The True Doctrine of Justification Asserted and Vindicated, Lecture 6
LECTURE VI.
JER. 50.20.
In thoſe dayes, and at that time, the iniquity of Judah ſhall be ſought for, and it ſhall not be found, &c.
ALthough the Apoſtle ſay true, 1 Tim. 6.4. that there is a doting about queſtions, whereby the ſoul of a man is made ſick and ſpiritually diſeaſed, as the Greek word foreign implieth, weakning and debilitating grace, as much as fretting doth waſte away the fleſh; and this is done when men encounter in controverſies as beaſts in their combats, ſeeking only victory; yet there may be ſuch a doctrinal clearing of truth by anſwering of Objections, that may tend much to edification, both in knowledge and affections; and by the ſtriking of flint ſtones together, there may flie out ſparks enough to kindle godlineſs and zeal in our breſt. This I ſhall endeavour by Gods aſſiſtance in that neceſſary and famous queſtion, of Gods forgiving ſin. For to preach in crabbed controverſies, is like Gideon, Judg. 8.16. to teach men with briars and thorns, as the phraſe there is. The Antinomian placeth this Text in the fore-front, for that abſurd opinion, God ſeeth no ſin in perſons juſtified: The Text opened.if therefore their Goliah be ſlain, the reſt will ſpeedily quit the field. The words contain a gracious promiſe to Judah and Iſrael.
Firſt, To deliver them from their temporal evil: They ſhall be brought out of their captivity into their own countrey again: we need not diſpute how many came back again, its enough this mercy was offered them, howſoever they might neglect it.
Secondly, Here is a promiſe to remove their ſpiritual evil, which was the cauſe of the former; God will pardon their ſins; and by this a profitable Doctrine is taught, That a people ought to be more deſirous of Gods pardon, then of removal of their calamities, whereas commonly like unwiſe diſeaſed men, we complain more of the Symptomes then of the diſeaſe it ſelf. The evil of ſin depriveth us of an infinite good; but the evil of afflictions, only of a finite. Now this promiſe is not to be ſtretched out only to the times of the Goſpel, but is particularly true of the Jews, when removed out of their baniſhment, yet not to be limited to that time only; and howſoever the promiſe for pardon be general to all, yet it is to be underſtood in this manner, that to the wicked, their ſin was no farther forgiven, then in this ſenſe, That their captivity was removed: but to the true believers, there was a real taking away of Gods wrath and diſpleaſure from them. The promiſe of pardon is deſcribed very emphatically and comfortably to the truly humbled Jews, There ſhall be none of their ſins, and none ſhall be found when ſought for: This expreſſion doth ſuppoſe a judicial inquiry, (as when God is ſaid to make inquiſition for bloud) and to be found doth imply, God judicially taking notice of a man to puniſh him, ſo Rev. 20.15. In her was found the bloud of the Saints: So Beza amplifieth that word, Phil. 3.9. be found in him, as if the juſtice of God were purſuing Paul as a malefactor, and Chriſt was a City of refuge unto him.
Obſervation. Remiſſion of ſin is ſuch a taking of it away, Obſervation.as if it had never been: he that denieth ſins forgiven to be quite removed, denieth Pharaoh and his hoſt to be drowned in the red Sea, ſaid Gregory.
This point practically improved is the treaſure of a believers comfort: But there is the Antinomian error on the right hand, and the Popiſh on the left, whereby a godly heart, if not well inſtructed, may when it cals for bread, meet with a ſtone,Errours concerning remiſſion of ſin. and when for fiſh, with a ſerpent. Therefore for the more orderly proceeding, let us conſider what the Antinomian ſaith, then what the Papiſt; and laſtly, what the truth is.Antinomian errors. The Antinomians opinion may be diſcovered in theſe particulars.
1. That a juſtified perſon having on Chriſts wedding garment, hath thereby all his ſins quite taken away from before God, and ſo utterly aboliſhed, that we have not any ſpot of ſin in the ſight of God (Honey-Comb of Juſtification, pag. 24. cap. 3. per tot.)
2. This is extended by them (pag. 27.) not only to actuall ſins but originall ſins, for we eaſily grant that in actuall ſins, if once forgiven, there remaineth no more defilement, but that he is made in that reſpect of remiſſion, as white as ſnow, though there may remain a further diſpoſition to evil, by that ſin once committed, if renewing grace help not.
3. This abolition of ſin, they underſtand both of the fault and the guilt; ſo that God doth not only take away the puniſhment, but both the form of the ſin alſo is wholly removed, ſo that there is neither puniſhment nor cauſe of puniſhment, in one thus juſtified. Hence they ſay, there is no ſin in the Church now, and they expreſſe it thus, As a Phyſician, though he healeth a man, yet he cannot take away the ſcars; but God healeth ſin ſo, as no ſcar remaineth, yea, he giveth a freſh colour again. They ſay likewiſe, our ſin is conſumed, as if one drop of water ſhould be aboliſhed by the heat of the Sun, yea, pag. 39. the Authour affirmeth, that whoſoever have not confidence in this one point, that our ſins are ſo taken away by Chriſt, that God doth not ſee our ſins in us, without doubt are damned as long as they continue to rob the bloud of Christ of this honour; Therefore (ſaith he) true Divinity teacheth that there is no ſin in the Church any more.
4. He diſtinguiſheth (p. 51.) of a two-fold aboliſhing, the one myſtical and ſecret, wrought only by Chriſt, and his righteouſnes; The other groſſe and palpable, wrought by us, by the help of Gods Spirit, to our ſenſe and feeling; ſo that they grant ſin in us, and ſin to be mortified, but this is not in Gods ſight, although it be in our own.
5. Whereas it might be, and is objected, God hath an all-ſeeing eye, and therefore he cannot but ſee ſin if it be in us, They anſwer, God indeed ſeeth all things, ſaving that which he will not ſee, but undertakes to aboliſh out of his ſight, and they diſtinguiſh of Gods knowing and his ſeeing (p.68.) God knoweth believers ſins, but he doth not ſee them. To know, is to underſtand the nature of a thing: but to ſee (according to them) is to behold the real exiſtence of a thing: now that cannot be of ſin, becauſe its taken away. Thus (ſay they) God did know the ſins of Abraham, and men did reprove him, but God did never once rebuke him in all his life after his calling, for any one ſin.
So that by theſe Poſitions you may ſee their meaning to be, That a juſtified man is by Chriſt ſo cleanſed, that God ſeeth nothing but what is perfectly holy in him: ſin not only in the puniſhment, but in the exiſtence of it is removed quite away as to Gods ſight. Hence God takes no notice, never chaſtiſeth them, never reproveth them, becauſe he ſeeth nothing but what is exceeding good; and therefore becauſe the juſtified feel the contrary, that they have ſin, they commend and preſſe faith, to live above ſenſe, reaſon, and all our experience; for (ſay they) as a man that looks thorow red glaſſe, ſeeth every thing red, ſo God looking thorow Chriſt, ſeeth not only our perſons, but all our actions, perfectly righteous with Chriſt righteouſneſſe. What elſe may be ſaid of their opinion, is to be ſpoken of, when we treat of imputed righteouſneſſe.
Popiſh errours concerning remiſſion of ſin.In the next place, let us conſider what is Popery in this point, The Papiſts, as Bellarmine, lib. de Juſtif. c. 7. ſay with the Antinomian, That forgiveneſſe of ſin is the quite aboliſhing of it, and that whether it be original or actual, ſo that no ſin abideth any more in a man ſo juſtified, till he fals from it; and ſaith Bellarmine, If the Scripture would have invented words on purpoſe, to ſhew that ſin is quite extinguiſhed, it could not uſe other then it doth, and they think it impoſſible to conceive, that there ſhould be ſin in a man, and yet juſtified; for this is (ſay they) to make him at the ſame time a childe of God and the devil, The devil to dwell in him by ſin, and Chriſt by Juſtification. Thus they diſtinguiſh not between ſin reigning and ſin being. Though ſin be in a godly man, yet it neither hath vim damnatricem or dominatricem, condemning power, or reigning power. Now its wonder the Papiſts ſhould conceive this ſo impoſſible, when they hold that the godly have venial ſins, which yet are truly ſins, and ſo by their own argument God muſt hate and puniſh them, yet God doth not break off his friendſhip for all that: now compare theſe two errors together in their agreement and difference.
1. Both Papiſt and Antinomian agree in this,Papiſts and Antinomians agreement, That remiſſion of ſin, is quite aboliſhing and extinguiſhing of ſin, both in the exiſtence of it and puniſhment (although ſome Papiſts hold for the later, viz. of puniſhment, at leaſt temporal, that that may abide, though the ſin be forgiven.)
2. They both agree in the places of Scripture, as Chriſt cleanſing us from all ſin, Thou art all fair my love, To purchaſe to himſelf a Church without ſpot or wrinkle; Theſe and the like, they both inſiſt much upon.
3. They both agree in reaſon to prove it, viz. That ſin is ſo odious to God that he hateth it whereſoever it is, and therefore a godly man muſt at the ſame time be the object of Gods hatred and love, which (ſay they) is abſurd to affirm; but here they differ; the Antinomian makes a believer without ſin, becauſe of Chriſts righteouſneſſe which he is cloathed with;as alſo difference. The Papiſt he makes him to be without ſin inherently, becauſe of the grace of ſanctification perfectly renewing him. And indeed though the Antinomian ſeem to ſhew more zeal to Chriſt and grace, yet the Papiſt ſpeaks more to reaſon; and if thoſe places of Scripture did prove an utter extinguiſhing of ſin, it would carry it fairer, for an inherent perfect holineſſe, The Orthodox truth concerning remiſſion of ſin.then ſuch a myſtical perfection as they imagine. In the third place, I ſhall lay down the truth, and wherein Scripture-doctrine doth indeed ſail between theſe two rocks.
And, 1. The Orthodox do diſtinguiſh of the nature of ſin, eſpecially original, and the guilt of it, now (ſay they) the Scripture makes forgivenes to be the removing of the guilt, but the nature doth ſtill abide in ſome degrees.
2. This ſin even in the godly, is ſeen by God, taken notice of, he hates it, and doth puniſh it, only he doth not puniſh it in their own perſons, but in Chriſt; ſo that the ſin of a godly man doth offend God, and he abhorreth, and will puniſh it: but Chriſt intervening, it fals upon him; ſo that our being in Chriſt doth not hinder Gods taking notice of our ſins, and hating of them, but onelyonly freeth us from final deſtruction by them.
3. If by ſeeing of ſin ſhould be meant judicial and final puniſhing of a man, then we would ſay, God doth not ſee ſin in the godly in that ſenſe, and this ſome Orthodox have ſpoken, which the Antinomian miſtaking, have loſt the truth. Thus Pareus, lib. 2. de Juſtific. cap. 9. p. 491. maintaining, That the godly mans ſins are covered, which (ſaith he) ſuppoſeth not that ſins are not, but that they are not ſeen, maketh this objection, but nothing is covered, or hid to God; and then anſwereth, True, but what he would have covered, but he will not faſten his eyes upon believers ſins, becauſe through Chriſt he turneth away the eyes of his juſtice, that he may place the eyes of his mercy upon them; and to this purpoſe he quoteth Auſtin, Tecta peccata, quare dixit, ut non viderentur, quid enim erat Dei videre peccata, niſi punire? Brockman likewiſe de Juſtific. cap. 2. qu. 10. p. 526. In vain is it objected, That nothing is covered to God, for that is true with this reſtriction, unleſſe it be that which he would have covered; ſo that if by ſeeing were meant Gods judicial puniſhing and condemning, in that ſenſe God doth not ſee the ſins of believers, for he throweth them behinde his back: but if by ſeeing be meant (as the Antinomian doth) Gods not taking notice of, nor being offended with the ſins of the godly, ſo that he doth not chaſtiſe them for them; this is a very dangerous error, and is far more then a difference about words; for the truth is, That the ſins of a Godly man do offend God, and he is angry, not as a Father, but as a Judge: hence (as you heard) the afflictions upon the Godly are for their ſins, and called Judgements, onelyonly he is a Fatherly Judge. There is an excellent temperament of both theſe in God relatively to his people. For the further diſcuſſion of this main point,Exp…eſſions in Scrip…u…e …bout pardoning of ſin▪ let us conſider practically, the ſweet and full expreſſion of the Scriptures about pardoning of ſin. One word frequently uſed is Naſa, which ſignifieth to lift up; and take away a thing ſo,1. Verbal▪ as that it was an heavy burden, and ſo ſome tranſlate that, Pſal. 32.1. Bleſſed is he who is eaſed of his ſin, for you may ſee in that Pſalm, David feeling an inſupportable weight upon him by his iniquities, ſuch as he could not ſtand under: now to pardon, is to take this weight off, ſo Gen. 4.13. My ſin is greater then can be born, or taken away, i.e. forgiven: again, If thou doſt well, is not Levatio, that is, pardon and eaſe? It is then no marvel, if forgivenes of ſin be accounted ſuch a bleſſed thing, by thoſe who truly feel the burden of their iniquities. Hence you have it excellently, Zech. 3.9, 10. made the cauſe of all quietneſſe and content, when their ſins were pardoned, then they called to their neighbours to ſit under their fig-trees. And well doth Calvin call this, The chief hinge of Religion, and the truth of this Doctrine is to be ſought out with all care, for what quietneſſe can a man have till he know what judgement or eſteem the Lord hath of him, and in what manner it is wrought?
Another expreſſion of it is called covering of ſin, there are two words for this, the one is Chaſah, and is uſed properly of ſuch a thing that is put between the object and the eye, Numb. 9.15. It is uſed of the Cloud that covered the tabernacle, its applied to a Garment, or any other thing that doth cover, Gen. 3.21. Its applied to God covering Adams nakedneſſe: Hence a learned man thinks, thoſe skins were of beasts ſacrificed, which did prefigure Chriſt, and God by this covering, would as by an outward Symbol teach them, by whom their ſins ſhould be covered, and to this an alluſion ſeemeth to be, Rev. 3.18. I counſel thee to buy of me white garments, that thy nakedneſſe may not appear. A like word is Caphar, which ſignifieth covering with pitch, or the like, which doth ſo cleave to the thing it covereth, that it can hardly be removed. Its applied Exod. 15.27. to the propitiatory, or covering made of pure gold, wherein God ſhewed himſelf gracious. It is uſed Levit. 16.30. The word alſo is uſed of the pitching of the Ark, and as that pitch kept the waters from coming in, ſo doth the bloud of Chriſt our ſins from overflowing us, and this doth excellently deſcribe the nature of pardoning of ſin, God doth as it were hide it from us, he will not puniſh it: but you muſt not ſtretch this word too far with the Antinomian, as if indeed God did not take notice of them, for Davids when it was covered, yet was viſited afterwards by God, but its covered ſo far, as that it ſhall not condemn. We do not therefore as the Antinomian ſaith, make God peep under the covering again, but we ſay the word is a Metaphor, and muſt not be underſtood groſly and palpably, as if there were any real thing put before the eyes of God, that he could not behold our ſins, but only that God will not finally condemn us for ſin. Furthermore, when a ſin is pardoned, it is ſaid to be hid from Gods eyes, as if God did not know it, Jer. 16.17 The Hebrew word Zaphan, is applied to the Northern part of the world, becauſe it is hidden from the heat of the Sun. Hence Joſeph is called, Gen. 41.45. Zapthnath paaneah, becauſe he was a revealer of hidden things. Thoſe iniquities therefore which are ſo often before thee,2. Real …xpreſſio…s. they are as it were hidden from God.
Another is Mechah (and I will name no more) which is to blot out, or wipe out, a Metaphor from thoſe who cancel or blot out their debts ▪ when once diſcharged. Now beſides theſe verbal expreſſions, you have many real phraſes that do declare this great mercy, as Micah 7.19. He will ſubdue our iniquities, and thou wilt caſt them into the bottom of the ſea, where the Prophet doth admire the goodneſſe and freeneſſe of God herein, Who is a God like thee? paſſing by iniquity, ſubduing ſins. The word implieth, that our ſins were as our enemies, the guilt of them did inſlave us, and keep us like vaſſals in fear, but now they are maſtered. And further, He throweth them in the bottom of the ſea, there is no more memory or footſteps of them, as when the Aegyptians were drowned in the bottom of the ſea, they could never hurt the Iſraelites more. Thus God doth to thy ſins when they are pardoned. Another expreſſion you have, Iſa. 44.22. ſome expound it thus, As the Sun riſing doth make the thick clouds to vaniſh away, and there is nothing but ſerenity to be ſeen; ſo it is with God pardoning: but Junius underſtands it thus, As the thick cloud diſſolved into rain, waſheth away the ſoil and filth of the earth, ſo will the Lord in pardoning, take away that noiſomneſſe and offence their ſins made. Conſider Hezekiahs expreſſion, Iſa. 38.17. Thou haſt caſt all my ſins behinde thy back; It is an expreſſion from men, who when they will not regard a thing, caſt it behinde their backs, and thus God doth, not as if he did not take notice to chaſtiſe for them, but they ſhall not have their proper effect, which is to condemn. And theſe expreſſions are very neceſſary to a contrite heart, which is apt to imagine God as alwaies beholding his ſins, and ſending forth his judgements becauſe of them, whereas it muſt be as a foundation laid, That God is gracious and mercifull, not only in the generall, but even to us in particular. The laſt I will pitch upon, is Pſal. 13.12. As far as the Eaſt is from the Weſt, ſo far hath he removed our ſins from us, where the Pſalmiſt makes Gods mercies as much above our ſins, as heaven is above earth; and leſt the guilt of ſin ſhould hinder the deſcent of it, he makes God to throw away our ſins from him, as far as it can be. Thus you ſee how abundant the Scripture is, in deſcribing this mercy of mercies: This mercy, which if not injoyed,Comfortable conſideration ariſing from the fore▪going phraſes. every thing, our beds, our fields and houſes, will be an hell to us▪ The ſumme of theſe words and phraſes amounteth to theſe comfortable conſiderations.
Firſt, That God pardoneth ſin, and removeth the guilt of it totally and perfectly, ſo that a ſin cannot be more forgiven then it is: not that all the pollution of ſin is likewiſe totally taken away, for that would contradict other places of Scripture, which ſay, ſin is ſtill in us, but only the condemning power is ſubdued; and therefore this doctrine doth afford as much comfort, as any Antinomian would deſire, and yet doth not fall foul with other places of Scripture. Thoſe ſins committed by thee and repented of, are as abſolutely forgiven as can be deſired: they can be no better pardoned if thou waſt in heaven, or hadſt perfect righteouſneſs beſtowed upon thee. It hath pleaſed God that the guilt of thy ſin ſhould be perfectly remitted, though the power be not fully mortified.
Secondly, Theſe phraſes imply, That its Gods meer act without us, which doth expell the guilt of ſin, not any thing done in us, or by us, and therefore thou art not to build thy hope of pardon upon any work of Regeneration or Mortification within thee, but Gods goodneſſe without thee; even as a Creditor doth forgive many thouſands to a Debtor, by his meer voluntary Act. Now we are apt to think according to the principles of Popery, that our Juſtification is no better then our inherent holineſſe is, whereas any godly man may ſit down and conſider, that he is not able to goe out with his five thouſrnd, againſt, the Juſtice of God that comes againſt him with ten thouſand. Grace juſtifying takes away all guilt of ſinne; grace ſanctifying doth not, becauſe as Bonaventure well obſerveth, the remedy given by grace againſt originall ſin, is not ordained againſt it, prout corrumpit naturam, ſed prout perſonam, as it doth infect our nature, for ſo it ſticketh till death, but as it doth defile the perſon; meaſure not therefore the perfection of grace juſtifying, by the perfection of grace ſanctifying.
Thirdly, This Scripture language doth infer, That ſin forgiven, is as if it had never been; now the troubled ſoul cryeth out, Oh that I had never been thus, done thus▪ Why? God when he doth pardon, makes it as if it had never been: do not fear the drowned Aegyptians will riſe up and purſue thee again. We may tell a David, a Paul, it is ſo with them, as if no adultery, murder, or perſecutions had been committed by them.
Fourthly, As God doth indeed really thus remit, ſo the Scripture commands the repentant ſinner to believe this, and with confidence to rest ſatisfied. Oh what holy boldneſſe may this truth believed work in the tender heart! You may ſee a poor man, though he hath much ado to live, yet if his debts be diſcharged, how glad he is he can go abroad, and fear no Sergeant to Arreſt him, no writ iſſued out to attach him; and thus it is with a ſinner repenting and beleeving; and if there be any whoſe heart is not raviſhed with this glorious mercy, it is to be feared, he never felt the burden of ſin, or elſe never ſtrongly beleeved this gracious way of God. Let not then any Antinomian ſay, we put water into the beleevers wine, or wormwood into their bread; for who can rationally deſire more then this doth amount to? but to expect ſuch a pardon, ſuch a juſtification, as that God ſhall take no notice of ſin, to chaſtiſe or afflict for it, is to ſay, There is forgiveneſs with God▪ that he may not be feared, contrary to Davids expreſſion.