NATURE OF. FORGIVENESS. 89 of forgiveness, that all may be of grace; for when the foundation is pardon, the whole superstructure must be grace. Thus it is evident that, notwithstanding the pre- tences to the contrary, insinuated in the objection now removed, it is a great thing to have gospel - forgiveness discovered to a soul in a saving manner. CHAPTER V. NATURE OF FORGIVENESS. I now proceed to inquire into the nature of that par- don which poor convinced troubled souls seek after, and which the Scriptures propose to them, for their re- lief and rest. And, as before, I shall not treat the sub- ject absolutely or abstractly, but in its practical relation to the truthwe have been considering : that it is a great thing to attain to a true gospel -discovery of forgiveness. I. As already shown, forgiveness has relation to ma GRACIOUS HEART OF TIIE FATHER; including both the infi- nite goodness and graciousness of his nature ; and the sovereign purpose of his will and grace. The infinite goodness of his nalure is here exhibited. Sin stands in contrariety to God : it is rebellion against his sovereign- ty, opposition to his holiness, a provocation to his jus- tice, a rejection of his yoke, a casting off of the crea- ture's dependence on its Creator. That God, then, should have pity and compassion on sinners, in every one of whose sins there is inconceivably more evil than we can comprehend, argues an infinitely gracious nature in him.
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