But to come more closely to the words.
Doct That the chief glory of the true God consisteth in the pardon of sins, wherein there is none like him.
I shall evidence it by these considerations —
1. We have not a true apprehension of God till we see him singular and matchless in excellency, and do give him a distinct and separate honour far above all other things which are in the world. We are bidden not only to glorify God but to sanctify God, Isa. viii. 13, and 1 Peter iii. 15 ; to think and speak somewhat of God that cannot be thought or spoken of other things ; for to sanctify is to set apart from common use. And when it is applied to God, it signifieth to set him above on the highest point of eminency, to reverence and adore him in our hearts, as to love him and trust in him, and fear him above all other things. The Lord, out of his love, thinketh no people like his people. Quis sicut iu ? It is used of God and Israel : Deut. xxxiii. 29, ' Who is like unto thee, 0 people saved by the Lord ? ' We are to love God, and serve liim, not by chance, but by choice ; not because we know no other, but no better ; to see a superlative excellency in him, to single him out as the only name above all other names. As Exod. XV. 11, ' Who is like unto thee among the gods? who is like
442 A SERMON ON MICAH VII. 18.
unto thee, glorious in holiness ? ' So Ps. Ixxi. 74, ' Thy righteousness 0 God, is very high ; who is like unto thee ? ' So Ps. Ixxvii. 13, ' Who is so great a Grod as our God ? ' Thus do the people of God, in these and many other places, exalt the glory of his attributes beyond all compare, and see something in their ' beloved above all other be- loveds,' Cant, v. 9 ; and so their souls are more settled in their choice, and fortified against temptations, whilst they do not measure God by the line of created beings, and by these expressions raise their thoughts and hearts into an holy wonder. We are too apt to fancy God after the model of the creature, and so transform his glory into the similitude of such finite beings as we ourselves are. No ; who is like him for good- ness and power ? If we speak of strength, he is strong ; of goodness, there is none good but God ; of wisdom, God is only wise, &c.
2. Among all his excellences, his pardoning mercy shineth forth most conspicuously in the true religion, and is represented with such advantages as cannot be found elsewhere. His style and name is ' a God of pardons,' Neh. ix. 17. So when he proclaimed his name before Moses, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7, his pardoning mercy maketh up the greatest part of his name. Now names are a noticn-ibus, from such things as are most obvious and observable in them to whom the names are given. To evidence this, that no God is like our God, consider —
[1.] The business of a religion is to provide sufiiciently for two things which have much troubled the considering part of the world — to provide a suitable happiness for mankind, and a sufficient means for the expiation of the guilt of sin. Happiness is our great desire, and sin our great trouble. Both these are fully laid down in the scriptures. There we find what is true happiness, and there also how the grand scruple of the world may be satisfied, and their guilty fears may be quenched by the expiation of sin. It was sin that plunged us into mischief, and that cut us oflP from the favour of God, and did forbid all communion with him and enjoyment of him ; therefore the great question of the fallen creature is, ' Wherewith will God be pleased ? ' and ' What shall I give for the sin of my soul ? ' Micah vi. 7. The whole world is in dread of provoked justice : Eom. i. 32, ' Who know- ing the judgment of God, and that they which commit such things are worthy of death.' Men are sensible of a sentence of death passed upon them, the fear of which puts them in bondage and trouble all their days, Heb. ii. 14.
[2.] Till there be a due course taken for the pardon of sin, there is no provision made for establishment either of the creature's comfort or duty. (1.) Not his comfort. All the world is v7r68tKo<i rw &ew, Rom. iii. 19, ' become guilty before God,' answerable to him for the breaches of his law, and standeth in dread of his righteous anger and wrath. Nothing obtrudeth itself upon our thoughts but the comfortless sight of our misery when we are serious ; and men are never perfect, as appertaining to the conscience, Heb. ix. 9, never upon sound and good terms, but racked with perplexing fears. (2.) Not his duty ; for religion can never take deep root in our hearts till some hope be estab- lished that God will not deal severely with us, nor call us to an account for all our errors and swer^^ng from his holy law : Ps. cxxx. 4, ' There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared.' Forgiveness