with mens receiving it through Faith Gods act of pardon disobliging Believers the instant of their sinning is to be answered with a renewed act of Faith applying this to themselves setting their Seal to what God hath done yea renewed acts of Repentance also are to follow Under the Old Covenant it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins Heb. 10. 4. but the New Testament is better for therein through the blessed Mediatour believers obtain real remission Heb. 9. 15. 2. To ask impunity or immunity and freedom from the execution of the Curse and from other tokens of Divine displeasure if they know they shall have it yet they are to ask it as I before evidenced Though Believers know that God is a Father and that the Eternal Curse will never seize upon them yet they are to pray for a freedom from it and the rather be incouraged and provoked to it because the Lord hath promised it Although by the New Covenant Justification is continued yet by gross acts of sin the Lord may be provoked so as many sweet effects of their being justified may be suspended David who was in a state of Grace when he had notoriously sinned before renewed acts of Faith and Repentance before confessing his sin his bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long Psal 32. 3 4. Day and Night the band of God was heavy upon him By this it is evident that although at the instant of sinning Believers are declared really disobliged from the Eternal Curse of the Law yet they may not be sensibly freed from that nor from temporal evils till afterward They are exempted from vindictive Justice in order to the making satisfaction for sin but not from paternal corrective dispensations to the humbling for and deterring from sin Psal 51. 2 7. Wash me throughly from my sin c. Purge me with Hyssop c. He was deeply sensible of his pollution defilement and uncleanness by reason of iniquity maketh confession and seeketh the removal of it Ver. 4. That he might justifie God whom he had greatly dishonoured and give glory to him by acknowledging his righteousness in all his judgements he cryeth out Ver. 9. Hide thy face from my sins they were not only ever before him but seemed to be so before the Lord also as if he were alwaies looking on them though he had not lost his Salvation yet he wanted much of the joy of it ver 11 12. Nathan told him God had pardoned him his sin 2 Sam. 12. 13 14. only some tokens of Divine displeasure must be expected and I think he Penned this Penitentlal Psalm after for the title sheweth that this confession was directed to the chief Musician it was for the use of the Temple he had confessed privately before to Nathan now he doth it more publickly after he had told him of pardon and also of judgements ver 4. So that after Souls are really disobliged and have pardon it self yet they may want the sense of it till there be a fresh application of the blood of Jesus Christ by the Spirit to them so as they may cry out for it as he ver 9. Blot out all my iniquities There may be inward cloudings and darkness sin and guilt may lie heavy upon the Conscience there may be throbbing there and a dreadful sense of it which may be enough to deterr from sin He will visit transgressions with a Rod though his loving kindness he will not utterly take from them Psal 89. 32 33. And who is willing to see the frowning face of God a tender Father and to have such smart rebukes not only by outward corporal afflictions but by the withdrawing the light of his countenance which is better than Life The Old Covenant did not purge the Conscience but the New is a better Testament for having mentioned the remission of sins afforded thereby Heb. 10. 16 17. he addeth let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience so Heb. 9. 15. In the way of a fresh exercise of Faith they may have freedom not only from other fatherly corrections but from those accusations of an evil Conscience which are the usual fruits of hainous sins till renewed acts of Faith and Repentance 5. The New Covenant raiseth a choice Spirit of filial Love and so is better than the Old which leaveth under a Spirit of servile fear the New being made up all of Promises must needs have a tendency to raise into the sweetest Spirit Rom. 8. 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father There is an excellency in the Evangelical Spirit then above the other I understand that Text of different states of the Church or People of God seeing in the former and following Chapters he evidently speaketh of Believers freedom from the Law by the Lord Jesus and the particle again doth intimate that once they were under that fearing Spirit viz. under the Old Mosaick dispensation but now in the times of the New Testament were freed from it Some by the Spirit of bondage understand operations of the Spirit in fear and terrour in order to conversion I cannot find that he is treating of that and it is more suitable to understand it of the state under the Old Testament and the rather because it is brought in as a proof of their Sonship as the particle for doth intimate it was therefore no desirable frame to be sought after but a misery to be under it and a mercy to be freed from it The Old Covenant carried with it more of the Spirit of a Servant as the word signifieth and although serving the Lord chiefly or only for reward savoureth of a legal Spirit and is one difference between the Spirit of a Servant and the Spirit of a Son yet here another difference is aimed at for it is said ye have not received it again to fear The Sinai Covenant put them on to duty by dreadful threatnings presented Curses before them and that not actually undergone for them by Jesus Christ as Arguments or inforcements thereunto which terrifieth and filleth with such fear as is found in Servants by the severe threatning of their Masters Israel was filled with fear and astonishment at the first promulgation of the Law And whewhether this was the proper effect of the Sinai Law to work into servile fear and bondage so as to make that duty then which now is not so and whether it were the approved effect of it in that day or not yet it intimateth that through the frailty of sinful man this would certainly be the issue of it and was even unavoidable hearing the Law from the mouth of an all-powerful God as a consuming fire and there was not enough in those conditional promises to free from this servile fear and so it left them under
the first saving gift of God Christ and the Promises go together There are special marks of distinction whereby persons in Covenant are differenced from the World which agree to none that are out of Christ Heb. 9. 15. they are called ones that receive the Promise Abraham that famous Covenanter was not actually so till the time of his effectual calling from thence the four hundred and thirty years do commence which give the first date to the Covenant or Promise as made with him Gen. 12. Gal. 3. 17. not from the day of his Nativity much less from Eternity although then he was an Elect Vessel by becoming Christs men become Abrahams Seed and Heirs of Promise ver 9. 14 26 29. So the New Covenant runneth to the House of Israel and Judah Heb. 8 13. and none are the spiritual Israel for Life and Salvation till in him Rom. 2. 28 29. Till then they are so far from a Covenant state which is of Life Peace Mercy Salvation Mal. 25. Isa 54. 10. and 55. 3. Luk. 1. 71 72. Rom. 11. 26 27. That they are declared to be in an opposite state they are at enmity dead in trespasses and sins and children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2. 1 2 3 5 8 15 16. Col. 1 21. This may appear further by an enumeration of the principal blessings of the New Covenant it is promised there that he will write his Law in their hearts and be to them a God Heb. 8. 10. but till in Christ they are without God in the World Ephes 2. 12. The greatest difficulty is as to the great priviledge of Pardon or Remission of sin under which the whole of Justification is signified Heb. 8. 10 12. Rom. 11. 27. Some think that we are justified from Eternity others at the death of Christ but actual personal Justification of a sinner before God is at his union with Jesus Christ and the gift of Faith not before For 1. None are actually interested in the righteousness of Jesus Christ before union with him and the gift of Faith it is he that is made unto us righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21. if without Christ then without his righteousness Rom. 5. 18. By the righteousness of one upon all unto Justification of Life none therefore ever attain Justification without a righteousness For it consisteth in a Divine declaration of a persons being righteous and if he were not so it were a false Sentence which is incompatible to the true God Neither will a righteousness of his own working out though by the help of Grace serve for this end of Justification but of that one Jesus Christ hence ver 19. By the obedience of one many are made righteous As his suffering and death did make satisfaction for sin so his obedience is a righteousness meriting blessings even Eternal Life ver 21. and it is called the righteousness of Faith Phil. 3. 9. that being a means for our application of that righteousness which is given Rom. 3. 22 25 26. Not that Faith is the meritorious procuring cause of our Justification it hath not the same causality therein that Jesus Christ hath No more is required to the release of our obligation it self than what the Law by which we are obliged doth exact which is satisfaction as to Duty and Penalty the solution thereof was by Jesus Christ alone but more is required partly to make way for this viz. a compact or new Covenant concerning it without which all sufferings by another had been of no advantage to us partly as a means of application viz. Faith Rom. 10. 10. with the heart man believeth unto i. e. as a means unto righteousness and hence Justification is often said to be by Faith Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 5. 1. And the Question then was not how are men manifested and declared in their own Consciences to be justified but how are they justified before God and in his fight and that is not before but by Faith Gal. 3. 11. The scope of the Apostle Rom. 4. is to prove that we are justified by Faith and the righteousness thereof and not by works of the Law without cause of glorying ver 2. from the instances of Abraham and David ver 3. for what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness and ver 6. David deseribeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without Works And here note Pardon of sin is not the whole of Justification there is also necessary unto that end a righteousness if it were of our own working out then we were justified and saved by our own works which the Scripture generally denyeth this were to confound Justification and Sanctification as if Jesus Christ only satisfied for the sins and defects of a righteousness which we perform so as that is accepted unto Life whereas it is by a righteousness of Faith which is not of our own working out but wrought out for us by Jesus Christ The false Prophets themselves from among the Jews that urged these works of the Law upon the Romans and Galatians insisted much upon the ceremonials which plainly implieth an acknowledgement of sin and argueth that they did not expect Justification without pardon but carnally looked for pardon in the way of their own works and the Apostle in opposition to them excludeth out of Justification not only works wrought by their own natural power but even those which were by sanctifying Grace for the works of Abraham and David who were believers are here excluded Some think the righteousness of Jesus Christ or his active obedience in our stead needless unless as a part of his satisfaction for sin because say they the Law requireth not of us both suffering and obedience I Answer The Law as a Covenant of Works required suffering in satisfaction for sin and as it belongeth to the Covenant of Grace so it requireth perfect obedience to be fulfilled by Jesus Christ as the condition of the Justification and Life of sinners and new obedience which referreth to sanctification is to be performed by Christians as the fruit and effect of their spiritual Life Rather it was needless that Jesus Christ should fulfill righteousness or yield active obedience to the Law as part of a satisfaction for sin when by his passive obedience he underwent death which was the very same and all that the Law threatned against the sinner If man had never violated or broken the Covenant of Works or had never sinned then the Law would have required only righteousness of him for Life the tenour of it being Do and Live When man had sinned then the Law at a Covenant of Works required only suffering and threatned death Gen. 2. 17. but ceased in its promise of Life that immediately became null and void It is true the Law as a natural rule of righteousness required still perfect obedience that was due to God by right of Creation and his sinning could not
a compleat pardon till the day of Judgement They are now as fully and perfectly justified and pardoned as they were condemned It was by a Law against them that they were under condemnation and so it is by a Law grant viz. the New Covenant that they are justified and have the remission of sin Some call it a sentential Justification there will be a repetition of its Sentence so as they will be judicially acquitted before all the World in the great day In what Court or by what Judge are any so pardoned here If the Bar or Tribunal of this Judgement be a mans own Conscience that can hardly pass Sentence without discerning and knowing it self within the New Covenant and pleading that against the accusation of Satan whereas a Soul may have the righteousness of Jesus Christ and justifying Faith before he knoweth it or be able to discern it and therefore Justification and Pardon may be before any judicial act of Conscience Object If Believers be not actually under the obligation to punishment which is guilt then asking the removal of it or praying for daily pardon of sin is unnecessary Yea if they be not obliged they cannot be disobliged and so not pardoned therefore it seemeth that the Curse of the Law must be in force against them for some space before the new Pardon cometh Answ I. Believers in their daily pardons are declared to be discharged from the very obligation and Curse of the Law it self but not from a personal obligation to it There is an obligation to punishment residing in the Law but it doth not actually pass upon the persons of Believers one moment It must be remembred that present pardon is not a judicial act but it is a Sentence of a Law of Grace which declareth all under it to be discharged from the penalty of another Law Observe when a violated Law hath already passed Sentence upon an offender an act of pardon coming afterward in force to him there it dissolveth or taketh off an obligation to punishment which is already passed upon the person and this is the case of the Elect at first conversion But where an Act or Law of Pardon is in force to any persons and reacheth to offences yet to come or not yet committed there the obligation to the penalty never passeth one moment upon the persons and yet they have as much forgiven even the whole penalty of the Law as the other and more Grace in it For it preventeth the passing of the Sentence upon them Now this is the case Believers are alwaies under the New Covenant which is a Divine Act of Pardon this Law is in force to them before their Commission of new acts of sin and declareth their discharge from the penalty of the Law of Works that the instant wherein the sins are committed they are remitted thereby The commanding Law is not repealed for then they were no offences but yet the Curse of it resteth not upon their persons one moment 1 Joh. 2. 2 3. If any one sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is a propitiation for our sins 1. Pardon 's afforded to sinners are from Jesus Christ as an offering Priest making satisfaction for sin but if one of those who have fellowship with God if Believers sin their succour and relief is also by the standing Advocateship of Jesus Christ Now an Advocate or Atturney pleadeth a Law in force whereby his Client is discharged so Jesus Christ pleadeth Believers being already under the New Testament whereby they have a right unto indempnity that though the Cursing Law remaineth in force still to unbelievers yet this new Act of Grace granteth a pardon to the Saints for all transgressions committed against it 2. It is yet unquestionably the duty of Believers to be daily praying for pardoning mercy Those who are taught to cry unto God Our Father Luk. 11. 2. yet are to say ver 4. Forgive us our sins Those then which have the Spirit of Adoption yet are to be praying daily for the pardon of Sin There is reatus simplex as well as reatus redundans in personam though Believers are not to confess themselves to be personally i. e. in their persons to be under the obligation or Curse of the Law there is cause for highest thankful acknowledgement of Grace in their freedom from that yet there is room for the deepest acknowledgement of their own sin and guiltiness in deserving of it and here is enough for their humiliation though the person by Grace is acquitted or pardoned yet there is a dueness of such a penalty to such an offence according to the Divine Law and this may be owned even under the clearest evidences of pardon for that doth not remove the desert of sin but freeth from what is deserved thereby Yea there is a great deal of work for Faith in Prayer upon this account Believers are to pray for the continuation of the Pardon which they do already injoy and for the remission of those sins which shall hereafter be committed by them The New Covenant containeth in it a Promise of future pardons and therefore Faith may act upon the Lord in it and that although they know they shall be forgiven The Promise-assurance of a mercy doth not exempt us from praying for it Jesus Christ had assurance that he should be glorified and yet he prayeth Joh. 17. 5. Father glorifie thou me he knew that he should be kept and yet he prayeth for it ver 11. David had an absolute Promise of establishing his House and Kingdom for ever 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. 16. and yet he the rather prayeth for it and upon that ground even the Promise of it So we may ask future Pardons though we certainly know we shall have them Also we are to ask clearer manifestations of our interest in pardoning mercy But further Believers in praying for pardon of Sin are 1. To ask a fresh application of the blood of Jesus Christ in the promise of pardon he is said to be to that very end a propitiation through Faith in his blood Rom. 3. 25. not only is a manifestation of pardon to be sought after but Faith is to be exercised in an application of the blood of Jesus Christ as that which hath purchased and procured the pardon that is to be eyed as the price of Redemption as that which ratifieth the New Testament for the remission of sins Mat. 26. 28. it is that blood which cleanseth those that have fellowship with God from all Sin 1 Joh. 1. 3 7 9. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins It must be by a Word or Promise that the faithfulness of God is ingaged this way and it is the work of Faith to own that and the Grace of God that shineth forth therein Act. 10. 43. whosoever believeth on him shall receive the remission of sins The Lords giving it is in order of nature first but to be followed