2. For quantity; all trespasses, sins, and transgressions are forgiven. (Col. ii. 13; Ps. ciii. 3.) Some are more secret, some more open, some less, others greater, more daring and presumptuous; some sins of commission, other sins of omission; but all are forgiven. See Isa. xliii. 22-25.

IV. The efficient cause is God, and not any creature, angels nor men.

It is not in the power of men to forgive sin; one man may forgive another an offence, as committed against himself; but not as committed against God; saints ought to forgive one another's offences that arise among them; as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven them. Eph. iv. 32; Col. ii. 13.

2. There is nothing a man has, nor can do, by which he can procure the pardon of sin, either for himself, or for others:

1. No man, by his riches, and the multitude of his wealth, can give to God a ransom for himself, or his brother, make atonement and satisfaction for sin, and obtain the pardon of it. Riches profit not in the day of wrath: bags of gold and silver will be of no avail.

2. Nor is pardon of sin to be obtained by works of righteousness; could it, it would not be of grace; for grace and works are opposed to each other; men would be saved by works, contrary to the scriptures, since pardon is included in salvation, and that is by grace, and not works.

3. Nor is pardon procured by repentance; they are both gifts of grace; and though given to the same persons, the one is not the cause of the other; at least, repentance is not the cause of remission; for true, evangelical repentance flows from, and in the

exercise of it, is influenced by the discovery and application of pardoning grace. (see Ezek. xvi. 63; Luke vii. 37. 47.) Nor is pardon procured by faith, as the cause of it; faith does not obtain it by any virtue of its own, but receives it as obtained by the blood of Christ. Acts x. 43; xxvi. 18.

4. Nor is it procured by a submission to the ordinance of water-baptism; baptism neither takes away original sin, nor actual sin; not as to the guilt thereof, as the case of Simon Magus shews; for though the three thousand are directed to be baptized in the name of Christ, for the remission of sins; and Saul was advised by Ananias to arise, and be baptized, and wash away his sins, (Acts ii. 38; xxii. 16.) yet the meaning is not, as if remission of sins were to be obtained by baptism; but that by means of this ordinance, they might be led to the sufferings, death, and blood-shed of Christ, represented in it.

3. God only can forgive sin; it is his sole prerogative; it belongs to him, and no other. (Mark ii. 7; Isa. xliii. 25; Dan. ix. 9.) And this appears from the nature of sin itself; it is committed against God; and none but he against whom it is committed can forgive it Who is a God like unto him, that pardoneth iniquity? (Mic. vii. 18.) Saints in all ages never made their application to any other. Ps. li. 1; Dan. ix. 19; Matt. vi. 9. 12; Acts viii. 22.

V. The effects of pardon, that is, when applied; for the effects of it are not sensibly perceived, unless applied; which are,

1. Peace of conscience; when sin is charged upon the conscience, and there is no sight and sense of pardon, there is no peace; but no sooner is there a view of interest in justification, by the righteousness of

Christ, and pardon by his blood, but there is peace. Rom. v. 1.

2. Cheerfulness of spirit: when sin lies as an heavy burden, without a view of pardon, the mind is depressed; it is filled with gloominess, as in the case of Cain: a wounded spirit who can bear? But when the Lord says, "Son or daughter be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee!" cheerfulness takes place; the spirits are raised; the head is lifted up. Ps. li. 8.

3. Comfort of soul: whilst á gracious soul, under a sense of sin, apprehends that God is angry with him, he has no comfort; but when he manifests his pardoning grace, then he concludes his anger is turned away, and he is comforted: "Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem." Is. xl. 1, 2.

4. Access to God with boldness and confidence; a Boul, under the weight and pressure of the guilt of sin, moves heavily to the throne of grace; and when he comes there, cannot lift up his eyes; but, looking downward, and smiting on his breast, says, God be merciful to me a sinner; but when it has a view of the blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ, it comes with liberty, boldness, and confidence. Rom. v. 1, 2.

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5. Attendance on divine worship with pleasure and delight this flows from a sense of forgiveness of sin, and is one end of it; "There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." Ps. cxxx. 5; Heb. xii. 28.

6. Love to God and Christ is raised, promoted, and increased, by an application of pardon. Luke vii. 47. 7. Evangelical repentance, and the exercise of it, are much influenced by pardon of sin being applied. -Ezek. xvi. 63.

8. Thankfulness of soul for such a mercy; than which there cannot be a greater: if a man be truly impressed with the sense of it, he will call upon his soul, and all within him, to bless and praise the Lord for all his benefits; and particularly for this, who forgiveth all thy iniquities! Ps. ciii. 2, 3.

ON CONVERSION.

And be converted.-Acts iii. 19.

CONVERSION, though it may seem, in some respects, to fall in with regeneration, yet may be distinguished from it. Regeneration is the sole act of God; conversion consists both of God's act upon men, in turning them, and of acts done by men, under the influence of converting grace; they turn, being turned. Regeneration is the motion of God towards and upon the heart of a sinner; conversion is the motion of a sinner towards God, as one expresses it. In regeneration men are wholly passive, as they also are in the first moment of conversion; but by it become active: it is therefore sometimes expressed passively; Ye are returned, or converted, (1. Pet. ii. 25.) and sometimes actively; A great number believed, and turned to the Lord, (Acts xi. 21.) and when it, the body of the people of the Jews, shall turn to the Lord, which has respect to their conversion in the latter day. 2 Cor. iii. 16.

I. What conversion is, and wherein it lies: The conversion to be treated of is not,

1. An external one, or what lies only in an outward reformation of life and manners, such as that of the

Ninevites, for this may be where internal conversion is not, as in the Scribes and Pharisees.

2. Nor is it a mere doctrinal one, nor a conversion from false notions before imbibed to a set of doctrines and truths which are according to the scriptures; so men of old were converted from Judaism and hea thenism to Christianity: but all that were so converted to a doctrinal sense were not true and real converts; some had "the form of godliness without the power, a name to live," &c.

3. Nor the restoration of the people of God from backsliding, when they are in a very affecting and importunate manner called upon to return to the Lord; (Jer. iii. 12. 14. 22; Hos. xiv. 1-4,) so Peter, when he fell through temptation, and denied his Lord, and was recovered from it by a look from Christ, it is called his conversion, Luke xxii. 32. But,

4. The conversion under consideration, is a true, real, internal work of God upon the souls of men.

1. In the turn of the heart to God, of the thoughts of the heart; which are only evil, and that continually, and about evil things, not about God, and the things of God; God is not in all their thoughts, nor in any of the thoughts of wicked men; but when converted, their thoughts are about their state and condition by nature, about their souls, and their eternal welfare it is a turn of the desires of the heart which before were after vain, sinful lusts, and plea sures; but now after God and communion with him, after Christ and salvation: of the affections of the heart, which before were inordinate, and ran in a wrong channel, towards God, their hearts being cir cumcised to love him; and whom they love with their whole hearts and souls, because he first loved them.

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