him in this view, as " a God delighting in mercy," and as accounting "judgment a strange act," to which he was utterly averse. The whole of the Scripture declarations may be comprised in that saying of the prophet, " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon V To cite the New Testament in confirmation of this truth is need- less ; seeing that, from one end of it to the other, it proclaims God as " rich in mercy unto all that call upon him."]
The ground of all his mercies is also declared —
[All the favour that God bears to man is " for Christ's sake." This was shewn from the first moment that his de- signs of mercy were revealed to fallen man. There can be no doubt but that sacrifices were ordained of God, for the pur- pose of shadowing forth that great sacrifice which should, in due time, be offered for the sins of the whole world. For Abel offered his sacrifice in faith c: but faith must have re- spect to the word of God ; and, consequently, God must have previously made known to man the way in which alone a sin- ner should find acceptance with him. Indeed, though we are not expressly told that the animals, with the skins of which God clothed our first parents, were offered in sacrifice, I can scarcely doubt but that the whole mystery of the Gospel was revealed to them in that act ; and they were taught, that through the sacrifice of Christ, their iniquities should be for- given, and that through the righteousness of Christ they should stand with acceptance before God. The whole of the Mosaic economy exhibited this truth in the most striking colours, in that no person could come to God but by sacrifice ; and " without shedding of blood there was no remission of sins'1." On this subject the New Testament expatiates in every part; referring our reconciliation with God to the atoning blood of Christ e, and declaring that " no man cometh unto the Father but by Christ f." The whole labour of the Apostles was to make this known : " Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins ; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses*."]
In my text, the Apostle not only asserts this truth, but speaks of it,
II. As experienced in the soul —
b Isai. lv. 7. c Heb. xi. 4. <i Heb. ix. 22.
e 2 Co- v. 19. f John xiv. 6. s Acts xiii. 38, 39.