 1 John. 1: 2. What he so declares, it is our duty to believe, or we frustrate the end of his revelation.

2. We are expressly commanded to believe, and that upon the highest promises and under the greatest penalties. This command is that which makes believing formally a duty. Faith is a grace as it is freely wrought in us by the Holy Ghost, the root of all obedience and duties as it is radically fixed in the heart; but as it is commanded, it is ‘’ a duty 5^’ and these commands, you know, arc variously expressed, by invitations, exhortations, propositions, which all have in them the nature of commands, and which take up a great part of the books of the New Testament.

3. It is a duty, as we have showed, of the greatest concern to the glory of God; and,

4. Of the greatest importance to our souls, here and hereafter. These things were necessary to be added, to ground our ensuing exhortations on.

PREVAILING UNBELIEF OF FORGIVENESS.

We should now naturally proceed to the improvement of the truth all along aimed at; namely, to give exhortations and encouragements to believing. But I can take few steps in this work wherein, methinks, I do not hear some saying, “Surely all this is needless: who is there that does not believe all you are laboring to prove 1” And so these pains are spent to little or no purpose. I shall, therefore, before I persuade any to it, endeavor to show that they do it not already. Many, I say, the j most of men who live under the dispensation of the Gospel, do wofulJy deceive their own souls in this matter. They do not believe what they profess themselves to believe, and what they think they believe. Men talk of fundamental errors: this is to me the most fundamental error that any can fall into, and the most pernicious. It is made up of these two parts: 1. They do not indeed believe forgiveness; 2. They suppose they do believe it, which keeps them from seeking- after their only remedy. Both these mistakes lie at the foundation, and ruin the souls of those that live and die in them. I shall then, by a brief inquiry, put this matter to a trial. By some plain rules and principles may this important question. Whether we do indeed believe forgiveness, or not 1 be answered and decided. But to the resolution intended, I shall premise two observations.

Men, in this case, are very apt to deceive themselves. Self-love, vain hopes, love of pleasure, common false principles, sloth, unwillingness to self-condemnation, reputation with the world, and it may be in the church, all vigorously concur to men’s self-deceivings in this matter. It is no easy thing for a soul to break through all these, and all self-reasonings that rise from them, to come to a clear judgment of its own acting in coming to God for forgiveness. Men also daily meet with a common presumption of this truth, and its being an easy relief against stings of conscience and disturbing thoughts about sin. Aiming, therefore, only at the removal of trouble, and finding that their present imagination of its removal gives present quiet, they never bring their persuasion to the trial.

Again, as men are prone to do thus, so they actually do J they deceive themselves, and know not that they do so. The last day will make this evident, if men will no sooner be convinced of their folly. The truth tells us “That many are called, and but few are chosen;” they are but few who do really believe forgiveness. When our Savior told his disciples that one of the twelve should betray him, though it were but one of twelve that was in danger, yet every one of the twelve made a particular inquiry about himselfj and is it not incumbent on every one to be inquiring in what number he is likely to be found at the last day 1 Whilst men put this inquiry off from themselves, and think or say, “It may be the concern of others, it is not mine,” they perish, and that without remedy. Remember what poor Jacob said when he had lost one child and was afraid of the loss of another, ‘^ If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” Gen. 43: 14. As if he had said. If I lose my children I have no more to lose, they are my all: nothing worse could befall me in this world. Comfort, joy, yea, life and all, go with them. How much more may men say in this case. If we are deceived here, we are deceived j all is lost; hope, and life, and soul, all must perish, and that for ever. There is no help or relief for them who deceive themselves in this matter: they have found out a way to go quietly down into the pit.

Now these things are premised only that they may be incentives to self-examination in this matter, and so render the ensuing considerations useful: let us then address ourselves to them.

I. In general, this is Gospel-truth; yea, the great, fundamental, and most important truth of the Gospel. It is the turning point of the two covenants, as God himself declares. Heb. 8: 7-13. Now, a very cursory consideration of the ways of men will satisfy us as to this inquiry, whether they do indeed believe the Gospel, the covenant of grace, and the fundamental principles of it. Certainly their ignorance, darkness, blindness, their corrupt affections and worldly conversation, their earthly-mindedness and open disavowing of the Spirit, ways, and yoke of Christ, speak no such Ianguage. Shall we think that proud, worldly, self-seekers, haters of the people of God and his ways, despisers of the Spirit of grace and his work, believe the covenant of grace or remission of sins 1 God forbid we should entertain any thought of so great dishonor to the Gospel. Wherever that is received or believed, it produces other effects. Titus, 2: 11, 12; Isaiah, 11: 6-9. It teaches men to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts. It changes their hearts and ways. It is not such a barren, impotent, and fruitless thing as such an apprehension would represent it.

II. They that really believe forgiveness in God do thereby obtain forgiveness. Believing gives an interest in it J it brings it home to the soul. This is the inviolable law of the Gospel. Believing and forgiveness are inseparably conjoined. Among the evidences we may have of any one being interested in forgiveness, I shall only name one, they prize and value it above all the world. Let us inquire what esteem those have of forgiveness who do not so much as raise the question whether they believe it. Do they look upon it as their treasure, their pearl of price ] Are they solicitous about it 1 Do they -often look and examine whether it continues safe in their possession or not 1 Suppose a man have a precious jewel laid up in some place in his house; suppose it to be to him as the poor widow’s two mites, all his substance or living; will he not often think of it 1 he not frequently satisfy himself that it is safe? We may know that such a house, such fields or lands do not belong to a man, when he passes by them daily and takes no notice of them. Now, how do most men regard forgiveness 1 Are their minds continually filled with thoughts about it 1 Are they solicitous concerning their interest in it 1 Do they reckon, that whilst that is safe, all is safe with theml When it is, as it were, laid out of the way by sin and unbelief, do they

MEN DISBELIEVE GOD’s FOSGIVEKESS. 223

give themselves no rest until it be afresh discovered 1 Is this the frame of the most of men 1 The Lord knows it is not. They talk of forgiveness, but esteem it not, prize it not, make no particular inquiries after it. They put it to an ungrounded venture whether ever they be partakers of it or not 5 for a relief against some pangs o( conscience it is called upon, or else scarcely thought of at all. Let not such flatter themselves that they have any acquaintance with the mystery of gospel-forgiveness.

III. Let it be inquired of those who pretend to this persuasion of forgiveness, kow they came by it, that we may know whether it be of Him who calleth us, or not; that we may try whether they have broken through the difRculties in believing it, which we have manifested abundantly to lie in their way.

When Peter confessed our Savior to be the Christ, the Son of the living God, he told him that “flesh and blood had not revealed that unto him, but his Father who is in heaven.” Matt. 16: 17. It is so with those who indeed believe forgiveness in God: flesh and blood hath not revealed it to them. It has not been furthered by any thing within them or without them; but all lies in opposition to it. “This is the work of God, that we believe.” John, 6: 29. A great work, the greatest work that God requireth of us. It is not only a great thing in itself, (the grace of believing is a great thing,) but it is great in rcvspect of its object, (or what we have to believe, or forgiveness itself.) The great honor of Abraham’s faith lay in this, that deaths and difficulties lay in the way of it. Rom. 4: lS-20. But what is a dead body, and a dead womb, compared with an accusing conscience, a killing law, and apprehensions of a God terrible as a consuming fire 1 all which oppose themselves to a soul called to believe forgiveness.

What now have the most of men, who are confident

22-i FOKGIVENESS OF SIN.

in the profession of this faith, to say to this 1 Let them speak clearly, and they must say that indeed they never found the least difficulty in this matter; they never doubted of it; they never questioned it, and know no reason why they should. It is a thing which they have so taken for granted, that it never cost them an hour’s anxiety, prayer, or meditation about it. Have they had secret struggles in their hearts about it 1 No. Have they considered how the objections that lie against it may be removed I Not at all. But is it so indeed that this persuasion is thus produced in you, you know not how 1 Are the corrupt natures of men and the Gospel so suited, so complying! Is the new covenant grown so congenial to flesh and blood 1 Is the greatest secret that ever was revealed from the bosom of the Father become so familiar and easy t& the wisdom of the flesh 1 Is that which was folly to the wise Greeks, and a stumbling-block to the wondering Jews, become, on a sudden, wisdom and a plain path to men of the same principles that were in theml The truth of the matter is, that such men have a general, useless, barren notion of pardon, which Satan, presumption, tradition, common report and the customary hearing of the word have furnished them; but as for that Gospel discovery of forgiveness of which we have been speaking, they are utterly ignorant of it, and unacquainted with it. To convince such poor creatures of the folly of their presumption, I would but desire them to go to some real believers who are or may be known to them: let them be asked whether they came so easily by their faith and apprehensions of forgiveness, or not 1 Alas! saith one, these twenty years have I been following after God, and yet I have not arrived to an abiding cheering persuasion of it. I know what it cost me, what trials, difficulties, temptations I wrestled with, and went through withal, before I obtained it, saith another. What I have attained to hath been of unspeakable mercy: and it is my daily prayer that I may be preserved in it by the exceeding greatness of the power of God; for I continually wrestle with storms that are ready to drive me from my anchor. A little of this discourse may be sufficient to convince poor, dark, carnal creatures, of the folly and vanity of their confidence.

IV. There are certain means whereby the revelation of this mystery is made to the souls of men. By these they obtain it, or never receive it. The mystery itself was a secret, hidden in the counsel of God from eternity j nor was there any way whereby it might be revealed but by the Son of God; and that is done in the Gospel. If, then, you say you know it, let us inquire how you came so to do, and by what means it hath been declared to you. Has this been done by the word of truth 1 Was it by the preaching of the word, or by reading it, or meditating upon it 1 Or has it insensibly gotten ground upon your heart or mind from the truth wherein you had been instructed] Or by what other ways or means have you come to that acquaintance with it whereof you boast 1 You can tell how you came by your wealth, your gold and silver; you know how you became learned, or obtained the knowledge of your trade, who taught you it, and how you came by it. AVonder not then if you are called to answer this question also. By what way or means came you to the knowledge of forgiveness, which you boast of 1 Was it by any of those before mentioned, or some other] If you cannot answer distinctly to these things, only you say that you have heard it, and believed it ever since you can remember; that those that went before you did so; that so they say with whom you converse; that you never met with any one that called it in question, nor heard of any, unless it were one or two despairing wretches j I sny, if this is all you know as to the grounds of your confidence in forgiveness, it may be justly questioned whether you have any portion in this matter. If uncertain reports, general notions lie at the bottom of your persuasion, do not suppose that you have any communion with Christ therein.

V. Of those who profess to believe forgiveness, how few are there who indeed know what it is. They believe, they say j but, as the Samaritans, worship they know not what. With some a bold presumption, and crying peace, peace, goes for the belief of forgiveness. A general apprehension of impunity from God, and that, though they are sinners, yet they shall not be punished, passes with others at the same rate. Some think they shall prevail with God by their prayers and desires, to let them alone and not cast them into hell. One way or other, to escape the vengeance of hell, not to be punished in another world, is that which men fix their minds upon.

But is this that forgiveness which is revealed in the Gospel 1 The rise and spring of our forgiveness is in the heart and gracious nature of God, declared by his name. Have you inquired seriously into this] Have you stood at the shore of that infinite ocean of goodness and love 1 Has your soul found support and relief from that consideration 1 and has your heart leaped within you with the thoughts of it! Or, if you have never been afTected in an especial manner herewith, have you bowed down your soul under the consideration of that sovereign act of God that is the next spring of forgiveness; that glorious acting of free grace, that when all might justly have perished, all having sinned and come short of his glory, God would yet have mercy on somel Have you given up yourself to this grace Is this any part of what you believe 1 Suppose you are a stranger to this also, what communion with God have you had about it in the blood of Christ ] We have showed how a way is made by his blood for the exercise of mercy, in consistency with the glory and honor of the justice of God and of his lawj how pardon is procured and purchased thereby; with the mysterious reconciliation of love and law. What have you to say to these things ] Have you seen pardon flowing from the heart of the Father through the blood of the Son? Have you looked upon it as the price of his life and the purchase of his blood I Or have you only general thoughts that Christ died for sinners, and that on one account or other forgiveness relates to him, while you are a stranger to the mystery of this great work 1 Forgiveness, as we have showed, is manifested, tendered, exhibited in the covenant of grace and promises of the Gospel; and the rule of their efficacy is, that they be mixed with faith, Heb. 4-; 2; but if you are a stranger to the things before mentioned, you are no less to this also. You know not, then, what forgiveness is, nor wherein it consists, Ror whence it comes, nor how it is procured, nor by what means given to sinners. It is to no purpose for such persons to pretend that they believe that to which they are such utter strangers.

VI. Another inquiry into this subject regards the state in which souls must be before it be possible for them to believe forgiveness. If there be such a state, and it can be shown that very many of the pretenders to whom we refer, were never brought into it, it is then evident that they neither do nor can believe forgiveness, however they may delude their own souls.

It has been shown that the first discovery made of pardoning grace was to Adam, presently after the fall. What was then his condition 1 How was he prepared for the reception of this great mystery in its first discovery He was convinced of sinj afraid of punishment, he lay trembling before God. Then was forgiveness revealed to him: so the Psalmist states it, “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall standi” Psalm 130: 3. He is full of thoughts of the desert of sin, and of inevitable and eternal ruin, in case God should deal with him according to the strictness of the law. In that state forgiveness with God is suggested to him by the Holy Ghost. We know how the Pharisees resisted our Savior in reference to this truth. ‘’Are we,” say they, “blind also!” No, saith he, ‘’Ye say, we see, therefore your sin remaineth.” John, 9: 40, 4J. It is to no purpose to talk of forgiveness to such persons as you are, you must of necessity abide in your sins: I come not to call such righteous persons as you are, but sinners to repentance y who not only are so, but are sensible of their being so, and of their undone condition: “The whole have no need of the physician, but the sick.” Whilst you are seeming righteous and whole, it is to no end to tell you of forgiveness j you cannot understand it, nor receive it. It is impossible, then, that any one should truly believe forgiveness in God, unless he be truly convinced of sin in himself. If the fallow ground be not broken up, it is to no purpose to sow the seed of the Gospel. There is neither life, power, nor sweetness, in this truth, unless a door be opened for its entrance by conviction of sin.

Let us then, on this ground also, continue our inquiry of the ordinary boasters of their skill in this mystery. You believe there is forgiveness with God: yesj but have you been convinced of sin 1 yes; you know well enough that you are sinners. Answer then but once more to the nature of this conviction which you say you have: is it not made up of these two ingredients! 1. A general notion that you are sinners, as all men also are. 2. Particular troublesome reflections upon yourselves, when, on any eruption of sin, conscience accuses, rebukes, condemns. You will say. Yes, what would you require more 1 I answer, this is not true conviction j that is a work of the Spirit by the word: this you speak of, is a mere natural work, which you can no more avoid than you can cease to be men, and it gives no assistance in the receiving of forgiveness. But it may be you will say you have proceeded farther. Let us then a little try whether your process has been according to the mind of God; and so, whether this invincible bar in your way be removed ‘, for although every convinced person does not believe forgiveness, yet no one does who is not convinced. Have you then been made sensible of your condition by nature, what it is to be alienated from the life of God, and to be obnoxious to his wrath 1 Have you been convinced of the universal enmity in your heart to God, and what it is to be at enmity against God 1 Has the unspeakable multitude of the sins of your life been set in order by the law before you? And have you considered what it is for sinners, such sinners as you are, to have to deal with a righteous and a holy God 1 Hath the Holy Ghost wrought a serious recognition in your hearts of all these things, and caused them to abide with youl If you will answer truly, must you not say that indeed you have not been so exercised. You have heard of these things many times, but to say that you have gone through with this work, and have had experience of them, that you cannot do. Then, I say, you are strangers to forgiveness, because you are strangers to sin. But if you shall say that you have had thoughts to this purpose, and are persuaded that you have been thoroughly convinced of sin, I shall yet ask you one question more, What effects has your conviction produced in your hearts and lives 1 Have you been filled with perplexities and consternation of spirit thereupon”? Have you had fears or terrors to wrestle with 1 It may be you will say, no j nor will I insist upon that inquiry j but this I ask you: Has it filled you with self-loathings and abhorrence, with self condemnation and abasement 1 If it will do any thinsf, it will do this. If you come short here, it is justly to be feared that all your other pretences are of no value. Now, where there is no work of conviction, there is no faith of forgiveness, whatever is pretended. And how many vain boasters this sword will cut off, is evident.

VII. We have yet a greater evidence than all these: men live in sin, and therefore they do not believe forgiveness of sin. Faith purifies the heart. Acts, 15: 9, Our souls are purified in obeying the truth, 1 Pet. 1: 22 j and the life is made fruitful by it. Faith produces good works, ana makes itself perfect by them. James, 2: 22. And the doctrine of forgiveness has a special influence unto all holiness: ‘* The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, teacheth us to deny ail unrighteousness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world,” Titus, 2: 11, 12 j this is the grace whereof we speak. No man then can believe forgiveness of sin, without a detestation and relinquishment of it. The ground of this might be farther manifested; but all that own the Gospel must acknowledge this principle. True faith in the pardon of sin prevails with men not to live longer in sin.

But how is it with the greatest number of those who pretend to receive this truth 1 Are their hearts purified by it] Arc their consciences purged] Are their lives changed] Do they deny all ungodliness and v.’orldly lusts] Have they found forgiveness effectual to these purposes] Whence is it, then, that there is such a bleating and bellowing to the contrary amongst them? Some are drunkards, some are swearers, some are unclean persons, some are liars, some are worldly, some are haters of all the ways of Christ, and all his interests upon the earth; proud, covetous, boasters, self-seekers, envious, wrathful, backbiters, malicious praters, slanderers, and the like; and shall we think that such as these believe forgiveness of sinl God forbid. Again, some are ignorant, blind, utterly unacquainted with the mystery of the Gospel, nor do at all make it their business to inquire into it. Either they hear it not at all, or negligently, slothfully, from mere custom, and to no purpose. Let not such persons deceive their own souls: to live in sin, and yet believe the forgiveness of sin, is utterly impossible. Christ will not be a minister of sin, nor give his Gospel to be a doctrine of licentiousness; nor shall you be forgiven, that you may be delivered to do more abominations. God forbid.

If any shall say that they thank God they are no such publicans as those mentioned j they are no drunkards, no swearers, no unclean persons, or the like; so that they are not concerned in this consideration; their lives and their duties give another account of them. Then yet consider further, that the Pharisees were all that you say of yourselves; and yet the greatest despisers of forgiveness that ever were in the world; they hated the light, because their deeds were evil. As for the duties you mention, what, I pray, is the root and spring of theml Do they spring from this faith of forgiveness you boast of 1 May it not be feared that it is utterly otherwise 1 You do not perform them because you love the Gospel, but because you fear the law. If the truth were known, I fear it would appear that you get nothing by your believing of pardon but an encouragement to sin. Your goodness, such as it is, springs from another root. It may be also that you ward yourselves by it against the strokes of conscience or the guilt of particular sins; this is as bad as the other. You may as well be encouraged to sin, as so to be encouraged under sin, as to be kept from humiliation for it. None under heaven are more remote from the belief of grace and pardon than such persons: all their righteousness is from the law, and their sin in a great measure from the Gospel.

VIII. They that truly believe forgiveness, believe it for the ends and purposes for which it is revealed of God. If God reveals any thing for one end and purpose, and men use it quite to another, they do not receive the word of God, nor believe the thing revealed j but delude their own souls.

Let us then weigh to what ends and purposes this forgiveness was first revealed by God; for which also its manifestation is still continued in the Gospel. We have showed who it was to whom this revelation was first made, and v.’hat condition he was in when it was so made to him. A lost, wretched creature, without hope or help; how he should come to obtain acceptance with God he knew not. God reveals forgiveness to him by Christ to be his all. The intention of God in it was, that a sinner’s all should be of grace. Rom. 11:6. If any thing be added to it for the same end and purpose, then grace is no more grace. Again, God intended it as a new foundation of obedience, of love and thankfulness. That men should love because forgiven, and be holy because pardoned, as I have showed before, that it might be the righteousness of a sinner, and a spring of new obedience in him, all to the praise of grace, were God’s ends in its revelation.

Our inquiry then is, whether men receive this revelation and use it for these purposes, and these only. I might evince the contrary, by passing through the general abuses of the doctrine of grace, which are mentioned in Scripture, and common in the world; but it will not be needful. Instead of believing, most men seem to put a studied despite on the Gospel. They either proclaim it to be an unholy way, by turning its grace into lasciviousness, or a weak and insufficient vpay, by striving to twist it in with their own righteousness; both which are an abomination to the Lord.

From these, and other considerations which might be added, it is evident that our word is not in vain, nor the exhortation which is to be built upon it. It appears that, notwithstanding the great pretences in the world, there are but few who seriously receive this fundamental truth of the Gospel, namely, that there is forgive-Dess with God. Poor creatures! they sport themselves with their own deceiving?, and perish in their own delusions.