Chap. 34: An Expofition upon the Book, of j o s. Verf. 31. 8 (27 fpeake for pardon upon this ground alïo (Exod: 32. 3 t.) Lord ( faith he ) this people have ci' nmitted a greatfin, and have made themgods ofgold, yet now ifthou wiltforgive theirfin, &c. There's agreat deale ofdivine ilhetorique in that fpeech ; Mofes was not doubtful!, whether God would forgive them their fin, becaufe it was great, but he urged the Lord to forgive their fin becaufe it was great. wkere fin aboundeth, Grace doth much more abound ( Rem: 5. 20. ) and therefore God is faid to pardon abundantly, or to multiply topardon (Ifa: S 5.7. ) and whom doth he pro- mile to pardon there ? even the man ofiniquity, fo that Scripture bath it ; Let the wickedforfake his way, andtheunrighteous man ( or the man ofiniquity) his thoughts, &c. Ifyou who have finned abundantly,repent, l will pardon abundantly. The heart ofCod in pardoning fin is infinitely larger then the heart of man can be in committing fin : and as the leaf} finneeds pardon, fo the greatefi may have it ;. nothing hinders the pardonof fin , but the linters not coming for ir, or his not asking it. The fin againtl the holy Gho(+ cannot be forgiven ; but the reafonis, becaufe fuch as com- mit that fin utterly,reje& the grace of God, and tread the blood of the Covenant under their feet, as an Unholy thing. Thirdly, The text fpeakes in the prefent tenfe; God faith nor, I will pardon, or, pofì"ibly, I maypardon, but fheweth what he both acîually doth,-and what healwayes doth, To God - who faith Ipardon. Hence, note. godpardoneth prefently, he pardoneth continually. I pardon, is aprefent, it is a continued aCI. Topardon is Gods work to day, and Gods work tomorrow. As every foule may fay ofhimfelfe, Lord I fin ; not only I have finned, or I (hall fin here- after,- but Ifin : fo faith God,Ipardon ; as men .(+and alwayes in need of pardon, fo God (+ands alwayes prepared to pardon. He is ( Pfal: 86. S.) plenteous inmercy, ready to forgive ; The heart of God is never out of frame for that worke, never indif- poled to it. David found him fo (Pfal. 32. s.) I Paid I will confeffemineiniquity; he did not fay, Ihave canfeifed mine ini- quity ; he was nor ,come to a formal! Confefïìon ; onely he had it upon his heart to humble himfelfe before God, and confeffe. his fm ; yet it follows; and thouforgavefb the iniquity of my fin.. While:
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