4. The sense which conscience hath of these sins.
[1.] Consider it in its old natural bondage, somewhat of which yet remaineth while sin remaineth. So conscience accuseth of the sins that are committed : Rom. ii. 15, ' Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.' And fears the death threatened : Eom. i. 32, ' Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death.' Now can it be appeased unless the Lord spare, or set up some way of grace which alloweth pardon for our failings ? And if the Lord spare, it should be as welcome to us as a pardon to a condemned man.
[2.] Consider it as it is enlightened and renewed by the Holy Spirit. It is true it doth not produce such a fear of wrath as before, but a greater apprehension of the evil of sin, because of the increase of light and love, both which entender the heart. As their light and love increase, so doth their trouble about sin : Rom. vii. 9, ' For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, ■and I died ; ' and ver. 24, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' They are ashamed of that folly and filthiness and unkindness that is in sin, and are grieved for the relics of corruption : Ezek. xvi. 6, ' And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood. Live ; yea, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live.' So Rom. vi. 21, 'What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed ? for the end of those things is death.' Therefore if God will spare, and not impute their trespasses to them, they are more apprehensive of this mercy, than possibly others can be. None see so many sins, and none see such heinousness in sin, and are more deeply affected with it. In a clear glass of water the least mote is espied. They have a greater dread of God's holiness, a more sincere respect to his law, a greater reverence for the sentence of it, a more firm belief of his threatenings, a more earnest desire to please him, and so a greater grief for offending him. Therefore if he will pardon and pass by their infirmities, they ara the more apprehensive of the privilege.
III. The grounds and reasons of this indulgence or sparing which God useth towards them.
1. God's merciful nature, which inclineth him to pass by the infirm- ities of his saints. This appeareth by the description of God given to Moses, when the Lord proclaimed his name: Exod. xxxiv. 6, 'The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.' Since this is the description which God giveth of himself, therefore it deserveth to be weighed by us.
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The first notion is merciful, whereby God's nature inclineth him to succour those that are in misery by reason of sin. The next is gracious, which imph'eth his self-inclination to do good to his creatures, without any precedent obligation on their parts. The third is long- suffering, or slowness to anger ; he is not hasty to revenge the wrongs done him by the creature. He often pitieth wicked men, so far as to prevent the temporal punishment, and spareth them long when he might destroy them. The last is, ' abundant in goodness and truth ; ' that is, expressing his kindness and bounteous nature many ways; not at one time and in one sort only, but upon all occasions, and in all ways wherein we stand in need of his help, and therefore will deal tenderly with his people : Micah vii. 8, ' Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the rem- nant of his heritage ? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.' If we had a due sense of the nature of God, we should have much relief against the evil merit of sin, and a greater hope that he will deal in a fatherly manner with us. He had told them of great things God would do for them ; now in the apprehension of the sensible sinner, it is sin chiefly which standeth in the way of their mercies ; therefore God will pardon sin in his people in such a wonderful way as shall exceed all their thoughts. He will not call them to a strict account for them, and though he beginneth to reckon with them, yet he will spare them, and moderate his anger, and be reconciled to them. It shall not go on to eternal wrath, nor over-long temporal evils; and all because of the pleasure which he taketh in showing acts of mercy rather than acts of vengeance.
2. The satisfaction of Christ, ' Whom God has set forth to be a pro- pitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God, Kom. iii. 25. In him God will satisfy his justice, and accept of the believing penitent. He spared not his Son that he might spare us : Eom. viii. 32, ' He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all ; ' Isa. liii. 10, ' It pleased the Lord to bruise him, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.' In the same verse Christ's bruises and our salvation are called ' the pleasure of the Lord.' The Lord was willing of both, and well content with both.