EVIDENCES OF FORGIVENESS. 183 it is his will the sinner should return, repent, and live, he, in the first place, swears by himself, that there is forgiveness with him for those sinners that shall so re pent and tarn to him. Again, whereas the great means he has appointed for the forgiveness of sin is by the mediation of the Lord Christ, as we shall afterwards show, he hath, on several Occasions, confirmed his-purpose in him, and the counsel of his will by his oath. By this oath he promised hirn to Abraham and David of old, which proved the founda- tion of the church's stability in all generations; and also of their security and assurance of acceptance with him ; see Luke, 1 : 73-75. And in his taking upon him that office, whereby, in an especial manner, the forgiveness of sins was to be procured, namely,.of his being a Priest to Offer sacrifice, to make an atonement for sinners, he confirmed it to him, and him in it, by his oath : "He was not made a priest without an oath." Heb. 7 : 20.. And to what end l namely, that he might be a "surety of a better testament," ver. 22. And what was that "better testament 1 " Why, that which brought along with it the forgiveness of sin, chap. 8 : 12, 13. So that it was forgiveness which was so confirmed by the oath of God. Further, the apostle shows that the great origi- nal promise made to Abraham being confirmed by the oath of God, all his other promises were in like manner confirmed. Whence he draws that blessed conclusion which we have, Heb. 6 : 17, 18. As to every one, saith he, that "flies for refuge to the hope that is set before him," that is, who seeks to escape the guilt of sin, the curse and sentence of the law, by applying himself to God in Christ for pardon, he has the oath of God to se- cure him that he shall not fail. Thus does the oath of God testify to the forgiveness of sin ; which we have shown to be the highest security on this point that God can give, or that we are capable of receiving.
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