September 21

And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.—Isaiah 12:1.

I WILL briefly show that the pardon of sin is so divine a benefit, that it deserves our most solemn thankfulness. This will appear by an evident light, if we consider the nature and quality of the benefit, and the means by which it is obtained.

1. The quality and nature of the benefit. Our blessedness consists in the forgiveness of our sins. David inspired from heaven declares, Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. The worst effect of sin is the separation between God and the soul. In his presence is fullness of joy, in his absence fullness of sorrow. Go ye cursed, is as terrible part of the sentence as the everlasting burning. Hell is the element of sin and misery: wherein the fire made fierce with brimstone, and the undying worm of conscience, torment the wicked. Now the pardon of sin secures us from the wrath of God, the supreme evil, and the cause of all other evils.

Besides, the love of God that pardons us is our sovereign good, and is the productive and conservative cause of all good. It bestows upon us celestial happiness, in comparison of which, all the degrees of worldly honor, and power, and pleasure, and riches, are but dross. The pardon of sin has inseparably annexed to it the privilege of adoption, and a title to the kingdom of glory. Our Saviour declared to the apostle, that the end of the gospel is, to open the eyes of men, and to turn them from darkness to light, that they may receive the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith that is in me.

God permitted the fall of man, to raise him to a more excellent and stable felicity. Adam was dignified with dominion over the lower world, and seated a prince in paradise; but his happiness depended upon his obedience, and that upon the freedom of his will, which proved a dangerous endowment by his abuse of it. He was foolish and fickle in the best state of nature. He affected an independent immortality, and being in honor, became like the beasts that perish. But the pardon of sin is the foundation of eternal happiness. Those who are justified shall be glorified, and made equal to the angels, who are constant in good, as the devils are obstinate in evil. The blessed state above is secure and unforgettable:—glorified saints are incapable of sinning and dying.

2. The means whereby our pardon is obtained. I shall not dare to determine, that God could not have pardoned us by his Sovereignty, without satisfaction to his justice, but he has been pleased to save us in a way most honorable to himself, and comfortable to us. The psalmist tells us, according to the name of God, so is his praise. As his excellent attributes are manifest in his works, understanding creatures adore and celebrate them. The wisdom of God so gloriously appears in the way of our salvation, that the admiring angels praise him for ever. And the goodness of God is so conspicuous in saving us by Christ, that our exuberant affections should be poured forth in thankfulness. The remission of our sins is by redemption in his blood. It was an expression of David's piety, that he would not serve God with that which cost him nothing, but purchase the sacrifice by a price: and it was the high expression of God's love, that he would not save us with that which cost him nothing, but with the sacred treasure of heaven, the precious blood of his son. Besides, the guilty conscience has so quick a sense of God's revenging justice, that our assurance would not be so entire in his mercy, without satisfaction made by the sufferings of our blessed Mediator. In this way we have the advantage of David, who had not so clear a discovery of the means of our pardon, but a general knowledge

24* of the forgiveness of sins; yet that inspired such flaming affections in his breast, that he begins the eucharistical psalm for that mercy, and concludes it with, Bless the Lord O my soul: so also our Prophet, he begins and ends his song of gratitude for pardon with, Praise the Lord. But we have had Jesus Christ evidently set forth as crucified before our eyes, to reconcile us to God; we to whom it is revealed, that the robe of our salvation is woven out of his bowels, in the same proportion as our knowledge of this mysterious mercy, our thankfulness should exceed theirs. If any do not with the most ardent affections acknowledge the mercy of forgiveness, so dearly purchased, it is an unhappy sign he has no interest in it. O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me!