Gods grace are to be effected Thus Rivet vind Apol. p. 127. If therefore any of our Orthodox Authors have acknowledged a remission of sins before faith it hath been in a particular sense to oppose the Arminians who maintain a reconciliability and not a reconciliation by Christs death and not in an Antinomian sense as is more largely to be shewed in answering of their Objection brought from Christs death for enemies and sinners Indeed some learned and worthy men speak of a Justification before faith in Christ our head as we are accounted sinners in the first Adam or common person Thus Alstedius in his supplement to Chamier pag. 204. when Bellarmine arguing against the holiness of the Protestants Doctrine and bringing this for a paradox above all paradoxes That I must be justified by faith and yet justifying faith be a believing that I am just and righteous which is saith Bellarmine besides and against all reason He answereth among other things That Christ and the elect are as one person and therefore an elect man is justified before faith in Christ as the principle of righteousnesse before God and then he is justified by faith as an instrument perceiving his justification in that righteousnesse of Christ So that faith as it goeth to the act of justification is considered in respect of that passive application whereby a man applieth the righteousnesse of Christ to himself not of that active application whereby God applieth to man the righteousnesse of Christ For this application is only in the minde of God To this purpose the learned Zanchy in his Explication of the second Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians upon those words vers 5. And you being dead in sin he hath quickned together with Christ doth in the first place distinguish of a two-fold quickning One whereby we are freed from the guilt of sinne and invested with a title or right to eternal life The other from the power of sinne whereby we are made spiritually alive to God The former is Justification the later Sanctification Now saith he this two-fold blessing is to be considered in Christ and in our own persons In the first respect God did quicken us in Christ when by his death sinne being expiated he freed from guilt all the elect that have been and shall be considering them as members in Christ their head In the later respect God doth it when having given us faith he gives us also remission of sins and imputeth Christs righteousnesse to us And afterwards the fore-quoted Author making this Objection to himself How Christ could be said to be freed from the guilt of sinne who had no sin He answereth The person of Christ is considered two wayes First in it self as God-man and so Christ was not bound by any guilt Secondly as appointed head and so representing our persons In this respect as God laid our iniquities upon him Isa 55. So when they were expiated by his bloud then was he released from the guilt of those sins We might instance in other Authors but these may suffice to certifie that some orthodox and learned Divines do hold a Justification of the elect in Christ their head before they do believe yet so as they acknowledge also a necessity of a personal Justification by faith applying this righteousnesse to the person justified Therefore although this Doctrine passe for true yet it will not strengthen the Antinomists Although even the truth of this opinion may modestly be questioned unlesse by being justified in Christ our head we mean no more then that Christ purchased by way of satisfaction our Justification for us and so virtually we were justified in Christs death and resurrection But the learned men of that opinion speak as if God then passed a formal Justification upon all though afterwards to be applied that are elected even as in Adam sinning all his posterity were formally to be accounted sinners Now this may justly admit a debate and there seem to be many Arguments against it First If there were such a formal Justification then all the elect were made blessed and happy their sins were not imputed to them for so in Adam when accounted sinners they are wretched and miserable because sin is laid to their charge And if the elect before they believe or repent were thus happy how then at the same time could they be children of wrath and so God imputing their sins to them Can God impute their sins to them and not impute them to them at the same time It is true if we say That Christ by his sufferings obtained at Gods hand that in time the elect should beleeve and be justified this is easily to be conceived but it is very difficult to understand how that all our sins should be at the same time done away in Christ who is considered as one person with us and yet imputed to us Secondly I do not see how this Doctrine doth make our justification by faith to be any more then declarative or a justification in our conscience only and not before God and so by believing our sins should be blotted out in our sense only when they were blotted out before God by Christs death already And so our Justification by faith shall be but a copy fetcht out of the Court roll where the sentence of Justification was passed already whereas the Scripture speaks to this purpose That even before God and in his account till we do believe and repent our sins are charged upon us and they are not cancelled or blotted out till God work those graces in us Therefore this opinion may symbolize too much with the Adversary and indeed none of the meanest Antinomians speaks of an original reconciliation which was wrought by Christ on the cross without any previous conditions in us and urgeth that parallel of the first Adam in whom we all sinned before we had any actual being as also that Text Col. 3.1 where we are said to be risen with Christ Thirdly It is difficult to conceive how Christ should represent any to his Father thereby to partake of the heavenly blessings which come by him till they do actually beleeve and are incorporated in him for they are not his Members till they do believe and till they are his Members he cannot as an head represent them It is true God knoweth whom he hath elected and to whom in time he will give faith whereby they may be united to Christ and so it 's in Gods purpose and intention to give Justification and Sanctification to all his elect but these being mercies vouchsafed in time and limited to such qualifications in the subject I see not how they can be said to be justified in Christ before they do believe otherwise then virtually and meritoriously It is true we are all condemned in Adam because that was a Covenant made with him and his posterity so that the issues thereof fell upon them by a natural and necessary way but
we remain still obnoxious and bound in Gods wrath Again It is for comfort to the godly what though Satan thy own heart and the world doth condemn thee yet if God Justifie thou maiest rejoyce you see Rom. 8. what a challenge Paul there makes Who shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that Justifieth Who shall charge any thing The devil thy own heart can lay much pride hypocrisie sloth fulnesse to thy charge it is true but God through Christ doth Justifie What a Cordiall and reviver would it be to Gods people to live in the power of this gift bestowed upon them it is God that justifieth thee O my troubled soul who can then condemn who can hinder it or invalidate it Certainly we are therefore in dejections despondencies and perplexities often because we drink not of this water of life Lay and apply this excellent Doctrine to thy fainting dying soul and it will become to it like Elisha applying himself to the dead childe cause spirit and life again to return to him right thoughts here will sweeten all thoughts in other things Eleventhly Although Justification be a Court action and drawn from judicatories yet God is not in this action considered meerly as a Iudge but as paternus Judex a fatherly Iudge having an admirable temperament of justice and mercy so that God pronounceth this sentence from the Throne of Justice and Mercy also of Justice in that he will not absolve till satisfaction be made and he will not pronounce righteous but where there is a perfect righteousnesse Therefore that opinion of making Faith to be accepted of for righteousnesse is a dangerous and false assertion God in this work of Justification is never described as accepting of an imperfect righteousnesse for a perfect No God doth not cease to be just while he is thus gracious Again his Justice and righteousnesse is herein seen that none shall be Justified but such sinners who feel their guilt and desire to be eased of that burden beleeving and rolling their souls upon him It is very hard to give the right order of the benefits of Vocation Justification Adoption and Sanctification but yet this may be made good against the Antinomian that a man is not Justified till repenting and beleeving Here is Justice then but there is also a great deal of Grace and Mercy As in the accepting of a surety for us that he would not keep to the Law of having us in our own persons to pay the utmost farthing This was great love so likewise to finde out a way for our reconciliation that when the devils had no remedy provided for them we have Further that when this price is laid down we have the application of this benefit and so many thousands have not Two in a Bed in a Family in a Parish one Justified and the other condemned What Gracâ— is this Twelfthly This grand mercy is described in Scripture by God his giving something to us not our doing any thing to him It is described by Gods actions not ours to him which may abundantly satisfie the heart against all doubts and fears thus the Scripture cals it forgiving not imputing sin imputing righteousnes making righteous all which are actions from God to us not ours to him so that we are no where said in a good sense to Justifie ourselves or commanded to it as we are to repent or beleeve and to crucifie the lusts of the flesh because it is wholly Gods action by faith indeed we apprehend it but it 's Gods action as the window letteth in the light but it is the Sun that doth inlighten And from this particular we may gather much comfort for when we look into our selves and see no such righteousnesse or holinesse that we dare hold out to God then we may remember this is not by our doing to God but receiving from him and in this sense it is more blessed for us to receive then to give This made the Father say justitia nostra est indulgentia tua our righteousnesse is thy indulgence Therefore let not the troubled heart say where is my perfect repenting where is my perfect obedience but rather ask where is Gods forgiving where is Gods not imputing how hardly is the soul drawn off from resting in it self it is not thy doing but Gods doing thou must not consider what do I but what God doth The Antinomian he indeed wringeth these breasts of Consolation till bloud cometh but the true sweet milk of the word must not therefore be thrown away Do not then as they sought for Christ look for him in the grave when he was risen out thence Do not thou poâ—r in thy self for this treasure when it is to be looked for from heaven duties graces will say this is not in me Lastly The Scripture hath other equivalent phrases to this of Justification which likewise do amplifie the comfort of this gift It is called Blessedness as if this indeed were the true heaven and happines If thou art justified thou carriest heaven about with thee and thy name may be Legion for many are the mercies that do fill thee Nothing can make thee blessed but this it is not Blessed is he to whom the Lord giveth many riches and honors many parts and abilities but to whom the Lord imputeth no sin and howsoever those who wallow in a Laodicean fulnesse judge not this such blessednesse yet ask a Cain ask a Judas demand of the tormented in hell whether it be not a blessed thing to have sin pardoned That thou shouldest be able to look on thy sins as so many serpents without stings as so many Egyptians dead upon the shoar as if they had never been that thou shouldst be able to say Lord where are such lusts such sins of mine I finde them all cancelled Is not this blessednes indeed Another expression is of accepting us in Christ and herein lieth much of Justification that it is an acceptation of us to eternall life Eph. 1.6 This must needs imbolden and incourage the heart when it knoweth that both person and duties are accepted though so much frailty and weakness yet God will receive thee The third phrase is to make Just Rom. 5.9 For God doth not pronounce that man just which is not so Therefore when we are Justified this is not absolutely and simply against a righteousnesse of works but in a certain respect as done by us and as obedience coming from us and this must needs support the soul for when satisfaction is made when God hath as much as he desireth why should not this quiet the heart of a man will nothing content thee unlesse thou thy self art able to pay God the utmost farthing A fourth word is not imputing of sin or imputing righteousnesse and this as you heard before is a very sure and real thing though it be not in us for there are many real benefits do come to us wheh yet the
the godly are by way of tryal and temptation upon them and because of the good that is in them of these the Apostle James speaks when he bids them count it all joy when they fall into divers temptations of these Paul speaks when he saith he will rejoyce in his infirmities so that the persecutions and miseries which come upon them are an Argument of the good in them more then of the evils as the tree that is ful of fruit hath its boughs more broken then that which is barren and the Pyrates watch for the ship that is fraughted with gold And thus a martyr comforted himself That though he had many sins for which he deserved death yet he thanked God that his enemies did not attend to them but to the good that was in him and for that he suffered so then all the grievances upon the godly are not of the same nature Sixtly The afflictions for sins upon the godly do differ much from those that are upon the wicked This we also grant that when God doth punish the godly and the wicked for their sins though the punishment for the matter of it may be alike yet they differ in other respects very much as in the cause from which one cometh from a God hating their persons the other from anger indeed but the anger of a father Hence secondly they differ in the fittedness of these afflictions to do good God doth moderate these afflictions to his people that thereby grace may be increased but to the reprobate they are no more to their good then the flames of hell-fire are to the damned The Butcher he cuts the flesh far otherwise then the Chirurgion saith August Again in the end they differ All afflictions to the godly are like the beating of cloathes in the Sun with a rod to get out the dust and moths but it is not so with the wicked many other differences practical Divines prove out of the Scripture Seventhly Yet God doth in reference to the sins of his people though forgiven sometimes chastise them This is proved 1. From the Scripture that makes their sin the cause of their trouble Thus of David Because thou saith Nathan 2 Sam. 12.14 hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the childe also that is born of thee shall die Thus God speaks to all the godly in Solomon 2 Sam. 7.14 15. I will be his father and he shall be my son if he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men but my mercy will I not take away In these places sin is expresly made the cause of those afflictions and it is a poor evasion to say this was in the Old Testament for was not the chastisement of the godly mens peace in the Old Testament laid upon Christ as well as in the New but their folly herein and their contradiction to themselves will be abundantly shewed in answering their objections 2. In the places that do assert Gods judging of his people and rebuking of them and they are divers 1 Cor. 11. For this cause many are sick and weak where again you have not only the affliction but the cause why viz. irreverent prophaning of that Sacrament Thus James 5.14 Is any man sick Let him call for the Elders and let them pray for him and if he have committed sins saith the Text they shall be forgiven him There is none but hath committed sins yet the Apostle makes such an if because he speaks of such sins that may provoke God to lay that sicknesse upon him Thus in the Old Testament Psal 99.8 Thou forgavest them though thou tookâ—st vengeance on their inventions Here the Psalmist cals the chastisements upon those whose sins were forgiven vengeance as in other places his anger is said to smoak against the sheep of his pasture but we must not understand it of vengeance strictly so called as if God would satisfie his justice out of their sufferings 3. From the incouragement to duties by temporal Arguments and threats of temporal afflictions If the godly have these goads then certainly as they may conclude their temporal mercies to be the fruit of their godlinesse which hath the promise of this life and the life to come so they may conclude that their afflictions are the effects of their evil waies which have the threatning of this life and the life to come only here is this difference that the outward good mercies are not from their godlinesse by way of merit or causality but their afflictions are so because of their sins Hence the Apostle urgeth the godly Heb. 12.19 with this that even our God is a consuming fire Thus 1 Pet. 3.10 11. He that will love life and see good daies let him eschue evil and do good So that the Scripture pressing to holinesse because of outward good mercies and to keep from sin because of external evils and pressing these to the godly doth evidently declare this truth and certainly the Apostle speaking of the godly Rom. 8.10 saith the body is dead because of sin for by body Beza doth well understand our mortal body and not the mass of sin as some interpret it 4. From the comparison God useth concerning his afflictions upon his people and that is to be a father in that act correcting of them Thus Heb. 12.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. compare this with Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke now rebuke is alwaies for some fault and this is further cleared because he makes this conclusion be zealous therefore and repent therefore sin was precedent Now in these places God compareth himself to a Father and beleevers to children and we all know that fathers never correct but for sin it would be ridiculous to say the father whips the childe from sin not for sin It is true he doth it from sin by way of prevention to the future yet for sin also The Antinomian saith this is spoken of many beleevers together where some were not converted but this is weak because the persons whom he reproveth God is said to love them and they are children not bastards Again he saith There is no sin mentioned therefore it was not for sin But I answer the very comparison of God with a Father correcting his childe doth evidently argue it was for sin though it be not expressed 5. From the command not to despise or to make little account of Gods afflictions but to humble our selves and search out our waies Why should this be spoken but because they are for our sins Heb. 12.5 Despise not the chastening of God neither faint when thou art rebuked of him Where two things may seem to be forbidden though some make them all one one not to faint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a metaphore from those who faint in the race through languor and dissolution of minde The other is in the other extream not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to despise or to
expresly mention a place yet he takes this out of the Doctrine of the old Testament for so God did begin first with his people Isa 10.12 Jer. 25.17 18. Ezek. 9.6 begin at my Sanctuary Ezek. 21.4 There God in publique calamities maketh no difference between the righteous and the ungodly now this is so great that the Apostle saith the righteous is hardly saved The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used of those things that with much labour are brought about Act. 14.18 Act. 27.7 These tribulations are so great that they almost destroy the godly themselves see also Jam. 5.13 Is any sick where the godly man is supposed to be sick and the cause if he hath committed sin that is such sins as were the causes of that disease they shall be forgiven him so that even justified persons afflicted by diseases are to inquire what sins the Lord would humble them for and to labour that the sicknesse of the body be the sanctified occasion of the health of the soul 2. Gods anger is seen in bringing extraordinary and unusual calamities upon them because of their sins so that they have strange punishments which even the wicked do many times escape Jonah who endeavoured to flie from Gods face and that he might easily have done by Antinomian Doctrine with what a prodigious judgement was he overtaken Jonah 2. The Prophet cals it the belly of hell and how deeply his soul was afflicted under that punishment appeareth in that he saith his soul fainted within him and he concluded he was cast out of Gods sight He that voluntarily ran from Gods presence doth now bewail that he is cast from it He makes the Whales belly an house of praier and this came up to God in his holy Temple that is Heaven You see by this that God prepareth strange judgements sometimes for those that offend him though his children so in that 1 Cor. 11.30 when he saith that many of the Corinthians were dead for their unworthy receiving it is to be understood of an immature and untimely death they did not live out to the term of those daies that according to natural causes they might have done so that it is the same with being cut off in the old Testament Exod. 12.15 Whosoever did eat the Passeover with leaven was to be cut off from Israel Therefore even godly men may procure to themselves untimely deaths and may provoke God to cut them off in the midst of their years 3. Yea further God may not only afflict them in an extraordinary manner but even strike them with sudden death and that while their sins are upon them I will not instance in Ananias and Saphira nor in Nadab and Abihu though some have thought charitably of them we have a clear instance in Vzzah wherein Gods anger was so apparent by striking him suddenly dead that the thing is said to displease David 2 Sam. 6.7 The anger of God was kindled against Vzzah and he smote him for his error His error was not because he was not a Levite for its plain he was but because they put the Ark upon a new cart whereas they should have carried it upon their shoulders although its thought the carrying of the Ark was limited only to the Levites that were the sons of Kohath and that no other Levite might touch the Ark which if so then it was a second offence against the Law because he touched it and indeed this seemeth to be the proper cause because it was a personal fault of Vzzah whereas the putting of it on a new cart was the error of others besides him Thus Vzzah in his very sins is stricken dead you have likewise another sad example of Ely Lege historiam ne fias historia 1 Sam 4.18 Because he failed in the measure of zeal about the reproof of his sons therefore he fell backward and broke his neck Ely manifested his pious affections in submitting to the hand of God punishing and in being more affected with the publique calamity then his own private yet this is his sad Tragical end 4. Gods anger doth not limit it self to them only but it reacheth even to their children and to those that are dear to them Thus Davids childe is stricken dead for his sin and thus Flies daughter gives up the ghost with sad grief The family both of David and Ely have remarkable calamities following them and all because of their sins When any of Elies posterity shall be forced to crouch for a morsell of bread this is a Memento of Elies sin Here a man may see the seed of the righteous begging bread but for their Parents sins Therefore that of David Psal 36. must not be understood universally That this calamity may the more wound his heart God telleth him what he will do to his house after his death if any were left alive it should be like that indulgence to Cain to carry up and down a token of Gods displeasure and if you ask for how long should this anger of God endure 1 Sam. 3.14 His iniquity must not be purged away from that house for ever Well may the Scripture say that whosoever heareth this judgement of God his ears shall tingle By this instance how watchfull should godly parents be lest for their sins committed a curse should cleave to the family for many generations I acknowledge these calamities as they fel upon Ely a godly man so they were wholsome medicines and fatherly corrections but as they came on his wicked children or posterity continuing in wickednesse so they were strictly and properly punishments Lastly These temporal evils will reach even to the publique Church and State wherein they live so that the sins of godly men may help to pull down publique judgements Thus it was with Hezekiah for his unthankfulnes and pride there was wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem 2 Chron. 32.25 so Davids sin in numbring the people it was the death of many thousand in Israel for Elies sin the Israelites are slain in the Army and the Ark is taken Hence you have Esay Daniel and Ezra joining themselves in the number with others who made publike confessions of their sins upon daies of humiliation It is therefore a cursed and secure opinion that faith the godly when they keep Fast-daies do it not because they have any sins that God punisheth bâ—t because of wicked men The Scripture doth manifeâ—t the contrary and the holiest men living do bring some sparks and fire-brands to increase the wrath of God and therefore they ought to bring their buckets for the quenching of it The aggravation of this anger will appear if you consider what kinde of sins they have been for which God hath been so sore displeased and in them enumerated or instanced in you may perceive they were the Belzebub-sins the first-born of iniquities Vzzah failed only in the order God had appointed what he did was out of care and a good intention yet the Lord
it self it is plain by all those places of Scripture which make repentance requisite to pardon Ezek. 14.6 Ezek. 18.30 Mat. 3.2 Luk. 13.3 The learned Dr Twisse Vind. grat p. 18. confesseth that there are Arguments on both sides in the Scripture Sometimes he saith Pardon of sin is subjoyned to confession and repentance of which sort he confesseth there are more frequent and expresse places but yet sometimes remission of sin already obtained is made an argument to move to repentance and he instanceth in David and Mary Magdalen who did abundantly and plentifully break out into tears upon the sense of pardon But these instances are not to the purpose for David repented of his wicked ness before Nathan told him That his sin was taken away and his penitential Psalm was not made so much for the first pardon of his sin as the confirming and assuring of him in his pardon Thus it was also with Mary Magdalen But more of this in time 4. There is a necessity of Repentance if we would have pardon both by a necessity of precept or command as also by a necessity of means and a way Whatsoever is necessary Necessitate medii by a necessity of means or a way is also necessary by a necessity of command though not è contra That repentance is necessary by way of a command is plain by the places fore-quoted and in innumerable other places I do not handle the case Whether an actual or explicite repentance be necessary to salvation of every sinner but I speak in the general It is disputed Whether it be a natural precept or a meer positive command and if it be a natural or moral command to which command it is reduced Those that would have it under the command of Thou shalt not kill as if there were commanded a care of our souls that they should not be damned are ignorant of the true limits and bounds of the several Commandments It s disputed also When this time of repentance doth binde It is a wonder that some should limit it only to times of danger and fear of death Certainly this command binds as soon as ever a man hath sinned Venenata inducias non patiuntur A man that hath swallowed down poison is not to linger but presently to expell it And one that is wounded who lieth bleeding doth presently dispatch with all readinesse for Physitians to have his bloud stopt and thus ought men to take the first opportunity Hence in that famous miracle wrought at the pool of Bethesda not the second or third but he that stept first into it was the only man that was healed As repentance is thus necessary by way of command so also by way of means for the Spirit of God worketh this in a man to qualifie him for this pardon So that although there be no causality condignity or merit in our repentance yet it is of that nature that God doth ordain and appoint it a way for pardon So that the command for repentance is not like those positive commands of the Sacraments wherein the will of the Law-giver is meerly the ground of the duty but there is also a fitnesse in the thing it should be so even as among men nature teacheth That the injurious person should be sorry and ask forgivenesse before he be pardoned 5. Concerning this duty of repentance there are two extream practical mistakes the one is of the prophane secure man who makes every empty and heartlesse invocation of mercy to be the repentance spoken of in the Scripture whereas repentance is a duty compounded of many ingredients and so many things go to the very essence yea the lowest degree of godly sorrow that by Scripture-rules we may say Repentance is rarely to be seen any where for if you do regard the nature of it it is a broken and a contrite heart Now how little of the heart is in most mens humiliations Men being Humiliati magis quam humiles as Bernard said humbled and brought low by the hand of God rather then humble and lowly in their own souls Again if you consider the efficient cause it is from the Spirit of God the spring of sorrow must arise from this hill Zech. 12. Rom. 8. Further if you consider the motive it must be because God is displeased and offended because sin is against an holy law and so of a staining and polluting nature Lastly If you consider the effect and fruit of repentance it is an advised forsaking and utter abandoning of all those lusts and iniquities in whose fetters they were before chained so that a man repenting and turned unto God differs as much from himself once a sinner as a Lazarus raised up and walking differs from himself dead and putrifying in the grave Do not thou then whose heart is not contrite who dost continually lick up the vomit of thy sin promise to thy self repentance No thou art far from this duty as yet On the other side There is a contrary mistake and that is sometimes by the godly soul and such as truly fear God They think not repentance enough unlesse it be enlarged to such a measure and quantity of sorrow as also extended to such a space of time and by this means because they cannot tell when they have sorrowed enough or when their hearts are broken as they should be they are kept in perpetual labyrinths and often through impatience do with Luther in such a temptation Wish they never had been made men but any creatures rather because of the doubts yea the hell they feel within themselves Now although it be most profitable bitterly to bewail our sins and to limit no time yet a Christian is not to think Pardon doth not belong to him because his sorrow is not so great and sensible for sin as he desireth it David indeed doth not only in his soul but even bodily expresse many tears yea rivers because of his sin and other mens sins yet it is a good rule That the people of God if they have sorrow in the chiefest manner appretiativè though not intensivè by way of judgment and esteem so that they had rather any affliction should befall them then to sin against God if this be in them though they have not such sensible intense affections they may be comforted When the Apostle John makes this argument He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how shall he love God whom he hath not seen implieth That things of sense do more move us then matter of faith David made a bitter out-cry upon the death of Absolom with sad expressions Would to God I had died for thee O Absolom my son my son c. But when Nathan told him of his Adultery and Murder though he confessed his sin yet we reade not that he made such sensible lamentation Thus Hierom writeth of a godly woman Paula that at the death of her children would be so dejected that she did hardly escape death yet
in Christ yet not for Christ Christ is the meritorious cause of Justification and Glorification but not of predestination that is meerly from his own self so that if Gods act of predestinating us be enough to instate us into all this favour and love what need is there of an atonement by Christs bloud and thus we may urge a Doctors Argument upon himself All the elect of God are justified but all the elect of God are elected antecedently to Christs merits therefore they are justified before Christs merits 7. If because it s said Ephes 2. That while we were dead Christ gave himself for us And Rom. 5. That he died for the ungodly it followeth Our sins are pardoned before we believe then it will also follow that all mens sins are pardoned For the Texts that speak thus of his dying for the ungodly and for enemies make no distinction of one from another And thus a Judas as well as a Peter is bound to believe his sins are pardoned Those that argue against all qualifications and say God requireth nothing of thee though lying in thy bloud must needs hold an universal promiscuous pardon of all and that such a sin as presumption is not possible for if I believe that Christ died to take away my sins though I walk in all disobedience yet that is not presumption but a duty It is true the Orthodox call upon those who lie groveling in their swinish lusts to come unto Christ and to believe in him but what is that faith Not a faith that sins are already pardoned but a faith relying on him for pardon which faith also at the same time cleanseth and purifieth the heart Therefore let us take those general Texts which speak of Christs dying to take away the sins of enemies and let any Antinomian give a true reason why one mans sin is pardoned rather then another and although to evade this they fall into another error holding Christ died for all yet that will not serve the turn unlesse they hold That all men shall actually be saved and none damned for those Texts speak of a benefit that is actually obtained for those in whose behalf he died And thus I have produced seven Arguments for the antecedency of our Faith and Repentance to our Justification as many in number as the fore-quoted Author brings against it Other grounds may be pleaded to this purpose when we shall demonstrate that all sins are not pardoned together Use Of Exhortation To avoid all presumption whether it be wrought in thee by thy own carnal heart or corrupt Teachers and that is when thou believest pardon any other way then in Scripture-bounds there is a Pharisaical presumption or Popish and there is an Antinomian or Publican presumption The former is when we hope for pardon partly by Christ and partly by our own works and merits The other is when we expect it though living and walking in sin Now it is hard to say whether of these is more derogatory to Christ The one sins in the excesse the other in the defect Be not therefore a Pharisee excluding Christ either in whole or in part from the cause of pardon Tutius vivimus quando totum Deo damus we live more safely when we give all unto God and take nothing unto our selves In the next place be not a Publican Think not to have Christ and Belial together expect not pardon for sin without repentance of it The world is filled with these two kinde of presumers some limit Gods grace and associate their performances with it Others extend it too far and conjoyn their lusts with it But as the Apostle saith If of works and of the Law then there is no grace So we may if of lusts and prophane impieties then there is also no grace We are therefore both to avoid sins and carnal confidence in our own righteousnesse if we would have Christ all in all In vain did Peter and Mary Magdalen pour out their souls with so much bitternesse if pardon of sin may be had without this It is Hieroms observation That in all Pauls Salutation Grace goeth before Peace for till Gods grace hath pardoned our sins we can have no peace and God doth not pardon but where he gives repentance Labour therefore for that which is indeed the good of thy soul viz. Pardon of sinne When the rich man in the Parable speaking of the corn in his barns said Soul take thine ease thou hast much good laid up for thee He spake as if he had porcinam animam the soul or life of an hog for what good is corn and wine to a mans soul Forgivenesse of sin and reconciliation with God that is the connatural and sutable good and happinesse for the soul LECTURE XXI MAT. 6.12 And forgive us our debts IT hath been proved That God doth not justifie or pardon a man till he doth believe and that the wrath of God abideth upon such an one It is necessary in the next place to answer those Objections which are propounded by the Adversaries because some of them carry a specious pretence with them And indeed the Antinomian with those Arguments he fetcheth from some places of Scripture is like David in Sauls Armour not able to improve them the weapons being too big for him But before I enter into the Conflict its worth the enquiry what the judgement of the Orthodox is in this point The Remonstrants Acta Synod p. 293. bring severall places out of our Authours Lubertus Smoutius Piscator and Others wherein they expresly say That God doth blot out our sins before we either believe or amend our lives and that this pardon doth antecede our knowledge of God Faith Conversion or Regeneration of the heart Thus also D. Twisse in the place before quoted Pemble also to this purpose pag. 24. The Elect saith he while unconverted they are then actually justified and freed from all sin by the death of Christ and so God esteems of them as free and having accepted of that satisfaction is actually reconciled to them But the falshood of this will appear in Answer to the sixth Argument When Grotius had distinguished of a two-fold remission a full remission and a lesse full remission holding this later kinde of remission to be given to impenitent sinners abusing two places of Scripture for this purpose Rom. 5. 10. 2 Cor. 5.19 Rivet confuteth him making it a sure truth That sins are not actually remitted but to those that repent and saith Quinam sunt ii qui volunt actu remissa peccata cuiquam ante conversionem certè nobis sunt ignoti Who are they that say sins are actually pardoned before conversion Certainly they are unknown to us Although we acknowledge the price of reconciliation and redemption to have been prepared for the elect from all eternity or in Gods purpose and intention remission of sins to have been ordained for them even as conversion which in his time by
such effectual Grace that thereby they shall recover and so remove that gulf which is between them and God So that at the same time God doth will to give them grace to repent and recover and yet he doth not will salvation to them till they do recover Here is no contrariety in Gods will because though this be about the same person yet not in the same respects for Gods will not to give salvation while in such an estate and to give Repentance that he may come out of that estate do no wayes oppose one another and because of this later mercy it is that we may alwayes say There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus Their sins are never imputed to them for their condemnation but there is a conditional obliging of them till they sue out their pardon So that it is here as Solomon did with Abiathar 1 Kin. 2.26 Thou art saith Solomon worthy of death but I will not at this time put thee to death 5. Because of this guilt and demerit of sin it is that our Divines do say That if such an one David for example should die before these sins be repented of he would be damned For if you suppose a justified person to persevere alwayes in gross and vile sins without reformation you may as well suppose him to be damned Hence there is as some observe a two-fold impossibility There is an impossibility that David elected and justified should be damned There is also an impossibility that David a murderer and an adulterer should without Repentance be saved but God by his powerful grace will untie this knot by a certain and infallible recovery out of his sins for that is a perpetual and sure rule Election hath obtained Rom. 11. otherwise speak of David as in that state before Repentance we may say if he had died in it he would have been damned Thus Beza Twiss c. Yet Gods grace which was so potent at the first to raise out of the grave of sin how much rather if life be in us will it quicken us to turn unto God 6. From hence further it ariseth That he needeth a particular Justification in respect of that guilt which is to be done away Some Orthodox and learned Writers Abbot and others distinguish of a two-fold Justification one universal whereby a man is absolutely received into the grace and favour of God becoming his Son A second is particular whereby sins are remitted to them that are already made the children of God without which they would fall from their first benefit of sonship The one is called Justificatio simplicitèr The other Secundùm quid and this particular Justification they make to be often repeated Thus Peter Martyr Rom. 3. Lapsis post Justificationem repetitâ denuò Justificatione per fidem condonari Thus Bucer Defensio pag. 85. acknowledgeth an iteration of Justification after we repent and arise from more grievous sins Others call it not a particular Justification but an application of that universal Justification And certainly Justification doth denote the state of a man but seeing the Remission of such sins doth not put them into a new estate for they never fell from that we cannot so properly call it Justification and I know not any place where the Scripture cals it so and it would be very hard to say That Justification is re-iterated as often as sin is pardoned Though therefore there may be some difference in the words yet the matter it self is clear viz. There is a necessity of the removing of this guilt that so the person offending may be brought into Gods favour again 7. Seeing all this is true then it followeth That such a man so offending must renew an act of Faith and Repentance So that the former acts of faith and godly sorrow will not discharge or acquit from the new sins committed Therefore lastly it is a most dangerous errour in practice to hold That after a known sinne committed the first thing a believer is to do before Repentance or Humiliation is to believe that that sin is already pardoned Thus a late Writer Cornwell in a Treatise called Gospel-repentance wherein he labours to prove That a believer entred into the Covenant of Grace upon the commission of an actual known sin ought to believe the actual pardon of that sin before he actually repent of the same Now although this is to be confuted when we handle Faith and Repentance yet thus much we may say That this Doctrine must needs be very unsound for first There is no sin actually pardoned before Repentance as at large I have shewed and no sin is pardoned before it be committed as in the next Question is to be shewed So that it would be abominable presumption yea and falshood to believe such a thing Hence such a perswasion as this God hath or will pardon my sins can bring no comfort or peace to our conscience till we repent for a Scripture perswasion is That God enabling me to repent and to use the means will vouchsafe pardon and in this only can I have comfort Besides the Author makes the last work of Faith the first for upon a known sin committed Faith is to be exercised first in the threatnings of God to believe those due to him In the next place Faith is to relie upon Christ for pardon that he may receive remission of sins for as Rivet and Perkins urge well There is no pardon offered on Gods part or received on mans till he do believe and then when these acts are done God doth many times incline the soul to believe the sin is pardoned But the pardon of sin must be received by a direct act of Faith before we can believe that it is pardoned by a reflex But this is more largely to be confuted Now the Objection may be How can sinne thus far prevail in the filth and guilt of it and yet the man so sinning not fall from his Justification This will be cleared if you consider these things First That Justification is an act of God meerly it is not our act We are said to be justified and God he doth justifie Now Opus Dei non potest irritum fieri per opus hominis Those acts of God which he doth we cannot make void but he ordereth them for their time and continuance as he pleaseth Secondly Consider That sin doth not expel the Grace of Justification efficiently or physically as darkness doth light or coldness heat but meritoriously by way of desert Now God doth not with us according to our desert when he entered into a Covenant of Grace with us he so appointed it that no sin should break the league of friendship whereas if he had pleased he might so have appointed it that the least sin should have dissolved this bond and if sin did expel the Grace of Justification efficiently the least sin would have done it But now if it was wholly at Gods pleasure to make this
way of Justification by faith in Christ ariseth because of our imperfection and sinfulness remaining in us and therefore is justificatio viae not patriae a justification of us in our way not when we come to our home Fourthly Although pardon of sin be compleated at that great day yet this is not to be understood as if Gods pardon of any sin were imperfect and something of sinne did still remain to be done away No those expressions of forgivenes of sin in the Scripture denote such a full and plenary pardon that a sin cannot be more remitted then it is But because we commit new sinnes daily and so need pardon daily Therefore it is that we are not compleatly pardoned till then As also because the perfect pardon we have here shall then solemnly and publikely be declared to all the world These things thus premised I come to shew the grounds or particulars wherein our pardon of sinne is thus compleated And first In our sense and feeling For howsoever God pardon a sinne perfectly yet our faith which receiveth it is weak This Jewell is taken with a trembling and shaking hand Hence it is that we have not full faith and confidence in our spirits We may see this in David though Nathan told him his sinnes were forgiven him yet his faith was not so vigorous and powerfull as wholly to apply this to his own soul and therefore he had much anguish and trouble of heart afterwards But now at the last day all these fears diffidence and darknesse will be quite removed out of our hearts There shall be no more disturbance in our souls then there can be corruption in the highest heavens we shall then have such a gourd as no worm can devour Our souls shall not then know the meaning of sitting in darknesse and wanting Gods favour There will then be no complaints Why hath the Lord forsaken me Well may Gods children be called upon to lift up their heads when such a redemption draweth nigh and well may that day be called the times of refreshment seeing the people of God are so often scorched with the fiery darts of Satan Secondly Pardon of sin will at that day be perfected Because all the effects of pardon will then be accomplished and not so much as any scars remain the wound will be so fully healed Although God doth fully pardon sin yet the effects of this are delaied many chastisements and sad afflictions are to be undergone howsoever death it self and the corruption in the grave must seize upon justified persons now these are the fruit of sin and howsoever the sting of these be taken away yet they are not wholly conquered till that last day Then therefore may we justly say Sin is pardoned when there shall be no more grave no more death no more corruption but all shall be swallowed up in immortality and glory Thirdly Then and not till then may we say remission of sins will be compleated because then shall no more iteration of pardon be Here in this life because the root of corruption abideth in us there are daily pullulant branches of sinnes and so frequent guilt is contracted whereby as we have daily sores so we need daily plaisters It is with originall corruption in us as in that Tree in Dan. 4.14 15. although the branches be cut off yet the stump is still in the earth and that sprouts out too fast by the temptations that are alwaies by it Hence it is that we alwaies pray Forgive us our sins and because of thâ—se failings the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.20 writeth to and exhorteth the godly Corinthians who were already reconciled to God to be further reconciled to him But then this Petition shall wholly cease then there will be no serpent to sting us nor will the eye of justifying faith to look upon the brazen serpent exalted be necessary any more The Lord will not only wipe away the tear of wordly grief but also of godly sorrow at that time Then and not till then will it be true That God seeth no sin in his children Then will the Church be without wrinkles or any spot within her In this respect it is the Church of God pâ—aieth so earnestly for the Bridegrooms coming For this it is They look for and hasten in their praiers that day Fourthly At that day will pardon of sin only be compleated if you consider the nature of justification For what is that but an overcoming the accusing adversary and clearing of us against every charge Now this is most eminently and fully done in those last assizes The Syriack word to justifie is also to conquer and overcome because when a man is justified he overcometh all those bils and indictments which were brought in against him now this is manifestly done in the day of judgement when God shall before men and Angels acquit and absolve his people and if the Apostle say in this life Rom. 6.7 of a godly man dead in Christ he is justified from his sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of sanctification that sin doth not conquer him but he sinne how much more will this be true at that day when all the guilt and filth of sin shall be totally removed Oh what a glorious conquest will that be over sin hell and the devil when the Judge of the whole world shall pronounce them free from all sinne and command them to enter into his glorious rest Having thus cleared the Doctrine one Question may be briefly touched upon Whether the sins of Gods people shall be manifested at the day of judgement and God for Christs sake then acquit them There are learned men for the affirmative They shall be published and there are learned men for the negative Those that are for the affirmative they say indeed godly mens sins shall not be examined for their ignominy or confusion but only that the goodnesse and grace of God may be made the more illustrious For this they urge these Arguments First Those places of Scripture which speak of the universality of the reall objects and personal Of the reall as when it 's said A man must give an account of every idle word Mat 12.36 2 Cor. 5.10 an account must be made for every thing done in the body For the universality of the object personal 2 Cor. 5. We must all appear before the Tribunall seat Again They urge the opening of the book which shall be at that day and that is nothing but the manifesting of the consciences of men Furtther Many wicked mens sins and godly mens are mingled together and there cannot be a judgement of discussion preceding that of condemnation unlesse godly mens sinnes also be produced In summe They think this conduceth more to the setting up of Gods justice the exaltation of his mercy neither say they will this breed shame to the godly for in heaven they shall remember their sins committed on earth but without any grief
his sins in particular And others that there is only this later and therefore the fore-mentioned Author in his Treatise of Gospel-repentance makes this only Gospel-repentance but as Gospel-faith is not that reflect act of the soul in a man whereby it is perswaded that Christ is his but a direct act of taking and receiving Christ to be ours so a Gospel-repentance is not that mainly whereby we are humbled because we receive Gods love to us in pardoning but principally in that loathing of our selves to obtaâ—n pardon It is therefore great ignorance in that Author in his Treatise of Gospel-repentance when pag. 58. he cals Repentance that goeth before this Faith viz. that my sins are pardoned a dead work as if the Faith that justifieth and without which it is impossible to please God were the believing that my sins are pardoned whereas the Scripture makes it to be the receiving of Christ and laying hold on him and seeing that the object must in order of nature be before the act that is imployed about it it followeth infallibly that I must have Justification before I can believe I have it Repentance therefore may be thought to go before a two-fold act of Faith First That whereby Christ is laid hold upon and made ours and so the Repentance that precedeth this may be called legal and slavish Or secondly Before a perswasion that my sins are pardoned and before this act of Faith Repentance must necessarily go because the Covenant of Grace dispenseth pardon only to such But because I have already spoken enough of the former kinde of Repentance anteceding Remission of sins vindicating the necessity of it I shall press upon this later as being most proper to my Text. And that assurance of apprehension of pardon doth not beget security but rather increase godliness will appear several wayes And first thus Those places which speak of Gods gracious Properties do represent them as grounds of duty as well as of consolation Psal 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Mark that expression There is forgiveness with thee which implieth forgiveness to be in God as in a fountain and therefore he doth easily and plentifully forgive but lest any Spider should suck poison out of this sweet flower he addeth That thou mayest be feared here is no incouragement to security Thus Hos 3.5 there is a gracious Promise of God to his children that they shall fear him and his goodness As it is Gods glorious Property to work good out of evil so it is a most devilish quality to work evil out of good 2. The Promises of God they also require an holy and humble walking 2 Cor. 7.1 The Apostle having in the Chapter before mentioned those glorious Promises in the Covenant of Grace That he would be our God and we his sons and daughters makes this inference Having those promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness perfecting holiness in the fear of God So that here is no danger as long as we keep close to the genuine use of the Scripture Thus also Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed c. Where Assurance is so far from incouraging to sin that by sin it is weakned and destroyed The more gracious then we perceive God to us the more humiliation and debasement we finde in our selves Thus the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.17 If ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth all men pass the time of your sojourning here in fear To make therefore doubting a duty and meritorious as some Papists have done is to betray great ignorance of Scripture motives 3. That Assurance of pardon is apâ— to kindle spiritual affections in us is plain if you consider the nature of such Assurance 1. Originally it is wrought by the Spirit of God as a man by the power of Free-will is not able to do any supernatural good thing so neither by the strength of natural light can he discern the gracious priviledges God bestoweth upon him 1 Cor. 2.12 The Spirit whereby we know the things that are freely given us of God is opposed to the spirit of the world If then this perswasion be not the fruit of the flesh but of the Spirit is it any wonder that it inclineth us to holy things Again 2. This perswasion of pardon cometh in the use of those means appointed by God 2 Pet. 1.10 By giving great diligence in the use of the means we only come to Assurance How then can such a perswasion of forgiveness cause a neglect of the means Lastly That Spirit which doth thus assure doth work also at the same time concomitant gracious effects especially servent and effectual prayer Rom. 8. Gal. 3. Now where constant powerful Prayer is that soul is like a tree planted by the waters side 4. That this perswasion of pardon doth inflame much to Holiness appeareth from the nature and state of those who are in it They are sons Now by experience we see that in an ingenuous son the more apprehension there is of his fathers tender love and kindeness to him the more obsequious and serviceable he is Can we think that the fathers great love to his prodigal son was not like coals of fire poured on him to melt and thaw him We rather see jealousies and suspitions of love to breed hatred at last Hence diffidence worketh despair and despair hatred of God It is therefore a special duty lying upon the people of God to entertain good thoughts of God and to be perswaded of his loving kindeness to them 5. That the people of God do yet mourn and abhorre themselves for their sins though perswaded of the pardon of them ariseth from the sincerity and uprightness of their heart whereby they hate sin as sin and grieve for the dishonour they have put upon God It is indeed lawful yea a duty to repent of sin that it may be pardoned because the Scripture propounds this as a motive and incouragement to the duty And it is a vain thing to affect more high and spiritual strains then the Scripture But Humiliation of sin when pardoned and after the knowledge of the pardon doth evidently discover an upright heart that the dishonour of God is more trouble and grief to him then his own punishment and destruction Whereby it is that hedoth so accuse and condemn himself for dealing so wretchedly and frowardly with so gracious a God 6. That ingenious principle of Gratitude and Thankfulness which reigneth in the godly will put them upon all these services Godliness in the lives of the godly may be considered two wayes First as a means wherein they attain to eternal life Secondly as an expression of Thankfulness unto God Hence Vrsine in his Catechism inscribeth that part of Divinity which containeth our duty de gratitudine of Thankfulness Bern. Ep. 107. Justus quis est nisi qui amanti se Deo vicem rependit amoris quod non
he doth nothing deficienter as falling from that eternal and immutable Law of righteousnesse whereas the Angels and man did missing or coming short of the rule by which they were to be guided but because this Discourse is more remote to our present matter of Pardon of sin we come to that which doth more nearly concern it Therefore in the third place there is the proper effect and consequent of sin which is to make guilty and oblige to eternall wrath To omit the many things that are in sinne Divines doe acknowledge two things in every sinne the Macula or filth and the Reatus the guilt which guilt some do again distinguish into the guilt of sin which they call the inward dignity and desert of damnation which they make inseparable from sinne even as heat is from the fire and the guilt of punishment which they make separable For the present let us examine What is that effect of sinne whereby a man when a sinne is committed is truly denominated a sinner for seeing Remission is a taking away of sin in that respect whereby we are adjudged and accounted of as sinners it is necessary to know what that is which doth so constitute a sinner As for example David after his adultery Peter after his denial have contracted such a guilt upon them whereby they are accounted as sinners though the acts of their sins be gone and passed and in this condition they stand till remission or forgivenesse come which takes away their sins For the understanding of this consider this foundation That every sin committed by a man though the sin be transient and quickly passeth away yet it doth still continue and is as it were still in acting till by remission it be removed And this consideration is of great practical use A man is apt to look upon his sins committed a long while ago as those which are passed and are no more to be thought upon but you must know that there is something which doth remain after a sin is committed which is somewaies the same with the action of sin so that not figuratively but properly the sin it self is said to continue Thus the Scripture cals something by the name of sin that doth continue when yet the commission of the sin is past As David many moneths after he had sinned praieth God To blot out his sinne why where was his sin It was committed long before and it was a transient act but yet David by this doth acknowledge that there is something which doth continue that act of sin whereby David is as much bound up in his conscience as if he had been in the very commission of it Consider therefore that till there be a pardon of sin though thy sins have been committed fourty or fifty years ago yet they are continued still and thou art truly a sinner though so many years after as thou wast at the first committing of them Sin is not taken away by length of time but by some gracious act of God vouchsafed unto us How justly may it be feared that many a mans sins do still lie at his doors Thou art still in thy sins and looked upon as so by God though it may be thou hast left such sins many years ago Thy youthfull sins it may be thou hast left them along while ago yet thou art still in them and they are continued upon thee till by remission they are taken away It is not thy other course of life and abstinence from sin that makes a sin not to be but there must be some gracious act on Gods part removing of this Consider therefore of it that thy soul remaineth as polluted and guilty twenty years after a sin yea a thousand of years if thou couldst live so long as when it was in the very first act of sin Remember the action of sinne doth passe away but not the sinne you may therefore ask Wherein doth the sin continue still What is that which makes me still to be reputed of as if I were a sinner in the very act It is commonly out of the Schoolmen determined That after a sinne is committed there doth remain a Macula a blot in the soul and that continuing the sinner doth thereby remain obliged unto eternal wrath That there is such a filth and blot remaining because of sinne I see generally acknowledged by our Divines only that learned Wootton doth much oppose it and saith the Schoolmen have been five hundred years labouring to declare what it is and are not able to do it Indeed he grants That in Adams sin we may well conceive a blot remaining after the sin was committed because he was endowed with grace but now in a man grown up that hath grace no sinne that he commits takes away his grace and therefore he is not deprived of that beauty by the blot of sinne And as for wicked men they have no beauty at all in them and therefore how can sinne make such a blot in them There must be beauty in them by grace which is nitor animae the lustre of the soul before there can be Macula which is the deformity of it For the right conceiving of this know 1. That it is one thing to acknowledge such a defilement and impurity by sinne absolutely and another to acknowledge it so That justifying grace or remission of sin must take that blot away Herein the Papists erre That they hold sin leaveth such a stain which remission of sin taketh away whereas indeed there is such a filth by sin but that is taken away by sanctifying grace not justifying so that it is a dangerous errour to speak of such a defilement by sin and then to say God by pardoning takes it away This were to confound Justification and Sanctification But in the second place we may according to Scripture say not only in Adams sinne but in every sin we commit there is a blot and stain made upon the soul Matth. 15.20 These things that come from the heart defile a man Ephes 5.27 Sin is compared to a spot and wrinkle So Rom. 3.12 All by nature are said to become unprofitable The Hebrew word in the Psalm out of which this is taken signifieth corruption or putrefaction for such sin is to the soul not that you may conceive that the essence of the soul is naturally corrupted by sin as rust doth the iron and moths the garment but in a moral sense by sin the soul in its faculties is disenabled from doing its duty Thus the Apostle cals sins dead works Heb 9.14 not in that sense as if they did bring death to a man for that the Apostle expresseth otherwise killing us when he speaks of the Law but he cals them dead works because they defile man as dead carcases in the old Testament For the Apostle vers 1. spake of cleansing by the bloud of an heifer which was to be used when a man had toucht any dead thing which made him legally
unclean Thus saith he Christs bloud will cleanse from sin that contaminateth a man Neither is it necessary that grace must really have been in the soul before and then sin by depriving the soul of it so to stain it for it s enough that the soul ought to have grace in it though it were not present before as when a man doth not believe Gods Word though this unbelief do not deprive him of the beauty and grace of faith which he had yet it doth of that beauty of faith which he ought to have And thus as particular actual sins are multiplied so are particular stains and defilements also encreased we therefore must grant a stain by sin though this be not that which is removed by remission Therefore that which continueth a man a sinner in Gods account and is to be removed by remission is that obligation to eternall wrath appointed by God for as soon as a man hath sinned there doth accrue to God a moral right as we may speak with reverence and power being a Judge as thereby he may inflict vengeance upon a sinner and in this respect sin is called an offence because it doth provoke him who is a just Judge unto anger and vengeance This then is that which makes a sin to continue still as if it were in act because upon the sinne committed there is an obligation by Gods appointment to everlasting punishment and when this is taken off then is God said to forgive and till it be sinne is alive crying for vengeance as fiercely as if it were newly committed So that the act once committed that causeth the obligation to punishment and this obligation continuing God doth not forgive When a sinne is committed it may remain in Gods minde and in our minde In our minde by way of guilt and trouble as David said His sin was alwayes before him or else in Gods minde so that he doth will the punishment of such Now when God doth forgive he blots sins out of his minde and remembers them no more He doth not will the obligation of them to punishment being satisfied thorow Christ and the party believing in him By all this you may see That after a sin is committed there remaineth obligation in the will and minde of God to eternal punishment and God when he doth forgive cancelleth this debt or obligation This being cleared we may the easilier judge with what act God doth forgive sinne but of that hereafter Let us consider the aggravation of sin as it is an offence to God which may the more instigate us to pardon In sin we may consider two things First The deprivation of that rectitude which ought to be in every thing we do in which sense sin is a moral monster as there are natural monsters for the soul in sin doth not bring forth fruit answerable unto reason and the Law of God this consideration may much humble us but there is another thing in sin which doth more aggravate it and that is as it is a dishonour and an offence to God and by this means it becometh above our power ever to satisfie God for it Therefore in every sin besides the particular considerations look upon that general one which is in all viz. That peculiar deformity it hath as it is an offence against God Its disputed Whether sin have an infinite evil and deformity in it To answer this If a sin be considered in its kinde so it s not infinite because one sin is so determined to its kinde that it is not another sin as theft is not murder Neither secondly can sin be said to be infinite evil in respect of the being of it for it cometh from finite creatures who are not able to do any thing infinite and therefore sin is not infinite as Christs merits are infinite which are so because of the dignity and worth of the person though the actions themselves had a finite being Besides if sins were infinite in such a sense then no sin could be greater then another because that which is truly infinite cannot be made more or lesse Therefore thirdly Sins are said to have infinite evil in them in respect of the object or person against whom they are committed viz. God who is an infinite object For seeing the aggravation of a sinne ariseth from the worth of the person against whom it is committed if the person offended be of infinite honor and dignity then the offence done against such an one hath an infinite evil and wickedness in it So that the infiniteness of sin ariseth wholly from the external consideration of God against whom it is But of this more when we speak of the necessity of Christs satisfaction to Gods justice by his death Let the Use be to inform thee That every sin committed continueth as fresh to cry vengeance many years after as if it were but lately done till remitted by God Think not therefore that time will wear it out though they may wear out of thy conscience yet they cannot out of Gods minde Consider that of Job 14.17 Thou sealest up my transgression as in a bag and thou sowest up mine iniquity So that what the Apostle speaks of some 2 Pet. 2. is true of all impenitent sinners Their damnation slumbereth not nor doth it linger Therefore till the mercy of God hath taken off this guilt thou art to be in as much fear and trembling as if the very sins were still committed by thee LECTURE XVII MAT. 6.12 And forgive us our Debts THe next Question to be handled is What remission of sin is and how God doth forgive them And although the discussing of the former Question viz. What maketh a man a sinner doth make an easie and quick way of dispatching this because Justification doth take off that consideration and respect of a sinner from a man yet that the whole nature of it may be better understood I shall lay down severall Propositions all which will tend to give us much light in this great and glorious benefit of the Gospel And in the first place as we formerly considered some choice Hebrew words that set forth the pardon of sinne so now let us take notice of some Greek words in the new Testament that expresse this gracious act of God for the holy Ghost knoweth best in what words to represent this glorious mercy to us The word that is most frequently used by the Evangelists and Apostles is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the general is as much as to dismisse or send away to let alone to leave to permit or suffer in which senses the Scripture often useth it and certainly God in this sense doth pardon sin because he lets it alone he leaves it he meddles no more with it but handleth the person forgiven as if he never had been a sinner But commonly this word is used of absolving those who are accused as guilty which appeareth in that famous sentence of Agesilaus