In the first place, the death of Christ affords us ground to confide in the divine mercy for the pardon of sin.  All the steps of that high dispensation of Providence, which we have considered, lead directly to this conclusion, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” This is the final result of the discoveries of the gospel.  On this rests the great system of consolation which it hath reared up for men.  We are not left to dubious and intricate reasonings concerning the conduct which God may be expected to hold toward His offending creatures:  but we are led to the view of important and illustrious facts which strike the mind with evidence irresistible.  For it is possible to believe that such great operations, as I have endeavored to describe, were carried on by the Almighty in vain?  Did He excite in the hearts of His creatures such encouraging hopes, without any intention to fulfil them?  After so long a preparation of goodness, could He mean to deny forgiveness to the penitent and the humble?  When overcome by the sense of guilt, man looks up with an astonished eye to the justice of his Creator, let him recollect that hour of which the text speaks, and be comforted.  The signals of divine mercy, erected in his view, are too conspicuous to be either distrusted or mistaken.

In the next place, the discoveries of this hour afford the highest reason to trust in the divine faithfulness for the accomplishment of every promise which remains yet unfulfilled.  For this was the hour of the completion of God’s ancient covenant.

It was the “performance of the mercy promised to the fathers.”  We behold the consummation of a great plan, which, throughout a course of ages, had been uniformly pursued; and which, against every human appearance, was, at the appointed moment, exactly fulfilled.  No length of time alters His purpose.  No obstacles can retard it.  Toward the ends accomplished in this hour, the most repugnant instruments were made to operate.  We discern God bending to His purpose the jarring passions, the opposite interests, and even the vices of men; uniting seeming contrarieties in His scheme; making “the wrath of man to praise him”; obliging the ambition of princes, the prejudices of Jews, the malice of Satan, all to concur, either in bringing forward this hour, or in completing its destined effects.  With what entire confidence ought we to wait for the fulfilment of all His other promises in their due time, even when events are most embroiled and the prospect is most discouraging:  “Altho thou sayst thou canst not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.”  Be attentive only to perform thy duty; leave the event to God, and be assured that, under the direction of His Providence, “all things shall work together” for a happy issue.