Vers. 25. I, euen I am he that put∣teth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake, and will not remember thy sinnes.
* 1.1BY this exclamation the Lord puts an end to the former sentence, as if he should say, that he for his part can reioyce, that he puts away the iniquitie of his people, and holds them in freedome,* 1.2 that they can pleade no merit whereby to obteine this at his hands, seeing they deserue rather to be seuerely chastised, nay to be vtterly confounded.
Now he repeates one and the same thing twice, that he might touch men to the quick for [ 1] their vnthankfulnes: for we are wont either [ 2] to take vnto our selues, or in some sort to ob∣scure the honour which belongs to God on∣ly. Those take the Prophets words in too naked a sense, which thinke that God attri∣butes vnto him here the authoritie and pre∣heminence in pardoning of sinnes, for he ra∣ther opposeth his mercie to all other causes, as if he should say, There is nothing moues me to shew mercie, but only my free fauour, and that Redemp∣tion therefore is wrongfullie attributed to Merits or satisfactions, seeing I am the only author of it. The summe is, that the people were to continue their hope of returne, be∣cause God was willing for his owne names sake freely to remit their sinnes, and to worke their deliuerance.
* 1.3In this place then there is handled the do∣ctrine of the remission of sinnes. It now re∣maines to see vpon what occasion: for there is no doubt but the Prophet promiseth deli∣uerance in regard of Gods free grace. And for this cause he rather spake of forgiuenes of sinnes,* 1.4 then of Redemption: for they be∣ing sore pressed & corrected for their sinnes, the cause was to be remoued ere the effect could cease. A disease can not be cured till the matter which feeds it be first remoued: so, as long as Gods wrath stands vnappeased, so long must our chastisements continue. Therefore it is necessarie that this wrath be pacified, and we reconciled vnto God, before we can be freed from our afflictions.
This maner of speech therefore is to be well obserued against a childish distinction of the Sophisters: who confesse indeed that God pardons the fault, but they wrangle and say, that we must satisfie for the punishment. And hence haue proceeded Satisfactions, Indulgences, Purgatorie, and infinite other inuentions. But our Prophet speakes not on∣ly here of the fault, but makes expresse men∣tion also of the punishment, which is likewise done away, in regard their sinnes and iniquities were freely pardoned. Which is yet more clearely prooued, in that he addes this par∣ticle, For mine owne names sake. For it is cer∣taine that this exception is opposed against all merits.* 1.5 As how? That God respects neither our persons, nor ought that is in vs, vvhen he is to do away our offences, but is moued thereunto by his owne free mercie. For if he should consider any thing in vs, he should then seeme to be boūd to vs, and so the pardon should not be free. For this cause Ezechiel expresseth the opposi∣tion, I do not this for your sakes ô house of Israel, but for mine owne sake: Whence it followes, that God is the author of forgiuenes, and is also inclined freely to forgiue, because he finds no cause at all in man (vnlesse it be his miserie) why he should do it.
And therefore I vvill not remember thy sinnes.] The Prophet added this for the consolation of the faithfull, who by the feeling of their owne vnworthines, might easily haue slipped into despaire. For this cause he puts them in good hope, and confirmes them in this con∣fidence: to wit, That they should obteine re∣mission of their sinnes, and so be deliuered out of captiuitie, notwithstanding their vn∣worthines. Hence we haue to gather a very profitable doctrine, to wit,* 1.6 That no man can assure himselfe of obteining pardon, vnlesse he rest vpon the free grace of God. For such as looke to their works must of necessitie wa∣uer, and in the end despaire. For if they were not besotted with grosse hypocrisie, they would alwaies set their guiltines before their eies, which would constreine them whether they would or no to doubt of Gods fauor.
Where it is said, that the Ministers also do remit sinnes, that is not repugnant to this place, for they are witnesses of this free re∣mission. They vse this common distinction,* 1.7 That God forgiues sinnes by his power, and The Ministers by their office: but because this di∣stinction doth not sufficientlie explane the Prophets meaning, it is best to hold that which I haue set downe, to wit, that God not only pardons sinnes by his power, but also that all benefits which we are to expect, flow vnto vs only from his free grace. And thus the Lord hath so adorned the Gospel and the Ministers with this authoritie,* 1.8 that he re∣serues it notwithstanding intirely in his own absolute power.