SERMONS of the Forgivenefs of Sr N s. 1. I now come to the third general Head, that God is abund_anr in F ~rgivcnefs. , This God has declar'd in words fo fulhnd-exprellivc, as may exccedmgly fausfy the moO: tender and fearful Spirits: Let tbe Wicked forfake bi; Way, and tbe unrighteous Man bis )!Joughts, and let him retufn unto the Lord, and be will!Jave Mercy upon hi"!, mtd to our God, for he tvill abundant{y pardon. For my Thoughts ar~ notyour Thoughts, netther areyour Wtrys my ~s,faith the Lord. For as the Heavens are lngher than the Earth,fo are my W4J'S, ~{;~n r:::ven'f~~:~t,cmi:a~:r~~g:t::/:t::i~~ r;~·~:~s~ z;~~e ~~O:t~;ht:s ~~c~~~~bb~~~~e~ 347 fin all Circumference; and the Stars of the fir(l; Magnitude, tho' many times bigger. than the £arch, appear like glittering Points of Light. This Comparifonis fo convincing as may allifr us in our Contemplation of his Mercy. The Apoille fatth, God is rich in Epho( 2 • . Mercy. 'Tis not faid, that he is rich in Subfrance, tho' the Earth be the Lord's, and rhe FulncfS thereof. He is rich in his own PerfeCtions, not in external things. 'Tis not faid, God is rich in Power, rho' he is Almighty; nor in JufHce, but in Mercy: This tignifies, that of all the Divine Perfections, none do f11ine fo radiantly as his Mercy. ~~i~~~~~~s Je L;a~d~n~d 0;~,;,~sh~t~a"~/;~i~,~~;s;o ~~ s~~~a~;e~'"~ ~:~ ~:'r~j':~~~~na~J his Treafure is unwafl:cd. I will confider the Extent of his pardoning Mercy and the Entirenefs of it. 1. The Extent of it, with Refpect to the Number and Q!Iality of the Sins at are pardoned. 1j/. The Number of them. David, after an attentive Confideration of the Pu ~ity and Perfection of God's Law, breaks forth in a very gre~t Anxiety, Wbo can unrferfland IJis Errors! Who can emimerate the many Defections from that il:rait Rule of our g~y? ;.; i~·rv~;;·'i.;i~t;;e~';~ o':: r~~~gi~~!g~:tre~:pe~h!!7ar~0 ;~:J ~~1eE~~~;;; Defilements that want Pardon. How many Swarms of vain and unprofitable Thoughts of carnal, covetous, proud, envious, and revengefu~ Tho~ghts and Delires lodge in the Hearts of Men? What a Torrent of idle, fenfual, vam-glonous and pallionate Words Row from their Lips ? How many thoufand fmful ACtions proceed, from them? When the inlighrncd Confcience ferioufly reflects upon our Sins of Omillion and Commiffion, how afionifhing is their vafl: Number? What a mountainous Heap appears ? They reach as low as Hell, and rife as high as Heaven. It would tire the Hand of an Angel to write down the Pardons that God beftows upon one Penitent Believer. 2dly, Divine Forgivenefs extends to Sins of all kinds and degrees, habitual and actual. Tho' no Sins are abfolutcly fma!l, bemg committed againfr the MajeO:y of God, yet comparatively, with refped" to their quality and Circumil:an.ces, there is a manifeil: Difference .between them. Some are of a \~eaker Tincture, fome are of a deeper Die : Some ihghtly wound the Confcience; fome waO:e it, and let out its vital Blood : Some do as it were whifper againfr the Sinner, fome cry for Vengeance. Sins of Ignorance and Infirmity, Sins of fudden Surreption, that O:eal upon us without obferving, Sins by fUrprife of the Paffions, when there is no time to dehbcratc, have extenuating Circumftances: But Sins againfl: Light, wherein there is more of the Nature of Sin; Sins againO: Mercies, which in the Language of the Apoille, are a dejpifing of God's Goodnefs _. Sins againfr folemn Vows, wherein Men break double Bands, the Law of God and their facred Ingagements; Sins committed habitually and prefumptuoui!y, as if God were ignorant, or indifferent and unconcern' cl, or impment and without Power ~u~O;~~n~ffe~~%s~ gr~~;;;~ss~:r~~~v:s ~We~~Je~nGrl~t,G~Fr~le;J~~e ;~u~e~~~r~~~~~~;~ the ~ality and Circumfrances of their Sins be, if they apply and addrefs themfclves to the Father of Mercy through the compallionate Mediator, and lorfake their·Sins. Of t his we are nifured from the moO: folcmn Declaration of God to Mofes, The Lord is merciful and gracious, long-fujfering, and abundant in Goodnefs and Truth, !.:eeping Mercy for t!Jotljands, forgJv!ng Iniquity, and TranfgreJ!ion, and $in. The Promifc is comprchcnfivc of all forts of Sms, how manifold and mtghty foevcr. Befides, to encourage. us ro rch~dt v~\~te~;\~;~a?r~:g!c;:~~~n~~~d,ncf~d ~;stl~e~r ~~~p~;;c;~ol~~~:~,ca;~\e ~(fe~ ro. rccetvc them. Thou /;aft played the Harlot with many L()7)ers, yet return again to me, fiutb the Lord. Rclapfes into rebellious Sins argue a frrong Propenftty to them, and exceedmgly aggravate their Guilt ; yet God promifes Pardon for them: Retunz ye l>ac.IJ/iding, Cbildren, and I will bea/ your Backjlidings. There are eminent InO:ances of God's pardonmg
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