sense of atonement, will, I think, be convinced. For if in various instances the virtue, piety, and prayers of good men were the reason of God's bestowing pardon, and sundry blessings upon others; how much more must the perfect righteousness, or obedience and goodness of the Son of God, be a reason for remitting the sins of mankind? So far as, in the nature of things, they are capable of remission, or of being atoned. For the sins of the impenitent, who finally neglect and resist all means of reformation, cannot be atoned, or forgiv en. Grace or favour, through the atonement of Christ, may be so far shewn to such, as to allow them space and means to repent, and the benefit of pardon in case they should repent but none but the penitent, who duly improve the divine goodness and patience, can receive the benefit of eternal salvation through the atonement of Christ. 164. OBJECT. But if we repent and reform, are we not in a fit state for pardon? And will not God pardon, when we are most properly qualified to receive forgiveness? Sincere repentance must, in itself, render sinners the objects of divine mercy. What need then of the atonement of Christ? 165. Ans. Certainly the penitent sinner is in the fittest state to receive pardon : And we cannot doubt but the most benevolent of all beings, whose tender mercies are over all his works, is readily disposed to forgive those who truly repent, and turn from their evil ways. And if sin can be considered as injurious to him only in a private, personal capacity, we may well suppose it would, so considered, immediately be pardoned by the same rule of goodness, which he has prescribed to us. [Mat. v. 44-48. Luke vi. 27, 28, 36.] In private cases, where only the offended and offender are concerned, offences may be well forgiven simply, immediately, and unconditionally. But God must here be considered in a public capacity, as a magistrate, as the governor of the universe; and sin as the only disorder, mischief, and misery among his subjects, which alone can corrupt and ruin them; and which therefore above all things he must be concerned to prevent and reform. Now in this view are we sure, that a simple, absolute pardon even of the penitent is agreeable to rectoral i goodness, and the ends of government, which are the good order and happiness of the rational creation? The punishing and pardoning of crimes are very important concerns to every government. And as the one ought not to exceed the bounds of justice and equity; so the other ought to be granted with caution and prudence. Easy, indiscreet pardons may give encouragement to transgression; and forgiveness lightly obtained may give a light opinion of wickedness; not only to the offender himself, but to all his fellow-subjects. It is therefore evident, that the governor, who consults the public good, ought to guard, qualify, and circumstance his pardons in such manner, as not to propagate, but, if possible, to extirpate a spirit of disorder and rebellion, and to spread a loyal, well affected temper throughout the whole community. All the world must own, this is the most wise and reasonable way of dispensing pardon; and that it cannot be wisely and reasonably dispensed in any other way; how merciful soever the gov ernor may be, or how penitent soever the criminal. 166. But pardon in the gospel is raised to a very high degree; and repentance is there made available, not only to exempt from punishment, but also to gain a new and glorious state of being in eternal life. Which surely is a stretch of favour far beyond the natural value of repentance. It may be naturally fit to continue in a happy state of being an unblemished virtue, a sinless, steady obedience, which has done nothing to forfeit, and every thing in its power to secure the blessing of its Maker. But what claim can a sinner, deserving of destruction, have to a glorious immortality in the presence of God, supposing he doth repent and reform ? His own conscience will never dictate such high expectations; and if the Governor of the universe is pleased to extend his grace so far as to give a world of sinners such a prospect, the whole rational universe must acknowledge such a favour ought to be dispensed in a proper manner, If wisdom obligeth even a temporal prince, in his narrow sphere, on several accounts duly to guard and qualify his pardons; how much more is it reasonable and expedient, that the Father and Ruler of all beings, whose government com prehends and inspects the vast system of all intelligent natures that are, and all that to all eternity may possibly be, how much more reasonable is it that he should order the grand dispensation of granting pardon to a sinful world in a proper and suitable manner? Heb. ii. 10. 7 167. And I am bold to assert, that no mean or method of granting such a benefit can be more suitable to the thing itself, or to the goodness of the best of beings, the Father of mercies, (who wants no mean either to make him good, or to do him good) than that mean or method whereby it shall be rendered most effectual to accomplish the designed end, the recovery of sinners, and their being fitted by the habits of true holiness for the enjoyment of eternal life. This is the noblest end it can answer, and the most illustrious exercise of wisdom and goodness. The Father' of the universe made all intelligent beings in love; and therefore he made them to be happy. But without holiness they cannot be happy. Therefore to promote holiness must be of as great consequence as to produce and preserve the whole rational universe; the existence of which is in vain |