pardoning mercy of God. For it is very rare, that fuch wilful defpifers and abusers of God's mercy, do obtain forgiveness. They are not likely to prove veffels of mercy, but veffels of wrath, who are treasuring up to themselves wrath, against the day of wrath. Rom. iv. 5.

2

USE 2. Of Exhortation: Let finners then take encouragement to repent and turn to God, from this confi. deration, that he will abundantly pardon. God here proposes this as an encouragement; and you may, yea, ought to, improve it as an encouragement, to returning unto God. 'Tis true, fecure finners may be apt to encourage themfelves in their finful courses, from hear, ing this doctrine of God's abundant pardoning mercy. Yet, how ill ufe foever they may make hereof, poor convinced and awakened finners are to be told, that God will abundantly pardon them, upon their returning to him. Thofe that have their eyes opened, to see their repeated, multiplied, and aggravated tranfgreffions against an infinite God, cannot presently and easily be. lieve, that God will pardon them. They are more inclined to defpair, and caft off all hope of mercy, as if their fins were greater than could be forgiven. If this be the cafe of any prefent, to you is this word of falvation fent, Return unto the Lord, for he will abundantly pardon. Though there be abundance of fin with you, yet there is abundance, yea, a greater abundance, of mercy with God. Your fins, are the fins of a man; but his mercies, are the mercies of an infinite God. Be not then difcouraged, but take heart, and arife and go to God our Saviour, for he calleth you. Only return to him in the right way, in the way of repentance and faith unfeigned. Return to him (as was formerly faid) with free and full confeffion of your fins, with weeping and mourning for your fins, with judging and condemning yourselves for them, with humble and earnest believing fupplications for pardon of them for Chrift's fake alone, and with firm abiding refolutions,

refolutions, in the ftrength of Chrift, to forfake them, and to lead new lives. Thus do, and the Lord will have mercy upon you, and our God will abundantly pardon

you.

USE 3. Of Exhortation to thofe whom God has abundantly pardoned: and the exhortation may be in feveral words.

I. Blefs God, for his abundant mercy. Pardon of fin, and abundant pardon of fin efpecially, is an exceeding great bleffing, and calls for a heart enlarged in praifing God. Holy David had been guilty of very great fins, and had obtained the pardon of them all; and for this, he engages his whole foul in bleffing and praifing God. ·Pfal. ciii. 1, 2, 3. Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me, blefs bis holy name. Blefs the Lord, O my Joul, and forget not all bis benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities. This be firft bleffes God for, as being the principal and leading benefit. Thus alfo the apoftle Paul; the grace of God was exceeding abundant towards bim. For though he had been a blafphemer, a perfe cutor and injurious, and among the chief of finners, yet he obtained mercy; and hereupon he breaks forth into the high praifes of God, 1 Tim. i. 17. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invifible, the only wife God, be honour and glory for ever and ever, Amen. They that have experienced fuch great mercy, fhould fing aloud of the mercy of God. Abundant pardon, calls for abundant praifes. O then adore, admire, extol, and magnify the mercy of God, which has difplayed itfelf, in the forgiving your manifold and great fins. When you come to heaven, you will more clearly fee the multitude and greatness of your fins, and the abundant mercy of God in pardoning them and how then will you fhout forth the divine praifes!O begin this work now; and particularly, when at the Lord's Table, let this work of praife be attended.

2. Love God, for his abundant mercy. Pardon of fin proceeds from God, as a reconciled Father. Great

parde

pardon is a fruit of great love. And to whom God manifefts fuch great love, from them he expects a re"turn of great love. A God that abundantly pardons, deferves to be abundantly beloved. Thus, that penitent woman, who had many and great fins forgiven her, fhe loved mach, Luk. vii. 47. Let all God's pardoned ones then grow in their love to God, whofe mercy towards them has abounded. All have been guilty of innumerable fins, and fo God has multiplied to pardon them; and for this, their love to God fhould abound. O! think of the infinite majefty, glory, and greatness of that God, whom you have finned againft. Think of the valt multitude and heinoufnefs of your fins. Think of the facrifice, which God has provided, to purchase this pardon for you, even, Jefus Chrift his Son crucified for you. Think of the fovereignly free grace of God, which applied this purchafed pardon unto you. O think of these things, and then confider, whether you can ever love God enough. Let thefe thoughts draw out your love to God, at the Lord's table (the next Lord's-day,) where you are called to take notice of his abundant mercy to you in Chrift Jefus.

3. Fear God, for his abundant mercy. A filial fear of God, is a genuine fruit of forgivnefs of fin. Pfal. CXXX. 3. There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayeft be feared. Forgivenefs of fin looks, not only at our good, but alfo at God's glory. And a right understanding of forgiveness, will not fuffer carnal fecurity and prefumptuous boldnefs; but will leave upon the heart an holy awe and dread of God. Yea, the very affurance of pardon, will increafe an holy vigilancy and godly fear in the foul. See then that you fear this God, who has been to you a fin pardoning God. Fear to of fend him any more by your fins. Be watchful against all fin, that you may not difhonour and difpleafe fo gracious and merciful a God.----Again, fear God, i. e. wor fhip and ferve him. Sometimes fear is put for all that worthip and refpect which is due to God. And thus

the

the pardoning mercy of God engages us to ferve and honour God. Pardon is the loofing our bonds, the tak ing off the chains of guilt, in which we were held, and bound over to punishment. Now for this, God is to be ferved, and our hearts are to be enlarged in the ways of obedience to him. Pfal. cxvi. 16. O Lord, truly I am tby fervant, I am thy fervant; thou baft loofed my bonds.--Thus let us walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleafing, as becomes thofe who have had abundant forgiveness granted to us. And if the thought of God's having abundantly pardoned us, does excite us unto an holy care of obeying and pleafing God, it will be a moft comforting evidence, that God has really been merciful to our unrighteoufneffes, and that he will remember our fins and our iniquities no more.---If God's pardoning mercy makes him and his fervice amiable to you, it may then be fafely faid to you, Be of good cheer, your fins are forgiven you.

The infinite Difparity between GOD and Men, in refpect of pardoning Mercy.

ལས་

DISCOURSE X.

ISAI LV. 8, 9.

For my Thoughts are not your Thoughts, neither are your Ways my Ways, faith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth, fo are my Ways higher than your Ways, and my Thoughts than your Thoughts.

N the foregoing verfe, God had promifed, that he would abundantly pardon repenting and returning finners. In thefe verfes, God re

moves a doubt concerning this, which might arife in the minds of dejected.finners. They might be ready to question, whether God would abundantly par don, because they find themfelves, and other men, fo backward to forgive; efpecially, if very often and greatly injured and offended. They are apt to measure God by themselves, and to judge of him according to what is ufual amongst men. Now this fcruple God removes two ways, viz.