Who [is] a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth [in] mercy.
Ver. 18. Who is a God like unto thee?] No God surely (whether so reputed or deputed; whether heathen deities, heavenly angels, or earthly rulers) can compare with our God, or come near him, for pardoning of sin. Indeed, none can do it at all but he; as the blind Pharisees saw and could say. Men may pardon the trespass, but God alone the transgression. But say they could do something that way; yet nothing like our God, who maketh his power appear to be great, Numbers 14:17, in pardoning such offences as no God or man besides would pardon. See Jer 3:1 Nehemiah 9:31. He forgiveth iniquity, transgression and sin, Exodus 34:6,7, that is, all sorts of sins, to all sorts of sinners, without exception, Matthew 12:31. This is the express letter of God's covenant, which we ought not either to obliterate or to interline; but to believe it in the full latitude and extent. We are apt to cast God's pardoning grace into a mould of our own; and to measure it by our model. But against this we are cautioned, Isaiah 55:8. God must be magnified in our thoughts, his quarters there enlarged, high and honourable conceptions are to be had of him; or else we wrong him no less than we should do a king by respecting and receiving him no otherwise than we would do another ordinary man. He is set forth here as a God imparallel, and that not without an interrogation of admiration, O! who is a God like unto thee? Thy mercy is matchless, thy grace aboundeth even to an overflow, 1 Timothy 1:14, it is more than exceeding, it hath a superpleonasm, υπερεπλεονασε, saith the apostle here. Surely as the sea swallows up huge rocks, and as the sun scattereth greatest mists; so doth he pardon enormities as well as infirmities, and blotteth out the thick cloud as well as the cloud,. Isaiah 44:22. His mercy rejoiceth against, or glorifieth over, judgment, James 2:13, and is ready to say of a great sinner indeed
- “ Iam dignus vindice nodus: ”
The more desperate the disease is, the greater glory redoundeth to him that cureth it. Our Saviour received a glorious name by curing incurable diseases; and gained greatest love by frankly forgiving Mary Magdalen's and others' sins, Luke 7:42; Luke 7:47, which were many and mighty, or bony, as the prophet's word signifies, Amos 5:12. Adam's apostasy, Noah's drunkenness, Lot's incest, David's blood guiltiness, Manasseh's idolatry and witch craft, Peter's thrice denying and abjuring his Master, Paul's blasphemy and persecution, - all these sins and blasphemies, have been forgiven, to the sons of men neither can they commit more than he both can and will remit to the penitent. Note this against Novatus, that proud heretic; and strive against that natural Novatianism that is in the timorous conscience of convinced sinners, to doubt and question pardon for sins of apostasy, and falling after repentance, and to say as those unbelievers of old, Can the Lord prepare a table for us in the wilderness? so, can he forgive such and such iniquities so often reiterated? This is a question, no question; what cannot our God do in this kind, who pardoneth sin naturally, Exodus 34:6 (and therefore freely as the sun shineth, or as the fountain casteth out waters); who doth it also abundantly, Isaiah 55:7, multiplying pardons as fast as we multiply sins; and lastly, constantly, Psa 130:4 John 1:29 Zechariah 13:1. It is his perpetual act; and it should be as a perpetual picture in our hearts. We should go on our way toward heaven, as Samson did toward his parents, feeding on this honeycomb.
That pardoneth iniquity] Heb. that taketh away, sheer away, non ne sit, sed ne obsit, not sin itself, but the guilt of it; the damning and domineering power of it: this David calleth the iniquity of his sin; and saith that this God forgave him, Psalms 32:5, pronouncing himself and all such happy as are so dealt with, Micah 7:1,2 .
And passeth by the transgression] Heb. passeth over it, taketh no notice of it, as a man in a deep muse, or as one that hath haste of business, seeth not things before him; his mind being upon another matter, he neglects all else besides that. As David, when he saw in Mephibosheth the features of his friend Jonathan, took no notice of his lameness, or any other defect or deformity; so God, beholding in his people the image of his Son: winks at all faults, that he might soon find in them. That which Cicero said flatteringly of Caesar is truly affirmed of God, Nihil oblivisci solet praeter iniurias, He forgetteth nothing but the wrongs that are daily done him by his; and as it is said of our Henry VI, that he was of that happy memory that he never forgot anything but injury: so here.
Of the remnant of his heritage?] Not of all, but of those poor few that confess and forsake their sins, Proverbs 28:13, and "in whose spirit there is no guile," Psalms 32:2; that are mortified persons, Rom 11:26 cf. Isaiah 59:20. It is a privilege proper to the communion of saints.
He retaineth not his anger for ever] Angry he may be, and smite in his anger, Isaiah 57:17; yea, he may take vengeance of the inventions of those whom he hath pardoned, Psalms 99:8, temporal vengeance I mean; but it soon repenteth him concerning his servants; and a little punishment serveth turn for a great offence, Jeremiah 31:19,21. David no sooner said, "I have sinned," but he heard, "The Lord hath taken away thy sin," 2 Samuel 12:13 .
Because he delighteth in mercy] And hence he pardoneth iniquity of free grace, ex mero motu, out of his pure and unexcited love, out of his philanthropy and undeserved favour, the sole impulsive cause of pardon. What a man delighteth to do he will do howsoever. If the sun delight to run his race, who shall stop him? If God so delight in mercy that he will save for his name's sake, and come in with his Non obstante, as he doth, Psalms 106:8, who or what shall hinder him?