conversion! what sins after conversion! and you will find, that there is no species or degree of sin which he has not pardoned, even though it have been often repeated, and long continued in. Let any one attempt to enumerate his own transgressions, and he will find them more in number than the sands upon the sea-shore, and sufficient, if visited according to their desert, to sink the whole world into perdition : yet, if he be a believer in Christ, they are all forgiven. How many iniquities then is God continually pardoning in every quarter of the globe ! But this is the habit which most characterizes his nature and perfections. Though he cannot look upon iniquity without the utmost abhorrence of it, yet is " judg- ment his strange work," and mercy is his delight.]
3. His justice —
[The concluding sentence of our text is understood by some to mean, that when he begins to punish " he will not make a full end," but " in judgment will remember mercy :" and it is certain that it will bear this sense, because, literally translated, it stands thus, " Clearing he will not clear." But then, in this description of his attributes, God would wholly omit his justice, which we cannot suppose he would: nor would the words, in this sense, at all agree with the words that follow them. We take them therefore as they are in our translation; and, according to their obvious meaning, they convey to us a most important truth. God does indeed take pleasure in the exercise of mercy : but still he will never violate the rights of justice : he will pardon; but not the impenitent or unbelieving: it is to those only who repent, and believe the Gospel, that he will finally approve himself a reconciled God. Nothing shall ever prevail upon him to " clear one guilty" person, who holds fast his iniquities, or will not wash them away in the Redeemer's blood. It may be asked, Will he not have respect to the multitude of those who are in that predicament ? or will he not be softened when he shall see them weeping, and wailing, and gnashing their teeth, in hell ? We answer, No : he will by no means clear the guilty : if they will live and die in sin, they must " eat the fruit of their own doings."
It is worthy of particular notice in this place, that Moses de- sired to see God's glory ; and that God said, he " would make all his goodness pass before" him: from whence we are assured, that God's goodness, and his glory, are as much seen in his justice, as in any other attribute whatever. Indeed, if God were destitute of this perfection, he would cease to be either glorious or good: he could not be glorious, because not perfect; nor could he be good, because he would give licence to his crea- tures to violate his law, to throw his whole government into
112.] THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD. d'oO
confusion, and to render themselves miserable: for not God himself could make them happy, while sin lived and reigned in their hearts. It is by his justice that he deters men from sin; and teaches them to flee from that which would imbitter even Paradise itself: and therefore justice, however severe may be its aspect upon sin and sinners, is indeed a part of the divine goodness, and a ray of the divine glory.]
Infer,
1. How wonderful is the efficacy of prayer —
[Moses, notwithstanding an apparent prohibition, had in- terceded with God on behalf of the idolatrous Israelites, and had prevailed"1. Still however, God, to mark his displeasure, refused to go with the people any more ; and said he would commit the guidance of them to an angel". But Moses, having thus far obtained a favourable audience, requested and urged, that God himself should still go with them, as he had hitherto done. Nothing would satisfy him but this0. When he had succeeded in this, he grew bolder still; and asked, what no living creature had ever dared to ask, " O God, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory ! " God approved of his boldness, and granted him this also. And what would he not grant to us, if we would ask in humility and faith? He says himself, " Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill itp." O Brethren! see in this instance the efficacy of prayer ; and know, that if you asked forgiveness for the vilest of all sins, and prayed to have the presence of God with you all through this wilderness, and even begged to have the glory of God himself pass before your eyes, it should be given you: your iniquities should be forgiven; you should have God for your constant protector and guide ; and he would " shine into your hearts, to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ0-." O pray without ceasing, and without doubting.]