earth could expiate one sin, or procure a pardon ; only Jesus Christ, 1 John ii. 2., *' He is the propitiation for our sins." No merit can huy out a pardon. Paul had as much to boast of as any man, — his high birth, his learning, his legal righteousness ; but he disclaims all in point of justification, and lays them under Christ's feet to tread upon. No angel could, with all his holi- ness, lay down a price for the pardon of one sin, 1 Sam. ii. 25., " If a man sin a- gainst the Lord, who shall entreat for him ?" What angel durst be so bold, as to oj)cn his mouth to God for a delinquent sinner ? Only Jesus Christ, who is God-man, could deal with God's justice, and purchase for- giveness.
2. Christ himself could not procure a pardon, but by dying ; every pardon is the price of blood. Christ's life is a rule of ho- liness, and a pattern of <)l)cdience, Mat. iii.- 15., He fulfilled all rigliteousncss. And certainly, Christ's active obedience was of great value and merit ; but here is that which raiseth the worth of fi)rgiveness, Christ's active obedience had not fully ])ro- cured a pardon for us, without the shedding of his blood : therefore our justification is ascribed to his blood, Rom. v. 9., " Being now justified by his blood." Christ did bleed out our pardon. There's much as- cribed to Christ's intercession, but his in- tercession had not prevailed with God for the forgiveness of one sin, had not he shed his blood. It is worth our notice, that when Christ is described to John as an interces- sor for his church, he is repi'csented to him in the likeness of a Lamb slain. Rev. v. 6., to shew that Christ must die, and be slain, before he can be an intercessor.
3. Christ, by dying, had not purchased forgiveness for us, if he had not died an ex- ecrable death ; he endured the curse, Gal. iii. 13. All the agonies Christ endured in bis soul, all the torments in his body, could not purchase a pardon, except he had been made a curse for us. Christ must be curs- ed, before we could be blessed with a par- don.
2^///, Forgiveness of sin is a choice bless- ing, if we consider what glorious attributes God puts fortlj in the pardoning of sin. — 1. God puts forth infinite power : wljen Moses
was pleading with God for the pardon of Israel's sin, he speaks thus, " Let the power of my Lord be great," Numb. xiv. 17. God's forgiving of sin is a work of as great power as to make heaven and earth, nay, a greater ; For, when God made the world, he met with no opposition ; but, when he comes to par- don, Satan opposeth, and the heart oj)poseth. A sinner is desperate, and slights, yea, de- fies a pardon, till God, by his mighty pow- er, convinceth him of his sin and daniier, and makes him willing to accept of a ])ar- don. — 2. God, in forgiving sins, puts forth 'infinite mercy,' Numb. xiv. 19., "Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy." It is mercy to have a reprieve ; and if there be mercy in sparing a sinner, what mercy then is in pardoning him ? This is the^os lactis, the cream of mercy. For God to put up with so many injuries, — to wipe so many debts off the score, — this is infinite favour ; forgiveness of sin is spun out of the bowels of God's mercy. /
3d/t/, Forgiveness of sin is a choice bless- ing, as it lays a foundation for other mer- cies. It is a leading mercy. — 1. It makes way for temporal good things. (1.) It brings health. When Christ said to the palsy man, " Thy sins are forgiven," this made way for a bodily cure, " Arise, take up thy bed and go into thine house," Mat. ix. G. The j)ardon of his sin made way for the healing of his ])alsy. (2.) It brings prosjierity, Jer. xxxiii. 8, 9. — 2. It makes way for spiritual good things. Forgiveness of sin never coujes alone, but hath other spiritual blessings attending it. Whom God })ardons, he sanctifies, adopts, crowns. It is a voluminous mercy, — it draws the silver link of grace, and the golden link of glory after it. It is an high act of indulgence, — God seals the sinner's pardon with a kiss. And should not we above all things seek after so great a blessing as forgiveness ?
6. Consideration, that which may make us seek after forgiveness of sin is, God's in- clinableness to pardon, Neh. ix. 17., " Thou art a God ready to j)ardon." In the He- brew it is, " A God of pardons." We are apt to entertain wrong conceits of God, that he is inexorable, and will not forgive, Mat. XXV. 24.., " I knew that thon art an
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OF THE FIFTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.