92 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. This fear of our hearts our Savior seems to intend to prevent or remove, John, 16 : 26, 27. "I saynot that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father himself loveth you." The disciples had good thoughts of the tender heart and care of Christ himself, the Media- tor, towards them: but what is the heart of the Fa- ther, what acceptance shall they find with him 1 Will Christ pray that they may find favor with him'l Why, saith he, as to the love of his heart, there is no need of it ; " for the Father himself loveth you." If this, then, belongs to forgiveness, as whoever has sought for it well knows, it is certainly no common discovery to have it revealed to us. To have, all the clouds and darkness raised by sin, be- tween us and the throne of God, diskellod ; to have the fire, and storms, and tempests, that are kindled and stir- red up about him by the law, removed ; to have his glo- rious face unveiled, and his holy heart laid open, and a view of those infinite treasures and stores of goodness, mercy, love, and kindness, which have,had an unchange- able habitation therein from all eternity; to have a dis- covery of these eternal springs of forbearance and for- giveness, is what none but Christ can accomplish. John, 17 : 6. But this is not all. This eternal ocean of divine love, that is infinitely satis- fied with its own fulness and perfection, does not natu- rally yield forth streams for our refreshment. Mercy and pardon do not come forth from God, as light from the sun, or water from the sea, by a necessary consequence of their natures, whether they will or not. It does not necessarily follow that any one must be made partaker of forgiveness because God is infinitely gracious : for may he not do what hé will with his own l " Who hath given first unto him; that it should be recompensed un- to him again 1" Rom. 11 35. All the fruits of God's goodness and grace are in the sole keeping of his own
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