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we shall not mistake the object, nor the degree of our love.

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3. Yet, alas! by the drift of some modern systems, not the God of Christ, but Christ, the messenger God,' is, in many Books, hymns; sermons, and private discourses and meditations, made, and proposed to be acknowledged as the chief object of our love.

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CHAP. XXVII.

God propitious. ΙΛΕΩΣ.

THIS Word Aews, propitious, and all its derivatives have an affinity in their signification; ίλεως ταῖς αμαρ Tí'ais nai adiniais-Tw haw, &c. Numb. xiv. 20. Often in Kings, Chronicles, Jeremiah, and is so understood by profane writers.

This word is used with regard to God, 1 Kings viii. five times, and 2 Chron. vi. five times, when God is intreated to be propitious,' or merciful' to his people, or to forgive their sins. And in many other places.

Ιλάσκομαι is used in prayer to God for pardon and forgiveness, Psalın lxxix. 9, and the argument there. used with God, to be propitious and forgiving, is, 'for his name's sake.' And Dan. ix. 19, for his own sake.' In the publican's prayer, Luke xviii. 13, this word is used by the evangelist, viz. God be merciful (or propitious) to me a sinner.' In the Alexandrian copy, Heb. ii. 17, ιλάσκεσθαι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις is plainly used, as by the LXX in David's Psalms, to signify God's forgiving sins.

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Ixouós, propitiation or forgiveness, is God's to bestow. Psalm cxxx. 4, With thee, O God, is forgiveness [propitiation] for thy name's sake. Or in other words, forgiveness is suitable to thy perfections or attributes, which are God's names. Dan. ix. 9, 19.

N. B. God often declares himself, Asus, i. e. pro

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pitious, merciful, ready to pardon and forgive in solemn terms, Jer. v. 1, 7, xxxi. 34, xxxvi. 3, 1. 20, particularly Num. xiv. 20, Exod. xxxiv. 6, Nehem. ix. 17, 31, and in the Psalms, Joel, Jonah, often. N. B. God is addressed in prayer, as a Being, propitious or gracious,' ready to pardon sins and sinners, for his name's sake,' and his mercy's sake,' his goodness-sake,' &c. in very many places, especially in the Psalms xxv. 6, 7, 11, cvi. 8, cix. 21, cxliii. 11, also Jer. xiv. 7, Ezek. xxxvi. 22.

Ἱλάομαι.

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Idoua. Psalm lxv. 3, God is by David said to be propitious, or to pardon sins. Psalm lxxviii. 38, "God, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity.' Note well Psalm lxxix. 9, Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name. Deliver us, and expiate, or graciously forgive and pardon, our sins for thy name's sake.'

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Psalm xxv. 11, For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.' Dan. ix. 19, O Lord, hear, O Lord, forgive, for thine own sake.' Ver. 9, To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness. Οικτίρμον και ιλασμοί.

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Jer. v. 1,. If ye can find a man_that_executeth judgment, and seeketh the truth, I will pardon,' λεως ἔσομαι. λews oua. Ver. 6, 7, Their transgressions are increased-How shall I,' says God, pardon,' i. e. be propitious, sws yavwual. xxxi. 34. They shall all know me for Asws Equal, I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sins no more.' Heb. viii. 12..

Jer. xxxvi. 3, 'It may be that every man will turn from the evil of his way, that I may (xai "NEWS qual and I will) forgive their iniquity, and their sin.'

In the forecited texts we plainly find, that God is intreated to be propitious for his name's sake,' and ' goodness-sake,' to pardon for his own sake' sins and sinners. That mercy and propitiation belong to him, and are his to bestow, and that he will be propitious, and pardon the penitent, &c. This is the

language, and these are the constant notions of the sacred writers in the Old Testament. What an admirable, what an amiable representation is this, of the all-wise and almighty governor of the world!

ΙΛΕΩΣ. In the New Testament this word ίλεως is used but twice: by St. Peter once, who useth it in tenderness to his master Christ, speaking of his future sufferings thus: God be gracious,' or propitious, 'to thee, master; this shall not happen to thee.' Mat. xvi. 22. A form of speech used in the LXX, 2 Sam. xv. 20, &c. when persons wished God might spare, or be propitious to others. As I said, 'God be propitious to thee,' may not this be thy case, sós being

understood.

The other text where this word λews is used is Heb. viii. 12, where Jeremiah xxxi. 34, is cited in the words of the LXX. And we render the text in Jeremiah, I will forgive their iniquity.' And in the New Testament we render the same words, ' I will be merciful to their iniquities;' that is, forgive, or pardon them. If this prediction of Jeremiah refers to the Christian state, as the author of the Hebrews applies it, then penitent sinners have sufficient ground to expect from a propitious God, pardon and forgiveness, without trusting to, or depending upon, the propitiation of another, who indeed hath not made, but declared God's own propitiation, or gracious disposition towards mankind. For if we confess our sins, God is not only propitious, but faithful and just to forgive us our sins.' 1 John i. 9.

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In the New Testament.

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'Inaonoua. Luke xviii. 13, The publican' smote his breast, and said, O God, be propitious,' or merciful, to me, a sinner;' that is, O God, forgive me. . Heb. ii. 17, In all things it behoved him,' Christ, to be like to his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high-priest in things pertaining to God, and intreat God to be propitious to them, or to

forgive the sins of the people Ιλάσκεσθαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ λαοῦ.

'Ixaruós. 1 John ii. 2, He is the propitiation' (as Ἱλασμός. he is the way,' the truth,' the life") for our sin;' that is, he is the declarer of God's propitiation or forgiveness concerning our sins, as the last words should be translated. So chap, iv. 9, 10, In this is God's love manifested among us, that God sent his Son' to declare his propitiation' or forgiveness (to mankind) concerning, or with regard to, their sins,' and upon what terms God would be propitious,' or forgiving. Now this is the sum of the doctrine of the gospel.

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Luke i. 78, John the Baptist' was to make known the doctrine of salvation by the forgiveness of sins through, or because, of the Exous, tender mercies of God,'

Luke xxiv. 47, Christ tells his disciples, that repentance and forgiveness of sins were to be preached to all nations.' And that Christ's business was, by God's appointment, to declare repentance and forgiveness of sins,' is said expressly, Acts v. 31.

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CHAP. XXVIII.

Of Christ's doctrine of the forgiveness of sins. ΑΦΙΗΜΙ and ΑΦΕΣΙΣ. These words in profane authors signify putting away, refusing, permitting, pardoning, &c. They are also used in the same manner by the LXX. And the noun dpéris signifies leave, liberty, freedom, dismission. And in the New Testament writers it signifies forgiveness,' Mat. xxvi. 28, Mark i. 4, iii. 29, Luke i. 77, iii. 3, xxiv. 47, Acts ii. 38, v. 31, x, 43, deliverance, liberty,' Luke iv. 18.

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It is God the Father who authoritatively, origi nally, and only, in the strictest sense, forgiveth sins; as will be evident from the following particulars:

1. Jesus Christ expressly asserts, that the Father

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forgiveth sins, Mat. vi. 14, 15, If ye forgive men their trespasses, your Father, who is in heaven, will forgive you, but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses :'

2. Jesus Christ expressly directs his disciples to pray to the Father to forgive their sins; Mat. vi. 9-1,Our Father, who art in heaven-forgive us our sins. And in St. Mark, Christ plainly supposes, and takes it for a known practice, that his disciples prayed to the Father for forgiveness; When ye stand praying, forgive (others), that your Father, who is in heaven, may forgive your offences. Mark xi. 24, 25, 26.

3. Christ himself prayed to the Father [his God and our God] that he, the Father, would forgive his persecutors; saying, O Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' Luke xxiii. 34.

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4. Christ saith to the paralytic, in the third person, 'thy sins are forgiven thee:' but not, as some modern priests boldly speak, "I forgive thy sins." Mat. ix. 2, 5, 6. And the multitude well understood, that Christ did not pronounce those words, thy sins are forgiven thee,' by his own power, or authority, but they gave God the glory, who had given such authority to men,' ver. 8.

And the paralytic himself gave God the glory,' well knowing, that God alone was the only author from whom Christ had authority to declare, and pronounce forgiveness and remission of sins, Luke v.

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Mark ii. 7, Luke v. 21. The scribes' &c. took exception at Christ's words, and they said, very truly, who can forgive sins, but s, one person who is God?' or but God alone?' Christ might have answered, I know and believe God alone can forgive sins, and I have taught my disciples to pray to God for forgiveness; to which disciples he declared, Mat. xi. 27, All things are delivered to me from my Father, and he acknowledges in these words.

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