HOMILETICS. Ver. 1.-The blessedneu of pardon. "Blessed is he," etc. The Old Testament Scriptures contain what we may call moral prophecies, no less striking than the his- torical and typical prophecies. This verse is among them. Beginning with this grand Bible word" blessed" (like Ps. i.), it resembles an echo, a thousand years beforehand, of the Sermon on the Mount. We find here, not only" the shadow of good things t-0 come," but " the very image " of the gospel promises of pardon and justification. Accordingly, St. Paul quotes and argues from these words (Rom. iv. 5-8). (1) In what does this blessedness consist? (2) How is it attained? I. IN WHAT DOES TIDB BLESSEDNESS CO:SSIST? 1. In the actual fact of deliverance from the guilt and punuhment of transgressiOfl,, Forgiveness is a reality on God's part, because sin is a reality on our part. Forgiveness, or justification, is sometimes spoken of as " treating the sinner as though he had not sinned." This is but loose, figurative language. The reverse is the case. Forgiveness implies sin (Rom. iv. 5). Sin may havealleviations-ignorance,overpowering temptation, constitutional infirmity, and so forth-but as sin it is disobedience to God's Law. Therefore if God has really given a moral law to men, he is bound as righteous (Gen. xviii. 25) to take account of sin--of every sin of every sinner. Men have sinned (Rom. iii. 23). Therefore (innocence being lost) every one must necessarily be either forgiven or condemned, Accordingly, our Saviour always speaks of forgiveness as a definite act (Matt. ix. 2, 6; Luke vii. 47). His apostles in like manner (1 John ii. 12; Acts ii. 38; xiii. 38, 39). 2. In the joyful consciousnesa of pardon and reconciliation to God, These two--the fact and the consciousness-ought al ways to go together; but, as matter of fact, they do not. It is a great mistake to confound faith with assurance, Perfect, undoubting faith in God's promise, if that promise be rightly understood, must needs bring with it the blessed and joyful certJl.inty of the fulfilment of the promise. But faith may be real, yet far from perfect; clouded by ignorance or error; enfeebled by doubt and fear shadowed by self-distrust, yet real, like the faith of sinking Peter, 3. In the holy and happy infiwnce of this belief and sense of forgiven·ess on the heart and life ; making God lo\'ed, sin hated, self humbled, obedience happy and free from bondage. Deliver- ance from the punishment of sin is not to he overrated as the chief element in this blessedness; yet it is a real and powerful source. . II. How ODTAINED? 1. Thefirststepisatruesense of sin andoftheneedofpardon. This height of joy is reached at a rebound from the dust of self-abasement. 2. Personal, relianre on Christ, acceptance of his atonement, and of God's offer and promise of pardon through him. 3. The stud_y of God's Word, with prayer for the Holy Spirit', teaching. (2 Cor. iv. 6; Eph. i. 17-19.) Make sure, first, what God's Word really declares; then f,ake God at his word. Beware of the subtile delusion of putting your own faith in place of Christ. Ver. 1.-(Secon<l outline.) The blessedne,s of pardon may belong to widely different stages of Christian experience. Take, e.g., those of which we have images in Dunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress '-in Christian's entering the wicket-gate, fosing his I'S, XU.II, 1-11,] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 239
burden, escaping from the dungeon of Giant De!ipair. First faith; full faith; recovered faith. I. THE BLESSEDNESS 011' A. FIRST FAITH, A first consciou..q, undoubting reception of God's promise-the glad tidings (Luke xxiv. 47; Acts xiii. 32, 38); and personal acceptance of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord (Acts xvi. 30-34). II. THE BLESSEDNESS OF FULL FAITII. Unlimited trust in all that God has pro- mised, and acceptance of all that he has given us in Christ. Christian was in the path of salvation, the way of life, from;the moment he entered the gate ; but he was not quit of his burden till he came in full view of the cross of Christ (1 John iv. 16, 19; v. 12). III. THE BLESSEDNESS OF FAlTII BEST0BED A.J'TEB F A.ILURE. The joy of forgiveness, lorfeite,i by sin, recovered; and love, faith, hope, again kindled by tbe Holy Spirit, in place of gloom and despair. Christian was far on in his journey when he and his com- rade strayed into By-path Meadow and fell into the clutches of the giant. This is the psalmist's experience. He had fallen into gross sin ; and, as long as be "kept silence," refused to confess to God and to humble himself, he had no rest or peace (vers. 3, 4). When he turned in penitence and trust to God, the fount of joy was at once reopened in his heart. He escaped from bondage into freedom (ver. 5; 1 John i. 8, 9; ii. 1, 2). Ver. 3.-Hindrances to ccnfession of sin. "I kept silence." I. PRIDE. Men cannot bear to think themselves wrong-to put themselves down on the common level; still less, below those who have sought and obtained pardon. This pride is itself a great sin (Ja.s. iv. 6; 1 Tim. iii. 4). II. wANT OF HONESTY oF-OONS0IENCE. Even proper self-respect ehou]J make one eay, "Anything rather than self-deception I Let me know the truth of my8elf I" III. INDoLENOE. Many are busy enough outwardly, but mentally indolent, spiritually stagnant. IV. Som: A.RE TOO BUSY. Too much occupied with the appendages of life ever to know what it is truly to live I V. CARELESSNESS. 'l'wo kinds of hardness of heart noted in Scripture. 1. Stubborn self-will. 2. Want of feeling (" fat," Isa. vi. 10). VI. INSENSIBILITY TO Goo's OLA.IMS. Their greatness, urgency, inevitableness, the blessedness of yielding to them. This lies deep at the root c,f all the rest. Were these felt, pride would bow, conscience wake, indolence and carelessness vanish ; all worldly concerns and aims appear in comparison as II less than nothing, and vanity." VII. liENOE LOW VIEWS OF GoD's LAW, of the absolute necessity of rightoousnes~, and the infinite evil of sin.