served; and the heaviest afflictions nothing, if compared with the bitter sufferings, the excruciating agony, the inconceivably ignominious death, of the Son of God. Considerations of this nature, connected with a sincere love to the Redeemer, and deriving from his grace all their virtue, have a direct tendency to promote a truly genuine. patience. They tranquilize the mind, and leave upon the spirits that holy and amiable resignation, that complacency with the Divine Will, that composure under every trouble, which forms the duty and the ornament of the christian character. The world may promise, pleasure may allure, sin may flatter, and Satan be unwearied in his deceits; but neither the world, nor pleasure, nor sin, nor Satan, can produce that heavenly patience which Christ can administer; and which, when bestowed, their combined and accumu lated malice can never weaken or destroy. THE GOD'S READINESS TO FORGIVE. CLERUS HE scripture character of God comprehends the perfeetion of every excellence. It looks every way, varying. its aspect according to the character and condition of its object. Against the careless and impenitent sinner, his inviolable justice flames with terror, denouncing "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, against every soul of man that doeth evil." But divine mercy smiles upon the trembling criminal with language of encouragement, declaring that he is " ready to forgive." Though sin has hardened the hearts of men, and rendered them insensible to their dangerous condition, as guilty creatures; yet there are some whose consciences, touched by the Spirit of God, are alarmed by a view of their innumerable transgressions, and dread the threatened consequences. Such persons too frequently nourish a spirit of despondency, refusing to be comforted. That Holy Spirit alone who wounds the heart, can impart consolation. He has made abundant provision for this in the scriptures, whose divine inspiration is confirmed by the interposition of miracles, by the accomplishment of prophecy, and especially by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Looking up to the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, let the trembling sinner contemplate the evidences which God has given of his readiness to forgive. In the Scriptures, he has, not only revealed himself in the endearing character of a sin sin-pardoning God, but intimates, that such is his readiness to forgive, that before sin was committed, he formed the design of pardoning it. So full was the heart of God with this gracious decree, that he made the earliest revelation of it. As soon as sin was committed; before he drove the first criminals out of paradise, he published his purpose of forgiveness, and has caused it to be proclaimed through all succeeding ages to the present day. Such is God's readiness to forgive, that he even urges us to plead with him for the blessing. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."*"I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remem ber thy sins. Put me in remembrance; let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified." His readiness to forgive is confirmed by innumerable examples. "I acknowledged my sin unto thee," says David, "and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." He even delights in the exercise of pardoning mercy.§ Encouraged by the evidences of this truth, we should anxiously enquire, through what medium is God ready to forgive? He cannot be indifferent to the mode of dispens ing pardon. He is not ready to forgive through the absolution of a priest,-through the merit of our repentance er reformation, or as an act of absolute mercy, without any regard to the claims of justice. Christ is the only medium of divine mercy to guilty sinners. "Be it known anto you, men and brethren, that through this man, is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." God is ready to forgive, through the undertaking of Christ as our surety-through the sufferings of Christ as our saerifice through the intercession of Christ as our advocate. "Him hath God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that be might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." ** If we wish for divine forgiveness then, let us seek it through Christ. The word of God has revealed no other medium of forgiveness-the purpose of 1 Ps. xxxii. 5. A Mic vir, 13. *t Rome 25, 26. God Isaiah 18. Isaiah xliii. 25, 26. God has appointed no other-the justice of God will adinit of no other; and if we seek it through any other way, we reject the provision of infinite wisdom and grace; and, instead of obtaining forgiveness thereby, we exceedingly aggravate our guilt and condemnation. That forgiveness which God is ready to exercise toward sinners through Christ, possesses the most admirable properties. It is entirely free and gratuitous, requiring no meritorious condition or qualification whatever on our parts. The sacrifice of Christ is the only proper condition of divine forgiveness; and through this it is dispensed freely to' the most unworthy. Herein God acts like the creditor towards his two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty: and when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both.* It is a plenteons forgiveness. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." However numerous and aggravated our transgressions may be, we have no reason to be discouraged in applying to God through Christ for pardon. "All manner of sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven untó men." It is a plenary forgiveness, extending to all the sins of the person toward whom it is exercised. "The iniquity of Jacob shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve, saith the Lord." "I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me." ||"There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus."**" They are freely forgiven all trespasses." †† That forgiveness which God is ready to exercise towards sinners through Christ, is unchanging and eternal. "Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more," says God. "He that heareth my word (says Christ) and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation." §§ This divine forgiveness rests not on any thing precarious, but on the immutable purpose of God; on the infinite merit of Christ; and it remains as abiding as the foundation on which it stands. How exceedingly are the riches of divine grace magnified in the revelation of God's readiness to forgive!-How Luke vii. 41, 42. + Isaiah lv. 7. Matt. xii, 31. Jer. 1. 20. Jer. xxxiii. 8, 9. **Rom. viii. 1. ++ Col. ii. 18. ‡‡ Heb. viii. 12. §§ John v. 24. VOL, X. M m carefully carefully should we beware of slighting or abusing this gracious revelation!-What abundant encouragement it affords to the poor alarmed sinner!-With what humble boldness ought we to apply unto God, through Christ, for the sensible experience of divine forgiveness !-How strongly does the revelation, and especially the experience of pardoning mercy, demand the return of grateful obedience and devotedness to God!-What obligations are pardoned sinners under to copy this amiable character of God; on every occasion imitating him in his readiness to forgive! I MANCUNIENSIS. MR. STEVENS'S VALEDICTORY ADDRESS. (Continued from our last. P. 212.) Now turn to the Congregation at large. Methinks, I behold solemnity on their countenances, and the hearts of some filled with emotion, while they are ready to ask,"Have you no blessing to bestow on us? O leave us one parting blessing!" My dear friends, my heart has often been deeply affected for you; it has been the grief and burden of my soul, from day to day, when I have contemplated the awful situation of such as live under the Gospel, and yet remain impenitent, hardened, and secure; disposed to lock up their hearts against Christ and his infinite love, And how can I bless whom the Lord does not bless? But may Heaven grant this to be a day of power and grace unto you! While I was with you, I endeavoured faithfully to discharge my duty as a Minister of Christ; I wished not to shun, or keep back, any thing which might be profitable to you. I took a variety of methods. Sometimes I endeavoured to state, describe, and explain, as far as I was able, the divine character and the infinite perfection of Jehovah; the display of his glorious attributes in his works in the natural and moral creation, in divine providence, and in the glorious plan of redemption. I endeavoured to state and explain the holiness, purity, extent, spirituality, and reasonableness of the divine law;-the foundation of moral obligation; the total moral corruption of the human heart since the apostacy of man from God;-the blameworthiness and infinite criminality of all transgressors of the holy Jaw of God. Likewise, I endeavoured to explain and lay open the Gospel way of salvation, by Jesus Christ. I endeavoured, deavoured, by the aid of divine revelation, to lead your minds, in contemplation, up to the world of light on high, to view the beauties, the glories, and eternal bliss of those holy and peaceful mansions: then down to the dark regions of endless despair, to view the awful state of the damned, groaning under the weight of divine wrath, without the least hope of deliverance. Then I directed your view back to this world, where you enjoy a state of probation, with the gospel in your hands, the door of mercy set open to you, salvation freely proposed, all Heaven inviting, and Hell, as it were, warning: I reminded you of the preciousness of time, the uncertainty of living, and your eternal interest, urging an immediate attention to the things of your everlasting peace. Moreover, I have set before you, the dreadful impurity and wickedness of the human heart, the stubbornness and exceeding perverseness of the will:-that such is the obstinacy of the unsanctified heart, that all outward means will never effect a cure. I have, therefore, urged the necessity of the regenerating power and grace of God, to renovate and change unholy hearts;-and that for this we are absolutely dependent on the free, sovereign grace and mercy of God, through Jesus Christ. I have endeavoured to impress your minds with the most lively sense of the fitness and propriety of sinners being made to feel their entire dependence on God for such an infinite favour as regenerating grace. Farther, I taught you, that notwithstanding, the incorrigibleness of the sinful heart is so great, that nothing short of Almighty power is able to subdue it yet, as it is altogether voluntary, it is not the least excuse, or exculpation of guilt, while sinners refuse to repent, believe in Christ, and love God. These things have I often set before you, together with many other subjects of consideration. But, if after all, you remain hardened and stupid, voluntarily rejecting Christ and the gospel salvation, your blood must lie at your own doors. If you will not hear Moses and the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, neither will you be persuaded, though one speak to you from the dead. Hoping, however, that you are not yet beyond the reach of mercy, I wish, for the last time, to address you, upon the infinitely weighty concerns of your eternal interests. The scene you now behold, is as solemn as the grave; and may Heaven gant that my words, prepared under a sense of immediate Eternity, may sink deep into your hearts, and never be forgotten! Remember that I am now in the eter |