SECTION II. 257 general andabsolute mercy of God, trusting that God will forgive oursins because he is infinitely good and kind ? But the light of naturecan give us no manner of assurance, that he will ex- press his kindness and goodness in forgiving sinful men. This is a free act of his will, and there is nothing in his nature, or in our circumstances that obliges him to it. Nor in his gospel hath he given any promise of such mercy to be exercised, but through Jesus his Son : The grace of God that appears to men is only through Jesus Christ.; Tit. iii. 4. He justifies usfreely by his grace ; but it is through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. iii. 24. Shall we approach to God in the way of humble address to him, and beg him to accept dour repentances and mortification ? But these can never atone for our past offences. What are the tears or sorrows, or little penances of a creature to make satis- faction for the affronts offered to God ? Shall we come to God and hope for acceptance by our best duties of righteousness? But they are all Imperfect, and the law of God in its perfect purity would condemn both us and them Besides if they were never so perfect they 'could not make recompence for transgres- sions past. Shall we seek to saints inheaven, or angels, or any higher rank of creatures to become mediators, advocates, and in- tercessorsfor us ? Alas ! We have no acquaintance_ with them, nor do we know that any of our petitions can come to their knowledge : Besides, this office is so sublime and glorious, that it seems too assuming for them to undertake; unless the offended Majesty of heaven had appointed them to it : They are all utterly precluded by their want of sufficient merit, as well as by the designation of his Son Jesus Christ alone to that glorious office. In vain shall sinful guilty man hope to come near to a holy and offendedGod, but by the death and righteousness of his own Son. Ever since the first Adam laid the foundation of our ruin, and divided us from God our Maker, by his sin, mankindhag been still wandering farther from God, and rebelling against him ; and it is the second Adam alone that can restore us to his favour again by his righteousness ; Rom. v. 19. As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous. But to proceed in shewingthe insufficiency of sinful man to return to God by his own power or merit. All that we have in- sisted on here is but one part of our misery: We must look upon ourselves not only guilty of many past offences in the sight of God, but as having our natures ruined, and the powers of them enfeebled and broken by sin. We are dark, ignorant, and averse to God and all that is holy. We cannot learn divine things, savingly, without the teachings of the Holy Spirit : We cannot VOL. 121. It
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