EVIDENCES OF FORGIVENESS. 147 a pattern, an evidence, an argument, that there was grace, mercy, forgiveness, to be had for all sorts of sin- ners that would believe to life everlasting. To conclude, then, this evidence : Every one who is now in heaven has his pardon sealed in the blood of Christ. All these pardons are set before us in the Gos- pel; they are enrolled in its promises for the encòurage- ment of those who stand in need of forgiveness. Fear not, then, the guilt of sin, but the love of it, and the power of it. If we love sin better than forgiveness, we shall assuredly fail of forgiveness; but if we had rather be pardoned in God's way than perish, our condition is secure. V. The same is evident from TßE PATIENCE OF GOD to. wards the world; in reference to whichwe may observe, 1. That upon the first entrance of sin, God might im- mediately have executed the threatened curse, and brought eternal death upon them that sinned. Justice required that it should be so, and there was nothing in the whole creation to interpose so much as for a reprieve or re- spite of vengeance. And had God then sent sinning man; with the apostate angels that induced him to sin, immediately into eternal destruction, he would have been glorified in his righteousness by the angels that sinned not; or he could have created a new race of in- nocent creatures, to have worshipped and glorified him for his righteous judgment; even as all the elect at the last day shall do for the destruction of ungodly men. 2. God hath not taken this course. He bath continued the race of mankind for a long season on the earth; he bath watched over them with his providence, and exer- cised exceeding patience, forbearance and long -suffering towards them. This the apostle Paul at large discourses on, Acts, 14:17-17; 17:24-30; as also Rom. 2 : 4; and it is open and manifest in the event. The whole
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