NATURE OF FORGIVENESS. 101 and pardon the great sin against which, at that time, he manifested his indignation. Here he lays himself down before the sovereign grace of God, and waits patiently the discovery of the free act of his will concerning him; and at this door, as it were, enters into the consideration of those other springs of pardon which faith inquires after and closes with. This, sometimes, is all the cloud that appears to a distressed soul, which, after a while, fills the heavens, by the addition of the other considera- tions mentioned, and yields plentifully refreshing show- ers. And to this condition is a sin-entangled soul oft- times reduced in looking for relief; it can discover no- thing but this, that God is able, and can, if he graciously please, relieve and acquit him. All other support or springs of relief are shut up . or hid from him. The springs, indeed, may be nigh, as that was to Hagar; but their eyes are withheld, that they cannot see them. Wherefore they cast themselves on God's sovereign pleasure, and say with Job, " Though he slay us, we will put our trust in him ;" we will not let him go. In our- selves we are lost, that is unquestionable; how the Lord will deal with us we knownot; evidences of God's grace in us, or of his love and favor to us, are all out of sight; to a present special interest in Christ we are strangers, and we lie every moment at the door of eternity. What course shall we take l what way shall we proceed 1 If we abide at a distance from God we shall assuredly pe- rish : who ever hardened himself against him and pros- pered ? Nor is there the Ieast relief to be had but from him ; for who can forgive sins but God 1 We will then bring our guilty souls into his presence, and attend the pleasure of his grace; what he speaks concerning us we will willingly submit to. And this sometimes proves an anchor to a tossed soul; which, if it do not give rest and peace, yet saves it from the rock of despair. Here it abides until light more and more breaks forth upon it.
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