MJALT KO KYOIL, TICIN 533 obedience, and sanctity of life. Neither is this forgiveness the less free and gracious, because Jesus Christ, as our surety and redeemer, has paid the price of it, having been appointed for and destined to this great and arduous work by the Father. For what does that great Father of mercies herein, but, in order to our complete discharge, by one certain and ever-to-beadmired way, satisfy Himself of His own, by fastening His only-begotten Son to the Cross? The repository of this treasure is opened, the whole price is poured out at once, that great price of redemption, more precious than all the treasures, than all the mines of gold in the world, or even the whole world itself. But they who anxiously debate the point, whe ther God could simply and absolutely pardon sin without any price, do but trifle; for whatever may be supposed concerning that, who is there that will deny that this way of the salvation of men which God has chosen, is so full of stupendous mystery, and so illustrious, if I may so speak, for that trine, and to us most benign aspect of Wisdom, Justice, and Mercy, that nothing can be thought of more worthy the Divine majesty, nothing sweeter, nothing more munificent with respect to unworthy man? So that, it will appear, Athanasius speaks very prudently when he says, "We ought not in this manner so much to consider the absolute power of God, as what is most advantageous to man, and what most worthy of the Divine Being*. 1 pro "It was fit that our wise Creator should give us a law, and that law was both useful and pleasant to those who would carefully observe it; but when once violated, there would necessarily arise a fatal enmity between the law and the transgressors of it, an enmity which would continually become gressive, and gather new strength in the progress. But as for our obstinacy, what is it more than πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν, το kick against the pricks? The Law is inviolably safe in its own sanctity, dignity, and immortality; but we, by striving against it, what do we gain but iniquity, disgrace, and death? * Οὐκ οὐπως δεῖ εν τούτῳ πράγματι τὸ ἁπλῶς τοῦ θεοῦ δύνατον λογίζεσθαι, ὡς τὸ τοῖς ἀνθρώποι; λυσιτελέστερον καὶ πάνυ γι ὁμῶ; Θιοπρεπέστερον. So that if there were no umpire to interpose, there would be no hope, but that the whole human kind should perish. But that blessed and efficacious Intercessor came from on high; and certainly He was Himself a Divine person, who could compose such a controversy, and who joining, by an indissoluble union, His infinitely better with our miserable and mortal nature, did so, by a most wonderful method, render to the Law all its accuracy of obedience, and to us, though guilty, impunity. And having thus made peace, that concord might afterwards continue and prevail, He animates all who partake of this blessed peace, by His own new, pure, and Divine Spirit, that they might not only be engaged sincerely to endeavour to observe diligently the sacred precepts of the Law, but might love them, and cordially embrace them. At the same time, He hath tempered the severity of the Law towards all those that are received into favour, that their diligent, pious, and affectionate observance of the Law, though not entirely complete, should by our indulgent Father be most graciously accepted, even as if it were perfect. And so, the honour of the Divine Legislator is secure among men, and his peace descends upon them; and this is what our text observes, There is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayst be feared. It is well known, that the fear of God is commonly used in Scripture to signify, not only the whole of His worship, but all pious affections whatsoever, and consequently, the whole of true religion. And some translate the expression here, That Thou mayst be reverently worshipped; and it is thus used with the greatest propriety. I speak of that fear which is so far from denoting the servile, hostile dread and terror which some might think, of, that, on the contrary, it entirely excludes it, being properly a reverence tempered with love. Yet I do not think that we are to exclude all dread of punishment and vindictive justice under the name of a servile and disingenuous fear; nay, I apprehend such a fear to be very necessary even to those who most ardently love, as long as they live in the flesh, in order to tame and rein in the petulancy of it; yea, love itself places fear as a kind of bit and bridle to the flesh. Psal exix. 128, My flesh trembles for fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy judgments. Heb. xii. ult., Let us serve God with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire. This is the fear which is called the beginning of wisdom, and which is marked with other very high titles of honour, in the sacred Scriptures; without which, we can neither conceive, the beginning of Divine worship and true piety, nor pursue the improvement of it. As this holy and pure fear is the compendium and summary. of religion, so this pardon and free remission of sins is the great, foundation and support of that fear and religion, As the whole human race is defiled with sin, the despair of pardon would entirely drive us away from God, and, precluding all ways of returning, would plunge the offender headlong into eternal banishment and eternal hatred. With Thee is forgiveness, that Thou mayst be feared; that men may not dread Thee and flee Thee as an inexorable judge and enemy, but may reverence, love, and serve Thee, as a mild and gracious Lord, as a most merciful and loving Father. And this is that joyful message of the gospel, to which sinners run, as soon as they hear and understand it, prostrating themselves with all humility at the feet of so mild a Lord and so gracious a King, "For no one," as Ambrose says, will think of repenting, but he who hopes for indulgence *." This merciful God calls back to his favour those who are as it were flying from it, saying, Return, ye apostates and rebels, and I will pardon and heal your backslidings. And they, as if their bowels sounded to the unison note of Mercy with reciprocal penitence and love, answer, Behold we come unto Thee, for Thou art Jehovah our God. And this is what the great Messenger and Author of our salvation preached and set forth: Repent, says He, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. You are not now pursued by wrath and vengeance, threatening utterly to extirpate you and cut you off, but the * Nemo meditabitur poenitentiam, nisi qui speraverit indulgentiam. kingdom of heaven, the dispensation of glove, mercy, sand grace, opens its bosom to embrace you, and freely offers you the full pardon of all your former obstinacy and rebellion. Behold the compassionate Father meeting that prodigal son who had so basely run from him, while yet afar off on his return, and, instead of chiding and upbraiding him, burying not only all this sins, but even his very confession, as in a deluge of love, amidst the tenderest embraces, kisses, and tearsMake me to hear, says David, the voice of joy and gladness, that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice? Byl that la mentable fall, he had as it were dashed himself against the rock of Divine justice, so that all his bones were broken; but what a voice of joy and gladness is that which should restore full soundness and strength to bones which had thus been crushed and shattered to pieces! Surely, it is no other voice than that so often used by our Saviour in the gospel, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee. That was the grace, softer than oil, sweeter than roses, which flowed from His lips into the sinner's, wounds, and which being poured into the contrite heart, not only heals, but blesses it, yea, and marks it out for eternal blessedness. But alas! the greater part of sinners sleep in their misery, and though their dis tempers are mortal, feel them not. It is therefore no great them! wonder, that this grace, this precious, this invaluable remedy is despised by them. But Oh, how sweet is the voice of par don to a soul groaning under the burden of sins ago di ar for t 1002 ,-ment-rul ) lami - Quale per æstum to coloredt „stist ofT 115991 I Dulcis aquæ saliente sitim restinguere nivo, boob snup a Sweet as the living stream to summer thirst." herieob of 7eur so nigdi glozs of 10 ton ei doidw t But, as one well expresses it," He that has never known discomfort, knows not what consolation means Men of this world, entangled in the cares of life and in its crimes; 'insensible of misery, attend not to mercy But if any who imA donde dab mivi I tyd r 976! Quisquis autem desolationem non novit, nec consolationem agnos cere potest. Homines seculi negotiis et flagitiis implicati, dum miseriam non sentiunt, misericordiam non attendunt.BERNARDadt 219- ylias ་,་ gine themselves partakers of this forgiveness do not at the same time feal their hearts struck with a pious fear of the Divine Majestyy let them know, that their joys are all self-invented dreams, since it is for this very end that there is forgiveness with God, even that He may be fearedend of bed In the remainder of this Psalm, the Author asserts his confidence in God, and labours to confirm and establish that of all true believershmid 90 dimɔ teorobust od tebras 970l Ver35c I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I ad hopen bennd boulesh from tien bad od „Det sidstootI 6. My soul waiteth for the Ja morning; say, more than they more than that More Cute for them for the morning. 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with 1997 Him is plenteous redemption. of digmore bar 2-sabayo> [lut And He shall redeem, Israel from all his iniquities bra bod-pry no wait for the Lord. With Thee is mercy. They who heartily believe this, are drawn by that sweet and amiable force of desire, to be partakers of it. And certainly, there is ho 'true faith in the doctrine of salvation, unless it be attended With this 'magnetic force by which it draws the soul to God. One would think it were impossible, where this effect is not produced, that there should be so much as an as an historical 'faith'; and surely it is contrary to, and wont with 18–279000119) 'nature, to see so 'desirable and excellent a good laid down before ¬us, and freely offered, without running most freely to embrace it with open arms, and an ardent impetuosity of soul. 01 nob The faith, therefore, of vulgar and merely nominal Christians, is quite dead, and deserves not the name of faith at all. I mean, that which is not sufficient to excite them earnestly to desire and expect that Divine grace in which they say they believe. True and lively faith is the eye of the inner man, which beholds an infinitely amiable: God, the lucid; and perpetual Fountain of grace, and is by the view immediately kindled into most fervent love. That Divine light which is sent from Heaven into the soul, is the vehicle of heat, too, and, by its ardent rays, presoul, sently sets the heart on fire; the flame rises sublime, and bears |