013 FORGIVENESS OF IN tendency to his own glory in that way which he hath peculiarly fixed on for its manifestation. Hence the apostle exhorts us to come " boldly to the throne of grace," Heb: 4 : 16 ; that is, with the confidence of faith, as he expounds boldness, chap: 10 t 19, 20. We come about a business wherewith hg is well pleased, such as he delights in doing. "The Lard thy God, in the midst of thee, is mighty; he will save, he will re, juice over thee with joy. He will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing:" Zeph. 3 : 17. This is theway of God's pardoning; he does it in a rejoicing, :tri- umphant manner, satisfying abundantly his ownholy soul therein, and restinginhis love. We have, then, abundant encouragement to draw nigh to the throne of grace, to be made partakers of what God is so willing to give us. And to this end serves also the oath ofGod before in- sisted on, namely, to root out all the secret reserves of unbelief concerning God's willingness to give mercy, grace and pardon to sinners. See Heb. 6 : 17, 18. There- fore the tendency of our former arguments is not mere- ly to prove that there is forgiveness withGod which we may believe and not be mistaken, but that we ought to believe : itis our duty so to do. We think it our duty to pray, to hear the word, to give alms, to love thebreth- ren,"and to abstain from sin; and if we fail inanyofthese, we find the guilt of them upon our conscience to our disquiet ; but we scarcely think it our duty to be- lieve the forgiveness of our sins. How few are there whose conscience is burdened with this as a sin, that they do not, as they ought, believe the forgiveness of their sins'i And this is merely because men judge it not their duty so to do; for a non -performance of a duty so apprehended to be such, will reflect on the conscience a sense of the guilt of sin. But now, what can be requir- ed to make any thing a duty to us, that is wanting in this l For,
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