far enlightened our minds, that
we have received an evidence of that pardon which existed with him
from the beginning, and by faith we look forward, believing it will
take place through death and the resurrection, as Christ has proved.
By this faith we perceive the love of God, and break off our sins by
righteousness. But while in the flesh, we feel a thorn--a hell of
conscious guilt for the sins we have committed, and though the
penitent may beseech God, that this messenger of satan, buffeting him,
may depart from him, yet the answer will be, "my grace is sufficient
for thee."

We now perceive how God pardons sin, and yet punishes us for it. The
misery, sin brings upon us, is our just punishment, and to be released
from it, by the free grace of God, through death and the resurrection,
is our pardon and redemption--For example--we say, in a cloudy day,
"the sun does not shine;" but still he does. The clouds, just above
our heads, prevent his rays from shining upon us. The change is not in
the sun. The clouds disperse, and we say, "the sun shines," while in
fact he is ever the same. The Scriptures say, "our God is a sun." He
is unchangeably the same in all his brilliant perfections. "Sin like a
cloud, and transgression like a thick cloud," rise over the mind and
darken the understanding. Through this dark medium we look up to God,
and think he has changed--that he is angry, and thunders are rolling
from his hand, while in fact the whole change is in us. The moment our
minds are enlightened by the beams of truth we rejoice, and say God
has forgiven us. We receive an evidence of pardon, and enjoy it
through faith, while God has remained unchangeably the same.

While we are children in christianity, we speak and act like children;
and think if we join together, and pray as loud as we can as though
the Lord were "deaf, or all asleep or on a journey," that we can
prevail, and make him do as we wish. And while we are children, if we
sin, we think the Lord is our enemy, and is angry. Now, this is all
well enough for those whose experience has gone no further. We are not
to "despise the day of small things," but kindly receive such an one
as a babe in Christ, and feed him with milk. But still it does appear
to be a pity that thousands, under the gospel, should live and die
children.

"Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Now, we are to
forgive as