The True Doctrine of Justification Asserted and Vindicated, Lecture 29
LECTURE XXIX.
ACTS 3.19.
Repent and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out.
THe Apoſtle Peter in this exhortatory diſcourſe of his to the Jews, deals like a wiſe Phyſitian:
Firſt, Diſcovering the danger of the diſeaſe.
Secondly, Applying an effectual remedy.
The diſeaſe is that hainous ſin the Jews were guilty of, in killing of Chriſt, the Prince of life. Which ſin is aggravated by a threefold antitheſis:
1. They delivered up, and denied Chriſt in the preſence of Pilate, when he would have acquitted him.
2. They denied him, though he was an holy and juſt One.
3. They deſired a murtherer to be releaſed rather then him. This is their ſin.
In the next place, you have the remedy preſcribed in two words, Repent and be converted. Repent, that denotes a change in the heart: and to be converted, an alteration in the outward converſation, foreign, Howſoever it be generally received that foreign ſignifieth only true and godly ſorrow, and foreign, that imperfect and unſound grief which is upon hypocrites, yet this is not univerſally true, for foreign, is applied to true repentance, Mat. 21.19. & 32. and foreign to an outward repentance meeerly, Mat. 11.21. The other word is foreign, which is to be underſtood reciprocally, Turn your ſelves, or be turned. This exhortation doth not ſuppoſe free-will in us, it only denoteth our duty, not our ability. Neither is Grotius his aſſertion better then Semipelagianiſme, when he compareth the will of a man to the mother, and grace to the father, ſo that as children are named after the father, and not the mother: thus good actions are denominated from grace, not free-will: for in our converſion free-will is neither a totall or partiall cauſe preoperant or cooperant, but the paſſive ſubject recipient of that Vim gratiae vorticordiam, as Auſtin called it, the heart-changing power of grace. This duty of repentance is urged from the profitable conſequent. Piſcator cals it effectu utili, the effect of converſion, which is, that your ſins may be blotted out. It is not an inference of cauſality, but of conſequence. Blotting out, is (as you heard) from merchants that expunge their debts, or the Scribe that raceth out thoſe letters which ought not to be in the paper, or the Painter that defaceth thoſe lineaments, which ſhould not be in the Picture.
In the next place, you have the time, when theſe ſins ſhall be blotted out (that is) when the times of refreſhing ſhall come, foreign, is uſed Exod. 8.15. Some do not underſtand this, nor that expreſſion, The times of reſtitution of all things, verſ. 21. of the day of judgement, but of that preſervation the elect ſhould have, when the deſtruction of Jeruſalem ſhould be. Hence it is, that they expound the day of the Lord ſo much ſpoken of in Peter, and other places, which is ſaid to be coming upon the beleevers, of that time when God came to deſtroy Jeruſalem, but there is no cogent reaſon to go from the received interpretation, which maketh the day of judgement to be the times of refreſhing to the godly, for ſo indeed it is, becauſe then they are eaſed from all thoſe troubles and oppreſſions they lay under in this world. Hence our Saviour cals it, The day of our redemption, upon the coming whereof they are to lift up their heads.
The Obſervation is,
Obſerv.That a compleat and full abſolution from all ſin, is not enjoyed till the day of judgement.
The Beleevers have not a full diſcharge till then: we are in this life continually ſubject to new ſins, and ſo to new guilt, whereby ariſe new fears, ſo that the ſoul hath not a full reſt from all, till that final abſolution be pronounced at the day of judgement.
Propoſitions laid down in proſecution of this Obſervat…on.Before we ſhew the grounds whereby it may appear, that the remiſſion of our ſins is not fully compleated till then: we muſt lay down ſome Propoſitions by way of a grand work.
Firſt, The Scripture not only in this priviledge of remiſſion of our ſin, but in others alſo, makes the complement and fulneſs of them to be at the day of judgement. Redemption is the totall ſumme, as it were, of all our mercies, and we are partakers of it in this life, Col. 1.14. Rom. 3.24. Yet the Scripture cals the day of judgement, when we ſhall riſe out of our graves in a peculiar and eminent manner, the day of redemption, Epheſ. 1.7. Epheſ. 4.30. becauſe at that day, will be the utmoſt and laſt effects of our redemption. Adoption, that alſo is a priviledge we receive in this life; yea a learned man (Forbes in his book where he handleth the order of Gods graces) makes adoption (as I take it) to be the firſt, and to go before juſtification, yet the Apoſtle, Rom. 8.23. calleth the laſt day, the day of adoption. Hence 1 Joh. 3.2. the Apoſtle, though he ſaith, We are now the ſons of God, yet he ſaith it doth not appear what we ſhall be, becauſe the glory God at the laſt day will put upon us, is ſo farre tranſcendent and ſuperlative to what now we are. Thus Mat. 19.28. the laſt day is alſo called the day of regeneration unto the people of God, yet in this life they partake of that grace, but becauſe then is the full perfection and manifeſtation of it, therefore the Scripture cals it, the day of regeneration. Even as the Apoſtle, Act. 13.33▪ applieth that paſſage of the Pſalm to Chriſts reſurrection, This day have I begotten thee, becauſe then was ſuch a ſolemn and publique declaration, that he was the Son of God. No marvel then, if the Scripture do alſo call the day of judgement a time, when ſins ſhall be blotted out, becauſe then is the publique abſolution of the godly; and according to philoſophy motions receive their names from the term to which they tend.
Secondly, Howſoever Juſtification be ſaid to conſiſt in pardon of ſin, yet there is a great difference between the one and the other; for Juſtification beſides the pardon of ſin doth connote a ſtate that the ſubject is put into, viz. A ſtate of favour, being reconciled with God. Hence it is, that this ſtate cannot be reiterated often, no more then a wife after that firſt entrance into the relation is frequently made a wife. In this ſenſe, the Scripture alwaies ſpeaks of it, as connoting a ſtate or condition the ſubject is put into, as well as a peculiar priviledge vouchſafed to ſuch. It is true, There are indeed learned men, who think Juſtification may be reiterated, as you heard, Peter Martyr, and Bucer. Others call it a continued action, as conſervation. But although there is a continuance of Juſtification, and the godly are preſerved in that eſtate, yet we cannot ſay, God doth renew Juſtification daily, as he doth pardon of ſin. There are ſome that think the Scripture gives a ground for a ſecond Juſtification, or the continuing and encreaſing of it, and bring thoſe places, Tit. 3.5, 6, 7. Rev. 22.11. The learned and excellent Interpreter Ludovicus de Dieu, in Cap. 8. of the Romans, verſ. 4. largely pleadeth for a two-fold Juſtification; The firſt he makes to be the imputing of Chriſts righteouſneſs to us, received by faith, which is altogether perfect, and is the cauſe of pardon of ſins: The ſecond he makes an effect of the former, whereby through the grace of God regenerating, we are conformable unto that love in part, and are day by day more and more juſtified, and ſhall be fully ſo when perfection comes: of which Juſtification he ſaith theſe texts ſpeak, Jam. 2.21, 24. Revel. 22.11. Mat. 11.37. 1 King. 8.32. This two-fold Juſtification he makes to differ toto coelo from the Papiſts, whoſe firſt is founded upon the merit of congruity, the ſecond upon the merit of condignity. But the diſcuſſing of this will be more proper in the other part, viz. of imputed righteouſneſs. Auſtin ſeemeth to hold Juſtification a frequent and continued act, lib. 2. contra Julianum, cap. 8. When we are heard in that prayer [Forgive us our ſins] we need (ſaith he) ſuch a remiſſion daily, what progreſs ſoever we have made in our ſecond Juſtification. He ſpeaks alſo of a Juſtification hujus vitae, which he cals minorem the leſſer; and another plenam and perfectam, full and perfect, which belongs to the ſtate of glory, Tract. 4. in Joannem lib. de ſpiritu & lit. cap. ultim. But the more exact handling of this will be in the place above-mentioned. It ſeemeth more conſonant to Scripture, if we ſay, That Juſtification is a ſtate we were once put into, which is not repeated over and over, as often as ſin is forgiven; neither can it admit of increaſe or decreaſe, ſo that a man ſhould be more or leſs juſtified, for even David while he was in that ſtate of ſuſpenſion, was not leſs juſtified, though the effects of Juſtification were leſs upon him. It is true, in ſome ſenſe learned men ſay, Juſtification may increaſe, viz. extenſivè, not intenſivè, as they expreſs it, by way of extenſion, when more ſins are pardoned, not intenſively in its own nature. Even as the ſoul of a man in its information of the body, admits of no increaſe intenſively, but it doth extenſively, the more the parts of the body grow, the further doth its information extend. But of theſe things more in their proper place.
Thirdly, Howſoever an abſolution ſhall be compleated at the day of judgement, yet our justification ſhall not abide in ſuch a way, as it is in this life. Now our Juſtification is by pardon of ſin, and a righteouſneſs without us imputed to us, which is inſtrumentally applied by faith, but this way ſhall then ceaſe; for having perfect righteouſneſs inherent in our ſelves, we ſhall need no covering. It is true, the glory and honour of all this will redound upon Chriſt, and he ſhall not be the leſs glorified, becauſe he hath then brought us to the full end of all his ſufferings. I know ſome may doubt whether any righteouſneſs, but that which is infinite can pleaſe God, and therefore as ſome think the Angels were accepted of God through Chriſt, though perfect: ſo it may of the Saints in heaven; but I ſee no ground for this. This ſeemeth to be undoubted, That the 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,Wherein the compleatneſſe of the pardon of ſin at the day of judgement conſiſteth. 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.1. In our ſenſe of that pardon 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.2. In the accompliſhment of all effects of pardon. 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.
3. Then no more iteration of pardon.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 th…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 p…aieth ſo earneſtly for the Bridegrooms coming. For this it is, They look for, and haſten in their praiers that day.
4. Then juſtification ſhall be perfected.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, foreign, 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?Whether the ſins of Gods people ſh…ll be manifeſted at the laſt day.
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 or trouble, yea with joy and thankfulneſſe to God, becauſe delivered from them. Quando que laeti recordamur dolorum, ſaid Gregory. We may with joy remember by-paſt grief.
But thoſe that are for the negative, think this no waies ſuteable to Gods goodneſſe, that the ſins of the godly ſhould then be publiſhed, for theſe grounds following.
Firſt, From the judicial proceſſe, where Chriſt cals the bleſſed of his Father to inherit the Kingdom prepared for them; and then enumerateth only the good works they had done; no queſtion they had many ſins and failings, but God takes no notice of them.
Secondly, This agreeth beſt (they ſay) with thoſe expreſſions of Scripture concerning pardon, viz. that God blotteth them out, that they are thrown into the bottom of the ſea.
Thirdly, The godly are ſaid not to come into judgement, and there is no condemnation to them, yea, they have already life everlaſting.
Laſtly, Chriſt is their bridegroom, their friend, their advocate, and how ill becoming would it be one in ſuch relations, to account or lay open their ſins?
Which of theſe opinions is trueſt, is hard to ſay, neither of them have cogent arguments, and the Scripture doth not expreſly decide the queſtion, yet the negative ſeems to have more probability on its ſide.
Ʋſe 1.The Uſe is, Firſt, Of comfort and glad tidings to the children of God, howſoever in this life they have accuſations from within, and from without, yet the day is coming, when they ſhall have a glorious and publike juſtification from all objections: Then Satan can no more accuſe Joſhua for the noiſome rags upon him; Then Joſeph ſhall be brought out of the priſon freed from all guilt and calumny, and exalted to great glory, and it may be therefore God ſuffereth thee to be exerciſed with much guilt and fear here, that thou maiſt the more long for thoſe daies of refreſhment. And as this truth is for their great conſolation, ſo alſo it demonſtrateth their happineſſe; That that which is ſo terrible and dreadfull to wicked men, ſhould be ſuch matter of rejoycing unto them: when they through horrour ſhould cry for the mountains and hils to cover them, theſe ſhall deſire the graves and the earth to deliver up her dead, that they may enjoy their Bridegroom. Certainly beleevers are not beleevers in this point as they ſhould be; what an heavenly contempt would it work in them of this preſent world, what earneſt deſires, that this Kingdom might at laſt come? This is their marriage-day, the day of coronation. Then death, hell, grave, ſin and Satan, are all conquered.
And if the joy and peace, which remiſſion of ſin produceth in this life be ſo exceeding glorious, what will that be when we ſhall have no more ſtreams but that fountain?
2. Uſe by way of contrary, To terrifie and arouſe wicked men, Ʋſe 2.for as the godly have but a glimmering, a little pittance in this life, in reſpect of that fulneſſe of glory to be revealed hereafter, ſo the wicked feel not the leaſt part of that guilt, torment, ſhame and confuſion, which hereafter ſhall be poured upon them.
There are many mens ſins lie aſleep, keep no noiſe either in their own conſciences, or before God; but then theſe lyons, theſe maſtive dogs that lay tumbling at the door, will riſe up in rage, and wholly devour: Do not therefore take Gods forbearance for his gracious acquittance; oh do not imbolden thy ſelf with falſe encouragements, and ſay, The worſt is over; As the Apoſtle ſaid, theſe light afflictions were nothing to that eternal weight of glory: ſo on the contrary may the wicked ſay; Theſe pangs and wounds of conſciences which are felt here, are nothing to that eternal weight of ſin hereafter. Bernard ſaid, deſcendamus in infernum viventes, ne deſcendamus morien…es, let us goe into hell while we are alive by a ſerious meditation, and holy conſideration, that we may not go into it, when we be dead, by reall miſeries. As the Apoſtle ſaith, we are the children of God, but it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be; there is more glory then they can conceive: ſo wicked men are now the children of wrath, but it doth not yet appear what they ſhall be. Oh therefore that ungodly men were as wiſe as Jonah's mariners, who in the midſt of tempeſts, ſeeing their ſhip neceſſarily ſinking, throw away the goods that were a burden, knowing they and their ſafety could not conſiſt together. Thus are ye to do: throw away thy ſins, thoſe heavy burdens that put all into danger, and ſo maiſt thou ſafely arrive at laſt in heaven.