NATURE OF FORGIVENESS. 97 proceeds from grace, is managed to the interest of righ- teousness, is carried on by the blood of Christ, and is- sues in forgiveness. Now the blood of Christ relates va- riously to the pardon of sin. 1. Pardon is purchased and procured by it. Our re- demption is our forgiveness, as the cause contains the effect. No soul is pardoned but with respect to the blood of Christ, as the procuring cause of that pardon. Hence he is said to have washed us in his blood," Rev. 1 : 5 ; " in himself to have purged our sins," Heb. 1: 3 by `t one offering to have taken away sin, and for ever to have perfected them that are sanctified," Heb. 10: 14; to be the " ransom and propitiation" of our sins, 1 John, 2: 2 ; to have made " an end of sin," Dan. 9 : 24 ; and to have " made reconciliation for the sins of his people," Heb. 2: 17. God hath enclosed his rich stores of par- don and mercy in the blood of Jesus Christ. 2. Because in his blood the promise of pardon is rati- fied and confirmed, so that nothing is wanting to our complete forgiveness but our pleading the promise by faith in him. "All the promises of God are in him yea, in him amen," 2 Cor. 1 :20; that is, faithfully and im- mutably established. And therefore the apostle having told us that this is the covenant of God, that he "would be merciful to our sins and iniquities," Heb. 8: 12, he informs us that, in the undertaking of Christ, this cove- nant is become a testament, chap. 9 : 15, 16, 17; so rati- fied in his blood, that mercy and forgiveness of sin is irrevocably confirmed to us therein. 3. Because he bath in his own person, as the Head of the church, received an acquittal for the whole body. His personal discharge upon the accomplishment of his work, was a pledge of the discharge which was in due time to be given to his people. Those for whom, and in whose name, he suffered; for them, and in their name, he received the acquittal. Forgiveness. 5
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