124 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. is" the judgment of God," Rom. 1: 32, that sin is to be punished with death. The consideration of his works will not help a man to the knowledge that there is forgiveness with God. The apostle tells us, Rom. 1 : 20, what it is of God that his works revealeven his eternal power and Godhead, or the essential properties of his nature ; but no more : not any of the purposes of his grace ; not pardon and for - giveness. Besides, God made all things in such a state of rectitude and uprightness, Eccl. 7 : 29, that it was im- possible they should have any respect to sin, or to the pardon of it, of which they stood in no need. There being no such thing in the world as sin, nor any such thing supposed to be, when all things were made of no- thing, how could any thing declare or reveal the forgive- ness of it No works of God's providence can make known this forgiveness. God has indeed borne testimony to him- self and his goodness in all ages, from the foundation of the world, in the works of his providence. So, Acts, 14 : 15-17, " We preach untoyou, that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, who made hea- ven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are there- in : who, in times past, suffered all nations to walk in their own way. Nevertheless, 'he left not himself with= Out witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food andgladness: " " He left not himself without witness ;" that is, by the works of his providence there recounted, he thus far bore testimony to himself, that he is, and is good, and doeth good, and ruleth the world; so that they were inexcusable who, not noticing these works of his, nor the fruits of his goodness which they lived upon, turned away after "vain things," as the apostle there calls the idols of the Gentiles. So again, Acts, 17 : 23-27. By arguments taken from his works, both of creation and
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