Because it takes away the interposing cloud. God is gracious in him- self. Pardon of sin removes the cloud betwixt God's gracious face and the soul. Naturally, God is a spring of mercy ; but our sins stop the spring. But when sin is pardoned, the stop is taken away, and the spring runs amain. God is not merciful as a flint yields fire, by force ; but as a spring, whence water naturally issues.
Quest. Seeing forgiveness of sins unstops this spring, why do we not feel this mercy ?
Ans. Surely, because some sin or other is upon the file uncancelled,* perhaps unconfessed ; or because we are stufled with pride, that we beheve not ; or are so troubled, or trouble ourselves, that we apprehend not, or believe not the pardon of sins confessed and hated. But sure it is, for- giveness of sins unstops the spring of mercy, and unveils God's gracious face in Jesus Christ unto us. Sin being not pardoned, this stof)s, as the prophet speaks. Our iniquity is that which keeps good things from us. Therefore the chief mercy is that which removes, that which unstops the current of all mercy. ' I will heal their backsliding,' &c. Look at a con- demned prisoner in the tower ! Ijet him have all contentment ; as long as he is in the displeasure of the prince, stands condemned, and the sentence * See note b, vol. I., p. 289.— G.
HOSEA XIV. 4.] THE EETUKNING BACKSLIDEE. 811
unreversed, what true contentment can he have ? None at all. So it is with a sinner, that hath not his pardon and quietus est from heaven. Yield him all contentment which the world can afford ; all the satisfaction that can issue from the creature ; yet what is this to him, as long as he hath not mere}', and that his conscience is not pacified, because it is not cleansed and washed with the blood of Christ ?
Sin is like Jonah : whilst he was in the ship, there was nothing but tem- pest, Jonah i. 4 ; like Achan in the army, Joshua vii. 11, 12 : whilst he was not found out, God's judgment followed the camp. Sin is that which troubleth all. Therefore it must be taken away first ; and therewith all evU is taken away. Therefore, the first mercy is a forgiving, pardoning, and quieting mercy. When the blood of Jesus Christ, by the hand of faith, is sprinkled upon the soul, God creating a hand of faith to sprinkle and shed it upon the soul, ' Christ loved me, and gave himself for me,' then the soul saith. Though my sins be great, yet the satisfaction of Christ is greater. God hath loved me, and gave his own Son for me ; and I apply this to myself, as it is ofiered to me, and take the ofler. This pacifieth the soul, as it is WTitten, ' The blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, is that which purgeth our conscience from dead works to serve the living God,' Heb. ix. 14. To a repentant sinner, this ' blood of sprinkling speaks better things than the blood of Abel,' Heb. xii. 24 : not as his blood cried for vengeance, but mercy, mercy. When the soul is thus pacified, there is the foundation of all other mercy whatsoever. The order is this : when God is reconciled, all is recon- ciled ; when God is at peace with us in the forgiveness of sins, then all is peaceable at home and abroad. Conscience is in peace within, and all the creatm*es at peace without ; all which, with all that befalls us, have a com- mand to do us no hurt ; as David gave charge to the people, of Absalom. When God is reconciled and at peace, all things are at peace with us. For is not he Loi'd of hosts, who hath the command of all the creatures ? There- fore this grace of forgiveness is the chief gi-ace.
To shew it in one instance more. David was a king and a prophet, a comely and a valorous person. But what esteemed he most ? Did he say, Blessed is the man who is a king, or a prophet, or a valiant warrior, or hath dominion, obedience, or great possessions, as I have ? Oh, no. ' Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven, and whose iniquities are covered,' Ps. xxxii. 1. You see wherein this holy man Da'sad sets and pitcheth happiness, in the forgiveness of sins. Blessed is such a man. Though he were a king, he knew well enough that if his sins were not par- doned and covered he had been a wretched man.
Use 1. Therefore, this should teach us to desire of God continually the pardon of our sins ; and we should make it the chief desire of our souls that God would shine upon them in Jesus Christ, pardon and accept us in his beloved. They go together.
Use 2. And bless him fur this above all other blessings, as it is Ps. ciii. 1, 3, ' Bless the Lord, 0 my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name,' &c. Why ? ' Who forgiveth all thy iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases.' We should bless God most of all for this, that he hath devised a way by Christ to receive satisfaction for sin, to pardon it, and say unto our souls, ' I am thy salvation,' Ps. xxxv. 3. This is the greatest favour of all.