as teacheth inwardly, clearly, experimentally, and sweetly: no man in the world can say this, or do this, but Jesus Christ, the great Prophet of the Church, whom God hath raised up like unto Moses, or far above Moses; Oh my Soul consider if thou art thus taught of God.
4. I will forgive their Iniquity, and I will remember their Sins no more. Consider of this! Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven, and whose Sins are covered. Consider O my soul, suppose thy case and thy condition thus: As thou livest under Laws of men, so for the transgression of those Laws thou art called to account; the Judge weighs, and gives an impartial and just judgment, he Dooms thee to the Axe, or Rack, or Wheel; and because of the aggravation of thy Crime, he commands thee to be tortured leisurely, that Bones, Sinews, Lights, Joints might be pained, for twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years; that so much of thy flesh should be cut off every day; that such and such a Bone should be broken, such and such a day; and that by art the flesh should be restored, and the Bone cured again; that for so many years as is said, thou mightest be kept every day dying, and yet never die; that all this while thou must have no Sleep, nor Ease, nor Food, nor Cloathing convenient for thee; that Whips of Iron, Lashes and Scourges of Scorpions, that Racks, Wheels, Cauldrons full of melted Lead, should be prepared instruments of thy continual, horrible, terrible Tor∣ments; in this case, suppose a mighty Prince, by an Act of free and special Grace, should deliver thee from this Pain and Torture, and not only so, but should give thee a Life in perfect health, should put thee into a Paradise of Pleasures, where all the ho∣nour, acclamations, love, and service, of a world of Men and Angels should await thee, and where thou shouldst be elivated to the top of all imaginable Happiness, above Solo∣mon in the highest Royalty, or Adam in his first Innocency; where not this mercy? wouldest thou not thing it the highest Act of Grace and Love, that any creature could extend to his fellow-creature? and yet O my Soul, all this is nothing but a shadow of grace in comparison of the love and rich grace of God in Christ in the justification of a sinner. If thou hast a right to this promise, I well forgive thy Iniquity, and I will remember thy sin no more. Thou art delivered from eternal Death, and thou art entitled to an eter∣nal Kingdom; O know thy blessedness aright! Consider how infinitly thou art engaged to God, and Christ, and mercy, and free-grace! This promise sounds forth nothing but grace and blessing; grace from God, and blessing on us; it is grace, because nothing but grace and mercy can forgive: it is grace, because God, if he will, hath power in his hand to Revenge; he doth not pass by sin as men do offences, when they dissemble for∣giveness; they may forgive, because they have not power to avenge: it is otherwise with God; To me belonges Vengeance and Recompence, saith God: He is able to destroy and yet he chuseth to forgive; this is his Name, strong and gracious.
O my Soul thou art apt to complain, what? will the Lord forgive my Sins? What reason hath God to look on me, to Pardon me, to pluck me as a firebrand out of the Fire of Hell? why should God forgive me? But now consider (if thy heart be humbled) — the Lord will do it. —
1. Because he delighteth in Mercy; it is a pleasure to God to forgive Sins: never did we take more pleasure, nor so much pleasure in acting and committing of sin, as he doth in the pardoning of sin; he is the Father of Mercies, he delights in mercy as a Father in his Children; it doth him good to see the Fruits of his own mercy, in taking away the sins of his own people.
2. Because it is his purpose which he hath purposed within himself from all Eter∣nity; this was the great design of God (as you have heard) to make his grace glori∣ous in those whom he intends to save; he will have the praise of the glory of his Grace: he will not lose his glory; he will be admired in his Saints; he will make the World to wonder, when it shall be known what sin hath been committed by them, and pardon∣ed by him. And hence it is that Gods people are called Vessels of Mercy, that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy; for, as Vessels are or may be filled up to the brims, so the Vessels of Mercy shall be filled with Mercy, up to the Brim, that the Riches of his Glory in the pardon of Sin, may be seen and known to the wonder of all the world.
3. Because it is his Nature and Inclination to pardon Sin: this appears, 1. In the Proclaiming of his Name, the Lord, the Lord, Merciful, and Gracious, Long-suffering, abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for Thousands, forgiving Iniquity, and Transgression, and Sin.