past you. You cannot say you are unforgiven because He is unwilling to forgive. Conscience says it is because you have never sought forgiveness, because you do not like the terms on which it is offered. You will not relinquish your sins. You will not come to Him that you might have life.

Do you say you would gladly come; that you earnestly desire forgiveness; that you are willing to have Christ if He will only have you? What have you to fear? Does not the Gospel proclaim the forgiving God? Come to Him then. "Through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins."-J. Rawlinson.

There is one thing that God always does with sin. He removes it out of His presence. When He casts away a guilty soul, and when He pardons a penitent soul, He is doing the same thing-removing sin absolutely and infinitely. In the depth of His justice, I see the height of His mercy. There is not a greater distance between a soul in hell and heaven than there is between a pardoned man and a pardoned man's sins. When we think of sin's power and consequences, what can be compared with that single word, forgiveness?

I. THE AUTHOR OF FORGIVENESS. "I, even I," an expression which denotes that God is taking to Himself, in some especial degree, some sovereign prerogative.

In earthly things, when a sovereign passes pardon, he has been aggrieved, indeed, in so far as the cause of justice is the cause of all; but still he has no personal injury to forgive. Or, when an offended man forgives his enemy, there comes across his mind the recollection that he must stand in need of pardon too. But now mark it with God. He is the being most nearly concerned in all the transgressions you have ever committed (H. E. I. 4478-4480). His law was broken; His empire disarranged; His mercy trampled upon; His love frustrated

(verse 24). But then, how grandly comes in the text! Were it that one God is injured and another God steps in to make the atonement and forgive, I should marvel less. But here lies the wonder, that God whom we provoke, despise, and neglect, originates the plan and conducts the scheme of mercy Himself.

Carry this thought a step further into the manner in which pardon of sin is procured. Men wish to do something to help their pardon. If they could feel more, pray more, do more, and be better than they are, they might hope for forgiveness. We want to find some reason in ourselves why God should forgive us. We endeavour to have before pardon that which will never come till after pardon. But how does God forgive? Like a sovereign: not because you are good, but because He is love. This is the hinging-point of the peace of thousands, who will not take forgiveness as an act of mercy.

Look, again, at the text in respect to the way by which the sense of forgiveness when it is granted is communicated to a man's mind. This is the direct work of Almighty God, who has never communicated it to any man to do it. It belongs not to any living man to pronounce a sinner's pardon in any other than a conditional or declaratory sense. If you desire a clear apprehension of God's reconciling love, you must acknowledge that to Him. alone it appertaineth to forgive sin. The Author of forgiveness, then, is God. All the attributes are brought to bear upon your peace-omnipotence, unchangeableness, love, justice. The pardoned sinner stands upon the eternal, leans upon the infinite, and looks out upon the unfading. It is the very Saviour who shed His lifeblood, that says, "I, even I" (Rom. viii. 33, 34).

II. THE NATURE OF FORGIVENESS. 1. In respect of time. The verb runs in the present tense. It is not "I have blotted," nor, "I will blot," but something far better. Probably, the metaphor is taken from a man obliter

ating with a sponge the record made upon a tablet. We think of God as unwilling to forgive; but He is ready, always waiting to blot out the record of every sin, as the mist that gathers round the mountain top is dispersed by the breeze. See, then, the Christian's privilege. He looks up to God and he is forgiven. And He who forgives once goes on day after day forgiving. He does not upbraid, and say, "I forgave you yesterday, and I cannot forgive you to-day." Sins are falling every moment upon that book, but the hand of love wipes out the record. A drop of blood fell on the page and washed it all away like snow. O try it! There is God waiting to wipe out every trace of your sin, if only you look up in simple faith to Him.

2. In respect of degree. I thank God for that little word "out." None can read a trace where God'so bliterating hand has once passed. You never read of a partial cure wrought by Christ on earth, and you never find such a thing in the history of the Church as the partial healing of a man's soul. Whatever God does is infinite. It is out" blotteth out." Some may feel,

66

God has forgiven me that sin, but not all my sins." That is impossible. There never was the case of a man upon the earth who has had only one sin forgiven.

God

There is a distinction between "transgression" and "sin." The former is the wicked act that lies upon the surface; the latter the deep corrup tion that lies within the heart. blots out the transgressions, and will not remember the sins. He deals with both the stream and the fountain. Do not misunderstand me. God's people commit sin, and are punished very heavily for it in this world after forgiveness. But sin is never imputed to a man in Christ Jesus (Rom. viii. 1).

3. In respect of continuance. The present swells out into the future. It stretches on to your sick and dying bed; it meets you at the judgmentseat "I will not remember."

III. THE REASON OF FORGIVENESS. God finds all motive within Himself— "for mine own name's sake." You say, "Does not He seek the good of His creatures?" Yes; but the good of His creatures and His own glory are identical. You ask, "Why does God forgive a rebel creature?" The answer is nowhere in the creature. It is not in prayer, not in repentance, not in faith; but it is in God. Here is our confidence. God's forgiveness. is not like the ocean. It has the ocean's depths, but not the ocean's tides. Therefore He has based it, not on the universe, but on Himself. If the ground of your pardon rested on yourself or your fellow-creatures, on the holy motives you cherished, on the good deeds you performed, what hope could there be of forgiveness? The reason for forgiveness is found in that eternal counsel wherein God gave to His Son a kingdom; in God's will that there should be a multitude round the throne of His glory; in that unfathomable love in which He is the loving Father of all His creatures; in justice, where, in faithfulness to His Son, He hath made it unjust to punish one pardoned in the Son; in that immutable wisdom wherein He hath given us an earnest of His forgiveness; but above all, seek it in that spot where His love, power, and wisdom stand out unitedly magnified, that purest revelation of His being, that bright effulgence of His name, wherein all meet-in the man Christ Jesus, the crucified, the risen Saviour. James Vaughan, M.A.: Fifty Sermons, pp. 279–288.

I. Free grace blots out our transgressions FROM GOD'S BOOK.

II. WITH GOD'S HAND. 1. The recording hand. 2. The hand of Him against whom you have offended. 3. The rejected hand. 4. The avenging hand. 5. The spotless hand of justice. 6. The hand of the Supreme Being. 7. The hand of the unchanging God.

III. FOR GOD'S SAKE. "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy trans

gressions, for mine own sake" (Ezek. Xxxvi. 21-22; 32). Everything God does is for His glory. "Of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things." "Of Him," as the great cause; "through Him," as the great worker; "to Him," as the great end.

1. Is it for the glory of God to manifest His infinite wisdom? See it, in its brightness, in this work of salvation.

2. Is it for His glory to manifest His infinite justice? In the salvation of the Church, God has revealed that justice in its inflexible severity. (1.) In the eternal plan of salvation by sacrifice. (2.) Shining in the solemn glory of the cross of Emmanuel.

3. Is it for His glory to manifest His infinite power? See it in the fearful miracles of Egypt; in the merciful deeds of the great Miracle-Worker; in the pardoning of sins, the destroying of the works of the devil, the regeneration of the corrupt, the resurrection of the dead, the restoration of immortality, and the everlasting reign of righteousness.

4. Is it for His glory to manifest His infinite love? In the salvation of the Church it is revealed in its immeasurable greatness; in His compassion for the perishing, forbearance towards the rebellious, forgiveness of the repenting, and in His kindness to the believing.

IV. FROM GOD'S MEMORY. "I will not remember thy sins." A heavenly truth in an earthly dress.-H. Grattan Guinness: Sermons, pp. 333-363.

If we were to ask, who need the forgiveness of sins? the ready answer would be, sinners. All men are sinners (Rom. iii. 10, 12, 23, and 1 John i. 8, 10). The dreadful reality of sin in us, and sin on us, making us sinners in the deepest sense, gives the teaching of the Word touching forgiveness a large and living interest to us all.

I. The fact that God forgives sin. Stated in Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7; 2 Chron. vii. 14; Ps. lxxxvi. 5; cxxx. 4. Ilustrated in David (Ps. xxxii. 5). Sick

of the palsy (Matt. ix. 2). Woman in Simon's house (Luke vii. 48).

II. The meritorious ground on which God forgives. Christ Jesus (Col. i. 14; 1 John ii. 12; Acts x. 43; Rom. iii. 24, 25). The question may be asked, What has Christ done that He forgives for His sake? See Heb. ix. 22-26; 1 Pet. iii. 18; Isa. liii. 5, 6.

III. The conditions in us necessary to forgiveness. Repentance (John i. 9; Acts iii. 19). Faith (Acts xiii. 38). Forsaking sin (Prov. xxviii. 13).

IV. The perfection of Divine forgiveness. 1. Sins are blotted out (Isa. xliii. 25). 2. Totally removed from sight (Isa. i. 18). 3. Forgotten for ever (Jer. xxxi. 34; Heb. x. 17).

V. The consequences of forgiveness. We have:-1. Life (Col. ii. 13). 2. Blessedness in the soul (Ps. xxxii. 1, 2; 1 John v. 10). 3. Praise in the heart (Isa. xii. 1). 4. The fear of God (Ps. cxxx. 4; Jer. xxxiii. 8, 9). 5. Reconciliation with God (Luke xv. 12-32). 6. Praise and joy (Rom. v. 1, 2).-J. A. R. Dickson.

We may learn :—

I. That it is God only who can pardon sin.. How vain, then, is it for man to attempt it! How wicked for man to claim the prerogative! And yet it is an essential part of the Papal system, that the Pope and his priests have the power of remitting the penalty of transgression.

II. That this is done by God solely for His own sake. It is not-1. Because we have any claim to it, for then it would not be pardon, but justice. 2. Nor have we any power to compel God to forgive-for who can contend with Him, and how can mere power procure pardon? 3. Nor have we any merit, for then also it would be justice; and we have no merit. 4. Nor is it primarily in order that we may be happy-for our happiness is a matter not worthy to be named, compared with the honour of God. But it is solely for His own sake; to promote His glory; to show His perfections; to evince the greatness of His mercy; and to show His boundless and eternal love.

II. THE PROMISE MADE IN THE

TEXT (ver. 3). What is here promised is the Holy Spirit of God, the Sancti fier and Comforter of the Church. A blessing in which all other blessings may be said to be included. With it, and it alone, there come to the soul spiritual life, pardon, purity, peace, and meetness for heaven. Here promised under the emblem of water.

Water is a blessing-1. Universally necessary. Without it, both man and beast must speedily perish. 2. Universally diffused. In some countries, indeed, it is more abundant than in others; but there is no habitable region on the face of the earth where it is entirely wanting. Nor is the Holy Spirit confined to a few favoured ones (Acts ii. 17). This promise is being fulfilled. 3. Abundant. Note the promise of the text: 66 pour floods." He will communicate His Spirit copiously to earnest suppliants. 4. Cheap. Generally cheap, as the light of the sun, or as the air we breathe. What can be cheaper than the grace of the Spirit? Too precious to be sold (Job xxviii. 14). It is the free gift of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (John iv. 10).

III. THE EFFECTS ATTENDING THE FULFILMENT OF THIS PROMISE (vers. 4, 5). When the earth has been long without rain, the whole face of nature assumes a mournful and sterile appearance. Let rain be given, and fertility and beauty are seen on every side. Without the Holy Spirit, there is barrenness in the Church. When the Spirit is poured out upon the Church, what are the results ?

1. Its converts become exceedingly numerous. "They shall spring up as among the grass"-numerous as the blades of grass. Preliminary fulfilments of the promise (Acts ii. 41, iv. 41, v. 14). In every age since that time, the number of converts has multiplied in proportion to the outpouring of the Spirit.

2. Its converts become distinguished for the rapidity and luxuriance of their spiritual growth. "They spring up as willows by the water-courses" (cf. Hos. xiv. 5-7). The young convert,

watered by the dews of the Spirit, makes rapid progress in spiritual knowledge and in grace. He rivals the lily in grace, the olive-tree in beauty, the cedar in stateliness, and the vine in fruitfulness. He ripens as quickly as the full-grown ear of corn; and, like the vine of Lebanon, diffuses around him the most delightful fragrance.

3. They are animated by the purest spirit of self-dedication to the Lord, and of cordial attachment to His people (ver. 5). That is, they shall dedicate themselves to the Lord as His faithful servants and sincere worshippers; and separating themselves from the ungodly and profane, shall solemnly and publicly join themselves to His Church. That this is the duty of those who have been converted and benefited by the Spirit, may be safely inferred from the practice of the Church in every age (Acts ii. 44, 46). Can we do better than follow the example set us by the primitive Church? Is it not at once our duty and the most likely way to promote the edification and salvation of our souls? Are we not more likely to go to heaven in company with those who travel thither, than by keeping aloof from them? (H. E. I. 3903-3911.)

CONCLUSION.-1. What resemblance do we bear to the character of the people to whom the promise is made? Is the workmanship of God seen in us? Does the sanctity of our lives prove that we are His elect people? Are we men of fervent and persevering prayer? Are we sincere and upright before God?

2. Has the promise of the text been fulfilled to our souls? We so absolutely need the grace of the Spirit that we must perish, if we have it not. There is no good reason why we should be without it; like water, it is everywhere placed within our reach, and may be obtained in the greatest abundance by only asking for it. How inexcusable, then, must we be, if we still remain without it!

3. Some of us profess to have re