The Song of Solomon : and the Lamentations of Jeremiah

310 THE LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH
ance.^ Thus we understand how it can be said that
Christ—who is the most perfect revelation of God's
goodness—was raised up to give " repentance to Israel "
as well as "remission of sins." ^ It is at Calvary, not
at Sinai, that sin looks most black. When a man sees
his guilt in the light of his Saviour's love he is in no
mood to apologise for it or to minimise his ill desert.
If he then contemplates the prospect of the full payment
of the debt it is with a feeling of the impossibility
of ever achieving so stupendous a task. The
punishment from which he would revolt as an injustice
if it were held over him in a threat now presents itself
to him of its own accord as something quite right and
reasonable. He cannot find words strong enough to
characterise his guilt, as he lies at the foot of the cross
in absolute self-abasement. There is no occasion to
fear that such a man will become careless about sin
if he is comforted by a vision of hope. This is just
what he needs to enable him to rise up and accept
the forgiveness in the strength of which he may begin
the toilsome ascent towards a better life.
' Rom. ii. 4.
'^ Acts v. 31.