404 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX, [Ver.4.
thing to have the heart of Christ revealed unto us. When beh overs deal about pardon, their faith exercises itself about this, that God, with whom the soul hath to do, hath sent the Lord Christ to die for this end, that it may be freely given out. General notions of impu- nity they dwell not on, they pass [press?] not for; they have a closer converse with God than to be satisfied with such thoughts. They inquire into the graciousness of his nature, and the good pleasure of his will, the purpose of his grace; they ponder and look into the mystery of his wisdom and love in sending his Son. If these springs be not clear unto them, the streams will yield them but little re- freshment. It is not enough that we seek after salvation, but we are to inquire and search diligently into the nature and manner of it. These are the thiuG^s that " the ano-els desire to" bow down and " look into," 1 Pet. i. 1 ] , 12. And some think if they have got a form of words about them, they have gotten a sufficient comprehension of them ! It is doubtless one reason why many who truly believe do yet so fluctuate about forgiveness all their days, that they never ex- ercised faith to look into the springs of it, its eternal fountams, but have merely dwelt on actual condonation. However, I say, these things He utterly out of the consideration of the common pretenders to an acquaintance with the truth we have in hand.
(2.) There is another sovereign act of God's will to be considered in this matter, and that is his eternal designation of the 2^<^^^sons tvho shall he made partakers of this mercy. He hath not left this thing to hazard and uncertainties, that it should, as it were, be un- known to him who should be pardoned and who not. Nay, none ever are made partakers of forgiveness but those whom he hath eter- nally and graciously designed thereunto: so the apostle declares it, Eph. i. 5-7. The rise is his eternal predestination; the end, the glory of his grace ; the means, redemption in the blood of Christ ; the thing itself, forgiveness of sins. None ever are or can be made partakers thereof but by virtue of this act of God's will and grace; which thereupon hath a peculiar influence into it, and is to be respected in the consideration of it. I know this may be abused by pride, profaneness, and unbelief, and so may the whole work of God's gTace, — and so it is, even the blood of Christ in an especial manner; but in its proper place and use it hath a signal influence into the glory of God and the consolation of the souls of men.
There are also other acts of this purpose qf God's grace, as of giv- ing sinners unto Christ and giving sinners an interest in Christ, which I shall not insist upon, because the nature of them is suffi- ciently discovered in that one explained already.
Secondli/f Forgiveness hath respect unto the propitiation made
yer.4.] FOKGIVENESS AS IT RESPECTS THE BLOOD OF CIimST. 405
in and by the blood of Christ the Son of God. This was declared iu the Oldening of the words. Indeed, here lies the knot and centre of gospel forgiveness. It flows from the cross, and springs out of the grave of Christ.
Thus Elihu describes it, Job xxxiii. 24, " God is gracious unto him, and saith. Deliver him from going doAvn to the pit: I have found a ransom." The whole of what is aimed at lies in these words: — 1. There is God's gracious and mercifid heart towards a sinner: " He is o-racious unto him." 2. There is actual condonation itself, of which we shall treat afterward: " He saith. Deliver him from gomg down to the pit." And, — 3. There is the centre of the whole, wherein God's gracious heart and actual pardon do meet; and that is the ransom, the propitiation or atonement that is in the blood of Christ, of which we speak : " I have found a ransom."
The same is expressed, Isa. liii. 11, "My righteous servant shall justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." Of the justification of sinners, absolution or pardon is the first part. This ariseth from Christ's bearing their iniquities. Therein he "finished the trans- gi-ession, made an end of sins, and made reconciliation for iniquity," Dan. ix. 24. Even all the sacrifices, and so consequently the whole worship of the Old Testament, evinced this relation between forgive- ness and blood-shedding; whence the apostle concludes that " with- out shedding of blood is no remission," Heb. ix. 22; — that is, all pardon ariseth from blood-shedding, even of the blood of the Son of God ; so that we are said " in him to have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins," Eph. i. 7. Our redemption in his blood is our forgiveness: not that we are all actually pardoned in the blood of his cross, for thereunto must be added gospel condonation, of which afterward; but thereby it is procured, the grant of pardon is therein sealed, and security given that it shall in due time be made out unto •us. To which purpose is that discourse of the apostle, Rom. iii. 24-2 G. The work there mentioned proceeds from grace, is managed to the interest of righteousness, is carried on by the blood of Christ, and issues in forgiveness. Now, the blood of Christ relates variously to the pardon of sin : —