of sin remaineth in us while we live sin being in an act of dying or a passion rather to be crucified and in the way to its grave and perfect destruction which shall be when Glory shall grow up out of the stalk of Grace and sanctification shall be perfected for Grace is the bud Glory the fruit Grace the Spring and Summer Glory the Harvest 2. As sin is a blacknesse contrary to the innocency that the Law requireth and as it blotteth and defileth the soul it is a Macula a spot a filthy and deformed thing abasing the creature making the creature black crooked defiled like the skin of the Ethiopian or spotted like the Leopard Jer. 13.23 3. As sin is a blot that maketh the creature unpure unclean and contrary and hatefull to God so it is a blot and unclean thing to God and that two wayes 1. As it is contrary to Gods holy Law it s formally sin as is before said 2. As it offendeth and injureth God in his honour and glory of supream Authority to command what is just holy it is an offence and a provocation Isa. 3.8 Psal. 78.17 A displeasing of God 1 Cor. 10.5 2 Sam. 11.27 A grieving of him and his spirit Eph. 4.30 Gen. 6.6 Psal. 95.10 A tempting of God Psal. 77.18 Psal. 95.9 Act. 15.10 A wearying of the Lord and a making him to serve Isa. 43.24 Isa. 7.15 A loading of the Lord Isa. 1.24 A pressing of the Lord as a Cart is pressed under a heavy load of sheaves Amos 2.13 and so is punished with everlasting punishment Hence there is a twofold guilt one Fundamentall potentiall reatus culpae the guilt of sin as sin this is all one with sin being the very essence soul and formall being of sin and this guilt of sin you cannot remove from sin so as sin shall remain sin take this away and you take away sin it self But this is removed in sanctification as perfected not in justification as all the Arguments of Doctor Crispe go along in their strength to prove that the guilt of sin Reatus culpae the fundamentall guilt of sin and sin it self are all one so we shall yeeld all to him but with no gaine to his bad cause For Josephs brethren say Gen. 42.22 Truly we sinned Verè peccantes nos super fratrem nostrum or were guilty against our brother This is nothing but we trespassed against our brother this is not spoken so much of guilt as of sin it self and the Malefactor saying he is not guilty meaneth of fundamentall guilt or the guilt of sin and that he hath not committed the crime charged upon him But there is another guilt in sin called Reatus poenae reatus personae reatus actualis the guilt or obligation to punishment the actuall guilt or actuall obligation of the person who hath sinned to punishment and this guilt is a thing far different from sin it self and is separable from sin and may be and is removed from sin without the destruction of the essence of sin and is fully removed in justification Now that this guilt is different from sin I prove 1. Because that which our blessed Surety took upon him for our cause without taking to him any thing which is essentiall in sin such as is to be a Sinner like us to do violence to be justly accused of sin that is different from sin But Christ took on him the guilt of our sin that is the actuall obligation to be punished for sin while as he bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 And was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and did bear on him the chastisement of our Peace Isa. 53.5 And died for our offences Rom. 4.25 Rom. 5.6 And this punishment Christ could not have born except by Law he had obliged himself as our surety to pay our debts Heb. 10.4.5 6.7.8 and 7.22 Now that in all his life and sufferings he did no violence committed no sin nor touched any contagion of sinne in his own person is evident because he was holy harmlesse undefiled and separated from sinners Heb. 7.26 Heb. 4.15 Isa. 53.9 The Proposition is sure for if Christ was so made sin and punished for sin and liable to suffer for sin and yet had not any sinfull or blame-worthy guilt on him then that guilt of the person by which any is liable to punishment for sin is some other thing then sin and the blame-worthy guilt that is in sin forasmuch as they are really separated the one being in Christ and the other not being in him nay nor could it be in him 2. The cause cannot be one the same with the effect nor the subject and fundament one with the adjunct and that which resulteth from the fundament But sin is the cause fundament and subject from which guilt or actuall obligation to punishment issueth because therefore is the sinner under guilt-personall and actuall obligation to punishment because he hath sinned and is under the guilt of transgression as he is therefore in Law and justice a guilt-debter to suffer evill of punishment because against Law and justice he is a bad deserving sinner in doing against and so by a reatus culpae a sin-guilt hath transgressed a Law for all evill of punishment is a daughter which lay in the womb of the evill of sin and the guilt of the latter ill of punishment must flow from the former to wit from the ill of sin so to be guilty or obliged to eternall punishment is a fruit and result or consequent of the fundamentall and intrinsecall guilt of sin 3. An unjust and sinfull deviation from the holy will of God revealed in his Law and hatefull to and punishable by God cannot be one and the same thing with that which is just and agreeable to the just and holy will of God but sin it self in its formall being is a deviation from the holy will of God revealed in his Law sin being defined by John A transgression of the Law and is hatefull to and punishable by the Lord But the guilt of sin of which we now speak is nothing but the demerit and actuall obligation to eternall punishment and is no unjust thing no transgression of Gods will revealed in his Law yea the demerit of sin is a most just thing and the actuall obligation to punishment is most just and holy and agreeable to Gods just will and obligation to punishment can neither be punishable nor hatefull to God yea it is just with God that the sinner be under Law-obligation to eat the fruits of the tree of his own planting to have his teeth set on edge with the sowre grapes that he eat himself 4. He that borroweth money and profusely and lavishly spendeth it is in that a transgressor against the eighth Cōmandement he committeth an act of unjustice against his brother now this act of unjustice cannot formally or intrinsecally be the sin or
changed before God p. 407. To be justified by Faith is not barely to come to the knowledge that we are justified before we beleeve p. 410. Justification not Eternall p. 411 Faith is not only given for our joy and consolation but also for our justification both in our own soul before God 415 There 's no warrant in Scripture for two reconciliations one of mans reconciliation to God and another of Gods reconciliation to man p. 419. Christs merits no cause but an effect of Gods eternall love ibid. What reconciliation is ibid. Joy without all sorrow for sin no fruit of the Kingdome of God p. 420 The seeing of God Heb. 12.14 and the Kingdom 1 Cor. 6. Joh. 3.3 Not the Kingdom of Grace but of Glory p. 421. All acts of blood and rough dealing in God to his own acts of mercy ibid. SERM. XXV Omnipotency hath influence on 1. Satan 2. Diseases 3. Stark death 4. Mother-nothing 5. On all creatures 6. On sin to speak to them p. 424. Obedientiall power in the creation what it is p. 425. Omnipotency is as it were a servant to Faith p. 428. We worship a dependent God p. 429. We have need of the devil and other temptations for our humiliation p. 432. Immediate mercies are the sweetest mercies cleared 1. In Christ. 2. Grace 3. Glory 4· Comfort 5. The rarest of Gods works p. 433. The deceitfulnesse of our confidence when God and the creature are joyned in one work p. 442. SERM. XXVI Christ in four relations hath dominion over Devils p. 446. Satan goeth no where without a Passe p. 448. We often sign Satans conditionall Passe ibid. A renewed will is a renewed man p. 451. Eight positions concerning the will and affections ibid. A civill will is not a sanctified will ibid. The yeelding of the soul to God and to his light a special note of a renewed will ibid. Affections sanctified especially desires p. 453. The lesse mixture in the affections the stronger are their operations ibid. Minde and affections do reciprocally vitiate one another p. 454. Spirituall desires seek naturall things spiritually Carnall desires seek spirituall things naturally p. 455. God submitteth his liberality of Grace to the measure of a sanctified will in four considerations ibid. Our affections in their acts and comprehension are far below spirituall objects Christ and Heaven p. 456. More in Christ and Heaven then our faith can reach in this life p. 457. SERM. XXVII Satan not cast out of a land or a person but by violence both to Satan and the party amplified in four considerations p. 460. False peace known p. 462. A roaring and a raging Devil is better then a calm and a sleeping Devil ibid. Gods way of hardning as it is mysterious so it is silent and invisible p. 465. The Triall and Triumph of Faith SERMON I. Mar. 7.24 And from thence he arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon and went into an house and would that no man should know it but he could not be hid Matth. 15.21 Then Jesus went thence and came into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon V. 22. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David for my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Mar. 7.25 For a certain woman whose young little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell at his feet V. 26. The woman was a Greek a Syrophoenician by Nation and she besought him that hee would cast forth the Devil out of her daughter THis Text being with childe of Free-Grace holdeth forth to us a Miracle of note and because Christ is in the work in an eminent manner and there is here also much of Christs new creation and a floor planted and watered by Christs own hand a strong faith in a tryed woman it requireth the bending of our heart to attention for to any seeking Iesus Christ this Text cryeth Come and see The words for their scope drive at the wakening of beleevers in Praying when an answer is not given at the first to a fixed and resolved lying and dying at Christs door by continuing in Prayer while the King come out and open and answer the desire of the hungry and poor 2. For the subject they are a History of a rare Miracle wrought by Christ in casting forth a Devil out of the Daughter of a Woman of Canaan and for Christ to throw the Devill out of a Canaanite was very like the white Banner of Christs Love displayed to the Nations and the Kings Royall Standard set up to gather in the Heathen under his colours The parts of the Miracle are 1. The place where it was wrought Math. 15.21 2. The parties on whom the Mother and the possessed Daughter she is described by her Nation 3. The impulsive cause she hearing came and prayed to Iesus for her little Daughter In which there is a Dialogue between Christ and the Woman containing Christs trying of her 1. With no answer 2. With a refusal 3. With the reproach of a dog 4. Her instancy of Faith 1. In crying till the Disciples interposed themselves 2. Her going on in adoring 3. Praying 4. Arguing by Faith with Christ that she had some interest in Christ though amongst the dogs yet withall as Grace hath no evil eye not envying because the morning market of Christ and the high Table was the Jews due as the Kings Children so she might be amongst the dogs to eat the crumbs under Christs Table knowing that the very refuse of Christ is more excellent then ten worlds 4. The Miracle it self wrought by the womans faith in which we have Christs heightning of her Faith 2. The granting of her desire 3. The measure of Christs bounty as thou wilt 4. The healing of her Daughter Mark saith that the woman came to Christ in a house Matthew seemeth to say that she came to him in the way as these words do make good send her away for she cryeth after us Augustine thinketh that the woman first came to Christ while he was in the house and desired to be hid either because he did not for offending the Jews openly offer himself to the Gentiles having forbidden his Disciples to go to the Samaritans or because he would have his glory hid for a time or rather of purpose he did hide himself from the woman that her faith might finde him out and then refusing to answer the woman in the house she still followeth him in the way and cryeth after him as Matthew saith For Christs Love is 1. Liberal but yet it must be suited and Christ though he sell not his Love for the penny worth of our sweating and paines yet must we dig low for such a gold-mine as Christ. 2. Christs Love is wise he holdeth us knocking while our desire be love-sick for him and knoweth that delayes raiseth and heighteth the market and
heaven in five particulars ibid. The Saints most dependent creatures p. 135. How we know the Scripture to be the Word of GOD two grounds one in the subject another in the object p. 136. Phancy leadeth not the Saints but Faith p. 137. How the Saints need a fresh supply of Grace from Christ though they have a habit and stock of grace within them proved by six reasons p. 138. Grace and glory but one continued thred p. 140. Three considerations we are to have of Gods work in leading us to Heaven p. 140 141. Faith is both active and passive ibid Desertions have reall advancing in the way to Heaven in eleven particulars ibid. We are not freed from Law-Directions p. 142. Actuall condemnation may be and is separated from the Law ibid. Two Objections removed p. 142. How works of holinesse conduce to salvation three things herein to be distinguished p. 143. We are to doe good works both from the principle of Law and love p 145. Oâ—her three Objections removed ibid. Of the Letter both of Law and Gospel diverse errors of Libertines touching the point p. 146. The Scriptures are not to be condemned because they profit not without the teaching of the Spirit proved by three reasons p. 147. Repentance different from Faith proved against Liberti p. 148 Repentance the same in the Old and New Testament p. 149. SERM. XIV In what sense Christ came to save the lost p. 150. A twofold preparation for Christ to be considered p. 151. Conversion is done by foregoing preparations and successively proved by four reasons p. 152. Sense of poverty fitteth for Christ p. 154. The Objections of D. Crispe removed sinners as sinners not fit to receive Christ p. 155. How Christ belongs to sinners under the notion of sinners ibid How the spirit acts most in the Saints when they endeavour least p. 157. The marrow of Libertinisme to neglect sanctification and to wallow in fleshly lusts ibid. Christs death maketh us active in duties of holinesse proved from three grounds p. 158. How Christ keepeth us from sin p. 159. SERM. XV. Eight necessary duties râ—quired of a beleever under Desertion 1. Patience 2. Faith c. p. 160. Hope Prophesieth glad tidings at midnight p. 162. It s a blessed mark when temptations chaseth not a soul from duties illustrated in three cases p. 166. It argueth three good things to go on in duties under a temptation p. 167. Antinomians take men off duties p. 169. Christ tempted cannot sin saints tempted dare not sin p. 170 Faith traffiqueth with heaven in the saddâ—st storms p. 171. SERM. XVI Nationall sins may occur to the conscience of the childe of God in his approach to God p. 172 173. A subtill humble pride the disease of weak ones who dare not apply the promises p. 175. Sense of Free-grace humbleth exceedingly ibid. How far forth conscience of wretchednesse hindereth any to come to Christ p. 177. Who ever doubâ—eth if God will save him doubteth also if God can save him p. 179. Sin kâ—â—peth not the door of Christ to hold out the sinner p. 180 Sense of sin and sense of the grace of Christ may consist p. 181. Holy walking and Christs excellency may both be felt by the believer holy walking considered as 1. A duty 2. A mean 3 A thing promised in the Covenant of Grace ibid· How we may collect our state and condition from holy walâ—ing p 182. The error of D. Crispe and Antinomians herein p. 183 Christ a great house-holder p. 184. The priviledge of the children of the house ibid. Christ the bread of life p. 185. Communion between the Children and the first heir Christ in five particulars ibid. The spirit of an heir and of a servant p. 186. There is a seed of hope and comforts in the hardest desertions of the Saints in three particulars illustrated p. 187. SERM. XVII Grace maketh quicknesse and wittinesse of heavenly reasoning p 189. Faith contradicteth Christ tempting but humbly and modestly p. 190. The Saints may dispute their state with Christ when they dare not dispute their actions p. 191. We are to accept humbly and with patience of a wakened conscience but not to seek a storming conscience ibid. True humility and its way in seven particulars see the place p 192. How we are to esteem every man better then our selves p. 195. The proud man known a far off p. 195. Graces lowlinesse in taking notice of sinners p. 196. Causes of unthankfulnesse p. 197. A justified soul is to confesse sin proved by three Arguments p. 199. And to mourn for sin by divers reasons p. 202. If we be not to mourn for sin committed because it s pardoned nor should our will be averse from the committing of it because before it be commited it is also pardoned as Antinomians teach p. 203. Libertines conspire with Papists in the doctrine of justification p. 206. SERM. XVIII How sins are removed in justification how not p. 207. There remaineth sin formally in the Justified proved by siâ— Arguments p. 208. How sin dwelleth in us after we are justified p. 209 A twofold removall of sin one Morall or Legall in justification another Physicall in our sanctification p. 210. The difference between the removall of sin in justification and its removall in sanctification p. 214. Seven grounds why sin dwelleth still in the justified person 216 How sins past present and to come are pardoned in justification p. 224. There 's a twofold consideration of justification but not two justifications p. 225. Sins in three divers respects are taken away according to Scripture ibid. Christs satisfaction performed on the Crosse for sin is not formally justification but only causatively fundamentally or meritoriously p. 226. There 's a change in justification p. 227. How sins not committed are remitted p. 228. There is but one justification of a beleever illustrated by a comparison p. 229. There 's a difference between Pardon of sin the justification of the person and the repeated sense of the pardon p. 230. Justifying Faith is some other thing then the sense of justification p. 232. How fear or hope or reward of glory have influence in our holy walking p. 233.234 Objections removed p. 235. SERM. XIX The Lord Jesus is so made the sinner in suffering for sin as there remaineth no sin in the sinner once pardoned as Antinomians teach especially Doctor Crispe p. 235. Sin so laid on â—hrist as that it leaveth not off to be our sin 238 The guilt of sin sin it self are not one the same thing 241. An inherent blot in sin and the guilt and debt of sin ibid. Two things in debt as in sin p 242. The blot of sin two wayes considered ibid. A twofold guilt in sin one intrinsecall and of the fault another of the punishment and extrinsecall p. 244. Reasons why sin and the guilt of sin cannot be the same 245 Christ not intrinsecally the sinner p. 250. Imputation of sin no imagination no lie p. 251.
It beleeveth Heaven and worketh Heaven 2. We often go on imagining that we are in a way of back-sliding deserted souls not conscious of the reflect acts of beleeving and longing for Christ think themselves Apostates when they are advancing in their way In great water-works where there be a great multitude of wheels the standing of some five or six is the advancing of the work in other twenty or forty wheels In desertion some wheels are at a stand and move not as often acts of feeling joy self-delight in the actuall beholding of Christ are at a stand and then it s thus I said I am cast out of his sight yet other wheels are moving as 1. Humble and base thoughts of himself 2. Broad and large thoughts of Christ and his grace 3. Hunger and longing for Christ. 4. Self diffidence is much 5. Care and love-sicknesse Saw you him whom my soul loveth is vehement 6. Sense of sin and of wants and spirituall poverty increaseth now 7. Sense of the misery of the combate is much more then before O miserable man that I am c. 8. Believing under hope and against hope is strongest now 9. There 's more tendernesse and humble fear now then before 10. A stronger resolution to entertain Christ more kindly when he shal return again in his fulnesse of presence 11. Sorrow that remembring he said My head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night Cant. 5.6 Yet the sleeping soul kept him at the door We are to adore that Dispensation who will have us not stepping one foot to Heaven but upon Grace and upon Graces charges he could make Saints to be sinlesse Angels But what haste We should then not yet being habituated with glory nor confirmed in Heaven think little of Christ. If we be so dependent on Christ we have not ended with all Law directions the Law standeth us yet in good use I mean when Christ hath made us and the Law friends and hath removed the curse and made the Beleever say O how love I thy Law Obj. Can you saith M. Toun separate the directing or commanding power of the Law from the condemning power of the Law can the Law speak to any but to those who are under the Law Is it Law at all if it condemn not Ans. Actuall condemnation may well be separated from the Law as a Lyon is a Lyon and yet being chained cannot actually devour To condemn may well be removed from the Law it could not condemn Adam before sin entred in the world it cannot condemne the Holy Elect and sinlesse Angels yet it had and hath a commanding and obliging power to command and direct both to condemn is accidentall to the Law as the state of sin is accidentall to man 2. The Law may speak by way of direction to Believers but cannot speak to them by way of actuall condemnation because Christ hath removed the curse Obj. 2. Holinesse and walking in the way of holinesse contributeth not one jot to Salvation as causes or as the way thereto Christ hath done that perfectly Ans. I pray you consider three things here 1. The Will of Gad to save yea and to justifie the ungodly 2. Ius the Law right to righteousnesse and salvation 3. Actuall salvation Christs merits are neither cause nor motive nor condition moving God to will to choose or ordain persons for glory this is an act of eternall election to glory which is not from Christs merits nor doth any externall work or condition either good or evill in Iacob or Esau or in the surety Christ move God to such an act of free libertie Libertines are ignorant in so speaking yea faith is no condition cause or motive of such a will 2. Christs merits not faith not holinesse in us must be the cause of our Law-right to righteousnesse and glory Christ his alone gave the price of Redemption for us no Garments were rolled in blood for a patent and right to Heaven but his only his alone trode the Wine-presse of Gods Wrath in those two notions works of holinesse have no footing in the work But 3. as touching actuall salvation the way to it is holinesse without which none can see God It s expresly commanded Be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.19 20. and Rom. 6.21 But being now made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit into holinesse and the end life everlasting 2 Pet. 1.10 If ye doe these things ye shall never fall for so an entrance shal be ministred unto you abundantly unto the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the Tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh wil I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set downe with my father on his Throne They answer overcoming is by faith But I reply Faith to Libertines is but a believing that Christ hath overcome in their person and place for faith is no more to them a condition or way to salvation then good works for Faith say they is not Christ Christ only is the way to Heaven but this were a vain promise if overcoming were not 1. A duty required of us in time upon the performance whereof we have an entrance made to life eternall 2. If overcoming be but only believing and so an act of the soul only those to whom the promise is made are to do no more but believe Christ hath overcome the persecuting world for them and yield and in profession deny the Faith and accept of conditions of life and so be foyled and yet claim right to the promise contrary to the intent of Christ Rev. 2.13 who commendeth Pergamus for not denying the Faith Now in all this as the walking in the way to a fair Palace to dwell in it in honour and happinesse cannot be the price the ransome the sum given to buy right to that place and to the honour and happinesse thereof so neither can our walking in the way to glory bee the price of glory Obj. 3. But we are saved by Christs merits before we can do any good works then good works cometh not to perfect and make up salvation Ans. So are we in regard of right of purchase saved before we beleeve yet that hindereth not but faith is a way to salvation 2. This concludeth that good works are no cause or way or meane of obtaining the right jus of purchase to Redemption which we yeeld but not that we are actually saved without walking in the way called the way of holines which the uncleane shall not passe over Esa. 35.8 Obj. 4. We are to do good works from the principle of the love of Christ constraining us not from the Law commanding or directing us Ans. 1. These are no way contrary the
double Notion of justification as D. Abbot teacheth us There is a universall and propâ—â—â—y so called justification There is a partiall and unproperly so called justification or give me leave to say There is a justification of the person of the estate or a justification repeated or rather a reiterated remission I doubt if it be called a justification The former justification doth include 1. The Act of Atonement made by Christ on the Crosse for all the sins of all the Elect of God past present and to come this Act is not tyed to believing nor are we properly justified in regard of this Act. But 2. There is a justification formall of which Paul speaketh Rom. 3. and 4. and Gal. 3 4 and 5. Chapters which goeth along in order of cause time and a required condition of apprehending Christs righteousnesse and this justification of the person while he believeth is but once done and that when the believer doth first lay hold on Christ and righteousnesse imputed in his blood There is 3. A remission and taking away of sin Now according to these are we to consider of doing away sin in a threefold Notion for though justification essentially include remission and pardon of sin yet every remission doth not include justification properly so called Asser. 2. This threefold taking away of sins I clear from the Scripture 1. Christ taketh away our sins on the Crosse causatively and by way of merit while as he suffereth for our sins on the Crosse So Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world 1 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us Col. 2.14 Christ blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to the Crosse. 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins on the tree Isa. 53.10 He made his soul an offering for sin This Atonement of blood was typified in Aaaron who Lev. 16.20 21. was to lay both his hands on the head of the Live-goat and to confesse the sins of the people and did translate them off from the people so as the Goat was to bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited v. 22. Now this was the paying of a ransome for us and a legall translation of the eternall punishment of our sins but it is not justification nor ever called justification there is a sort of imputation of sin to Christ here and a summe paid for me but with leave no formall imputation no forinsecall and no personall Law-reckoning to me who am not yet born far lesse cited before a Tribunall and absolved from sin when Christ had compleatly paid this summe Christ was justified Legally as a publike person and all his seed fundamentally meritoriously causatively but not in their persons There is a second removall of sin and that is when the beleever is justified by faith Paul Rom. 4.6 Even as David saith he also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works 7. saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin This is the blessednesse of a man born living beleeving Now we say unproperly the heirs of a King not born are blessed Non entis nulla sunt accidentia So if Christs removall of sins on the Crosse were justification all Christs seed and we believers of the Gentiles who were not then born when Christ died should be blessed and justified before we be born Now in this which is formally the justification of the believing sinner the believers person is accepted reconciled justified and really translated by a Law-change from one state to another I mean not that there is a Physicall infusion of a new habit of sanctification and an expulsion of an old habit as Papists teach confounding regeneration or sanctification with justification But there is a reall change of the state of the person 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. then they were sometime not justified 2. There is here a reall removall of all sins and a pardon and relaxation from the eternall punishment of all sins as well of sins to come and not yet committed as of sins past present and already committed so as sins not yet committed shall no more involve the believer in the punishment of eternall wrath then sins past or present Yet 3. the sins not committed though virtually pardoned with correction and submission are not formally pardoned that which is not sin at all but only in a naked potency it must be pardoned only in that notion that it is a sin and not first formally remitted and then afterward committed yet it is paid for and the person freed from all actuall condemnation for it but with all conditionally and virtually so he believe in Christ and renew his repentance which graces God shall infallibly give him because the calling and gifts of God are without repentance And of this third removall of sin is that Petition that Christ hath taught justified persons to ask of God Forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sin against us And Nathan saith to David 2 Sam. 12.13 The Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die David before he contracted this horrible guilt of murther and adultery was a man according to Gods own heart and so his person was justified this way God daily taketh away sin Rom. 1.17 For therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by faith Now the life of faith justifying is not one single act of faith such as is at ouâ— first personall relative and universall absolution but the believer liveth by renewed and often repeated acts of faith such as is To walk from faith to faith The least faith even the Minimum quod sic doth justifie but the Gospel requireth a growth in faith In this sense remission is a continued and one prorogated act of free grace from our first moment of believing to the day of putting the crown on our head If any object that I am contrary to my self in that I sometimes did write that justification is a plenary Pardon in one indivisible act of all sins past present and to come and therefore sin cannot be oftner then once Pardoned If I should answer that the knowledge we have especially in so supernaturall a mystery is but the twilight or the day-Stars glimmering of sinfull men it might suffice but I judge that I speak nothing contrary to that Asser. 3. For two formall justifications of a Beleever I utterly deny which is that which Arminians presse not a little yea and the justification of the person and his acceptance in Gods favour is but one act I never fall from that acceptance
justice as we are ready to conceit of our Evangelick rejoicing and holiest works But they are to sorrow for offended love for the body of sin breaking out in scandals I may then have peace with God in the assurance of remission and removall of eternall wrath and yet not have peace with my own conscience 1. Because I may be perswaded that God in Christ hath forgiven me yet am I not to forgive my self 2. I am to beleeve that in Christ I am delivered from eternall wraâ—h and justified in Christ and yet to sorrow that I have sinned against Christs love 3. I may have peace sense of peace and Pardon in Christ and yea a necessary disquietnesse sorrow and tears that I should have been so unthankfull to so lovely a Redeemer so Christ doth commend the womans tears as a sign of love and of the sense of many sins pardoned Luke 7.44 Thou gavest me no water for my feet But she hath washed my feet with tears yet many sins were forgiven her v. 47. Hence I may 1. Beleeve the Remission of that sin for which I am to sorrow and for the Remission of which I am to pray and which I am to confesse Nathan said to David thy sin is pardoned yet the Spirit of God after that both confessed sorrowed prayed for pardon in David 2. We may comfort those that mourn for sin from assurance of Pardon and yet exhort them to be humbled and afflicted in spirit and to confesse sorrow and pray for Pardon so Antinomians rejoicing evermore after justification without sorrow remorse down-casting for sin at all is but fleshly wantonnesse I may have and ought to have a disquieted spirit and no peace with my self and yet peace with God even as the Sea after a storme and when the winds are gone and the Aire is calmed hath yet a raging and great motion by reason of wind inclosed in the bowels of the Sea and after the cool of a mighty Feaver yet are the humours in the body stirred and distempered But we are hence led to finde out resolution for divers cases of consciences after justification 1. Many dare not question their state of justification so are freed from the storms of apprehended wrath arising from the guilt of sin yet there is another storm within the bowels of the Sea arising from the indwelling of the body of guilt the storm before justification is lesse free lesse ingenuous more servile as looking to that Eternall wrath hanging over the soul for unpardoned sin this is more free and is a peaceable a gracious and heavenly storm raised not for sin unpardoned the Eternal punishment thereof but for sin as sin as indwelling not for the penall guilt and the sting of Hell in sin but for the sinfull guilt and the wounding of Christ. 2. It s unpossible this latter storme can be in the soul till the sentence of justification be pronounced as none can have the moved bowels of a son for the offence of a Father till he be a son 2. Another case is that many have an absolute loose and laxe peace and calmnesse great confidence of deliverance from Eternall wrath and so of a supposed pardon whose peace is convinced to be but a base outside and meer paintry and fairding because there is in them no storm for sin as sin and for the over-motions of boiling lusts no tendernesse to walk spiritually A Faith that eateth out the bottome and bowels of conscience of declining sin and walking with God is the justification of the Antinomians of the old Gnosticks of the naturall men all our professors are cured none or few are healed 3. Full assurance that Christ hath delivered Paul from condemnation yea so full and reall as produceth thanksgiving and triumphing in Christ Rom. 7.25 Rom. 8.1 2. may and doth consist with complaints and outcryes of a wretched condition for the indwelling of the body of sin Rom. 7.14 15 16.23 24. Then the justified that are whole not sick not pained are yet in their sins and not justified what ever Antinomians say on the contrary 4. The flesh in the justified cannot complain of indwelling sin but the flesh mixt with some life of Christ may raise a false Alaram of sins not pardoned which are really pardoned some false grief may and often hath its rise from a false and imaginary ground as a sanctified soul may praise God through occasion of a lying report of the victory of the Church of God when there is no such matter a sanctified child may spiritually mourn for the supposed death of his Father or that he hath offended his Father according to the flesh when his Father is neither dead nor offended at all So gracious affections as gracious may work spiritually upon supposed and false grounds when there is no cause as that the soul hath grieved his heavenly Father and that he is displeased when it is not so 5. Sin indwelling is a greater evill then the feared evill of ten hells and therefore there is more cause of sorrow for sin confession disquietnesse of spirit after justification then before because sin the only true object of fear and disquietnesse of spirit is both a ghuest dwelling in the soul and is more really and distinctly apprehended as a spirituall evil after the light of faith hath shown us the sinfulnesse of sin then ever it was discovered to be before 6. I doubt if justified souls are to be refuted in their complaints and fears for the indwelling of sin providing they fear not eternall wrath which fear is contrary to faith and so they fear not and sorrow not for that God hath changed the Court and the wind of his love turned in the contrary air and he hath forgotten to be mercifull 7. Faith chargeth us to believe that Grace shall at length finally subdue sin and as boat-men labour with oars to promove their course in sailing even when the wind sails and tide are doing somewhat to promove the course so doth faith which purifieth the heart set the soul on work to perfect holinesse in the fear of God and believeth also that God shall work both to will and to do It s not then good Physick for many exercised in conscience especially after their first conversion to apply only the honey and sweetnesse of consolations of the Gospel as if there were not any need of humiliation and sorrow for sin Yet it is to be cleared that 1. Sorrow for sin is no satisfaction for sin for the pride of merit is crafty and can creep in at a smal hole We think there is no repentance where there be no tears God of purpose withholdeth tears as knowing when water goes out wind cometh in 2. They are tenderly to be bound up and comforted in whom sin riseth up with a witnesse O what pity and humble on-looking should be here For a hell of pain in the body is nothing wheels racks whips hot irons breaking